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This is a multi-purpose project including, living and educational spaces in San Francisco. The aim is to design a new educational gravity center as a tourist magnet for San Francisco. The geometrical design process began by warping an envelope based on program needs and defining an existing tree as gravitational point. This concept generates a smooth transition from space-frame to surface morphology by incrementally increasing or decreasing the aperture in the triangular faces. The gradient porosity of the system is related to environmental and programmatic performance. The system is designed to respond to programmatic requirements as well as environmental needs such as ventilation and day lighting. Since associative models such as this become very complex, a parametric program was required to manage the processing of data. Working within the framework of rhino and grasshopper, it is possible for the real-time experimentation, manipulation, and analysis of this competing system with integrated results.

Gravity Center

M a y s a m G h a f f a r iS t u d i o A R H - 6 1 9 , I n d i v i d u a l P r o j e c t

AAU, School of Architecture, San Francisco, Spring2008

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Educational Gravity CenterStudio ARH-619, Individual ProjectAAU, School of Architecture, San Francisco, Spring2008B

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New educational gravity Center as a tourist magnetFor san francisco

Bird Eye ViewMain Entrance


Aperture Control Point DistanceAttractorD

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Dia-grid Aperture Subtraction

QUAD TRIANGLE SCALED ANALYSIS

Gravity Warp StudyBeyond this, algorithms were used to adjust each triangular element in relation to the existing tree ‘Gravity Point’ base. This was further complicated by subtracting the new set of triangles from their original size in order to create skin’s opening. The attractor points could alter the size of aperture in the triangle element based on the performance requirements. In this particular case, apertures located in the centre of the public courtyard (the existing tree) should maximize the penetration of light and air.


(U*V)*2) =Number of triangulated panels.

Triangulation process by Shattering each quadrangle into the vertices and create 3point surface.

Laser Cut Pattern

SCALE FACTOR CONTROLER:

Input curves from Rhino tocreate a surface in Grasshopper.

Number generator:F(x)= x&YA0, A1, A2, …B0, B1, B2, …

Folding part forstructural rigidity

Labeling for fabrication and assembly

The process began by shaping an envelope based on the program needs and finding set of control point to generate the gradient porosity of the system relative to environmental and programmatic performance. The method for development of the envelope model included dividing the curving surface of the envelope by a set of u&v values using a graph mapper component in grasshopper. As values were incrementally manipulated, it was possible to evaluate the implication on structure and fabrication. The result is a panelization that creates triangular structures with diagonal support beams in order to facilitate the curvature of the skin. The triangles are defined by a system of folded plates, which can create structural rigidity

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Elavation A

4th Floor

exploratorium

Documents

gravity centerthis

gravity centerm

school of architecture

individual projectaau

point s

t u d i o

size of aperture

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