smoke & mirrors exploration study P30030 rachel mcconnell 13090160
1
Zone 5 _ design project It is important to me that this exploration study feeds directly into the development of my design project. For this reason I am going to concentrate less on finding form through material exploration and use this opportunity to investigate how materials and new technologies might answer the key question posed by my design project; can I make a building seemingly invisible? Zone 5 was set a non-brief, asking us to find a solution to a problem that faces generation Y. The problem, as well as the solution, was ours to find. Living for the weekend is not a new phenomenon, but I believe that when combined with the prolific use of social media, generation Y is faced with a new problem of keeping their professional and social lives distinctly separate. We work hard and play hard – but for the first time, employees and colleagues are able to do a simple online search and are faced with what their employees get up to win their spare time. Keeping ones social life secret is not as easy as it once was. My proposal is to provide generation y with a destination where they can let lose in the most extreme ways, without fear of consequences. This destination provides anonymity paired with debauchery; a private members club for the working elite, for whom separation between these two aspects of their lives is vital. Rather than flying to Ibiza for a weekend, the opportunity to escape will be right on their doorstep. The form that this destination takes is not what I am concerned with at this point, only finding a way of concealing it – hidden in plain sight.
2
The collage below explores the initial theoretical concept, looking at the idea of generation y working and living for the weekend. The main emphasis is on the separation of these two lives and the distinct separation between them.
3
As part of the initial exploration into the culture of generation y, as a studio group we studied the relationship between the group and the space that we inhabit.
4
As part of one of our studio tasks, we went about re-inventing the space in a way that might encourage a creative working environment. My research lead me to the use of sensory deprivation and how this might be used to clear the mind to allow for increased mental and particularly creative activity. Sensory deprivation would allow students to take a mental break form their work, allowing their brain to release the stress of studio and increasing the likelihood of efficient brain activity afterwards. The logical next step in the research was to experience sensory deprivation for myself.
5
sensory deprivation Sensory deprivation is the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli from one or more of the senses and has been used in various applications including alternative medicines and psychological experiments. Short-term sessions of sensory deprivation are described as relaxing and conducive to meditation; however, extended or forced sensory deprivation can result in extreme anxiety, hallucinations, bizarre thoughts, and even depression. In January 2008, the BBC aired a Horizon special entitled “Total Isolation.” The premise of the show centred on 6 individuals, four men and two women, agreeing to be shut in a cell inside a nuclear bunker, alone and in complete darkness for 48 hours. Prior to isolation, the volunteers underwent tests of visual memory, information processing, verbal fluency and suggestibility. After the two days and two nights the subjects noted that their inability to sense time, as well as hallucinations, made the experience difficult. Of the six volunteers, three experienced auditory and visual hallucinations — snakes, oysters, tiny cars and zebras. One was convinced their sheets were wet. While I did not experience any of the more extreme side-effects during my one hour session in the floatation tank, I noticed that on leaving isolation that colour, smell, sound and taste were temporarily heightened. Lights were brighter, colours and smells sharper and this was only after one hour. The idea of exploiting the sensory experience fuelled the concept of my design project.
6
after my sensory deprivation experience, I began to think about how I might reduce the impact of our senses in a studio environment; without going to the lengths of a floatation tank. One aspect that I would have liked to re-create is the sense of weightlessness... this is something that I intend to include in my design proposal.
7
Above is the collage set as a studio task, the aim was to CREATE without reason. The result was a playground type environment that made use of light and shadow, drawing connections back to my design concept.
8
From that collage, the above drawing highlighted those aspects that seemed most relevant to my design project. It accentuated the light and dark, as well as the idea of a work and play zone, separated by a threshold of darkness.
9
Below is a link to the animation I made to inhabit my sketched environment. The functions of the two zones were accentuated by the use of colour and reality. Again, this process helped pinpoint my design strategy - the threshold.
10
video as sketch The animated sketch was my first attempt at video making, and I found it a really expressive way of portraying my ideas. Using my very basic knowledge in the software, I went on to create a series of shorts that investigate the use of light and dark, transition between space and the idea of theatre and opulence as an exploitation of the senses. For the first few videos that I made, I used sections of existing footage which I overlayed with images from different settings, eras, colours etc. to create a montage that explained the idea of performance and theatre as a removal from reality. For the full selection, please look at my blog where my working portfolio and thought processes are being documented... http://mcconnellssister.tumblr.com/
11
the performance
looking at the natural movement of iron fillings on glass when influenced by an external force.
12
defining the brief “for every morning, into London, a million people travel to work; and every evening travel home to the inner and outer suburbs of the capital.� Overlayed with images of Canary Wharf, and the 1930’s silent film Metropolis.
13
den of iniquity The origin of the term can be traced back to the New Testament of the Bible. In both Gospel of Mark and Matthew, Jesus condemns those who have been using the sacred temple as a marketplace, proclaiming that they have “made it a den of thieves.” To this day, writers use the word “den” to mean a place where iniquitous activities are carried out. This video explored the idea of using colour and theatre to exploit the senses.
14
Dior John Galliano, 2003 Haute Coture The designer has created structure and theatre using fabric and the human form.
15
Sketches looking at the structure of fabric, pleats and folds turn a flat plane into a multi-dimensional form.
16
fabric experiment the fabric in the video below was wetted and then frozen to see how the structure would behave when defrosted. Surprisingly, the frozen shape remains, with only a slight change a little sagging.
17
Bloom Skin Issey Miyake This video shows a window display from 2012, in one of Issey Miyake’s stores. 6 fans support the fabric in an invisible structure, creating a fluid and beautiful installation.
18
lift
lift
weight
lift weight
lift thrust
drag weight looking at lightweight structures and the basic principles of flight, both the bellowing sculpture and birds rely on a precise balance of weight and lift. In both cases, the lift is an invisible force supporting a solid object; can this be related to architecture?
19
the bones of birds are incredibly strong but lightweight enabling flight. The drawings above show how the structure of the bones are fibrous with an intricate network of air-pockets, there are strong similarities between these and the previous photos of woven fabric under the microscope. This idea of woven fibres used to create delicate and lightweight structures is something that would be useful to my project if it could be replicated.
20
light-weight structures and invisible forces The images below show a woven fabric beneath a microscope, at this level of detail it is possible to see the fibrous buildup of the threads. It is interesting to think that even the finest of fabrics, as in the previous video, are made up of this intricate web of microscopic filaments.
21
the photos from left to right show the hollow plastic tubing at rest, under slight tension and high tension. There is very little distortion to the tube between the second and third stages, but this particular material is a little too thick for me to weave at a reasonable scale...
22
this example shows a bundle of 0.25mm fibre optic filaments in a state of rest, under slight tension, and finally under high tension with a twist. While tension creates some uniformity to the fibres, it is clear that when a twist is applied, the fibre become much stiffer and has a tendency to bend.
23
this tendency to bend becomes even more visible when they fibres are woven together, the mesh that is created forms a natural curve, and eventually a bowl shape. The woven material did not form a flat plane as I had hoped, but the curve that it created actually held some interesting structural properties, as the images below highlight.
24
woven fibre optic filaments forming a structural arch, capable of supporting a light-weight object, in this case a lens cap.
25
swerve Caroline Cox Using discarded food wrap, these sculptures create depth and from using only their intrinsic structural properties. This woven fibrous form is an example of how form might be created if I were to continue with the weaving...
26
Furthering the idea of woven fibre optics, I looked at creating a flat plane based on the shape of a parabolic curve. Using metal pins as the external framework, I coiled the fibre between them, using only tension to keep them in place. Given that this mesh is thin and lightweight, supported only by the tension and friction, it creates a structure that is strong and rigid. While the fibres reflect the light in the images below, when I attempted to shine the light through the filaments, perhaps because of the bends, the mesh did not light up as I had expected it too. Perhaps the filaments need to retain a degree of their original shape to retain their refractive qualities.
27
Even though this structure was incredibly light weight and used no adhesives in its construction, it was above to support the weight of an object far more than itself. The mug almost appears to be floating. It would be interesting to re-create this with a less obvious support material (the framework of nails).
28
issey miyake pleats While the previous example of this designers work was soft, fluid and bellowing; Issey Miyake is perhaps better known for his strong, angular designs with use pleats to add structure. The examples above show how he uses fabric in highly architectural
29
While pleating fabric gives it strength and structure, pleating the fibre optic cable has an almost reverse effect. Not only does it weaken the structure, but it also means that the refracted light that usually remains inside the filament, is allowed to escape the confines of the tube and creates additional points of light. A woven mesh of these bent filaments would create quite an interesting surface, points of light amongst a transparent plane.
30
the images above show the pleated fibre, a long shutter speed combined with an unsteady hand. The result is a tube of light that creates a shape that seems to defy the principles of 3 dimensional space.
31
the threshold
32
33
Above are stills from my short ‘the threshold’, inspired by the use of fabric and colour in the 2003 Dior collection. The aim of the short was to convey the transition between the working and private lives of the character, using the tree as a physical yet theoretical boundary between the two.
34
the control
35
in ‘the control’, I looked again at the idea environments. But this second short looked more the ‘destination’ space, that they are capable This space is fantasy and somewhere that can
36
of at of be
the threshold and its separating my two the idea that once the subject has entered unrealistic control of their environment. edited by its user - a virtual reality.
Architecture is often designed to blend into the background, to be inoffensive or to maintain the character of its surrounding; but there are occasions where this is taken one step further and the designer has actively worked to conceal a building. I am referring to these methods as the ‘smoke and mirrors’ of architectural concealment. They are designed to obscure or camouflage a building, but my aim is to take this one step further by making my proposal disappear entirely from onlookers. While the destination itself will be a solid reality, any person observing the site from the outside will see nothing but the original surroundings. This exploration study provides me with an opportunity to see what methods are currently available in the ‘cloaking’ market, and how these could be applied to an architectural project.
above left: CCTV Headquarters by Rem Koolhaas Above right: Ispilu Ainguratua by Robert La Tour d'Affaur
37
Retro-reflective Projection Technology
This technology uses projection of a live feed onto a surface of tiny glass beads that reflect light only in the direction it came from. The result is an ‘augmented reality’ in which the observer effectively sees straight thought the wearer of the cloak. The sketch on the following page shows the principles of how this technology works. While this is theoretically a solution to my problem, for the illusion to be effective RRPT requires a constant feed from a digital video recorder, as well as requiring the cloak to be viewed through a combiner. For these reasons, this technology is not really applicable to my proposal... Somehow, I am looking to achieve the same effect without the need for camera, projector or, if possible, even power.
38
background
In theory, the area between the cloak and the projector is where my site will be located
digital video camera
combiner
cloak
observer
projector
39
computer
the site Part of the original zone 5 brief was to look at the connection between generation y in London, and the idea of escaping to Ibiza through London City Airport. The location of LCY and it proximity to Canary Wharf directed my research, specifically my target audience, to those members of generation y working in the high-pressure jobs at Canary Wharf. For this reason, the ‘destination’ and consequently my site would benefit from being within a reasonable distance from the target audience. The most obvious available space for this, not restricted by direct overlooking or over-development is the Thames. The map below shows the proposed site, highlighted in yellow, as well as the assumed lines of sight from which the site needs to be concealed. The site is not necessarily restricted to this location, the nature of the ‘destination’ and its concealment means the site is subject to expansion and re-location.
40
41
the animals of canary wharf
42
the above stills are taken from a short sketch video that looks at the idea of using Canary Wharf, or at least its inhabitants, as my subject and site. The video takes a purposefully negative stance on the nature of the work undertaken, alluding to the idea of soulless banker, in need of an outlet and sensory escape.
43
pm
am N
given the location and direction of the sun path shown above, any structure (even one designed to appear see-through) would cast some sort of shadow on the surrounding landscape. This diagram shows the possible location of these shadows, the blue shaded areas indicate the area that could be affected by reduced levels of daylight, depending on the height and materiality of the proposal.
44
the concept Like the floating fishing villages in Cambodia, my site proposal is for a floating island community, subject to growth and re-siting as and when is necessary. The site will be secret, known only to its members, and accessed by means of secret entrances located around the city. For the club to remain secret and its members anonymous, this floating island must not be seen from any view-point. As far as passers-by are concerned, the site does not exist; but all the time right in front of their eyes.
45
crossing the water How, without needing electricity or an external power source, can a view across the Thames be seen both day and night, and uninterrupted by the concealed site floating between the embankments? The projection should not attract any unnecessary attention from onlookers, and provide a smooth image from any point of the embankment. Unlike the retro-reflective projection technology, this method of projection should be successfully viewed from multiple points of view, with multiple observers... Essentially, I need to attempt to split, bend and multiply light.
46
Transparent materials occur in both nature and the built environment...
47
The speed of light is reduced in the slow medium, shortening the wavelength proportionately. The frequency is unchanged as is the intrinsic characteristic of the light source, but the light bends towards the ‘normal’.
48
the principles of fibre optics
fibre optic filaments are made up of an inner core, cladding and outer jacket. The inner core has a high refractive index, which when paired with the ‘lower’ index of the cladding, means that the light is refracted back into the tube. The narrower the tube, the smaller the angle of incident is likely to be (see above ‘single mode’). fibre optic filaments are usually made up of either glass, silicone, or a mix of the two. The composition can alter the angle of refraction, allowing for thinner,
49
1.5mm fibre optic filament bundles, refracting an array of the visible light spectrum
50
o.5mm fibre optic filament bundles, refracting an array of the visible light spectrum
51
colour intensity The fibre optic filaments transmit and bright and intense level of colour when in direct contact with the light source, but weather or not this colour intensity remains when the distance is increased is less certain. For an accurate replica of the original image to be created on the opposing bank, the filaments need to act as pixels which means that it is important for there to be a distinction between the colour of light transmitted, in order for the image to be accurate.
52
virtual sunset Studio Tobias Klien Images of sunsets around the world are uploaded to this feed and projected into a grid of plastic tubes. The result is an intense, 3D experience.
53
the above images shows the same array of light, this time shone through a thicker, hollow plastic tubing. This material carries the light in a similar way to the fibre optic filament, although it appears to give off more light over the length of the tube, as opposed to just at the cut end, as is the case with the fibre optic filament. This would suggest that the refractive index between the tubing and the air is more similar than in the case of the fibre optic filament. Although more light seems to be lost throughout the length of the material, this tubing definitely gives off a larger surface area of light than the respective fibre optic element.
54
The images below show the hollow tubes, but this time rather than a single colour, I have used an image of a landscape. From left to right, the images show a beach scene on an overcast day, an image of the sea and finally a sunset at Es Verda. All of these pictures were taken on our field trip to Ibiza, the intensity of the image does not come across when transmitted through the tubing.
55
see-through church, Belgium Gijs Van Vaerenbergh
56
the area between v1 & v2 appears transparent, but any line of sight outside of this zone becomes obscured by the structure. Because of this, no matter what the depth of the structure, some interference will occur. You can quite clearly see an example of this interference in the images of Gijs Van Vaerenbergh’s see-through church, and Herzog & deMeuron’s signal box in Basel, below.
57
panels either side of the river would be connected by the light carrying filaments, concealing the floating site.
58
setting lengths of tubing in plaster, at regular intervals will allow me to see what effect the above panels might have on the river side setting.
59
The tubing has been set in the plaster creating a flush surface as intended, the aesthetic is successful as my intention was to create a light and transparent solid. However the material was not thick or strong enough to support the lattice of holes made by the tubing, which means that the sample cracked before I was even able to fully remove the casing. Using this sample, I have created a collage of how the wall may appear to onlookers (below).
60
While the tubes successfully carry the coloured light and scenes, as shown in some of the previous investigations; in order for the ‘wall’ to give the desired effect, the light and image need to be visible through the holes created in the facade. Using natural light sources, the above images show the element in front of a window, looking at a wall and then a desk. While the image behind is not particularly clear on this scale, there is a difference between the three examples. On a larger scale, with smaller holes arranged more densely, I think that this image would become clearer.
61
Collage to show how the transparent wall might look. With this method of construction, thickness and spacing of filament, it is clear that the view is obscured; drawing attention to the site. The site needs to be INVISIBLE
62
crossing the water The following photos show how the light passing through the filaments is affected by changing the substance that acts as the ‘cladding’. The refractive index of water is different to that of air, and as such the amount of light that remains inside the filament or tube changes. When both the fibre optic filament and the hollow tubing are passed through water, not only is there a more intense glow exuding the length of the material, but the light at the end is dispersed over a greater area. The water acts as a diffuser of the light, resulting in slightly less intense point of light. As a consequence, would this mean that the image would suffer from a reduced level of clarity?
63
1.5mm fibre optic filament transmitting white light through air
64
1.5mm fibre optic filament transmitting white light through water
65
clear plastic hollow tubing transmitting white light through air
66
clear plastic hollow tubing transmitting white light through water
67
diffuse light
LEC [light emitting capacitor]
OLED [organic light-emitting diode]
LEC is the term used to describe electroluminescent panels and has been around since the 1960’s. The LEC’s are made by layering materials, one of which is a phosphor plate which emits photons. When the capacitor is charged, the entire area emits an even and diffuse light. Furthermore, this materials extremely thin as well as flexible.
The OLED is a similar material to the LEC in its layered construction and the diffuse light that it emits, the difference being the ‘organic’ film which gives off light when exposed to an electrical current. OLED’s work without a back-light which means they emit a blacker black, making it ideal this application [especially at night].
68
By diffusing the light once it has reached its destination, it is possible to cover a larger surface area using fewer filaments. Even though the filaments are flexible, because I am looking at using enough to cover an area the size of an embankment, each with a diameter of roughly 1mm, the result is a dense mass of cables that need to navigate the space surrounding the site. Using trace to diffuse the light of the filament, at a distance of 50mm from the source; it is clear that while the colour remains, the intensity and clarity of the light becomes drastically reduced. When it comes to reproducing an image as intricate as a cityscape, clarity of image is vital. Particularly when the concealment of a secret community is at risk.
69
diffuse light - the side effect
While diffusing the light leaves more space that the clarity and intensity of the image option. It is vital that image presented to as not to raise questions. For this reason,
available for the site of the proposal, the fact are sacrificed means that it is not really a viable onlookers is sharp enough and realistic enough so an alternative method of concealment is needed.
70
The fibre optic approach, be it individual or bound as cable, means that there will be some degree of interference to the flow of water around the site. This will be the case for any solution that is located in the water. Tunnelling is common place under the city of London, but any work on that scale will attract massive attention to the constructions of the supposedly SECRET location.
71
Introducing an obstacle, or breakwater, into the Thames could result in the same effect as was intended by the Boscombe artificial surf reef. While the idea behind the Boscombe surf reef was to amplify the waves, it was in fact a resounding failure; as you can see in the images below, there was very little change in the number or size of waves, despite the efforts of the engineers. This principle is something that could take effect at my site, so using spreading the obstacle out (for example individual cables rather than one mass) the effect could be reduced.
72
tidal energy The area of the Thames at which my site is located is tidal, for this reason it is worth considering harnessing this energy, particularly seeing as how my proposal is likely to increase the pressure of water flowing through this area. As the water is forced between the site and the obstacle, the pressure will force the turbine to rotate and this energy will be converted to electrical energy by the generator.
This mass could, that causes the increased pressure could house both the fibre optics/cabling as well as the generator.
73
case study the severn barrage The project would involve the construction of a 10 mile long tidal power station to be built across the Bristol Channel, with 214 turbines along its length, generating around the same amount of electricity as three of the latest nuclear power stations. This amount of energy would provide 5-6% of the current electricity usage of England and Wales, equivalent to 8 large coal-fired power stations. The environmental effects of the barrage are the main obstacle in gaining approval for the project. The WWF, RSPB, and Friends of the Earth have all launched campaigns against the plans to construct the Barrage pointing out that the effects on wildlife in the Severn Estuary would be disastrous and irreversible. The Severn Estuary is designated a Special Area for Conservation. 85,000 migratory and wintering water birds (waders including oystercatchers, curlews, dunlins, ringed plovers etc) depend on the mud-flats which would be lost as a results of construction of the Barrage. The effect on marine life would not be so extreme since the water in the Severn Estuary contains a lot of silt brought up from the seabed by the effects of the tidal range, however the Barrage could prevent salmon, eels, and other migratory fish from returning to spawn.
74
The above exploration has lead me to the conclusion that replicating the view through a solid may not be the most effective way of hiding my building, in both clarity of image and effective use of space. Because of this, I am going to return to the initial concept of viewing a projection of the original image, reducing the amount of material used and relying on illusion. smoke & mirrors
75
exploded axo showing the internal construction of my periscope model.
76
scanned image of model periscope, showing the direction of reflection beneath the river. The black zone in the centre of the image is the area hidden by reflection, and the location of my proposed site.
77
As the below photographs show, the illusion means that the observer appears to look straight though the model, where in fact the light at the other end of the model is a reflection. This is most clear in the final photograph where I have inserted my hand into the ‘site’ but it cannot be seen through the viewing hole. Supposing this prototype occurs on a larger scale, my hand would be the site and has disappeared as far as the observer is concerned. So far, this method is far more successful that the previous trials because the object has effectively vanished using relatively little material.
78
20 fenchurch street, London ‘the walkie talkie’ The London skyscraper hit the headlines after sunlight reflected off its surface started fires and melted nearby cars in 2013. Its concave shape meant that the building not only reflected the sun’s rays, but focused them on a particular spot for up to two hours per day. The building has since been fitted with shading devices, but the lenses proposed in my research would not work with such retro-fitting. An alternative solution to reducing the telescopic effect needs to be considered.
79
the rochester device “There’ve been many high tech approaches to cloaking and the basic idea behind these is to take light and have it pass around something as if it isn’t there, often using high-tech or exotic materials,” John Howell, a professor of physics at the University of Rochester.
80
how to 01 02 03
purchase two sets of two lenses with different focal lengths (f1 & f2) separate the first two lenses by the sum of their focal lengths (t1=f1+f2), and do the same for the second set of lenses. separate the two sets of lenses by t2=2f2(f1+f2)/(f1-f2) apart, so that the two f2 lenses are t2 apart.
Achromatic lenses are said to provide the best image quality, but in lieu of these, I will attempt the attempt to mimic the principle with more accessible materials.
81
+1.25 +3.00
+3.00 +1.25
1100mm
1320mm
1100mm
the rochester device “There’ve been many high tech approaches to cloaking and the basic idea behind these is to take light and have it pass around something as if it isn’t there, often using high-tech or exotic materials,” John Howell, a professor of physics at the University of Rochester.
82
The Thames lined with the Rochester device
83