Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331

Virtual Environment Semester 2/2013

Module 4 - ReflectionZiyi Liu640331Tutorial Group: 8

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 IDEATION - 1Definition of Personal Space

Sommer (1969) defines personal space as the area with invisible boundaries that people will not want others to walk across. To represent an emotional personal space, this design provides signs to other people when they are about to cross the lines. Instead of physically keeping people away, this design intends to illustrate a person’s emotion when his/her space is invaded. At this stage, I had a clear view and concept of personal space to start with.

IDEATION - 2Precedents

Accordion

I worked on pannel and fold system. The precedents that I have looked at are paper folder and accordion.Paper of the folder is folding in opposite directions and is folded in exact same width which has a great ability to expand and contract.Accordion can be expanded in different directions and it is quite flexible.

Paper Folder

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 IDEATION - 3Miura Folding & Space (Creating Volume)

Space is created when the sheet is expaned.Exploring different foldings is helpful. I should experience more foldings at ideation stage so that I would have more time to combine the systems in the design module.

IDEATION - 4Paper Folding

Folding

Mountain(solid lines)

Valley(solid lines)

Miura Folding Folder folding

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 IDEATION - 5Idea (Presentation of Personal Space)

Protection on the head does not only create physical personal space but also block the view, which allow the owner to create some psycological personal space. The shelter is controled by the owner. It can be closed to protect the owner when it is crowded.

Design - 6Initial Design Concept

Our initial plans rejected typical conceptions of personal space as a defence, and instead focused on personal space being an emotional place. We knew that to achieve this, we would peel back layers rather than add them.However, we found it difficult to represent ‘peeling off’ as our design will create an extra layer anyway. We then changed our concpet to represent contrasting feelings. The layer on the surface is the feeling that expressed by people. The inner layer represent the feeling that people would hide inside which is more furious and anxious.

Layers

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Design - 7Elements - Heart and Brain

Design - 8Form development

When we thought about emotion, brain and heart are the locii of emotion. As we did not think enough about combining the two elements. It looked like two seperated design with two entirely different systems.The challenge for us was how to abstract the concept of heart and mind, and to defy our literal beginnings.

The initial abstract form of our design is meant to represent one thing controls the rest. Therefore, we cre-ated a form with gaint body and two thin and long ends. We also wanted to represent the contrast of internal feeling and externation expression. In this case, there are too many things in the ‘blob’, so we have to reduce some elements. We finally decided to keep the idea of one thing controlling the rest.

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331

Design - 9Design process

Design - 10Where things went wrong?

After discussing the way that we can combine the systems. We decided to use the movement of profile and section to drive the movement of pannel and folds.

The two systems are not well combined as they are only sticked together.The movement of profile and section seems to be meaningless.The material used for the two systems are quite different.

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Fabrication - 11Reading and Lecture

Fabrication and design are not linear processes. Many factors are variable until the final product is produced. For example, the materials may directly affect the final result. I did not notice the significance of material use. Tiny differences in thickness really affect the ability to bend. Some material may seem good when doing the test models in a smaller scale, however, the ability of bending may be varied when it is fabricated in a larger scale. The most suitable thickness for test models may be too weak or soft for the full size model. Such things can only be learnt through the making process.In the reading ‘Thinking through Making’, Daniel Charny suggests that making is not only about making existing ideas or forms. Changes and improvements can be made through the process of making. It is more difficult to figure out how to wear the design when it is not created in reality. After few test models, I think that it is easier to make the real models, and then experience different possible ways of how it can be wore.

The Panelling tools in Rhino is a very useful tool of creating both 2D and 3D patterns. It saves time for creating the digital model when creating design in panelling and folding system. It is also helpful by creating 2D pattern for cutting.After sending few jobs to Fablab, I ended up with using the ivory paper. Although thinner paper has a better ability to bend and fold, they are difficult to cut and stay in a form.

Fabrication - 12Panelling tools & Fablab

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Fabrication - 13Faults in the models

My first prototype is the first two photos. The material used for them are different. I did not do a great job on integrating the two parts together, therefore it seems like that there are too many elements in the model.After this model, I decided to use colour to represent the furious and anxiety of people instead of physical sharp edges. Then I ended up with the photo on the right.As there are gaps in each panel, the paper cannot be folded properly (arrow pointing at the fault). I then decided to colour the panels instead of cutting gaps in my next model.

Cardboard A4 paper Ivory

Fabrication - 14First Full prototype

ValleyMountain

Colouring

Considering the thickness of the paper and its property to fold, I chosed this material which is only availiable in black (140 gsm). It is difficult to paint on the black paper, therefore I cut some red paper (120 gsm) in the exact same size through Fablab. After sticking them together, I found that the red paper does add some weight to the model and change the thickness of the panels. The model seems less neat as the paper is thin and there are lots of sharp edges (triangles.)

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Fabrication - 15Final Prototype

The most effect can be seen at the back. However, the effect that I want to achieve is at the front. The model is designed to represent people’s emotion that they do not present by their facial expression. The model should cover people’s face which already express some emotion. Instead of wearing the model at the back, I have decided to change the model slightly and to wear it in front of my head.

Fabrication - 16Final Model

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Fabrication - 17Rhino development

Before achieving my final model, the development on rhino helped me to explore the different ef-fect which I do not have to create the full model.

Reflection - 18Lectures, Readings and Seminar

There are many speakers from different deciplines talked about their experience in the lectures throughout the semester. It was helpful to avoid some mistakes during the desgin and fabrication process.The readings can stimulate us to think in a broader way. Ideas and Inspiration can be taken from readings. For example, the importance of material use is learnt from reading, however, some other factors also need to be considered.The feedback from seminar and each presentation is useful in improving the design.

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331 Reflection - 19Design Process

Reflection - 20Presentations

During the design process, I noticed that it is important to cover details such as specific distance that make people uncomfortable (right).I should have try out more foldings before start fabricating as I focused too much on one of the specific folding which limited the potential of the design.In terms of group function, we did not have enough meeting time with partner, there fore the systems are not well integrated.Our design is too conceptual, and we should discover how the systems integrate first.When I noticed that there are too many elements in my design i decided to revisit the initial ideas.As design is not a linear process, I kept repeating processes of brainstorming and designing.

The layout of documentaion will affect how efficient can the audience receive the information. In presentations visuals are more important than text. In week 1, I did not pay too much attention to organise the positions of the pictures, but it would be easier to read if I did so. And the Way of presenting the model (i.e. time taken to wear the model, ways to wear the model, actions to control the movement of the model, time taken to perform, background required for model) is also quite importantIn addtion, the document needs to have a consistent format (i.e. text font and size, position and layout of photo)Also, digitalized model can be different to the real model (in appearance, and in the dynamic movement, i.e. size, color, flexibility), therefore experiencing both physical and digital model before presentation is necessary.

Virtual Envrionment - Ziyi Liu 640331

Reference ListPanel and Fold

Architecture’s New Media, Yehuda Kalay , MIT Press 2004

Lectures

Sommer, R. (1969). Personal space : the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, c1969.

Thinking through making, Daniel Charny

Images sourced from:1.www.almostsavvy.com 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accordion