Journal

Digital Design - Module 02 Semester 1, 2018

Jiayi Feng (904598) Joel Collins - studio 15

Week Three

Reading: Kolerevic B. 2003. Architecture in the Digital Age

Kolerevic described three fundamental type of fabrication techniques in the reading. Outline the three techniques and discuss the potential of Computer Numeric Controlled fabrication with parametric modelling. (150 words max)

Subtractive, addictive and formative fabrication are three fundamental type of fabrication techniques, which Kolerevic mentioned.

Subtractive fabrication involves the removal of a specified volume of material from solids using electro, chemically or mechanically reductive processes. The milling can be axially, surface or volume constrained. (laser cutting) Another technique is addictive fabrication.

It involves incremental forming by adding material in a layer-by-layer fashion, in a process which is the converse of milling. (3D printing) In addition, formative fabrication can form the materials into desired shape through reshaping or deformation (heat or steam).

Computer numeric controlled fabrication has potential with parametric modelling that data able to be imputed straight from the computer program into the machines computer in order to produce the end product, without any need for technical drawing or manufacturing drawing.

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Week Three

Surface Creation

Grasshopper script: creating surfaces

Surfaces iteration 1

Surfaces iteration 2

Surfaces iteration 3

Surfaces iteration 4

I set up the whole surfaces based on one box and then separated them in groups with proper labels. Although the background is a bit messy, it is easy to help me to change data and compare with different iterations. In addition, the point coordinates are within one single box, which can make the matrix more clear.

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Week Four Panels & Waffle

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Panel isometric

Waffle isometric

The iteration focused on the use of weaverbird plug-in to create some opening areas with different shapes and directions. I used both solid and void panels to contrast. The concept of making these panels is to promote a sense of harmony between panels and waffle structure. So I set an attraction point at the bottom of two surfaces to align them with waffle structure. And the size of each panel is reduced from the top of the volume to bottom by changing the size of attraction point magnitude.

The bottom of waffle is towards to one direction, but two sides are in different rotated angles. It formes a dynamic and volumetric inner structure. What’s more, it can be placed in four directions.

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Week Four

Laser Cutting

After unrolling these panels, I used the command ’dupedge’ to trace my cutting and etch lines. And then I separated them in to different layers to prepare for laser cutting. I didn’t create tabs in a large scale to ensure that it can be finally glued on my waffle structure.

Cause the edges of each panel are in the cutting layer.

When I received my laser cutting, some surfaces were teared by the masking tapes. So I had to resubmit some of my panels again. But in this time, I tried not to put all edges in cutting layers to avoid using masking tapes.

Laser cutting nesting

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Week Five

Boolean difference iteration 1

Boolean difference iteration 2

Boolean difference iteration 3

Boolean difference iteration 4

Grasshopper script: boolean

I tried to use different geometric shapes from lunchbox. The size of scaling and places for boolean difference will influence the shapes of my models. So some of them may not can be printed it out. I also copied many different groups of making boolean model in my grasshopper. In this way, I can change my geometry easily and also can record the information for each process.

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Week Five

Isometric

With the booleaned geometry contained mostly within the original shape the cube is still highly visible as a form.

Many openings are produced by booleaned geometry to make the space functional.

There are also some connections between two adjacent spaces.

Cantilevered roof project to exterior, defining space with a sense of belonging.

I used icosahedron to subtract the cube with porosity and permeability. It can be regarded as windows or the entry of the buildings depending on its size. Intersecting area can be an interesting part in this segment. It can create both private and public spaces. The whole fragment is defined by cantilevered roof creating a sense of belonging. It can be imagined as a shelter of the building. And the bottom has a transition place connecting with ground and also the interior space. If it is a large scale, people can use it as a communal space. And people can go through it to occupy their own private space.

In addition, the intersecting geometries make the space separating into two different depths. I used the command ‘extractisocurve’ to create different density of iso curves to distinguish space. The interior structure is defined by different surfaces, but also has connections between each separate space. It looks like an exhibition building with interesting inner structure. And the opening iterations can penetrate light into the building reflecting on the different angles’ surfaces to create different shadows. people can find a place where they would like to stay.

Very private space with a harmonious structure.

After making this model, I tried to use the command ‘ thickness analysis’ to have a look whether it is possible for 3D printing.

There are some brittle areas. So I tried to use the command’ boolean union’ to join it with another surfaces or solid that I created to increase its thickness. Then I use “show edges’ to check that there are no naked edges. Finally, I opened it in makerbot and rotated it in different positions ensuring the minimum supporting materials.

This area tends to combine with the ground to create a transition between exterior and interior space.

Boolean isometric

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Week Six Task 01

Lofts

1.1

1.2

1.3

Key

1.4

{0,0,0}

{0,150,150} {0,90,150} {90,150,150} {0,90,150}

{0,0,150} {0,0,120}

{30,0,150}

{0,150,0}

{0,150,0}

{0,150,60}

{150,30,0}

{0,150,0} {90,0,0}

{120,0,0}

{90,0,0}

{0,0,0}

{Selected surfaces}

Paneling Grid & Attractor Point

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

{70,64,150}

{90,221,72}

{35,130,31}

{0,-30,58}

{45,74,0}

Paneling

{Attractor curve Location}

{Attractor Point Location}

{Attractor curve Location}

{Attractor point location}

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

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{132,-24,-200}

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Task 01 Matrix During the process of making my surfaces, I focused on the direction of two surfaces. And also tried curve attraction in my 1.2. Finally, I chose 1.1 as my final surfaces.

Cause both of them develope to gather toward a point. In my paneling grid, I set both attraction points and curves in the different direction and changed its magnitude to find the most interesting distribution of constructing my panels. And finally, I chose 2.4 as the base for my panels. I used weaverbird plug-in to make some hollows on my patterns and tried to explore the differences between solid and void. So I chose 3.4 to unroll surfaces and for laser cutting.

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Week Six Task 02

Grid manipulation

1.1

1.2

1.3

Key

1.4

{0,0,0}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves

{{50,100,150} {5 0 0}

Grid Points {104,90,132} 104 9 90, 0,132 , {87,75,88} {87 75 5 88LL8}}

{{50,0,160} {5 160} 60 6 0}} {{100,50,50} 10 00 0 50} 0}

{{105,33,35} 10 ,33,35 {160,72,29} 160

{1,-1,0} {50,0,0}}

Distribution

{Curve attractor}

{Random attraction}

{Curve and point attraction}

{Curve attraction}

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

{104,90,132} 104 90,132

{{50,0,0} 0 ,0}

{0,25,83}}

{{100,45,105} 100,4 0 45,, 5} 0,4

{87,37,37} {8 87 8 7,3 37 37}}

{164,112,41}

{{150,0,100} {15 0 0,10 00} 0}}

Transformation

{Random attractor}

{Point attractor}

{Two curves attraction}

{Curve attraction}

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

{Sphere}

{Cube}

{Platonic tetrahedron}

{Platonic icosahedron}

Task 02 Matrix I rotated the box a little bit in my isometric view to make the interior structure and iterations more clear. In my grid manipulation, I tried to use different attraction to iterate my grid distribution and also added more than one attractions in one box to make the structure more complicated.(1.1-1.4) In my shape distribution(2.1-2.4), I used the same logic as the grid ones base on the 1.4 grid manipulation. And finally, I chose 2,4 for my later shape transformation. In my last row, I set different shapes in grasshopper by using Lunchbox plug-in. And finally, I chose 3.4 to boolean. Cause, there are many different surfaces in one geometric shape, it will make the structure complicated.

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Week Six

Final Isometric Views

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Appendix

Task1 process

I used weaverbird plug-in to create hollows in my panels. In this way, my panel can be more complicated and interesting with these openings.

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In order to make my containers more clear and easy to find mistakes, I make my surfaces in a separate way, but it based on the same box. So the point coordinates will also be within the same box. Clear labelling can also help me to find my baking object in later process.

Appendix Task1 process

Solid panels are folded along the etch line to prepare for later sticking.

Gluing each small unroll surface into panel.

Jointing Z and X fins from one side to another. Then pressing each of them towards interior make the structure stable without using glue to stick them.

Placing panels in a correct sequence for creating paneling surface.

Following the numbers I labelled when putting them together.

Finished waffle structure. Looking down from the top, the interior space has a dynamic form and the exterior is also interesting to harmonize the volume structure.

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Appendix

Task2 process

The first baking attraction point could not export in illustrator. So I tried to connect a sphere to my

I tried to add my own Brep in grasshopper to make shapes more interesting

attraction point, then I baked sphere. It can save more time and more accurate than adding points in illustrator. The same logic can be used for later shape distribution.

and various. In this way, I can set my own shapes in gh.

In my grid distribution, I added different attraction between two connected point to help me manipulate grid with different arrangement. And also tried to use two attraction containers within. BY changing the place where placing attraction containers, it can also change my grid distribution.

By using clipping plane to find an angle to boolean. In this way, I could see the inner section while changing the angle of each clipping plane. After that , I could use the box to cut section in my object.

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