Leon Wood Doris Kim Fall 2010 University of Southern California School of Architecture
“The skin is the interface and its world...It is probabl of all organ systems, hav and skeletal functions as relative importance is diffe groups of animals. These incorporated into our tech to the new area of bio-in
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between an organism ly the most versatile ving mechano-sensory s well, whose erent in different e functions can all be hnology, contributing nspired design.� -Julian Vincent Biomimetics of Skins
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Thermally-responsive materials in outer layers have the ability to make skins responsive to man and the environment, smartly and effectively. When heated these materials can automatically deform/curl and can return to its original form without the need of additional energy. The potential for form-changing, selfventilating or sun-shading is tremendous. 6 SKIN
Thermal bimetal perforation study models
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It gives off no sound when it is crumpled or folded, it is quiet and pliant to the touch as the leaf of a tree.
-Jun’ichirōo Tanizaki In Praise of Shadows 12 SKIN
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Such is our way of thinking—we find beauty not in the in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, the one thing against another creates.” creates.
-Jun’ichirōo Tanizaki In Praise of Shadows
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Exposure & Enclosure What is fit? How much is too much? How much is too little? Can our clothing/vehicles/ garages/architecture provide a sense of protection or also foster a sense of vulnerability? What is socially acceptable? 20 SKIN
loose
enclosure
tight
exposure
garment vehicle
ideal acceptable
housing
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what is comfortable to us and others?
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99%
15%
15%
0%
99%
5%
exposure%
proximity%
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5%
10%
“My body is truly the navel of my world, not in the sense of the viewing point of the central perspective, but as the very locus of reference, memory, imagination and integration.� -Juhani Pallasmaa The Eyes of the Skin LEON WOOD 25
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25% 30%
20% 90%
25% 30%
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camouflage: concealment, distortion, deception top row: RGB by Carnovsky, translucency, silhouettes, Dazzle camouflage, scrim front/back lighting effects, Liu Bolin camouflage art. bottom row: polarizing film, Garden State wallpaper, www.urbancamouflage.de, military camo, chameleon disguise mechanism, printed image confusion LEON WOOD 29
single
1 degree
2 degrees
3 degrees
4 degrees
5 degrees
10 degrees
15 degrees
30 degrees
45 degrees
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unit b
unit b
stretched
stretched
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unit a
unit b shifted
shifted
stretched stretched
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The very essence of the lived experience is moulded by hapticity and peripheral unfocused vision. Focused vision confronts us with the world whereas peripheral vision envelops us in the flesh of the world.
-Juhani Pallasmaa The Eyes of the Skin 42 SKIN
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NORMAL open
STRETCHED open/elongated
COMPRESSED closed
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WORK
REST
GATHER
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REST
WORK
MOVE
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GATHER
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“...one of the reasons why the ar of our time tend to make us fee with the forceful emotional eng historical settings, is their povert vision…Peripheral vision integrate focused vision pushes us out o spectators.” 54 SKIN
rchitectural and urban settings el like outsiders, in comparison gagement of natural and ty in the field of peripheral es us with space, while of the space, making us mere -Juhani Pallasmaa The Eyes of the Skin LEON WOOD 55
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