Monday, November 3, 2014

ARCH655 Project 1_Jixing Liu


TWIRL, designed by Zaha Hadid, is located in an 18th century courtyard in Italy. The installation emphasizes making use of arches and curves to distort the sense of space.

Picture 1 – Perspective

Picture 2 – Effects of Fluorescent Light

Picture 3 – Floor Plan

INTRODUCTION

In this project, I used Rhino & Grasshopper to recreate the model of TWIRL based on the information I got about the original design.

MODELING

1. Curves on the Horizontal Surfaces

Because curves on the horizontal surface are relatively irregular, I divided them into several groups based on the curvatures. For the arches in each group at the right bottom, I created three curves linking the starting, mid, and ending points of originally designed curves in Rhino. And, by using DIVIDE and INTERPOLATE, I created designed curves through several sets of division points. While, for the bi-arches at the left top, I used similar method but drawing more curves to make a better control. Moreover, due to NUMBER SLIDER I added, numbers of curves in each groups are controlled.


Screenshot – 1

2. A Controlled Curved Surface

First, I drew a circle according to the radial point of construction in Rhino. Then, based on that, seven circles with different radius and height are created by using MOVE and SCALE. Through this group of circles, a curved surface was created. Furthermore, by changing the values of NUMBER SLIDER, the shape and height of this surface can be controlled.

Screenshot – 2

3. Size-adjustable Plates in Construction

Because in reality, lots of planar ceramic sheets, rather than several whole curved sheets, are used for construction. I want to create these quadrangular plates by locating and linking points in both the horizontal and curved surfaces.

3.1 Vertical Lines

First, by using RANGE & EXPRESSION, I created 21 circles with same intervals at the horizontal surface. These circles crossed with the curves formed in step 1. Then, lots of intersection points are created. By linking these points and points projected on the curved surface, vertical lines are formed. While, changing the radius of these circles means regulating the size of each ceramic sheets.

Screenshot – 3

Screenshot – 4

Screenshot – 5

3.2 Upper Poly-lines

Most curves on the horizontal surface may not across with outer circles due to their lengths, so some parts of the data list show blanks. By changing these parts into ‘null’ and regrouping data, main parts of upper poly-lines are created. After that, by inserting values of starting and ending points into the list, the whole upper poly-lines of vertical surfaces are created.

Screenshot – 6

Screenshot – 7

4. Making Surfaces

By projecting upper poly-lines on the horizontal surface, bottom poly-lines of designed surfaces are created. After lines linking with starting and ending points of both poly-lines are formed, four edge curves are finished. By using EDGE SURFACE, all vertical surfaces are created.

Screenshot – 8

5. Physically-based Model

Because of the limitation from my computer’s hardware, I just choose parts of the model to show physical changes.By using KANGAROO, WEAVEBIRD, and UNARYFORCE,a horizontal force added to a set of designed surfaces.

Screenshot – 9

Screenshot – 10

6. Analyses


6.1 Curvature Analysis

By baking the surfaces, curvatures can be analyzed in Rhino.

Screenshot – 11

6.2 Area Analysis

Summing up the areas of vertical sheets which help to calculate the cost.

Screenshot – 12

RENDERING

Picture 4 – Perspective 1

Picture 5 – Perspective 2

Picture 6 – Elevation

VIDEO