free form modeling – results

i’ve been super busy doing about 100 other things recently (2 actually, but that is another story) so finally I’m uploading a bunch of images from the class I taught last semester at Utas.  I posted a few previous images of the proof of concept, but these are the final products.

Rhino3D was used as the modeling program, with visualMill being utilized for the CNC milling processes.  The ideas was for students to develop a skillset in free form modeling, in addition to developing an understanding of the implications of ‘organic’ architectural expression.  Emphasis was placed on the embedded properties of the material mediums (expanded polystyrene and concrete) and how they were influenced by the machining process, not to mention that the mould is in reverse and the pattern is positive.

The assessment task was influenced by a project that I completed at IaaC while undertaking my Masters, but the addition of concrete to the mix (bad pun!) added a more permanent element to the UTAS project.  The final objects, 13 of them, currently sit proudly outside the School’s front door!

If i ever get the chance I will write a more detailed description of the project I will, otherwise these images speak for themselves.

free form modeling – proof of concept

One of the classes I teach focuses on the integration of digital processes in architecture and fabrication.  The final assignment for the class it 3D mill a mould from polystyrene and then pour concrete into it to create a solid ‘pattern’.  I needed to prove to the students how quickly this could be done, and that it actually worked so here are some images of the proof of concept.  A bigger post will follow once the class is complete.

utas_ building simulation student work

As a part of my teaching with the University of Tasmania I run a class called ‘Building Simulation’.  This semester I set my students the task of selecting a famous house constructed during the past 10 years as a case study.  The first assignment was to represent the building using vectorworks and archicad. The second assignment was to translate the previous digital information into cinema4D and create static and animated visualisation materials from it.  Being very digital-to-fabrication orientated, the final assingment was to translate the 3D virtual model into drawings suitable to create scale model of the house and fabricate the model on the schools CNC 3-axis router.

Maison Bordeaux (oma) Dale Cromley + Josh Stones

I gave the students a limitation of 3mm MDF and 1.5mm acrylic as the pallet of materials and set 1:100 as the scale for all groups.  After that it was pretty much at the students whim to add as much (or little) detail in and present it in the best possible way.  I placed a lot of focus on the documentation of the drawing translation and process of fabrication and assembly as I was expecting a lot of mistakes to be made and learnt from during the assignment.  The images included are probably the best examples from the class.

Vinyard Residence (John Wardle Architects) Richard Waterson + Ryan Tubby

Overall I was extremely impressed with the work of the students for this assignment, with many submissions containing a huge amount of detail that I wasn’t expecting to be included.  It creates a very interesting platform for me next year when I return to utas to teach a similar unit with a focus on fabrication, this time in rhino.