Module 4 yun gu 633789

Yun Gu Student No: 633789

Semester 1/2013

Group 7

IDEATION

Movement

Yun Gu 633789

Balance

Symmetry

In week one's reading, we were introduced to stages of analysing pattern: 1. to subordinate the whole complex subject to one simple overall form with concise schema and abstract. 2. to understand the formal characterization of individual parts, making clear the tensions discovered in the structure. 3. indicating the structural network by focal points(dotted lines) and emphasize the principle tentions by lines. Following the recipes I have emerged two forms out of paper as well as clay. In this statu the form is essential and the main constrain is "cracked" and the design focus on the surface much more than the form. I was experiencing the transformation of geometry but not successed.

IDEATION

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The second idea about pattern formation is spatial effect. The mapping of movements give information about a photo; a pattern can also be used as static representation. Information make real through representation. For natural process to occur, something has to happen in order for an object to become another. An example could be Frei Otto's minimum path using strings and water tension. To emerge a form digitally in order to reach more posible further development, I tracked the pattern using points and extruded them to one point. The first formation results an irregular form that has no volume; the second formation I extruded curves tapered at an angle of 5, also hasn't show any characteristic of a lantern.

After the first use of digital technology (computer software) I realise how many oppotunities it brings to transform geometry and emerge forms. The Rhino program is a bit hard to learn but it acturally brings a lot convenient in design, especially 3D modelling which assist the designer to communicate with others in production process.

IDEATION

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The form on the left is beautifully emerged by extruding lines of the natural pattern; the movement points has increased to a great amount and the form cannot be further developed due to the unique distribution. I liked it very much but this form can not use as a lantern so I did not spend more time on it.

The model on right hand side is made from revolving all the curves on an axis and spined 360 degrees. So far this is the cloest form to be a lantern but I think it's not reflecting the characteristics of my natural pattern so I did not develop further either.

IDEATION

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At this stage I did not have many ideas about how to interact hands with the lantern (how to hold it) as I haven’t decided the form I will use. So I simply just suppose holding it on hands will be the easiest way.

However when I got to the last practise model on Rhino, I started consider how would this blasting form interact with hands. I would like to develop this model further because the form itself challenges the traditional lantern’s definition which is exciting and innovative. At the same time it response to the natural pattern and carries the characteristic of the concept “cracked”.

The next stage of design will be how this form can interact with hands and how would lights input. Prototypes are required to text the construction due to the unique distribution.

IDEATION

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From the first few weeks' lectures, my faviourite example is the TO AND FRO TABLE which uses pattern and material to create a graphic shadow. This product leads me to the consideration of light effect. The cracking pattern also makes me associate with the broken glass. I aimed a light effect that could has a "cracked" shadow on the wall behind the lantern. In module one I wanted the design to more focus on how the surface can provide a shadow reflects the natural pattern; however this has not been achieved in later design process. I think this is acturally an interesting idea to develop from but to achieve the effect, knowledge of relationship between light and shadow need to be apply and it would take more time for testing. I also considered using small mirrors insidethe lantern that would create ingenious light effect with limited light source. However these ideas seem to be too fency due to the time frame.

DESIGN

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After the Rhino practise I did in Ideation, some considerations appears: How can I hold the lantern as it’s a blasting form?

What kind of light effect I want to achieve?

To learn to use panelling tools and get more ideas about how can the surface transform, I used a the form on left and trying to make an object with volume so that I can combine it and the model and insert light source. Through readings, we learned about the difference between abstraction and reduction. An abstracted model only contain necessary information to describe the properties of an object while reduction is to find the optimal way to transport the information. From my module one journal, both the paper and the clay model could be examples of abstraction that it generates ideas to make a form out of the chosen natural pattern. Reduction in my design process could be the Rhino practise that it finalise my ideas, more descriptive and realistic than my recipe and hand made models. Also, reducting by using computer software offers more options of transforming and it's very flexible to enable more tryouts of transformation to get the best production.

DESIGN

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In module one, I explored the 3D transformation of a cracked tree natural pattern and got some ideas to make the lantern.

In module two I will focus on the surface more than the base form itself so to lower the complexity, I made a rendered simpler circular form and used paneling tools to tryout the effects. However, these forms are unable to combine with the blasting lantern form and did not appear in my final design.

DESIGN

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Under consideration, I decided to use a ring to devide two parts of blasting form and sketched some ideas while thinking how to hold the lantern. There are two ideas of holding it, the difference is only place the ring vertically or horizontally. Then I started making the ring model in Rhino and used different panels to get the best effect. In this stage, what I have less consideration is the light effect and the construction of the lantern. That’s the reason why I have problems with prototyping the model later on.

DESIGN

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After trying out several 2D and 3D panels, I found the pyramid is the most effective one and I have decided to use this in my final design. The next steo I would take is prototyping the panel and also the blasting form to work out connections and light effect.

DESIGN

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- The first small panel prototype The paper is thicker than expected, lights can not really go through and the tabs are obvious under strong lighting. To light up a larger area, I considered making some holes on the surface and I need a larger scaled prototype to test the construction. I used the flash light on cell phones as the lighting source, which may not showing the exact light effect.

FABRICATION

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Final Decision: Because combing both forms in Rhino will make the form look complicated and much harder to unroll, so I kept them the way they are seperately.

I used different colours and more than 50 layers to differentiate the pieces of the blasting form for future constructing. The material use to construct the lantern will be white cards so the image below may show how aesthetic will be, shadows within the lantern will assist the light effect to look layered therefore achieve a better visual effect.

FABRICATION

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The assembly drawing and unrolled pieces of the model shows how it’s constructed. However I have made some changes (cut off the pointy part) the construction of the final model is different.

FABRICATION

The first prototype was small, when I constructed half of the model, I reckon there is only one point for connection and it may not be strong enough.

And it’s not responding the blasting shocking effect I want to achieve so for the final model I am scaling the model to twice its size. To improve: increase the touching area of connection by cutting off the pointed part.

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From readings I learned how digital technology can effect our design.

Digital technologies are used as a medium of conception and sometimes a medium of translation, which inputs the geometry of the physical model and produces as its output the digitally-encoded information to drive fabrication machines. From digital to physical model, the designer will need to finish the digital model using various modeling software and unroll the model to 2D then create the information to manipulate the fabricators. By using digital technologies, it provides me more opportunities to make a complex model delicately.

It also saves a lot of time measuring and calculating the dimensions; the machine does not leave any extra mark on the paper which offers the best quality of a paper model. Also, the cutter machine gives me the opportunity to easily try on different prototypes and produce complex geometries in my design.

Manipulating the machine is not hard and it does fold lines as well as cutting lines which avoid many troubles in making models.

The use of fabricators makes it possible to tryout different ways of transformation to make prototypes and get the best solution out of paper model.

FABRICATION

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By only putting lights in the ring part, the major part of the model is not visible in the dark and the light effect is not very innovative.

To develop, I will cut inside the edges of the triangles on pyramic to make some holes, as well as cutting small triangles near the connection part of the body, allowing lights go through.

FABRICATION

The sketches on right shows how the construction will change after refinement. Also because the light can not go through the paper, I will make some holes on the surface by hand, on both the middle part of the blasting model and the ring.

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The digital technology reduces the steps between computer modeling and fabrication; it prevents the complicated steps of measuring, drawing, cutting and folding. Without the ruler and guide lines, the model could be more delicate as well as convenient for small scale fabrication. In my fabrication process, the card cutter has been extremely useful. Because my model has complex curved faces that is extremely difficult to construct in hand making; the digital unrolling and cutting helps to build smooth form using sheet paper. Also, the machine is capable to control cutting forces that produces fold lines which are the “most literally material operation�, I used stagger fold line and dash line to produce flexural surfaces. The digital fabrication provides a lot of constraints in constructing the complex form of my lantern.

FABRICATION

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The construction of the new model works okay with larger area of connection, but still glue is not strong enough to combine them so I sewed through paper and taped around the connection part. The use of white tape makes the connection less obvious therefore let two parts look more like a whole. Before I glue the ring, I need to connect the circuit so that I can make a switch to light up four bulbs at the same time.

FABRICATION

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The ring was constructed with bulbs inside, that prevents a lot of trouble inserting light source. The model is supposed to be hold by catching the ring, the model can be hang both vertically and horizontally. The whole model may not look as a whole, but I found the figure very interesting and the design is unique as a lantern.

Connect the circuit - I used white wires and white tapes to make them “invisible� within the model. The four bulbs connected will be placed inside the ring , one in every two pyramids. Additional two bulbs will be placed individually in both the upper and lower body of the model.

REFLECTION

Yun Gu 633789 How digital technology has changed my view on design, making and the context of the built environment: Digital technology is definitely the trend of industry in the future; by using compute technologies the productive process enables the rationalization of production. The technology also changes the business context as “The partial shift from markets to networks brings with it a different business orientation.� I would construed the context of product design is shifted to networks that the designers can develop and display more options to the client through computer technology; the designer and client can work together even they are from different country.

After experiencing the digital modeling method, I found it very convenient to communicate ideas with 3D models and there are much more opportunities to develop the design. Economically, using Rhino to fabricate saves paper from testing, mistakes in cutting and all other failure element in hand making process. The CNC card cutter also saves time in making models that leaves more time to fix bugs and develop further before the due day.

I used to see design as a regular process of testing (colours/fonts/ sizes‌); but the digital technology has shown me the unlimited possibility of transformation and changes my stale understanding of design. I am surprised by how digital technology makes many incredible transformation of geometry possible and easy.

Imagination used to be unreachable by hand making but now there are only things you cannot imagine, not things you cannot do with technology.

REFLECTION

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Evaluation Through the process of designing and making my lantern, I have earned experience of digital modeling and fabrication using CNC cutter as well as hand constructing. Refers to the concept of craft in this reading, my skill of working with material and digital technology is developed as well as the skill to adjust the design to work better with a particular material which in this case is card. The interaction with the material provides me detailed constrains in design and brings considerations of light effects. I personally think my choice of pattern initially includes risk; without thinking too much I chose a natural cracked tree pattern that is hard to emerge a form from. The development also includes a degree of risk because the form I have got is quite challenging as a lantern; I have problems with the construction and light effect in early models as well. The risks I took increase the possibility of failure in design but I have earned a valuable experience and I am satisfied with the result final model.

REFLECTION

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