achim menges h y g r o c o p e Morphogenetic
Design
Experiment
model that is suspended within a humidity controlled glass case and responds by opening and closing its components according to climate changes within that case. this type of architecture required the combination of material inherent behaviour and computational m o r p h o g e n e s i s " the dimensional instability of wood in relation to moisture content is employed to construct a climate responsive architectural morphology "
http://www.achimmenges.net
pine physical change during the process of moisture absorption and desorption
los niĂąos pine
achim menge's pine
wooden component physical change during the process of moisture absorption and desorption _the wood transforms and adapts its structure to climate condition
testing paper behavior in moist condition_when
dry paper stays deformed
counting the spirals_fibonacci
series
(0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987...)
found in pine structure
21
21+13=34
13
1
1
formula xn = xn-1 + xn-2 xn is term number n xn-1 is the previous term (n-1) xn-2 is the term before that (n-2)
fibonacci squares_fibonacci
spiral
fibonacci towers_grasshopper
tests
structure and water treatment_the
tree
21 13 8 5 3 2 1
thickness of tree patrs
number of tree expansion
branches rotation
137.5°
137.5°
branches
ammount, morphology, location_fibonacci
series in tree structure
tree parts_how
do they move water against gravity?
leaves
stem
root
the root
4
...transported by the xylem of the stem towards the leaves and released through evaporation
3
...moved through the xylem of the root towards the xylem of the stem...
2
...absorbed through root hair-forming cells located on the epidermis of the root...
1
water in earth...
permeablitity of materials
permeable materials allow liquids or gases to pass through it
semi-permeable materials
non-permeable materials
are partially permeable allow passage of certain, especially do not allow liquids or gases to pass through it small, molecules or ions but acts as a barrier to others
which category does the root belong to?
potato root vegetable test_potato,
creating a cavity in a potato and filling it with sodium chloride
adding water surface of
water through
in
the the
begins the root
external potato
moving (30')
osmosis, semipermeable material
osmosis
Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules through a semi-permeable membrane into a region of higher solute concentration, in the direction that tends to equalize the solute concentrations on the two sides.
water A
B
water B
A
B
A
sodium chloride water level when solvent molecules are placed on both sides of the semi-permeable membrane the molecules move through freely with the liquid level being equal on both sides
B
A
B
A
B
A
B water level
water level when higher solute concentration is placed in side B (hypertonic) of the semi-permeable membrane, the water molecules of side A (hypotonic), which have lower solute concentration, move through the membrane, towards side B in order to equallize the solute concentration on both sides
water level
water level
A
particle simulation_grasshopper
tests
testing parchment paper for osmosis
testing cellophane membrane for osmosis
overlaying cellophane membranes_can
the water move up?
Water passes from first membrane (salt) but does not continue moving up because the solute concentration after the first semi-permeable membrane becomes higher (water+salt). The second membrane that consists salt is of lower solute concentration, therefore the water is not attracted towards it and stays in the hypertonic region of the first membrane.
materiality test_cellophane
mebrane testing its conversion for better application adaptive behavior on cast imprints existing form
hypothesis
components as skin
components of high solute concentration hypertonic
problem
component placed in mud does not absorb any water mud solute concentration is higher that waters
substitute
video frames substance escapes from sides as it expands from water absorbtion ...hydrogel...
hydrogel absorbs water 500 times its volume
hydrogel how it works
polymers
polymers+water
water pushes polymers away
crosslinked polymers (hydrogel)
hydrogel+water
hydrogel expands
hydrogel expands
hydrogel mud continues to absorb in lower rate
hydrogel structure test A
video frames
hydrogel structure test B
hydrogel structure test C
after hydrogel debsorbtion components return to initial state
materiality test_nylon testing its permeability
overlayed surfaces to examine time of penetration
20"
33"
55"
81"
tension_grasshopper
tests
materiality test_nylon testing its tension and transformation expansion | adaptation | return to initial state
hydrogel in boiling water no change
freezing hydrogel water freezes and polymer is separated from it separated polymer is broken in smaller pieces
hydrogel removing water from polymer
warming hydrogel water is released and almost immediately evaporated polymer returns to orginal state
hydrogel_ongoing
test
how long does it take for hydrogel to release its water? can this water be collected?
hydrogel_research
01_2012 Wendelin Stark, ETH Zurich
hydrogel used as a material for cooling buildings rainy season-water is being absorbed in structure warm season-water is being released from structure cooling it
hydrogel_research
02 2014 IAACB
hydrogel used in hydroceramics rainy season-water is being absorbed in structure warm season-water is being released from structure cooling it
leaves
stem
root
the stem_xylem xylem is part of the tree system that transports water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant. Xylem consists of specialized water-conducting tissues made up mostly of narrow, elongated, hollow cells.
rings of tree consist of xylem
water goes from the root xylem to the stem xylem
cool air
warm air
hypothesis_movement
video frames
upwards is due to pressure difference
in the warm air bottle the oxygen is exhausted the volume of the air decreases therefore the water rises.
hypothesis_
movement upwards is due to caterpillarity of water
video frame
crisis_environmental
Peru
peru_divisions environments greatest floods
warm+dry_desert dry+variety of temperatures_andes mountains hot+wet_rainforest
rivers
piura tumbes_1983_364deaths
rannrahirca_1962_4000deaths pampallacta_1963_300deaths
cordillera blanca_1941_5000deaths huallaga cusco_1982_532deaths
most deaths occur along the rivers in the andes mountains floods occuring in the rivers lead to landslides an environmental crisis that generates others
rain_frequency
J
F M A M
J
J
A S O
N
D
flood_environmental
crisis
landslides_destruction
of property_financial crisis
destruction of crops_financial
crisis
social crisis_
deaths_
presentation_29112014
this is a manifesto
los niĂąos h y d r o p h i l i c component system absosbs+releases H2O according to the environmental c o n d i t i o n s
The investigation emerges for areas that are tormented by intense waterfalls that lead to uncontrollable floods that promote landslides, generating financial and social crises from an environmental one. Peru, a country amongst many others that are on the list of maximum deaths due to floods, will be placed under investigation in order to comprehend the conditions in which adaptation can emerge with the specific environmental conditions. The investigation commences with looking into how other architects research the variation of natural conditions and then respond through a structural system based on their observations. Achim Menges with the hygroscope structure is examined in order to comprehend the process of research and implementation of outcomes into the opening and closing components of the hygroscope. For the los niĂąos project the initial idea behind the investigation is the examination of the tree system; water is absorbed by the root, pushed against gravity by the stem and evaporated through the leaves. The research focuses mainly on the behavior of the root and its ability to absorb water. The materiality of the root and the difference in densities of water and substances in the root are tested. Water passes through semipermeable surfaces when the density of the substance confined within the semipermeable surface is higher from the one of the water. If salt is used as the substance confined in the semipermeable surface, can the water be evaporated and released from the salt in order to be exploited? The substance of this possible components need to have a higher density from water with soil and salt has a lower density. Which material has higher density than soil?
Chemists constucted a substance named hydrogel for medical purposes that has the ability of absorbing and debsorbing water molecules. This substance is currently being studied in universities for the creation of buildings that are cool themselves. Hydrogels can absorb water from mud and are easily frozen. The water is released easily when they are heated. In order to use hydrogels as part of a structural system, a flexible material is required that allows its reformation when water is absorbed and returns to its initial state when the water is released. Tests regarding the way the tree pushes water up are implemented with parameters such as pressure within the system, height of water distribution and size of path for water being varied for observation. Examining the fibonacci fractals throughout the research will provide answers regarding the hydrogel position.
los niños project los niños project
to be continued
.