making the physical model

As this design project has a certain amount of dependancy on everyone else's designs i wanted to make sure i had a physical model to put mine in context with everyone else.
I didnt know how to tackle the 'random' triangle angles and sizes but ended up doing a lengthy process of section cutting each triangle/other face and putting that into AutoCAD where i was able to laser cut it.

The trick was to make sure each triangle had been allocated a number and a description so i could accuratly place them in the right spot to have a closed up model. I built it on a print out of the floor plan:
I wouldnt have been able to achieve such great acuracy with the lourver system if i had done it by hand (i didnt have the time to be careful with my craftman ship) so the laser cutter proved to be perfect when doing a model at 1:100

The above image shows the wall's which i hope to do an animation of them opening :)






I didnt close the entire model up (yet) as i didnt laser cut each face of the building...it was too confusing at the time as too which faces i still needed...i can stll close it up by hand . NB The sleeping pods and the kictchen outside has yet to be physically modeled as well.

Kindergarten Triva

There is over 60 solid faces acting as walls, roof, or floor within the kindergarten main building.

(i section planed these faces to be laser cut phew)

Pepakura attempt-fail!

Okay so i was getting frustrated with trying get my triangles flat for laser cutting-sketch up doesnt have an align tol, and rotating is very fiddly!
I tried Ruwans suggestion of Papakura but im not too sure how is meant to work
This is what a simple area folded out to be:


I have no idea how im suppose to fold the lines?

Back to working out another way for me to get my triangles for a physical model by thursday EP.

Let there be Light!

As in my concept design i have applied the louver system which allows light to penetrate the building yet keeping privacy....
It creates an interesting light effect inside.
As the kindergarten is within the Library i have to think of soundproofing as children are known to be loud. I wanted to keep the 'open slits' open but perhaps ill have to add a glass? This distracts from the original design plan to let the children climb and explore...im not sure but atm i want to keep the slits open..time will tell

This is with natural light penetration-im thinking of adding strip lighting to bring more light in-perhaps different colours to stimulate the childs imagination? -dont want it too look like a club thou HA

3ds Render_I CAN DO IT!

So my fear of not being able to render a section is GONE!
Ruwan helped me import a dwg file from sketch up to 3ds max and use the 'slice' tool to represent a montage of sections showing the kindergartens depth! the following images are preliminary but have motivated me further!
I used a clay render for this effect





The next image is a floor plan-looks awsum! very zaha hadid!

Section Attempt

For the up coming Crit i want to do a perspective section (like the ones Ruwan showed us)

I did a test section through the kindergarten and was extreamly happy with the result! I didnt expect it to be so good! YAY

PROBLEM: i cant do a section render of it! (atleast i dnt knw how)
I will have to get Ruwan to help with this lil problem but i think i can export the sketch up model as a 3ds and do a section render in there? fingers x



Im on track again atleast!

rapid prototyping - attempt 1

I was very excited to see if i would be able to rapid prototype my interior wall system and chair for the upcoming Crit. Unfortunatly my scale was to small and thus resulted in my model being too brittle and tiny to have any definition - it went to dust :(

however Stu's Library Core was a great success and helps me see how the kindergarten will fit in within the Library. The core system will help physically support my kindergarten.

The experience was not wasted as im motivated to try and scale up my model and do a second attempt. Its a lot easier then i had anticipated.

The following are some images of my rapid prototyping experience and Stu's Library Core.

fitting the kindergarten in

The following images show sketches of how i plan to fit the kindergarten in context with the library and education precinct.

interior seating-crafts area

Seating within the kindergarten was too be a playful element rather then a strict rigid chair.
It basically forms from the ground and grows up.

The Seat also doubles as storage for books and other things.
One side has a defined seat while the other parts are an exploration for the children to bend and mould their bodies to find a space which suits them individually.

Model FLAT!

From my interior sketches i was stuck on how to model it in 3D on the computer, there were lots of angles and i had no idea where to start.

Ruwan guided me to design flat to begin with- so obvious!

Once i had the wall lines outlined i extruded the walls to give them thickness

Next i extruded the faces of each wall to provide a more 3d and interactive surface for the children.
Finally it was as simple as rotating the wall to the vertical plane and volia! i have a wall!...Once in the vertical plane i changed the heights and angles to induce the 'impact' feeling of the crash zone.

The interior walls can be climbed and explored by the children. The walls are open for supervision but also make obvious spatail difference.

sketching ideas

I became stuck using 3d modeling tools on the computer so decided to take a break and draw out some ideas on the good old paper.
I wanted to resolve my interior spaces to a higher detail. I like the idea of the walls having spaces where the kids can climb through, under or over. it would also be interesting if the walls evolved into planes (surfaces) which can be used as tables or chairs.

Below is just some doodling of how the library and the kindergarten can come together. i have been struggling to show enough definition between each level as the kindergarten is on such a small scale.


i need to go back modeling now as time is running out. epp.

Hydralulic Arms

During the concept stage i wanted to illustrate how i wanted to incoporate technology but failed to come to a decision in time. Untill now :)
I found ths image by MAGMA ARCHITECTURE:
The use of the system on the Warrior Square Pavilion, is used to indicate opening and closing of spaces and shelter from rain and sun. I want to include asimilar system to open up my inside craft areas to the outside play/eating areas.

http://www.magmaarchitecture.com/flash_en.html

Parasitic Precinct- education + culture

The below image shows the education + culture precinct at concept stage. The configuration sits on the side of the story bridge with the DOJO reaching the water level.

The kindergarten slices right through Stu's Library..almost like an internal explosion within the library.


The next step for me is to re-configure my design to suit this parasitic situation.
I currently have a flat base which i want to 'dissolve' so that the crumple effect can be seen by people on the ground levels of the library.
I also want to create difference in levels and have a desire to latch my sleeping quatres on the outside of stu's library in the same sense of his 'moth'.

Im curious to see how stu closes the other half of his library as it currently is open..i know that my play area will open out onto a flat plane outside the library where Ruwan has also asked for 4 additional hexagons to allow for public/shared space.

Below is the precinct looking from the cliff:

Hexagon Prep

Now knowing that im to work with Hexagons with a radius of 6m i did a quick check to see how many hexagons in plan the kindergarten would require. As the design stands as of wk8 concept stage it consumes around three hexagons in the planning.
At first i thought this was a very small surface area and was worried about my kindergartens scale. If each hexagon is aprox 94m2 then my kindergarten took up less then 300m2 (the oringal brief suggested anywhere upto 1500m2)

But the space is designed as an imtimate, childs world, so being on the small side is understandable. Im going to add atleast another hexagon to allow space for further development of spaces and growth.

Detailing The Louver

I was browsing Archdaily and cam across "woodwalk" by Vir.Mueller Architects. Its located in New Dehli, India and exemplifies the louver system im using in the kindergarten. Im leaning towards using wood for the louvers and a metal for the solid parts. The images above details the wooden parts.

Zaha Hadid- Parastic Angles

I ventured to the library to find more out about Zaha Hadid, Ruwan and others had mentioned her during the dab510 classes and i was interested to see how her work may relate and enrich my design. The Book displayed designs and paintings which reminded me of lebius woods parasitic work shown on the theme groups wiki page.


The above image is a painting which reminded me of my entrance to the kindergarten. It is a Painting of Office Building on Kurfurstendamm 70 Berlin, 1986.


I particularly liked the name of this painting "Jewels" as i hadnt thought of my sharp angles as natural elements before. Now i can relate them to minerals and natural elements occuring. -perhaps even the rocky cliff of howard smith wharf.


This painting is the "cornor building rotation" of an office and residentail development in Hamburg 1989. Once agian im trying to portray this radiant rotation in the entrance portal of my kindergarten.

The book is: Hadid, Z., Celant, G., Ram*rez-Montagut, M. n., & Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. (2006). Zaha Hadid. New York, N.Y.: Guggenheim Museum : Available through D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers.

2010 Shanghai Expo-Portugal

The above image is of the Portugal Pav, its has the same angles and forms the same spaces that i am trying to achieve in the Kindergrten.

It provides further thought on materials.

http://en.expo2010.cn/pavilions/hqzg.htm