Smart Material Strategies

A

Song Pei Fen

rchitecture Portfolio

11019165

U30074 Architectural Design 3 U30092 Architectural Design 4

Oxford Brookes University May 2014

unit

C

SEMESTER 01

KINETIC GARDEN

09/13 - 12/13 Unit C kicked off the first semester with a rigorous, energetic analytic development of kinetic ways of seeing the city, to inform the making of an architecture that contains space through experience. Drawing on architectural theories of Cedric Price and Carlo Ratti on an urban city, the research program unfolds a parametric series of thinking, testing, making, coding, encoding and analysis of Composite Hydrogel as a self-healing building material.

In the second half of the semester, the project develops a given site through the research and application of Composite Hydrogel. The site for the research is the courtyard space in front of the Abercrombie building of Oxford Brookes University. The proposal of 3 pavilions investigates the co-working interaction of users on the campus while relating to the dynamic relationships of materials, environment, and performance. The proposal aims to be responsive to the environment, nature of workplace and flexible programs of the day.

The project was led through 4 workshops :

Dynamic Morphologies Material/Immaterial Unmaking Making

DATA

SYSTEMS A conceptual study of Carlo RattI Cedric Price

Carlo Ratti

G or d on Pa s k

Rea l T i me R o m e

Cyberne ti cs

- Wireless mobile communications devices - Connectivity within the urban population - Interconnectedness between people, places, and urban infrastructure.

- Cybernetic paradigm makes possible the design of buildings that react actively to their environment and inhabitants’ behaviour - An open system by means of communication and control can respond to ongoing processes of information

KEY CONCEPTS derived from the analysis of theories of Carlo Ratti and Cedric Price

CONNECTIVITY CYBERNETICS FLOW HUMAN - TECHNOLOGY PULSE - CONCENTRATION POINTS ICONS INTENSITY Dynamic Morphologies

CONNECTIVITY : HUMAN - TECHNOLOGY Architecture studios as urban landscape connecting human and technology

Dynamic Morphologies

INTERDEPENDANCE : TECHNOLOGY - HUMAN Flow of people in the space Concentration points of events and memories

Dynamic Morphologies

Electrical Mapping of Lost/Found Memory Objects in Gipsy Lane campus

CONNECTING MEMORIES - HISTORY - TIME Recollecting the memories of the courtyard immortalised as lost objects

Dynamic Morphologies

Ghosts of the Past, Present and Future of Oxford Brookes University Central Courtyard

CELEBRATING THE TREE OF LIFE The main Birch Tree in the Central Courtyard as the tree of life - the focal point of social gathering and interaction. The courtyard is perceived at an urban scale as a point of connection between all the university departments - a Memory Hub

Ghosts of the past, present and future

Dynamic Morphologies

MATERIAL imMATERIAL A material investigation, testing and assembly program, drawing influence from earlier explration of Memories, History & Time

Polymorphic material Shape Memory material

Group 1

Shape Memory material embodies the essence of capturing memories through sense of touch. It records, retains the imprinted memory of a person’s touch, a place, a time, and an event. It is responsive to heat, moisture and light

Memory Foam

Microcell foam sponge

Cleaning wash sponge

Foam sponge sheet

Polyurethane foam rubber

Polyurethane foam

Increasing degree of hardness from left to right

Material / Immaterial

Group 2

Composite solid sponge

Single layer of sponge sheet

Increasing degree of compressibility from left to right

Weaved sponge sheets

Composite sponge made from : Closed cell foam Foam sponge sheet Polyurethane foam

Composite sponge made from : Closed cell foam Foam sponge sheet Polyurethane foam Polystyrene sheet

Material / Immaterial

Group 3

Hybrid gel

Petroleum Jelly + Soy wax flakes

Solidified silicone sealant

Solidified tapioca pearl gel

Solidified corn starch gel

Increasing degree of britteness (ability to break) from left to right Decreasing degree of compressibility from left to right

Material / Immaterial

UNMAKING Decoding shape memory material

Group 1

Hybrid Gel

A c t io n : Push F o r c e s : Co m pression

A critical analysis of material behaviour when subjected to physical, chemical and biological forces.

Decoding the material to a macro and micro scale to observe dependencies of material on its external/ internal changes

Compression

Petroleum Jelly + Soy wax flakes

Unmaking

Group 2

Mozarella Cheese

Group 2

PVA Hot Glue

A c t io n : P u ll F o r c e s : T e n s io n & Co mpr e s s io n

Analysis of Pulling Cheese & Hot Glue

The PVA hot glue is much easier to pull/stretch than molten cheese because it has lower viscosity. The hot glue has lower melting point, therefore is quicker to stretch, but it has a higher solidification point, so it solidifies quicker than the cheese and has better retention of its pulled shape. The tension forces act along the direction of pulling and the compression forces cause the thinning of the material in the middle as the material is pulled further away from its centre

Unmaking

A c t io n : I n t e r lo c k

Group 3

Mozarella Cheese + Cotton Mesh

Group 3

Silicone Sealant + Plastic Mesh

Group 3

Silicone Sealant + Metal Mesh

T h e f lu id g e l wit h n o o r ig in a l s h a pe t a ke s t h e f o r m o f t h e me s h wh e n t h e y bo n d t o g e t h e r . T h e f le x ible me s h is s t r e n g t h e n e d by t h e h ig h b o n din g pr o pe r t y o f t h e g e l

Unmaking

Lighting Quality of Mesh Interlocked with Gel Group 4

Silicone Sealant + Plastic Mesh Aesthetics and Functional Quality of Shadows Cast by Gel Silicone sealant forming opaque and translucent fillers in the voids of the mesh, depending on the thickness of its coating.

Light penetrating through the silicone sealant casts shadow, light is free to penetrate through the voids in the mesh to create a bright region beneath the mesh.

This quality of gel-interlocked mesh could be an aesthetic and environmental strategy in a building to be partly shaded from direct sunlight and to create interesting shadows in a space.

Unmaking

Mesh Interlocked with Gel as a Robotic Membrane Parametric Relation between shape of mesh and changing nodes As a node on the mesh is pulled in a direction, the shape of the mesh changes according to the magnitude and direction of the pull.

The parameters could be digitally controlled by robotics and this could orchestrate a kinetic surface cladding that is responsive to the external environmental parameters such as heat, light and moisture.

The physical model is controlled by hand through wires attached at several nodes on the mesh.

The red Grasshopper model is controlled by parametric curves, that when the curve changes position, the size of creases on the mesh changes.

Unmaking

Group 5

Hydrogel

Grasshopper simulation of the expansion and amalgamation of hydrogel

Model showing the increase in size of each hydrogel bead and the collective boundary

The expansion of primary, secondary and tertiary grid that bounds the hydrogel

Behaviour of Hydrogel

Intermolecular forces that aid the outward expansion of hydrogel

A hydrogel is a cross linked polymer suspended in water. It is a smart material which can change its structure in response to salt concentration, pH and temperature.

The ability to expand when in a liquid is the main feature of the hydrogel. A hydrogel can absorb over five hundred times its own weight of pure water.

The factors affecting the expansion of hydrogel are the temperature, viscosity, salinity and acidity of the liquid.

When salt is added to the hydrogel, the chains start to change their shape and water is lost from the gel.

Unmaking

Bio-Chemical Experiments Investigating the Factors of Rate of Expansion of Hydrogel

Parameter : SALT AND SUGAR CONCENTRATION OF SOLVENT

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0

10

20

30

40

50

Temperature of solvent (°C)

19°C (After)

23°C (After)

49°C (After)

60

Parameter : ACIDITY AND ALKALINITY OF SOLVENT

1

Rate of expansion of hydrogels (g/min)

1 Rate of expansion of hydrogels (g/min)

Rate of expansion of hydrogels (g/min)

Parameter : TEMPERATURE OF SOLVENT

0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 6.4

6.6

6.8

7

7.2

7.4

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0

Neutral (After)

Sugar (After)

4

6

8

10

12

pH of solvent

pH of solvent corresponding to concentration of salt and sugar in solvent

Salt (After)

2

Acid (After)

Neutral After)

Alkali After)

Analysis of the results The rate of expansion of hydrogel is maximum at room temperature, 23°C. A higher or lower temperature will impede the expansion of hydrogel.

The rate of expansion of hydrogel is maximum at pH7 (neutral). The pH of the solvent is affected by the acidity/salinity and sugar/salt content.

A higher or lower pH solvent will denature the hydrogel and halt the expansion of the hydrogel.

Unmaking

1.2

1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

0.2 0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0

1400

0

200

400

Weight of load (g)

1000

1200

1.4

1.2

1.2

1

1

0.8 0.6 0.4

600

800

1.2 1 0.8 0.6

1000

Weight of load (g)

CLAY HYDROGEL

1200

1400

0.6 0.4

600

800

0.6 0.2

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0

1400

1000

Weight of load (g)

AGAROSE HYDROGEL

1200

1400

1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0

1400

ALGINATE HYDROGEL

1.4

1.8

1.2

1.2

1

1

1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0

200

400

600

800

400

1000

Weight of load (g)

SILICONE HYDROGEL

1200

1400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1200

1400

LATEX HYDROGEL

1.4

0

200

Weight of load (g)

2

0

0

Weight of load (g)

0.2 400

0.8

0.2

0.4

200

1

0.4

1.6

0

1.2

0.4

0

1.2

PVA HYDROGEL

0.8

0 400

1.4

1.4

Weight of load (g)

0.2

0.2 200

1.4

0

1400

Thickness (cm)

1.4

0

1.6

PLASTER HYDROGEL

Thickness (cm)

Thickness (cm)

800

1.8

1.6

Weight of load (g)

PURE HYDROGEL

0

600

1.8

Thickness (cm)

0

1

Thickness (cm)

1.4

Thickness (cm)

Thickness (cm)

1.6

2

Thickness (cm)

1.8

2

Thickness (cm)

1.4

Thickness (cm)

2

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Weight of load (g)

COLLAGEN HYDROGEL

1200

1400

0

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Weight of load (g)

CEMENT HYDROGEL

Analysis of the results In these experiments, steel plates of various weights are placed on top of each material and the distance it sinks when subjected to the load is tabulated against the time of sinking.

Compression Test on Pure Hydrogel (from left to right) After every weight is loaded onto the hydrogel, the distance it sank and the time of sinking is tabulated to obtain the rate of sinking.

Slicone hydrogel has the highest compressive capacity and therefore can absorb and adapt to the external forces the best

Unmaking

MAKING An investigation of the built form through a design strategy based on the material research.

Development of a system of making using Rhino/Grasshoppper parametric methodologies.

Application of the system of making to the site and pavilion design brief.

Proposed Plan of Pavilions

Key Concept of Pavilion Environmentally-induced expansion contraction of hybrid hydrogel material responsive to human touch and experience

Applying material strategy of hybrid hydrogel as an environmentally-responsive material to form the basis of mechanism of the pavilions The three pavilions translate the major attribute of the hydrogel that is its environmentally-influenced expansion and contraction

Making

Sunpath Diagram & Analysis

January [Winter] 0600 hours

1200 hours

0000 - 2400 hours

April [Spring] 1800 hours

0600 hours

1200 hours

0000 - 2400 hours

July [Summer] 1800 hours

0600 hours

1200 hours

October [Autumn] 1800 hours

0600 hours

0000 - 2400 hours

1200 hours

1800 hours

0000 - 2400 hours

Analysis The central courtyard is shaded by the tall new John Henry Brookes building. The birch trees in the site also provide shading. In general, the central courtyard has average daylight input and could be useful for the hydrogel pavilions to be responsive

Making

Date : 1st Dec- 28th Feb [Winter] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st June - 31st August [Summer] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st Jan - 31st Dec Time : 0000-2400

Average Prevailing Winds Analysis In general, the central courtyard is affected by the highest amount of winds coming from the southwest.

If the pavilions are build in the courtyard, it needs shielding from the most frequent southwest winds.

Date : 1st March - 31st May [Spring] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st Sept - 30th Nov [Autumn] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st Dec- 28th Feb [Winter] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st June - 31st August [Summer] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st Jan - 31st Dec Time : 0000-2400

Average Relative Humidity Analysis The general relative humidity is above average in the central courtyard. This environmental factor is a positive influence to the pavilions to employ the material strategy of humidity-responsive composite hydrogel. The overall above average humidity will be sufficient for the pravilions to be responsive and reactive

Date : 1st March - 31st May [Spring] Time : 0000-2400

Date : 1st Sept - 30th Nov [Autumn] Time : 0000-2400

Making

Dynamic Mapping of Human Flow and Intersection Points

To observe how human flow and intensity inform the positioning and program of the pavilions

Magnetic field of human flow and circulation across the central courtyard

Magnetic field of location and intensity of human concentration points

Shortest walk between openings of buildings

Shortest walk between openings of buildings and concentration points

Program of Pavilions Voronoi Mapping of Human Density to inform the spatial program of pavilions

Zone 1 Zone 2 Major human Secondary human concentration points concentration areas Major human flow

Zone 3 Less common route

Zone 4 Minimal human traffic Lowest noise level

Scenic Pavilion Social Pavilion

An airy kinetic seating designed to engage the public with social interaction and performance

A roof top pavilion that overlooks the Oxford city centre. A tranquil place for self-reflection and peace

Dream Pavilion

A place to escape from work and stress, a place to take short naps and rest.

Development of Social Pavilion

Idea A pavilion inspired by biomimetics, the ability to feed itself, breathe, grow, self repair and respond dynamically to the site and its context Hydrogel tubular feeders that channel external moisture and heat directly into a hydrogel -packed skin. Upon being stimulated by the environmental parameters, the gel-packed skin transforms by expanding or shrinking in a controlled manner

Environmental parameters heat/light from Sun and water from rain stimulates the hydrogelation of hydrogel packed pavilion skin, making the pavilion swell and expands.

Heat from human under the pavilion also cause the hydrogel to expand and respond to the density of people using it.

Miscellation/Shrinking

Hydrogelation/Expansion

Precedents Yorkshire Diamond Pavilion Natural Networks and Strength in Loops

Plan of Social Pavilion Located centrally on the grass lawn of the central courtyard, this pavilion will be the centre of social gathering and a meeting point for students from every department Unblocked by the buildings, the pavilion will receive abundant rainfall and sunlight stimuli that will trigger frequent responses to the environment.

When fully expanded, the pavilion is a shelter from rain and Sun. When underused, the pavilion shrinks back to its original state and remains dormnant until a stimulus trigger its mechanism

Development of Scenic Pavilion

Idea A pavilion that expands when in contact with human touch and heat, a seating that expands and rises when triggered by human body heat

Pavilion used as a shelter and walking deck Viewing deck of scenery

Before (Dormant state) The flexible cmoposite hydrogel tubular framework is in relax mode Pavilion used as a flexible seating

After (Expanded state) The composite hydrogel framework is triggered by the body heat of people sitting on it and it expands

Precedents Paramtetric timber chair Breathing chair made of foam

Plan of Scenic Pavilion Located on top of the remote roof of Abercrombie building, the scenic pavilion offers amazing views of the Oxford skyline and is a place for people to relax and unwind from work.

People access the pavilion through the staircase of the Abercrombie building. The kinetic seating responses to the body heat of the people using it.

When someone seats on the pavilion, the hydrogel tubular framework supported by a primary flexible timber frame, expands and raises the user to a better viewpoint

Development of Dream Pavilion

Idea Supported by flexible steel framework, the hydrogel-filled pavilion blanket skin is responsive to the person using it

Before (Dormant state) The hydrogel skin and frame are in relaxed mode and light.

Pavilion used as a sleeping pod The sleeping pod is submerged in the ground and located in a place in the central courtyard with minimal human traffic

After (Used State) The hydrogel skin and frame are triggered by the heat of the person using it, the hydrogel skin expands and becomes heavier, closing down

Precedents Google sleeping pods that allow workers to take a nap during break

Plan of Dream Pavilion Located in the area of the central courtyard with minimal human traffic, the dream pavilions are submerged pods designed for workers and students to relax and take a nap during break Inspired by the Google sleeping pods, this pavilion would benefit people by providing a sleeping bed that is responsive to the body heat and moisture emitted by the person sleeping in it.

Section of Dream Pavilion The submerged sleeping pod responses to environmental stimuli - rain and body heat from the person using it.

A person’s body heat and moisture stimulates the composite hydrogel skin of the blanket to expand and become heavier. The skin then descends in a controlled manner, supported by a flexible steel frame When a person wants to leave the sleeping pod, a mechanically controlled pump supplies saltwater to the skin and the it shrinks and rises