The third and last Digital Fabrication assignment it’s done, our task was to revisit the famous Panot hexagonal cement floor tile designed by Gaudi in 1904 and generate our own design tile with new technologies like the CNC milling machine.

The task began with the development of the pattern as a three dimensional treatment of the top surface of the tile considering a height restriction, the channeling of water through the tile and the possible connection to our own or others tiles.

Our design was generated from two spirals, each in different direction, that meet in the center. This lines are then carefully projected to a cone that thanks to its slope water can be drained out. Also a special piece of wood is laser cut with the team’s fingerprints design to put it in the mold when casting to achieve an extra pattern.

Link to video!:  https://vimeo.com/80948868

The design is submitted into RhinoCAM software in order to see the process and paths that the CNC milling machine takes to make the mold. Milling paths are made for the different tools used in the machine in order to achieve a smooth surface. Once the milling process is less than 2 hours the mold can be made.

When the mold is finished it’s covered with vaseline in order to pour the concrete for the casting, once the concrete is dry the tile is carefully taken out, cleaned and waxed in order to get a good finishing, this process was then repeated 5 more times. With the 6 tiles ready the assembly can finally be made in a collective manner.

Our main idea is to explore the potentiality and limitations that the material could achieve, through theoretical study and various practical tests.

We enclose our research in 5 key points that have helped us to work with a scientific method through this research:
1. FLEXURE – TORSION
2. HEIGHT
3. TAPERING
4. STRIPES
5. ZIPPER
We decided to follow the angle connection (zip tensile forces) after searching and tried different types of joints and cuts in order to obtain different movements and stiffness.
Using 3D models we designed the general form of our tower, trying to push it to the maximum limit towards the research of materiality through the form.
After creating different models, we chose the best one that could answer to our research; we proceeded to the drawing of the flat surfaces and the design of the differents base and height connections.