P A R T
C.
DETAILED DESIGN
NAME: JIERU XUE TUTOR: ISABELLE JOOSE
Table of Contents C. 1 DESIGN CONCEPT Interim Feedback Site Analysis Design Process Proposal C. 2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Fabrication Method Materiality Test Prototype #1 Prototype #2 C. 3 FINAL DETAILED DESIGN C. 4 LEARNING OUTCOME C. 5 SKETCHBOOK
INTERIM FEEDBACK In the interim presentation, it is pointed out the internal structure is pointless and the way it connect to the tree brunch is a bit random external layer is interesting however the connection between the external layer units and the internal structure is not clear and the connection between the external layer and the tree trunk is not concerned. The overall form should respond to the relationship with the tree trunk and the living habits of the client. Key points needed to be further redefined 1. Respond to the client need more, a more enclosed form. 2. Mimicking a tree bark shaped-form as the natural habitat of the bat. 3. Controlling the connection with the tree branch and tree trunk.
C. 1
DESIGN CONCEPT
Site Analysis
Diameter 38 cm
35 degree
Eucalyptus trees
20-35 m high (some over 45 m) Bats lives 6-8 m above ground
Diameter 28 cm
Diameter 40 cm
Site selection:
Design intention:
For the lesser long-eared bats, they roost in the hollows and under the barks on old trees. The location near Coburg lake is full of dense trees including various Eucalyptus trees like Red River Gums which suits the roosting needs of clients. Second, bats need more “privacy� at morning, the density of trees can provide shadow during daytime and at night reduce the possibility caught by their predators as the shades of the leaves. Also there are more insects near river bank which is better for feeding and diets.
With the measurement of the tree, the structure must be attached to the tree branch to connect and also wrap around the tree trunk to mimic the bark peeling. It should content a colony of 20 bats also have room for breeding. In addition, it need structures for bats to hang reverse so the density of the form is important.
DESIGN PROCESS
1. Section the tree trunk mesh and extract with curves.
2. Loft with the curves, extract mesh and edit with mesh properties.
The bats are mainly sleep and walk along in between this area which the maximum width that slightly larger than the tree diameter. The “pipe� can be the structure for them to hang up and catch on.
5. Simplify the curves and use pipe variables to create volume along curves.
3. Subtract the mesh with the tree trunk and branch.
4. Use Anemone and boids library to swarm along the mesh, export curves.
10 cm
Enclosed space for bats to sleep
Section To show the connection with tree branch.
View from back The structure sitting on the branch and wrap along the tree trunk.
OVERVIEW RENDER
PERSPECTIVE (From the open side)
PLAN
INTERNAL VIEW
F A B R I C A T I O N
Build a sand box Insert pipe and fill the box with sand
M E T H O D
Take the pipe out carefully
Pour the material liquid in the negative space created by pipe
Take the sand off after the liquid set
S A N D C A S T I N G
C. 2
Tectonics Elements & Prototypes
Materiality Test Different sands & sand/ water ratio:
When the sand/water ratio is between 90%:10% and 80%:20%, the stickiness and strength is best.
I have tested 3 kinds of sands: Propagating sand, landscaping paver sand and white brickies sand. The particle size of the sands is important, the propagating sand is not fine enough and the stickiness is poor. The white brickies sand works most successfully.
Materiality Test Plaster (pure & with additives) Vs. Resin
Plaster: Water 5:2
Use the same sand box to test the liquid and permeability and the evolution in the different plaster: water ratio. Use the same method to test two types of resin.
Left is EPOXYGLASS Right is EPOXYCAST CLEAR CASTING RESIN
Plaster: Water 2:1
Plaster: Water 3:1
When plaster: water ratio is 3:1 is too solid and it is 5:2 is slightly osnotic. The proportion is between 5:2 and 2:1 should be the most ideal one. The most suitable ratio should be around 30%. The resin is not ideal material as they are both not able to stick the sand efficiently and the form is not demand while casting. I also test some additives with plaster, such as fibre-glass, but the liquid is not as pourable as before. So I decided to use pure plaster.
PROTOTYPE #1 S A N D B O X A S S E B L Y
FAILED: not fully cast, too osnotic The bottom has not been sealed well so all the plaster flowed to one corner.
S A N D
FAILED: not fully cast This time it improved a bit but still not fully cast. Maybe it was not compressed the air out from the negative space. The air bubble problem needs to solve.
C A S T I N G
PROTOTYPE #2
SUCCESSFUL Except the clear vinyl pipes, I inserted a soft stick pipes as support also there is more controll of the curvature, which did not take out while casting. Besides, one additional pipe is inserted also connected with the overall structure to ensure all the air is pressed out without any leakage.
FABRICATION PROCESS
Final defined design The repetitive part I want to fabricate
Sand box created to cast the detailed structure
C. 3
FINAL DETAIL MODEL
The pipes are soften by hot water with the stick pipes to control the curvature. The top and bottom grid panels control the start and end points. Cable tiles are used to connect the intersecting units. But the actual effect is not good enough for the curvature for the sleeping area. There should be a more accurate stick in the clear pipe to control, which should be 3d printed.
C. 4
LEARNING OUTCOME
OBJECTIVES During the whole semester, to be honest, I feel it is difficult to work along to figure out all the grasshopper definations, but the most difficult part for me is to think and design based on computation knowledges and its logic. Not the parameters itself but the capacities of the parametric software, which can help develop more suitable proposal efficiently. I have been keeping trying to explore and actually polish my design using this. However, at the very late of this semster I started to become more comfortable with this. It is harder while I start the fabrication because of the lack of the logic in my design, I have difficulty to controll the curvature of the pipe unita by the sand casting method I was trying to push. I am not satisfied with myself of the learning process, but it is really important to understand the core of paramatric design and design based on this which I will keep exploring in the future study.
C. 5
SKETCHBOOK
THANK U