GITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION

SM1, 2016

Sleeping in SweaterQian Rong (Rebecca) Li

(760650)Michelle + 9

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In the first module, I was

exposed to my initial

understanding of material

systems. Through

commencing measured

drawings, photo graphing

and sketching details of my

object, I had a chance to

have a closer look at how

parts of the egg cutter “work

together as…an

interconnecting network”

(lecture 2). Particularly, I was

interested in the slotting

movement of each cutting

plates into the cutting

platform creating geometric

cuts and the moulding of the

shape of an egg on the

platform.

On one hand, I have explored different methods of measuring the egg cutter, taking some photos are also essential in order to “express the essential ‘feeling’

of it”(Heath, Heath & Jensen 2002,). Not only the texture, but also the motion of plates. Filtering the photos into black and white provide a strong emphasise

falling motions, “form and surface”(Heath, Heath, Jensen 2002) that I want to analyse.

Via dissecting multiple

sections through the egg

cutter, I found that the

irregular shapes, spacing

and placement of the

teeth that make up the

platform is created by

different geometric cuts:

they are, up-down, left-

right and diagonal slicing

directions. Each of these

three geometric cuts is

responsible by the three

different egg slicing plates.

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Therefore, I decided to interconnecting triangle hollow sections to blur

the views of the users which can help them to change their “attitude

and regard their presence as complement” (Robert 1969). Although, the

sketch model my reconstructed object did not accomplish the

characteristics of section and profile system, I learnt that using slotting

joints to connect a set of repeating two-dimensional cross sections to

create a three dimensional system a basic property of my material

system.

Ultimately, my reconstructed objects focused on the geometric cuts that attempt to distort the user’s vision. As vision affects the size of our personal

space, limiting views one can see while sleeping provide them more comfort. It is usually people around the sleeping or concentrating person who

create disruption and somewhat annoyance (Personal space).

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Ian Richardson 2012

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Aim of our design is to construct a flexible but stable structure for people to wear

and lean against will sleeping in their comfortable position. The level of comfort

comes from creating an area the provide as sense of protection and belonging to

the environment one is sleeping in.

In order to reduce the feeling of isolation, we design a sleeping pod that would allow light

to penetrate gradually. A sharp change from a light to a dark space will cause a sense of

separation, whereas gradient of transition from light to dark provide connection between

the sleeping and the external environment.

COMBINING IDEAS

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Interference was our initial technique to create distortion. By using flat curved strips to create a

seemingly three dimensional surface. However, a practical problem we have was that our sleeping

pod is cylindrical as it loops around the head, it is difficult to satisfy the moiré effect we wanted.

INITIAL IDEA

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In order to provide the user support on the neck,

forehead, and on the side of their head, we decide to

construct a waffle structure that accommodate the

shape of human curve from head to the upper body.

This can provide comfortable support while allow

flexible movements to sleep in the user’s desired

position.

REVISION 1

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With our attempt to create a distorting surfacing, we created a flatter surface for horizontal

polypropylene strips to thread through the front part of the sleeping pod. To increase the

stability of polypropylene on the front part of the sleeping, learning from the C-space

Pavilion, we divide a long curve to shorter pieces.

We have also revised the panels of the waffle structure to become lighter and have a sense

of fluidity. This provide also a sense of visual comfort for people around the sleeping person.

As our prototype from the first revision will look like a cube from the outside, although the

internal edge of the panels follow the shape of human curve.

REVISION 2

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Rieder 2012

In our one to one prototype, we stabilise the sleeping pod on the user’s shoulder. However, the mountboard panels are too thin to provide rigid support for

the user, especially when the user wants to lean back. Furthermore, there are sharp corners of the sleeping pod is stabbing into the user’s back when they

are wearing it, causing it to be uncomfortable.

As the panels are too soft, they branch open when the user lean forward creating large amount of light to penetrate through.

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Fabrication have been

the most challenging

part of this project, as our

ability to plan and

complete a one to one

model is essential. At this

stage, we are still testing

the material that is most

suitable for our design.

Absorbing feedbacks

from the design module,

we realised that mount

board is not thick enough

to be self-sustainable as

the front part wobbles.

the structure has a high

tendency of collapsing when

human weight is added to it.

To resolve this problem, we

decided to crease the

thickness of the panels from

1.5mm to 3mm. By doubling

the original thickness, not only

does the structure becomes

more rigid, but also reduce

the sharpness of the edge

which is much more

comfortable when people

lean on it.

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MATERIALITY

Yet, the edge still feels hard when the user lean on it for

too long. A design solution for this problem is to wrap

wool thread around the panel and stick a layer of soft

material around the edge of each panel that is facing

the inside of the sleeping pod.

The soft material elongate on the edge has to be in strips.

Hence, we are considering pipe cleaner and non

slippery matt. A problem with pipe cleaner is that once

wool thread is warped on it, its fluffiness is reduced. This

cause the wider in the pipe cleaner to show hardening

the edge. After testing the effectiveness of non-slippery

mat and pipe cleaner, we chose non-slipper as it has

elasticity and volume. sticking a thin strip of non-slippery

mat along the internal edges of the sleeping pod.

We have also tested the colour for wool threads used to

wrap around the panels. As it is to serve as softer surface

of a sleeping pod, we decided to use calm colours.

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IMPORVEMENTS

Distortion development

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With the aid from digital software and laser cutting machines we are able to produce panels in precise measures and accurate allocations of

each panels. By using laser, cut we first shaped two-dimensional parts then interconnecting them in two directions to create a three-

dimensional waffle structure.

Exploded drawing

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These mirror shards are adhered to the threads that are crisscrossing the front part of the sleeping

pod. Yet, it becomes messy and disruptive.

While fabricating our final prototype time limitation and the amount of wool thread required to

wrap around all 17 panels create a serious obligation to completing it in a desired form.

FABRICATION SEQUENCE

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FABRICATION SEQUENCE

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Throughout the study of Digital Design and Fabrication, I have exposed to the

difficulty of abstracting a given object, merging ideas as a group of two and

converting a digital design into a physical object. The fabrication and prototype

testing taught me to consider what is workable in reality and what is not. For

example, the polypropylene strips are actually not flexible enough to pass through

openings booleaned in the digital model. Moreover, the physical size also a critical

matter to encounter. The thickness of corrugated cardboard is actually enough to

allow the panels to have a smaller surface area. This could have made wrapping

wool thread on much quicker and easier.

Taking feedbacks from our final presentation, we have given up on the distortion

concept, rather we focused on shade, semi-privacy and distorted view that

prevents eye contact. Through my experience of creating a digital design to

fabrication in real materials, I have learnt the importance of understanding size of

the sleeping pod in a one to one scale before choosing the thickness of the wool.

The warping process had taken up an enormous amount of time, which has

affected our ability to completely finish wrapping all twenty-eight pieces of large

panels. Therefore, we decided to only wrap half the amount of vertical panels we

have created. Although this does increase the gaps between each panel, it

allowed a sense of visual relief. Such sudden change depicts that the process of

design does not end even after the final product has produced, as refinement is

constantly required. In addition, I have also learnt that, simplicity is a crucial

component in design, as complexity that is created by adding unnecessary

component that seems forced can cause a design to be confusion and messy. As

Scheurer & Stehling (2011) stated: “a perfect model does not contain as much

information as possible, but as little as necessary”. This allow a clear and

unambiguous explanation of a design.

REFFERENCE

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Heath, A., Heath, D., & Jensen, A. (2000). 300 years of industrial design : function,

form, technique, 1700-2000 / Adrian Heath, Ditte Heath, Aage Lund Jensen. New

York : Watson-Guptill, 2000. P9

Sommer, R. (1969). Personal space : the behavioral basis of design / Robert Sommer.

Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice-Hall, c1969.

Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. _2011_: Lost in Parameter Space? IAD: Architectural

Design, Wiley, 81 _4_, July, p79

Flickr, Ian Richardson, viewed 2012

<https://www.flickr.com/photos/underscore_ian/8117280451/in/faves-martinvlach/>

Rieder, C space pavilion, viewed 2012

<http://www.rieder.cc/at/en/main/news/news/browse/6/article/29/cspace-

pavilion-aa-school-london/>

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APENDIX

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