ILHYEON YEO (MICHAEL) Student No: 583928 Semester 1/2012 Group 8

Chapter 1 - Ideation

Natural process: Tornado

Formation of tornado starts with two type of winds, strong mid-level wind and weak low-level wind. When mid-level wind and low-level wind interacts together, it produces a cycling air particles in the centre of two winds. This cy-cling air particle develops as a mesocyclone. As result of two type of winds blowing horizontally, at initial formation of mesocyclone is lying horizontally. Most of mesocyclone disappears at this stage, but some of them stands up ver-tically due to ascending air caused by warm ground and cool atmosphere. This stood up mesocyclone develops to larger size, which later becomes a tornado.

Key Concepts from TornadoGenerally thinking about tornado, people think about it’s destructive characteristic rather than how it’s formed as tornado destroys everything. As result, if I apply it’s characteristic as main focus, it will create a non literal model and yet demonstrating nature of tornado. Therefore, I thought to make my model as focusing more on it’s destructive characteristic and less on it’s natural forming process.

Time lapse -Tornado

Proposals

First Proposal - abstract

Second Proposal - Sketch

In first proposal, I wasn’t really thinking about tornado’s mechanism or characteristic, but tornado’s forming pro-cess. As result, this model produced nearly no reasons on why I have made it this way, that the form itself contained very literal form of natu-ral process of tornado that my model starts with two arms (two winds) to sphere (massive thunder-head) and ending with tail (tornado).

First Proposal - sketch

First Proposal - plasticine

Second Proposal - abstract

Second Proposal - Plasticine

In second proposal I’ve tried to focus more on tornado’s mechanisms to remove it’s literal form. This model is done back to front, absorp-tion to chaos. The strips at the back are set to be focused on one end and spread on the other end. I did this because of the wind flow during the tornado that tor-nado absorbs everything into the centre. Further-more, the front part are quite massy and ugly as to demonstrate the chaos from tornado that tornado destroys every-thing and disturb nature.However, this doesn’t demonstrate the aggres-siveness and it’s form isn’t stable.

Precedents

The beauty of this architecture on left, designed my DBI design is that shifting of peak of wave in each layer creates a ‘move-ment’ within the design.

Even though this architecture demonstrates flow and smooth movement, I was still inspired by this building because the idea of showing movement was very significant to my design to demonstrate rapid speed of tornado. In addition, this smooth and flowing movement can be changed to rapid and rough movement depending on differ-ent variation of waves.

Gold Coast – wave buildingThe Gullwing Twin Wind Towers

This two towers are designed by the designers and architects at the ARXX studio and built based on tornado. This architecture well portrays tornado’s “aggres-siveness” through the panelling of protruded pyramids around the building.

Since this architecture was based on same natural process, it inspired my in a lot of ways. One of most valuable inspiration I’ve gained from this was that the design itself doesn’t neces-sarily represents all the charac-teristics or concepts of tornado, but the characteristics can also be shown through paneling. Therefore, enlarged my design options and more precise dem-onstration of contexts.

Final proposal and reflection on this module

The final proposal is divided into wave (top part), body (middle part) and tail (end part). The reason that it is in three different part is that these parts each demonstrate different characteristic of tornado.

Firstly the wave part, by the inspiration of gold coast wave building, I have integrat-ed variation of wave peaks of wind blow from tornado to demonstrate rapid speed of tornado.

Secondly the body part, this part represents the centre of tornado that the 6 waves on top are focused at front and back to em-phasise the absorption and overwhelming speed of tornado.

Lastly the tail part, the spiky tail is there to portray all destruction and distortion of tornado, which leads to chaos.

Furthermore, as result of idea from prec-edent, I was able to divide aggressiveness with other characteristics described above and decided to demonstrate aggressive-ness on panelling rather than it’s form as i thought it was best way to show tornado’s aggressiveness.

During this module, the relation-ship between form and context was very important to design my model. This is because when there is a certain context, for example ‘tornado’, there are certain ways to form a model, for example tornado is destructive, powerful, aggressive, thus a smooth and soft design won’t fit in to this context, but rather a rigid and stiff design. Therefore, context influence form by providing a funda-mental ideas that sets type of design which the design relates back to context.

Final Proposal - abstract

Final Proposal - Sketch

Final Proposal - plasticine

reflection

Chapter 2 - Degitalisation

Starting digitalisation

Original Model

Slicing

To digitalise my design, I’ve used slicing and tracing method for contouring.

Again, I’ve divided model into three parts wave, body and tail.

Firstly wave part, because it had same 2D shape throughout the design, all i needed to know was where the circles are locat-ed. Therefore, i didn’t use slicing method, but instead tracing method, thus i can figure out where the circles are located.

Secondly body part, as this model is to be worn on head, thus the bottom of body needed to be caved in. This produced irregular 2D shape, therefore required to do slicing method to find out what type of 2D shape needed to loft.

Lastly tail part, in this part one modifica-tion is made due to limitation on Rhino that the model became just one whole shape rather than strips. Therefore, char-acteristic of tornado, chaos, need to be demonstrate on paneling. For same rea-son with body, it used slicing method.

Trace

Digitalised body

Digitalised wave

Digitalised tail

Combined

Paneling - Experiment

To familiarize with panelling tools I’ve tried to use dif-ferent types of panels such as 2D/3D panelling, 3D custom, offset boarders.

For wave, I have decided to use 3D panels to engage with aggressive concept of tornado because, 2D panels had lack of showing aggressiveness and 3D custom was lack of flow of design.

From the inspiration of “The Gullwing Twin Wind Towers”, the precedent I described above, I was able to conduct aggressiveness with my panelling. This was done through triangle based pyramid with decreasing number of pyra-mid in each strip from peak to each ends. I’ve choose triangle based pyramid to describe aggressiveness be-cause this combination of triangles not only fit with Rhino, but also it looked very stiff and strong. When all waves gathered (picture 2) the spikes from pyramid pointed at different directions that created a aggressive image, just like a image of tornado destroying everything. Further-more, decreasing number of pyramid, from inspiration of “Gold Coast Wave Building”, the precedent I described above, produced a turning effect to each strip just like the Wave Building. This was done as it portray the rapid speed of tornado which reinforced aggressive sense within the model.

Another modification had to be made, the number of wave had to be reduced from 6 to 4. This was done as I didn’t think of increased width due to paneling, thus there wasn’t enough space for 6 wave to fit in.

Final paneling - Wave

Final 3D paneling for Wave

Final 3D paneling for Wave (all togetehr)

Final paneling + Precedent - Body

Designed by Wojciech Kakowski, Natalia Paszskowska, Marcin Mostafa. The de-sign had a mechanical multiplication of convention-approved set patterns. The structure is to draw on and make refer-ence to tradition, but with it’s contempo-rary reinterpretation to create extension into the present day. The lighting for this architecture uses multi-coloured light seeping through patterns which makes attractive and eye-catching exterior in both day and night. Also reversely, for inside people, the sun shine through and chisel the patterns with light and shadow in the space under the vault.

I was interested in the complex and yet well structured panelling in this architecture. Specially I was inspired by the lighting of this architecture. This complexity was very suitable as this body represents centre of tornado that it need to support the ideas on wave and tail.

To do that, I’ve used 2D panelling as this is best to demonstrate complex-ity. 3D panelling and custom wasn’t enough to produce a complexity. My 2D pattern was quite simple that it was just spiralling pattern, but it was complex enough when it applied to body with offset face boarder. Moreover, there was enough light shining out in all sorts of directions, which enhanced com-plexity.

Final paneling pattern

2D paneling + offset face boader

Lighting

Pyramid alkazar trous

Round birdcage

These two lantern are classical design of lantern. However these lantern creates explosive image with chisel of light and shadow.

These images inspired me with incorporat-ing panelling with chaotic image. At initial, I was just thinking to locate all LEDs to body part, but as result of this inspiration I decid-ed to lay one LED to tail. This enhances the demonstration of chaos in the model as evident in “lighting” picture that the direc-tions of beam of light are different. There-fore, when this idea implemented to actual model, many number of light beams will point in all sorts of directions which creates chaos.

Final paneling + Precedent - Tail

3D paneling + offset face boader

Lighting

<- This prototype was cre-ated to see and found out solution to connect-ing wave and body. It worked by bending extra end bit on wave and sticking it inside body. However, as the proto-type wasn’t done with panelling and the size was too small to be sure that it was going to work on actual model.

<- Prototyping the pyr-amids to see whether it is stiff enough. It was quite stiff that if this was done on actual model, it would dem-onstrate aggressive-ness well.

Prototype - pyramid Prototype - pyramid

Prototype - Body + Wave

Prototype + Reflection

For inspiration, mostly precedents, if there isn’t different media to use, it will be hard and very limited to obtain ideas from it. For ex-ample, because there are internet or TV to observe different types of building that maybe in far distance like over sea, it is possible to view many types of building in broad range in short period of time. If a person had to walk or travel to view one building, it will be possible to obtain different ideas within short time. Therefore, these kinds of media support designers to obtain lots of ideas and inspiration in short time that provides millions of options for designs.

Another type of media that significant influence on design and refinement would be programs like Rhino. This allow people to design an object without a “real” materials and in short time. Therefore, reducing wastes from failure and time. This technology helps with refinement, for example for my design I was able to try lots of paneling in short period which lead me to refine them and look into them.

Reflection

Chapter 3 - Fabrication

Remodeling for fabrication - identifying/ solving issues (wave)

When i tried to make wave I found out that there was problem with the idea of “differ-ent number of pyramid on each strip”. First there was small holes created between two strips and thinking about larger scale this holes will get bigger and weaken the model.

Secondly, Due to steep curve on the mod-el, it produced squashed circle shape on end of model. When it came to connect-ing with other strips it didn’t fit in and could not be stuck together. Therefore, I needed to smooth the curve on model.

prototype of wave

prototype of wave

For first and second problem, if i modify these it will definitely lose it’s concept of tornado. Therefore I’ve brainstorm to figure out a way to hold the concept. Generally close lines meaning slow and as lines are further away means fast and quick. Therefore, to show the variation of speed from slow to very quick, instead of changing number of pyra-mid on each strip, I changed length of each strip with a bit of curve. This held the concept well and it actually worked with fabrication.

Brainstorming idea to show rapid speed

Remodeling for fabrication - identifying/ solving issues (body)

2D paneling pattern for body

Unrolled face

The immediate problem was that the pattern had too much faces. Since there is limited and short time for make this model, so it wasn’t pos-sible. The Second problem was overlapping surfaces when i tried to unroll face. Even with small parts been unrolled, there is just too much surfaces that overlap together. This means i had to print out every small faces to create the body, not only this will lag my building time, but also increase my mistakes. Therefore, this paneling wasn’t possible.

Final 2D pattern

2D paneling step 1

The solution to these problem was quite simple. I just needed to simplify the pattern. However to hold on to the concept of tornado, i didn’t make a new pattern, but rearrange the pat-tern I had. Rhino seemed to have problems with rectangle faces, thus i removed them off.Then, what was left were too simple. Therefore I divide the largest triangles with two smaller triangles and rearrange them to from the final pattern.

2D paneling step 2

Result of new paneling - Wave + Body

2D-paneling - unroll

2D-paneling + offset face boader

The changed wave didn’t have any crashes or problems and conveyed concept of tornado well.

The new unrolled face didn’t have any problems.

One interesting fact happened after the change. Even though my pan-eling was in 2D, somehow at side it created a 3D paneling. This coinci-dence was a fortune that I was worry-ing about reduced number of waves. However, now I have this “free” 3D pyramid at side of body, the reduc-tion didn’t affect any more.

3D paneling

Remodeling for fabrication - identifying/ solving issues (Tail)

The only problem it had was it was to similar to design of wave.

3D paneling + offsset face border

Again, i wanted to keep the concept, so I model based on pyramid. However, The changed panelling seems to have problem with collision of faces, therefore a prototype had to be made just to make sure if it hold and stiff.

3D paneling + offsset face border

There were no collision with prototype, so I decided to use this panelling.

prototype prototype

Construction guide - Wave

Unrolled faces

Wave

Construction guide - body

Unrolled faces

Body in different colour

Construction guide - Tail

1 2 3 4 5

67

8

910

Tail in different colour

Unrolled faces

Fabrication -Wave, Body, Tail

Fabricated body

fabricated tail

fabricated wave

Ivory card 90x60 is used for wave and tail and Black 200 GSM 90x60 is used for body. Different card is being used as different type of property is required in each part. Wave and Tail need to be light because it is attaching to body, so to balance the model the weight need to go down. Also with reduction of weight, it still need to be stiff, thus the paper needed to be not so light, not so heavy. Therefore Ivory card is used.

On the other hand, for body, Black 200 GSM is used because by considering it’s holding lots of weights, it need to be more stiffer than wave and tail. Also from Fablab they said this card is stiffer than Ivory, thus I’ve used this card.

The colour of each card were different, but since the option i had was only one, body-black and wave, tail - white, I had to choose different colour. If i have white thick card for body, I would have chosen that card to unify the colours.

After fabrication, I found out that wave had larger width than I thought, so 4 of them didn’t fit in to body. However, with coincidence of creating 3D with 2D panel on body, reducing 1 more of wave didn’t really matter. Therefore, I just stick with this design and size.

Furthermore, after fabrication, there were some scraps that left over, these were used as my connection for body and wave and tail. Also I thought to use these to block holes in each ends of model, but since the wave blocks the light, and for that reason i needed more light, I left it open.

Precedent

This is Cybertecture Egg in India that was designed by James Law Cybertecture International. This architecture uses not only concrete, steel and glass, but also some of decent intangible materials of technology, multimedia, intelligence and interactiv-ity. Comparing with other conventional buildings the egg shape of this architecture has approximately 10~20% less surface area. This means this uses less materials than other building, thus more sustainable. Also the form of the architecture is one that sym-bolises with optimism about the future and of the 21st Century. The symbolic planet form is further stretched to cater for 13 lev-els of office accommodation. This is further orientated and skewed at an angle which creates both a strong visual language as well as alleviating the solar gain of the building. The architecture a good example of using computer design, that digital assist creates a building of extremely high quality and geometric sophistication. This building will act like a worthy neighbour to the esteemed neighbouring buildings of the district.

Cybertecture Egg Cybertecture Egg

Lighting

Used 2 LEDs on body and 1LED on tail.

Fabrication technologies such as card cutter, provide a possible con-struction of model. For example, for my model, I had 9 card to cut out and if i did this with manually by hands it would took me forever to cut out all pieces. However, using Fablab, ie card cutter, time consumption due to cutting reduced significantly that made possible to build the model in time. Also as card cutter is a machine, it cuts out all the pieces with nearly no mistakes. This will definately improve and refine the final production.

On the other hand, these fabrication technology has some limitations such that it constrain what can be constructed. For example, when I got my cards back from Fablab, there was some mistakes such as ripped of strips or not accurately cut triangles. These errors happened as result of jamming or miscalculation of X,Y axis from machine. There-fore, the model had to be more simplier to avoid these errors. Further-more, as card cutter could only score on side of paper, when i had to fold backwards, it made crumbles along the line. Again to reduce these, I had to reduce the number of reversed folded part.

Suppose to be on wore on head

Final model + Reflection

Reflection

Chapter 4 - Reflection

From Ball Phillip (2011) i’ve gained conceptual ideas on how to conduct natural process to a design. It wasn’t so easy to do that at first I didn’t know what kind of natural process to choose or what to get out from there, everything i got was too literal. However, throughout modules, I gained ideas from reading and lectures that made me to progress my design with having concept of tornado. Furthermore, with technolo-gies like Rhino or card cutter, it enlarged possibilities and chances to try out designs and refine them. There-fore, at the end creating a satisfactory design and a model.

The representation and their material realisations may be mutually dependent because as to understand properties of certain material it broaden a model’s description as material property is quite important to a model. For example, my model used different card as it had different properties. Ivory had lightest weight in options I had, and because my wave and tail needed to be light I had to choose Ivory. Black had bit more weight and thickness than Ivory which was beneficial for body that it needed higher strength than wave and tail to hold them. If I used a A4 paper to build my body, I would described my body as weak, couldn’t hold the weight from wave and tail. However, description completely change when I use Black 200 GSM to it could hold up weight from wave and tail. Therefore, representations and their material realisations are mutually dependent.

The learning outcome of this subject was designing process from zero to one fine object. Thought out the modules, and from start, own decisions had to be made to choose, what kinds of natural process? what lines or shapes fits in? what kind of form?. Also for each decision made, a reason had to be explained. These kinds of thinking developed fundamental ideas on designing and by having a actual outcome it encourage to critique and compare and contrast own design with others, thus refining concepts again. As results for further studies and further when taking any designing process it would be easier to engage with it and produce a better and more enhanced design as it had been experienced.

Reflection