Introduction
The beginning of an inductive design process is reliant on extensive experimentation in a search of a component that’s provocative in form and material qualities. In searching for this component the desire was to achieve a bottom up design process where the seemingly insignificant decisions on the individual and local component scales create large effect on the regional panels and global design. The end design was to be something that is understood on the global scale, but only through investigation would an understanding of the individual parts influence on the whole be understood.
The process began with a series of iterations in the search of this starting point that would lead a scientific process of material and formal discovery. One week into the process the teams desks were covered with various tests, drawing, photos and ideas. Material pieces of various sizes and shapes ranging from metal,to plastic to paper were scattered all about. But somewhere buried in the playing and iterations were lessons learned about the limits and properties of materials, the limits and adjusted characteristics of specific parameters, and the limits of the patience of those involved.
Process
Before arriving at the component that would define our partial semester’s assembly, the team went through a considerable analysis of the Mobius strip. The Mobius strip was provocative shape that attracted attention because of the possibilities of connections on the various angles and the reflections and light qualities it produced in some of the tested materials. The strength of the unique form was eventually overshadowed by the difficulty of its manipulation as a component and its proliferation into an assembly. It did however project qualities that were successful, which were abstracted into a simpler component, and led to a series of cones that comprised the shape of flower. From that point, parameters were introduced in the form of twisting force and distortion that would lead to three components with features that created various conditions of lighting, airflow, and porosity. This fed the design process and it quickly began morphing into a larger system that was able to be applied to a global design in the forms of a pavilion and the construction of an installation. The installation proved to be a valuable final stage of development because being built in a life scale it showed how stacking the system and forming spaces would be possible in larger installations.
Throughout our tests and trials the design was infatuated with flexible assemblies and forms. Many things were attempted that would flop, fall over, and or wiggle uncontrollably. Persistence, however, paid off as eventually the knowledge base grew and the design was able to take on a form, assembly, and scale that created an installation that used inflexible form and glowing diffused lighting to draw attention and open minds to a possibility of embracing flexibility in some construction applications rather then fighting it and trying to make it disappear.
Our trials explored issues such as airflow, light diffusion, porosity, direct sunlight diffusion, movement and form. In the end our design processes began to emerge along with our design itself and we began considering everything on the individual, local, regional, and global scales. The lessons learned from the hands on process that follows led to a provocative design that could have only been developed through this form of thinking and exploration. Reverb uses the result of intense investigation and material understanding that transformed our own visions of what a wall assembly is.
Defining a Local Component
The local component serves as the congregation of many individual moves and the beginning of an understanding of variable pieces. The seemingly small decisions made on the individual level have their differences multiplied in later steps, creating the final form of Reverb. The change of just a couple of hole placements in the individual creates the distortion of the cups seen in local component B and C which defines not just the way the single component looks, but the connections between components, the resulting formal geometry, and the aesthetic light qualities that varies between each of the pieces. While the individual and its congregation of the local component may feel like it is making only a small variance from the neighboring community, the results of all the small variances is an unforeseeable massing with qualities whose depth of value can only begin to be understood on the level of the individual and local congregation.
Products of distortion
As the string of eight cups chooses to vary its hole placement, the material is flexible enough to allow for distortion in the formation of the circles. Component B is formed by the top circle of the cups pushing out, forcing the bottom in, and creating a much lower edge angle than seen in component A. Component C does the opposite, bringing the tops together, and creating a more vertical edge. This variation allows for the plan and section in the global geometry to have varying curves in the formation of wall planes and the resulting spaces.
The flexibility of the PETG material will presumably manifest itself on the global scale by varying the formal and aesthetic qualities of the final spaces that are created. As the geometric and material qualities of the local component get multiplied out, the end structure and form that is created will vary in ways that are not yet apparent on this scale. This creates unique qualities and exponential variations in each of the local components as they are multiplied out over a system.
Airflow Analysis
The formal variation between the local components has the ability in a global assembly to affect the enjoyment qualities of a space. One of the first things studied with the local assembly was how each have the ability to affect the airflow of a larger piece. What potentials does a system like this have for controlling either interior airflow or wind resistance and funneling? By modeling the pieces in Solidworks the components were a analyzed and compared to one another. In all three case, as expected, a head on breeze would flow through the component with relative ease. The airflow through components B and C showed a slight increase in velocity, a result of funneling the same amount of air through smaller apertures. As the components were rotated they showed a less expected result of having the ability to resist some breeze and instead push it around an overall geometry. In a global assembly it will be possible to control airflow from entering spaces from certain directions. This means if there is a time of year breeze isn’t desired or if there is a spot where a draft enters, Reverb can control flow and prevent it from passing its boundaries.
Light Meter Analysis
By varying the form in the components it‘s possible to control the levels of light in a global assembly and create a variation between spaces. In this study the results again fit with expectations, revealing that the smaller the aperture sizes the less light that would be allowed to pass freely through the component. While at this level this variation between pieces was minimal, panels of these forms would presumably created larger variations and have the ability to control direct sunlight and the effects of electric lights.
Using translucent PETG in local components allows light to transmit through the material and continually diffuse as the layers of material add up. This creates a glowing effect that will have potential in a global assembly, giving a different presence during the daytime and nighttime.
CNC and Efficiency
Through each stage of development for this project, efficiency in fabrication was an important goal. Using an anisotropic material, we were given the flexibility of orientating the individual cutouts as necessary on the page to achieve minimal unused area while not worrying about compromising the bending characteristics of the PETG.
One cone comprises 91.51 sq. in. The larger bed can nest 15 components in its 1,728 sq. in, while the smaller bed can nest only 4 components in its 512 sq. in. The resultant efficiency for the larger laser bed was 79%, and for the smaller laser bed 71%. The final decision, however, to fabricate with the smaller equipment didn’t come from analysis of efficiency in material waste, but in the efficiency of personal economics in relation to the costs of using the beds. For us to use the larger scale, professional service laser bed we would need to pay a labor fee of approximately $600. This fee was far too high for our expense account while the additional two sheets of PETG that needed to be purchased to make up for efficiency loss plus approximately $250 in laser time on the smaller bed were not of equal value to the $600 dollar fee. While our efficiency could go up saving material and money, the labor costs compared to using our labor made the decision that the smaller bed was necessary to reduce costs.
Order of Assembly
As the design progressed from local to regional levels of assembly, a simple linear understanding of the connect angles and resultant geometry became necessary. Quickly a study of similar local components connected in rows and varying components revealed the linear geometric possibilities of the system. This provided a beginning knowledge base as the design process began taking the local components and connecting them to produce meshes of regional panels.
Mapping Strategies
The diagram on the right defines the organization of type and orientation of the local component. This is used to define mappings of various assemblies, to keep the meshed in the regional and global assemblies understandable. There is also a consistent connection strategy employed at the regional and global levels where each individual cone is connected to a neighbor through two fasteners on adjoining planes. Each local component therefore has eight connection planes and sixteen fasteners if it is surrounded on all sides. This creates strong connections between local components and they come together to form the regional panels.
Regional Panels
As the three versions of the local component were analyzed for the strengths and weaknesses that each possessed the exploration began to turn towards an assembly system that would bring the local units together and start progressing the system into a regional assembly. The first step in this process was to use the linear connection study of local components to come up with a regional mesh assembly. Many variations of connections were tested, resulting in many different regional panel sizes, curvatures, and distortions of the local and individual components. What quickly became apparent was that the differences between components was the focus of the study thus far and it made logical sense to continue studying the components separately to understand the possibilities of each within a system of like parts. Regional panels were limited to being all local component A, B, or C.
We tested a variety of options for using a single component to make a nine component mesh, but found that the best barrel and dome curvatures came when a row of components oriented all the same direction was bookended by rows that varied between front and back oriented components. The curve in all three component assemblies was easy to work with, allowing for easy connection to other panels while minimizing the distortion necessary to connect the components.
As regional panels were created the porosity of each was one of the first dimensions tested. Each panel was viewed from straight on (red) and thirty degrees to each side (left is yellow and right is blue). These color codings were overlaid to explore the patterns in each panel and throughout the set of panels. In Set 3 it was common that the blue and yellow kept mostly to their own sides and didn’t overlap. This study reveals how the panel will provide a changing view with each step as visitors pass by, creating opportunities to hide areas if the right combination of panels are assembled together.
The second direction to the consider in the geometry of the regional panel assembly is in the sectional plane. How does the connection and resultant distortion of the local components cause Set 3 to curve? The first way this was analyzed was during the initial assembly process. As each local component was added to the mesh and fastened into place the components were felt distorting very slightly to fit together. Along with this the barrel curvature of B and dome curvature of A were felt and observed as each new piece was fastened into place. This hands on connection to the material and formation of the greater panel allows the assembler to see the combination and subsequent local component distortion and transformation as the addition of each piece changes the system. As it was assembled an understanding of the strength and flexibility of each regional panel was also understood, leading to a useful knowledge base as the project progressed into the global assembly.
The second way the curvature of each regional panel was understood was through a digital analysis where each panel was modeled in Rhino and the radius of curvature was color coded for easy reading and interpretation. This revealed to us exactly how and where in the panel the barrel in B and dome in A were formed and where the holes were showing through and creating a quick, violent curve. It also revealed how the curve, which seemed slightly barreled in C was in fact forming from the corner. While we were not able to deduce a way that this analysis could be used to adjust the individual or local components to control the curvature, as this math was outside of our realm to understand on this short time frame, it did reveal to us exactly where and in what direction the curvature was forming.
While Set 3 was created to give an assembly a bend, Set 4 was assemble to be nearly flat. Each local component has a little flex and bend to it, but because regional panels are assembled of like parts, by flipping every other panel backwards the components would theoretically fit nearly flawlessly together. This assembly method created three more unique panels.
It was clear from looking at the panels that they are made of three distinct parts, despite having the same mapping pattern and a similar panel shape and curvature. The porosity is what divides these three panels. First, the set itself is unique compared to Set 3 or other test sets because from all three viewing angles apertures on the extents of the face provided view. These panels seemed to hold less of a flare for the dramatic and private, compared to others we had tested. Second, compared to one another a clear pattern appears in the porosity. As the component make-up switched to the more deformed components, the panel assembly’s porosity appears to react likewise. This shows that the level of deformation in these panels is minimal and isn’t overtaking the form of the local components.
The curvature in Set 4 proved to have a wider variety then was expected through the simple assembly method. As discussed previously with the mapping of Set 4, by flipping the orientation of every other panel, the angles were expected to offset and create nearly flat panels. This worked with regional panel A and to great degree in panel C ( As the photo shows the nine panel mesh created a slight double curvature, but this is due to the edges of the panel being unconnected and therefore uncontrolled. In the global assembly this curvature would disappear). Regional panel B, however, didn’t follow this trend. Part is due to a similar effect as mentioned in panel C where the edges are uncontrolled, but it is also to a great deal effected by the distortion caused by the general shape of the component. This gave this set a bit more attitude to play with, allowing some variation rather then having three flat panels with only porosity influencing choice over which to use.
The Gaussian curvature for Set 4 was an interesting study as the local component holes were much more apparent and their curvature allowed us to understand how the deformation was occurring, revealing that our front oriented components were showing a positive Gaussian curvature, while our backwards were showing a very slight negative curvature.
Set 3 Direct Sun
Set 4 Direct Sunlight
In studying the local components there was a slight difference in the diffusion of light between components A, B, and C and whether they were oriented frontwards or backwards. As the regional panels were explored and assembled it was a priority that along with looking at the porosity of panels the transmitance of sun would need to be studied. As the explorations in regional assemblies drew to a close our project received a site in the form of a competition entry. The competition was for a site in London, UK, which allowed the system to be studied using actual sun angles for a proposed project site. Angles studied were the maximum (61 degrees ) and minimum (15 degrees ) altitudes for the United Kingdom. The results were very useful, allowing the design to now take into account the ability to diffuse or accept light depending on its placement and angle to south in the assembly. The regional panels 3B, 3C, and 4B all allowed less than 18% direct light through in the combined two study angles. Using these three panels it would now be possible to create a surface structure that would allow the minimum level of direct light through.
Competition and Transition to Global Design
As Reverb progressed towards the global scale we were confronted with the possibility of entering a design competition. The competition called for the design of a pavilion for the temporary showing of artwork on the patio of The Light Box in London, UK. On the global scale the design for assembly went through a few transformations. It began by looking at the purely formal creation of an assembly that ran planes together to create reducing passages for art and interaction. After this the design started taking the direct sun studies and focused on creating spaces where there was both in and out of direct sun spaces created for the art. It began looking at how to move people around the assembly, to draw intrigue and create spaces ranging from the most public spaces to intimate spaces for only an individual or pair of people. The final design would use this to create a structure that showed the ranging ability of this system to create spaces and situations that would work for a variety of functions.
Global Design for the Light Box
In the global application of Reverb the design intentions were led by the sectional curve analysis and light analysis. Using this a footprint is created to begin understanding how the system will define spaces. As crevices are created they became the spaces where the sculptural pieces could be inserted. This creates a separation between the traffic spaces and the viewable ares. With the sectional qualities unable to be completely calculated because of the flexibility built into the system, these crevices are predicted to be the spaces where leaning and flex may occur, making them uninhabitable for traffic, but usable for sculptural and installation pieces. On flat sections of the wall are the spaces intended to have fixed hanging artwork. With this system it is assumed the art will be well fixed so that it is open to adjusting with the form of the wall system as the weight, elements, and human influence causes the assembly to react.
The studies of porosity influenced the design as we considered the definite placement of the walls footprint and considered how a visitor would move around the assembly. As they entered on the southwest side a wall sits in front of the visitor, allowing only a direct view through and then to the sides mostly obstruction. As the visitor moves around to the north side the view opens up at different angles allowing an increasing understanding of the space inside of the assembly, causing intrigue as they move towards the Light Box in search for the entrance to find the assemblies inner spaces.
If the visitor was to instead move to the south of the assembly they would find a narrower path leading them between the rock wall of the courtyard and the porous assembly. The path they follow would wind a bit as they rounded the most intimate of spaces, large enough for an art piece and one or possibly two people. These spaces have only a slight momentary view in from any angle, raising intrigue while allowing visitors on the inside supreme privacy. A time to enjoy the separation from others in an intimate space while being surrounded by a public place. In between this string of intimate spaces are unreachable zones, where the assemblies boundaries lean together. These spaces are lit from the bottom with large flood lights, allowing light to be diffused as it moves away from the source, through the components, creating a glowing sensation at night. The assembly of reverb when applied to a public art gallery provides the opportunity for discovery and intimacy as visitors move around and through the spaces.
Reverb Installation
The final step in the development of Reverb was to build a portion of the global design as an installation, to discover what we knew and what wasn’t considered. The installation focused on creating one of the intimate spaces with a light well. This allowed the study of the diffusion of light across the system, the amount of allowable sight, and the flex of the assembly. The light diffused as it had in many of the previous tests and created a glowing beacon that attracted as much attention as had been anticipated. The flex drew the same level of attention as this concept for an architectural form really isn’t studied as a feature that one wants to achieve but instead quite the opposite. The flex was more prevalent then we had anticipate but was also an inspiring feature as the next steps of progress were considered for this project. Because only a portion was built the structure leaned more then intended, but this can be attributed to the fact that these tight curves were designed with reliance on a surrounding that space and money prevented from being installed. The installation increased our understanding of the system considerably and would improve the ability to predict effects in section of any future application.
Conclusion
The success of the half semester on this project was the ability to create a six foot high, very flexible, light structure that stood temporarily on its own and afterwords with the help of some internal tensile ties. The lighting within Reverb is also a success as well as the knowledge gained about the ability of materials and fasteners and an understanding of a bottom up, growing design process. The process took a level of openness and patience along with hands on hard work that hasn’t been used by either member of the team at this scale before, but was an inspiring, design process changing, experience. If we do continue work on this design, learning more about the flex and finding a more elegant way to deal with the leaning would be the first steps to take as well as reconsidering the whole assemblies sectional presence in a design. Reverb opens our minds to more future discovery along the lines of a flexible, reactionary design and assembly system, potentially changing the way some levels of pavilion or interior, non structural design is considered and processed.
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