Analysis: 298 Mulberry Street

Collaborated with_David Vuong

Reference_298 Mulberry Street | SHoP Architects

Analysis of the facade fabrication technique and performance in relation to the overall fenestration system through half scale modelling and drawings representations.

The fabrication technique of this rippled, non-load bearing brick-concrete panels was studied by constructing a half-scale physical model. Each of the casting, milling and assembly processes were simulated by commonly available shop tools. Material limits, tooling tolerances and half-scale translation errors didn’t merely affect the time-frame of each process, but determined the overall attributes and weather performance of the decorative brickwork. The drawings were intended to articulate the comprehension of the facade at two scales: performance and construction of the actual wall section and the tectonics of the mock up fabrication. The analysis explains the driving reasons, possibilities and impact of the fenestration design.

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The full video of the fabrication process is here.

Analysis: Santa Caterina Market

Reference_Santa Caterina Market |  Enric Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue (EMBT)

To analyze the market’s hybrid structure with load path illustration

Iterative Design: Bent Space

Precedent_Eames Leg Splint

Choose your corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best of your ability and that way you might change the world.

–Charles Eames

This project started with the case study of the Eames Leg Splint and proceeded as a pursuit of rigorously modular order in a carefully plannedspace designed by Richard Meyer. The formal and plastic properties of the Leg Splint Sculpture were investigated, because the sculpture was is a cut-out which bears minimum bending stress, it serves as a control piece on the curvature and opening of the web piece. A “clean up” process took place, which reduce the piece to its minimal and most operable unit.

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Then aggregation methodology and connection were then experimented under the 4‘by10’ plywood size limit. When it was placed on the site, the gridded box of Meyer was divided by his  6‘by6’ invisible planned cubes, into chambers based on circulation, which is the two perpendicular access between the four sides of the site , and also the spins and turns that people make in the cafeteria. The piece starts from one corner of the box, and bifurcate as much as they can. One of the four modules are picked as the piece grow, according to the assigned nature of the particular chamber.

The drawing is a combined axometric and machine assembly representation: the axometric shows how the aggregation behave in different chambers and the machine assembly drawing is exploded according to the aggregation and proposed construction order. It explains the layering order and how the curvature and its control points of the formwork is translated to the plywood sheets.

Analysis: Eames LCW

Reference_Eames Lounge Chair Wood

Each of the undulating parts of the chair was understood as generated from a set of boundary and surface curves with minimum control points, which exerts an invisible weight and effective control over the double curved surfaces. This set of economical curves extends from dimensioning the one to one furniture to modeling the quarter scale miniature, it was utilized to generate the formwork and experimented with the grain of birch veneer. When the curves of the desired geometry was confronted with the curves from the of material nature, the target geometry was challenged and the veneer tended to crack or leave flaws. Mechanical and air pressure were constantly tested on the formwork and options of scores or grains on veneer, until a satisfactory level of manipulation on the outcome could be achieved.

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Analysis: Eames House

Precedent_Eames House_Eames Office

Studies of Prefabrication as a Design Premise