Foundations of Design : Representation, SEM1, 2017 M3 JOURNAL - PATTERN vs SURFACE Megan Corbett
914475 Anastasia Sklavakis - Studio 27
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WEEK 6 READING: SURFACES THAT CAN BE BUILT FROM PAPER IN ARCHITECTURAL GEOMETRY Question 1: What are the three elementary types of developable surfaces? Provide a brief description. (102 words) The three elementary types of developable surfaces are as listed: cylinders, cone, and tangent surfaces of space curves. In very general terms, a cylinder is a prismatic surface with segments extruded downwards between the two bounding curves. Similarly, A cone is made up of segments but instead of joining two curves they span between a point and a curve. This makes the lines of the segments taper to a point rather than remain parallel as is the case of cylinders. Developable surfaces created from space curves work by projecting tangential lines from the curve to generate polygons that conform to its shape.
Question 2: Why is the understanding of developable surface critical in the understanding of architectural geometry? Choose one precedent from Research/Precedents tab on LMS as an example for your discussion. (91 words) Today most architects utilise designs made of developable surfaces. For example, the Huyghes and Le Corbusier Puppet Theatre by MOS is a bulging shape formed by interlocking triangles, made from glossy plastic with a moss covered exterior. Triangles are easily developable and MOS’s understanding of their geometry enabled them to create a structure that, from the inside looking out onto a tree trunk, evokes an impression of foliage emerging to enclose the viewer. In other words, the comprehension of developable surfaces simplifies the translation of digitally generated panels into fabricated works.
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PANELLING 2D PATTERN
2d Panelling Pattern: Box
For the 2D pattern I descided on a combined Box and Wave pattern to use as a base. I chose it becasue of how the shape it created around individual 3D panell mirrored the swirling cross design of the 3D extrusions themselves.
2d Panelling Pattern: Wave.
2d Panelling Pattern: Boxed Wave
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VARIABLE 2D PATTERN
2d Panelling Pattern: Box variable pattern.
To add a componant that counts as a variable 2D pattern, I perferated the panelised base with another 2D panel. The cutting squares are attracted to a curve surrounding a corner. This makes them decrease in scake the further they are away.
2d Panelling setup.
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3D PANEL TEST PROTOTYPE & TEMPLATE
Fully formed row of fabricated prototype 3D shapes. I wanted to show an ‘unfurling’ as the main theme for the patternisation of the terian I was given. Part of this I acheived trough the twisting cross shaped 3D elements of my model. As shown the cross top of the shape twists at three increasingly dramatic angles, makeing them appear more and more coiled up.
First design for the 3D variable shapes as unrolled sections with tobs.
Another printed shape showing possible alterations for the final design. I did close of the top of the shape to emphasise the coiling, but i didn’t add cuts as they would have become messy to cut out , especilly in the smaller shapes.
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WEEK 7 READING: DIGITAL FABRICATION Complete your reading before attempting these questions:
Question 1: What is digital fabrication and how does it change the understanding of two dimensional representation? (73 words) Digital means of creating two dimensional representations of objects and structures flows on as a natural progression from drawn and drafted designs. However, digital tools have definitive advantages when considering their flexibility and functionality specifically: they broaden possibilities in planning and construction by generating previews of materials as well as showing the structure in three dimensions, and acts as a bridging mechanism between the design process and the fabrication of the final concept.
Question 2: Suggest two reasons why folding is used extensively in the formal expression of building design? (94) Due to the straightforward nature of folding and how it can effectively generate dynamic surfaces, it is frequently used across architecture in the current times. Easily accessible through the means of digital technology, folding polygons together into a patterned surface allows for both a time and cost efficient three dimensional surface. The introduction of this method has produced many works, such as the Nubik project in Masatucas wherein the folding of translucent Perspex inside a gallery dilutes the light sources of the installation, creating a pulsating mass of protrusions along the ceiling of the space.
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VARIABLE 3D PATTERN.
Show above is the full 3D version of my terrian with the final 3D shapes making up the model entirely. The panels were made over two grid point groups one offset over the other, and to have more control over the height difference between the points I ‘manually’ changed each point. In addition to this the variable 3D panel was curve attracted to a corner making the three shapes disperse along the diagonal allowing one fully see the twisting effect of my custom 3D shaped.
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UNROLL TEMPLATE OF YOUR FINAL MODEL
First design for the 50/50, 2D-3D panelised terrain as unrolled sections with tobs.
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PANELISED LANDSCAPE
As my terrains main feature was a rise that moved diagonally across the frame in a slight curve, I wanted to express this in my model. To do this effect,I variated panels diagonally across the surfaces to create movement from corner to corner, and greated an offseted grid that emphasided the terrains shape and simplified it into a swirl like shape. Movement is created along to swril by the coiling 3D panel shaps.
Due to the complex foldings invovled in the 3D shaped I developed and the stress they put on the papper I was using, the model dose suffer openings both between individual panels and in the join of the crosses in the 3D shapes. Also the square cutouts were not straight as they were printed curved to match the slope of the terrain as in Rihno. Altogether though it presents a view of my terrian that I aimed to bring out.
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APPENDIX
Grid Setup: The image to the left shows the grid point groups and curves i used to greate the panels.
3D Pattern: I based my pattern on the slope of the terrain as ubove is the 3d part of my model that emphasises its form.
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3D Shapes:
Complex Variable 3D Panel:
Visual comparison between the protype and final 3d shapes used in the panels.
I originaly planed for the 3d portion to rotate allong the cure attractors as show on the left, but this made the surfaces if not un fabricatible, very hard to do so with the time resraint.
Unrolled Segment Map: To minimise the number of unrolled surfaces i had to cut out rather than fold, I seperated the model into segments which were then colour coded as a map for when I glued them together.
Tools:
View of Joined Tabs
(Metal ruler, Stanley knife, Glue & Applicator)
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