M4- Naila Rahman

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTSSemester 2, 2013

Second Skin- Design ProcessNaila Rahman, 639398

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTSSemester 2, 2013SECOND SKIN DESIGN PROJECTNaila Rahman, 639398

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTSSemester 2, 2013SECOND SKIN Naila Rahman, 639398

Module 1- IdeationObservation- movements of the 'folding fan'

Personal Space

What is personal space for us?* zone around the body

* introversion VS. extroversion *safety in terms of comfort

Sketch Proposal, Skewes Student, 2013 Sketch Proposal, Skewes Student, 2013

Ideation

Defining Second SkinCould act as protection for safety

Something that acts as a cover/ extra layer on the original skin

Corresponds to personal space- the size would depend on how an individual defines personal space

Could be adjustable- in order to respond to different individual’s

needs

Ideation

Second Skin Proposals

Sketches Proposal, Skewes Student, 2013

Ideation

Module 2- DesignDesign Precedent

Final Design-Headpiece as Second Skin

Architectural firm Woods Bagot produced their Cacoon in response to a brief calling for emergency housing. The material system is skin and bone, composed of plywood ribs fixed to a plywood base. A plastic surface that is reinforced with a mesh is placed over the ribs. Our project uses a similar structure of ribs, but rather than being fixed to a base it will be fixed by and rotated around a pin joint on both sides. The skin of the Cacoon has sensory possibilities and we seek to apply and explore similar effect in our project.

Inspiration: Olafur Eliasson

Ideas- to implement the 'blurred effect'

Implementing the blurred effect on our design with the use of cut outs in each folds and the use of organza (fabric) which works well to give the blurriness.

Design

Sketches showing openness and the 'blurred' zone We tested out where exactly personal space is in terms of a comfort zone. We explored this by experimenting where the blurriness needs to be strong and where it needs to be weak to keep the comfort zone alive. The white dots in the sketch represents the areas where closure and suffocation were evident when testing how much our second skin needs to be exposed. As a result, the areas mainly around the eyes and the nose need to be exposed/open the most. When I moved the head around using cone of vision in a static state, the spots that needed cut-outs/openness followed the outline of the face.

Defining comfort zoneDesign

Folding pattern

In order to design our skin, we explored with different folding techniques which allowed movement that could stretch

and restore/fall down. While experimenting with second these foldings

we had a triangular pattern as it responded well to the curved folds for the skin that could cover the arc-like ribs. The rhino sketch on the left is our final folding

pattern.

Design

Rhino- test models

Prototype- test models

Design

“Nubrella” by Kickstarter

Kickstarter made an object called 'Nubrella', which has the same mechanical system as our design with ribs joined together with a pin joint at both ends.

Rhino sketches of our model system

Design

Module 3- Fabrication

Rhino sketch of the final folding patternRhino sketch of the final system

123D catch-mesh outline

Implementing the system geometry into the mesh outline

Implementing final model system and folds onto the mesh from module 2

Post fabrication-Second skin system

Pre fabrication-Second skin system layout

Fabrication

Fabrication-Mechanical System (Plywood Ribs)

Rhino sketches

Modelling

Rhino Layout, Aagenaes Student, 2013

Rhino Layout, Aagenaes Student, 2013

Post fabrication-Folds and cut outs

Pre fabrication-Folds FabLab layout

Pre fabrication-Folds FabLab layout

Post fabrication-Folds and cut outs

Fabrication

Fabrication- FoldsModelling

Fabrication

From outside looking in

From inside looking out

Fabrication

During M2 the original design we had which was a shell-like second skin, failed due to the mechanical systems not functioning. Problems associated with the skin and the pin joint were evident, which meant we had to think of a different system . Also, from the feedbacks we were advised to have the object attached to the body, hence to improvise that we decided to have a headpiece which will be attached to the shoulders. This was a big jump for us in our design process.

During M3, while the second skin was almost ready to go, we noticed that the 'blurred' effect we wanted didn't quite stand out using just organza. Although the blurriness was apparent through the mesh-like structure of organza, we had to implement this same effect using the folds as advised by the tutors during the presentation. Hence, we implemented cuts, holes and stuck organza bits in the whole middle part to achieve the blurred effect.

During M1, experimenting with the folds and creating a volumetric shape was challenging, however this overlaying pattern of the prototype didn't have any distinct mechanical system which was apparent(i.e. Skin and bone).

Reflection- Inaccuracies in the design process

Rhino model, Skewes Student, 2013

ReflectionThroughout the course of this subject I feel I’ve progressed a lot in relation to what designing is all about, being able to use different techniques such as Rhino for modelling, prototypes to present a proposal and test out ideas, being able to use digital fabrication to create a desired model. In addition, although there were many times when I felt I had no life and got frustrated with the design in progress it was definitely a relief to see the second skin coming to a working model. Throughout the design process and fabrication of this project, I found the weekly readings and lectures were useful tools to guide me and to understand the distinct function of design principles. During the first few lectures a clear indication to what is expected from the students helped me quite a lot to evaluate where I should begin the design. Also a clear indication of what each object was, helped me clarify that the folding fan was both a ‘panel and fold’ and ‘skin and bone’ system(Lecture 2). M1. The reading ‘Basic Orthographic Methods. In Drawing- A Creative Process’(1990) gave a detailed demonstration of different drawing techniques and views. While the reading “How to lay out a croissant” helped me doing the measured drawings where I used the measuring tape as well as a photograph of the folding fan to conduct the drawings. While observing the movements and 3D drawings as seen in slide 2, I approached the sketched with the help of this reading where the different techniques and views were clear.M2- the reading ‘surfaces that can be built from paper’ (2007), explains what developed surface is. Developed surfaces are surfaces which carry a trail of ruled straight lines, simplify the construction and these properties are quite attractive in appearance of architectural forms, e.g. The Walt Disney concert hall by Frank. O. Gehry.In the reading ‘Lost in Parameter Space?’ (2011), the difference between abstraction and reduction made the relationship between gathering information and designing prominent.

The information in this reading relates to the observation I did for Module 1 in understanding the system of the fan and its movement, and further relating it to volumetric shapes. In partaking this task, concentration on little details was necessary, i.e. the pattern the skin of fan forms when its forced to bend and comparing it to the natural form.

ReflectionM3- The reading ‘Digital Production’ (2009) provided a thorough explanation of different digital fabrication and material techniques used by designers to turn digital models into physical working models. It was quite useful to understand the context of fabrication. The different types of fabrications are:

- Three-dimensional scanning ( from physical to digital): inverse of computer-aided manufacturing. From a physical model to digital of its geometry several 3D scanning techniques are used in a process called “reverse engineering”.- Digital fabrication (from digital to physical: digitally):driven fabrication equipments allow architects to design specifically for the capabilities of those machines.- Two-dimensional fabrication (CNC cutting): (laser beam) involve two axis movement of the material sheet relative to the cutting head, implemented as a moving cutting head, a moving bed or combination of both. 2D fabrication can cut through material with width of 15 inches (38cm). - Subtractive fabrication: removal of a specified volume of materials from solids using multi-axis milling processes (electro-, mechanically-, or chemically-reductive). - Additive fabrication: involves adding material in a layer-by-layer fashion (incremental). Layered manufacturing is what it’s referred to where the digital model is sliced into 2D layers and then processed into the manufacturing machine.

- Formative fabrication: mechanical forces, restricting forms, heat or steam are applied to material to form it into the desire shape through reshaping or deformation

In our design of the second skin we used the two-dimensional fabrication which consisted of using the laser cutter and card cutter to get the 2D digital geometry of the model to be cut into its desired parts.Also in the reading’ Digital fabrications: architectural and material techniques’ (2009), it was explained that CAD replaced drawing with a parallel rule and lead pointer, with no differences in the appearance of buildings. This is due to 3D computer modelling and digital fabrication to energise design thinking and by expanding the boundaries of architectural form and construction.With the help of Rhino modelling (3D modelling) a precise understanding of how the model will work was evident. Further with fabricating the material we used for the second skin, i.e. plywood (laser cut) and ivory card (car cut), we were able to build our second skin successfully.  M4- In the reading ‘Distributed Capitalism’ (2011), craft is depicted as a concept which has changed throughout the years. At present craft is constantly being redefines and it isn’t all about handmade craft but rather has an impact in the design process. I feel craft is used everywhere in designing, especially modelling, in my model making process all the procedures involved in modelling was somewhat a part of craft.

References-

●Designboom, 2010, Studion Olafur Eliasson, Viewed at Sept 2013, Available [online] <www.designboom.com>

●H.Pottmann,A.Asperl,M.Hofer, A.Kilian (eds)  2007 “Surfaces that can be built from paper” in Architectural Geometry, Bentley Institute Press, pp 534-561

●Iwamoto, L  2009, Digital fabrications: architectural and material techniques, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, Selected Extracts

●Jackson P., 2011, Folding Techniques for designer, Laurence King GBR

●Kolarevic, B, 2003 “Digital Production” in  Architecture in the Digital Age - Design and Manufacturing , Spon Press, London,  pp30-54

●Miralles, E, Pinos, C  “How to lay out a croissant” El Croquis, 49/50, pp. 240-241

●Mekanism Skateboards, Olafur Eliasson, Viewd at Sept 2013, Available [online] <www.makanismskateboards.com>

●Pottmann, H, Asperl, A, Hofer,M, Kilian,A (eds)  2007 “Surfaces that can be built from paper” in Architectural Geometry, Bentley Institute Press, pp 534-561

●Rifkin, J 2011 “Distributed Capitalism’ in The third Industrial Revolution Palgrave Macmillan, New York pp107-126

➢Scheurer, F, Stehling, H 2011, “Lost in Parameter Space?” AD: Architectural Design, vol 81 pp. 70-79