Using Sculpt Maps

I experimented with different ways of assembling the sculpties as separate surfaces coming together in order to create the structure/form of the office complex. 

 Only using sculpties did not create a clear/defined form so I went on to experimenting with a mixture of sculpties and prims as different planes. 

Since I wanted the idea of the office to begin from darkness and experiment with controlling light (like the Elektra House) I wanted to create black walls and when the prims and sculpties come together, the inconsistency of the undulating planes and the flat planes created slits for the entry of light. 

Sculpt maps

As well as creating spaces which morph together and are separated by undulating ground, I also want the structure of the office to be morphing as well to create a sense of continuity within the office and the structure so I have made a few different sculptmaps to experiment with in Secondlife to create the structure and the spaces. 

 This sculpt map above could be used as sloping ground which separates two colleagues' spaces. 

The sculptmaps created are shown below. 

Development of Design

I want to use darkness and the manipulation/controlling light as the starting point.  It could be that the entrance starts off light but quickly becomes dark as the avatars walk through.

Instead of creating spaces which are separated by things like doors, I want the separation of space to be created through the main structure itself and for the change of transition spaces to be created with the flooring being reactive.

In order to manipulate light depending on orientation and time, I thought than a way of doing this could be using a louvre system which is reactive and will change the systems orientation automatically or by sensing avatars.  

I have created a which can be used for the connecting planes between spaces so that the can appear and disappear in order for the colleagues' spaces to come together and form one level plane for meetings. The transition space as a quick sketch is shown below. 

This transition space will have two scripts one which reduces its size by 100% so that the two spaces on either side can come together and form one plane.  This script will take action when it receives the command 'merge'. 

The other script for the transition space will make it reappear as the size will increase by 100%. This script will work with the command of 'separate', where the merged spaces will then separate to once again become private spaces but still within the same complex.  

 

Mid-Semester Crit

Concept of spaces which are private but also connect to create one space.  I wanted to create architecture in which not only elements within the architecture would be reactive but the buildings and the structure itself would be interactive therefore by creating a script in which the building lowers in order for people to enter creates a sense of welcoming.  Using my matrix of the Elektra House, I wanted to take the aspects of how lighting has been manipulated so I wanted to incorporate that by having lighting blocked out on certain walls.

Feedback from Ian
-Instead of having identical spaces for my five different people, create one space.  Look at the Klein bottle for the idea of morphing.  It could be that people within the office have their own spaces which could be defined by undulating spaces.
-Manipulating light depending on time of day/ orientation/ spaces depending on what each colleague needs at certain times.
-But also maintain common spaces such as spaces in which the colleagues can come together for meetings.

Office/Studio

For the office space I want to include four colleagues with diverse enterprises.  A mechanic, an engineer, a sculptor and a draftsman.  All of which require different spaces and privacy in order for them to do there work while still creating a connection between them all.  I want to create a threshold/ a transition from one space into another which is reactive. 

Matrix

My matrix I was given at the start of the workshops was Elektra House -David Adjaye in London. 

Building Type - Housing

Skin - Resin coated plywood, glass

Structure - Wood

Finish - Wood

It has been built on the space of what used to be a shoe factory and was designed in 2000 for two artists.    Out of the three bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs there is no natural lighting, only lighting from the ceiling.  The ground floor consists of one space and a kitchen.  There are no windows in the front elevation only the rear elevation.  

Sculpties

The sculpt maps created on 3DS max have been put into Secondlife in order to create objects which are reactive to the avatars. 

Scratch 4SL

I used the software Scratch 4SL in order to make scripts so that my sculptie can be reactive.  I couldn't try out my scripts in Secondlife as the region is full and I can't make any more prims.

These are a few of the scripts i created on Secondlife.

For this script: Forever - say text 'When I receive the command 'Lift' my platform will rise 

For this script: When I receive 'Lift' - set home to here - up 3metres - move 3metres - wait  10 secs 0 change colour by 10  - go home.

For this script: Forever - move distance towards nearest avatar - wait 10 secs - say text 'sit on me to move to nearest avatar.' 

Readings

From Products to Process - Adriana Navarro-Sertich
This article witten by Adrian Navarro-Sertich is based on an interview with the co-founder and co-director of Urban-Think Tank Alfredo Brillembourg.  It talks about works in Latin America and that ideas about culture are being reinstated when thinking about ideas of architecture.  The neighbourhood ('barrio') of Caracas is an informal neignbourhood and Navarro-Sertich mentions that 'designers have begun to adopt the 'informal city' as a new paradigm'.  They are trying to connect the formal and informal cities through creating similarities between the two different types of cities.  Brillembourg's aim is to 'develop best practices of typologies that can be repeated in different areas of the world, but which get adapted locally.'

In order to create an infrastructure especially a whole city of infrastructures, it is necessary to engage in an understanding of how the inhabitants live and respect their community but asking or talking to the inhabitants about how they would like their community to be like.  But even when adopting aesthetics, cultural aspects and infrastructure from a formal city into an informal city we must also think about whether the implementations will give the same effect when put in a different environment.  Architects need to think about all the conditions of an area in order to adapt a design to it.  Also they cannot design just to satisfy the present, but infrastructures and communities created must be able to 'address contemporary crises with future-oriented solutions.'

Typological Instruments - Caroline Bos & Ben van Berkel 
Caroline Bos and Ben van Verkel's take on type in architecture is that it is in existence in order to direct, connect or to be instrumental.  The two architects used typologies 'in order to gain control of the design process in complex urban contexts.'  Typological effort = grouping similar things to create ease.
Two typologies are mentioned as possibilitiesin order to connect a large area of diverse spaces.  The first model mentioned is the Klein bottle which is the 'ultimate outcome of shared, motion-based relations.'  It is seamless and continuous between indoor and outdoor spaces but was not used.  The second type, the V is considered a morphing technique.  This model was the one that was used which shows the structure as a V shape.  It morphs parking, offices and public spaces while still creating private spaces as shown in Raffles City, Hangzhou, China.  The two buildings twist so that the windows don't face eachother and the inhabitants can have privacy.

The two models mentioned can be categorised as types but types are simple and can be adapted to different places at different scales wherease the two types the V and the Klein bottle are site, user and structure specific so they cannot be applied to any infrastructure.  

3DS Max

3ds max is a rendering package which we experimented with today in our first workshop for Secondlife.  In 3ds we used the prim composer in order to generate a sculptmap which we can later add to our inventory and use in Secondlife.

 3ds max has the option of looking at the model or object being created from four different views.  The four standard views are TOP, FRONT, LEFT and the angle can be changed for the last PERSPECTIVE view.
We can also see a grid of the object, which indicates to us how much we are stretching the object by.  This is helpful as when we apply a texture in Secondlife, we know which areas the texture will be stretched the most in the object.

The following images are a few sculpties created in order for me to familiarize myself with the software.

There is a soft selection tool which as shown above can help us to stretch objects will making the grid gradually stretched.  the red centre is the area in which the grid is stretched out the most and as the colours change, they represent areas on the object which are being stretched out less.

Also by changing the object to a poly mesh we can use the relax tool which can help reduce the amount the grid of our object is stretched however by using the relax tool, the object will alter in shape but it all depends on how much we use the relax tool.

Secondlife - Workshop 3

This week there isn't so much a theme like the last two workshops for example waking up and sustenance.  Instead this third workshop's 'gathering' is about bringing together our last two concepts and models from the last two workshops and also incorporating some or all of the building from the matrix we were given.  This will lead to Thursday's mid-semester crit instead of our usual desktop crit.

For this third workshop, I am working on Secondlife so for the Monday's workshop we were given an overview of the types to use on Secondlife such as 3DS Max and Scratch 4SL which I am already familiar with having used it for Media last semester.  During the workshop we learnt about the 3D scanning machine which we can try out to re-produce something like our model on Secondlife however not all details may be picked up as the 3D scanner works as a laser picking up points on the model.  The models that can be used in the 3D scanner cannot be transparent or shiny as it will reflect the laser.

This week we were given three readings
A Simple Heart:Architecture On - Dogma (Pier Vittorio Aureli & Martino Tattara)
From Products to Process - Adriana Navarro-Sertich
Typological Instruments - Caroline Bos & Ben van Berkel

We will be discussing the readings From Products to Process and Typological Instruments on Wednesday.

Peer Review 2

This weeks peer review, I reviewed three people from the same group as last time as they are always the group that goes through the workshop before us but I reviewed different people.

The peer review was very useful as before trying it myself or knowing about it, I was taught about making my own sculpties on 3DS Max and it was recommended to make my own sculpties, textures and also try using an alpha channel.

These are the blog addresses of the peers I reviewed:
Richard Andre Wiltens - http://archdesigntwo.blogspot.com
Richard researched ideas in relation to Le Corbusier for the idea of sustenance this week.  Looking at his principles, Richard re-produced a work on Secondlife reminiscent of Le Corbusier's works including the 5 points such as having the builidng on pilate, freeforms etc.  Therefore the builidng produced was very similar to that of Le Corbusier.  Secondlife was not working however therefore I was only able to see snapshots of the building on his blog.


Nick Johnston - http://nicksarch102blog.wordpress.com
Nick wanted to create a communal bathing space which he ideally placed underneath the Owen Glenn building on the real site, but he was able to find a site similar to the real one in Second life.  He did a lot of research in relation to the history and cultures of communal bathing spaces such as traditional Japanese bathing houses.  He explored the abilities of Secondlife in many ways such as making a lot of his own sculpties, textures, alpha channels and scripts in order to  make the bathing spaces both quite private but also public.



Rob Cornelissen - http://muchadoaboutarchitecture.wordpress.com
Rob's final idea for his creation was the concept of communicating with someone for example uisng Skype when they are in a different time zone at a different time of the day.  The space was a simple rectangle space with a kitchen space on one end and the lounge space on the other side which were separated with a wall which could open or close.  This wall had an image on it which was taken in Secondlife.  Therefore when the wall was closed, from the kitchen the view would be a person sitting in the living room but it would be a different time of day therefore what one would see was the lounge space but it was an image not the actual lounge space and vice versa when looking form the lounge space.

Animation

A1 Animation blog address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAuCbY7rLVU

Plans

Development of Animation 2

Idea of spaces interlocking- representation of connection and the coming together of people just like how everyone is connected in producing the food.  Creating a communal eating space where everyone can feel included and a sense of community.

 Expanding on the size of the site.  There was already a restaurant in the apartment block next to my chosen site so I know that the communal eating space must be a place that will give people a reason to go there other than other places.  It must provide a eating experience unlike the ones around.

In the images below I have expanded my site so that it involves a greater area.  I want to include my design within the already existing architecture so it doesn't just build around it but interacts and builds through it.  Going through the buildings give people a reason to eat there as it is connected to places nearby.

The crosses below are all different colours and are representations of people and lines are connecting them all together to show the relationships between people within a community.  It doesn't necessarily have to be apartment blocks in which people need access to a restaurant/eating place in order to sustain but also any other office buildings nearby have been included, even possibly people who are just in the park.

 Expansion of idea of showing interlocking plaforms which resemble jigsaw pieces of various thickness to cut through buildings.  Changes in level give variety and a change in space eg. type or style of buildings that are being connected.  There is a change between the two connecting buildings.

 Below: Idea of tables at which people can come to eat.  It is a round table which everyone can sit around. Round table allows for easier and better communication.  In the centre is a large cooking table similar to the japanese teppanyaki - the way they cook in which they use a iron girdle so this circle in the middle would be a large cooking plate.

 Space is kept quite natural even though the platforms resembling jigsaws are very artificial.  Provides a contrast and reminds us that the food we come to use are produced naturally.  The grid created resembles a grid of crops growing.