Architekton

- December 05, 2019

ARCH 655| Project 2

EmTech’s TWISTed Plywood at the Timber Expo in Birmingham

Emergent Technologies and Design Programme (EmTech) at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London has recently exhibited their project, The TWIST at the Timber Expo in Birmingham. The project is an experimentation in the properties of milled plywood, developed throughout 1:1 tests. Through these experiments, The TWIST seeks to gain full control of the material properties, developing articulated surfaces with the variable orientation of its elements. (ref: https://www.archdaily.com/775842/emtechs-twist-displayed-at-the-timber-expo-in-birmingham).

The developing of this project contains three major parts including modeling, analyzing, and optimization.

1- Modeling

This project contains two primary curves that shape the main structural elements. Each of these curves is degree three Nurbcurves with six control points. I started modeling by creating Nurbcrves using points that correspond to the original control points of this project.

In the next step I used python script that I found from (https://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/curves-in-ghpython-in-grasshopper-1) website and then I changed this code to make it match with the desired form of this project.

Figure 3. two main curves of project

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Figure4. Drawing two main curves using the points that correspond with original points.

Figure 5. Using python scripting to connect two curves with lines

Figure 6. Python scripting

Then I used sweep1 two main curves by dividing them into two parts because sweep1 doesn’t work with periodic curves.

Figure 7. create two main structural elements using sweep 1

For secondary structural modeling, I used three methods. First, I extruded the connection lines that I created by python. I found the normal surface and used that as the extortion direction. But the problem was lines extruded in one direction while they should be extruded to inside or outside the created space.

Figure 8. method 1 extrusion lines

In the next method 2, I used sin function to connect two curves but the problem was that sin shaped lines were not aligned with the surface.

Figure 9. method 2 , using sin function

Figure 10. Closer look to method 2

In the last method, I created pattern and apply that using surface morph command to the surface. This method was the best technique for this creating sin shaped pattern with extrusion.

Figure 11. Method 3, creating sin pattern and applying that on the surface

Figure 12. closer look to method 3.

2. ANALYSIS| KARAMBA, STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

For structural analysis, I used the Karamba plugin on grasshopper (free trial). Using this plugin, I create the structural parametric mesh and then used the "assemble" command to prepare the model for structural analysis. In the "assemble" we need elements, loads, and support. I connected mesh lines to the “lines to beam” commend to create elements. I created wind and gravity loads. Finally, for support, I defined points that their z value is under the tree as a support. In the analysis, you can see the deformation and different forces on the beam of the model and deformation model. These values can be changed by changing loads power and deformation value in model preview. They also can be changed with the form of beams’ cross-section.