The Room evaluation

This brief introduced us to Cinema 4D it brought us to the whole world of designing via the programme. We first learnt about the simple processes which where essential and the building blocks to being successful at cinema 4D. We learnt how to insert and manipulate primitive objects such as Cubes, cylinders, and spheres and how we could use these primitive objects to make real life and every day things. We then learnt how to use a process called Spline and Lathe, `Extrusion and Boole.

The 3D model I decided to create was a Restaurant; this model was made completely from the top of my head including influences from TV shows and what I see around me. I attempted to make all materials work together beginning to understand not just structure but lighting, colours, materials and how a space would work. This was very much a trial and error project from the processes to the actual development of my building and its interiors. I decided to do this model not only because I wanted to test my creativity and mind having no basis with which to work with but also to because I knew a restaurant consisted of a lot of things from cutlery, tables, shelves, chairs, lights, plates ect

My main pieces of research although not of any big magnitude came from mainly magazines such as IKEA, Argos and Homebase for the interior and the exterior and structure of my building was actually from a designer called Phillipe Stark which although I adapted a curve on one of the corners I think could be developed further to be Stark Inspired. I also made objects such as chairs, tables, cups, a jug, even the floor all using a range of processes as said above.

Table I used a couple methods to produce it. I used the primitive object the cylinder and squashed it down to make an almost 2D circle as the Table Top. The base of the table or the leg I used a method called Boole on a cylinder once again and created a hollow cylinder shape.  I then added the wooden texture dragging it onto the table and changing its properties so the material pattern came out right and was to scale.

Restaurant Structure this was mainly from Spline and Boole. The Spline process enabled me to make the shape from the top including the curve on one of the corner; then on the properties of the object I increased the depth and then used the Boole process to make my shape hollow and create my building.

Cups and Jug was made using the Spine and Lathe process to make half of the hollow cup shape and the Lathe revolved the drawn shape around the X and Y axis to create the solid shape, I knew I was going to make the material to be glass so I knew it had to be hollow.

I then went about trying to further my skills and thought processes by installing lights, but I didn’t just stop there I went as far as to put a light source into the light object I had made to make it as realistic as possible. I did not include shadows into the settings of the lights but that is an improvement I would have made to make the light shades visible I put a light source in the sky to make it visible and dimmed it down so it didn’t drown out the lights I had made in my restaurant.

I did also learn how to make an animation. Rendering included finding the best angles and then changing the settings so that we could chose the right save for it to be rendered in, I even noticed that you could save a picture in high definition, you could also change the settings so that the lines were smoother.

This project did do its job in introducing me into the programme as a whole. It taught me methods of thinking whilst using Cinema 4D. The main thing ive taken from this project is that things are made of loads of smaller cubes, cylinders, sphere’s ect (Primitive Objects). What I found interesting is the process called Spline and Lathe with which I made my glass is i could have made it using a cylinder and giving almost an illusion of a glass cup but it would not have been as realistic but by using this process I have made it more realistic by making it hollow and having an inside and outside layer.

There are still loads of things I know that I can learn and perfect even still within my project like creating shadows, and putting shelves perhaps in my room and maybe making a plant these are all things I could do to improve my model.

*Improvements made*

After writing this evaluation I have made a few extra changes from the simplest thing like copy and pasting the chairs to fill out the room to making more things like a mirror, the pillars which add some form of texture to blank brick walls (and are made manipulating a primitive object – the cube) I also made the material reflect able.  As well as pictures which I have taken and edited my self via photoshop and inserted into the model. I have also included a piano, now the piano came as a pre-set but I thought it would fit into it correctly these are all things I think have added to my restaurant and you can see.

First Attempt at putting a picture in

We we’re then asked to create our own pop art bassed adverts on a chess piece…

Seasoned

In my city I plan to have a sort of structure that people can look to, that shows hope, the past and the future. A symbol of civilisation in a place where people can go and reflect and become one as a community in a place of common purpose in reflection and direction…in a sense a spiritual place.

The idea is to incorporate materials such as glass or clear plastic, some sort of stone/rock and metal. The idea is to make this city a modern but natural place to live incorporating old and more modern materials together.

So I will research in to such materials a:

Wood- A hard substance which forms the branches and trunks of trees and which can be used as a building material, for making things, or as a fuel. Wood properties depend on moisture content. Wood is a composite fibrous material (cellulose and lignin fibres) that starts to decompose at 550 K.

Alder-This wood is very durable in water and not so durable in dry conditions. Historically it was used a lot in pumps, piles and sluices.

Beech-A very hard wood almost unaffected when exposed to water. Therefore, it is used for keels of ships and flood gates. On account of its hardness it was used for wheels and railway sleepers.

Birch-Strong flexible wood that has many uses. Amongst the uses are furniture making, building as well as being used for agricultural implements in the past.

Cedar-A durable wood used in ancient buildings. Easy to work and strongly scented.

Ebony-A very dark, hard and smooth wood used for ornamental work.

Elm-A hard, durable and coarse grained wood. Used for ship building.

Lance-Wood-An elastic wood suitable where some degree of bending is required.

Larch-An extremely durable wood used for rough work. It warps a lot when dried, but can be polished to a fine finish when dry.

Lignum Vitae-A very hard wood.

Mahogany-A very hard wood that is very durable and can be polished to a fine finish with a rich colour.

Oak-The strongest and most durable wood that lasts for long periods in either wet or dry conditions.

Plywood-Thin sheets of wood glued together with the grains running in different directions to improve the strength of the resultant board.

Teak-A strong and durable wood that doesn’t shrink much and is comparatively easy to work.

(http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/w/o/wood/source.html)

Metal-Steel for earthquake safety: Earthquakes are very hard to predict when it comes to magnitude, frequency, duration and location. So the idea is to have an ideal material very resistant to all of these affects, Light gauge steel framing is capable of meeting this very standard due to its ductility (a mechanical property used to describe the extent to which a material can be bent or stretched with out fracture) and the strict process used to manufacture steel studs, the inherent properties of steel, and typical construction methods used in steel framing.

Glass- Glass used in my city I believe should be strong, during research as far as hurricanes go they say glass installed should be glass that has been tested to 150 mile per hour. These windows should have plastic panes, shatter-proof glass or glass with protective membranes (Impact Glass). The panes have to be more firmly attached than normal window panes (possibly even using screws or bolts through the edges of larger panes)

Rock- is a very credible natural material and can stand the test of time and that is shown through out the world as structured hundreds of years old still stand. There are many different types off Rock sourced around the world with its many different properties and attributes. Its main drawback is that it’s a heavy material and its ‘energy density’ is poor meaning it takes constant heating to keep a stone building warm.

Storm surge considerations

A common problem for buildings during hurricanes is storm surge. Flooding occurs frequently in coastal areas and waves contain a tremendous amount of energy which can literally batter a building to pieces. Beach front buildings should be able to withstand the ocean rising 20 or more feet with large waves on top of that. They should preferably be built on high ground where possible in order to avoid waves knocking the building down.

If waves can reach the building site, the building should be elevated on steel, concrete, or wooden pilings and/or anchored to solid rock. Whether it is intended or not, the walls on the first floor are often built with sheetrock which can completely deteriorate when wet and/or exposed to lateral forces, leaving structural members in place, and allowing water (or high winds) to pass through. This “gutting” occurs frequently in storm surge areas. If done by design, “sacrificing” the walls of the first floor is not an ideal solution, although it can save the rest of the building from destruction. Of course, building contents left on that level will be lost and considerable damage to the building could still result in costly repairs such as mold, rot, and termite problems below under building materials.

Wind acting on the roof surfaces of a building can cause negative pressures that tend to create a lifting force. This is one of the most common ways a building can be destroyed during a storm. Gravity alone may not be sufficient to prevent the roof from lifting, or “peeling,” off the rest of the building. Once this occurs, the building is weakened considerably and the rest of the building will likely fail as well. To minimize this, the upper structure should be securely anchored through the walls to the foundation.

The foundation

Several methods can be used to securely anchor the roof. Traditionally, roof trusses were simply “toenailed” into the top of the walls. These nails provide little to no actual structural advantage; they’re mainly used to hold the trusses in place while the rest of the roof is being built. Gravity and friction then ensure the roof stays put. Various products have been developed that can actually anchor the roof to the walls, which should then be anchored to a solid foundation. Metal straps that nail into the wall and wrap over the trusses are one method. Other methods, including temporary straps made of a special low elongation material, have successfully been used and have an advantage, in that a building built before 1993 which may not be constructed to withstand wind loading can be quickly and temporarily strapped to the foundation to ensure structural stability. Hurricane harness strapping can easily be applied and removed after the storm to ensure the highest level of protection in extreme high wind storms.

Dome homes

Main articles: Geodesic dome and Monolithic dome

The physical geometry of a building affects its aerodynamic properties and how well it can withstand a storm. Geodesic dome roofs or buildings made from wood, steel, or concrete have low drag coefficients and can withstand higher wind forces than a square building of the same area.

Even stronger buildings result from monolithic dome construction.

Concrete

Reinforced concrete is a strong, dense material that, if used in a building that is designed properly, can withstand the destructive power of very high winds, pounding waves, and even high-speed debris. Concrete used in home construction must be reinforced with steel (commonly known as “rebar”). While the rebar can rust in wet or humid environments, there are various effective means to retard or prevent rebar corrosion due to moisture.

My city is set to be in a warm part of the world, probably some where along the equator. I think a great place specifically would be somewhere in the Caribbean.

Below you will see stats for how the weather is like in that region.

The good thing about this region is there are no drastic changes in climate in this region, making it easier and almost ideal for a floating city, but off the top of my head I have realised that like a lot of tropical regions the Caribbean seems to have quite drastic hurricanes from time to time.

After research I have identified the Caribbean as being located in the Atlantic Basin, an area which is more prone to Hurricanes. The RMS^® Caribbean Hurricane Model uses the latest methodologies and innovations to estimate Hurricane risk in the Caribbean.

‘The RMS Perspective on Hurricane Landfall Probabilities:

The increase in hurricane landfall frequency observed over the last ten years has provided great insight into RMS research on future Atlantic Basin hurricane activity. The latest scientific research and information indicates that Atlantic hurricane activity over the next five years is expected to be significantly greater than the long-term average, particularly for the most damaging Category 3-5 hurricanes.

The RMS® Caribbean Hurricane Model incorporates this new five-year forward-looking view of land falling hurricane risk, which will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that this view accurately depicts activity rates over the next five years.’

Above is info basically stating that in the last 10 years the frequency in general but specifically in the severe hurricanes has increased and is projected to increase in the future so linking this to the brief this could make for a very good point of a negative in having a floating island in this region!

]]> http://samadz.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/climatelocation-research/feed/ 0 samadz http://samadz.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/expressing-through-abstract-images/ http://samadz.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/expressing-through-abstract-images/#comments Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:50:17 +0000 samadz http://samadz.wordpress.com/?p=17 Read more]]> This task challenged our imaginative and creative thought, i had to express Certain words through imagery and more specifically in this case through mini red cubes.

Reduce

Reduced

Here was a simple idea showing cubes getting smaller and it also help that they are all in one line so u can distinctivly see a reducing line on top!

Force

The idea here was to create an almost distinctive symbol to show force, here i fink i’m successful in doing so by as u can see two cubes are trying to pass a wall barrier.

Explode

Here is an attempt to express the ‘word’ explode. the general idea is that an explosion cause  particles to travel outwards from the place of impact and i tried to re-create that making the black square the source of the impact and trying to show the red particles moving away from it.

Hidden

This idea is a simple one, mark a white square as the cube being hidden and put other squares on top to express the hidden aspect. However i think this could have been accomplished more efficiently showing the ‘hidden’ more clearly.

Reflect

I think i have successfully accomplished a clear expression of this word, it i self explanatory, and simple shows a reflected sequence!

Suspend

Here i have used a block of cubes to symbolize the ceiling a string of cubes comming down from it to pose as the suspended subject and to make it even clearer i made a floor in a sense.

Balance

This is fairly simple showing a balance on the page with two identical lines of cubes on either side of a void, showing balance.

Researching online there are many ways in which the city can be powered which would make it efficient and could wipe away or reduce the carbon footprint of the city and by creating the city from scratch it gives us a great oppurtunity to make the city very reliant on renewable energy.

Whilst researching online i found many ways to power my city effectivly but in a clean way in regards to the envrironment-

Wind Power

Solar Power

Hydroelectric Power

Biomass and Biofuel

Wave/Tidal Power

Pieces of work that i used these software programs for included my mood board, general research in to animals, research in to MDF, side tables, packaging and i also used cinema 4d to construct my instructions on how to put my table together aswell as my general packaging.

Using the computers in this project has its positives and negatives…

The negatives include learning as you are eagerly trying to get work done! for me personally this is annoying because i am slightly too used to knowing what i have to do then endeavoring to do so…(but i guess its part of learning)

The positives is that you can present you work more clearly and help to make the aim and direction of the project more apparent, (also this way it lessens the risk of not being able to read text for example).