ParaMod.net

Drawing Generation in Digital Project - Revised

2011-10-11T00:50:00.000-04:00

Updated tutorial for generating drawings in Digital Project. The older tutorial seems to be out of date with the new version of DP.

20 minute video tutorial for making linked drawings from 3D geometry. Click the image to launch the video.

click to launch video

Parametric Double Negative Study

2011-09-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of simple double negative studies using digital project. A parameter drives the location of one of the intersected voids.

Karl will be lecturing at Roger Williams in October

2011-09-26T17:11:00.002-04:00

I will be lecturing at Roger Williams University on October 19th. Here is the lecture series postcard. The lecture is through the architecture school and will be open to the public.

Ayaka Sushi wins Metal Mag Interiors Award

2011-08-20T13:46:00.001-04:00

Ayaka Sushi won the metal mag interiors category for the custom ceiling designed for the project. The awards issue will be published in the September issue.

To see the other projects and to learn more visit:
Metal Mag Awards announced

Rustbelt to Artist Belt Conference in Detroit

2011-04-01T15:16:00.000-04:00

On April 7^th I will be speaking in a panel “Edgy Practices: Creatives Making their Mark”. The panel is part of the Rustbelt to Artist Belt Conference in Detroit which seeks to collaboratively explore the role creative people play in transforming the physical and economic landscape of post-industrial communities. This panel will discuss how artists, designers and other creative practitioners are making their mark and will address issues pertaining to the shifting context for work, the ability to access significant opportunities and methods to gain recognition locally and nationally. The panel also seeks to identify what is needed and what is next for the region in terms of retaining and sustaining the careers of creative practitioners.

Folding structure with variation

2011-03-27T14:36:00.000-04:00

I had a bit of time to finally get around to the next stage of the folding structure. I was curious if a variation in panel dimension or in panel angle would still work in terms of folding. I was surprised to find out that both work. Here are a few images:

Simple animation where the skeleton angle is varied, which results in the overall assembly folding or unfolding.

Variation of the panel angle only.

Here is the angle and length of panel varied across the assembly.

Folding tutorial uses assembly model

2011-02-03T17:38:00.002-05:00

Tutorial that shows how to use the assembly workbench to investigate folding geometry. The folding pattern is based on research of the hornbeam leaf. Paper on this type of research.

Click the image below to start the video tutorial.

New Masters of Science in Digital Technologies announced at Michigan

2010-12-02T09:32:00.001-05:00

Yesterday the announcement was finally public, Michigan will be accepting applications for a new MSc in the concentration of Digital Technologies. The admissions deadline will be Feb 15th.

Here is the link: MSc in Digital Technologies

It is loosely organized around 4 possible trajectories: Hardware, Software, Data, and Synthesis. It will be a three term program and culminates in an independent research project. While it will focus on design research there are no studios in this MSc concentration.

We are excited to push the work in this area and looking forward to add another group of students into the mix at Michigan.

Application details will be available Dec 6th.

Neglecting the blog but busy nonetheless

2010-09-26T20:28:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe it has been so long since the last post. It was a crazy summer and then school started too, which seems to always complicate things. I just returned from the Architect R&D Symposium in Chicago and the Taubman College Future of Technology Conference. Both planted a number of interesting ideas.

Other news from the summer is that the Shadow Pavilion won an Architect R&D Award and a National AIA Small Projects Award.

I have been especially busy with our work for BLU Homes. Since February our firm has been doing design work with the prefab company out of Boston. It is an interesting match that grew out of our work with CATIA and our interests in construction and fabrication. BLU uses CATIA to completely model the houses and provide customer customizations. The model captures all the information and then produces all the shop drawings for the factory. In many ways it is another arrangement of the key players in the construction process, for us a new form of practice which questions the roles and relationships of traditional practice. Within one team there is design, manufacturing, marketing, and sales.

I should have some images to show soon but until then here is an image of a recently delivered project in Massachusetts. There are three prefab units that are used as a painting studio, photo studio, and media space. The open house for the project was last weekend, during my last trip out to Boston.

Images of THR_033 from the museum

2010-07-13T21:25:00.002-04:00

Dezeen picked up the tea house on the blog today. Click the image to read their description:

John also posted some great pictures from the opening. Here is a link to his post.

Here is the smile scanner in action:

THR_033 - Tea House shipped to Japan

2010-07-04T13:57:00.008-04:00

Things have been busy, but now that THR_003 has been shipped to Japan things might settle down a bit. Here is a sampling of the process, development, and construction. John and Cezanne left for Japan on Friday and will be assembling the parts this coming week. Photos from the museum will be available very soon. The show opens July 9 and goes through August 22. Here is a link to the the exhibit information.

Here it is crated and waiting for FedEx.

Here is the tea house lit from the inside.

Detail of the yupo laser cut surface.

Here is the laser cut surface being assembled on the table.

Assembly / system diagram.

Prototype of the operable openings.

Process representation of a flat paper skin.

Skin prototype to detail the paper seams.

Flat paper skin with operable opening.

Early drawings for the tea house.

Rule for Controlling Activity

2010-05-31T22:50:00.000-04:00

Here is a simple rule embedded within a powercopy that controls if geometry is active or not (visible or displayed). Robert Yuen and I figured this out while working on a research project for a parametric house.

The rule allows for geometry to be active or in-active based on a simple boolean parameter. In the case for this tutorial, if a dimension is greater than a specified value, a middle strut is made active.

Click HERE to start the video.

Color Changing Rule

2010-05-22T17:31:00.001-04:00

Here is a short tutorial that shows how to make a rule that will change the display color of a powercopy. The syntax for the rule was worked out by Julie Flohr and her students at UIC. The next step is to work this into a knowledge pattern. The benefit of something like this is to give you real-time feedback based on a certain criteria that you set. As you change something, the display is updated.

Click the image to launch the video tutorial. It is 16 minutes long.

Another Semester Ends

2010-05-04T22:56:00.001-04:00

This semester was a heavy technology semester with the ParaMod seminar and the grad studio also using DP. This meant lots of posts and figuring out all sorts of DP related issues. After the intensity and a solid week of final reviews, I am taking a week to focus on some other work. I have ideas for a few more tutorials, one of which will include a DP rule to change the display color of objects and probably a simple ecotech shadow generation.

As far as work goes, PLY is getting busy and John Marshall, Cezanne Charles and I are collaborating again. This time on a Tea House for Robots to be installed in Japan in July. It will be at the Natinoal Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto from July 9 – August 22. Here is a link. We are ramping up this week so once there are images and mock ups I can post some of that work.

Stay tuned, the summer is getting busy already.

Karl to give Architecture Keynote at the HATCH Festival

2010-04-12T10:56:00.002-04:00

I will be giving the architecture keynote at the Hatch Festival in Ashville, N.C. on April 16, 2010

The festival takes place from April 15-18, 2010.

The mission of HATCH is to provide mentorship, education, inspiration and recognition to the next generation of creative innovators. The focus is on the creative industries and how to best leverage the creative talent to impact the community and the planet in a positive and sustainable way. HATCHfest brings together luminaries in the arts to serve as mentors to groundbreaking new creative talent in the fields of architecture, design/technology, fashion, film, journalism, music, and photography.

Click here for more information on HATCH.

Creation of Data Sheets

2010-03-21T23:25:00.000-04:00

Short tutorial shows how to create and manage data sheets. Click the image to start the video.

Graphic method to create varied intervals

2010-03-20T20:01:00.000-04:00

Simple sketch to control the varied lengths for sub-dividing an object. Click the image to view the video.

Click here to download the catpart file.

Area to Height and Manipulation of Void

2010-03-06T18:42:00.001-05:00

Short tutorial that covers conversion of area to height. It also shows the manipulation of a multi-section void.

Click the image to start the video.

Attractor Point tutorial added

2010-03-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

Finally had a chance to go back and complete the video tutorial for the attractor point tutorial.

Click here for the video.

Projecting Solid Shadows

2010-02-27T12:19:00.001-05:00

Short tutorial that demonstrates the creation of solid shadows. Click the image to launch the video.

First time teaching Knowledge Patterns

2010-02-11T07:37:00.000-05:00

Last night was the first time to roll out knowledge patterns in the seminar. In the three hour format it was a bit rushed but we have two weeks to work on this assignment so I am optimistic that people wil be able to work through the flow of the various steps and operations.

I am curious to see if the power of the scripting out weights the perceived difficulty of the scripting and the process. I hope that after the two previous weeks everyone is tired of manually instantiating their parts. I am also curious to see what new types of projects will emerge from this type of tool.

Document Template Tutorial with Rules

2010-02-07T12:42:00.001-05:00

This tutorial starts with an existing framework (download here). I also included two rules to control the circles to always sit inside of the control points.

The document template allows you to deal with advanced replication of solids. It also allows you to create separate files for each part, so that each instance can be modified independently.

If you want to jump ahead to the actual making of the document template you can download the geometry for the part (here).

Attractor Point with Range

2010-01-31T13:48:00.002-05:00

I received a request recently about using an attractor point in DP. This was a famous early Grasshopper example so I figured I could do a simple version using DP. The tutorial also includes a powercopied rule to set the range of the attractor point allowing for greater or lesser impact of the point on the circle radii.

Here is the text for a rule that gets powercopied with the geometry:

if buildgeo\radius_inner > radius_max 

{buildgeo\radius_float = radius_max }
else if buildgeo\radius_inner < radius_min 

{buildgeo\radius_float = radius_min }

else {buildgeo\radius_float = buildgeo\radius_inner }

Here is the file if anyone wants to work through the example (file here). Click on the image below to start the video.

Radical Botanical by David Sokol

2010-01-30T13:02:00.000-05:00

The Shadow Pavilion was published in the January issue of Interior Design Magazine.

FAB Lab at Michigan officially opens

2010-01-28T09:58:00.003-05:00

Short article in the local paper about the FAB Lab open house. (I hope the robot doesn't crash into the foam mold, obviously placed for the photo!)

The FAB Lab opening was also the topic of a recent local radio interview on the Lucy Ann Lance Business Insider – 1290 WLBY, Ann Arbor, MI. Click here to listen to the January 20th interview.

Rules & Powercopies

2010-01-23T18:15:00.004-05:00

Here is a DP tutorial that includes powercopies and rules. Instead of creating a range of powercopies with a uniform variation, I model it as lumber with specific sizes. The rule then allows for specific shapes to be placed depending on the context of the framework. The rule is also dynamic so as the context changes the rule is able to update the geometry.

Here is the simple text required to make the rule. Both "depth" and "joist_length" are linked parameters.

if joist_length <= 110in
{depth=5.5in}

else if
joist_length >110in and joist_length<145in
{depth=7.25in}

else if
joist_length >145in and joist_length<185in
{depth=9.25in}

else if
joist_length >185in and joist_length<225in
{depth=11.25in}

else if
joist_length >=225in
{depth=.75in}

Blogs, RSS Feeds, and Pipes

2010-01-16T15:39:00.002-05:00

Short video that covers the creation of blogs, the role of RSS feeds, and the aggregation of RSS feeds. For the past year I have been requiring my students to document their work and use a personal blog site to comment on their work and synthesize different types of peripheral studio information. As our studio format has moved to two days a week, the blog gives me a chance to see what my students are up to in the days between studios and gives me an easy ways to comment. The RSS feed keeps me up to date by notifying me when something is added to one of their blogs.

Click the RSS icon to start the streaming 13 minute video.

ParaMod Seminar - Tutorial001

2010-01-12T00:52:00.002-05:00

This semester the ParaMod seminar will be addressing the role of precedent and our ability to build on and manipulate existing rules and work. Tutorial001 asks the students to model the plan of an existing project, uncover the rules, and produce 5 variations.

The student work blogs will be aggregated in the widget in the bottom right.

The following tutorial gives my quick approach to such a problem. The tutorial models Borromini's San Carlo and UN Studio's Ponte Parodi project. Click the image to start the streaming video.

Research Through Making Exhibit

2010-01-04T11:33:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the holiday delay in posting. Once reviews were done I needed a break. We have been working on the exhibit of the first group of Research Through Making projects. The exhibit will be on display starting on January 15th. I have been working with Chris Johnson to animate a few of the material studies that were developed at the beginning of the project. In all there should be 5 interactive prototypes. Still working on the drawings and repairing some of the models. I'll post some images once the exhibit is installed.

The interactive pieces are an array of LEDs with a PIR motion sensor controlled by Arduino boards. We tried various code options but in the end recycled the code developed by John Marshall on the FIRE project. The laser cut paper models are investigations of various aggregation strategies for a structural system.

Shadow Pavilion paper studies from Karl Daubmann on Vimeo.

Shadow Pavilion prototype from Karl Daubmann on Vimeo.

Snow Cones

2009-12-13T22:38:00.001-05:00

We had some snow last week. I rushed over to the botanical gardens to check out the pavilion and was pleasantly surprised to find snow shadows, or maybe the opposite of shadows, focused piles of snow corresponding to each cone. Now I am waiting for a good ice storm to see if we get icicles for each cone.

Next iteration of the folding panel

2009-12-13T22:32:00.002-05:00

After trying a few options for the folding screen, here is one that uses the corner (or a fold in the surface) to open. I was hoping for a more dramatic range from closed to open but the range is based on the range of the individual module.

I was a bit lazy with the animation, only a few versions to show the range of motion. The panel as rendered is 7 feet high by 9 feet wide.

The next project with John and Cezanne

2009-12-08T10:20:00.001-05:00

John, Cezanne, and I have been working / talking about the next project since this past summer. While we are still in the early stages, or at least my part of it is in early stages, I had a break through with the assembly modeling component in DP. The installation will be at a museum in Japan and we are trying to work with a repeated interactive module and origami. Below is a simple animation of the repeated parts as they fold. The top left corner is fixed, and as a result as the parts change, it impacts all the connected modules.

Below are a few of the parts simply arranged that also rolls the surface into a cylinder.

To some, this might seem redundant.

2009-11-25T15:32:00.005-05:00

Labeling a stack of plywood, "PLY". The joke is that that is the name of the office. The driver did not appreciate that I asked him to step aside so I could take a picture.

Hydrophobic Surface Mapping

2009-11-25T08:01:00.003-05:00

I have been working on a new knowledge pattern project that maps the flow over a surface. The bigger project is to develop a new form of tiling that incorporates performance into the patterning and surface subdivision. In the first series below, you can see the various steps to the flow pattern (the original surface, the first knowledge pattern that creates a set of isocurves, and then the lines of flow based on the difference between vertical and the surface normal at that intersection.

Below are a couple of variations as the surface is manipulated. The next immediate step is to capture the lengths of the lines and possibly vary the line weight to better graphically represent the impact of slope. (click the image for a larger view)

Another iteration. (click for larger view)

Below is an obvious example of water moving across a surface. The Lotus Leaf surface is "hydrophobic", keeping it clean because of its ability to repel water.

Back from CA

2009-11-23T13:26:00.001-05:00

Had a great trip out to CalPoly SLO this past weekend. The student work that I saw looked very interesting and I also had a chance to see the progress of a design build studio led by Mark Cabrinha. I was also blown away by reviews outside, could never happen in Michigan.

Obviously had to get some good food along the way. In and out burger a must at LAX and Sushi Gen an LA favorite.

Lecture on Friday

2009-11-18T16:19:00.002-05:00

On Friday November 20th, I'll be lecturing at CAL POLY as part of the Hearst Lectures. The theme this term is "Integrated Practices". I will be discussing current work from PLY and recent research interests at U of M.

Knowledge Pattern Tweek

2009-11-02T22:18:00.008-05:00

So it was a simple test tonight, maybe just to try it and see if it worked. I am already plotting the next tutorial that will involve some form of 'intelligence' for the insertion of UDFs. The simple test tonight was to color the UDF based on the even or odd values of i and j. Since there is no even or odd, I had to use MOD. In this case there are if/else statements to change the color.

Future tutorial will create a script that decides which UDF to insert given a certain condition. At least this is where I am heading. It will probably just be a simple condition, but way in the future this might be based on curvature or planarity.

Using the previous tutorial you can insert the following text in place of the p1.color line:

if mod(j,2)<1 and mod(i,2)<1
p1.Color = "143,188,143"

else if mod(j,2)>0 and mod(i,2)>0
p1.Color = "193,205,193"
else

p1.Color = "131,139,131"

Knowledge Pattern Tutorial

2009-11-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

Here is the first knowledge pattern tutorial. The tutorial is broken into two parts, the first part steps through the process for the creation of a framework and the second part inserts the surfaces into the framework.

link to PART1 Video Tutorial

link to catscript sample file for part 1

link to PART2 Video Tutorial

link to catscript sample file for part 2

Gearing up for Knowledge Pattern Tutorial

2009-10-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

I took some time this past weekend to work through the knowledge pattern process again for myself. Prior to the workshop I had never even used a UDF, now I am scripting interactions as part of the process. Look for an initital (provisional) knowledge pattern tutorial very soon.

Given this advancement, I am sure to have to re-work my upcoming graduate seimar to focus on knowledge patterns. Image of most recent tests where the script counter is driving the color, depth, and aperature. I am also trying to think up an approach where the script will create geometry that is not based on a surface but based on the previously instantiated part.

Knowledge Pattern - Game Changer

2009-10-21T23:41:00.001-04:00

Just got back from a 3 day intensive workshop with Gehry Technologies at the pre-acadia sessions. It was a session led by Nuri Miller and Neil Meredith and it was focused on knowledge patterns. Imagine being able to script the insertion of powercopies and change the count or modify the replicated part and have the software re-insert the new part in seconds. Your wish has been granted, and I know how to do it now. For anyone that has inserted hundreds of parts 'by hand' before you appreciate this. For others, I am way off in tech-geek land. Knowledge pattern tutorials will proliferate paramod.net!

While I appreciated the workshop, I must say that the ACADIA planning leaves much to be desired. Next time you advertise the workshop in Chicago make note that Evanston is NOT Chicago and is a 1 hour public transportation trek. Everything was downtown but the Digital Project and EcoTech sessions. Maybe Rhino bribed the ACADIA planner? In any case, I would like to get a refund for the 6 hours I spent on a crowded train. Or if you organize a shuttle bus, maybe it should pick people up at the conference hotel not 4 miles away. Maybe I should also request a refund for the difference between a hotel in Evanston and the expensive conference hotel I booked in Chicago where I thought the conference was. I am feeling a bit better, deep breaths. I was starting to like the seclusion offered by our sequestered location until today when the classroom above us was also being used by a different conference group that was demo-ing hammer drills into the concrete slab. I'll stop now for fear of coming off like an international cry-baby. I just don't understand the thinking. Every participant had their own laptops so it was not that the software was only available outside the city limits.

I met a bunch of great people all using the same tools in different ways, clamoring to share stories and approaches. I sat next to an old friend (Mark Weston) so that was fun too. It was fun to watch Mark drive the instructors crazy with his desires to make his parts use random numbers and pull in information from the stock market to produce curves. AEC Industry software meets Mr. Wizard! Not to mention his own special brand of names for variables and files.

Here are a couple of images from the part I was working on today. The color is produced by the script that color codes the panels based on location and aperature depth.

Shape Shifters

2009-10-15T00:18:00.004-04:00

How does JJ Abrams do it?

In the most recent episode of Fringe (Momentum Deferred), Agent Dunham to Agent Broyles "I am not worried because if a shape shifting assassin from another universe wanted me dead, then I would be".

This comes across like a totally believable condition, not worthy of even pausing.

This is relevant because shape shifters are very cool.

Future of Design

2009-10-07T22:26:00.001-04:00

Friday and Saturday (Oct 9-10) we are hosting an amazing line-up of theorists, designers, architects, educators to discuss the future of design. It will be at Rackham Auditorium (seats 1000) so be sure to be in Ann Arbor this weekend. It is a free event and open to the public.

Here is a link to the details: Future of Design

Signs of Fall at the botanical garden

2009-10-04T23:06:00.000-04:00

I had a chance to go out to the shadow pavilion this weekend to make sure it was still standing. It is still there and the colors of the trees are starting to change.

Intro to VRay for Rhino

2009-09-28T23:22:00.001-04:00

Just came across a VRay tutorial that I made this past summer. It was for the 3G1's, but will be applicable for others. It covers simple lighting, materials, and options and then adds people and shadows in photoshop.

Click on the image to start the video.

SmartSurfaces - Digital Project PowerCopy Sun Tracker

2009-09-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Tutorial based on demo from SmartSurfaces. The tutorial covers the creation of powercopies with embedded / dynamic parameters.

Click image to launch video.

SmartSurfaces - Digital Project Theo Jansen Tutorial

2009-09-26T11:32:00.002-04:00

Digital Project tutorial builds a Theo Jansen leg mechanism to explain sketches and constraints.

Click image to view tutorial.

Rhino Surface / Soild to Line Drawing

2009-09-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

Tutorial works through the modeling of surfaces and soilds using different CPlanes. The model is then output using Make2D and brought into Illustrator.

Click either image to watch the video.

SmartSurfaces is up and running

2009-09-19T21:45:00.003-04:00

The SmartSurfaces course had its first meeting on September 11. There are 24 U of M undergrads enrolled (8 from Arch, 8 from Art and Design, 8 from Material Science). The students will form 4 teams to design and build a final prject that explores interaction, fabrication, and heliotropic structures.

At the heart of the course and the project is the Arduino open-source electronics prototyping board. This past week we had all the students working with their Arduinos.

The course website has an absolutely amazing set of Arduino resources and original tutorials produced by John Marshall. Students will be posting their work to the site, so it will be worth checkinh back.

Here are a couple of videos of the students' Arduino studies after a couple of hours:

Briena - Color mixing with 3 LEDs.

Peter - Light sensor controling an LED

Peter - Dialing in the servo motor

VRay Section with accurate lighting

2009-09-19T14:13:00.001-04:00

Tutorial shows how to create a section rendered with VRay. In order to do this a material needs to be made that is invisble but still casts shadows.
Click the image to watch the video.

Digital Project - Beginner Solid Modeling

2009-09-15T09:36:00.000-04:00

This video tutorial uses the content from an earlier Rhino tutorial to discuss basic soild modeling techniques in Digital Project.
Click the image to watch the video.

Rhino - Misc Modeling Tips

2009-09-13T17:36:00.001-04:00

This video tutorial covers perspective, physical model output, and various drawing techniques.
Click the image to watch the video.

Intro Rhino Tutorial - Soilds

2009-09-13T16:52:00.000-04:00

This short video tutorial covers the production of simple volumetric space using solids. It was developed for the 3G1 studio this summer.
Click the image to watch the video.

Pavilion Photos

2009-09-08T22:28:00.003-04:00

Here are a few more photos that were taken of the pavilion with a long exposure during the full moon.

All the big parts in place

2009-08-25T22:36:00.004-04:00

Still some minor modifications to be made, but all the big parts were installed today with the help of Peggy, Alex, and Katie. The light and sound quality of the megaphones is constantly changing based on the variations of the site.

Most people walking along the trail don't know what to make of it, but they all agree "It's interesting" or "different".

Progress Continues

2009-08-24T22:32:00.003-04:00

Work continued today. While it was nice to see it in the sun, there was still not enough shade created to stay cool. Four more "chunks" to install,maybe done on Tuesday. Once the final parts are in place the temporary bracing can be removed.

Big Assembly Day

2009-08-23T21:26:00.004-04:00

Ngoc Thy, Alex, and I had a few extra hands on site today to help hold and rivet. Thanks to Dwight, Jessica, Craig, and Jen for giving up their Sunday. All the parts are on site now with five "chunks" left to install. We hope to have the remaining pieces installed this week.

Assembly on site

2009-08-22T16:59:00.003-04:00

This week we began setting the base of the pavilion. The first stage is a bit time consuming as the first row is anchored to the ground and filled with gravel. The next stage will be the assembly and installation of the ‘oculus’ at the northern edge.

Shadow Pavilion cleared for construction

2009-08-16T20:53:00.004-04:00

On Friday we received word that the Shadow Pavilion has been cleared by the University Review Committee for construction. Most of the parts are assembled and are ready to be moved to the botanical Gardens.

The site is being prepped this week and the installation will begin, weather permitting.

Ayaka Ceiling Complete

2009-08-16T20:31:00.008-04:00

Ayaka Sushi is open. Here are a couple of images of the completed ceiling in the space. Once the panels were assembled in the shop Marshall and Alex spent two days installing the six suspended panels.

Because the panels fold over and are painted with two different colors, from one direction it is more white from the other more orange is exposed.

Progress of Ceiling Panels

2009-07-21T09:50:00.004-04:00

We have been working on the ceiling panels for the most recent restaurant. The combination of the fold and color creates a ceiling that changes colors from different directions (at least at the "gills"). The open folds allow for HVAC and lighting to drop through the surface.

I will post images once the panels are installed in the space.

Research Through Making finds a site

2009-06-28T21:07:00.004-04:00

We have been working on the Research Through Making Grant for about a month. Numerous models and scripts have been developed as a means of creating form from a series of laser-cut, sheet metal cone like elements. To get the project out of the workshop and into the world, we started looking into potential sites. We worked with the U of M Arboretum and Botanical Garden to identify sites that would satisfy their goals and ours. Below are the final images of the agreed-upon construction site. We hope to begin installation in about a month.

Entrance from the street

Entry to the Pavilion

Pavilion from landscape

Pavilion from the back side

Inside the pavilion

Process models

Student Work - Interim Review

2009-06-10T14:02:00.003-04:00

Here is some of the work from the initial stages of the final project from the options studio during the spring semester. The formal work using digital project was carried into the early design stages of developing a structral system and coming to terms with the site (New York Botanical Garden). As the projects developed, mock-ups were fabricated and analysis was carried out working with Prof. von Buelow.

Nick and Brian

Gavet and Adam

Les and Victoria

Katie and Kris

Lufei and Zhang

Cultivated Form - Studio Work

2009-06-01T16:28:00.013-04:00

It has been a while since the last post. It took about a month to recover from the end of the term and to catch up on other outstanding issues. Below are images from the mid-review of last semester's studio. The assignment was to extend the parametric logics that were introduced through a series of short assignments and with this project to find a logic in botany and design a system or flower, playing out the researched rules. The pedagogic intent was to show / develop the links between explicit rules and the production of form.

Zhang

Adam

Kris

Katie

Victoria

Nick

Gavet

SmartSurfaces - Interdisciplinary Course

2009-03-22T15:48:00.004-04:00

In the fall of 08 there was a call for proposals called the MLTT Initiative. This stands for Multidisciplinary Learning and Team Teaching. Together with my collaborator from the FIRE project, John Marshall (School of Art and Design) and a colleague, Max Shtein from Materials Science, we submitted a proposal for a joint course. We recently received final word that our project was supported. In the fall of 09, the three of us will be team teaching a course called SmartSurfaces. The course will bring students from Architecture, Art, and Engineering together to develop a series of ‘responsive environments’. We hope to build a multidisciplinary community around the exploration of structural systems and surfaces augmented by networked computing elements that have the capacity to learn and adapt to new information and conditions.

Here is the poster advertising the new cross listed course.

Scripting - After Session 2

2009-03-22T12:21:00.010-04:00

We had our second session with Marc Fornes this week and we started with a discussion of surfaces. The logic of surfaces relies on U and V instead of X,Y,Z. In the following studies I convert the UV back to XYZ so that I can map the height of the parts. The color is used to distinguish height. On my first iteration the color was gradual. In the included images, I rounded the values to the nearest 10 so that there are height contours shown with the color.

The studies were useful to get a better handle on arrays, capturing and using lists of values to map the cones to the surface and capture their Z values to control the color.

Here is a link to the script. Caution as it might be a bit sloppy as I was throwing all sorts of variables in to get it to work.

Scripted Spiral Bowl

2009-03-19T16:46:00.009-04:00

Building on the first scripting session I had a chance to play a bit more. Using the simple equation for a spiral, I created a curve to link the points, and then a series of lines to link other points. I guess it is a spiral bowl of some sort. The black dots are text dots so I can be sure which points to link with the lines. This can be turned off or on easily within the script. Here the loop helps to create the spiral. This was much harder to do with Grasshopper given the lack of looping.

Here are a series of variations that manipulate the spiral equation to get different effects.

Here is a link to the rhino script file.

Rhino Scripting - Session 1

2009-03-15T18:21:00.006-04:00

This semester we have Marc Fornes doing a visiting grad options studio. In addition to that, we convinced him to do a few workshops for the faculty. So far we have had one 3 hour session and we were already making things. It was a great session, not stuck in the tediousness of variable types or anything like that, instead we made something, kept building, and could see the differences right away.

I had a couple hours to play today so I manipulated a few of our simple scripts from last week. Using a loop, arrays, and a couple of 'if then' statements, I am able to control the location, size, and color of many objects. In the examples I am using a bunch of spheres. The session this week will work on surfaces.

Here is a link to the RVB file.

Research - Through - Making Grant

2009-03-14T11:29:00.011-04:00

Through a new initiative at Taubman College and the University of Michigan, five faculty grants have been given to support the development of a project through making. My proposal entitled "In Search of the (w)Hole" was selected to be carried out this summer (to be completed by September).

It was Robert Le Ricolais, early pioneer of surface and space frame structures, that said "the art of structure is where to put the holes". His eloquent statement is even more relevant today given the ability to link the precision of the computer with the precision of computer controlled cutting equipment. While his statement was in reference to building-scaled openings, it is true of smaller scale cuts, perforations and slices and his statement highlights the potential of a detail to inform a process.

Digital Fabrication is most often celebrated for the construction of exuberant form achieved through extreme material usage. In this equation computer driven tools process neutral materials, resulting in bins full of saw dust or foam dust. This process perpetuates the idea that form comes first and construction is the act of replicating the form in the most exploitable material.

The Research-Through-Making Grant offers a chance to give material and process an upper-hand where forms might emerges directly through experimentation. This proposal takes a defiant stance against form over material. Two-dimensional cutting of sheet metal offers many opportunities because of the abundance of local shops equipped with cutting technologies and an array of readily available building materials.

It is in these routinely used tools and materials that a designer can make the most significant impact, altering the landscape of production. 2D cutting is a subtractive process creating a strong conceptual and structural link where the removal of material both reduces weight and potential strength. The use of sheet metal allows for the creation of lattice or surface structures dependant on material properties and material organization. The assembly of the cut sheet metal extends the structural logic through the location of holes or tabs for potentially complex assembly by unskilled labor. This project will be used to build a structure capable of spanning at least 25’ which will require multiple assembled parts to achieve the required length and depth. Beyond the dimensional constraints of most materials available under 25’, the project aims to span beyond the scale of most lost-cost conventional framing systems (standard wood framing) while offering increased material and spatial affects.

The images included in the proposal are to help explain the general themes of the research more than to show that this is what will be built with the funding. The corrugated studies and conical studies are more of a starting point to initiate the research. As feedback is gained from initial material studies, the project and the form may move in different trajectories to fully investigate material outcomes or assembly techniques.

Fire as Ice

2009-03-12T14:37:00.005-04:00

The experiment is almost over... Rather than simply recycle the Fire installation I put it in my backyard to watch it collect and drift snow during the winter. I hope the snow is finished for the season.

Twisted Surface

2009-03-12T13:45:00.005-04:00

Currently working on a project for a small restaurant in Ann Arbor. Here are a few studies that continue the explorations into developable surfaces and smart surfaces. At this point it is not clear if we will have the time to explore a dynamic / responsive system or simply develop a restrained surface to create subtle distortions in the ceiling to allow for HVAC and lighting requirements.

Here is a parametric model that looks at using two servo motors to create s simple wave movement.

Simple walkthrough of a static surface illustrating the open and closed conditions of the surface made of sheet metal strips.

Assemblies and Aggregations

2009-02-28T15:35:00.011-05:00

A recent exhibit in the college gallery showcased student work from my ParaMod seminar and from Glenn Wilcox’s Digital Fabrication Seminar.

This post seemed like a good opportunity to post some of the work from last semester. Click on the project images to open the final PDF board which shows various configurations and mutations.

Digital Project to STAAD

2009-01-25T18:43:00.003-05:00

Here is a quick series of steps to go from Digital Project to STAAD. A few basics moves in STAAD will have quick feedback based on changes in geometry.

Click here for the video tutorial.

Simple animations below of three variations based on self weight loading. The cross member is in three positions 90%, 50% and 10% of its location to the vertical member. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that the 10% geometry deflects the least given the simple loading.

Grad Studio to engage Parametric, Biomorphic, and Structures

2009-01-25T13:15:00.007-05:00

Cultivated Form

Through a whole series of unrelated events, my graduate studio this term will expand on parametric design, biological research and the design of wood structures. A new initiative is looking at linking technical courses with design studios. This is a first for Michigan and we are the test subjects. In our case students registered for the studio are also registered for the graduate wood structures seminar taught by Peter von Buelow. This limits both classes to the same group of students allowing us to modify to make connections between the two.

Given my ongoing interest in biological systems, genetics, and morphology the studio will look to the botanical. To this end we are making connections with evolutionary biologists and botanists from U of M. They have already been very helpful in discussing the "rules" that might be at play behind various genetic mutations and adaptations. In many cases producing a wide array of variation with simple rules.

As a means to push the discussion further and our need to get to a point of proposing wood structures, we are working with the New York Botanical Garden to develop a series of hypothetical / theoretical / prototypical projects in response to their future building and exhibition needs. Given the freedom and content of the studio, I imagine student will will find its way onto the blog.

Click here for a PDF of the studio description.

Knowledgeware Optimization

2008-12-24T17:59:00.003-05:00

This tutorial introduces the knowledgeware warning function and multi-parameter optimization. In this tutorial I model a simple room and use its dimensions and configuration to analyze surface area and volume. Using the values, the reverberation time is calculated. As a first attempt at using the engineering optimization tools I let the software determine the room dimensions based on appropriate reverberation times.

Click the image to begin the streaming video.

Random Numbers for Framework

2008-11-30T21:29:00.004-05:00

This video tutorial attempts to pull together a few of the previous examples. A powercopy is used to adapt to its height and to be divided based on a random number from an Excel design table. The Excel spreadsheet can be a powerful tool to control geometry.

Click the image to get to the streaming video.

Generating Drawings

2008-11-15T12:11:00.004-05:00

Short tutorial that explains how to generate drawings using the drawing workbench in Digital Project. Click the image to start the streaming video.

Framework Options

2008-11-11T11:18:00.004-05:00

Short video tutorial describes three methods for the creation of frameworks for use with doc templates and powercopies . Click the image to start the video.

Fire Installed

2008-11-06T10:52:00.009-05:00

John and I finished the installation of the Fire project and the the opening occured last night. Once I get a chance to photograph it I will upload more. For now, here are some i-phone shots.

There is more up on John's blog: http://designedobjects.blogspot.com/.

And some images from the opening from Earl Carlson: http://www.theearlcarlson.com/duderstadt/fire.html

'Fire' from John Marshall on Vimeo.

Unfolded PowerCopy

2008-10-26T20:59:00.003-04:00

Tutorial that explains how to include unfolded geometry in a powercopy.

The tutorial also shows how to use local and global parameters.

18 minutes. Click the image for the video.

Arts & the Environment: FIRE

2008-10-26T18:37:00.010-04:00

As part of a University of Michigan initiative to explore arts driven inquiry, Arts on Earth sponsored multidisciplinary faculty teams to develop work that explores environmental issues. Since the summer I have been working with John Marshall from the School of Art & Design and Werner Dahm from the Laboratory for Turbulence & Combustion (Department of Aerospace Engineering). We were given the element of fire.

The opening night of the installations / performances is on: November 5 from 5 - 11.
Here is a link to Arts & the Environment.

A series of aluminum forms will hold an array of autonomous interactive units that will respond to the movement and environmental conditions around it. The behavior is obviously informed by the dynamic qualities of fire.

Random Numbers linked from Excel

2008-10-18T22:52:00.007-04:00

This tutorial will describe the creation of a design table, allowing for the control of geometry from an Excel spread sheet. The design table is also useful for input and output of data from Digital Project. Using the random number generator from Excel, a rule is created to randomly open or close the geometry of a powercopy.

Here is a link to the video.

Grasshopper - Brick Surface

2008-10-04T17:56:00.005-04:00

This grasshopper example places a series of boxes on a lofted surface. Currently it is an approximation of a brick surface. The next file will follow the rules for corbeling to set a maximum curvature based on a brick module.

Here is the grasshopper file.

Grasshopper - Array of Boxes

2008-10-02T21:53:00.005-04:00

Simple Grasshopper video tutorial that shows how to make a series of boxes re-orient themselves based on a point.
Beyond the simple re-orientation the file uses both a MAX and MIN to control the size of the boxes.

Click the image to watch the video.

Here is a link to the grasshopper file.

Digital Project - Tutorial 5 - Document Templates

2008-10-02T09:30:00.004-04:00

This is the fifth and last comprehensive tutorial for the ParaMod seminar. The five tutorials should give everyone a basic understanding of many of functions. I will continue to add shorter more specific tutorials.

Document templates allow for advanced replicatiopn at the product level, each part of the syetem is a separate file.

Click the image below to view the 40 minute streaming video.

Digital Project - Tutorial 4 - Power Copies

2008-09-23T17:23:00.004-04:00

Here is the fourth Digital Project tutorial developed for the ParaMod Seminar.

It is 45 minutes long and introduces advanced replication using a simple framework.

Click the image below to go to the streaming video.

Digital Project - Tutorial 3 - Part to Whole

2008-09-18T15:36:00.002-04:00

Here is the third Digital Project tutorial developed for the ParaMod Seminar.

It is 48 minutes long and introduces solids and part / product relationships.

Click the image below to go to the streaming video.

Digital Project - Tutorial 2 - Surfaces

2008-09-10T11:27:00.004-04:00

Here is the second Digital Project tutorial developed for the ParaMod Seminar.

It is 65 minutes long and builds on tutorial 1. Here we will use the first sketch to drive the height and shape of the covering surface. At this point the form is less of a concern than learning how to develop the interactions.

Click the image below to go to the streaming video. I am still working on the best format / size/ player for the tutorials. This one is a bit large and takes a minute to load.

Digital Project - Tutorial 1 - The Sketch

2008-09-01T13:34:00.004-04:00

Here is the first Digital Project tutorial developed for the ParaMod Seminar. It is 42 minutes long and covers the interface and the sketch. Let me know if I left anything out.

Click the image below to go to the streaming video.

ParaMod Seminar: Structural Density

2008-09-01T12:47:00.010-04:00

It is that time of the year; back to school. This semester I will be running the ParaMod grad seminar at the Univ or Michigan School of Architecture. Rather than work with a different topic I am continuing the work that we started in the spring term. The seminar will again be looking at the relationship between structure and organization. Obviously the associativity and intelligence of the Digital Project modeling environment allows for various ways to explore the topic.

The plan is to post samples of the student work to share the research. A series of video tutorials will be developed to support the seminar work. I will be posting these tutorials here too.

Here is a link to the syllabus for the seminar.

Parametric Wooden Strips

2008-08-17T14:00:00.004-04:00

Here is an in progress project from our office. The small restaurant interior will be built with wood strips for the benches, bar, and ceiling. Keeping the strips vertical allows for them to be bent around the corners. Where the form pulls and pushes, light comes between the wood strips from behind.

A series of conical forms are used to control the radii of the wood strips. The more extreme the cone, the more open the gap in the strips.
A simple Catia diagram demonstrates the relationship between the cones and the strips. The parametric model allows for quick feedback between the manipulation of cone and the redulting affect of the strips and gaps.

Here is a link to a video of the Catia file.

An early rendering of the proposed space.

Back from traveling

2008-08-17T12:18:00.005-04:00

Sorry for no posts in a while. I just got back from a trip to Argentina and Uraguay. We lectured in Rosario and decided to spend some time there. Juan Rois from UIC organized a number of visits and meetings while we were there. We got to meet some of Argentina's best architects, went to their offices, and visited their projects under construction. Here is a sampling of the buildings (click for larger image).

We saw some amazing projects. The architects were all very open and interested in talking about similarities and differences between architecture and practice. The most striking difference is the role of labor. In Argentina the labor is less expensive but the materials are more expensive in comparison to the US. As a result, the use of brick and concrete (cheap materials) is more widespread and of much higher quality. The craft and time taken to build with masonry or fabricate on-site formwork is not a fearful proposition as it is in the US.

On top of Casa View with Diego, Juan, and Marcelo.

Waiting for our table. With Gerardo, Marcelo, Luis, Juan, Craig, and Jen.

And the steak... We ate some very good Argentinian beef while drinking very good wine from Mendoza.

Spiral Revisited

2008-07-20T19:59:00.004-04:00

This grasshopper project builds on an earlier exercise that built a spiral using simple transformations. While it is relatively simple to define a spiral mathematically, it is difficult to modify the strict form using the expression. If you are interested in the expression for a spiral, here is a link to the Google group posting.

The goal for this project was to have the first few points lay flat before changing elevation. The thought was this would give it a stable base.

Projecting the shape flat then allows for the creation of the "V" column at the termination of the spiral. A split, subset, and interval are used to create spokes between different parts of the spiral.

Here is a link to the grasshopper file.

Intro Rhino Tutorial 005 - Output: Maxwell Render

2008-07-13T15:17:00.006-04:00

This is the 5th and last of the Rhino Intro Tutorials. The intro tutorials were completed for the incoming 3G1 studio for their second assignment. Additional Rhino Tutorials will deal with more advanced issues.

This tutorial takes the model from the previous tutorial and creates a simple exterior rendering. A sky and people are added with a couple of simple tricks in photoshop.

Here is a link to the 25 minute video tutorial.

Spiral Structure - Grasshopper

2008-07-12T23:55:00.006-04:00

While it is very easy to make a spiral with an equation, I took the approach to make a series of points that build (and translate) from the previous point. Once a series of 10 points have been created, an interpolate curve connects them and then these curves make surfaces. Dividing the curves a series of pipes connect points to form an in between structure.
As more rotation occurs between points, the curve must interpolate, creating oblong cuves.

While the file is not as elegant as I would like, the file includes shift and interval as a way to connect the various divide points. If anyone has a better idea how to repeat the multiple actions of the spiral, I would be open to hearing about it. As far as I know there is no loop function which would do the trick.

Download the grasshopper file here .

Rhino Tutorial Output: Vectors

2008-07-08T22:35:00.004-04:00

The fourth tutorial models a simple massing and takes it through make2D and into Illustrator.

Here is a link to the 40 minute video.

Illuminated Surface

2008-07-06T18:15:00.008-04:00

Here is a small project that I have been working on for part of an installation. The surface (about 3'x3') will act as backdrop and light for a small table in a gallery. A series of back lights will be controlled interactively through interaction with furniture in the space.

Two splines are used to control a series of surfaces and the toolpaths used to mill the surface.

Here are the lines overlaid on the surfaces. At various points the surface splits to allow a small aperature to move from behind. The various iterations of the line drawings are made through the movement of the two splines. Digital Project was used to define the relationships and only after everything was worked out, the splines were modified to approximate the final proportions of the splines and aperatures.

The two renderings show the light from behind as trapped between the two surfaces. The final piece will be milled from plywood.

This series of models is more of a proof of concept for the aperatures. A new model will be developed using the splines, but using a different method to create a model with thickness. The current iteration is only one surface.

Rhino Tutorial 003

2008-06-28T19:07:00.003-04:00

The third tutorial deals with the construction of curves and surfaces through many of the various creation tools.

Here is a link to the 45 minute tutorial video.

Rhino Tutorial 002

2008-06-28T16:05:00.004-04:00

The second Rhino Intro. Brief explanation of layer, properties, join, group, and construction planes.

Here is a link to the tutorial video.

Rhino Tutorial 001

2008-06-27T00:03:00.006-04:00

As a means to try and capture some of the work that I tend to do every year, a series of software tutorials will be added to the site. This tutorial is the first in the rhino series and explains issues of interface, simple operations, and navigation.

Here is a link to the tutorial.

Digital Project Honeycombs

2008-06-26T22:06:00.005-04:00

The post for today is an excert from a project that used digital project to build responsive honeycomb structures. The main goal was to work with rules (rule firing in digital project). In this case, as the cells are stretched, the average cell size is computed. The light gray shows the geometric constraints for the cells.

Then as the individual cell is made larger or smaller than the average size, it is made deep/shallow or thick/think. This variation is visible in the iterations below. This level of analysis adds a level of removal from the designer. One cannot be sure where the depth will shift.

Variations are rendered to give some sense of the range of variation possible. I will be gearing up for class in the fall and will post tutorials on document templates and rule firing, check back.