Final Project

Introduction

This research is based on the exploration of experimental built architecture in order to obtain new methods for the architectural work. Experimental architecture has been materialized through a new orientation and utilization of quotidian materials such as wood, providing a sense of matter and craft, and the touch of the human hand.These concepts and ideas have been applied for the development of my sister house’s main façade.

I have generated two main design ideas to be developed and explored using recent modeling software techniques. The first idea is based on kinetic art works and the second one is inspired from an eco packaging material called GEAMI. Different systems and component pieces were analyzed, modified and digitally reproduced in order suit the architectural demands and bring the textured surfaces to life. Joints and interlocking systems were also considered for the construction.

 

Digital Media Software has been explored in order to find different techniques to represent and generate these ideas through 3D digital modeling. At the same time, such as laser cutters are taken into account in order to find more accurate ways to mass reproduce the different pieces.

 

Literature Review

 

My first idea was inspired from Venezuelan kinetic artist Jesús Rafael Soto. This artist is considered one of the founders of Kinetic art. Kinetic art involves motion, generated by motors, by natural phenomena or by the spectator’s action. The Kinetic movement was developed in Paris beginning in 1950. One of the principal promoters of Kinetic art was Denise Rene. Her gallery became the central meeting place for Kinetic artists, such as Soto. Kinetic artists thought that movement was an essential part of the universe and for that reason it had to be integrated into works of art. The idea of creating art with movement emerged in the beginning of the 20th century when the Futurist movement required the incorporation of elements of the new modern industrial life into art, such as movement. Kinetic art was especially important in Venezuela because it represented the first radical break with academic and representational art. Three of the most significant Venezuelan Kinetic artists were: Jesús Soto, Carlos Cruz-Diez and Alejandro Otero.

 

Methodology

1  11st Idea:

Architecture + Kinetic Art

  A proposal for the front façade of my sister’s house has been undertaken during this course. Design ideas were conceived with the initiative of exploring different ways to create architectural spaces, forms and also to promote a more dynamic and appealing surface rather than rigid and quotidian.

At the beginning of this exploration, design ideas where focused on the combination of architectural forms and kinetic art work in order to create a sculptural wall that could contain motion triggered by spectators’ movements. In lieu of exploring a more organic form this idea also proposes a piece of furniture as part of the façade. This would provide homeowners and visitors an outdoor place where they can sit, read or just remain.

The wall was conceived as different irregular structural panels. A frame that contained an array of horizontal dowels with dark and light wood tones on each side formed each of these panels. A glass sheet was designed in between the two layers of dowels in order to isolate the inside from the outside of the house. The next step was to materialize a final idea of the house’s façade. A 3d digital representation was undertaken using AutoCAD Software and Photoshop Software in order to achieve an approximation of the final design idea. The Surfaces palette, specifically the Edge Surface command was implemented in AutoCAD in order to create all uneven panels and a piece of furniture.

The interior space of the house was also experimented utilizing the same façade’s morphology in order to test lights and shadows in the main entrance of the house. Various panels were also hung from a glass roof in order to explore different qualities of the interior of the house, providing a space for contemplation and reflection.

 

-        2^nd Idea:

Geämi Eco Friendly Paper

  Different forms and methods were studied as an alternative option for this facade. This second idea was inspired from an eco packaging material called GEAMI.

I felt attracted to explore this product since I found it very interesting in terms of its texture, modular pieces and organic surface. Different pictures were taken utilizing natural and artificial lighting in order to study illumination for the interior of the house.

  Different pieces of Geami paper were modeled in order to imitate the desired surface. Although it looked very simple, it was not. Some of the product’s characteristics and special features were due to its flexibility. Trying to bring architectural forms with the same organic characteristics as the paper was very hard and for this reason I ended up working with more rigid pieces due its structural conditions.

Components were analyzed independently and created as modular pieces; they were digitally copied and later rotated and mirrored in order to find associations with the Geami paper.

  These explorations were first produced using AutoCAD software, but after figuring out that some of the pieces needed to be more flexible, the software was no longer helpful. I required 3D software capable of providing a more dynamic and organic modeling technique capable of offering an easier way to achieve this idea.

  Sketchup was the software recommended and considered as the easier to accomplish quick results. Independent pieces were modeled just as I previously did in AutoCAD. SketchUp implements the concept of a Sandbox, which refers to a surface that can be generated and manipulated using sandbox tools. A sandbox in SketchUp is commonly referred to as TIN or triangulated irregular network using terrain-modeling terminology. I have implemented the Sandbox from Scratch Tool to generate a flat triangulated surface in order to sculpt the existing TIN. This allowed me to make vertical movements of a selection of points, edges, or faces and their immediately adjacent geometry. The results were a smooth deformation of a triangulated surface. 

3D Digital sketches were reproduced in order to create the whole wall. The idea of providing pieces of furniture as part of the same façade’s organic form was also explored, but was difficult to model it in an accurate manner.

Lights and shadows simulations were also experimented first through sketches and finally using daylight shadows in SketchUp. This was a great tool since I could interact with the digital model and envision how shadows would appear in real life. Other elements such as light fixtures, house number and a mailbox were also considered in this idea. These were later reproduced in SketchUp and rendered using Podium Plug in. A final representation of how this façade would look was accomplished using Sketchup and Photoshop Software. Surroundings, human scale and artificial lighting were represented in order to envision the façade’s final image from the outside of the house.

 The interior space of the house was also explored in order to evaluate lights, shadows and human scale in a more accurate manner.

- Prototype Development

  A prototype was built using the GEAMI idea. Joints and interlocking systems were explored in order to find the most suitable way to create this wall. 4” x 2.5” rectangles were reproduced from a MDF board. A special dovetail machine was used in order to guide a router and make an accurate vertical dovetail cut in the MDF rectangle. A jig made out of wood was built in order to be able to accurately generate non-vertical dovetail cuts for some of the pieces.

  The process would’ve been less time consuming if I would had used a laser cutter machine capable of making all these pieces in just minutes. This would probably be the most accurate way to reproduce all the pieces that create this wall.

 

Conclusion

 

Both design ideas aimed to seek different ways to utilize quotidian materials in order to experiment with architecture and space. Modeling software collaborated to reproduce ideas and to explore different ways to perceive ordinary surroundings.

            In contrast to AutoCAD Software, the SketchUp Interface provided more flexible and organic tools that were applied in order to create and sculpt irregular surfaces. It is also capable of providing an approximation of working with natural lights and shadows, input shadow settings that contained geographical location and solar orientation.

 On the other hand, this investigation has introduced me to some other modeling tools that I was not aware of. These will surely help me to materialize the final ideas for my studio and thesis project.