Foundations of Design : Representation, SEM1, 2018 M3 JOURNAL - PATTERN vs SURFACE LU ZHANG
953964 Naomi Ng, Studio 25
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WEEK 6 READING: SURFACES THAT CAN BE BUILT FROM PAPER IN ARCHITECTURAL GEOMETRY Question 1: What are the three elementary types of developable surfaces? Provide a brief description. The three elementary types of developable surfaces are cylinders, cones and tangent surfaces of space curves. Cylinder surfaces can be formed by a parallel extrusion of a profile curve in some direction, which results in the rulings on the surface all parallel to each other. Cones, similar to pyramids, are modeled by a central extrusion with lines connecting a profile curve and a vertex point. Tangent surfaces of space curves are more complicated made by a polygon with vertices.
Question 2: Why is the understanding of developable surface critical in the understanding of architectural geometry? Choose one precedent from Research/Precedents tab on LMS as an example for your discussion. The understanding of developable surface is important because without its’ help it will be difficult to create correct and precise complex curved shapes. With the advantage of easily coved with sheet metal, it contributes to the simplification of building process. For the example of the Huyghe + Le Corbusier Puppet Theater designed by MOS, the repetitive use of triangle panels forms the curved geometric shapes. Also, the way panels assembled in an unfolding make the construction easily and efficiently.
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PANELLING PATTERN
2D Panelling, Pattern: Triangular
3D Panelling, Pattern: Pyramid 1
At the beginning of this task, I learned how to use the fundamantal tools of Rhino, through which I explored different methods to build paneling pattern with variation.
3D Panelling, Pattern: Pyramid 2
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VARIABLE 3D PATTERN 3D Custom Variable 1 Pattern: Double pyramids Distance method: Pointattractor The way to make pattern: Two adjacent triangle curves are connected with two points using the command called ‘extrudeCrvToPoint’. The prerequisite of this command is the curve need to be closed and the commands of ‘join’ and ‘exclude’ are involved.
3D Custom Variable 2 Pattern: Pyramid with quadrilateral openning Distance method: Curveattractor The way to make pattern: Two squares in different heights are coupled by using the command of ‘loft’. Before inputting ‘Mesh’ command, ‘solidpton’ could be utilized to change the points ab lib, which contributes to the variability of the objects.
3D Custom Variable 3 Pattern: Pyramid with star openning Distance method: Pointattractor The way to make pattern: Same as making the pattern of variable
After mastering the basic functions of paneling, I tried to experiment the different ways to create three dimensional patterns with various characters.
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2, ‘loft’ would be used to build the solid. It is the star on the top that makes this module unique. Besides, this one will intuitively reveal the importance and influence of the command of ‘triangulatemesh’.
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3D PANEL TEST PROTOTYPE & TEMPLATE 0
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I experimented three simple patterns of single pyramid, double pyramids and pyramid with square opening to test the complete steps from design to physical model. In order to find the best way to group modules, I divided the adjacent seven modules into three groups with one, two and four items and then I found for the double pyramids it would be better to unroll separately for its
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complexity, while two single pymamids could be in one group to improve efficiency. Besides, I used UHU to glue them together
Having had a grasp of the basic steps and their main points, I thought it would be easier to apply more complicate patterns to achieve my own design.
and at that time I thought it was really handy because it took less time to make tabs joint, but after three days I found some tabs had already split. Another thing I learned from this test was that the useless tabs on the top around the open square should be removed to increase the aesthetics of the work.
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WEEK 7 READING: DIGITAL FABRICATION Complete your reading before attempting these questions:
Question 1: What is digital fabrication and how does it change the understanding of two dimensional representation? Digital fabrication is a method used in the final stage of construction combined with computer aided design to manage a fabrication process. It triggers a design revolution, which accelerates the calibration between virtual model and physical artifact together with the narrower gap between representation and building. In addition, CAD programs contribute to make two-dimensional drawing of higher efficiency without changing the design of building.
Question 2: Suggest two reasons why folding is used extensively in the formal expression of building design? The most significant reason why folding is used extensively is that it could transform a two-dimensional surface into a three-dimensional spatial building. Also, folding increases the structural stiffness, which make materials ‘self supporting’, thus in turn provide itself with the advantages of visual appealing and effective.
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EXPLORING 3D PANELLING
At the beginning of exploration, I applied a bounding box to my terrain for the better understanding of its contour. From one corner to see my terrain it seems like the height of diagonal line is lower than the other parts. Because of this, I wanted to make my design fitting in the surface and take advantage of the curvature to build my own work with unique features. My inspiration came from the conveyor belt with upturned flap. In order to respond to my idea suitably, I came up with a logic of creating a pattern with opening holes in the middle to suite the belt while pyramids in the other sides because their spires felt sharp therefore more likely to the edges. When placing different objects to the grid, I utilized the command called “ptpanel3D-
To achieve the consistent I designed my patterns in the similar way. For the three main patterns, except the pyrimid custom made at the outermost place, other patterns
customvariable” with the “curveattrattractor”. I experimented several curves to attract
were divided in half. I utilized the trapezium on the top of the third module because I thought the openning of the polygon would be gentle than triangle to represent
but at last I found that the curve intersect with the “offset” one could resulted in the
the belt. In order to make a smooth trasition between these three basic patterns, I designed two more to make the whole work more flow. In the similar way, these two
best composition of the modules to make the work more aesthetic.
objects had two triangular compoments constituting one square of the base to achieve the coherence. In terms of the height, I applied the “curveattractor’ first in the step of “offsetpoint” with the curve along the diagonal line. Besides, as the left image shown, when design-
The design of the pattern and arrangement was of decisive significance to the final physical model because the following steps were all based on this.
ing five modules I set their height gradually changing between adjacent objects and two half in one object as well. The reason why I did two steps to make the altitude difference was that I wanted to make my work with stronger visual and expressive effect.
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UNROLL TEMPLATE OF YOUR FINAL MODEL 14
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with their own label to make the typesetting in Illustrator and the
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beginning and it was very important to arrange them in order
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I did the step named ‘unrollsrf’ together on each module at the 6
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physical process more efficiently. The order I ruled for my mod-
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mids and when I unrolled them one half of some unfolded plane
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would be labelled end in 1 while the downside one end in 2.
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After exported the file to Illustrator and changed the line weight,
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that I had to unroll them separately and then the upside one
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geometry would be overlapped by the other half, resulting in
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left was a to b. Besides, as I had lots of modules with two pyra-
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ules was that from up to down was one to ten and from right to
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It would be better to combine all PDF into one document which
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would save time in printing.
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After finished the unrolling part, I printed them separately on A4
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paper though it would take longer time to cut them into folding
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panels because I think directly printing on the ivory card would
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influence the aesthetic. For the unnecessary tabs that should
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directly remove them in this step was that as I needed to check
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the pattern on A4 paper to ivory card. The reason why I didn’t
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removed from the final physical work, I cut them when I traced
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the top tabs of each module when folding, it would be quicker
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resulted in a higher accuracy of the physical model. 15
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to realize which lines for the base and the way to fold, which
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Shown here are the part of the unrolled 3D panels, which would then be printed out for folding and gluing.
PANELISED LANDSCAPE
Plan view photo of final physical model
Perspective view photo of final pgysical model
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PANELISED LANDSCAPE
This step was the most time-comsuming part of the task. Though I thought the process could be little boring, when I completed the whole work I was really excited and at that moment I felt every efffort was paid off. At the beginning, I overlaid the A4 paper on the ivory card to cut the contours off and collected the A4 panels together in case I did something wrong. When folding I compared the number of each line to the unfolded module to ensure the accuracy. And It was important to figure out which side of the paper should be the outside of the physical object because the asymmetry of my modules so I would first experimented on the A4 paper to check. The clips were helpful to fix the gluing tabs together and I used the PVA instead of UHU in this step, which kept my work clean. Rather than finishing ten modules in a row seperately and then sticking them toghther, I did the connecting step one by one, which I thought could better guarantee the unity of the work. After photoed my final physical model in different angles I added some filters to make the pictures more attractive in Photoshop.
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APPENDIX
Top view applied to unroll surface with labels around the modules
Ticking the fold lines on A4 paper to ensure the accuracy
The blue line used to offset points while the yellow line used to apply modules
Using the small bull nose clips to help the work fixed
PVA, clips, knife and cutting mat used to make the module
More experiments to explore variable patterns. For this image, I rotated some modules in 180 degree and applied the original ones and new ones successively with the use of pointattractor and the point was located in the right corner of the surface. The reason why I tried this was to guarantee that the height change of two half in one object will follow the change in adjacent modules in the same side of the diagonal line.
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