spulenkorb

Team Members: Ryan Collier | Michael Tomaso | Gabriel Esquivel

The project was awarded an honorable mention in the REPEAT competition organized by TEXFAB November 2010.

There is a vast precedent in fabrication projects that deal with the idea of weaving, however within those projects there are more specific techniques. This project concerns itself specifically in the spiral or coil. In "Tooling" Aranda/Lasch describe this technique as, “the spiral (which) is not so much the shape as the evidence of a shape in formation."(1) This idea implies constant movement as a desired effect - something architecture has historically aspired to. Aranda/Lasch continue the argument in terms of spiral lattices as multiple woven points weaving producing stability: this gives the potential of using the technique as away to assure the structure of the project’s form. To employ such a technique, one would have to use materials and tools that provide a ribboning or woven methodology.

When we began to research more about weaving techniques we looked at“coiled” baskets and “plaited” basketry. Baskets are categorized by Technique; we found diagonally plaited as producing a more contemporary effect. At the same time, coiled baskets provide more stability in that they employ a technique

of bundle strands or rods stitched into a spiraling oval or round form with a thin, flexible element to create a coil. Numerous variations of stitch types and embellishments (such as imbrications) can afford a wide range of possibilities.

Spulenkorb is a combination of both techniques. Spulenkorb literally means a coiled or spiral-form basket. The interest in a coil-spiral-weaving technique is the idea of movement - a propelling force that make things operate - a pattern and certain geometries referential to physics and chemistry as well as in popular culture, music, and film - all while being sensitive to architectural logic of elegance in structure and form.

The initial form then was conceived as a mobius rind (2), a variation of the pure mathematical "strip". For initial investigation we worked with the tool TopMod(3), a topological manifold mesh modeler which handles multi-genus geometries, to model the rind. We then continued to develop the mesh in Maya to include vortex apertures and variable, ornamental perforations, in an effort to test therobustness of the weaving algorithm.

Once the basic geometry was developed, the project was then passed through a series of subdivision routines to help determine which might provide the type of weaving that we ultimately desired. The team selected a base cubic pentagonalization routine because of the flower-like aperture treatment and the relationship between the various ribbons. There was also a strong consideration of the necessity of the final algorithm: weaving the mesh required inclusion of mesh based knots and links. These links can be represented in various ways, and can be passed through a subdivision-extrusion-reevaluation procedure to produce the desired woven effect. The final state of the project includes a series of six continuous ribbons of various lengths. Additionally, none of the ribbons are straight, nor do they maintain their width - these variables are determined by the geometry, the algorithm, and the further parametric variables provided in the algorithm. Each ribbon includes several hundred developable surfaces, all with a unique four- sided condition. It is because of these specificities, and because of the recent development of the tools that such a project can be conceived, digitally or otherwise.

In conclusion, that while up to this point much of the study in digital fabrication research has been based on tessellated surfaces typically derived from some abbreviation of the catmull-clark subdivision routine, this proposal supersedes these current studies by providing new solutions and challenges through the use of emerging tools (such as topmod) and algorithims (such as cubic pentagonalization and weaving) providing an opportunity to experiment and new directions.

1. Aranda, Benjamin. Tooling. Aranda/Lasch. Pamphlet Architecture 27. Princeton Architectural Press. Spiraling. P 12.

2. Akleman Ergun. Cyclic Plain Weaving on Polygonal Mesh Surfaces with Graph Rotation Systems. Siggraph 09.

3. see topmod3d.org for more information

Be sure to check out the project on suckerpunch-

Thesis: Asemic High

Image description:

1. Perspective from Windsor
2. Rail Interchange at base – Floor 02
3. Rail Interchange at base – Floor 01
4. Street Level Perspective
5. Aerial Perspective
6. Section
7. Rail Interchange – Floor 01
8. Rail Interchange – Floor 02

 

This project discusses the Asemic as a generator for certain geometries, certain spheres of sensation, while providing a paradigm for economically viable urban housing and integrated transit.

Asemic geometry denies signification in favor of the emotion of the glyph: that through the serialization certain geometries emerge, invoking sensations which are referential (perhaps) but maintain their independence from meaning. Exploitation of these tendencies, these geometries, yield techniques which allow for fluid conditions to exist between indices, largely defined by the line or curve.

The project is situated in Detroit just north of the Detroit/Windsor tunnel and will serve the dual purpose of a primary transportation hub for a 10 billion dollar rapid transit corridor proposed over the next several years, and a larger residential element situated atop this transportation plinth. Rapid transit will begin to connect the largely disparate suburbs of the Detroit Metro area, bringing residents back into downtown and into the recently redeveloped riverfront district. This high-rise will act as the mediator between the newly defined district and the transit system.

Economically, the project will be subsidized through a housing authority and deed restricted, reducing risk to the contractor (cost) and the government while providing an infrastructure and housing solution to the locality (similar to the Dutch Housing Act of 1901).

Plan/Section Animation via Photoshop

Not to go into too much detail, but there is a great tutorial on creating a animated section cut line moving vertically (or horizontally) through a rotating model. While perhaps a bit gimmicky (nor do I know the fidelity of the import), this is perhaps yet another way to show models. If anything, it shows a completeness to the internal workings of the project, and might be instructive to show circulation patterns which tend to be difficult without looking through several plans, etc.

Be sure to check out the video at the end of the post.

Stephen Fry

This gave me a good feeling about the future. I am not going to be critical of it, or explain its ramifications, beyond saying that 5 for 1 specials are a bit like modernism. And that language (Architecture), in the regard to the use of good words (geometry), is something worthy of pursuit, despite the flow of opinion.

glass

the pattern is the result of cooking glass too long - we considered it a rusticated glass pattern…

[link: joel berman glass studio]

aperture & influence

fisker artega gt

The elevational surface of the artega gt aligns itself as knowing other geometries that are emerging from current architectural discourse (or work thereof): it’s eye-like aperture on the side is similar to the ornamental moves recently employed by Esquivel in his La Riviera renovation geometries (theoremas blog link):

At this point I contend that there are words/articulation needed to fully distinguish one aperture from another (as others certainly exist) wholly in and of itself, and not of a metaphorical rhetoric).

There is a specific move, where void makes a line, a delineation, about a surface, then invades or moves through the surface creating sub-surface expressed geometries in its wake; a moving void. In the same way there seems to be a movement about Esquivel’s work that entertains void objects about a surface, causing influences while not (in a similar move) ripping or destroying it’s plasticity.

Both discuss beauty in the most indiscrete way…perhaps this denies any true articulation to exist: they both leave the subject breathless.

la rivieria fabrication: link (I’ll post more of this incredible project as it comes online)

fisker automotive: link

Sculptris

The makers of Z-Brush have released an alpha version of their new software Sculptris for free. The software itself is extremely fluid in its interaction with the user, almost a feeling of sculpture less digital modeling. It could be described as a perhaps more eloquent version of Maya’s sculpt geometry tool (however this is probably a gross oversimplification). This would make a great tool to add to Maya  though – the program is interoperable via the obj format, and allows for a level of fluidity that is based on user direction instead of precise methodologies (that is

sculptris [link]

See the demo below: