MY
WORKS Wakeman,Thomas
SKROW
1: [HOUSE SCAPES] Urban Landscape Design A Significant Founding Inspiration Dwelling Design 2: [THE PRIVATE REALM] 3: [DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND METHODS] Form Finding and Natural Systems Parametric Modelling Digital Image Processing Praxis Digital Fabrication and Rationalization
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C AR F N HOUS I G URBAN
DESIGN
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House Scapes
House Scapes
House Scapes
House Scapes
House Scapes
House Scapes
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A ND F I PR I NC P DESIGN
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The investigation began with a formfinding exercise, drawing from the architecture of natural systems to develop a new adaptation in the manmade world. My studies took me to protective mechanisms in flowers and pinecones, and the method by which they optimise the internal environment around changes in the outside world. All too often, buildings are poor to resepond to their surroundings, and messy, low tech systems are often ‘added on’ to compensate for fundamental flaws in overall design. Progressing from this idea, and drawing from various other precedents for ‘responsive’ and ‘homeostatic’ facades, I wanted to
develop a self-regulating mechanism which would not require any influences other than the phenomenon it is regulating, be it solar gain, water capture or ventillation. Through digital fabrication and paper models, we developed a final folding mechanism which has the potential to operate in a number of intelligent ways within the final design, be it a roof structure, shading device or even a water collecting facade.
Design Principles Methodology
Digital modelling techniques can be used to simulate form and function in nature, in this case, I attempted to track the path of an unfurling night flower, extrapolating the shape of each petal as it unfurled into wireframe designs. By applying a parametric function to the bending path of the structure, it was then possible to simulate the different stages of opening. This method can provide a clear representatation of movement in natural systemsn and is very useful when attempting to reconstruct such systems in other materials.
Design Principles Methodology
The praxis model shown previously was the basis for a series of experiments to develop a shape that could replicate the movement of the night flower petal in a simple paper model. By changing the point and radius of the curve and spline of the base by a tiny increment, the movement can be affacted drastically. This was an interesting idea in terms of thinking forward to manufacturing. If this design was used to build a shading system, for example, the shape could be modified to precision to optimise the shading aspect according to sun angle and latent air temperature. The system would then effectively be self regulating, eliminating
the need for additiional systems or mechanical machinery to constrantly recalibrate or adjust the angle of the shades according to environmental variables. This is a quality which is very important in construction systems, as reducing the operating energy and mimimising electronic components which can be expensive to operate and replace, creates a much more efficient system, and also extends the longevty of the architecture itself.
Design Principles Methodology
The urban site for my proposal is an ‘inbetween’ area, where the development of the city’s strip mall has run out of money to continue, leaving a pocket of land with some strong remnants of the area’s past. This part of town was originally an industrial center with a strong market base on a plot of open land which opened up following the demolition of the former terraced street during the 60’s. With this industrial quality in mind, the intervention will form an intermediary architecture for the area, with a materiality of modern exposed elements and manufactured components meeting the restored fabric of some of the original remaining buildings. To replicate the materiality of the proposal in a model scale, I used digital fabrication methods to cut precision elements from simple card, which formed a series of delecate components which could be glued together to form the base structure.
Design Principles Methodology
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK ED
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
ODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
Design Principles Methodology
IONAL PRODUCT
Design Principles Methodology
Thomas Wakeman Welsh School of Architecture
wakemante@cardiff.ac.uk