ENVS10008 Virtual Environments Semester 1/2013 Tutor: MichelleGroup 4

Student Name: Wenxing Li Student No.: 625433

MODUEL I - IDEATIONResponse to lectures & readingsPoling, C. (1987): Analytical Drawing * Kandisky's analytical drawings: an investigation of the structural relationship among objects, following a series of stages: - briefly stated - involved progressively the simplication, analysis and transformation of the graphic characteristics presented by the motif.

* Purpose: an education in looking, precise obsercation, and the precise representation not of the external appearance of an object, but of constructive elements, the laws that govern the forces that can be discovered in given objects, and of their logical constructions.

Three stages of analytical approach advanced by Kandisky: - to subordinate the whole complex to one simple overall form, which must be precisely draw in; - making clear the tensions discovered in the structure; - translation ( physical visible ---> abstract language)

Profile from Meg Rapp - Architizer

Digital Drawings - Tyler Julian Johnson

Four-stranded ‘quadruple helix’ DNA structure

Looking at this patern I chose, I observed that this patern was constructed by numerous irregulat polygons. These polygons are closely connected and each two irregular polygons shared one edge (rough observation). Instead of focusing on what those irregular shapes are, I simplified these shapes and tend to explore the pentagonal, hexagonal, and octagonal shapes.

Analytical Drawings

Analysis and abstraction of the natural patern

Response to lecture & reading

Tooling Aranda / Lasch

*Tooling is about what rules exist within this hypothetical 'pre-material' state that influenence its movement into the realm of the material.*Tooling is broken down into seven algorithmic techniques: spiraling, packing, weaving, blending, cracking, flocking, and tiling.* Tooling: 1) recipe 2) shapes made by that recipe 3) a project that uses that recipe within an architectural context, and finally 4) programmtic computer code

I followed the overall structure and shape of the pattern and then mirroed the hexagon to

Emergent formAt this stage, the Y shape in my pattern was found by linking hexagon and pentagon together.

The 3D hexagon was d e v e l o p e d i n t h i s e m e r g i n g f o r m . I t combines both samll a n d l a r g e s c a l e o f hexagons.

This is the simplified clay model emerged f r o m t h e p a p e r model. I decided to use this model to produce contours. T h e re a s o m w hy I c h o s e t h i s c l ay model was because it has a clear shape so that I can apply method 1 to digitise this model.

Exploration of natural process & architecture precedentsHexagonal Cell Building

The idea of this design is that "many different nations come together to create one entity, but without losing their individual identities." The individual shape is closely connected to each other (see figure 1). They rely on each other and create a solid structure. The Y shape is also found in this architecture design. To create a solid structure by closely connecting every piece is what I am expecting to come up with for the final lantern form. It is also worth pointing out that this architecture has an opening (see figure 2). Therefore, the natural light can come into the internal space (see figure 3). I also want to creat this effect for my lantern which will has an opening on the top to enable the lighting to come out of the lantern.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

MODUEL 2 - DIGITISATIONComposition Strategy: 1+1=1By observing my pattern, I picked up the key shapes, pentagon and hexagon, that made up the pattern to combine them in an interesting way. The first combination I tried was a repetation of hexagons with its size being smaller and smaller. However, I found that this model was still a little bit flat and with limited further development. Therefore, I decided to make a more 3-dimentional model composing by a number of dimentional hexagons. After trying different possibilities, I prefer this design as shown in the following pictures. Actually, this is just a base of my emerging form. I can add more layers to it and explore some interesting ways to compose the dimentional hexagon. The reason why I prefer this model is because I can see more possible compositions coming from this base.

Abstraction & reductionScheurer, F. & Stehling, H. (2011): Lost in Parameter Space?

Abstraction is the process of transforming reality into an unambiguous digital model. Reduction is the optimisation of information contained in the digital model, essentially a similar approach to analytical drawing (the simplification of a complex system). The process of digitising the chosen natural patern involves both abstraction (translation of the physical model into the digital equivalent) and reduction (refinement of the design acoording to the boundaries of the digital environment).

Material behaviour computing formFleischmann, M., et al. (2012): Material Behaviour - Embedding Physical Properties in Computational Design Process

While tradition architectural design approaches priorities geometry over materiality, computational design method enables the incorporation of material properties into models, allowing material behaviours to influence the form. Similarly, the form of the lantern respond to the inherent properties of paper card, though no specific structural analysis is applied in the design process. 'Material behaviour computing form' exists in vernacular construction technuques with natural materials: the Madan tribes in southern Iraq build vaulted structures from reeds, harnessing the elastic properties inherent in the material and in moren architecture.

Digitisation processTranslation of the physical model into a digital model using Rhino 5.0 to create a curvilinear surface. 1) Countour: - reducing 3D model (clay) to 2D contours, method 1 was used; - importing image into Rhino, segments traced on graph paper for scale and photographed in plan. - generate 3D digital skeleton from 2D contours; - creating curvilinear surface from skeleton; transforming lines into surface with 'Loft' & 'Scale'

2) 2D Paneling

3) 3D Paneling

Precedent Study

StemCloud, Shoreditch, London

STEMcloud has been developed as a parametric furniture system able to generate spatial atmospheres (clouds) by providing light filtration, privacy and oxygenation. STEM cloud promotes a concentrated experience of man-nature interaction in dense urban contexts where the presence of traditional vegetative systems is close to zero. A series of plug-ins add functionality and customization to the system, introducing artificial lighting, objects containers, pining surfaces, etc. The parametric nature of the single modules allows for a computational definition of the overall clouds; environmental gradients of solar radiation, people flow intensity, co2 emissions can be computed and used as generative environments for the developments of specific clouds/assemblages of STEM.

http://www.ecologicstudio.com/v2/project.php?idcat=3&idsubcat=9&idproj=12

MODUEL 3 - FABRICATIONEquality fabricationGershenfeld, N. (2005): Subtraction; Addition; Building Models.

Though not strictly 'equality fabrication', material consumption is optimised by arranging the 2D elements with as little negative space on the cutting template as possible. Other waste reduction methods: sharing cut lines between the elements may to achieve 'equality' (drastically restricting the object geometry to a symmetrical or repetitive form) reducing the physical size or paneling complexity of the design (also limiting the aesthetic possibilities of the deisgn). Initial prototyping informed subsequent fabrication attempts: reduced spacing between the elements (with some experience of fabrication tool limitations) wasted material progressively reduced. The prototyping process proved vital in the production of a unique and complex desin.

Making digital ideasMacfarlane, B. (2005): Making Ideas. In Architecture in the Digital Age

3D digital modeling allows the designer to specify complexities of surface and geometry precisely and unambiguously. Traditional 2D documentation methods are unable to fully express the design. Working 'fluidly with conventional and digital media', switching from hand sketching to computer modelling and back again throughout the design process. Ideas in a constant state of flux and evolution, exploring variations on the original concept right up to the fabrication stage of the final design.

Fabricating & assembling of 1:1 models1) Fabricating 1:1 models by 'unrolling'For the final moedel, I decided to keep octagon shape for the lantern form instead of hexagon due to the fact that the connection between individual elements is stronger than that of hexagon.

2) Prototyping

3) The placement on the body

Lighting