SPINE by Melissa Gaddis

At the inception of the Fall 2015 semester, students in the College of Architecture, Planning and Design (CAPD) were relocated while their long-established home, Seaton Hall, underwent construction. Upon arriving at the new swing space, APD West, Nathan Howeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduate architecture studio decided to tackle the lack of seating. They designed and fabricated the SPINE, a parametric seating element to be used by CAPD students, faculty and staff. Their success would depend on teamwork, cooperation and their ability to problem solve. 01

NATHAN HOWEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STUDIO John Bagarozy

Ryan Hergott

Becka Liu

Designer, Shop Worker, Assembly

Designer, Innovator, Shop Worker, Assembly

Financial Manager, Archivist, Shop Worker

Designer, Shop Worker, Assembly

Shannon Hush

Nathan Long

Cooper Dahms

Designer, Graphic Designer, Shop Worker, Seamstress

Graphic Designer, Shop Worker, Assembly

Alex Kuchinskas

Vy Nguyen

Innovator, Shop Worker, Seamstress, Assembly

Rigger, Photographer, Innovator, Archivist

Lindsey Leardi

Hanna Sul

Website Designer, Public Relations, Archivist

Designer, Rigger, Seamstress, Assembly

Justin Cain

Designer, Innovator, Shop Worker, Assembly

Will Dubois Designer, Innovator, Shop Worker, Assembly

Melissa Gaddis Public Relations, Archivist, Seamstress

INDEX 07 . TASK 11 . PROCESS 17 . FINAL DESIGN 23 . FABRICATION 29 . FINAL PRODUCT 05

APD West 06

TASK The students were enthusiastic at the prospect of making APD West more aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. There were endless possibilities to what they could create in the open space. Deliberation started over what they could design, fabricate, paint, hangup, knock down or relocate. Professor Howe advised his students to ask themselves what the challenges were at APD West and how they could solve them using parametric design. For this project, they would need to keep in mind group collaboration, fabrication of the design and payment for materials. 07

Existing APD West Entry

Occupying and Connecting by Frei Otto

THE PROBLEM(S) The studio discussed the challenges they experienced at APD West and pinned-up inspiration images proposing solutions. The general consensus about the primary problems with having studio at APD West were: poor acoustics and lighting, a lack of

PARAMETRICS ability to pin-up and store projects, and a lack of designated lounge spaces. In addition to identifying the problem they wanted to solve, the students had to keep in mind various obstacles pertaining to a design build project, such as collaboration and fabrication.

What is parametric design? Designing parametrically is process driven. Defined rules and manipulated parameters clarify and inform the design intent and response. Howe’s studio consulted Frei Otto’s text Occupying and Connecting to inspire them to design parametrically. In his text, Otto discusses human settlement’s relationship to territories and spheres of influences.

Seating Element

Cloud-Like Ceiling Structure and Lighting

Outdoor Shelter Structure

Portal Entryway

Moveable Storage Wall

THE SOLUTION(S) The students split up into five groups to explore different design concepts. The concepts were: an indoor seating element, a cloud-like ceiling structure to diffuse lighting and gain storage, an outdoor shuttle stop, a portal entryway, and a moveable pin-up/storage wall. The studio decided to focus on a lounge space for their project. Seating was an achievable task that could benefit everyone at APD West.

Inital Concept Design Rendering 10

PROCESS The schematic design phase of the project consisted of sketching, parametric models and a lot of collaboration. The concept became a parametrically driven seating element composed of facets and triangulated members. Triangulation is beneficial for a structural and parametric design. Triangles are the strongest shape because of the rigidity of their members which allow them to evenly transfer forces. With regards to parametrics, triangles can directly connect three points in space to one another. Playing with different spatial configurations and prototyping would be essential. 11

Image design Digital CaptionImage Shop training Caption

Collaboration

Shop Training

DIVIDE AND CONQUER With a concept in mind, the studio broke up into groups to tackle the challenges of a collaborative design build project head on. Hanna worked with Grasshopper, a Rhino plug-in, to create a rig which informed design intent and response. The design team experimented with different

Wrapping Prototype

STRUCTURE AND JOINING angles and seating arrangements. The prototypers worked with different materials to figure out a stable and affordable structural system. Other students worked on fundraising, budgeting, drawings, renderings, constructibility, and more to create a cohesive project.

One of the difficult aspects of the design process was finding a joint that was aesthetically pleasing, structurally rigid, comfortable, and affordable. After testing numerous joint types with PVC, the solution was working with a new material. Electrical Metal Tubing conduit (EMT) proved much easier to work with then PVC. The EMT, while still malleable, would not burn, crack or bend like PVC when heated.

Joint Innovation

Joint Prototype

Joint + Wrapping Prototype

Joint Prototype

Joint Innovation

3D Rhino Model

Concept Sketch

Grasshopper Script

Fabric + Seat Prototypes

SKIN Once the space frame was completed, it needed a cover. The material used for the SPINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin, like the joints, needed to be aesthetically pleasing, supportive, comfortable, and affordable. The students tested network cable, rope, bungee cord, and, finally, fabric. Like a

hammock, the fabric could wrap around and be supported by the space frame. Patterns and color combinations were explored to figure out SPINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideal skin. The class choose two tones of green to create a more dynamic and varied look across the seating element.

Fabric Connection Prototype

SPINE Rendering 16

FINAL DESIGN The seating configuration went through several iterations before the studio settled on a S-curve form. The S-curve was more inviting to both sides instead of a half ellipse shape which would turn its back to one side and minimize seating. The design was largely informed by the Grasshopper rigging. Grasshopper, a Rhino integrated algorithmic plugin, allowed the students to create curves with control points using 3D modeling tools. Moving the control points along the curves changed the dynamic of the design. 17

DIAGRAMS The control points along the curves allowed the class to design a continuously changing back rest angle for individual seating comfort. SPINE consists of the base frame, structural frame, top chords, and skin. Five control curves were set rigidly as the base, five others could be moved more freely in the digital model to control the seating areas. The division curve in the middle controlled the back rest angle for seating on both sides. The changing angles and dimensions of the seating element allow for more seating arrangements. By changing member lengths, each unit was able to multiply and the SPINE grew into its final form. The design method of multiplying units allowed for mathematical proportioning of side lengths and angles. The Grasshopper rig was able to tell the class the length of each structural members and the size of the skin, which aided not only in the design process but fabrication as well.

Two-sided Seating Element

Design for Comfort

Exploded Axon - Base, Stucture, Spine, Skin

Control Curves

Bottom Curves

Top Curve

Division Curve

.78

.77

.74

.77

.82

.83

.82

.78

Grasshopper Rigging with Member (EMT) Lengths

Single Unit

Multiplication

Grasshopper Rigging with Seating Heights and Angles

Formation

Section Perspective

Cutting EMT 22

FABRICATION Over 500 feet of EMT was used to construct the SPINE. After acquiring the EMT, the class used a metal band saw to cut it down to individual lengths defined by the grasshopper script. Once it was cut, the EMT was crimped, using a metal table vice. Each flattened end of pipe was drilled using the drill press and bent into the third dimension when applicable. The students filed off the extra metal shavings left from the drilling and rounded off the corners using a grinder. The pipes were laid out and ready to be assembled together with ¼” x 2” screws. 23

Cut

Crop

Drill

Bend

EMT Assembly

Sorting and Labeling the Cut EMT

Joint Assembly

EMT Cut, Crimped, and Drilled

ASSEMBLY The final joint design allowed for flexibility to freely adjust the angle and add or subtract members by screwing them together. A majority of the assembly process was dependent upon the joints. Finding a structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing joint was a key to the SPINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success.

Rhino Model Flattened, Triangles Separated and Organized

CNC Router Drawing SPINE Logo

CNC Router Drawing SPINE Pattern

to complete the skin. First, 82 triangles of fabric were cut and sewn together into four long strips. Then they were combined to make two long strips (that would later make up the two sides of the bench). Lastly, the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;loopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that would allow for the EMT to slip through and

hold the fabric up, were created. Each seam would be sewn three times in order to ensure strength to hold up multiple people and prove durable over time. The fabric was pinned onto the structure multiples times throughout the process to make sure everything was coming together as expected. If at any time something was off, adjustments by the assembly or fabric team had to be made accordingly.

SKIN The fabric team utilized 27 yards of outdoor fabric and eight spools of outdoor thread. After using Rhino and Grasshopper to create a pattern, a CNC router was used to draw it onto the fabric with a sharpie. Up to four sewing machines were utilized at once

SPINE at Seaton West 28

FINAL PRODUCT With a collaborative design build project, there was a lot to keep in mind. The studio had to communicate effectively in order to make the SPINE a success. Fortunately, everyone was able to use their strengths to find a place to fit into the project. All in all, the students learned how parametrics can inform their designs, along with the importance of teamwork. The SPINE currently sits outside the entrance of APDWest inviting students, faculty, and staff to take a break from their work and gather with friends. Now complete, the SPINE is being utilized just as the studio had hoped. 29

Howeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Studio

Assembly Team

Sewing Team