Module 3 - Fabrication Year 1 Sem 1 Virtual Environments
Matthew Law 641246
Research & Abstraction of Natural Process
The stem system allows water and nutrients to be distributed over the leaf surface. As often leaves’ surfaces are wide and flat, the stem system will be spread out widely, having this branching out pattern. Picking up this particular characteristics that the stem system has, I personally highlighted the key pattern in which can illustrate the formation of the stem system, representing it in a “Y-Shape“.
Recipe: 1. Create a set of Yshapes (6) 2. Rotate each in 120 degrees 3. Combining the Yshapes together 4. Forming Hexagons
Architectural Precedents
These precedents are from Big.dk, in which is a Denmark architecture company. These predecents have shown the light effects that “Y-shape� can generate. These precedents have inspired me in creating light effects by creating spaces between objects, rather than designing patterns that creates light effects. Although the precedent above happens to be unrelated with light effects, but it also give me an understanding of Y-shapes can also be organic forms instead of geometric.
Transition from Physical to Virtual Process of Digitalise
DIfferent Tests of Lofting
1. Using the command ‘PictureFrame‘, importing Pictures of the Clay Model onto Rhino. 2. Then trace the curves from the original picture, to create a set of curves in Rhino. 3. By using command ‘Loft‘, creating surfaces that joint the curves together, forming a 3D form.
Natural Loft, creating a smooth surface along the curves.
Loose Loft, not necessary attaching the assigned curves, but still has a smooth surface.
Evolution of Design in Digitalise Environment
TIght Loft, whilst touching the curves tightly, it appears to be an unnatural loft, with geometrics forming.
Using command “PanelCustom3D“, Using Hexagons as my base shape, panelled into the lofted surface.
Straight Sections Loft, a lot more geometric than other types of lofting.
Uniform Lofting, is smooth all along the curves, but when curves are close to one and another, uniform lofting will create unnatural forms.
Using command “ExtrudeAlongCurve“, altering the sizes of hexagons into irregular sizes.
However, I made an adjustment of creating another loft based on my arm’s size, creating a set of grid for 3D Panelling.
Further Development on the command “ExtrudeAlongCurve“.
Response to Module 2’s Readings In Thomas Heatherwick’s presentation, he mentioned about large, bulky buildings being souless and cold. Thomas and company has won a competition in ShangHai. There are 250 exhibition pavilions, 250 countries competiting along with Thomas, who is representating Britian. He has the idea of spreading out, combining nature with the exhibition centre. Seeds are chosen as the only element for this exhibition centre. Like our project, Thomas has able to foresee the final form of the building through a basic element in which is a glass tube, with seeds stored within. The idea of spreading out has helped me a lot in terms of developing my lantern form. In the Scheurer and Stehling Reading, it talked about Architecture being a process of communication. Recently the trend of design has changed from being solid and regular into more of an abstract form of shape. Architectural Design does not stop even though you can define the shape of the overall shape. Other desinging components can have big impacts towards the ultimate form of design. For what you have consider as the final form of shape for the design, the outcome can be absolutely different. This can be applied to my design as I often tend to stop the design thinking process once I have completed a certain design in which might be parts of the entire project. Design thinking never stops during a design process, concepts and ideas can be changed in anytime during and design process, therefore as a designer we has to be always alert and think critically.
Prototyping & Design Refinement Rhino Files
Brief Description By using command ‘ptUnrollFaces‘, allowing me to then add tabs for model building. However contrains appeared as faces contain gaps in between each of them. Therefore has to be adjusted manually in preventing size differences in which may lead to errors in building hexagon blocks.
Prototyping & Design Refinement Rhino Files
Prototyping & Design Refinement Model Making Process
Light Effects
Assembly Drawings
Using Gumball, allowing me to pick up hexagon blocks in an isometric view.
Using command “Polyline“, linking the hexagons to the base surface.
Using command “Make2D“, creating an isometric drawing to illustrate how the parts of my model is assembled.
Finalised Lantern Design Finalised Photos
Light Effects