Recreating the imperfections and complexity of handcraft through digital fabrication methods
Timeline
4 months
Tools
Rhino, Illustrator, Woodshop, Paper
Methodologies
Rapid prototyping, design, iterative models, critiques
Role
Architect (student)
Timeline
3 months
Tools
Rhino, Illustrator, Woodshop, Pen & Paper, Kitchen
Methodologies
Rapid prototyping, usability testing, iterative models
Role
Architect/Product Designer
This project and studio explored the critical proposition that these purely digital processes may be augmented, enhanced or otherwise improved by the introduction of a more distinctly human element: the analog practice and physical craft of the “hand.”
Preference for the “hand” is not just a matter of aesthetic interest, though. Research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and social science indicate that imprecision, chaos and uncontrollable messiness can often lead to innovation or discovery.
Inspired by this possibility, our studio explored methodologies for introducing such disorder and/or disruption into the digital design process.
This project and studio explored the critical proposition that these purely digital processes may be augmented, enhanced or otherwise improved by the introduction of a more distinctly human element: the analog practice and physical craft of the “hand.”
Preference for the “hand” is not just a matter of aesthetic interest, though. Research in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and social science indicate that imprecision, chaos and uncontrollable messiness can often lead to innovation or discovery.
Inspired by this possibility, our studio explored methodologies for introducing such disorder and/or disruption into the digital design process.
FEATURED ARTIST
The first phase of this studio consisted of researching surface-based, volumetric, or solid-based sculpture to catalog ways that hand or craft are physically manifested in these practices. I chose to focus on Ruth Asawa.
She focused on hand woven wire sculptures, asymmetric shape repetition, layering/self-sructural/density variations.
A new category of geometry that was neither inexact - nor unmeasurable and unrepeatable - nor exact - or reducible and repeatable - but was instead “anexact yet rigorous”
-Edmund Hasset (German Philosopher)
Are there capabilities, flaws, or even failures latent or inherent in the digital design process/scripting that can be lead back to the valuable qualities of handcraft?
Point clouds describe objects and textures independent of the underlying geometries of digital meshes or nurb surfaces—thus ensuring a degree of separation from the typical digital design origin.
Using grasshopper scripts, I manipulated the point cloud data to produce a series of drawings striving to test the thesis of the studio.
The parametric board showcases the experimentation and possibilities of applied manipulation strategies to new objects for the next phase.
Using the digital fabrication methods outlined above, I created 3 unique, asymmetric objects to create layering conditions, eventually being realized into a physical architecture.
Skin Frame
Bifurcation & intersection, reminiscent of Ruth
Layering
Layering object inside distinguishes from object outside to create more spatial variety
Encapsulating conditions resulting in varying densities and porosities that create transparencies through the wall conditions with the spheres
Like Ruth, I worked a lot on composition, particularly in plan/top view
Hand craft quality comes in with ellipsoids, creating“skin condition”.
(Ideally there would be a cladding but due to time constraints couldn't develop that far)
1. Skin Frame
Bifurcation & intersection, reminiscent of Ruth
2. Layering
Layering object inside distinguishes from object outside to create more spatial variety
Encapsulating conditions resulting in varying densities and porosities that create transparencies through the wall conditions with the spheres
Like Ruth, I worked a lot on composition, particularly in plan/top view
Hand craft quality comes in with ellipsoids, creating“skin condition”.
(Ideally there would be a cladding but due to time constraints couldn't develop that far)
1.jpg)
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