pushPOKEpunch : Concrete Labor Thesis by Kristen Gandy and Steven Scharrer

Concrete Labor

Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning | University of Michigan Fall 2015/ Winter 2016 | Instructor: Tsz Yan Ng

Push Poke Punch

Kristen Gandy + Steven Scharrer Documentation

F INAL EXHIBIT ION AT L IBERT Y A N N EX

FI NAL E X H I B I T I O N AT L IBERT Y ANNEX

Documentation of casting investigations and axonometric detail of final casting formwork and method

INVESTIGATIONS

09

Our project looks at the material fluidity of concrete and concrete’s indeterminate formal qualities. Our early investigations explored the negotiation of form and restraint through a number of design parameters and formworks. The question we kept asking ourselves during these investigations and the question we are, in many ways, still asking ourselves is how much control is too much? More specifically, if the intent is express a fluid and plastic material characteristic, how is this achieved in a way that more tectonic than arbitrary?

Surely even the most “free-form” architectures must exist as an assembly of discrete parts.It follows, then, that the design intelligence of free-form architectures must be, at least in part, the way the deterministic aspects of construction and elastic formal ambitions are negotiated.

Taking this into consideration our investigation began with the unit.

01

Inflatable formwork.

02

Tension Tubing

Stiff membranes stretched across frames, compressed by sand in armature.

03

Guiding Scaffold

Push / Poke Patterned and sewn membrane collar with robotically bent steel rod for support.

4.5 Membrane Formwork

Membrane in rigid frame with form-finding lathing to deform cast. Second version.

First GFRC mix.

05

Linear surface manipulation through membrane. Continued GFRC testing.

06

Volumetric deformation. Frame refinement. Continued GFRC testing.

The units are not dependent on the scaffolding for support, but use it as a guide as construction moves upwards. The units support themselves and each other. Once a row of units is cast and demolded, the units are placed in the location where they were originally cast and a membrane formwork is placed on top of them. Pokes and pushes, press against the outside of the units and are held by rubber tubing that can be adjusted using hooks attached the scaffolding. When filled with concrete the units deform around , pushes, pokes, and adjacent units, forming unique and precise locking connections.

TOOLS FOR VOLUMETRIC DEFORMATION

07

Milled tools for poking and pushing. Frame Refinement. Continued GFRC testing.

POKE

08

PUSH Refined frame to produce rotationally related units. Units became too controlled.

PUNCH

UNIT VARIATIONS ROW 8

BLOCK TRL

BLOCK TL

BLOCK TM

BLOCK TR

BLOCK A2L

BLOCK A2R

BLOCK A3

BLOCK B1

BLOCK B1S

BLOCK B2

BLOCK B3

BLOCK C1

BLOCK C2

BLOCK C3

BLOCK D1

BLOCK D2

BLOCK D3

BLOCK D4

BLOCK E2

BLOCK DXE

BLOCK E1

BLOCK E2B

BLOCK E2F

BLOCK E3

BLOCK E4

BLOCK E5

BLOCK E6

BLOCK F1

BLOCK F1S

BLOCK F2

BLOCK F3

BLOCK F4

BLOCK F5

BLOCK F6

BLOCK FX

BLOCK G1

BLOCK G2

BLOCK G3

BLOCK G4

BLOCK G5

BLOCK G6

BLOCK G7

BLOCK H1

BLOCK H2

BLOCK H3

BLOCK H4

BLOCK H5

BLOCK H6

ROW 7 ROW 6

56 unique concrete casts were combined to produce the final wall. Photographs are displayed from top to bottom as they related to the wall system.

ROW 5 ROW 3 &4 ROW 2 F ROW 1 G ROW 1 H

FORMED CONNECTION TYPES BLOCKS A2L & A2R, TM

BLOCKS A2L & A2R, TM

BLOCKS A2L , A2R, & TM

JUG BLOCKS A2L, A2R, & TM

Three joint/connection types were produced from the membrane casting method to allow the blocks to be self supporting in relationship to each other without mortar.

SNUG BLOCKS A2L, A2R, & TM

BLOCKS A2L, A2R, & TM

HUG SNUG

HUG

AGGREGATION

PROCESS

ROW BY ROW REL AT IONSHIP SECT ION DIAGRA M Spread image: Zoomed in detail of plan section of blocks in the wall.

Left: Full presentation board of each row section Left bottom: Process Photographs from final presentation board.

Z OOM OF F ORM WORK AXON DIAGRA M

Axon Diagram of the formwork and casting process

DETAIL IM AGE OF POKE CAST IN G TOOL

DETAIL IM AGE OF CASTIN G

DI AG RAM O F H U G C O N N E C T ION BLOCKS

D E TA I L I MAGE OF F INAL CAST BLOCK AN D JOIN T

DI AG RAM O F J U G C O N N E C T ION BLOCKS

DI AG RAM O F S N U G C O N N E C T ION BLOCKS

SNUG CONNECT ION B LOC K S

RENDE RI NG O F CAST I N G M A NIPUL AT ION TOOL S The casting process involved the use of a free form neoprene rubber sheet to create the three block size type molds.

These membrane casts were positioned in relationship to the block below in order to create the gravitationally related joint types of each block.

Each row was cast in succussion from the bottom and dissassembled for the final exhibition. The cast method resulted in the self-supporting overall wall prior to moving the installation to the final exhibition.

Each block was locally controlled using three types of milled parabolic forms, refered to as pokes, pushes, and punches. Three of the tools are shown here. The entire 56 unique unit wall was produced using only 3 different molds and these volume manipulation tools.

POKE

PUS

SH

PUNCH

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T In addition to formulating a new casting method, the project utilized a unique concrete mix of flowable GFRC concrete. This mixture was developed through months of testing for flowability, smooth surface finish, and strength of the concrete without additional reinforcement.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T IThe final mixture integrated a black color additive which was applied in a gradient from the bottom of the wall to the top.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T The contextual casting of each block on top of the last, and beside the next, produced more and more variation as the wall grew in height. The unique GFRC mix produced such strength and plasticity that the blocks often had overlaps and details that were as thin as 1/8� and did not break.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T The final blocks were coated with a protective seal because the black pigment was still raw on the exterior of the blocks. This ended up being the only neglectfully considered part of the process. The lack of friction allowed the once perfectly locking relational joints to become slick and no longer have the same original structural relationship.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T A variety of undercuts were achieved without milling away vast material for formwork or molds.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T A variety of undercuts were achieved without milling away vast material for formwork or molds.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T A variety of undercuts were achieved without milling away vast material for formwork or molds.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T The blocks from the first row ended up getting a bit messy along the way of casting 56 units on top of them.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T The blocks from the first row ended up getting a bit messy along the way of casting 56 units on top of them.

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T

DETAI L I M AG E O F O N E U N I T

DETAI L I M AG E O F U N I T R E L AT IONSHIPS

DETAI L I M AG E O F VO L U M E M ANIPUL AT ION

I N V E S T IGATI O N S

Concrete Labor

Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning | University of Michigan Fall 2015/ Winter 2016 | Instructor: Tsz Yan Ng

Push Poke Punch

Kristen Gandy + Steven Scharrer Documentation

A ND PRO C E SS

METHOD TESTING : INFLATABLE FORMWORK

Heated Joined Plastic Membrane Inflated and Concrete Cast Between Double Surfaced mold

Second Test Using Single Sided Mold and Packing Plaster

Initial Testing: Inflatable Formwork

Design Intentions Complex curvature creating a smooth concrete form, predicting the interaction of the body.

The goal of our investigation into doubley finished, smooth concrete panels which are irregular yet systematically defined is to acheive this form without milling unique formwork for each piece.

The formwork and membrane will be divided based on the geometry of the surface, which will provide the pattern for each individual membrane.

d

e

METHOD TESTING: SAND COUNTERP RESSURE ON P LASTIC MEMBRANE FORM WORK

METHOD TESTING: ROBOTIC BENT STEEL ROD REINFORCE D PLASTIC SHEETING MEMBRANE FORM WORK

METHOD TESTING: CORRUGATED P LASTIC LATH REINFORCED FORMWORK WITH RUBBER MEMBRANE MOLD

METHOD TESTING: CORRUGATED P LASTIC LATH AND PLYWOOD FRAME REINFORCED FORMWORK WITH RUBBER MEMBRANE MOLD

Doubley Curve Rigid Framewo Flex Membran Form Finding Lathing Panels assemble into a larger, more complex form.

Curvature and accom the body.

Double membrane attached to rigid form with lathing, allows for controlled global casting with room for local variability.

The membrane serves a double role, acting as one part formwork and one part form finding tool.

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es receive mmodate .

PROCESS DESIGN: CORRUGATED PLASTIC LATH AND PLYWOOD FRA ME REINFORCED FORMWORK WITH RUBBER MEMBRANE MOLD

P ROCESS INVESTIGATION

NS EXHIBITION

M E TH OD I NVEST I GAT I ON: R I G I D F RAM E W I TH ST R IN G L AT HI NG SYST E M W I TH RUBB E R M EM BRANE F O RM WORK

INITIAL RESULTS OF MEMBRANE CAST BLOCK WITH STRING LATHING AND RIGID FRAME USING FLOWABLE GFRC DEVELOPED MIXTURE

RESULTS OF NEOPRENE MEMBRANE CAST BLOCK WITH REFINED STRING LATHING,RIGID FRAME, AND VOLUME MANIPULATION TOOLS USING FLOWABLE GFRC DEVELOPED MIXTURE

RESULTS OF NEOPRENE MEMBRANE CAST BLOCK WITH REFINED STRING LATHING,RIGID FRAME, AND VOLUME MANIPULATION TOOLS USING FLOWABLE GFRC DEVELOPED MIXTURE

fig. 1

A

B

C

D

D

C

B

A

Rhythm / Variation / Repetition. Four molds are used to produce 18� x 18� concrete panels that can be arranged and assembled into curvilinear structures.

The edge condition of the panels is controlled by the mold and allows for universalized connection/assembly within the system. For example, the panels in fig. 1 are arranged in an ABCD/DCBA rhythm to produce an a structure that is both repetitious and variable.

fig. 2

EXHIBITION OF CASTING INVESTIGATIONS USING STRING LATHING, RIGID FRAME, AND NEOPRENE MEMBRANE WITH FLOWABLE GF RC MIXTURE

D ESIG N IN V EST I GAT I O N: R IGI D F RA M E W I T H RUBB E R M EMBRA N E FORM WOR K A ND VOLU M E M AN IP U LAT I O N TO O L S

Axonometric View

Plan View

Side Elevation View

Front Elevation View

Frame Assembly : Exploded Axonometric View

DE S IGN I NVEST I GAT I O N: R I G I D F RAM E W I TH RUBB E R M EM BRANE F O RM WORK AND VO L U ME M ANI PUL AT IO N TO OLS

Plan View

I NVEST I GAT I ON: US IN G SPHERI CAL G RI D TO D E S IG N T HE F RAM E I N OR D E R TO REL AT E EACH PAN E L O N A ROTAT I O NAL SYSTE M AL LOW I NG F O R ONLY TWO VARI AT I O NS O F F O RM WO RK

E XHIBITION OF CASTING INVESTIGATIONS LEADING TO FINAL DEVELOPMENT