Thesis report by Loharsagar

DIRT

Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Dirt : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism Thesis Report - Sagar N Lohar MA Architecture (Digital Media) University of Westminster, London w1566120@my.westminster.ac.uk

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Special thanks to my parents and thesis guides; Richard Difford and Filip Visnjic for all the help and support.

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya Simulation of Particulate matter in urban environment 4

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Introduction Dirt classification Research – Dirt in domestic and personal environment Modernisn and Cleanliness Dirt in urban environment Formulating thesis Speculation towards the topic Aesthetics Art installations and productive approaches Experiments Capturing dirt and Effects of Moisture content Processing Scripts Electrostatics Friction Electrostatic Generator Surface modulation Apophenia Maya simulation Acoustic levitation Conclusion – Bibliography –

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Dirt accumulation on window cill, Sagar Lohar 6

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Introduction Presence of dirt everywhere around us, its behaviour and the aesthetics it generates has intrigued me and I’ve been trying to understand and formulate this chaos in my thesis. Dirt cannot be easily classified as it is a mix of many things from human dead-skin and food debris to atmospheric pollution. Following are four basic classification of dirt with respect to its key characteristics: Common types of dirt include: 1 Dust — A general powder of mineral or organic matter, Filth — Foul matter such as excrement, Grime — A black, ingrained dust such as soot, Soil — The mix of sand, clay and humus which settles on top of bedrock. Main types of dirt that we come across in our day to day lives include: Loose dirt — The vast majority of the dirt we combat in buildings which is easily dealt with so long as it does not become wet or contaminated with oils.2 Atmospheric or airborne dirt — This comes from things like pollution, cigarette smoking and auto fumes. It is difficult to remove as it is oily in nature and clings to surfaces. Spills or Stains — This can be anything from a morning coffee to a workman’s shoes tracking in oil stains. Dead dirt — Decomposed material that once had life in it. Alive dirt — Bacteria, algae or moss, mostly found in damp conditions or buildings exteriors. Invisible dirt — Dust particles smaller than 25 microns. Visible dirt — Dust particles bigger than 25 microns. 1. “Dirt”. Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 Mar. 2016. 2. “Three Types Of Dirt To Clean”. CleanLink. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 May 2016.

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Dirt in domestic and personal environment Our relationship with dirt is complex and uncertain. The 17th century Frenchman would think twice before having a daily shower. Opening your pores and leaving your body vulnerable to many kinds of diseases would be practically asking to get sick. In fact, he would be disgusted with our bathing habits, much like we are disgusted by his habits, for instance: never using water or soap for washing his body or changing his clothes to get clean. How cleanliness has changed over the years is quite engrossing (and sometimes gross) subject. We’ve evolved from public baths to today’s obsession with teeth-whitening strips and hand sanitizer. Contemporary cleanliness has more to do with appearance than hygiene.3 We exert relatively less as com-

pared to our ancestors yet we consider a daily shower an ideal. Apparently, the less we sweat the more we are clean. The fear of dirt is actually getting us sick and we aim to get rid of dirt which is practically impossible. But in some cases, like before advancements in infection control, death by infection after surgical intervention was inevitable. Even if patients survived the operation, infections would make the situation critical. As the scientific knowledge expanded in 20th century, surgeons became more confident and started using drugs, sterilization and microbial barrier which reduced the risk of infection. So is dirt an invisible threat to our wellbeing? Or dirt is visible and just unwelcome remnant of human existence.

3. MIESZKOWSKI, KATHARINE. “The Filthy, Stinking Truth - Salon.Com”. Salon.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Aug. 2016.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Public baths [Imagesource-http://www.antiquemapsandprints.com/switzerland-public-baths-leukerbad-antique-print-93012-p.asp]

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Anthropologist Mary Douglas claims: ‘There is no such thing as absolute dirt: it exists in the eye of the beholder’.4 Being difficult to conceptualise, dirt is often misunderstood. Paradoxically it is also an indicator of civilisation — through the variety and scale of our waste. It arouses feelings such as anxiety and disgust, and has ingenuity and technology to defeat it, through small household appliances or massive engineering triumphs. An exhibition - Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday Life, at wellcome collection, London reveals the fascinating world of dirt and our relationship with it.5 Exhibition tackles this subject via six specific localities and six respective themes:

17th century home from Delft, Street from London, Hospital from Glasgow, Museum from Dresden, Communities from New Delhi and Kolkata and Landfill site from New York. It brings together various artefacts spanning documentary, visual art, scientific artefacts, cultural ephemera, film and literature. The relationship between the invisible and visible dirt, the hidden and the public, was the central theme of perception running throughout the exhibition. It uncovers a rich history of delight and disgust in the dirty secrets and grimy truths of our past, and points to the uncertain future of filth, which poses a significant risk to our health but is also vital to our existence.

4. Douglas, Mary. Purity And Danger. New York: Praeger, 1966. Print. 5. Cox, Rosie et al. “Dirt: The Filthy Reality Of Everyday Life”. Wellcomecollection.org. N.p., 2014. Web. 27 Aug. 2016.

Artefact designed by James Croak. Displayed at Wellcome collection [Imagesource-https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/mar/27/dirt-filthy-reality-wellcome-collection] 10

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Monster soup commonly called thames water. Displayed at Wellcome collection. [Imagesource-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MonsterSoupcommonlycalledThamesWater.Wellcome_ V0011218.jpg]

Before and after contract cholera. Displayed at Wellcome collection. [Image source-https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/mar/27/dirt-filthy-reality-wellcome-collection] 11

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Modernism and cleanliness – Approach towards dirt-free future peaked during the early 20th century. The health of a nation and the health of individual body became conjoined, with sinister consequences. Internationally, various political persuasions aimed for genetic purity. The human obsession with cleanliness is driven by a guilt complex, associating dirty with sin, these binaries of right/pure/clean Vs wrong/ evil/filthy.6 For a modern era welcoming an influx of mechanization, these natural bodily functions seem to have been more and more repressed, made secretive and shameful – seen as falling short of a non-human ideal, a mechanized ideal. In 20th Century modernity, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye functions as an apotropaic object that sustains the fantasy of distance from the unclean, understood as a horrible evil. Modernism emerges from the belief

that man is fundamentally clean. The tendency in our society and architecture to repress the one thing that constantly threatens to return to haunt the body: namely the abject, the “left-over”. The pathological fear of darkened space that haunts the late 18th century gives rise to the modern space of hygiene, nowhere more purely demonstrated than the white architecture of Le Corbusier, governed by the law of Ripolin : not simply the look of cleanliness but the cleanliness of the look.7 The process of modernization in the economic developments of the 19th Century brings about the civilization of cleanliness. It also reflected in architecture as buildings were constructed with smooth, clean and hard surfaces out of artificial, industrially produced material, and principles of cleanliness, efficiency, and hygiene were highly valued.

6. Lahiji, Nadir and Daniel S Friedman. Plumbing. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1997. Print. 7. Le Corbusier,. The Decorative Art Of Today. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1987. Print.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Villa Savoye [Image source-http://insideinside.org/bathroom-villa-savoye-82-rue-de-villiers-78300-poissy-france]

The sink in the Villa Savoye to be read as ‘a poem about the “Reign of Hygiene”8 8. “Modernism: The ‘Reign Of Hygiene’”. nicksarch102blog. N.p., 2011. Web. 17 Aug. 2016.

[Image source-https://nicksarch102blog.wordpress. com/2011/08/14/the-plumber-is-the-pioneer-ofcleanliness] 13

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Dirt in urban environment Dirt in urban environment is airborne and mobile. It is mostly made of particulate matter which consist solid and liquid particles moving in air. These particles vary greatly in size, origin and composition and are mixture of organic and inorganic particles, such as soot, pollen, dust, smoke and liquid droplets. Urban built environment is widely affected by this particulate matter. Otero-Paolos, an artist and architect based in New York, explores his interest in the residual effects of environmental pollution on buildings. His installation – The Ethics of Dust, is a display of extracted dirt on a latex sheet from walls of Westminster hall.9 He talks about how people tend to associate Westminster hall with major political history but there’s another history that these building register – the longer time frames of changes in environ ment. The ethics of dust publication made it clear that dirt and the patina of time had an important historic value. It is fascinating to see incredible aesthetic possibilities of the deposits of environmental pollution. It showcases importance of building as an incredible vessel and extraordinary survival of the structure.10 After a period of time the exterior surface of any building like facades and roofs become dirty due to layered accumulation of environmental settlements or biological growth with different origins. It is not seen as a major problem as it does not involve safety consequences but it severely hampers the aesthetic quality of the structure. Many buildings undergo façade cleaning treatment or at least consider using dirt repelling materials for the building exterior. Industrialisation and increase in pollution is affecting the urban infrastructure. 9. Otero-Pailos, Jorge. The Ethics Of Dust. London: Westminster Hall, House of Parliament, 2016. Installation. 10. Buxton, Pamela. “The Dirt Of Ages | RIBAJ”. Ribaj.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

[Image source-http://www.timeout.com/london/art/jorge-otero-pailos-the-ethics-of-dust]

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Speculation towards the topic Behaviour and characteristics of dead particulate matter (dust) in urban environment is quite appealing to me and I wish to further analyse and drive my research deeper in this area of study. Dust is the subset of dirt that is majorly considered antithesis of architecture and considerable efforts are made to expel it from buildings. It is light, mobile, volatile and dry. It accumulates and settles, but it is then easily airborne again. Dust travels. Every dust particle is of different origin and exchanges part of itself with environment.11 It gathers and leaves behind itself. It is heterogeneous. Even in apparent stillness, dust moves and grows with gravity. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any form and it takes the form of its host. Dust is also multi-form as it changes and exchanges constantly with the environment. It glides with the dynamic air movement in the environment and knows no boundaries, no interior and

no exterior. It invades and pervades our lives and nothing is immune from the invasion of dust.12 Dust is an unwanted yet inevitable component of architecture. It is unaccounted and therefore ignored and erased from the space of representation and inhibition. It is made to disappear. French writer and philosopher George Bataille sees dust as an agent of change. Formless dust proposed by him indirectly expands the definition of architecture because it does not address the image of architecture, but explores the space the built environment defines in open and dynamic terms. Dust both coat and corrode the material of architecture. It visually and physically alters the form. In fact, dust is partly made of architectureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material through their weathering and ruination, from fragments to debris to powder.

11. Teresa, Stoppani. University of Greenwich,. Dust Revolutions. Dust, Informe, Architecture. Print. 12. Gissen, David. Subnature. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Print. 16

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

150 Microns

Average Human Hair

25 Microns

Lint, Particles visible to naked eye

10 Microns

Heavy Dust, Fertilizer, Pollen

5 - 10 Microns

Average Dust, Plant Spores

1 - 5 Microns

Bacteria, Light Dust

0.3 - 1 Microns

Tobacco and Cooking Smoke

0.001 - 0.01 Microns

Viruses

[Imagesource-http://www.air-quality-eng.com/buyer-resources/faq]

Dust-related illnesses and allergies are common, but attempting to remove all dust is an impossible task. It would result in unfortunate consequences as it is both compulsive and ineffective. Cleaning does not collect dust; it also creates and redistributes it. Writer and journalist Hannah Holmes states that ‘If you already suffer from asthma, the last thing you should do is clean up dust in your house. House cleaning has always been an effective method for lifting dust from the floor to the air. Even the most obsessive inhabitant has an invisible ‘personal dust cloud’ around them. However often they are cleaned, the surfaces of the home are soon covered

in layers of dust. Hannah Holmes describes dust as ‘a little bit of everything on the planet’.13 She claims every time you inhale, thousands of dust particles swirl in your body. Some lodge in your nose. Some stick to your throat. And some find sanctuary deep in your lungs. By the time you have read this far, you may have inhaled 150,000 of these specks – if you live in one of the cleanest corners of the planet. Dust particle size is measured in microns, which includes pollen at 10–100 microns, fungal spores at 1–5 microns, human hair at around 100 microns, and fresh Star dust at 0.1 microns.11

13. Hill, Jonathan. Immaterial Architecture. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006. Print.

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Aesthetics Quantifying and formalising the notion of pattern and the process of pattern discovery is very much related to scientific practice. Science’s view of nature’s lack of structure and unpredictability underwent a major renovation with the discovery of deterministic chaos.14 Behind ‘apparent randomness’ many processes are highly ordered with simple rules. I think same is the case with dust accumulations patterns everywhere around us. They are very intricate and complex in appearance. They seem to be random and chaotic, and result of many overlapping processes which generate such complicated aesthetics. Tools adapted from theory of computation can help us understand these processes and further let us control or at least tweak or manipulate these highly ordered processes, which would eventually result in manipulation of dust accumulation patterns. The puzzle of deterministic chaos is one

example of from 20th century science where it shows how limitations of human understanding make nature appear noisy, complicated and unpredictable. Structural anthropologist Claude LeviStrauss describes his trek to amazon in relation to this theory of deterministic chaos. According to him amazon forest seems like a mass of congealed bubbles, accumulation of green swelling when looked from outside. But as you break through the surface skin, everything changes. The Chaotic mass becomes a monumental universe. Initially forest appears to be structure less but once mind get accustomed to recognising forest’s close adjacent planes, you start discovering the hidden order and the complex system can be perceived. What lies on order-disorder boundaries is nothing but human innovation. I believe current world is meeting place of knowledge and imagination, and this makes it intrinsically artistic.

14. Crutchfield, James P. What Lies Between Order And Chaos?. 1st ed. Sante Fe Institute, 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

Perlin Noise is highly ordered algorithm which involves many processes. It results in natural looking patterns and textures that are generated by machine.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Perlin Noise [Image source-http://anthonypigeot.com/experiments-perlin-noise-2d-and-3d-worlds] 19

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Art installations and Productive approaches Over the years, we have aimed to eliminate dust from our lives and designed various products to do so. The most commonly used electrical apparatus to clean dust is vacuum cleaner. It is found in every individual’s house and recently with the advancement in technology automated vacuum cleaners are trending where they are programmed to guide themselves. A lot of effort is put for cleaning facades of glass buildings. We often see people dangling on these glass facades cleaning and shining them. As it involved risk and required high maintenance, smooth glass films were created that would not let dust particles to stick on to it. Not only is this but nowadays robots are designed to crawl up the building facades in order to maintain building exterior. Dust and dirt has always been fascinating subject for artists and it reflects in their work. Visual artist, Shirazeh

Houshiary explores the very nature of its existence in her fine art film installation.15 It captures the soot from burning candle with respect to varied time interval. These visual transformations are paired with chant, moving as a wave from high to low and vice versa. It relates the past, present and future simultaneously. Also, Artist Xu bing’s “Where does the dust collect itself” is an installation where he saves the dust from the obliterated World Trade Centre and ten years later blows the dust on the ground and stencils a quote from Zen poem: “As there is nothing form the first, Where does the dust collect itself.”16 Xu Bing discusses the relationship between the material world and the spiritual world that explores the complicated circumstances created by different world perspectives.

15. “Shirazeh Houshiary Dust Fine Art Animated Film Installation | Hotbox Studios 3D Animation Arts”. Hotbox Studios Ltd. Web. 20 Aug. 2016. 16. Bing, Xu. “Xubingdotcom”. Xubing.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Aug. 2016.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Art Installation by Shirazeh Houshiary [Image source-http://www.hotboxstudios.co.uk/news/shirazeh-houshiary-dust-film-installation-exhibition]

Art Installation by Xu Bing [Image source-http://www.xubing.com/index.php/site/projects/year/2004/where_does_the_dust_itself_collect] 21

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Experiments In order to understand dirtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behaviour and presence everywhere around us, I started taking pictures of various types of dirt. Naturally occurring dirt patterns on walls, windows, cars, roofs, floors and roads reveal different kind of settling patterns on various forms, textures and surfaces. There are several minor and major aspects that contribute in dirt settlement. One of the major factors that affect dirtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behaviour is moisture content in the environment. It is because of this reason it is easier to wipe coffee stains with wet cloth. An experiment was carried out to test movement of dust particles in various

Coffee stains, Sagar Lohar 22

situations. These particles were placed in a bowl with dry, damp and wet surface condition and blown with ball air blower. It reveals, when surface is dry dust particles are most mobile and least mobile when the surface is damp as it stick to the surface. But in wet condition it is guided according to the movement of wetness, in this case water. It was interesting to see how particles move freely in wet conditions yet are chained to form and movement of water. Further, I began to mimic dust particles with the help of processing scripts. Density, weight, size and form of the particle were taken into consideration.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Dirt accumulation on window glass, Sagar Lohar

Dirt accumulation on exterior surface, Sagar Lohar

Dirt accumulation on exterior surface, Sagar Lohar 23

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Dustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behavior with respect to Moisture content

Damp

Wet

Dry

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Mimicking dust partiles with respect to its Density

Mimicking dust partiles with respect to its Weight 25

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Working with actual dust particles was an arduous undertaking as they are too small to work with. So flour (substitute to dust) was used in next experiments. At this point of research, I was more interested in the way dust lands and get stuck to any surface. I wished to control the landing of a dust particle, as in where exactly should each particle settles so that it could generate patterns according to some order and not the way it happens naturally. This experiment involved flour landing onto specific grades of sand paper placed at a specific inclination of 20, 40, 60 and

80 degrees. A 3D printed funnel was designed to make sure every time equal quantity of flour lands on inclined sandpaper. Overall the results looked clear; more rough the sand paper, more flour would to get stuck on to it, but when looked closely it revealed that the grains present on the sandpaper contributed majorly to the pattern that it generated. The arrangement of the grains led the flour land accordingly. These results led to techniques of surface modulation and its interactivity with the environment.

Sandpaper Grade 3 Inclination 20 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 3 Inclination 40 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 3 Inclination 60 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 3 Inclination 80 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 4 Inclination 20 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 4 Inclination 40 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 4 Inclination 60 degrees

Sandpaper Grade 4 Inclination 80 degrees

MA Architecture (Digital Media) 3D printed Funnel

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Surface Modulation Surface modulation involved movement of specific parts of a surface with respect to time. It involved digital simulations and animations done with Autodesk Maya. Surfaces were divided in grid and adjusting the vertices and edges of grid would modulate the surface, resulting in dust particles landing in desired zones. It also involved altering a stretchable surface with linear actuator.

Surface modulation 1 (Stretchable surface)

Surface modulation 2 (Stretchable surface) 28

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Surface modulation 1 (Grid based)

Surface modulation 2 (Grid based)

Surface modulation 3 (Grid based) 29

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya Simulation - Particle behaviour with respect to surface modulation (Plan)

Elevation

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Maya Simulation - Particle behaviour with respect to surface modulation (Plan)

Elevation

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Apophenia â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Apopheniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is the human tendency to perceive meaningful patterns with random data. It is because of this we relate clouds with animals or anything we have in our mind. Displayed adjacent is an image of dirt on the exterior of a building. Its appearance seems to be chaotic and complex, and it is something that human brain is not able to perceive. The data that it offers is too small in scale and we are not able to find any order in it. Hence we consider it unwanted and

we ignore it or plan to get rid of it. What if we could overlay this layer of complex data with a layer of simpler data? I think it would divide our approach towards the surface in two different stages and we would be forcefully guided to notice the simpler data first. Our approach towards dirt would change in terms of aesthetics and patterns. Image displayed adjacent illustrates this concept.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Complex data

Complex data overlaid by simpler data 33

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Electrostatics We all are familiar with the concept of static electricity where objects can be charged positively or negatively depending upon number of electrons. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract. This concept is widely used in Electrostatic Dust Precipitators (EDP) and Air cleaner. These filtration devices remove fine particles like dust or smoke, using

Moving dust with static charge [Image Source-https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCFtc3XdXgLFwhlDajMGK69w] 34

a force of induced electrostatic charge. Also photocopier and laser printer works on this principle. Knowing these facts, it triggers my mind to speculate it in relation to manipulation of dust. Could we charge every particle in the environment and change its behaviour? Could it help us change our approach towards dust?

Testing static charge

MA Architecture (Digital Media) Air without smoke and dust particles

Dust particles are attracted to the collecting plate

Positively charged collecting plate

Collecting plates are knocked to remove the smoke partciles

Dust particles pick up a negative charge

Negatively charged metal grid

Air containing dust and smoke particles Working of Electrostatic precipitator [Image Source-http://www.slideshare.net/anicholls1234/important-helpful-physics-notesformulamust-see]

The photocopy is taken off the copy plate and turned over to reveal the text

Paper is placed over the copying plate: toner is transfered to the paper and heated to make it stick

The image of the document is projected onto a positively charged copying plate

Where light falls onto the plate, the electrical charge leaks away Negatively charged black toner particles are attracted to remaining positive areas

Working of Photocopier machine [Image Source-http://www.slideshare.net/anicholls1234/important-helpful-physics-notesformulamust-see]

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Friction Electrostatic Generator Working with high voltage charge was not possible so a machine was designed to manipulate flour with the help of static charges. Materials such as aluminium sheet, conducting wire, silicon and plastic were used in building this machine. These materials belonged to triboelectric series, which provides us with a set of material combinations that produce static charge when rubbed against each other.

Friction electrostatic generator 36

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

According to triboelectric series, rubbing plastic surface with silicon tube would make plastic negatively charged and silicon positively charged. Like charges repel from plastic and aluminium, causing flour particles on the aluminium surface to get negative charge since electrons are pushed away from plastic. Conductive wire helps in this process of induction. As shown in the image, negatively charged flour particles are attracted to human dry skin (positively charged according to triboelectric series) Aluminium surface Conducting Wire

Plastic

Silicon

Working principle

Flour attracted to human skin 37

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya simulation based on the principle of electrostatics -

Positively charged field attracting negatively charged particles.

Positively charged field attracting negativly charged particles.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

If we could control flow of positive charges on a surface, for e.g. exterior wall of any structure, and negatively charge particulate matter in the urban environment, then we could make these particles settle in the desired position as shown above.

Like charged particles repelling each other.

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya Simulations Solar sinister Project is an experiment by Markus Kayser, where he uses sunlight and sand as raw energy and material to produce glass objects using a 3D printing process.17 It is appealing to see how natural energy and material are combined with high-tech production technology to make a 3D object from sand particles. Till this stage of my research I was mainly focusing on par-

ticulate matter as a pattern or texture, basically a 2 dimensional layer, but after going through Solar Sinister Project my attitude towards dirt took a different direction where I started speculating dust as 3 dimensional objects. In order to explore more I started with Maya simulation of dust particles where it focused on properties such as expansion, compression, density and transparency.

17. Grosch, Till. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Solarsinter : Markus Kayserâ&#x20AC;?. Markuskayser.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016.

SolarSinister Project [Image Source-http://www.markuskayser.com/work/solarsinter]

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Maya simulation [Floating particles] 41

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya simulation [Testing Density]

Maya simulation [Testing Compression]

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Maya simulation [Testing transperancy]

Maya simulation [Testing Charged fields]

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Acoustic levitation Dust is often accumulated in some corner of our room or sticking to some surface. Dust is something that doesn’t have its own identity and always associated with some kind of object or surface, except when we notice it floating, in a beam of light. This starts to define its presence and gives it an identity. Acoustic levitation is a technique where you could suspend matter with the help of sound waves of ultrasonic frequencies.18 This method could help us control or manipulate floating behaviour of particulate matter. I tried speculating this topic and made some animations on the concepts of floating dust, frozen dust and sliding dust. It revealed dust could be considered, not as an antithesis to architecture but as an architectural material itself. 18. “Acoustic Levitation”. Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Sept. 2016.

Reflector

Particulate matter Anti-node Node Electronics

Tranducer

Base stand

Sonic Levitation [Image Source-http://www.soniclevitation.com/ sonic-levitation]

[Image Source-https://thewere42. wordpress.com/2010/04/26/yes-youcan-levitate-objects-with-sound]

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Maya simulation [Controlled Acoustic Levitaion of Particulate matter]

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Maya simulation [Controlled Acoustic Levitaion of Particulate matter]

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Conclusion Being involved in this field of research for long time, I tried mapping the future possibilities in terms of involving Urban Particulate Matter in our daily lives. In conclusion, I began to have a strategic foresight and the main questions that arose in my mind were; can we learn to live with this matter in a poetic and graceful way as it is unavoidable and present everywhere around us? Can we change our approach towards it? How exactly can we incorporate in our lives? Possibly, our approach might change towards dust and people might start to speculate towards this topic in near future. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve culturally and fundamentally aimed to be clean as dirt is associated with allergies and illness. But not all kinds of dirt or dust affects us in a negative way. We might have positive approaches towards its presence in a controlled environment. Probably, incorporating it in our lives is still a long shot as it would require combined effort and speculation from many scientific and artistic fields.

Plausibly, with the help of advanced technology, computational techniques, Acoustic levitation or electrostatic we could treat it as architectural material and not undesirable detritus of life. It could be fascinating to experience infinite number of particles behaving the way we want them to, or dust floating in the air defining a space according to its density or transparency. It could be poetry backed by science. Preferably, concerning with immediate future, I want it treated more in terms of speculation as till date all weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve evolved only to get rid of it. Vacuum cleaner, Static cleaner, air ionisers are some of the all products designed to get it out of our lives. Artists have been fascinated by its presence and behaviour and conceptualised it in various art installations. Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s point of view and an artist point of view are different and I want them to direct towards each other; to reduce or blur the difference of opinion between them. After all, Dust is nothing but little bit of everything on this planet.

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

Friction Electrostatic Generator, Sagar Lohar

Flour settling patterns, Sagar Lohar 49

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Bibliography “Dirt”. Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 Mar. 2016. “Three Types Of Dirt To Clean”. CleanLink. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 May 2016. Gissen, David. Subnature. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Print. Hill, Jonathan. Immaterial Architecture. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2006. Print. Mieszkowski, Katharine. “The Filthy, Stinking Truth”. Salon. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 June 2016. Teresa, Stoppani. University of Greenwich,. Dust Revolutions. Dust, Informe, Architecture. Print. Kubie, Lawrence S. “PEP Web - The Fantasy Of Dirt”. Pep-web.org. N.p., 1937. Web. 23 Aug. 2016. Buxton, Pamela. “The Dirt Of Ages | RIBAJ”. Ribaj.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Aug. 2016. Cox, Rosie et al. “Dirt: The Filthy Reality Of Everyday Life”. Wellcomecollection.org. N.p., 2014.Web.27 Aug. 2016. Crutchfield, James P. What Lies Between Order And Chaos? Sante Fe Institute, 2002. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. Douglas, Mary. Purity And Danger. New York: Praeger, 1966. Print. Kubie, Lawrence S. “PEP Web - The Fantasy Of Dirt”. Pep-web.org. N.p., 1937. Web. 23 Aug. 2016. Lahiji, Nadir and Daniel S Friedman. Plumbing. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1997. Print. Le Corbusier,. The Decorative Art Of Today. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1987. Print. Otero-Pailos, Jorge. The Ethics Of Dust. London: Westminster Hall, House of Parliament, 2016. Print. “Shirazeh Houshiary Dust Fine Art Animated Film Installation | Hotbox Studios 3D Animation Arts”. Hotbox Studios Ltd. Web. 20 Aug. 2016. Bing, Xu. “Xubingdotcom”. Xubing.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Aug. 2016. Grosch, Till. “Solarsinter : Markus Kayser”. Markuskayser.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Sept. 2016. “Acoustic Levitation”. Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Sept. 2016. [Cover page image source-http://scorpini-stock.deviantart.com/art/Pixie-Dust-texture-II-407402285]

MA Architecture (Digital Media)

DIRT : Behaviour | Aesthetics | ImMaterialism

Thesis Report - Sagar N Lohar MA Architecture (Digital Media) University of Westminster, London w1566120@my.westminster.ac.uk