Structure Ideas
1
e covered biomes are constructed from a tubular steel (hex-tri-hex) with mostly hexagonal external cladding panels made from the thermoplastic ETFE. Glass was avoided due to its weight and potential dangers. e cladding panels themselves are created from several layers of thin UV-transparent ETFE film, which are sealed around their perimeter and inflated to create a large cushion. e resulting cushion acts as a thermal blanket to the structure. e ETFE material is resistant to most stains, which simply wash off in the rain. If required, cleaning can be performed by abseilers. Although the ETFE is susceptible to punc- tures, these can be easily fixed with ETFE tape. e structure is completely self-supporting, with no internal supports, and takes the form of a geodesic structure. e panels vary in size up to 9 metres (29.5 ſt) across, with the largest at the top of the structure. e Tropical Biome, covers 1.56 hectares (3.9 acres) and measures 55 metres (180 ſt) high, 100 metres (328 ſt) wide and 200 metres (656 ſt) long. It is used for tropical plants, such as fruiting banana trees, coffee, rubber and giant bamboo, and is kept at a tropical temperature and moisture level. e Mediterranean Biome covers 0.654 hectares (1.6 acres) and measures 35 metres (115 ſt) high, 65 metres (213 ſt) wide and 135 metres (443 ſt) long. It houses familiar warm temper- ate and arid plants such as olives and grape vines and various sculptures. e Outdoor Biome (which is not covered) represents the temperate regions of the world with plants such as tea, lavender, hops, hemp and sunflowers. Soap bubbles are physical illustrations of the complex mathematical problem of minimal surface. ey will assume the shape of least surface area possible containing a given volume. A true minimal surface is more properly illustrated by a soap film, which has equal pressure on inside as outside, hence is a surface with zero mean curvature. A soap bubble is a closed soap film: due to the difference in outside and inside pressure, it is a surface of constant mean curvature. When two bubbles merge, they adopt a shape which makes the sum of their surface areas as small as possible, compatible with the volume of air each bubble encloses. If the bubbles are of equal size, their common wall is flat. Else, their common wall bulges into the larger bubble, since the smaller one has a higher internal pressure than the larger one, as predicted by the Young–Laplace equation. At a point where three or more bubbles meet, they sort themselves out so that only three bubble walls meet along a line. Since the surface tension is the same in each of the three surfaces, the three angles between them must be equal to 120°. is is the most efficient choice, again, which is also the reason why the cells of a beehive have the same 120° angle and form hexagons. I wonder if I can use the form and structure of a soap bubble to inspire a new form of architecture that does not just conform to the usual ‘bubble architecture’ that exists already. By using glass and creating these merged pods in the landscape of the architecture of the roof. e protrusions are molded from a single piece of glass (?) and become small biomes that generate their own microclimate below. ere are many companies that supply the type of glass that could be used for other parts of the project, but for the ‘biomes’, or the atmosphere creating pods within the roofscape, for plants so grow beneath them, they will have to allow all the elements for life to penetrate whilst still providing the same protection that glass would. Architects Robert and Esteve Terradas of Barcelona describe the city’s newly-renovated and expanded (45,000 m2) Science Museum (completed September 2004) as “a living museum that will set new standards in terms of transparency - a very modern construction that will enable the plants and animals inside to really live and breathe.” e project was made possible by the use of an innovative grade of DuPont™ SentryGlas© structural interlayer that is “UV-breathable, on the flat roof of an Amazonian rainforest exhibit”. DuPont was able to satisfy the museum’s specification by supplying a “UV-breathable” grade of its SentryGlas© structural interlayer that allows UV rays to pass through. Most other types of laminated glass interlayers – including polyvinyl butyral (PVB) - need a UV stabilizer for their manufacture that automatically blocks out UV rays. Because of its stability, DuPont’s structural interlayer doesn’t need UV-stabilizers. Demand for a ‘UV-breathable’ grade that is just as strong and safe as regular laminated glass gives SentryGlas® opportunities from architects worldwide wanting to create greenhouses containing both plant and animal life.” ere are many companies out there that do glass to many differing and exacting standards. To the right are the three that I have pin pointed that each do a product that could be used within the designs for the bathing experiences. As they stand they can create forms of a certain type and dimension, although Cricursa have been experimenting with bends and curves far beyond the normal range for glass. I wonder if these companies could produce something that could manage to fulfil the more 3 dimensional form of the biomes within my design? Also, I do not know what the structure would be in order to support this sort of form and weight. e structure within the biomes I want to be almost non-existent, and that of the rest, minimal. I know that ‘bubble architecture’, much like the Eden Project, is self supporting, but unless I create a design that itself is a bubble, or complete dome, this would not be possible? What are the limits of these materials and the structure that goes along with it according to the sketches to the leſt? Marble laminate Metal laminate Textured Self Cleaning Non Skid Flooring Above: Sketch sections trying to show a very primitive attempt at structure and use of the glass roof landscape, as well as the interior architectural features of the building. e most important aspects are those that allow the functions within to happen, so the water ingress, UV capabilities, air exchange, condensing, heating etc...... Above: Sketch plan of my idea so far. e building will become a series of walks through the landscape. Each walk will demand its own environment and conditions, in order to fully and newly experience the bathing cultures of Russia, America, Greece and Japan, as well as to provide the very important social interfaces and spaces, which is the second most important use of the building...... Right: A quick sketch showing the model dia- gram I am planning on constructing .e glass layer becomes a meta- phor for Japanese Fudo, and a transparent layer between human and nature, inturrupted and punctuated.
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Preliminary sketches to consult Roberto with
Transcript of Structure Ideas
The covered biomes are constructed from a tubular steel (hex-tri-hex) with mostly hexagonal external cladding panels made from the thermoplastic ETFE. Glass was avoided due to its weight and potential dangers. The cladding panels themselves are created from several layers of thin UV-transparent ETFE film, which are sealed around their perimeter and inflated to create a large cushion. The resulting cushion acts as a thermal blanket to the structure. The ETFE material is resistant to most stains, which simply wash off in the rain. If required, cleaning can be performed by abseilers. Although the ETFE is susceptible to punc-tures, these can be easily fixed with ETFE tape. The structure is completely self-supporting, with no internal supports, and takes the form of a geodesic structure. The panels vary in size up to 9 metres (29.5 ft) across, with the largest at the top of the structure.
The Tropical Biome, covers 1.56 hectares (3.9 acres) and measures 55 metres (180 ft) high, 100 metres (328 ft) wide and 200 metres (656 ft) long. It is used for tropical plants, such as fruiting banana trees, coffee, rubber and giant bamboo, and is kept at a tropical temperature and moisture level.The Mediterranean Biome covers 0.654 hectares (1.6 acres) and measures 35 metres (115 ft) high, 65 metres (213 ft) wide and 135 metres (443 ft) long. It houses familiar warm temper-ate and arid plants such as olives and grape vines and various sculptures.The Outdoor Biome (which is not covered) represents the temperate regions of the world with plants such as tea, lavender, hops, hemp and sunflowers.
Soap bubbles are physical illustrations of the complex mathematical problem of minimal surface. They will assume the shape of least surface area possible containing a given volume. A true minimal surface is more properly illustrated by a soap film, which has equal pressure on inside as outside, hence is a surface with zero mean curvature. A soap bubble is a closed soap film: due to the difference in outside and inside pressure, it is a surface of constant mean curvature.
When two bubbles merge, they adopt a shape which makes the sum of their surface areas as small as possible, compatible with the volume of air each bubble encloses. If the bubbles are of equal size, their common wall is flat. Else, their common wall bulges into the larger bubble, since the smaller one has a higher internal pressure than the larger one, as predicted by the Young–Laplace equation.At a point where three or more bubbles meet, they sort themselves out so that only three bubble walls meet along a line. Since the surface tension is the same in each of the three surfaces, the three angles between them must be equal to 120°. This is the most efficient choice, again, which is also the reason why the cells of a beehive have the same 120° angle and form hexagons.
I wonder if I can use the form and structure of a soap bubble to inspire a new form of architecture that does not just conform to the usual ‘bubble architecture’ that exists already. By using glass and creating these merged pods in the landscape of the architecture of the roof. The protrusions are molded from a single piece of glass (?) and become small biomes that generate their own microclimate below.
There are many companies that supply the type of glass that could be used for other parts of the project, but for the ‘biomes’, or the atmosphere creating pods within the roofscape, for plants so grow beneath them, they will have to allow all the elements for life to penetrate whilst still providing the same protection that glass would.
Architects Robert and Esteve Terradas of Barcelona describe the city’s newly-renovated and expanded (45,000 m2) Science Museum (completed September 2004) as “a living museum that will set new standards in terms of transparency - a very modern construction that will enable the plants and animals inside to really live and breathe.” The project was made possible by the use of an innovative grade of DuPont™ SentryGlas© structural interlayer that is “UV-breathable, on the flat roof of an Amazonian rainforest exhibit”.
DuPont was able to satisfy the museum’s specification by supplying a “UV-breathable” grade of its SentryGlas© structural interlayer that allows UV rays to pass through. Most other types of laminated glass interlayers – including polyvinyl butyral (PVB) - need a UV stabilizer for their manufacture that automatically blocks out UV rays.
Because of its stability, DuPont’s structural interlayer doesn’t need UV-stabilizers. Demand for a ‘UV-breathable’ grade that is just as strong and safe as regular laminated glass gives SentryGlas® opportunities from architects worldwide wanting to create greenhouses containing both plant and animal life.”
There are many companies out there that do glass to many differing and exacting standards. To the right are the three that I have pin pointed that each do a product that could be used within the designs for the bathing experiences. As they stand they can create forms of a certain type and dimension, although Cricursa have been experimenting with bends and curves far beyond the normal range for glass.
I wonder if these companies could produce something that could manage to fulfil the more 3 dimensional form of the biomes within my design?
Also, I do not know what the structure would be in order to support this sort of form and weight. The structure within the biomes I want to be almost non-existent, and that of the rest, minimal. I know that ‘bubble architecture’, much like the Eden Project, is self supporting, but unless I create a design that itself is a bubble, or complete dome, this would not be possible?
What are the limits of these materials and the structure that goes along with it according to the sketches to the left?
Marble laminate Metal laminate Textured
Self Cleaning
Non Skid Flooring
Above: Sketch sections trying to show a very primitive attempt at structure and use of the glass roof landscape, as well as the interior architectural features of the building. The most important aspects are those that allow the functions within to happen, so the water ingress, UV capabilities, air exchange, condensing, heating etc......
Above: Sketch plan of my idea so far. The building will become a series of walks through the landscape. Each walk will demand its own environment and conditions, in order to fully and newly experience the bathing cultures of Russia, America, Greece and Japan, as well as to provide the very important social interfaces and spaces, which is the second most important use of the building......
Right: A quick sketch showing the model dia-gram I am planning on constructing .The glass layer becomes a meta-phor for Japanese Fudo, and a transparent layer between human and nature, inturrupted and punctuated.
