ddf m2 journal cassandra & faye

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DIGITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION SM1, 2016 M2 JOURNAL - Sleeping Pod

Cassandra Tom & Faye (Xufei) Ye 767899 & 757598

James + Group 5

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Personal Space Analysis

Personal Space can be defined as one’s security zone, where invasion into this space may cause one to feel uncomfortable or threatened. Research shows that intimate space is 45cm, while personal space is 1.25m, leading to social space being 3.7m. The objective of our design is to protect and cover as much as the personal space as possible, using our design to define this invisible barrier. Creating this sense of isolation and distance from public and friends.

The starting point of our sleeping pod is to pro-vide a sufficient personal space for a person to sleep/power nap in under any circumstances in public. We studied the common sleeping posi-tions, which include siting on a chair, lying on to the table and standing. Power nap means it has to be fast and at anywhere, meaning our de-sign should also target the convenience of be-ing able to use it whenever it’s needed, being easily accessible yet achieving the protection of personal space.

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Sketch Design Development

Our design incorporates the basic principle of fan, which is the folding system. We tried to explore more designs in the way it un-folds, whether horizontally or vertically. Tar-geting specifically at the transition between a compressed object into an expanded space for users.

Other than the design cov-ering the head, we also thought about the structure in sup-porting it. We have considered using the neck as part of the support, with a neck brace wrapping tightly and small columns attaching to both the pivot and brace.

Structure attaching to the shoulders and the pivot, it can also provide support when the head leans toward one side. Using shoulders to support the design, having it to fit the shoulder rim to help the design to stand on its own when it’s folded.

Using shoulders to support the design, having it to fit the shoulder rim to help the de-sign to stand on its own when it’s folded.

We started sketching some ideas through combining elements from sketch designs we presented in M1 journal. One idea that came up was a paper lantern like design that can be folded. A gap lies between the middle of the design, allowing users to breath and adds a little openness.

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Refined Sketch Model

We based our design on a hood like structure that can be worn easily through pulling it to the front. The design should extend out the upper chest area, covering the whole head, and provides a sense of inclusion and safety. Our sleeping pod aims to be carry-able and providing sufficient intimate space in public areas and for different sleeping positions.

The pivoting point would be essential to this de-sign, as it evolves around it. In the sketch model we used pins as the pivot, which we may also need to consider other options as when its to scale, a small pin may not be as effective.

Design’s concept:Compress & Expansion Isolation Shield Transition

PLAN ELEVATION ISOMETRIC

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2nd Skin proposed design V.1


Our first design of the sleeping pod consists of panels with unfolding system to create a helmet like head piece that shields the whole head and some parts of the up-per body. We experimented using materials in the Rhino, which the one here is plastic with gloss finish.

The solidity of material pro-vides a more secure and intimate space for users to experience.

We tried to demonstrate the difference in solidity and transparency of our model through altering the textures in Rhino.

As gaps form in between panels, an external con-nection is needed to link panels into a continuous piece.

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2nd Skin proposed design V.1One of the interesting features in this sleeping pod are the gaps, which leaves a room for breathing inside this design, and may con-tribute to a certain atmosphere that could be experienced inside this design. It also leaves small room for users to look outside.

We may also experiment with vari-ous materials that are flexible yet stable enough to hold its shape.

Process of modeling in rhino: First draw a sphere to trim out the smallest panel shape, then copy and scale them into larger pan-els, and use Rotate 3D to create the fanning out system.

The diagram on the far right showcases how the headpiece would look like when its not worn, where all the panels fall back into the same position. It’s an idea very similar to a hood when the panels are not pulled out.

The gaps between the panels provide a unique shaded pattern inside the sleeping pod when it’s unworn.

Another idea we had for utilizing the gaps is making a certain pan-el in the design to be more flex-ible in its movements. Meaning by which panel around the eye area may be lifted up or down when it’s worn, thus allowing the user to see, and turning the design form an enclosed space into a semi-enclosed space.

This diagram shows the person space of user’s body, which certain parts such as the head and chest areas would have a further distance. As these ar-eas require more cov-erage in order to make users feel more secure and safe. Our design aims toward this issue, covering mainly the head and part of the upper body.

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The pivoting point forms along the edges of the bone structure, external connection may not be necessary if bone struc-ture could develop as continuous piece.

Our second design consist the same unfolding system as the first design, and integrates the paper and bone structure of the fan. With the ‘bone’ as unfolding sys-tem, and ‘paper ‘to be further develop with different materials for folding or paneling.

We have lofted the ‘paper’ areas on rhino which we will experi-ment with materials (possibly paper & fab-ric).

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Paper, highly, is the primary material we used to test out the form we would like to create. During the experiment, a very interesting design of the bone struc-ture came to mind, the model above demonstrates it, where the layout of this design is a continuous circle, and through the way of cutting out the loops, it then forms a hood-like bone structure with growing sizes in a continuous piece.

This model was a trial in experimenting with different materials to create the bone. Card-board is much stiffer meaning it will be harder t manipulate, bend and fold, especially achiev-ing the affect like the model above.

We wanted to increase the volume of the design, which at first we scaled the original design times 2, which became way oversized and larger than we thought. It conflicted with the original idea of it being a hood and carry-able, but turning out to be a huge, covering almost the whole body.

Scaling was not the best option, thus we increase the width of each individual bone structure from 10mm to 20mm instead. This way a thicker bone can also provide better support.

photo of whole circle

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Concept of precedent

Name of precedent and designer

Description of precedent

Precedent Research

VEASYBLE created by GAIA ISOLATION ORNAMENT RELEVATION INTIMACY

The VEASYBLE project trans-forms wearable objects into an intimate space, allow-ing this compressed paper structure to expand into a volumetric object. The origami folding technique works effectively on paper (along with polyethylene and fabric), which these choices of materials also allows the project to be weightless for carrying and wearing.

Similar 3D model showcases the folds and the curvatures these folds can create. As we are also trying to use the same pattern/folds to cre-ate our panels between the bone structure.

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Precedent applied to design

Precedent’s influence to our designISOLATION ORNAMENT RELEVATION INTIMACY

The concept of folding system in the precedent is a con-tinuous piece of self-supportive origami folds, has inspired us explore on origami technique for our paper connecting between bones, and start considering self-supportiveness of our design, in the way how we could potentially attached to the body.

We conducted many research on origami folds, investigating in the different types of fold and the effect it creates. We came across to the Miura Ori Pattern (Herringbone Pattern), the main creases describes a zig zag line. The fold is conducted of repetition of reverse folds, a very large piece of paper can be compressed to a tiny piece using this fold.We experimented with applying this fold to the bone structure, however, it cannot be curved as much as we expected, thus we started researching curved that can be curved e.g. model below. This folding pattern derived from the 3D folds on the previous page, however, this fold only resulted in a slightly curved arch.

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Design development - Version #1

Further from our study in precedents, we incorporated the concept of origami folds inside each gaps in the bone structure.

We experimented on the way of origami folding tech-niques with physically modelling it. However, we strug-gled to model the folds in rhino as angles were extrud-ing out of the bone structure).We then came across in test out similar pattern by drawing polygons, offset faces to fit inside each arch, creating trapeziums that fit inside the arcs.

Further into fabricating this model, we thought of using unroll surface command in rhino to produce a flat pat-terned sheet that directs us to where the folds conduct.

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We agreed to keep paper as the primary materials for the design. After experimenting on different thick-nesses, we preferred lighter paper (80-100g) for the folding panels as they are more flexible in folding, whereas a thicker paper (135-150g) for the bones to support the shape. As we continued to experiment with different folding techniques, we came across to realize producing a curve simply relied on folding the right area, which is the turning point of a curve. However, the arcs may be too stiff compared to the cur-vature of the bone, thus we experimented with folds in a smaller angle, the effect of it was better, but the difficulty in folding it increased.

Process of modelling origami folds rhino: We first draw out a polygon that fits in the arc and layout points of the panels to be joined, then made use of Rotate and 4 points sur-face to create the folds.

Aiming for convenience, we created straps that can be worn on like a backpack, easy to carry around and also helps the sleeping pod design to stay in place when its unfolded over the head.


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Concept of precedent

Name of precedent and designer

Description of precedent

Precedent Research

Precedent’s influence to our design

William Barak Aprartment Tower by Ashton Raggat McDougall

FIGURE GROUND SHADOW LIGHT MONOCHROME PATTERN

These precedents showcases the effects lines create in a large scale, the boldness and irregularity of these line like planes forms a face on the building. This showcases the variety and different possibilities in things we are able to create using just lines.

The combination of line, light and shadow has lead us to further ex-plore on the user’s experience in our sleeping pod in terms of vision impact. Not only can we create gradient effect or other types of pattern with lines, we may also uti-lize light and shadows to form also an atmosphere integrates with the need of privacy and security for us-ers sleeping in the design.

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Precedent applied to design

Strings can be manipulated easily, being folded and stretched. Hence this material is showing potential in developing with our initial concept of allowing flexibil-ity of unfolding system in our sleeping pod.

We attempted to create few sketch models to show-case the effect of lines. We used two different kinds thickness of strings to create vertical lines between two planes. Thicker strings are stronger in terms of vi-sual impact, and cardboard is much stiffer than paper in terms of stretching out the strings.

We have also tested out the variety provide by diagonal lines. Having combine two rows of diagonal lines in different directions, we have created a crisscross pattern. As light gets through the diamond gaps instead of rectan-gular, it creates another form of shadowing ef-fect, and due to tinier gaps the pattern forms, it forms a greater degree of vision block, which the different degree of vision block may po-tentially integrate with the degree of personal space as provided by our sleeping pod design.

FIGURE GROUND SHADOW LIGHT MONOCHROME PATTERN

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After the study of these precedents, we find out that light and shadow affects a person’s sensation in perceiving the degree of privacy and security, hence, we have devel-oped using strings of different gap differences to connect spaces between the bone structure, in relation with the sense of security and privacy need to feel comfortable sleeping in the space.

Pattern of the gaps are gradually narrowed as it goes from the side to the front, especially in the three panels in front of the head and where the eye sights, we have created an extra row of strings, going diagonally, form-ing a crossing pattern, to minimize the among of light get-ting through, so as to create a different degree of privacy needed around a person to feel comfortable.

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The process of creating the design in rhino: We first layout the polygon bones and draw measured hole on the bone in achieving the gradual change effect, then rotate panels to 30 degrees and loft between holes to create the strings.

As to this stage of development, with our previous sketch models with strings, paper turns out to be too slack to provide support in stretching the strings. Hence we will be looking for stiffer materials, such as cardboard or Medium Density Fiberboard to work with prototyping and fabrication.

As need of personal space is not linear around the body and we would like to explore on the volume it can create in our design, we have ad-justed the shape in response to that using Scaling command, in creating a more elliptical shape.


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As we further developed on the volume of the sleeping pod, we found out that the size and weight of the sleeping pod may be both heavy and uncomfortable to wear and support when user is sleeping (state of relaxation), hence we turned to making it self-supportive while it is un-folded.

We have tested out our design with different sleep-ing positions, and it turns out that our design may not be suitable for a standing position since it relies on the user to carry all the weight of the pod. Thus we focused on working with a leaning and sitting sleeping position.

And using of gravity and support by clinging our sleeping pod onto the back of chair, we achieved the need of the design being self-supportive while unfolded.

Gravity Gravity

hook-like connection

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Prototype

Process

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Prototype

Prototype 2

The prototype we have was fabricated at the FabLab using the laser cutter and material is MDF 3.0mm 600x900. This material is very firm and strong, lacks flexibility but is stable.

Prototype 2 is made with hard cardboard, howev-er we have realized that it may be too floppy and not strong enough for holding itself in comparison with the MDF.

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Testing Effects

The three back panels of the sleeping pod are created, it can also be used on the table as a coverage space for when taking power nap. The overall effect is very see through, yet there are still slight coverage using the strings,

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Appendixhttps://au.pinterest.com/pin/441563938445323622/ http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/william-barak-apartment-tower-portrait-re-vealed-20150302-13t31e.html http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/archive/index.php/t-148118.html https://au.pinterest.com/pin/373235887841319428/http://creativepro.com/20-free-vector-patterns-volume-2/http://www.grasshopper3d.com/photo/parametric-origami-byhttp://www.veasyble.com/whoeng.html

ddf m2 journal cassandra & faye

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