Alexandre Law Min

Student number: 544028

Semester 1/2012

Group 19

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

MODIFICATION OF DESIGN From Module One, the model that preceded the development did not convey my natural process of hair motion. On top of that the model was too complex to reproduce on Rhino, therefore I modified and simplified the design, as shown below.

Spiky and bulky, far from the concept of hair motion

Fluid, hollow and elegant. Lines on the model convey a flowing motion.

The shape conveys the motion of hairs as it transitions from order to chaos. The higher peaks represents chaos, or where the hairs is denser. At both ends, the shape contracts more and more. This represents a state of calm and rest.

DIGITIZATION | TRACING PROFILE CURVES

Taking my new model, I decided to use the method of tracing profile curves as my model was hollow and opened at both ends, allowing for a simple lofting process. My model was at a 1:5 scale.

FORM MANIPULATION

I found that the model was too simple, therefore I attempted to manipulate its shape with the cage tool. After a few twisting and movement of the control points, I came up with the shape as shown above. I found that the curves were exaggerated and instead, looked more like a deformed mushroom! I discarded the idea and stuck with the original model…

EXPERIMENTING WITH PANELING TOOLS

Experimenting with 2D panelling methods. Tried different panelling patterns, with the same number of grid points.

I found the above design very interesting and related to my natural process of hair motion. There seems to be a movement along the model, and similarly to hairs, at both ends, we can distinguish individual hairs. This is represented by the spikes at both ends.

The above design is similar to the structure of hair (re. to Module One Research). The different layers, detached from each other could represent individual strands of hairs, which could be peeled off. I am interested at the lighting pattern this model would create. However, it has to be considered how each layer could be attached together (a rib cage structure probably).

Experimenting with the offset tool on a 2D panelling grid.

The weakness of the model is related to the holes created by the offset. Less material means the overall strength of the structure decreases. On the plus side, the model is lighter and according to me, more appealing as the form will create interesting shadows when shone upon. More on the down side, it does not represent a flowing motion I want to achieve.

I find this design very interesting. There was no sign of offset in the middle part as the surfaces were too thin. This surprisingly gave an appealing touch to the model. Furthermore, the growing holes represent the transition to order from chaos, or from dense to less dense.

I tried experimenting with 3D panelling and I obtained the following results from the default patterns. Although they had very interesting designs, none of them conveyed the idea of hair motion, as they were mostly angular, whilst my expectation was more of a pattern that reflects motion along its length. On the other hand, the plus side of these structures is that the fact of being extruded, gives them strength and stability.

Experimenting with custom 3D patterns and different light sources.

The design looks very appealing, but the pattern does not convey the motion of hairs as it is lost in the spikes. It looked really nice, especially with the light sources on the inside of the model. However, I was still not satisfied…

The models to the right were obtained by manipulating the second grid pattern. The first one was extruded inwards, and the second was extruded outwards, but tilted to one side. Again, the notion of hair motion has disappeared from the shape of the model.

Creating ribs with the fin edges tool

This model has a major weakness; lack of stability in the structural components. Since it is a rectangular pattern and hollow in the middle, it is likely to shear and deform. And since the material at hand is paper, it is inappropriate for such a model. It will certainly not act as the outer form of a model, but could act as a structure to increase stability.

This design does not consist of panels, but I was fascinated by its subtle and elegant form that conveys motion, especially when the lamp is on; there is a sense of soothing. The alternate direction of the curves makes as if the object is constantly rotating on itself. The design uses a repetitive pattern (alternating directions at each component) to produce this particular effect. It is something worth considering for my model.

The hope tree is a paper structure strung with LED lights mounted in a shipping container. The design was exhibited in Tokyo in 2010. The curves of the model has a soothing effect, especially the central part, which grows out at the top. The panels used for the design seems to be peeling out. This is an idea I could incorporate to my model. The colour white tends to give users the impression of being in a larger space (as compared to black), and it is easier to distinguish the curves as well, therefore the colour of my model would most probably be white.

When using flat surfaces (panels), the design is more angular. The different layers is similar to the structure of the hair. However, the challenge is to attach the surfaces together, which are not connected. The image to the lower left shows the same model, but with holes. It has almost lost its sense of motion.

Initial idea

I tried to reproduce the same effect as in the hope tree, by increasing the number of grid points to make the model look more circular. However, the structure becomes more fragile as it loses structural strength on the outside.

The problem with these types of surface is that they do not have depths. Considering the fact that the material used is going to be paper, they would certainly be deficient in terms of structural strength, as there is nothing to support the cage. It is going to be prone to crushing and deformation. Thus, it has to be modified…

The following modifications have been made to the design: 1. Less grid points to increase the angularity of the

model (higher strength on the outer structure) 2. Smaller holes (offset tool) to increase material

strength on those surfaces. 3. The presence of a rib cage (as shown in the

image below) to reinforce the overall structure).

Experimenting with different sizes of slots to test the intensity of the light. It has an interesting shadow patterns as it spreads outwards, similar to strands of hairs. The larger the holes, the thinner the shadows, and vice versa. This represents the concept of transition from chaos to order, where thin shadows represents the detachment of hairs from the dense and compact mass of hairs (whereby the shadow is larger.

In Module 2, I was exposed to a completely new way of designing. I found digitising my model and experiencing with different panelling tools on Rhino very enjoyable. The fact that you can actually see the design on your computer screen and manipulate it freely is really exciting. Surprisingly enough, I did not encounter any problems with the software and the online tutorials were very helpful. However, I did came across a few difficulties in the elaboration process as I found that the model looked too fragile and needed reinforcements. The challenge here was to keep the flowing motion of the surface. Previous models from 3D panelling could not successfully convey this idea, although they have more structural strength than 2D panelling models. Therefore, I had to find a way to keep the 2D panelling form of my model, but at the same time, reinforce it with an inner rib cage structure. I am quite satisfied with the process, and I believe that it could be easily manufactured. I created a prototype of how the panels would look like when shone upon, but was not quite satisfied with the overall results. I managed to produce only a few individual cells, or I would have to reproduce the whole design, which would be very time-consuming. In essence, I am myself surprised at how technology could help develop designing nowadays, and in a very short amount of time. I was able to create multiple forms and test lighting without having to manufacture prototypes. Apart from that, I am keen to learn more from the next Module…0