collection of works Mira Al-Suradi FEBRUARY
2018
content
ACADEMIC University of Edinburgh 1 / Tectonics 2 / Digital Ecologies 3 / Library in Madrid
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i / First Year Models
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PROFESSIONAL Royal Botanic Garden 4 / The Iris
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Amman Design Week 5 /ADW 2017
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6 / ADW 2016
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TECTONICS ALEX MACLAREN ; amaclare@exseed.ed.ac.uk year three, semester 2
academic project individual work
jan 15 - may 15
“Architects are Fabricators – in both senses of the term. In the sense of those who make things and make up things. All Architects make real the imaginary, make up imaginary worlds in order that they can be constructed, that they fabricate reality- with intent to deceive or conceive?’ M Rakatansky, 2012
Looking Up
Civic Fabrications: A Further Education College in Dalmarnock The translation of the tectonic themes investigated is captured by this key interior render showing the building’s atrium. The structure is formulated due to the tension between two main nodes identified on site which formulate the main central void space that shifts and twists according to these two forces. The void also creates distortion and dynamism by being the anchor that shifts the axis of the spaces surrounding it.
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prologue
Casting Call
Material Investigation
Heinz Mack, Dynamische Strukturen
TECTONICS
Lines derived from the strings grid images used for the second iteration
first iteration grid of strings
The design of the College was established by a series of investigations relating to a tectonic theme derived from a piece of art. Reflecting on Heinz Mack’s work in the first iteration I created a physical grid made out of strings in which I would subject change and distortion through the use of my finger; creating specific points of tension and deformation. The idea was then further explored by examining these lines and creating patterns that explore the rhythm of the spaces confined in between the lines (an exploration of solid and void). Reflecting upon the name of the painting which translate to Dynamic Structure the patterns created could mirror this with the use of order to create dynamism.
second iteration
patterns created by the solid/void investigation
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prologue
Casting Call
Material Investigation
TECTONICS
final iteration visualizations of the extruded lines
Original images of the specific viewpoints
third iteration final image - Illusion
In the third iteration, this concept of using a specific point of force was used as a point of perception where a series of images were taken of the same space but from different view points. The overlaying of all these perspectives is the final piece where distortion is used to create a new perception of the space, an illusion. An extrusion of the lines created the final images that highlight the tension created by the intersections of the lines. This 3D visualization could be incorporated into the second part of the project in which they would serve as the College’s ceiling beams.
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act i
Dramatisation
Anamorphosis: College for the Performing Arts
a theatre the theatre is accessed through the main entrance on the ground floor and by descending to the basement level through the staircase that is incorporated into the void in order to allow people to experience the complexity of the atrium’s structure. Thus, the positioning of the theatre was one of the key aspects of the program to be firstly resolved due to the poetic and functional aspects it has to the viability of the building as a whole.
reception theatre
flexible learning
cafe
TECTONICS
ground floor plan a café and a flexible learning space are situated on the ground floor to facilitate the movement of people from outside the building to inside in order to enhance the building’s civic influence in its context.
rehearsal
classroom classroom
typical floor plan the central void space serves both a sustainable and visual functions; the main classroom and rehearsal spaces are surrounding the void in order to create this visual connection where students, teachers and the public would be able to experience all of the programs through looking across the space.
external visualization
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Dramatisation
act i void
TECTONICS
Anamorphosis: College for the Performing Arts
model of the void space
The architectural intent of this central void is to create a homogenous building that allows connections between all its programs. At the basement and ground floor level it creates a connection between the theatre and the workshops. As for the top two levels, it connects between the rehearsal spaces and the classrooms which aims to fulfil the function of the building as a teaching school.
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Tectonic Assembly From Gutter to Sky
behind the scenes
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan
TECTONICS
A detailed slice of the building highlights the materials used in construction in relation to the architectural intent of the design. The use of a lightweight system for the external cladding creates a contrast with the heavy material of the interior and further improves the quality of the spaces behind.
study model of the facade
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EXPLORATIONS LISA MOFFITT ; lisa.moffitt@ed.ac.uk year three, semester 1
academic project individual work
sept 14 - jan 15
While the term ecology refers to the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings, the term ecologies in this project expands to include dynamically responsive systems which are not limited to natural habitats but fully embrace the synthetic habitats and human activities that operate both physically and digitally
Digital Ecologies: Contamination The ambition of this strategy is to challenge the boundaries between land and water. By inhabiting the intertidal zone the structure is based on a responsive relationship between the tidal cycles and the ground moisture fluctuations by an anchoring and tethering system. The project proposes a series of systems that will facilitate this inhabitation by a collection of different people some from a marginalized background others from the existing Dalgety Bay community. Each sustained by certain systems varying according to their distance from the coastline creating a self-sustainable housing project. Building Systems Machine
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big data
translation i
coastline
fieldwork + data collection
images: examples of the land/sea transition and seaweed markers the tide. HT1 HT1 HT1 225 225 225 left by the extent ofHT14 HT14 HT14 247 247 247 fig.1.1
HT24 HT24 HT24 264 264 264 15.24 15.24 15.24
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fig.1.2 0-300 0-300 0-300 in in in water water water300-700 300-700 300-700 humid humid humid soil soil soil700-950 700-950 700-950 drydry dry soil soil soil
Taking what had been studied during desk research to the site, an understanding of where the “coastline” might be became less important when the bay is experienced at a human scale. There is no sharp line in the sand where it begins to be “land” and no longer identifies as “sea”; there is a gradual transition between wet and dry. This transition, the zone between extreme wet and extreme dry, became the focus of further research, this time on the small scale. Further research and data collection would hope to examine the breakdown of the notion of a “coastline” by sampling the site to provide quantitative values of moisture.
EXPLORATIONS
14:47 14:47 14:47
fig.1.1 shoreline contours for the east of the study area, the boatyard and ‘mud’ bay area fig.1.2 shoreline contours for the west of the study area, the ‘headland’ area
1990
1985
1973
1959
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1949
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translation i
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small data
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soil moisture
fieldwork + data collection
input Moisture Sensor component with fitted finger prothesis
translation of values breadboard with moisture sensor and gps tracker connected, the components are within waterproof casing that acts as an arm prothesis EXPLORATIONS
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pictures of the arduino kit used in assembly
The ambition of small data collection was targeted towards identifying soil moisture on the site. A soil moisture prosthesis was developed as the wearable fieldwork instrument to sample and log the environmental changes that aren’t available online. The prosthesis is comprised of a moisture sensor that sends values to an arduino uno unit that translates the values to be read on a mobile phone via an app designed to be used with the instrument while it’s used on the site.
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Arduino Uno Board with nine volt battery power supply within waterproof casing prothesis in dialogue with both the moisture sensor and mobile app
output Mobile phone displaying readings of soil moisture directly from sensor
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data representation
translation i
intertidal zone
fieldwork + data collection The wearable fieldwork instrument exposed the environmental conditions and temporalities on site relating to soil moisture and subsequently involved further big data research relating to tide altitudes, timing and seasonal changes. by plotting the high and low tide points specific to the date of the site visit along the coast onto a google maps engine map, it was possible to test the soil at the points identified from the studio. A holistic gathering of data from the whole site provided enough information to generate an abstract representation of soil moisture on the site.
EXPLORATIONS
Diagrams shows a zoom of the headland where the sailing club is located and where the most significant coastline changes have occurred
least moist
999
most moist
100
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translation ii
digital model
EXPLORATIONS
data translation to digital ecology
hybrid analogue
elements that constitute the machine
films taken from the building systems machine movie showing the anchoring and tethering system of the machine; link to movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noGlEBdBZbo 15
the system
translation iii
a network
altered ecologies : becoming architectural
EXPLORATIONS
Map showing the proposed settlement patterns through specific stages
using a grasshopper script a mapping of the urban settlement configuration for the proposed intervention is created. Multiple patterns were produced according to changes in the variables set where the distance from the main anchors were increased or decreased as a response to the moisture level in the soil. The resulting urban network is one that expands and contracts depending on the water level fluctuations at the intertidal zone facilitating its inhabitation by sharing of resources between pods.
formulation of settlement patterns using a grasshopper script *see appendix page 6
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the system
translation iii
a pod
altered ecologies : becoming architectural
EXPLORATIONS
a grasshopper script was used to formulate the structure of the pod that would serve as small dwellings for people to occupy. The structure is based on the voronoi 3D Script in which it would serve as the skeleton , primary frame structure, for the following additions that facilitate its inhabitation.
The Structure is constructed on site by a kit of parts consisting of the voronoi water funnels, the enclosure layer, the hydroponic food cultivation system, buoyant floor slab, and power generators.
main structure developed using the Voronoi Script that serves as a rain water harvesting system
developed structure of the pod
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ANY PLACE MIGUEL PARADES ; Miguel.Paredes@ed.ac.uk year two, semester 2
academic project individual work
jan 14 - may 14
a library in Madrid with our site being in an urban area in Madrid, near Atocha Station, I was to come up with a design for a library building that would be part of its context. The project included studies of social, economic and architectural context as well understanding precedents of libraries. The final project consists of a building that is dynamic in its structure and how it allows people to move inside drawing from its busy surroundings. 18
the site
Initial concept model
ANY PLACE
initial concept
Initial model exploring people’s movement into the structure
Mapping the movement around the site
The site as an inspiration The rapid movement around the site is one of the site’s key characteristics. The site’s proximity to a busy train station, Atocha, and the traffic lines around the site informed the design concept of translating the movement from the around the site to inside the building to create a social hub in a remote area.
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the program
development
site plan
ground floor plan
external visualization
interior visualizations of the main reading space
first floor plan
ANY PLACE
Developed structure
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Frame and Canopy
models
at a glance
Frame and Canopy
Elements was a design unit that explored several themes that would constitute a building’s construction. Frame and Canopy was one of the project’s stages where the use of a repetitive structure would be the basis of the formulation of the pavilion’s shape as seen in the images on the right. The structure was further developed to a habitable building that would serve as a writer’s house as seen in the images below.
n of the elements that ct constituted of a renclosure of space. es of two main levels other left open.
First Year Architectural Design: elements was an exploration of the elements that constitute the built structure. The frame and canopy project constituted of a repetitive element of frame structure that creates a dynamic enclosure of space. With the introduction of the canopy, the structure comprises of two main levels where one is enclosed with a translucent material and the other left open. First Year Architectural Design: elements was an exploration of the elements that constitute the built structure. The frame and canopy project constituted of a repetitive element of frame structure that creates a dynamic enclosure of space. With the introduction of the canopy, the structure comprises of two main levels where one is enclosed with a translucent material and the other left open.
MODELS
n of the elements that ct constituted of a renclosure of space. es of two main levels other left Aopen. writer’s Retreat
Further investigation in the frame structure was the production of this house for a writer on Cramond Island. Edinburgh. the development of the structure facilitated the formation of spaces that would engage with the site’s main views and features.
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Amman, Jordan 2017
Design Principal:
Dina Haddadin - Rasem Kamal
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ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN THE IRIS
competition project concept development
Project Team: Mira Al Suradi
“The contrast of gloss with velvet is extremely beautiful, black on black, accentuating the mass of the flower, its sharp lines and its delicate transparent veins… The Black Iris, Jordan’s national flower, has adapted to a landscape of ample sun. It has evolved in a harsh environment, wind-blown, to acquire a unique color matching the black eyes of remote shepherds” Ammar Khammash - Black on Black
The proposed design for the shelter called the Iris, is a hybrid structure between what is found in nature and what is man made; a morphed plant structure lending its beauty from the Black Iris, the national plant of Jordan. Like the Black Iris, the Iris proposed is an evolving structure due to its dynamic form resulting from a series of rhythmic juxtapositions. The result is an open permeable space that could serve as a den of solitude, it is a grand monument in scale yet a subtle addition due to how perfectly it blends with nature by its form and materiality. 22
the iris
Form Finding
Geometric Investigation
xray scan of the Black Iris, the national plant of Jordan.
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diagram showing the formation of the structure geometry
study models of the iris orgami (left) and the basic module of the proposed structure (right)
seed of life pattern
RBG - THE IRIS
1. the four petal structure made from a triangle where one vertex is lifted at 9 m and the other two raised to 6m 2. it triplicates in and rotates around the center by 30 degrees 3. final structure formed from tweleve petals
Number three is the base that guides the visual language from which the Iris structure is constructed. The triangle, a three point surface, is the basic module of the petal that formulates the structure of the Iris. The structure is founded first from four petals where one vertex is lifted up to create a nine meter high open pyramid structure; the primitive form of structure man had borrowed from nature. The pyramid then moves in harmony and echoes in three dimensional space, triplicating and rotating around its center in thirty degrees. This thirty degree angle is derived from the Seed of Life sacred pattern; a universal symbol of creation found at the heart of an ancient pattern, the Flower of Life.
derivation of the 30 degree angle from the seed of life pattern
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the iris
Spatial Configuration Presentation
Inspired by the surrounding trees, plants and stones the ovoid shape dictates the spatial form of the Iris’s interior. The circular round space provides a balance of looking inwards and outwards; looking out at nature and the surroundings but then coming in again to the self. Thus, at the center of the Iris, at the heart of the Flower of Life pattern, an all inclusive circle is constructed; the Oasis.
3d printed models of the iris
RBG - THE IRIS
roof plan of the Iris structure
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1. shaded seating area 2. shuttle bus stop 3. drinking water 4. power socket 4.
plan of the Iris showing the fountain at the center of the structure
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Presentation
the iris The main vision is to create a structure that blends with its surrounding yet stands out as a calling element across the site for visitors to read across the terrains. Inspired by the native flora of the site, the form was derived from the national flower of Jordan; the Black Iris, the four petal flower and how it unfolds into our living envelope.
RBG - THE IRIS
Spatial Configuration
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RBG - THE IRIS
materiality
model: portraying the idea of the outer skin that filters light acting like a mesh
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Material Selection
natural vegetation
materiality
goat hair
steel structure RBG - THE IRIS
Camouflaging Structure
stone
gravel bed (touf)
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sustainability
Smocking Technique grid of points from which the diamond pattern is produced
1:1 sample of the goat har fabric with the diamond pattern
The smocking technique is based on a grid of points, with the grouping of two points to create a new creased structure creating a diamond pattern. The 3-dimensional surface will have a self-shading effect on the micro level, just like the cactus, and prevent the tent membrane from getting too hot in the daytime. The air pockets created will act as a heat insulating layer, creating a wall with a thickness out of fabric.
diagram showing the process of fog water collection in the iris structure
Fog collecting fabric, the mesh allows air to pass through, capturing water drops and rolling down the cone by gravity bamboo collecting water channel
diagram illustrating the passive cooling process
bamboo water pipe
As the sun heats the dark fabric, hot air rises above the tent and air from inside is drawn out up into the high ceiling structure, in effect creating a cooling breeze, at night the fabric releases the little heat that was gained during the day. When it rains and snows the woven fibers swell, the tiny holes in the fabric close, and the structure becomes tight
RBG - THE IRIS
Material Selection
drinking fountain disinfectant either R.O or U.V eco-friendly athelene under-ground water tank
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structure
RBG - THE IRIS
The triangle as a unit is a strong structural solution, which is multiplied with interconnected points in the round peripheries. The pipes are made of steel, that are connected either with natural material as rope, or modern engineered components like steel brackets or seismic ties. These connect the structural pieces and give the building a unique combination of flexibility and strength in severe weather conditions like earthquakes, extreme winds and heavy snowfall.
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structure
Structural Solution Structural System
connectors The tip of the cone is a center ring, producing inward and outward pressure which holds the structure in a state of compression. The interconnected tension in the structure goes all the way to the ground and uses gravity and compression to hold it together with incredible strength.
The connectors can either be using the conventional rope-and-knot with natural material as rope with welding or modern engineered componentslike steel brackets and connectors
connectors
A primative yet complex system of beams and connections are built usng steel as bamboo. The material selected for the structure is steel, we are still exploring the form of it. One form is cortan steel pipes with interlocking systems. Reinforced rusted steeel bars are the second option, and to use it in bundles, tied to create the mesh structure.
RBG - THE IRIS
steel structure
foundation
structural analysis model
underground sub-merged base
No concrete footing is used. Steel plate as footing for the pillars each plate will be embedded in the ground with big steel cage with rubble stone pieces to counter the weight down, and pin the structure to the ground. Waterproofing the cage and the steel base is essential to keep mioster away from structure
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Amman, Jordan 2017
2017 AMMAN DESIGN WEEK
Design Principal:
exhibition design product design
Dina Haddadin
Project Team: Mira Suradi
THE HANGAR Situated in a valley that is surrounded by Amman’s iconic hills, the structure is emblematic of the city’s modernization and industrialization, so much so that it became a landmark in its own right
site photos of the hangar
The 2017 Hangar Exhibition presents work by local and regional designers in response to the theme of ‘movement’, whether physical, intellectual, cultural, or social. It showcases work that moves between extremes. The extremes of attitude: from the experimental to the practical. The extremes of impact: from the individual to the collective. The extremes of scale: from a letterform to the planet.
mapping the natural light in the hangar
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exhibition design the hangar
a system was introduced in order to create a coherent exhibition that serves the theme of the design week and best showcases the designers works. This was achieved by setting five pillars that divided the space into experiences based on the installations; starting with nature at the enterance of the hangar and ending with the spirit
5 pillars served to structure the exhibition space curation of the
as the base plan of the design and participating
SPIR
IT
ADW 2017
BOD Y
LIVI
NG
URB
AN
NAT
URE
right: mapping the installations according to the pillars left : photos of the curated hangar space with the participating designers works
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exhibition design the hangar left : photos of the curated hangar space with the participating designers works
ADW 2017
below: visualizations produced as part of the deisgn process interior layout
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exhibition design the hangar
ADW 2017
left : plan of the hangar with the outdoor plaza installations below: visualizations produced as part of the deisgn process to organize the outdoor plaza
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Mira Al-Suradi UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
E A
mira.suradi@gmail.com 62-0852 Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Minamienokich0, 2-10