More Fun with Catia Optimization

In an effort to re-familiarize myself with the catia optimization tool for class this week, I spent some time this weekend using it to develop a family of forms.  The function controls 14 different variables and solves for a ratio of volume to surface area.

This experiment builds on what I learned in an earlier tutorial posted here.

New Knowledge Pattern Work

Work continues this semester with the MS_DT group at Michigan.  The Virtual Engagement core seminar is using Digital Project to investigate various computational methodologies.  In an effort to stay slightly ahead, I have been brushing up on knowledge templates and scripting in DP.

Here is a slideshow of a recent file that uses one surface to drive the UDFs and another surface on the interior to control the depth of the UDFs. 

Menotme Nearing Completion

We will be setting Menotme on Thursday in Detroit for Dlectricity.

 

BLU - Studio Complex receives award

Here is a link to the Metal Mag announcement.  The Haney Studio Complex received an honorable mention in the residential category of the annual Metal Magazine Awards.  The studios make use of a folding structural steel frame, light gauge steel framing, and a galvanized metal rain screen.

Change of Direction

I have accepted the role of Vice President for Design and Creative Director for Blu Homes.  As part of this change, I am stepping down as co-principal of PLY Architecture.

Paramod.net should receive more frequent updates as the creative outlet for my technological preoccupations that have been fueled by teaching and practicing.  The continued and intensified role at BLU will be sure to advance my investigations into digital design and manufacturing.

Here is a link to the BLU press release.

Lecture in Boulder on April 16

Karl will be presenting the work of PLY and related digital design and fabrication research at the University of Colorado Boulder on April 16th. 

Drawing Generation in Digital Project - Revised

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  The older tutorial seems to be out of date with the new version of DP.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

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

Important setting described here if you get an error referring to "published geometry".

 

New Masters of Science in Digital Technologies announced at Michigan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.