JOURNAL WEEK ONE: VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS MODULE 1: IDEATION
Kim Nguyen
EXPLORING PATTERNS IN NATURE
Weaving example:
HOW DO PATTERNS APPEAR IN NATURAL LIFE? In all different aspects of nature there are always emerging patterns - mankind meticulously measures and designs in hope for a perfect looking pattern yet nature can achieve this feat with no effort at all. This natural phenomenon is all due to a cause and effect - nature responds to the environment it is surrounded in with patterns. These patterns each follow a rule which is naturally inbuilt to the form and patterns will take shape in one of the following ways: 1. Spiraling 2. Packing 3. Weaving 4. Blending 5. Cracking 6. Flocking 7. Tiling What we aim to achieve is an understanding of the concept of rules in the natural world as well as being able to create and apply our own rules in the design of a lampshade.
My pattern which I focused on for the following analytical drawings is the turtle shell and especially the patterns in each individual scute. I found it very interesting how the shell repeated the same shape over and over itself to create a repitition and overlap. As well as that the scutes themselves conform a similar shape and join together as one form to create a dome.
1. SYMMETRY: When each scute centrepoint is marked and then connected via dotted lines, the same triangular shape appears to repeat itself as well as mirror itself. Clear axis of symmetry can be defined and the shape is reminiscent of the “rule of six� noted in snowflakes and mentioned in the introduction to the Aranda/Larsch reading.
Cracking example:
2. MOVEMENT: Movement is created by the use of scale and repetition. Note that although the complete form and structure seems rigid, there is still a lot of movement within each individual scute. The inner shape is projected outwards towards the boundary.
3. TILING: Step 1: Choose points Step 2: Draw lines between the points Step 3: Draw bisectors which end when they reach an intersecting bisector In this instance, the points used were the centrepoints of each scute and this drawing proves that the tiling recipe applies to turtle shells.
4. BALANCE: The feeling of balance draws from the even spacing between boundaries and centrepoints. However, as the tilling expands this may not always be the case. Also note the similarities between this form and cell structure: the shell repeats the same patterns over and over. CELLS to SCUTE to OVERLAPPING SCUTES The shell features the same shape but at very different scales.
5. OTHER: Kadinsky instructed his students to think in terms of networks and that is the basis for this last sketch. If every scute i ntersection point was a node and the lines were to be reformed, how might they appear? This gives one example.
JOURNAL WEEK TWO: VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS MODULE 1: IDEATION
EXPLORING EMERGING FORMS
Kim Nguyen
During the last tutorial we had to bring in our found patterns as well as our analytical drawings so that we could begin to create paper models inspired by the patterns which we found. The first step was to create an extrusion of our pattern (shown left) using paper. For my pattern, I extruded the line form of the scutes on the turtle shell and adhered to the rule of shells that at least two sides of the six sided individual shape must be against another edge. The second part of the workshop was to transform the pattern through the usage of scale, mirror, rotate, move, or a combination of the four.
TRANSFORMATION: (below) EXTRUSION: (above) For my pattern, I used a combination of move, mirror and rotate as well as a small amount of scale. Because the turtle shell pattern is incredibly repetitive I wanted that element to be represented in my form. Below is a follow through of the process as I added more and more pieces. A challenge was to try and turn the form from a convex structure to a concave, which proved to be more difficult than originally anticipated.
Left: Comparison images of first two forms Right: Broken down structure of the ‘scute’ piece
WORKSHOP MODELLING:
DIGITAL MODELLING:
For the digital modelling process, the program used was Rhino5 and our digital drawings had to be based on the paper model which we had previously created. For my model, I mostly utilised the ‘truncated pyramid’ in combination with the ‘3D Rotate’ tool. For the first screencap, it was easy enough to created truncated pyramids and then rotate them to fit but as the structure grew larger, it became more and more difficult to fit the pieces together. Because of this, I turned on the ‘Control Solid Points’ ability and from there I could control where each point of the truncated pyramid could end. Now that I could use these tools, I added more and more sections while following the rule that at least two sides of the shape must be in contact with two other surfaces. I also tried to reform the shape to curve in the other direction. Although it was possible, it created large amount of disturbance to the originally even surface area of each side. It was also interesting to see what types of patterns were created on the underside of the form, which is shown in the last picture. On the following page is the completed trial of modelling this form on Rhino as well asscreen images of different perspectives of the form.
STUDIO AISSLINGER: CORAL SEATING The ‘Coral Seating’ is a 2009 design by Werner Aisslinger which incorporates a blend of felt and polycarbon bound into sheets and forming small sections which, when connected together, create a seat which displays an aquatic feel as well as givin an impression of an open and airy space - much like sea coral. I found this seat design similar to my model in the way that the whole form is constructed by combining a large number of smaller pieces which share surfaces with each other. While my model has closed surfaces, this seat design has mostly open sides which give the viewers a view into the inside of the seat, adding an extra element of depth and dimension. There is also the similar element of the repeating hexagonal shape which is deformed and reshaped according to its surroundings. For the seat, when there is weight applied a slightly different pattern will emerge onto the seat - an affect of a cause. The use of colours which relflect nature adds to the organic feel of the structure, with different shades of green and blue used. The seat design has many elements which resemble nature such as colour and shape but the most important is the pattern used and the random nature of the pattern to change. Ref: studio aisslinger - Coral Seating. 2013. studio aisslinger - Coral Seating. [ONLINE] Available at: http:// www.aisslinger.de/index.php?option=com_project&vie w=detail&pid=8&Itemid=1.
JOURNAL WEEK THREE:VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS MODULE 1: IDEATION
Kim Nguyen
FORMING
WORKSHOP MODELLING: PLASTICINE
During the past few weeks, we have been studying how patterns in nature form naturally and under what rules these patterns form. The subject of my study was the pattern of a turtle shell and the rotated tiling of the six sided shapes which form the scutes. I was also interested how the scutes stack on top of one another and there is an element of repetition and scale. For this week’s task, we had to form models out of plasticine or clay based on all of the work we have done so far; our observational drawings, recipe, and paper forms. The models we created had to be of a 1:5 scale and we had to think in particular about how the model is to be held. As well as that, we had to consider what kinds of lighting effects we wanted our model to produce: direct, layered, cut, filtered, extruded or diffused.
Making models out of plasticine differed from making models with paper in my different ways, which proved to be quite the challenge. When using paper it was much easier to keep pieces together with glue or other adhesives but plasticine was difficult to keep together and it was difficult to combine many pieces to become one without falling apart. The plasticine was also very easy to deform so when any amount of pressure was applied, the shape would reform on its own. Using plasticine was definitely a challenge but positives did result from it: my recipe requires at least one surface of the shape to touch another and it was difficult to perfectly fit each piece together. From this I realised that there is no way to connect the pieces without some spaces between them and there is also no part of the rule that requires each piece to be perfect. There could be gaps and spaces and perhaps these imperfections will provide a more unpredictable and creative pattern, which allow for a variety of different shapes of openings which can release light in very different ways. Perhaps this pattern was less of a tilling pattern and more of a packing pattern! The pictures on the top show different ways of connecting the plasticine pieces and different shapes that could be formed from it and on the right are pictures of some of the shapes I cut out of the plasticine, both flat shapes and some with more dimensions.
PLASTICINE EXPLORATION: CUTTING AND FORMING L-R: Direct, Layered, Cut, Filtered, Extruded, Diffused (Ways of distributing light)
The pictures on the above show different views and different stages of development of my first model. The individual pieces that I had cut from the plasticine earlier were placed together in no particular order with at least one surface from one shape joining with a surface from another shape. In this case, the edges were joined together, not perfectly, so that small spaces formed naturally between each shape. These openings would leave room for light to escape so that although the majority of the light would be directed out of the open end, there was still be some amounts emerging from the small gaps.
MODEL ONE:
The bottom pictures and the one on the right are all of the finished model. Of course, this pattern of randomly attaching six-sided shapes could continue until it fills a huge amount of space but I decided to stop at this point. The shape has enough balance so that it will sit in a stable way without support. Another interesting feature of the design is the versatility of it, the light source would be placed inside and the model can either be held with the opening facing upwards or with the opening facing downwards.
This is the second of my three models, this one using pieces with more dimension (photos of the pieces can be seen in the middle picture) and each piece was formed from an original six sided shape which was extruded. These pieces were, as the recipe dictates, connected to each other with one surface touching which resulted in a structure which slightly resembled a crytal shape. The result of this model also had a much more haphazard form which looked more like a cluster than any other shape. This model, to me, really showed how much variation there can be in the results of my recipe and how much of a difference the base shape makes to the final form. Also, the shadows which this model would create would differ greatly in that there would be less direction of the light, the light is more likely to pass through and around the shape and cast shadows of varying opacity and shape.
MODEL TWO:
The way this model would interact with light is that would cast different shadows rather than capture the light. Perhaps if the stacks were hollow in the middle and a light was placed inside a very interesting light form could be created, with varying depths but a general illumination effect.
MODEL THREE:
The reason I have chosen these images as my lighting reference is because they both reflect a variation in lighting depth where some areas have the material almost completely blocking the light and some areas the light is free to be emitted freely. The first picture of the left is a lamp by Architect Allison Patrick, who uses folded paper joined together to form a sphere which encapsulates the light. The picture on the right is a lamp design by Nervous Systems which is called Hyphae which uses the structure and patterns in leaves as inspiration for their lamp design. The main lighting effect that I want to achieve is a contrast between the dark and light - I want to be able to create a lantern which creates a general ambience but there are certain areas of focus where the light is very light and looks as if it is trying to escape the structure it is in. In the sketch the grey area is where paper is and white being the space - the lantern has a general form and shape but there are small gaps in between the different pieces which allows light to escape.
Nervous System – explorations in generative design and natural phenomena » Blog Archive » Hyphae Lamps – an infinite series of lighting designs. 2013. Nervous System – explorations in generative design and natural phenomena » Blog Archive » Hyphae Lamps – an infinite series of lighting designs. [ONLINE] Available at: http://n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/blog/?p=1701 Allison Patrick | the 3 R’s blog. 2013. Allison Patrick | the 3 R’s blog. [ONLINE] Available at: http://the3rsblog.wordpress.com/author/allisonpatrick/. theinteriorRevolution » Blog Archive » Artisan Profile – Allison Patrick of Zipper 8 Lighting. 2013. theinteriorRevolution » Blog Archive » Artisan Profile – Allison Patrick of Zipper 8 Lighting. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theinteriorevolution.com/archives/4766.
LIGHTING INSPIRATION:
One element that I did not explore very thoroughly was the concept of overlap on the turtle shell scute and how there is repetition of the same shape which has been scaled. For this last piece I stuck to the recipe of having at least one side touching but the side I chose was not the edge, but the flat face. Having them touch meant that they stacked on top of each other and each piece was slightly moved and/ or rotated to create different, unique, effects. Each ‘stack’ has its own features and qualities created by the different pieces that were used and how the pieces were placed.