The design of our tower was driven by several criteria: || maximization of material usage
|| repetition of a single member
|| achieving of several possible configurations

As a result of a successful implementation of the first and the second criteria, we were able to make use of 97% of the available material, consequently reaching the height of nearly 5 meters in the virtual model simulation. Nevertheless, the height of the virtual model was modeled in the “perfect world” conditions, thus not reflecting such important physical criteria as material stress capabilities and the vertical load distribution in a structure of this type. Having assembled several sections of the tower into their envisioned arrangement, we confirmed that such material as wood fails in direct correlation with the grain its cut along and the amount of stress it experiences in the thinnest joinery areas. We realized that in order to reduce the stress||strain loads in our tower we need to drastically reduce the total height of the structure and hence tackle the third design criteria, multiple configurations using a repetitive single element.

The base unit of the structure is a slightly curved uniform strip of wood that interlocks with two more identical elements to form a stiff, yet elegant triangle. Further mirrored upwards the newly formed two triangles visually mimic an “expanded metal” element, and are connected via cross-joints in the center and longitudinal joint at the vertices of the triangle. Once unified into one and rotated 30 degrees the units begin locking into each other, thus reinforcing the overall structure of the tower. Lastly, to break the uniform look of the structure we introduced the “turning torso” movement, physically rotating one third of the overall tower height by 15 degrees at each joint.

95 % use of material

Top View

Assembling pieces to form a triangle || 2 triangle form one unit || 2 units joined by cross joints

Scale Comparison

STOPMOTION

The exercise was to design a vertical structure consisting of different kinds of connections with wood material. Our goal was to use the necessary number of vertical joints that accentuate the curvy figure of our structure… and of course, aim higher!

Our first prototype was to assemble one module (composed of 4 identical pieces). Using the interlocking technique we connected the modules with horizontal joints. With the use of the bending technique, we connected vertically the other set of modules. The structure was simple, very stable and had the possibility of reaching 3 meters.

We decided to push the connections further, and experiment with the material.

Instead of 4 units, we now used 5, and instead of horizontal connections, vertical ones were replaced, giving the structure a more minimalistic approach.

The organization of the joints along a 360 degrees angle substituted the use of any further structural elements for stability.

After experimenting with the profile of each strip, the joints enabled the exaggeration of the curves and hence magnifying the bloom effect with the possibility of going higher.

The evolution from horizontal to vertical joints

The procedure: heating and wetting of wood, bending, and intertwining

Group members: Hristo Kovachev, Maria Laura Cerda, Rasha Sukkarieh

The central theme of the project was to create a structure that arose from a flat plane into a three-dimensional object while challenging the properties of the materials used.

The uniqueness of the structure lies in the individual strips that lift from the flat surface, requiring no joints hence forming smooth curves.

The structure evolved over time to its final result where the support members were shifted from the exterior to the interior. Also a few curves were detached from the end strips in order to break the monotony of the overall structure.

Furthermore the strips created evolved from being just horizontal strips to multi directional curves using the laser cutter to our advantage.

Although the bending was done against the grains of the wood we were able to achieve the required result by laser cutters precision to create small perforations onto the surface.

To allow further bending of the wood, it was bent while wet. The inner structure was then fitted to hold the bend in place.

Through this process, it was possible to bend the two strips to achieve a gap of more than 15cm between them. Various distances have been used along the entire model that makes the overall structure more dynamic.

Additionally as the whole board was used to create the structure not much waste was generated from the process.

THE PROCESS:

1. Laser cut the perforations perpendicular to the curve required.
2. Wet the board for about 2minutes either by spraying or soaking (both methods were tried and gave positive results)
3. Bend the curve to the distance required and hold in place for a few seconds. Insert the central structure that would hold the bend while the structure dries and also as as the spine of the model.

Group 12 |  Akanksha Kargwal - Mamta Srinivas - Irina Shaklova

Each element in this design is a rectangular wood strip of the same length. The width of the strips begins at 4cm and decreases gradually as the structure continues up. Structurally, the tower is organized in two perpendicular axes, crossing at a central datum. In both axes, the strips bend in an alternating pattern as they go up, switching direction at each bend’s apex. Within each axis, the strips notch together when they cross. When the two axes cross at the central datum, they weave through each other. This weaving joint (along with the surrounding bent strips acting in tension) gives the structure its stability. An “X” in one axis weaves through an “eye” in the opposing axis. The angles of each “X” determine and stabilize the position of the “eye” that encapsulates it. As the width of the strips decreases, the radius of the “eye” increases. This causes all the strips around it to increase in radius, becoming thinner in overall plan diameter. Therefore, as each section’s strips get thinner, that section of the tower gets taller.

TEAM: Efilena Baseta, Elena Mitrofanova + Mary Katherine Heinrich

The assignment was to build a tower, tall, freestanding, with no extra elements, using four 840x400mm 3mm thick Plywood sheets.

The initial thought process was to achieve height by eliminating vertical elements and reducing the amount of wastage of material. To create stabilitiy and variation a “RING MODULE” with 5 nodal points was designed which could be generated 2 on each board. The remaining material was designed to be the “DIAMOND CONNECTORS” connecting the horizontal rings. 

The concept was to discover the possibilities of the plywood, by testing the limits and methods in terms of flexibility and the effects of tension on the wood’s fibers. To be able to handle the circular tension, a locking mechanism was designed allowing the horizontal loops and vertical repetition of modules. Techniques such as soaking in water and letting the modules dry in their bent form helped us to reach the design objective.

MARIA CZAJCZYNSKA        HRIDAY SIDDHARTH        GOKHAN CATIKKAS

BENDING

FINAL BOARD

1/5 PIECES

1/5 RING

ASSEMBLY

Triagon is a combination of triangles and a penthagons coexisting in the same structure.

The goal of this first Digital Fabrication project was to build a tower out of 4 board of 3mm plywood while exploring the properties of the material and to acquaint ourselves with laser cutting.

The Triagon stands 2.7m tall. The structure is made out of a single 180° twisted plywood elements which works in tension along with the joints to form an equilateral triangle which is the basic unit of the tower.

Remita Thomas /Rodion Eremeev / Alejandro Martínez del Campo

We began with triangles as the basic geometry of our structure because of its stability. After inicial testings of the possible joinery with cartboard and plywood we realized that a combination of circles and rods would be the most efficient design for our conections.

Later on we wanted to play with the properties of the material, so we started bending and twisting the rod, which generates stress on the joints and makes the basic unit more robust. In order to twist the rods 180°  we had to use another technique which involved wetting the plywood so that it became more elastic and cuting inside the rod a dentate form with circular ends to prevent breakage. We also found out that rods needed to be cut in the same directions of the fibers so that the twisting could be achieved.

To minimize the waste of the material and the cutting time we used just 2 elements in the whole structure, one was the 30cm rod itself and the other was the circular conections which we also used for attaching the tower to the base.

The whole structure is assembled of equal triangular bending modules. The modules are using the orientation of the wood’s fibers to enable small radii. The bending’s direction is perpendicular to the fibers’ direction, which means that we are not working against the material and the whole structure gains rigidity. 

Another manipulation that we have incorporated are the vertical holes in each module- we have experimented with their distribution and length in different stages of the project in order to control the flexibility of each piece. There is a circular hole at the end of each “crack” to prevent them from spreading and breaking the geometry.

The levels are created by piling up 4 interlocked modules. The freestanding structure gained a tubal shape due to the vertical repetition.

The tower raises through the combination of three types of joints which work with friction and blocking strategies. The first type makes possible the connection between the external X pieces, the second one allows the interlocking between the X shaped pieces and the horizontal frame, while the third type joins the vertical crosses with the horizontal frame.

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.