Phase 3 - Probes

Introduction to experiments

Using direction from last week’s investigations, further models were developed to experiment with the qualities and interactions of water droplets, air movement, materiality and kinetic structure. These probes seek to narrow down each phenomena to a controlled environment, with each experiment developed via a hypothesis and desired result in hopes of replicating a certain situation. As the probes were developed, it became more and more apparent how the “cumilative” effect of each situation the probes tested could be combined into a single structure to create an interactive membrane that both reacts to and/or protects from the environment. Each situation could propogate another, creating a string of events that affect an overall dynamic, “living” structure. Therefore, it is the results of the probe tests and the resulting development of connections between each manufactured situation and its effects that will be most crucial in the next phase of the project.

Although a scale has yet to be fully applied, it is interesting to consider the different ways that humans could interact with the contraption and how different portions of the space could both cover or be opened up to the environmental forces.

Material analysis

These experiments are investigating the movement of the waterdrops across different material surfaces and how the tension of the waterdrop is affected.

Materials

Wood Join: Glue

Acryllic Join: Glue

Steal Join: Tin

Brash with thread Join: Thread

Rubber Join: rubber knot

Hypothesis

Results/Conclusion

The waterdrops will easily be absorbed into the wood stick. Though, hitting the joint they will either pass on to the wood or stay in a heavy drop.

Most of the waterdrops were absorbed into the wood. Some water was almost being absorbed but part of it was almost formning a drop. Nothing happend on the joint.

The waterdrops will even out on the stick and have the same tension in every droplet. There will be no difference crossing the joint.

Most of the waterdrops are spread throughout the stick with a similar tension. Drops are not crossing the joint, but are attached to the joint.

The waterdrops will even out on the stick and have the same tension in every droplet. There will be no difference crossing the joint.

The waterdrops are spread out on the stick with a different tension. Some of them are about to burst and realeasing themselves from the steal bar. There is a smaller drop on the joint, but no actual movement across the joint.

The waterdrops will even out on the stick where there’s brash and have the same tension in every droplet. But when the drops cross the joint they will be absorbed and not move further and loose its tension.

The brash collects several smaller droplets both on top and bottom part of the stick. One bigger drop is running down the stick, stops at the joint and get more tense, but doesn’t let go.

The waterdrops will loose their tension but be spread out on the band. There will be no difference from the band to the joint.

It seems like the rubber is partly absorbing the water. Still, it has one very playful drop on the joint that won’t let go.

Material analysis

Moveable saturation

These experiments explored different fabric materiality and their interactions with wind and the resulting effects on water drop collection/transport/absorbtion.

Materials

Hypothesis

Results/Conclusion

The water drops will gather in the middle of the fabric and create a small pond and remain static until the wind is able to ripple the fabric and cause the roplets to spray.

The water drops remained on the fabric, probably because of its texture and microsurfaces. Some drops were gathering in the middle and ran out on the side once enough collected to break surface tension.Wind spreayed most of the remaining drops.

Fabric absorbs water; Horizontal load

The water drops will fall onto the fabric and begin to soak in, with little run off. The resulting reservoir will not be as affected by wind.

The water drops were immediately gathered in the middle and water was absorbed. Once the saturation point was reached, water began to drip through.

With the addition of wind, the shifting fabric sprayed the collecting pool of water before it manged to drip through.

Fabric rejects water; Skewed load

The water drops will immediately flow off of the surface. There will be little droplets left for the wind to affect.

The water drops both ran off the surface but also splattered and remained stuck as smaller droplets.

The wind inverted the shape which caused most of the remaining droplets to pop off.

Fabric absorbs water; Skewed load

Water will still soak into the fabric, but some will manage to run off before it is absorbed. The wind will be able to shift the fabric more easily than when it acts as a total reservoir.

As predicted, water both ran off and was abosrbed.

However, a higher proportion of water drops managed to run off before it was abosrbed than we had expected. The wind did not have as much effect as it did on the horizontal fabric.

Fabric rejects water; Horizontal load

Moveable saturation

B: With no wind the applied water roll of the fabric with a tension on the edge.

W: With no wind applied water go straight through material.

B: With wind the applied water sprinkles out on the fabric as a result of the texture.

W: With wind applied water go straight through material in different positions.

B:With speed

a the

high

wind-

applied

water

sprays off in drops as a result of the moving fabric.

W: With a high windspeed applied water shifts of the fabric.

B:At the highest point of tension in the fabric all the drops are gathering into one big drop.

W: At the highest point of tension in the fabric a mass of water is poured up into the air.

Cumulative effects - kinetics

This experiment was designed to explore the favorable results from all the prior tests in order to take steps in establishing an overall dynamic system.

Fully Water-Rejecting Members Fully Water-Rejecting Members (transporters)

(transporters)

Partly Water-Rejecting Members Partly Water-Rejecting Members (transferer/carrier)

(transferer/carrier)

Materiality directing kinetic Materiality directing movement of water through kinetic movement of a system water through a system

Fully Water-Holding Member Fully Water-Holding Members (absorber)

(absorber)

This final probe sought to combine the findings from the prior experiments and combine them into a single system. Using the most effective stuctural material in terms of water transport--loosely connected brass pipes--and both fabrics, a process was created that would carry rain droplets from collection along structural members, down through drainage where they could be transported via a water-rejecting surface to the more absorbant one. Ideally, this model represented a small component of an overall structure and its goal was to see the effectiveness and ability to connect different materials and situations to create a dynamic, interactive system. It is one step closer to the creation of an overall dynamic structure that could change and move with the environment and weather conditions as well as be modified by occupants. Though human-scale shelter was not established in this model, it would still be interesting to see how water and wind passing through the system would create opportunities for different body:environment mediums and coverings or stages.

Cumulative effects - kinetics

Fully Water-Rejecting Members Fully Water-Rejecting Members (transporters)

(transporters)

Partly Water-Rejecting Members Partly Water-Rejecting Members (transferer/carrier with wind)

(transferer/carrier)

Materiality, with outside Materiality directing influence, is able to assist kinetic movement of moving water through a water through a system system

Fully Water-Holding Member Fully Water-Holding Members (absorber)

(absorber)

This probe ended up being quite effective in demonstrating the possibilities of a connected system of dependent parts. It was entertaining in a way to watch the water droplet’s long journey from collecting on the end of the brass tube and down through the drainage to the water shedding fabric and finally to the water absorbing fabric. One of the most interesting observations was that wind was absolutely required to complete the transport of the water via movement of the fabric, else the small drops likely could not have overcome the surface tension in the micro-cavities of the material. A definite parameter in this case would be scale, as the consequences of these tests were seen at an extremely magnified proportion. It is now time to translate these small-scale, detail tests to a human scale event where interactions are possible via the human body in addition to a dynamic, living structure.

Conclusion

Developing the probes one by one was very useful in directing each successive investigation. Testing one probe lead to questions that directed the search for an answer or effect in the next probe. It should now ideally be more straightforward to combine the elements and results of each probe and begin to design an overall system/structure and space; progress toward this was evident in the final probe. It was most interesting to see the dependency of each part on the prior and how both wind and rain were crucial to the kinetics of the water. Further development will of course return to the annual time scale chosen as well as begin to establish human interaction with the membranes and structure. This has also helped frame a desire for a dynamic “machine� that can be used and experienced in all seasons and by all occupants. Though the probes sought to investigate a kinetic effect, something that came up during outside observations of existing structures lead to the curiousity of the sound wind creates when passing through a membrane. The sound is of course more aesthetic than kinetic, but at the same time is also dynamic and, accompanying other kinectic functions of a structure, could assist in creating a fully sensual experience. It is this combination of the aesthetic and kinetic that will frame further design.