Holographic Fabrication of Woven Steel Structures

Transcription

1 Holographic Fabrication of Woven Steel Structures Mixed reality technology allows physical environments to be overlaid with digital data, at scale and precisely fixed in place. Despite limitations of first-generation hardware like the Microsoft Hololens, it is possible to utilise holographic models (or templates ) as instruction sets that allow designers to precisely locate parts in space, eliminating the need for 2d drawings or even conventional systems of set out and measurement. By streamlining the workflow from digital design to physical prototyping and eliminating the need for 2d parts, highly intricate structures can be designed and built with relative ease and simplicity. This workshop will explore how these new workflows extend human craftsmanship by adding digital precision to traditional processes of making, refigure constraints and notions of tolerance and open up broad new opportunities for design. Specifically participants will fabricate structures from welded stainless steel rod, developing a formal language of weaving and exploring the following themes. Holographic Templates - structures are placed, fixed, bent and cut to length in-situ by overlaying elements in holographic models with physical material stock. This eliminates the need for measurement or prefabrication or physical labelling of parts with dramatic reduction in fabrication time. Digital Guides - rather than following CAD-CAM trends that tend to prioritise precision, predictability and repeatability of fabrication tasks, making in mixed reality forces designers to think differently about issues of tolerance. Digital tools and models can become equally fuzzy and imprecise and may act as design guides rather than explicit representations with dramatic implications for architectural production. Generative Simulation - The formal language of the structure will be simulated digitally allowing the design space of woven and bundled geometries to be explored prior to fabrication. Design Proposal: We propose to construct a 3x3x3m pavilion following an architectural language of interwoven

2 threads and fabricated without drawings or automated machinery. The fabrication of a building scale structure directly from holographic templates will be a world first, and operate as a means of demonstrating that digital designs that would be exceptionally difficult to fabricate with cuttingedge CADCAM technology or human skill and craftsmanship become achievable by fabrication teams with relatively limited expertise, ability and available time. The pavilion will be fabricated in several parts (by workshop participants working with Hololens headsets in small teams) from 5mm stainless steel round bar with mig welded connections. The fibrous language of the structure will be derived by tack welding connections and then bending off these welds to form filleted splines. By reducing the number of distinct elements in the structure, we significantly reduce construction time and in turn can increase the formal complexity of the proposal. These parts will then be transported to site and assembled for exhibition. An short video documenting the design and fabrication of the pavilion will also contribute to the workshop exhibition. Participant involvement and learning goals: Participants will be introduced to mixed reality environments and their integration with CAD workflows designing and constructing a architectural prototypes from stock steel materials. The design of this prototype will allow participants to develop skills in generative design and interactive holographic modelling. The workshop will ask participants to form small teams to work closely with workshop leaders in the design and fabrication of smaller prototypes. Participants will work collectively during the parallel fabrication of a single larger structure. All participants will work directly with Microsoft Hololens headsets throughout all phases of the workshop from design to construction. Infrastructure and equipment requirements Tools - 2x MIG Welders (with gas and stainless steel wire coil, all associated safety equipment), bolt cutters Facilities - The workshop will require access to a suitable space (with workbenches) for welding and assembly of 6 building components each approx 2x1x1m. A space for desktop digital design work with high speed internet and large format screen (computer lab or classroom) is also required. Hololens: All Hololens headsets required for the workshop will be provided by the workshop leaders. Time, Duration 5 day design build workshop Software Windows 10 McNeel Rhinoceros 5/6 + Grasshopper HoloLens software (provided by workshop leaders) Prerequisite knowledge: none required, but basic Rhino and/or Grasshopper skills are welcome. Maximum Participants 20

3 Fabrication of chair from 10mm mild steel square bar using holographic templates Holographically Fabricated 2m tall prototype, produced during Design Modelling Symposium Workshop lead by Cam Newnham and Gwyllim Jahn, Paris, 2017

4 Schedule Day :30-9am - Set up 9-10am - Introduction lecture introducing design research of workshop leaders and contextualisingthe concepts and approaches of the workshop: Mixed reality environments, material constraints,collaborative fabrication, generative design am - Demonstrate the use of holographic software to stream cad models to the HoloLens. Assign groups of 3 and assist participants with this workflow. 11am - 1pm - Demonstrate the use of generative design approaches and interactive holographic models using Rhino, Grasshopper and custom plugins. Rapid design esquisses and group discussion of design goals. 2-5pm - Generative design tutorial in Nursery and Grasshopper. Assign groups to thematic aspects of the projects. Digital design experimentation. 5pm - Brief presentations of group design projects and feedback from tutors. Late - Design Development Day am - Presentation from groups. Selection of proposal and discussion of constraints and fabrication approach am - Generative design tutorial in Nursery and Grasshopper. 11am - 1pm - Digital design revisions 2-5pm - Assign groups to produce prototypes. Digital design revisions and physical prototyping. 5pm - Brief presentations of physical prototypes and discussion of material and fabrication constraints. Late - Finalising design for fabrication in groups. Day am - Construction preparation - development of part animations and assembly sequencing for each project with testing in mixed reality. 11am - 1pm - Participants work in teams to construct large scale prototypes using the Microsoft Hololens. 2-6pm - Construction continues. Projects are documented through digital animation, video, photographs and mixed reality composite recordings. Day am - Construction preparation - development of part animations and assembly sequencing for each project with testing in mixed reality. 11am - 1pm - Participants work in teams to construct large scale prototypes using the Microsoft Hololens.

5 2-6pm - Construction continues. Projects are documented through digital animation, video, photographs and mixed reality composite recordings. Final Day am - 1pm - Participants work in teams to construct large scale prototypes using the Microsoft HoloLens. 2-5pm - Transportation to exhibition and exhibition install. 5pm - Setup Video / Presentations for exhibition. Tutor introduction Gwyllim Jahn gwyll@fologram.com Gwyllim Jahn is the co-founder and director of Fologram, a Melbourne based design research practice and technology startup building the medium for making in mixed reality. He has previously co-founded Exlab and the Elseware Collective, where he developed expertise in the fields of mixed reality environments, autonomous robotic fabrication, behavioural design systems and creative applications of machine learning. Gwyllim holds an academic position as a Lecturer in Architecture at RMIT and has taught as an adjunct at Melbourne and Monash universities. His research has been published in leading conferences and journals including IJAC, ACADIA and RobArch and he has given talks, presentations and workshops at international institutions including MIT, Stuttgart ICD, Cooper Union and Tongji University. Cameron Newnham cam@fologram.com Cameron Newnham is the co-founder and director of Fologram, where he leads the development of technology for making in mixed reality. His experience lies in the creation of novel tools for designing and fabricating complex geometric systems, ranging from code libraries to mixed reality interfaces and extending to machine design and robotic fabrication. Cameron has experience as a computational designer in internationally

6 renowned and award winning architectural practices, and academic experience as an Associate Lecturer Industry Fellow at RMIT University, Melbourne University and has led numerous international design and build workshops in Shanghai, New York, Paris, Boston, Sydney, and Melbourne. Signature Works