Module 4 Reflection

THE SECOND SKIN PROJECT NICOLE TAN 641433

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS SEMESTER 2 (2013)

MODULE ONE; IDEATION National Archives of Australia, 1965, Kite-Flying, Canberra

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ENVIRONMENTS

STUDENT

JOURNAL

M1; THE NYLON KITE

NICOLE TAN

Subject: Lightweight nylon kite that can be partially dismantled Materials: Nylon sheet, plastic ‘caps’, wooden rods, thread Manufacturer: Daiso Industries (Australia) Design: Lightweight skin and bone structure, triangular Analysis: The kite is an example of a skin and bone structure which utilises tension to provide strength and stability. The ‘bone’ in this instance are the wooden rods that form a frame which the nylon ‘skin’ encloses.

de la Fuente, A. 2013, Image of a Nylon Kite, Melbourne

From the kite’s structure, we can gather that the skin and bone system is strong and stable. It is able to manipulate the air whilst using minimal materials to remain lightweight and hence is an effective design and construction system.

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STUDENT

M1; MEASURED DRAWINGS

JOURNAL

NICOLE TAN My measured drawings were done to a 1:5 scale similar to the drawings done by Ulrik Nordam of the garden chair and Claus Bech-Danielson of the office chair in ‘300 years of Industrial Design’ as the dimensions of the kite were too large to trace to fit onto a piece of paper.

I used a ruler to measure the actual dimensions of the kite and its components and converted the values according to the 1:5 scale. By using the ‘backbone’ of the kite as a reference point to which the other edges were measured, I was able to maintain accuracy of my measurements and drawings.

EXTERNAL WOODEN ROD IN LATERAL DIRECTION

PLASTIC CAPS WHICH HOLD EXTERNAL WOODEN ROD IN PLACE

The measured drawings enabled me to understand the specifics of the kite. For example, its aerodynamic but not symmetrical face or that the ‘bones’ (rods) of the kite did not extend the length of its edges and were 15cm shorter which gave the edges of the kite some flexibility.

E L E V A T I O N

USE OF THREAD TO FORM A ‘POCKET’

PLASTIC CAPS

INTERNAL ROD

WOODEN ROD ALONG THE VERTICAL BACKBONE EXTERNAL ROD

P

USE OF THREAD TO AFFIX DECORATIVE RIBBONS

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OPENING FOR THE STRING

RIBBON ATTACHMENT

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M1;

RECONFIGURING

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NICOLE TAN

Using pins, I created joints that could move whilst the string acts as a mechanism for which the movement can be induced. I maintained a wooden frame made from balsa wood as it was easy to handle and lightweight.

E V O

This process of creating a sketch model which depicted movement and being exposed to the notion of ‘transformability’ really inspired my design ideas and sparked my curiosity. From this point, movement and methods which it can be achieved became one of the key focusses of my deisgn process and exploration.

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The nylon kite however is a very static structure and so through reconfiguring it, I attempted to create an object that transforms, moving between planes and changing shape to create a volume.

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Week two’s lecture and studio captured the essence of transformability and a ‘changing form’. Our own body’s skin and bone system is never static and hence embody the concept of adaptability but also stability.

THE

KITE

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ENVIRONMENTS

STUDENT

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M1; ANALYSING THE PHYSICAL KITE

NICOLE TAN

The rod of the kite is a rigid but also slightly flexible material. It is slender and lightweight but also strong enough to resist internal tension forces.

The edges are folded over and sewn to create a ‘pocket’ for the internal rods of the kite. This ensured the edges were precise and neat.

The rods and eyelets enable the fabric of the kite to be stretched in tension. The rods ‘push’ against the eyelet which stretches the nylon fabric of the kite.

Internal rods at the edges of the kite provide dimensional stability.

de la Fuente, A. 2013, Image of a Nylon Kite, Melbourne

Fabric is in constant tension once the rod is attached to the eyelet. It was essential that we used a fabric strong enough so it did not tear.

Upon completing the design process, I have realised that it is very important to observe and draw ideas from the physicality of the kite and not only the thematic ideas it presents. As Jensen mentions in ‘300 Years of Industrial Design’, we need to ‘interest ourselves in the product, but also in the technology..their conditions of use and production process’. Our group made the mistake of overlooking the kite as a physical system and only focussed on its themes. However, we realised that utilising similar materials and construction systems like the rods and eyelets significantly improved the efficiency of our final product.

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STUDENT

M1; PERSONAL SPACE

JOURNAL

NICOLE TAN

The backbone is another key vulnerability.

SIDE VIEW

Social custom of shaking our right hand when we meet someone

For most people the right hand is the ‘preferred’ hand with more coordination and strength

We are unable to see things happening around our back. This unknown factor from the lack of sight causes us to be protective of spaces around our back.

Our personal space in front of us is much bigger than the space our back as we only allow our close friends hug us from behind or put their arms around our shoulders

Sommers (1969) inspired me to explore the concept of intimacy and distance which changes over time. That is, the changes in arrival and settlement distance within one’s personal space depending on the relationship between two people.

This notion of change then lead us to explore methods of movement that can be re-enacted using the skin and bone system. It was important to incorporate movement of some elements of the second skin to facilitate this change in personal space depending on the external environment as well as internal emotions.

TOP VIEW The left hand side houses the main vulnerability of our body – the heart.

When saying hello, our personal space on our right hand side is much bigger than our personal space on our left.

Identifying the differences in our personal spaces through the diagrams helped me develop shape and form of my later designs. Similar to the kite, initially I was simply looking at the thematic aspect of personal space however it is important that specificity and accuracy where measurements were involved was also understood.

VIRTUAL

ENVIRONMENTS

STUDENT

M1; PERSONAL SPACE

JOURNAL

NICOLE TAN

SKETCH DESIGN 1

SKETCH DESIGN 2

SKETCH DESIGN 3

SOMMER’S CONCEPTS: T a i l g a t i n g Creating a ‘space cushion’

Feeling protected in areas of vulnerability.

The area of focus: Backbone/spinal cord.

MOVEMENT/CHANGE AND PROTECTION: Inspired by a dragon fruit, the design incorporates an artificial spine which covers the back and wraps around the hip- a fluid design which I liked. This concept is further amplified by its ability to be collapsed and re-opened.

SOMMER’S CONCEPTS: Eye contact drives the distinction between intimacy and distance.

The area of focus: Face and shoulders.

INTIMACY AND CHANGE: Following the shape of a clam shell, I used the shoulder as a platform for holding up my design that partially obscures the face. It will be constructed using a series of panels and the opacity of each panel can also be altered depending on the desired intimacy or distance.

SOMMER’S CONCEPTS:

Comforting and recognisable objects with positive connotations bring people closer together The area of focus: Face and shoulders.

INTIMACY AND CHANGE: The circular edges of the petals provide the perception of safety (compared to pointed edges). The petals will be constructed to enable them to move with the body. They will also have the ability to ‘bloom’ which will utilise hinges and a ‘bone’ system.

Developing these intial sketch designs enabled me to visualised my main ideas and also the personal space concepts which inspired them which helped set the scene for my design development. Later on, various aspects of all three of these designs were utilised in my final model as this activity had helped me direct my explorations and ideas to embody certain key concepts which I found to be important.

MODULE TWO; DESIGN Rock S.,

2009, The Way of the Tibetan monk, Tibet

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M2;

JOURNAL

DESIGN

NICOLE TAN

Roth, J. 2013, Blooming Flower Photgraphy,

01_BEAUTY AND CHANGE Our design concept is about saying hello and hence our second skin is about evoking that sense of familiarity and comfort which brings people closer. Thus we used the blooming of a flower as a precedent for our first design, both in its shape and in its movement

We used hinges as the bone system whilst the petals represented the skin. The hinge system would allow the petals to be collapsible however in reality the hinge systems proved to be difficult to construct and unable to support the petals.

This is an example of ‘abstraction’ (Scheurer & Stehling 2011) where our rhino models were simplified and could not enable us to see the reality of this construction system.

America

ONE

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M2;

JOURNAL

HEATHERWICK

NICOLE TAN

Heatherwick,

T.,

Rolling

Bridge,

London

Movement is a key theme in our design and this reading inspired us to address movement in a more unconventional way like Heatherwick’s ‘Rolling Bridge’. Our first design was too predictable and so by having this idea of an ‘unconventional movement’, we will develop our new designs to embody this. Heatherwick’s design here is consolidated and utilises strength and flexibility- qualities which bridges don’t usually employ. However, by thinking outside the box, he is able to create this effect of movement, curiosity and beauty in a simple bridge.

VIRTUAL

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STUDENT

M2;

JOURNAL

PRECEDENTS

NICOLE TAN

No

author,

2009,

Cage

Crinoline

02_CAGE CRINOLINE This system proved to be a very efficient ‘bone’ system during construction. It was neat and geometrically precise whilst it was able to provide the necessary tension to the fabric structure.

We altered the physicality of this system slight by utlising different materials however the concept of symmetry and grids and an encircling shape provided a solid foundation to work with.

Elliason,

O.

2010,

Your

Blind

Passenger,

Denmark

Olafur Elliason created a constructed reality that allowed the user to lose their traditional space of orientatation and required them to renegotiate social boundaries in a new space where sight was impeded.

03_ THE ROLE OF PLAYERS IN DESIGN This is a particularly interesting concept as personal space involves the interaction of two ‘players’ and hence our design was inspired by this- to accomodate for this second player instead of simply for the wearer of the second skin

Elliason, O. 2010, Your Blind Passenger, Denmark

This design to accomodate relationship, the collective experience and the singular experience was a key driver of our design and inspired the incorporation of the ‘gap’ or the interactive space in the skirt.

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M2;

JOURNAL

PRECEDENTS

NICOLE TAN

HUMAN COMMONALITIES B E H A V I O U R PERSONAL CORE

Wellbeing Magazine, 2011, No title.

04_LAYERING The physical layering and peeling of the onion was a precedent for our skirt. The layering effect creates depth and density which is a design used in both our skirt and sash.

Gawlas,

L.

2011,

No

CHOICES VALUES

title

05_ENCIRCLING GEOMETRY The encircling geometry of the onion layers was our inspiration to create volume and movement. Moving an element of our second skin in a circular movement was both fluid and graceful instead of mechanical and stiff like a rigid skin and bone system.

06_HUMAN BEHAVIOUR The ONION THEORY OF COMMUNICATION is another aspect that inspired our design. It explores the notion that as relationships develop, interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow to levels of deeper, more intimate communication. This is a process of self-disclosure in stages and our design aims to reflect that through the different skirt configurations possible.

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M2;

DESIGN

TWO

NICOLE TAN

The purpose of the collar was to allow the wearer to show off their best side which we determined was the face. The face convey’s emotion, personality and character which are essential in interpersonal connections and need to be emphasised The floral sash was our exploration of the concept of ‘differentiated effects’ as mentioned in lecture 4 and is used to provide the sense of protection for the wearer especially near the vulnerable heart. Each petal grows larger and denser as it approaches the heart providiing this sense of protection but not hostility.

The gap that we created in the skirt provides the interface for connection.

It provides the observer with an area on the right hand side of the area where they can fit into to shake hands.

The collar extends towards the back to block off the shoulders and the back and to encourage observers to move to the front where ‘saying hello’ can occur.

Layering was inspired by the onion skin and these movable layers enable various configurations of the skirt depending on the relationship between the two individuals

As the personal space on the left hand side is significantly larger, the skirt flares out towards the left to direct observers to the right hand side.

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M2;

DESIGN

TWO

NICOLE TAN

Design idea 2 was fairly successful. We managed to incorporate Heatherwick’s concept of unexpected movement and Elliason’s collaborative space into our design- the skirt element. The sash although on rhino seemed to complement the design, in reality seemed disconnected with the purpose of our second skin and hence it was removed.

Module 2 really engaged my design thinking and it was very interesting to discover that we could find design inspirations from everyday objects. However, just as it is important to see the world work ‘through a different lens’ (explored through the readings) it is also important to think critically and not be carried away with the design. Thus, I learnt that it is important to balance the notions of thinking conceptually but designing efficiently- the latter lesson learnt during prototype making.

VIRTUAL

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STUDENT

M2;

JOURNAL

NICOLE TAN

The skirt is designed to be rotatable on all three layers. Thus different configurations can be achieved depending on the external environment.

This design effect was greatl influenced by the Heatherwick Ted Talk as we were inspired to create something which was unexpected and yet encompassed a natural movement.

ENEMY The gap remains on the right hand side however the layers have moved to cover the gap to prevent access to the wearer.

ACQUAINTANCE The gap is on the right hand side - in position to facilitate a handshake. The layers are on the left hand side to prevent access to the left of the body.

CLOSE FRIEND The gap has moved towards the front of the body- in position to facilitate a hug.

The layers have moved to the sides and back.

DESIGN

EFFECTS

MODULE THREE; FABRICATION

VIRTUAL

ENVIRONMENTS

STUDENT

M3;

JOURNAL

PROTOTYPES

NICOLE TAN

Our first 1:1 scale prototype constructed in M2 really exposed us to the reality and difficulty of ‘the art of making’. It emphasised the distinct misconceptions that can occur when we only deal with digital models or sketches as many more issues like materiality, connections and joining, movement and even mass are overlooked.

We also used wire to construct the waistband however that caused wearing and turning the skirt to be very difficult and clumsy.

Our wire frame posed many issues from the aesthetics to the technical considerations like wire size and stiffness.

However, from this process we learnt that it is important to test materials on a smaller scale before jumping straight to the 1:1 scale Qu, L. 2013, Photograph of a wire petal, Melbourne

The connection of the petals to the waist of the individual needed to be improved.

Hooking wire around the waistband did not work. The movement was unnatural and forced

Qu, L. 2013, Photograph of the wire bone system, Melbourne

Joining the wires together was messy and unattractive and also a very hard process. It was difficult to bend the wires around the outer frame whilst the end product of this was also not neat or precise

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M3;

PROTOTYPES

NICOLE TAN

This prototype enabled us to test different materials (balsa wood, plastic square rods, balloon sticks) and their efficiency in resisting tension. Through trial and error, we found the design solution - utilising balloon sticks held in tension by eyelets connected to the fabric. This demonstrates that the context in making sometimes lies in experimenting physically- not just digitally- however, we must also be aware not to ‘jump ship’ too quickly and ensure we have thoroghly explored all options with the one material before moving on to another.

We used lightweight balsa wood sticks as the frame of the skirt. they were placed in ‘pocket’ sewn into the fabric like the kite. A bigger balsa wood rod was used for the longest edge whilst smaller sticks were used for the shorter edges.

Although the balsa wood was very lightweight, it did not have the flexibility needed to stay in tension without snapping.

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M3; THINKING THROUGH MAKING

NICOLE TAN

I found this reading to be highly relatable and applicable to our group’s fabrication journey. The context of making is a learning curve and as Charny (2011) mentions, the act of making and craft becomes the foundations for innovation. As we constructed our final model, many dificulties still arose however we overcame them by combining the techniques utilised in the kite with our own ideas which enabled us to discover new possibilities Charny D., 2011, The Power of Making

Much of what Charny (2011) mentions in ‘Learning a Skill’ was also very applicable. As we embarked on the fabrication process, we became more familiar with the materials and the tools. This familiarity enabled us to learn how to manipulate and navigate our skin and bone system. From this we were able to develop the grid like ‘bone system’, the optimal degree of tension of balloon sticks or which ‘adding technique’ was most efficient.

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M3; DESIGN THREE/ FOUR

NICOLE TAN

Design three incorporated 2 elements- the skirt and the ‘collar’. The collar was constructed from blasa wood using lapped joints seen in Iwamoto’s (2009) exploration of the Plywood Delamination structure.

This element was incorporated to prevent access to the shoulders and back however the skirt already extended significantly towards the back making this element redundant. Furthermore, the disconnection between the materials used for the two elements were visually distracting.

The fabrication of the skirt element involved lots of hand cutting fabric, hand stiching and machine sewing. It is obvious that the machine sewn element are much neater and function much better than the hand stitched components.

This emphasises Iwamoto’s exploration demonstrating that the fabrication process is much more accurate with digital technology. It enables us to utilise a range of material from cardboard to plywood whilst is also enables new design effects to be created (eg. Mafoombey and Digital Weave structures).

Digital fabrication especially machine cutting the materials would’ve assisted our design too- in making the fabric edges neater and joints stronger.

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M3;

JOURNAL

NICOLE TAN

We have used mainly the ‘physical to digital’ technique of modelling where we have used digital technologies as a method of translating information rather than conceptualising it (Kolarevic 2003). 123D catch is an example of a digital modelling system which uses a ‘point cloud’ to recreate 3D objects onto a digital landscape. Similarly we have utilised Rhino as a method of conveying information of our physical model into a more concise, accurate form - the precise grid-layout and the tension it creates in each panel.

Design 4 (the final product) omits the wooden ‘collar’ seen in Design 3 as we decided to condense our design to the skirt. This draws focus to the key element of our second skin and allows our design to be more powerful .

DESIGN

FOUR

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DESIGN

FOUR

NICOLE TAN

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The design techniques and the context of making also encompasses the final stage of wearing and performance. The ‘skirt needed to be worn in layers -petals first, then the body of the skirt and finally the supporting ‘square’. Thus, we needed to ensure that the fabrication of the skirt and its components allowed for this movement of ‘wearing’ and that the rods remained in place and in tension. We achieved this through gluing the rods into the eyelets so they do not come apart whilst the elastic band at the waist enabled the second skin to be pull up to the waist.

MODULE FOUR; REFLECTION

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M4;

REFLECTION

NICOLE TAN

This semester’s task of designing a second skin has challenged my perception on the value and impact digital technologies have on the design process and the context of making. As Marble (2008) mentions in ‘Imagining Risk’, it is always a challenge to transfer knowledge from humans to computers and at the beginning of this semester in module 1 and 2, this challenge was amplified by our limited ability to navigate around Rhino.

It is obvious in our initial Rhino models in M2 (second skin consisting of 3 design elements) that we tried to make our design as elaborate as possible however it is through the learning process through M2 to M4 that we realised the most powerful statements can be achieved by a simple design without many distractions. Furthermore, as ‘craft is a skill developed over time’ (Marble 2008), as the semester progressed, we were able to more accurately translate all our ideas about personal space and how to manipulate it through design and making into just the one skirt element. This gradual reduction of design elements of our second skin demonstrates that the context of making sometimes involves revisiting ideas and critically analysing the efficiency and redundancy of fabricated elements.

Marble (2008) also mentions that craft has become part of the design process rather than just the fabrication process. Digital technologies allows complexity but also accuracy in details of how materials will work and change. What was lacking in our Rhino models was this simulated feedback on material behaviour. Hence we had to do this physically through our prototypes however it was not necessarily a setback for us as it allowed us gain knowledge on the tensile limits of the materials which we would not have achieved through Rhino. Rhino however, emphasised to us that digital design is ultimately a technical process of imagination and production and also a two way conversation – Rhino assisted us in developing colour schemes, visualising the coherency of size, geometrical shapes and scale of our second skin however the material knowledge had to be from physical experimentation which was then translated back into Rhino for our final digital model.

There was also a lot of risk associated with our project as the process of making was wholly hand-crafted and hence determined by the ‘judgment, dexterity and care’ (Marble 2008) of the maker. We encountered many inefficient products and prototypes simply because there was a change in the maker who had either a lack of skill or lack of interest. However, as Rifkin (2011) states, the built and cultural environment of today is collaborative rather than hierarchical in command and the need to network and work together is becoming a vital skill- a skill we were challenged with in this semester’s task.

Throughout the entire project, digital technology has enabled us to collaborate, build relationships and combine ideas on a single project- especially in the design process of our group. As Rifkin (2011) explains, digital technologies can also empower individuals in the process of making which reinforces what I have observed in other groups where customised, durable and accurate designs have been created from the process of laser cutting different materials from paper to perspex.

We could have definitely benefited from utilising digital technologies in our fabrication process instead of relying on hand craft design techniques which would have improved the aesthetics and accuracy of our physical model. However, I believe that the development of our second skin project was an enlightening process especially in terms of material use and discovery and lessons learnt in the making process.

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STUDENT

R E F E R E N C E S

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NICOLE TAN

IMAGE

REFERENCES:

Page 2: National Archives of Australia, Australian Government, Canberra, viewed 17th October 2013 <http://vrroom.naa.gov.au/records/?ID=19132> Page 3 and 6: Alix de la Fuente (team member) Page 9: Rock S., Galerie Hilaneh von Kories, Hamburg, viewed 17th October 2013 <http://www.galeriehilanehvonkories.de/en/rock/spiritual-beings/> Page 10: Roth J., Fine Art America, United States, viewed 8th September 2013 <http://fineartamerica.com/products/blooming-flower-photographyjuergen-roth-greeting-card.html>

READING REFERENCES: Charny D. 2011, Power of Making, V & A Publishing, Great Britain Heath, A., Heath, D., & Jensen, A. (2000). 300 years of industrial design : function, form, technique, 1700-2000 / Adrian Heath, Ditte Heath, Aage Lund Jensen. New York : Watson-Guptill, 2000.

Sommer, R. (1969). Personal space : the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, c1969.

Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. _2011_: Lost in Parameter Space? IAD: Architectural Design, Wiley, 81 _4_, July, pp. 70-79

Page 11: Heatherwick T., Heatherwick Studio, London, viewed 1st October 2013 <http://www.heatherwick.com/rolling-bridge/>

Architecture in the Digital Age - Design and Manufacturing /Branko Kolarevic. Spon Press, London, c2003

Page 12: No Author, Wordpress,accessed 14th September 2013, <http://thecolorainbow.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/early-victorian-era/>

Digital fabrications: architectural and material techniques / Lisa Iwamoto.

New York : Princeton Architectural Press, c2009.

Elliason O., Studio Olafur Elliason, Denmark, accessed 1st October 2013 <http://www.designboom.com/art/olafur-eliasson-your-blind-passenger/> Page 13: Gawlas L., Wordpress, accessed 14th September 2013 <http://lisagawlas. wordpress.com/2013/01/23/when-one-layer-is-peeled-away-from-ego-anew-layer-is-added-to-soul-expression-holy-onions-bat-people/>

The third Industrial Revolution / Jeremy Rifkin. Palgrave Macmillan, C2011. pp107-126 Building the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture/ Philip Bernstein, Peggy Deamer. Princeton Architectural Press. c2008. pp 38-42

LECTURE

REFERENCES:

Wellbeing Magazine, Wellbeing Magazine, Australia, accessed 14th September 2013 <http://www.wellbeing.com.au/newsdetail/In-praise-of-onionskin_000449>

Loh P. 2013, Lecture 2 [recording] Material Systems

Page 18: Linus Qu (team member)

Loh P. 2013, Lecure 7 [recording] Making

Page 20: Charny D. 2011, Power of Making, V & A Publishing, Great Britain.

Loh P. 2013, Lecture 4 [recording] Design Effects