Process Book by Maeve McCarthy

SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT VOLUME II MAEVE MCCARTHY UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

01 02 03 04 05 06

background program site concept fragment

07 08 09 10 11

users materiality process model sources

interior

01 background

abstract The RE-LAB is an educational makers environment centered around recycling and 3D printing. Plastic is collected at drop off kiosks around Cincinnati and upcycled into filament for 3D printing. This space creates a form work to allow users of all experience levels to design and print new upcycled objects. For our capstone projects, we were given free reign to come up with our own problems to solve. I started this project with a question: how might we create a new and efficient way to recycle in which people can learn about the process through active participation. I challenged myself to think outside of the box with a preliminary question that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to lend itself to interior design. I believe that well designed spaces can have a powerful effect over people. I wanted to create a space that could be a part of a larger solution to end plastic pollution in the ocean.

I began by researching different methodologies for teaching, interaction, recycling, creating positive social change. This research can be found in volume 1 of my capstone books -- RE-. In this book, I show how my research manifested itself into a spatial program and then how I developed that program through the concept, schematic design, design development and construction documentation design phases. This project will be showcased at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning senior show opening on April 25, 2017. The full project along with my portfolio of work can be found on my website: www.maeve.design. Thank

you

for

reading!

PLASTIC IS A MAN MADE MATERIAL THAT DOES NOT BIODEGRADE1

280 MILLION TONS OF PLASTIC ARE PRODUCED EACH YEAR2

5% OF THE PLASTIC THAT IS PRODUCED IS RECYCLED3

8 MILLION TONS OF PLASTIC END UP IN THE OCEAN EACH YEAR4

THE US CONTRIBUTES 25% OF THE WORLDS TRASH5

how might we create a new and efficient way to recycle in which people can learn about the process through active participation?

34% OF US HOUSEHOLDS ARE RECYCLING6

rLeA B HOW IT WORKS?

drop off kiosks around Cincinnati are available for consumers to recycle their plastic waste

recovered plastic material is taken to a processing plant to be made into 3D printing filament

users visit the RE-LAB to 3D print new, upcycled objects out of recycled plastic

KIOSK

RECYCLING CENTER

Kiosks are located around Cincinnati. Kiosks serve as drive up recycling drop off centers. Each kiosk is located near main a main road for the users convenience. Plastic is collected and sent to a recycling processing center just outside of Cincinnati. At these kiosks, recyclers can become RE-LAB members. When recyclable items are dropped off, a member will collect points. The points directly correlate to the volume of 3D printing filament that can be made from the recycled items the user brought. These points can be redeemed at the RE- hub as credit towards a print.

The recycling center is located just outside of Cincinnati. Plastic that is collected at the recycling kiosks is brought here for sorting and processing. Instead of melting down plastic and making it into new items that will eventually be recycled again, it is melted down and made into filament for 3D printing. The filament is brought to the RE-LAB makers space to be used for printing projects. The filament is also sold on the RE-LAB website to individual consumers who want to 3D print using recycled material on their personal 3D printer.

RE-LAB

WEBSITE

The RE-LAB is a combination of a makers space and experiential retail. Users can choose a model from the virtual gallery and have it printed. Workshop classes are also available to students who want to model and print their own designs. RE-LAB members have access to these classes. Members are also encouraged to recycle their plastic in order to collect points to redeem for 3D prints. Points are earned for dropping off plastic material and these points correlate directly to a volume of plastic material that users can redeem in the form of a 3D print.

The RE-- website hosts an open source 3D model gallery. People from all over can create and share 3D printing models on this platform. This is the same content that is on display in the virtual model gallery in the hub. Members who are designing their own item to be printed can upload their file for just their use. Members can also see how many points they have collected and what models they can redeem them for at the hub. The website will also acts as a supplement to the educational content in the experiential exhibition at the hub. 9

02 program

program matrix ACTIVITY

SIZE

FF&E

ENTRY

double height entry space with feature 3D printed staircase

1,850 sq ft

scaffolding and display signage

MULTIPURPOSE STUDENT GALLERY

a gallery of student work made using the resources at the re-LAB that can also act as an event space outdoor space kiosk drop off center, a second entrance to the gallery and an open display area for outdoor sculptures coffee bar for daytime use and a full service bar when the gallery is being used as a multipurpose event space three workshops studios offering classes to teach students how to 3D model

1,950 sq ft

modular seating and screen wall

4,800 sq ft

lounge seating, sculpture display, drop off kiosk screens coffee and bar equipment and storage shelving

1,980 sq ft

desks, large workstations, built in 3D printers, storage space

PRINTING LOUNGE

printers inset in workshop wall with seating poufs to watch prints

300 sq ft

poufs

MACHINE ROOM

additional machinery available to be used in conjunction with 3D printing projects

1500 sq ft

laser cutters, saws, sander, drills and other various tools

MATERIALS COUNTER

store with additional materials for purchase

1,150 sq ft

shelving and additional storage space

PRODUCTION SPACE

space for printing and assembling projects including private and collaborative workstations storage available for long term projects

1,700 sq ft

large desks, stools, 3D printers, computers and storage space open and lockable shelving

BOH STORAGE

storage for facility maintenance and additional supplies

2,700 sq ft

shelving with consideration to access to the loading dock

UTILITIES

restrooms and fire exit stair

1,400 sq ft

14 total bathroom stalls

TOTAL PROGRAMMED SPACE:

19,870 sq ft

CIRCULATION:

3,200 sq ft

COURTYARD AND WALK UP RECYCLING DROP COFFEE BAR WORKSHOPS

OPEN STORAGE

DESCRIPTION

370 sq ft

170 sq ft

first floor

second floor

03 site

cincinnati outreach RE-LAB drop off kiosks are located around Cincinnati. Recovered material is picked up regularly and brought to a processing plant just outside of city limits. The RE-LAB makers space facility is located at 38 W. McMicken in Over the Rhine. This location also serves as the flagship drop off kiosk for that neighborhood or for visitors to the lab. The connection between the plastic collection on the exterior of the building and the use of those recycled materials on the interior of the building help reinforce the underlying mission of this space. The RE-LAB has a duality of intentions: addressing the misuse of plastic in our material world and providing an educational space for people to continue to make in a more sustainable way. kiosk locations over the rhine

- Vine -

-W .M

N site

public parking

street car

local business

over the rhine

adjacent building

38 W. McMICKEN

loading dock

recycling drop off courtyard o up

t ramp

adjacent building

g lot

rkin o pa

The RE-LAB is located at 38 W. McMicken in Cincinnati, Ohio. This building on the northern end of the rapidly gentrifying Over the Rhine neighborhood near downtown Cincinnati. The site is zoned for commercial mixed use so it is suited for a variety of different activities. Having a street presence is very important for this facility. Large windows at the southwest facade allow pedestrians to see inside. But, only to the grand entry stair. The recycling drop off kiosk at the northwest facade also serves to draw attention in from the street. The RE-LAB concept recycling plastic waste via and awards system of upcycling into new things is somewhat foreign. So this space is designed to stand out among its neighbors. The juxtaposition of the traditional manufacturing style building with the underlying grid of the interior and then with the undulating circulatory stair in the entry hall create a compelling environment that pedestrians can experience from the street. Nut, they have to go inside to see beyond the stair and really understand what the space is about.

04 concept

This space is designed rooted in the concept that it is a support structure for user driven design. Drawing on the idea that 3D Printed objects are often printed with a support scaffolding structure that would then break away, I referenced scaffolding structures for inspiration in the form of my design. I wanted to incorporate the ideas of modular repetition, enveloping an occupied space and defined forms within an outer grid. This idea of a modular structure can be seen throughout the space. Just as the scaffolding structure holding up protruding parts of a 3D print, this scaffolding structure creates a framework for 3D printed design elements to live in full scale as a part of the design. The 3D printed elements in the space are a stark juxtaposition to the rigidity of the rest of the space. Yet at the same time, these elements feel as though they belong.

scaffolding system This scaffolding system is designed in 18â&#x20AC;? modules. The vertical and horizontal components are made of steel cut down to size. The bright green connection components are 3D printed pieces that join the system together. For additional structural support, there is tensile cord that cross braces each module. The rigid module created by the steel frame is broken up by this cord. In some locations, the cord crosses through the 18â&#x20AC;? cube. Depending on the required support load of the scaffolding, the module of the tensile cord can expand. This linear and angular form creates vastly different patterns depending on the vantage point of the user. The material creates visual planes on the x, y and z axis. I wanted to take advantage of this broad range of perspectives within the form by creating a space in which the user passes through scaffold.

05 fragment

why a stair? I chose to explore the staircase as my main focus for this design because I think that a stair can be more than a connection between point a and point b. This space has a lot of different types of user groups and the main challenge with this from a design standpoint is how can the space guide help guide different users along their respective journeys. This grand, open staircase located right at the entry to the RE-LAB offers three distinct paths for users to take and creates six distinct spaces within itself. The undulating form is created my unique modules that are designed to be 3D printed in the RE-LAB facility. The 6â&#x20AC;? height of each undulating plane fits well within the overall 18â&#x20AC;? grid that rules the space and also works to create the rise of each stair tread.

key focus areas:

ENTRY WAYFINDING SIGNAGE

SCAFFOLDING PORTAL

OVERSCALED OPEN STAIR

GALLERY ENTRY

LANDING OVERLOOK

SECOND FLOOR CIRCULATION PATH

stair The staircase is a semi transparent 3D printed plastic. Its undulating form creates spaces where the scaffolding below can penetrate through to the front face. The shape is subdivided into 6â&#x20AC;? planar curves. This module allows for all of the pieces to be printed in the RE-LAB facility.

landing The landing of this staircase allows for a moment of pause by users. From this vantage point, you can see the entire entry hall and observe the light and shadow cast by the hanging installation on the floor.

scaffolding The scaffolding structure acts as the support system holding up a more delicate 3D printed form. The portal created by the scaffolding underneath the stair allows users to pass through the inside of this larger 3D printed element into the gallery space beyond.

06 interior

first floor lab lab

printing lounge courtyard

coffee bar

gallery

entry

scaffolding portal recycling drop off

second floor production space machine room

storage materials counter

wayfinding This space is host to ** different groups. Since this facility is mostly autonomous, there is not front desk or to ask where to go for the different types of activities. But, upon entering users are encountered with the large undulating 3D printed stair and the scaffolding support structure portal that leads to the classroom and studio space on the first floor. The undulating 3D printed stair element is designed in 6â&#x20AC;? modules. This scale allows each of the custom designed components of the piece to be printed and assembled on sight. The strips undulate back at strategic locations to allow for the underlying scaffolding structure to penetrate through. This allows for signage to be a fixed with the structure of the entry wall. This is where users can get information about this facility and what lies beyond.

hanging installation This double height hanging light fixture exists in the entry hall over the scaffolding portal as an extension of the modular grid ruling the space. It also reinforces the frame created by the scaffolding portal leading to the circulation corridor of the first and second floor. The size and shape of this hanging grid of lights is entirely intentional. This piece is a metaphor for the volume of microscopic pieces of plastic in the ocean now due to our inefficient recycling system. This concept is explained to users on the entry sign. The actual scale of this grid is 18 in2. This grid represents 1 in2 of the water in the middle of the ocean. In that square inch there would be approximately 2,113 microscopic pieces of plastic. Within this suspended volume, users are charged to imagine that each light they see above is a microscopic piece of plastic. Each hanging strip has four lights that cast out horizontally and refract through the acrylic body of each fixture. Thus creating the illusion that there are thousands of lights representing pieces of plastic hanging above them. During the day, the illusion is enhanced by light shining through the large windows above and creating shadow forms representative of plastic pieces throughout the floor of the entry.

gallery entry The gallery entry is inconspicuously located behind the stair. When users enter the RE-LAB they encounter the entry signage that will explain the different spaces within the facility and how to get to each one. The gallery can be entered through this extension space or through the scaffolding portal. But, the gallery extension space shown here acts as the main entry to the gallery. The undulating form of the 3D printed stair creates an overhang at the back of the space. Below this, interchangeable signage is suspended between the overhang and protruding base piece. This signage is specific to the current exhibition in the gallery. This could be a showcase of student work created in a workshop class, a collection of local artists creating a collective exhibition or a single artist showcasing their portfolio.

gallery The gallery is a multipurpose space that showcases student work. The open space has adjustable track lighting so that the lighting scheme can be adjusted based on what the current display requires. The furniture in the space is also student made within established guidelines. The modular couches throughout the space act as partitions to subdivide different areas and they themselves are a part of the art. There are three different types of sofa pieces: the love seat with a back, the corner unit and the single bench unit. The modules are all printed in three different colors. The form and colors create a cohesion among all of the pieces so that each of the unique textures do not complete with one another. At the RE-LAB members can sign up for workshop style classes where they can learn 3D modeling software and design a textural mesh to create a seating module as a group. Using the massing of the form as a starting point, students can design and model a textural mesh to be 3D printed. This makes the furniture not only interchangeable but also ever evolving. The screen wall separating the gallery from the circulation corridor is also a host structure for student work.

scaffolding portal The scaffolding portal an extended interstitial space underneath the staircase. Users are compressed as they step inside of the 3D model. As they walk through this corridor, they can see through to the structure underneath the steps. The walls that surround this space deviate the module of the tensile cord. The change in module helps to define the portal space from the rest of the scaffolding structure. Beyond this space, you can see the gallery, coffee bar and the printing lounge in the back of the building.

printing lounge The printing lounge is a supplementary printing space. There are four large printers that can be accessed from two sides in the wall at the lab space. These printers are intended to be used by more experienced students that have taken classes in the workshop. Models can be sent to these printers from the adjacent computer lab. RE-LAB staff are available in the lab to help troubleshoot setting up these printers.

production space The printing production space is designed for the 3D printing novice. Four large tables in the middle of the open space create 16 collaborative workstations. Each of these stations has a computer and a printer. This space is at the back of the building on the second floor. Its position at the end of the circulation corridor creates sight lines to the workstations so that users know they are heading in the right direction. When users arrive at this space, they start out at the materials counter. RE-LAB staff members are here to help anyone with questions about what to do. This space is situated between the production space and the machine room because it serves both spaces. The materials counter has tools for makers to borrow while they are in the space and additional materials to supplement the 3D prints. The wall adjacent to the materials counter is the filament wall. Filament is the material that feeds 3D printers. Users can select their desired color and take the spool back to their workstation. At the station, users can browse a selection of 3D models from the RE-LAB website which acts as an open source virtual model gallery. The autonomous system walks users through step by step how to select a model, pay, load their material into the printer and begin.

07 users

SAM - LOCAL ACTIVIST

MORGAN - TECHY STUDENT

PARKER - URBAN EXPLORER

ALEX - MAKER

LOCAL ACTIVIST Sam is an environmentally conscious Cincinnati native. He tries to avoid using plastic but when he does, he is vigilant about reusing and recycling. Sam brings his recyclables to RELAB once a week. He is collecting points that he plans to redeem for a 3D printed shelving unit for his home.

TECHY STUDENT Morgan is a student at who loves computers. She took a workshop class to teach her how to model a 3D object and now she visits the RE-LAB regularly to continue work on her project. Morgan also brings her recyclables to here to so that she can collect points to go towards her printing projects.

URBAN EXPLORER

MAKER

Parker is a long time Cincinnati resident who is passionate about supporting local businesses. Parker thinks that 3D printing is a cool concept but he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have access to any of the technology required to 3D print so he has never done it. At the RE-LAB he is able to guide himself through the process and 3D print a pendant light from the RE-LAB virtual model gallery.

Alex is a local artist who works with many different mediums. As a member of the RE-LAB she has access to the computer lab, machine room and materials counter. She is able to use the RE-LAB as a supplement to her own studio space and loves having easy access to new technologies. Alex has also used the space for a gallery show displaying her latest work.

MEMBER

NON-MEMBER

RE- has a membership system to allow people to keep track of their personal contribution to the upcycling process. Members can collect points as they drop off recycling at kiosks around Cincinnati and then redeem those points for a 3D print. Members can also assess how much plastic they have removed from the downcycling process of recycling.

While membership is encouraged, nonmembers are still able to participate in the process. Non-members are typically users that heard about the space from a friend or discovered it while walking by. Prints can be purchased without redeeming any points. The cost is a function of the volume of material used and the amount of print time required.

Other advantages of membership include access to classes and workshops, interactive educational content on the website and the ability to print your own 3D models without uploading them to the model gallery.

At the POS stations, users can create a membership. The intention of the educational content in the space is to motivate people to recycle. When users want to come back to RE- they are incentivize to recycle more.

08 materiality

palette In selecting the materials for the RE-LAB I wanted to use plastic as an interior material in very intentional ways. I chose to mix the 3D printed plastic elements with other raw looking materials. I selected standard colors for the 3D printed furniture pieces in order to create cohesion among varied forms. The existing materials of the building will be left as they are. This building had a large fire years ago that left a dark patina on the interior brick and board form concrete. This texture adds character and history to the space.

09 process

design process This project was completed over the course of two four month long semesters. The research component of the project can be found in the first volume of this book, RE-. This book covers the design of the RE-LAB. I used a combination of hand sketching and computer drafting in my design process. When I have an idea, I will sketch of jot it down on the first piece of paper I can find. Through the schematic and design development phases I would toggle between rough conceptual sketches, hand and digital drafting and 3D modeling.

SCHEMATIC DESIGN In this phase of the design process, I identified the large gestures that I wanted to achieve in this space and blocked out the space plan. The first four bays of the space are opened up to be double height with a large interconnecting stair. I wanted to use this stair to create a variety of spaces at the entry and in the gallery. I also identified a hanging installation and a screen wall to divide the gallery space from the circulation corridor as potential design opportunities.

FIRST FLOOR - SPACE PLAN

SECOND FLOOR - SPACE PLAN

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT In this stage of the design process, I refined my focus on the form of the stair and how it interacts with the scaffolding. In this iteration of the design, I found that there was too much rigidity in the space. Moving forward to the final design, I wanted to add an irregular, curved element into the space that could only be fabricated from 3D printing.

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS In this phase of the design process, I finalized my design taking into consideration changes that I wanted to make after the design development presentation. I then translated my design decisions into a CD set. This included plans and schedules of finishes, furniture, and lighting.

10 model

DAAPWORKS DAAPWORKS is the annual senior showcase put on by the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning. The 2017 show opens on April 25, 2017 and remain on display through graduation on April 29, 2017. My booth at the show will include my research book, design process book (this book), physical materials palette, 1/4â&#x20AC;? scale model and a poster showcasing my final renderings. All of my work is published on my website www.maeve.design.

11 sources

sources 1- “OR&R’s Marine Debris Program.” OR&R’s Marine Debris Program. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 24 July 2016. 2- Plastic Paradise. Dir. Angela Sun. Plastic Paradise Movie, 2013. Web. 14 May 2016. 3- Hutchinson, Alex. “Is Recycling Worth It? PM Investigates Its Economic and Environmental Impact.” Popular Mechanics. N.p., 13 Nov. 2008. Web. 19 June 2016.

4- Cooney, Katherine. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Poses New Threat to Marine Life | TIME.com.” Time. TIme Magazine, 11 May 2012. Web. 29 May 2016. 5- “Recycling Rates Around the World.” Weblog post. Planet Aid. Planet Aid Inc, 2 Sept. 2015. Web. 11 July 2016. 6- “In the Bin.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 10 June 2016.

images

1- Parametric Design. Digital image. 6- Conceptual Scaffolding. Digital <http://tf3dm.com/3d-models/ Architect Magazine. Architect image. Archinect. Archinect, n.d. bear>. Magazine, 11 July 2011.Web. 10 Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <http://archinect. Feb. 2017. <http://www. com/firms/project/93016902/reveal11- Mesh. Digital image. Augmented architectmagazine.com/design/ the-absence-the-unbuilt/93017704>. Tomorrow. Just Write, n.d. Web. 1 parametric-design-whats-gotten- Apr. 2017. <http:// lost-amid-the-algorithms_o>. 7- Scaffolding. Digital image. Mountain augmentedtomorrow. Productions. Mountain Productions, com/9-benefits-3d-printing/>. 2- Scaffolding. Digital image. Extreme n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <https:/www. Scaffolding. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 mountainproductions.com/ 12- Fire Escape. Digital image. Best Mar. 2017. <http://www.extreme- blog/2013/06/28/the-largest- Fire Escapes. Pinterest, n.d. Web. scaffolding.com/>. scaffold-stage-in-mountain- 1 Apr. 2017. <https://www.pinterest. productions-history-main-stage-at- com/mehrnazghojeh/arch- 3- Meshagon. Digital image. the-electric-daisy-carnival-vegas/>. design/?lp=true>. Meshagons History. Tcdoe, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <http:// 8- Close up scaffolding. Digital image. 13- Serpentine Pavillion. Digital image. tcdoe.com/meshagons.html>. KUMU. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Apr. Arch Daily. Arch Daily, n.d. 2017. <http://kumu.ekm.ee/ Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <http://www. 4- Absence in the Unbuilt. Digital en/syndmus/marcel-lefrancq-and- archdaily.com/384289/serpentine- image. Design Boom. N.p., n.d. belgian-surrealist-photography/>. pavilion-sou-fujimoto>. Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <http://www. designboom.com/architecture/ 9- Marshmallow Stol. Digital image. 14- Filament Wall. Digital image. reveal-the-absence-the-un-built/>. Contemporist. Contemporist, 3D Printing for Beginners. n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017. <http:// 3D Printing for 5- Illuminated Scaffolding. Digital www.contemporist.com/paul-ketz- Beginners, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2017. image. Dezeen. Dezeen, n.d. Web. designs-marshmallow-stools/>. <http://3dprintingforbeginners. 1 Apr. 2017. <https://www.dezeen. com/glow-in-the-dark-filament- com/tag/scaffolding/>. 10- 3D Print Bear. Digital image. review/>. TF3DM. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2017.