Sangath 2: domus

Sangath 4 Fluid mapping

Before design

After design

Review

Main Strengths:

o Sustainability, elements of simplicity

o Analysis of the climate

o Overall appealing architectural design

o Bedrooms are flexible and have the ability to be extended dependant on number of occupants

o Multi-functioning rooms, good use of space

o Model is made to represent the design very accurately

o Use of bamboo in design

o Flexible planning

Main Points of Improvement:

- Use of heavy cantilever frames

o Use of organic bamboo and louvers does not read well in drawings

o Toilet area - Privacy

o Connection between bamboo living area and bedroom wings

o Embodied energy of materials – mechanical louvers

o Make use of louvered walls to hold up the fins, excessive use of support

o Repetition of design

oGraphics need to read better

o Representation of mosquito netting on drawings

Sangath 3 - Test and Refine - New Form

Before viewing this post, please read our previous post on Frei Otto and the Japanese Pavillion.

Once we had decided we needed a new form (prior to discovering Frei Otto), we sketched out a few ideas over the top of our existing plan and elevations. Some of these are shown below.

Some possible elevations

After extensive discussions with all tutors, we decided on the following idea.

Thumb Elevation

Rough Plan/Elevation

At this point we found out about Frei and did some research into materials, then we decided to get our form a bit more tangible... so out came the modelling plasticine!

General "ribbed" form

Form with openings for ventilation

The "mouth" space will be the living area

From behind

Top View

Then we decided to PROVE that this could work, and take gravity and tension into consideration, using one of Frei's early modelling methods - bubbles!

Jacqui made the wireframe test model :D

Just the wireframe

Two sections!

Three sections!

Four Sections!... pop pop pop

and we were left with...

Two sections :(

We need to keep testing bubble recipes (see a few posts back)

Sangath 3 - Bubbles

Following on from our last post regarding Frei Otto, we decided to look into making bubbles a bit more. The reasons behind this will become clear in our redesign model! But in a nutshell, we are having a tent like structure... and the best way to model a tensioned surface is with a bubble (we think).
The chemistry behind bubbles is a bit interesting, here are a few recipes that we will be trying out. What we need is long lasting, strong bubbles.

2/3 cup Joy dishwashing soap
1 gallon (3.7L, 16cups) water
2 to 3 tablespoons of glycerine (available at the pharmacy or chemical supply house.)
Mix slowly, let sit overnight

Long life bubbles:
1/3 cup commercial bubble solution
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup glycerine
Let sit overnight
The person who submitted this recipe has had her bubble in a jar for 3months and counting

Source: http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/bubbles/formulae.html


Super Bubbles:
2 parts dishwashing detergent
4 parts glycerine
1 part white karo syrup

Source: http://www.bubbles.org/html/solutions/formulae.htm


Colourful Bubbles:
1/3 cup dishwashing detergent
1.5 cups warm distilled water
2 tablespoons refined sugar
1 teaspoon food colouring
1 teaspoon white karo syrup

Source: http://www.modnet.com.au/~firefrog/bubbles.htm


A ten year olds bubble experiment, which basically concluded to use glycerine: http://home.earthlink.net/~tammyglaser798/bubbles.html

These bubbles a bit too fancy pants for us… but you make the mixture on the stove… blow the bubble while hot… and it will set hard! http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/ProjectDetail.aspx?ProjectID=131

Why this is important will hopefully be revealed in a post in the coming days… and also bubbles are just fun!

Redesign - Frei Otto

As part of our presentation, the reviewers had issues with our form. We had tried to contrast organic and angular... however they said this wasn't done successfully and we should go for one or the other, so after much deliberation, experimentation and designing we decided to follow through with organicism. Special thanks go to fellow student Tim Fullwood, who after seeing the forms we were thinking about developing told us about the architect and engineer Frei Otto!

Frei Otto

-German architect and engineer b. 1925 in Siegmar, Saxony, Germany
-Best known for his research and design of lightweight, high-performance tent structures
-Creations include tents with minimal surface areas, grid shells stabilized by inverting traction lines, pneumatic envelopes whose form is determined by pressure ratios, and buildings that can be adapted to the changing needs of their owners
-In the 1950s he used models to define and test complex tensile shapes
-Often created pavilions composed of primary membrane elements in an additive series
-Also developed a convertible roof with a variable geometry.
-Otto is the world's lead­ing au­thor­ity on lightweight tensile and mem­brane structures, and has pi­o­neered ad­vances in struc­tural math­e­mat­ics and civil en­gi­neer­ing.

Sources:

http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/1011/news_1-1.html
http://eng.archinform.net/arch/16.htm

List of buildings
1967 – West Germany Pavilion at Expo 67 Montreal
1970 – Tuwaiq Palace, Saudi Arabia 1972 – Roof for Olympic Stadium, Munich (above)
2000 – Roof structure of the Japanese Pavilion at Expo 2000, Hanover Germany (provided engineering) - See next paragraph

Study of Bending
Source: http://thegeometryofbending.blogspot.com/2009/06/siegfried-gass-frei-otto-wolfgang.html

JAPAN PAVILLION, EXPO 2000 HANNOVER - Germany, 2000

Elevation

-Architect: Shigeru Ban
-'Environment' was the Hannover expo's
-Concept of the japan pavilion was to create a structure whose materials could be recycled when it was dismantled = produce minimal waste when dismantled = recycle or reuse all of the materials
-Another goal was to construct the pavilion using methods that were as low-tech as possible, so they tried to use simple joints (fabric or metal tape)
-Consists of an entrance, exhibition space 72m long, 15.5m high, and 35m span at its widest point, and administrative offices.

Interior

Materials:
- Cardboard tube ribs
- Recycable paper based membrane
- Usually membranes made from PVC in conventional membranes. But these cannot be recycled and gives off dioxins when burned.
- They found a recyclable and environmentally friendly waterproof bag material used by a postal service… so they applied that to their membrane.
- Water resistance
- Fire retardant
- Allows diffuse lighting
- Breathable natural “fabric”
- Instead of relying on concrete the foundation consists of boxes made of a steel framework and footing boards, which were filled with sand for easy reuse after dismantling
- Honeycomb board used for interior partitions

Materials Detail

Skin at night time

Source:

http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/SBA_WORKS/SBA_PAPER/SBA_PAPER_10/SBA_paper_10.html
http://www.designboom.com/history/ban_expo.html

The importance of Frei Otto and the Japan Pavillion will become apparent in the coming posts of Sangath 3!

Sangath 3 Domus Model Photos

Here are some photos of our Domus model (presentations sheets a few posts below). They were taken by fellow team mate Ross Del Gallo and uploaded on his behalf.

East Elevation

From South-East

Close-up of "shell" living area

Material is a bamboo weave with a one way fabric cover

Roof Plan

Close-up of verandah

With louvred bedrooms in background

West Elevation

PLEASE NOTE: These photos were uploaded by Aaron Cody on behalf of all Sangath 3 Team Members - Aaron Cody, Ross Del Gallo, Nick Walters and Jacqui Zammit

Domus Model Pic

Notes from 18th Sept Tute - Sangarth 7

18th September 2009 Tute Sangarth Group 7

Main Considerations
- Make sure we can show how it stand up
- Show bamboo connections
- Show on plan and section: water collection, grey water, solar, solar hot water, is each building going to have it s own inverter etc?
- BUILDABILITY AND STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS!
-
Presentation Issues
- Make sure all graphics are cohesive “look they are all done by the same hand”
- Current background is distracting
- 1 good and clear 1:20 section
- 1:100 sections and elevations to show the relationships of the buildings and how they relate to each other
- 3d graphics, if they are not good get rid of them, they currently look clunky
- Black and white? Sketch model in archicad? Sketch model + lightworks model manipulating in photoshop
- Maybe omit 3d renders and focus on elevations?

Thing to do for next week
- Helena- cooling calcs
- Nat- fluid mapping
- Steph- shadow diagrams, time temp chart, sun calculations
- Alison- water usage
- Anna – ecotect

- Do not need to do Oppenheim, First Rate or Heating calcs as not applicable to our climate

- Matt suggests perhaps doing fluid mapping for the whole site as well as individual buildings?

Re-design
- Change roof pitches- flatten
- Model, source more appropriate materials for models
- Steph to make base of (supporting structure for models)
- Cast supports in plaster?

Minima Presentation