Renders

I decided to try some renders instead of physical models as I wanted to look more at the materials and the context. Below are renders of temples 2 and 5. I had a bit of trouble with materials and spent too much time trying to get the bamboo right, which I couldn't really get to work at all, I couldn't get the UV maps to line up or get the right scales. I had also planned to work more some of the details as I had talked about previously but didn't get time in the end.

For the final presentation since I hadn't changed my design I have just kept the previous presentation slides and added in these renders.

Aftermath

After thinking about the model overnight I realised the reason it didn't work is because on my model I used hinged joints (wire ties) to join everything together but in reality my design uses rigid joints (wooden blocks and bolts) to join the components together.

I have to be careful to make sure the joints are as rigid as possible so I have tweaked my design a bit as shown below. I am making the wooden block bigger so it goes inside the tube and keeps everything in place.

Also, after making the model I realised that the paper tube in this particular design is 3300mm long. Other designs are a similar length. I know that the tubes are very good in compression and the metal bolts in tension, which is how I have designed this, but I'm not sure how it would go at this length. I will look at this a bit more tonight after work (I'm running late now...)

Presentation Week 13

The images of my presentation from week 13 that I forgot to post here.

I would have liked to at least made models of Temple 2 and Temple 5. I am going to think of why I am making a model first before I try again.

Modelling Failure

Now that I'm about 80% finished with my other subjects I've been trying to spend more time on this design. I've been trying to model one of the designs today but it hasn't really worked out.

Since my design uses paper tubes with bolts through them connecting at a block at the nodes, I decided to try using wire with something covering it to represent the tubes. The something similar for the bamboo on the roof. I went to reverse garbage yesterday expecting to find something hollow and tube like but didn't find anything I could use. Instead today I decided to try to just roll paper to the correct scaled size and use that over the wire. This looked OK. I tried a few ways of sticking the tube together. Tape worked better than glue.

The problem with the paper rolls were joining them together at the right angles. Then I thought of using one piece of wire instead of three. The only problem was rolling the paper over it, so I decided to just wrap tape around it after I got the wire right.

In the end I couldn't get the wire to join together rigidly at the joints, the model just doesn't sit right. It wants to pop up in the corners and when I get one part right another parts pops out. I was going to make the roof in the same way but with the curves in the roof it will be even worse than this.

I think it's back to the drawing board for the model. I don't know how I can make them now. I was going to use bamboo skewers originally but I know I won't be able to get the joints right. Maybe skewers and clay but then it will just fall down. I won't be able to get them done in time for tomorrow, but hopefully I can still some done this week. It's frustrating that it's not working and taking so long. I need the last couple of nights I have left to finalise the presentation and to get other subjects done.

Perhaps I need to think of why I'm making the model. At the moment I'm not really sure. It is already giving me a better sense of scale then the computer model, but I am not using the correct materials, so the model is not useful for testing materials. I don't see any difference between this and the computer model. If it is just about getting a sense of the scale and the form then my broken model has already given me that.

I have learnt a few things from making the model.

1. I need to think more carefully about how the components are joined and how that can make the design easier to manufacture.

2. Even in this broken model I can see that the real design should support itself pretty well. The paper tube though will just be like a covering over the structural metal beneath. The bamboo roof may be another matter though and I need to think more about how that will work.

3. Even though the base is a hexagonal shape I'm happy the model didn't end up just looking like a hexagon. I was very conscious of not making it look too hexagonal while I was designing. I never want to see another hexagon again.

4. Small gauge wire will poke a hole in your skin if you push it too hard.

Modeling

I took a day off work today to get the computer modeling done since the drawing for Tech 2 took me longer than expected.

I have chosen 6 concepts from the 20-something that I generated and am working on modeling them in more detail for the presentation. Once I get the first one done it will go pretty quickly as they are all based on the same components. There is also a lot of radial arrays in the model so I generally just have to model one section and rotate it another 5 times.

I am using paper tubes for the skeleton similar to Shigeru Ban's paper designs. I have made a wooden block out of a truncated equilateral tetrahedron (I think that's what it's called) which the paper tubes are joined to with a metal rood going down the centre connecting them. The roof was going to be similar but that may change. I like the detail of a roof Richard Rogers did for an airport, which I may incorporate into my designs.

Having read through the handout Ruwan gave us on presentations I also chose some sentences to sum up my design before I got too much into the details of my concepts. It actually did help me in that I have been refering to these sentences as I have been designing the details.

The temple design uses different arrangements of a modular system of parts to create concepts appropriate to different situations and contexts. (create join design, glazing, solid panels)

Each design reflects a response to it's unique situation. (choose other designs and finalise)

The temples provide a calm, tranquil space for residents of para/site, whatever district they may be in, to meditate or sit quietly in.

The materials used in the concepts reflect the need of users for a serene quiet environment. (paper/bamboo, roof - ?timber, bamboo, leaf, )

Each temple fits within only one gride space, taking up minimal room.

The temples provide a space free of distractions from life outside. (minimal interior, views only of river, etc)

I have also been thinking about the presentation layout. For the first page I will have all of the concepts shown in isometric in a grid, kind of like that image keeps coming up of the designs for Parc la Villette. Then each page after will be dedicated to a different concept, the hero image being a rendering showing the design in context. I may also have a page for the different modules that make up the design, not too sure yet as I'm still thinking about what I will put on the slides.

Image below shows the detail of the joining block. Also the Richard Rogers roof. A bit of chamfer will make the block detail look good but I think I remember there being an easy way to do that in Max.

(our dog is OK now, she gets the bandage off on Thursday)

Still to Come

I had planned to finalise my designs this afternoon so I could work on the presentation without worrying and start thinking of the model. I thought I would take my dog for a walk first but she tore off a nail when it got caught in a gap in the footpath and split a major blood vessel. I have spent all afternoon (and $250) at the vets and cleaning my car, clothes, carpet, towels.. and not started on my design yet. Looks like another late night. At least the dog is OK. My wife and I had planned to go out for dinner as well.

I think I have most of the basic design work done though. I still have to think of a hanging version, but apart from that it's coming along OK. After todays tute, instead of going straight into details of the designs I will plan the presentation and that should give me the drawings I need to produce, since I won't have the time to produce anything I am not going to use.

If you ever find yourself with a lot of blood you need to clean, just use cold water, no soap, and never hot water. Hot water and soap and cleaners make the blood coagulate and then it will be there forever. A good tip from the vet.

Bunch of Temples

Some OK some not so 

Good. Need some details. A

Lot of work to do.

Variations

Some simple variations on the initial concept skeleton just using mirrored instances in Max. The idea may work but I think I need to develop the skeleton more. Maybe my design should just use the skeleton with options of stretching a fabric over them or glazing or something else. The temples could be made up of different variations on arrangements of skeletons with interchangeable add-ons to create shelter, entrances, windows etc. 

Still not sure how I would make the skeleton. Bamboo or paper rolls with metal joins like Shigeru Ban's design may be a way. Or they could be made of folded metal. This decision is probably a good one to make now...

Moving

I had an idea after seeing this TED video of Theo Jansen to give my temple concept the ability to move around the site and adapt itself to each site/situation. I played around with some ideas for moving crab legs on the temple and being able to squish itself to fit in different places. With only a couple of weeks to go though it would not work. I need to make some variations on the initial concept. Similar to the what Ming Tang did in the designs below.

Multiple Temples

I haven't posted here for a while due to the Arch and the City project getting drawn out longer than I thought it would, I was hoping to finalise all of this last weekend. My design will be now be 6 different versions of my temple concept. The temples will be spread out over the site with different neighbours and different situations.

Temple 1:

Hanging under the roof structure of the retail neighbourhood, which contains, I think, a retail space and a bar.

Temple 2:

Also in the retail space (shopping must be stressful to put a bar and a temple with the shops) the second temple will sit on top of part of the retail section. 

Temple 3:

The third temple is in the health neighbourhood. It will be next to the spa and the rehab centre. As this neighbourhood is in the river, Temple 3 will be a floating temple.

Temple 4:

This temple will be in the entertainment precinct, most likely hanging onto the side of one of the levels of the water park.

Temple 5:

The fifth temple will be perched on top of the gallery in the education/cultural area.

Temple 6:

The final temple will be balanced in top of the Storey Bridge.