VECTOR PRAXIS: MODEL DRIVEN DIGITAL FABRICATION
Aug 15, 2015
EVERY PART IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE
A MODEL DRIVEN APPROACH TO OFF-SITE, HIGH- TOLERANCE, ULTRA-CUSTOM FABRICATION
THE PROJECT: -‘AAA’ FEATURE STAIR - SEAGRAM BUILDING, 375 PARK AVENUE, NY -STAIR CONNECTS THE 23RD AND 24TH FLOOR -PROJECT ARCHITECT: GENSLER -GENERAL CONTRACTOR: TRISTAR CONSTRUCTION -CONTRACT: DESIGN, DETAIL, BUILD SERVICES -MATERIALS: STEEL, CORIAN, GLASS, STAINLESS STEEL
CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES
FEATURE STAIR -COMPLEX GEOMETRY (ELLIPTICAL STAIR) -NYC SITE (LISTED BUILDING) -TIGHT FABRICATION TIMELINE -TIGHT COORDINATION REQUIRED FOR ON-SITE WORK -DESIRE TO MINIMIZE TENANT DISRUPTION -UNDERSIZED FREIGHT ELEVATOR -CORIAN CLADDING REQUIRES HIGH TOLERANCE STEEL STRUCTURE (+/- 1/8”) -ABSOLUTE NOVELTY OF PROCESS
A PARAMETRIC MODEL IS PRODUCED THAT REPRESENTS A BUILDABLE REALITY. THE MODEL BECOMES THE CARRIER OF ALL INPUT
OUR SOLIDWORKS MODELS CAN BE RAPIDLY UPDATED AND VARIOUS CONFIGURATIONS TESTED WITH FULL PARAMETRIC CONTROL
Ie. MAKE CHANGES TO THE THICKNESS OF A GIVEN MATERIAL AND THE MODEL WILL RESPOND TO ALTER AFFECTED ASSEMBLIES AND COMPONENTS.
WE DESIGN MULTI-MATERIAL ASSEMBLIES FOR FASTER AND MORE ACCURATE INSTALLATION- A PRECISE KIT OF PARTS
INTEGRATED ‘POUR STOP’ ASSEMBLY -COMPLETE GLASS SHOE -ALL STRUCTURE REQ’D TO CONNECT TO BASE BUILDING -INSTALLED TO EXACT CEILING HEIGHT FOR APPROPRIATE REVEALS AND OTHER ARCH DETAILS
-THIS INTEGRATED POURSTOP ASSEMBLY COMBINES THE WORK OF 5 TRADES IN ONE PRE-FABRICATED PART -WHAT COULD TAKE WEEKS TO INSTALL USING TYPICAL METHODS, TAKES A COUPLE DAYS TO INSTALL
MONTHS BECOME WEEKS, WEEKS BECOME DAYS
LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH THE MODEL AND FORM A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS
PHASE 2 MASTER MODEL
THE MODEL CONTAINS: CUT FILES BILL OF MATERIALS WEIGHT OF MATERIALS LOGISTICS AND SHIPPING INFORMATION COST CALCULATIONS DESIGN DOCUMENTS FABRICATION DRAWINGS FOR OUTSIDE TRADES ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS JIG AND FIXTURE SYSTEMS FOR FABRICATION INFORMATION FOR COORDINATION WITH CLIENT ETC. THIS IS TRUE PARAMETRIC BIM.
MODEL GEOMETRY READILY EXPORTED TO ENGINEERING SOFTWARE FOR LOAD ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL REFINEMENT AS REQUIRED
A SERIES OF JIG SYSTEMS ARE PRODUCED WITHIN THE MODEL FOR THE FABRICATION OF STEEL AND CORIAN COMPONENTS
STEEL ASSEMBLY JIG CORIAN ASSEMBLY JIG
AS CORIAN SECTIONS ARE COMPLETED THEY CAN BE TEST FIT TO THE MASTER JIG WITH STEEL STRUCTURE ASSEMBLED
WHILE FABRICATION CONTINUES ON OUR END, BASE BUILDING STEEL IS GOING IN, READY FOR OUR WORK WITHOUT DELAY
CORIAN INSTALLATION
THE CORIAN IS INSTALLED PERFECTLY, ENABLING CONCURRENT GLASS INSTALLATION WHILE THE CONTRACTOR COMPLETES OTHER SITE WORK
MODEL DRIVEN FABRICATION ENABLES TREADS TO BE LASER CUT OFF-SITE. TREADS AND RISERS ARE INSTALLED ON-SITE IN 2.5 DAYS
A CENTRAL JIG ENABLES THE HANDRAIL TO BE OFF-SITE FABRICATED AVOIDING SEQUENTIAL PRODUCTION AND SHAVING WEEKS OFF THE PROCESS