INTERLOCKING HEXAGONS

The IQ light system was designed in 1972 by Danish designer Holger Strøm.
It's component is a rhomboid shaped because, from the classic geometric shapes, this is the one that can give a most round form. Also, by giving the module a curl on each corner they become hooked together.

The proposed system (Interlocking-Hexa) reuses the interlocking feature, thus requiring no additional assemblage material nor pieces.
The difference from the original system is that instead of a Rhomboid geometry for the component (which would allow uniform round geometries), it is based on an hexagonal grid, passive of being variable in it's overall geometry and singular component.






Computation
The parametrical ground where the system is built allows it to adapt to any geometry (and any thickness of material), thus possible of constructing them with this assemblage system and material.
Fabrication
Non like in 1973, where mass-production and globalization was inherent to fabrication methods, today customization is spread at a level of a relative easy access to CNC cutters.
This project is based in this fabrication understanding, where in the very own parametric definition, it flattens and displays the material for fabrication/cutting.




Collaboration with Brian Peters

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DREAMWEAVER

The DreamWeaver project is currently being exhibited and the 4th Architectural Beijing Biennalle (and previously exhibited at the Design HUB Museum in Barcelona).




The Dreamweaver project explores the emergence of an architectural system through a symbiotic recyclage of technology(knitting machines) and material(plastic, yearn, copper, etc).
Knitted meshes allow the formation of knots , not requiring any other type of material but the knitted one; from these typologies of knots, a bottom-up structural system emerges, reconnecting one knitted profile to the next, and so on.

The Dreamweaver is a CNC knitting machine that propels an emergent structural/sustainable system , outcome of a computation protocol between Rhinoscript, Grasshopper, Arduino and Processing, where the algorithmic model is progressively developed through Structural Logics, Programatic Logics, Fabrication and Assemblage Logics.

DreamWeaver from Joao Albuquerque on Vimeo.

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CNC STAMP

This is an Experiment on Parametric and Computational drawing.
It is exercise on translation and understanding of the "drawing" as a tool, in a parametric and computational realm. It departures from analyzing specific drawings done in the past 5 decades, and progressively stating how Thought (ie: understanding/manipulation of space, etc) evolves based on Technique.

EVOLUTION ON THOUGHT AND TECHNIQUE

From John Hejduks Bye House (Wall House 2) drawings (left image), through Eisenmans diagrams over the "House" series (center image), until RadioHeads House Of Cards Video-clip (right image), one realizes an evolution on understanding and representation of space.
This happens in parallel with the technological evolution of the technique itself, from a generic bi-dimensional representation of space into a high-resolution representation of it.
If Modernism shows an abstract flat understanding of space (easily observed in plans, elevations,etc), where 3dimensional relationships emerge out of over-positioning layers of the same bi-dimensionality, Eisenman explores already planes, grids and their geometrical transformations as non-parallel entities, where their intricate relationships start generating new typologies of space.
From flat to curved multi-directional frames, today we have another understanding of space, based on a technological outcome: Space is represented, at an interdisciplinary level, over arrays of points whose computational relationships generate geometries.

VOXELISM

The representation of this reality has a caricaturist degree, where it is represented an idyllic vision of a house and a tree in a field.
The drawing explores the current understanding of geometrical data, a reality based on a collection of points /Voxels and the parametric/algorithmic interrelation between these points, in order to build a geometry.

ISOMETRIC STAMPS

Technically, the drawing is build out of 3 elements, where the stamping process is explored.
Three different stamps are defined, one to each side of the voxel.

HACKING A MILLING

Hacking a milling machine allows the possibility of stamping with accuracy. The drawing is therefore computationally generated and fabricated. The following script draws the path for the milling machine to do the stamps progressively, passing from one stamping area (center point) to the next, and so forth.

SCRIPT
Option Explicit
'Script written by Joao N.P. Albuquerque
'Script copyrighted by
'Script version Tuesday, 13 April 2010 13:46:25

Call Main()
Sub Main()
Dim strCrv,i, diag, j,l
Dim arrCent, arrPt1, arrPt2, cent, centMov, vertLine, endPt, startPt, midPt
Dim crvDomain
'--------------------
'vector
Dim vertVec
'---------------------
strCrv = rhino.GetObjects("sel curves")

ReDim vertLine(Ubound (strCrv))
ReDim cent(Ubound (strCrv))
ReDim centMov(Ubound (strCrv))

Call rhino.print (Ubound (strCrv))

enableredraw(False)

For i=0 To Ubound (strCrv)

Call rhino.ObjectColor(strCrv(i*5),RGB(255,0,0))

crvDomain = rhino.CurveDomain(strCrv(i))

Call rhino.Print(ubound(crvDomain))
arrPt1 = rhino.EvaluateCurve(strCrv(i),0)
arrPt2 = rhino.EvaluateCurve(strCrv(i),crvDomain(1)/2)
diag = rhino.AddLine(arrPt1,arrPt2)
cent(i) = rhino.CurveMidPoint(diag)

vertVec = rhino.VectorCreate(array(0,0,3),array(0,0,0))

centMov(i) = rhino.PointAdd(cent(i),vertVec)
vertLine(i) = rhino.AddLine(cent(i), centMov(i))
Call rhino.DeleteObject(diag)

Next

ReDim startPt (Ubound (strCrv))
ReDim midPt(Ubound (strCrv))
ReDim endPt (Ubound (strCrv))


For j=0 To Ubound (strCrv)
startPt(j) = rhino.CurveStartPoint(vertLine(j))
midPt(j) = rhino.CurveMidPoint(vertLine(j))
endPt(j) = rhino.CurveEndPoint(vertLine(j))
Call rhino.DeleteObject(vertLine(j))
Next

For l=0 To ubound(strCrv)-1
Call rhino.AddCurve(array(startPt(l),midPt(l),endPt(l),endPt(l+1),midPt(l+1),startPt(l+1)))
Next

enableredraw(True)
End Sub

PLAYNEST

The interaction between people and a large tree is commonly beyond especially when it comes to children.
PlayNest is developed for this precise moment, enhancing this iteration.

It is a metal-frame playground embeded within the foliage of a tree, Structurally independent from the tree, this structure displays a randomized morphology, increazing the area of chindren to climb (when compared to a regular quadrilateral based frame).
Also, due to this randomization, each knot becomes specific to it's own circumstance, negotiating the multiple directions of the different amount of branches existing in each knot point.
The typology of this parametric knot was not only developed to negotiate 3dimensionally these multiple branches, but it was also rationalized towards fabrication; the creasing/folding factor of these metal knots was embedded within the parametric model, retreiving directly from the computational model flat knots with crease marks, readdy to laser-cut.
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Assemblage

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In the specific case of the three where to the project was developed (Phytolacca), and despite it’s size, the tree's i not aware of support external load, hence the design intent to structurally detached form the tree.
Programatically, the trees root already displays a Playground for children.
It became logical to replicate this same condition, enhancing the interaction with the tree, not only on the ground level, but above ground, inhabiting the voids and empty spaces left by the tree’s foliage,
increasing the joyful gaming experience that Already exists on the site.
The structure touches the ground in two places far enough from the trees roots. These are also the access points for the playground.

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PUBLIC PATH

This design applies an inverted interpretation of modern society’s harvesting principles.
Instead of harvesting energy from society itself, the design proposes to collect and recycle the energetic waste that is transportation.
This bridge performs as a self-sustainable organism, propelled solely by it’s primordial program, human circulation feeding an energetic closed-circuit (energy production is generated by the main program) which illuminates itself and the surrounding areas.
The programatically binomial bridge directly reflects two distinct behaviors - translated into two different speeds of interaction.
This proposal hence rejects usual typologies for cyclist and pedestrian bridges (trajectories such as rotation, zig-zag or others), but instead proposes a continuous straight path where the linear height variation becomes more natural and easier to overcome.
The binomial program on this bridge is, by default, split, as we are facing different speeds and different translation movements (smooth for bicycles and stepped for pedestrian). Still, both programs are symbiotically intertwined, interacting as a unified extension of the proposed and existing surrounding circulations and landscape.
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In this linear typology, the apparent disadvantage of a larger span, becomes an advantage due to it’s natural site integration:
- the bicycle path is an instinctive continuation of the desired paths on both sides.
- the pedestrian path is a stepped landscape that flows into the existing site spreading connective paths over variable surrounding topography.

SELF SUSTAINABLE BRIDGE
Piezo Field/ Perforated Facade
Energy can be collected through piezoelectric materials when stress is applied. The design integrates piezoelectric-arrayed pathways within both circulation paths (cyclists and pedestrians) along the bridge.
As people move through the bridge, energy is collected. The crowd generated electricity is then fed back from the floors into the walls. These same walls are populated with LED lights which illuminate the bridge through the perforated facade
The Piezoelectric paths collect and store energy, establishing a looped chain reaction of farming energy and supplying instant feedback.
The facade therefore performs at two different levels, illumination and ventilation, having complementary patterns on each side which establish an even amount of perforation along the bridge for illumination and ventilation.

Collaboration with Jakob Henke, Hanna Johansson, Daniel Sundlin

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