Assignment 3

LASER CUTTING

GRASSHOPPER (INITIAL)

This grasshopper description file initially started to achieve what I wanted with the desired geometry being distributed across the lofted surface. An attractor point was created and it recorded the distances from each circle centre. It was then divided by 100 to give a usable integer but I couldn't figure out a way to relate that to the radius of the circle to change it as the point moves across the surface.

RHINO

GRASSHOPPER (REVISED)

This is the revised version of the grasshopper file. I made it about 80% on my own and then had to resort asking for help. Thankfully there is someone who knew exactly what I was trying to achieve.

RENDERS

This is the most impressive render I feel. It has over 5,600 versions of the geometry, each of them has a unique radius of opening. This took a long time to compute.

POSTER

TEXT FOR POSTER

Circles create the main geometry that composes the entire structure, the cylinders.
The cylinders are a diverse geometry as they can be manipulated in many ways, two ways to my advantage, was the overall radius and height.  By using a circle as a base for the geometry, the ‘smart cylinders’ are created.
The smart building surface created adapts as the day moves on and heats up, while the smart cylinders adapt by closing themselves to block out unwanted sunlight on the areas that are directly affected. The cylinders not affected by the sunlight remain slightly open to allow natural light to spill into the space below.
Depending on the intensity of the sun, the cylinders can grow in size and appear to be reaching up into the sky. This helps to filter sun down into the space below and it is effective during the cooler months to trap heat within all spaces of the building. The cylinders can act like passive solar tubes, bringing light and heat into the building for it to store, thus reducing the need for mechanical ventilation, and satisfying my modelling proposal of creating a environmentally sustainable building skin.

The smart cylinders not only serve an environmental purpose but also contribute to buildings entertainment functions. During night time shows, the skin can be adjusted manually to allow moonlight and lights from around the city to enter, or it can be manually fully closed off to block out the surrounding landscape.  The cylinders are also lit from the inside to create a variety displays on the exterior of the building.



The iteration to the right shows more than 5,500 cylinders   applied across the surface. The surface is more effective in blocking out the sun when ther are more instances of the smart cylinders.

The renders surrounding this information demonstrate the surface in varying conditions.  The conditions range from hot summer (cylinders low and closed) to sunny cold winter ( cylinders high and open). The renders also show how the cylinders are used to tie in with the surrounding city environment by taking advantage of their unique geometries to demonstrate different artificial light displays on the exterior.

GRASSHOPPER FILE (NO COMMENTS FOR ETCHING)

Sources

Sustainable Architecture

MAIN SOURCE

 

 

 

'understanding sustainable architecture'

Understanding sustainable architecture is 'a review of the assumptions, beliefs, goals and bodies of knowledge that underlie the endeavour to design (more) sustainable buildings and other built developments'

Supporting Sources

 

‘Strategies for Sustainable Architecture’ 

Sustainable architecture and urbanism: concepts, technologies, examples

& Green: Toward sustainable architecture in the 21^st Century’

Sustainable Urban Housing in China

Surface Architecture

MAIN SOURCE

Intelligent Glass Facades; Material, application, design’

Supporting Sources

Facades: Principles of Construction’

Structural Glass Facades and Enclosures’

Surface Architecture’

Inspiration

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill

ETFE Clad Buildings

Final Poster

http://www.gamefront.com/files/20163770/assignment_1_finalposter.pdf

Final Poster Text

The Basis of my geometry was taken from feathers.
The main role for feathers is for insulation. The body temperature of a bird sits at around 40°c, it is believed that the insulating effect behind feathers was the driving force behind their evolution.

This idea of feathers as an insulator to their host is what I based my geometry around.
My geometry is created with overlapping qualities, similar to how feathers overlap and have many layers to achieve their purpose. The geometry for the model is based loosely on the overall form of a feather and the link between my geometry and my chosen concept, is the idea that feathers are used largely for protection and insulation.

With the concept of creating geometry based on the insulating properties of feathers, I had to decide how the iterations for my model were going to be created.
The main iterating component was to come from a surface divide across a lofted surface created from four seperate curves. The number of divides both length ways and width ways were to be controlled using sliders. I.e. the less divides means less overlapping of geometry and less objects created across the surface.
The scale of the base geometry to be layered across the surface was to be controlled using a slider also, therefore the higher you move the slider, the larger the base geometry becomes and visa-versa.

The third iteration was to be created using a slider also. This slider modified the overall height or thickness of the object across the surface, giving it more or less shape. This iteration was overall the most pleasing and successful as it satisfied the initial concept of feathers as an insulating members and giving the geometry thickness relates directly back to insulation. (refer to renders ‘2’ and ‘8’).

Iteration number 4 was created using a slider to edit the initial objects rotation along its x-axis. Rotating the geometry along the x-axis opens up the overall structure revealing the tube-like inside. This iteration was relevant to feathers and their properties as insulators, where in a cold climate, down is grown for warmth, the opening of my geometry opposes this idea as it would be used in a warmer climate.
The result created from this made for pleasing geometry and nice renders. (refer to renders ‘4’, ‘6’ and ‘8’).

Having a slider that edited the position of the first curve of the lofted surface on which my geometry was laid, effected the overall length of the structure, relating it to its protection properties, I was looking at it in way that it reacts to the weather, therfore it grows longer as the weather worsens, protecting those seeking shelter beneath it.
Refer to render ‘11’ for a lengthened geometry.

Some factors that I constantly had in mind as I was creating these forms was why are the iterations doing what they are doing? To fulfill this question I wanted to create an object that was to resemble a covered walkway or bridge.
The bridge or walkway to was to react to the changing weather around it, the climate, the number or occupants etc.
This concept relates directly to my initial extracted geometry of feathers. As climates and weather changes, feathers change to adapt to these changes to insulate or protect the host bird accordingly.
My bridge, or walkway, has extracted the way feathers are layered across a surface and the way feathers are grown and react to different situations, whether it be climate directly, or any other factor.

Overall I believe that feathers have given me an interesting concept of which to base my modelling around and has delivered some pleasing geometry and nice renders.
 

Chris Stringer 2011
3334364
Benv 2426



 

 

Rhino/Grasshopper & Grasshopper Screenshot

http://www.gamefront.com/files/20163565/3334364_Rhino_grasshopper_files.rar

Some Final Renders