Weather effects

Up until this point, the weather has been sunny and dry. The storm on the way actually highlighted the dynamic qualities of the canopies' material and structure. In the rain today, the fabric is holding up quite well, and the blast of color on a gray day really stands out!

CANOPIES up until Monday 9/14

090809 night install

installed this past Tuesday night, team A canopies will be featured on the exterior of the 320 newbury and 955 boylston for one week-- just in time for the beginning of fall semester.

check it out if you're in the back bay this weekend--make sure to see all four!

webby test run

on saturday, fat webby (aka big pun aka notorious w.e.b.) made his formal debut with an entourage of 3 lil dubs around the bac building. while there remain a few minor cosmetic touch ups before the full unveiling, the a-team proudly presents the culmination of our (spring) semester's research!

links to video & image gallery below:

From UdB 080809

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Team-B(razil?) canopy progress

Help us decide on a pattern!



option 01 -- solid color w/ alternate center connection

option 02 -- solid color canopies

option 03 -- solid color cross w/ alternate side pieces

option 04 -- solid tails w/ alternate center and sides

webby in the wind

teamB pattern studies

we're half way finished with the cutting of the two 64'x45' canopies. here's a look at the BAC alley section and some patterning options for the yellow and green fabric.

on hereford!

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we took webby 2x5 out for a spin this saturday in the hereford colonnade.. a few different configurations, but finally tuning in a centered / over-exit pose that was a pleasant surprise to those rounding the corner from newbury st. 3 more doors to outfit at the BAC site!

webby cutting complete!

as of Saturday, we completed all of our rough cuts for the 4 canopies. one is completely sewn with tails, while we hope to complete sewing and tails for the other 3 in the next couple of weeks. next stop--deployment!

wedding at the peace park!

bobby & nataka's wedding

congratulations to nataka and bobby who were married in the peace park this past weekend! after their years of hard work converting an abandoned dumping ground into the beautiful meeting place we all love, i could think of no better way to honor it's special gravity.

I think these layouts are more accurate to what we're working towards.

a team canopy sizes

so...i checked mike's diagrams against what i had in my sketchbook from tuesday(sorry i didn't sketch out the one we already did), and it seems like maybe the interior dimensions of are off? i think we had discussed interior spacing of 11" (rather than the 15" we used on the first one) and exterior spacing of 15.5" (rather than 27"?) does that make sense?

also...cut sheets for small and fat:

I'm a bit confused on the sizing of the canopies. I think these are our proposed shapes but these are contradictory to what we were discussing Tuesday evening. Let's discuss via email.

new team 02

our dear friend, the sewing machine

..to bring us one step closer to actually understanding the darn thing...

saturday photos

photos of team a fabrication + team b form experiments are here:

week_18

for tuesday, team A talking points were relative sizes (the canopy pictured is our small size), depth of fabric (shown at 15"), exterior seams (sewn for the full length of the fabric?), and amount of fabric used. shout out if i forgot anything

Site Documentation Revised Sections

Team B workflow

FORM AND SHAPE:
We have decided to deploy the canopy in two phass on both sites. A day configuration (labeled the 'infinity' shape) and a night configuration ('star' shape). The daytime configuration will allow for inhbitation of the volume created by the canopy, while the night configuration transforms the canopy into a lantern sculpture. mesh will be incorperated in both phases.

In Roxbury, we will use our original siting and fabricate the canopy with tails large enough to fully reach the extents of the external connections. In the alley, we will flip the configuration 90 degrees vertically (such that the star shape is in plan, and one walks under it to observe the shape).

PRODUCTION AND SCALE:
We have elected to produce two square canopies using the scheme 3 stiching scheme (with elongated tails). The size of the canopy is dependent on a stretch factor test to be done in field with the 10x10 mock-up canopies.


WORKFLOW:

• Terry will begin to produce a construction documents, detailing each patterned component with appropriate dimensions for fabrication.
• we need a 2' cube mock up with the stiching pattern. this will allow us to test multiple ring points, the stiching, and mesh integration studies.
  
• we need to test the flex ring concept in full scale.
• we need to seriously mock up a working light integration.
  

Team A progress

The following album shows the final locations, shapes, and sizes of the A Team's 4 nomadic canopies. And some basset hounds. In addition, we have purchased our final material and thread, and we are busy making construction drawings and assembly diagrams.



http://picasaweb.google.com/kehewbaroni/ATeamSiting?feat=directlink

saturday aggregate canopy images

today, we looked at locations (1) around the perimeter of the bac and (2) throughout the community center site for each of our 4 canopies. furthermore, we've sourced a yellow-orange ITY fabric and will soon have approx. 50 yards for use in our final production run. this week, our goal is to layout construction documents and begin to cut and sew the panels, one canopy at a time..

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development sketch pages from team B

i agree.  i feel like we've been battling to recreate these rigging systems that already exist when it's so much more conducive to sculptural form and material efficiency to use the material itself.  it exhibits more the real multiplicity of fabric.  thanks megan.

also note that the panels are beginning about 225% larger than the existing 9x9.

and even if the two form fail to relate in the end, it might be smart to begin the discussion about the execution of the installation of the two forms/sets of forms and develop an idea of the final composition.

or is it too soon?

team II new patterning options

guys

these are patterns that kyle, terry, lindsay, and i discussed as ways of excluding hardware/using the fabric as the line and connection directly to the anchor points (like the green honeycomb or the mini fabric tie connectors that you've been using.  is this the general direction that your connection systems are heading?  i think that this might be a natural way for our different shapes to liken to one another.  much more organic than rigging.  like a plant or a squid versus a tent.  the tails would be patterned in and used to tie off directly.  we've also been discussing sewing as opposed to hardware for internal connections as well.  let us know. 

TeamB ongoing work

1. determine stretch factor # for nylon/lycra material
2. ACAD plan pattern studies for tails, size determination (straight vs. 45degree vs. optional middle tails vs. middle point connections)
3. new cube mock-ups to determine tail configuration
4. new ring integration test based on sketches (single central ring-set test)
   
5. 2color combination studies (working with teamA's yellow as a compliment)
6. ongoing lighting considerations
7. ongoing seaming considerations

we will continue this work next Saturday in studio/in the alley if required, from 12pm-4pm. could someone please scan the sketches we did this week in class?

i feel like we've been preparing for this all semester...

info

PLAYbook tiles

Good afternoon, everyone!

Please remember to bring all your PLAYbook tiles with you to class tonight. You should have a printed copy (more on that in a minute), and an electronic copy. You can email them to me, bring a cd, or we can do a transfer onto my Master drive. Remember, the goal is to have them all in one book file. Email me if you have inDesign questions, and if you need more of a tutorial, catch me in class.

For printing, use letter-sized paper and don't scale to fit. There is an option to show crop lines in the "marks & something" menu. Print to PDF first, it'll be easier. Then just send the PDF to the printer. Screwy, I know.

Good luck, and see you tonight.

104 photos added to the '08 Process Album

These are all from Charles and include photos from his other published galleries, for a more centralized location. There are a lot from the early form-finding studies as well.

these were on my desktop as "udb randoms"

team B photos added

...to the album, from alley mock-up 2.0

team A studies, gray aggregate & stretch lattice

stretch fabric mock-up emerges from the basement for siting studies... form research for aggregate surface--now in gray canvas!

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hereford st. aggregate study

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armed with new hues, we examined the hereford st. colonnade as an installation site...

UdB Blog reaches +1,000 Visits

Since December '08! ...So maybe almost all of the visits are ours, but I still think its worth celebrating. Possibly with fried chicken. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the world map to see where are visitors are located.

logo idea

i know we didn't get to this wednesday, but here's an idea i had...

Workflow - Week13

PLAYbook work:

• All students to provide a CD/DVD disk of their tile images (for sat. to megan)
  
• Lindsay will continue to develop the bracket/timeline (for sat/wed)
• Lindsay to revise 3 interior connection tiles (team #2 cones) (for sat. to megan)
• Billie and Ilsa will scan/prepare images for material tiles (for sat. to megan)
  
• Billie will prepare more f/s tiles based on her initial vignettes (for sat. to megan)
  
• Chris and Mike will continue to develop a strategy/layout for the Site Analysis Pages (review sat)
• Mike will create new exterior connection tiles for team#1 knots
• Ben will prepare form/shape tiles to photo/diagram pairings (for sat. to megan)
• Terry will prepare a new exterior connection tile for team#2 (for sat. to megan)
• Terry will prepare a tile for the 'clothes line' exterior connection in Roxbury (for sat. to megan)
• Megan will create tile templates and test two size books for review with Kyle (sat-wed)

note: we will be constantly updating certain tiles. you should submit to megan current tiles so that we can accurately determine the content.

Team2 Mock-Up Work (for review wed):

• Lindsay to produce axon tiles for team #2 final diagrams
  
• Terry to integrate 5"dia. 'rings' and a suspension string into 5'x5' mock-up
• Ilsa to fabricate two 'light cones' for 5'x5' mock-up (net, solid)
• Ben to source rope-light/LEDs and integrate two tests into the mock-up
• Ben to move the mock-up to the 'dark room before wed's class

Roxbury 2.0 Team#2

photos uploaded to the album.

Dream Day Team #2...

Photos from Lisa are now added to the main blog album. Lindsay and Ben, please use some of these for your tile updates - they're a great series. (forms/shapes and exterior connections)

new pics from a warm saturday aggregate

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PLAYbook Workflow (for Wednesday)

• *Megan will standardize each category of tiles (PRECEDENTS now changed from references)
  

*this requires establishing a consistent format for the categories, determining sub categories with consistent image style, and organizing page numbers. if you have questions or concerns, run material by Charles or myself - cc us on all communication with your teams.

80%

• Billie will complete f/s tiles based on her SD proposal
• Bille will create a tile for the latest team#1 aggregate shapes
  
• Ben will create a tile series for the team#2 shape, showing a sequence of formal moves
  
• Ben will provide Auxiliary tiles
  
• Lindsay will create three team#2 interior 'cone' connection tiles (through diagrams)
• Terry will create a new exterior connection tile for team#2
• Terry will create a tile for the 'clothes line' exterior connection in Roxbury
  
• Ilsa will create Materials tiles with photos/samples
• Ilsa will tile waterproofing sprays, and two new materials (mylar space blanket/greenhouse curtains)
• Kyle will research additional netting
  
• Mike will create new exterior connection tiles for team#1 knots

20%

• Lindsay will draft a proposal for a bracket/timeline which shows our decision making through the research tiles for both canopy types. over a series of a few pages, this should plan to incorporate 2-4 final images of the canopies and stick to our paper size.
• Chris/Mike will work to compile site analysis information and develop a strategy for incorporating it into the PLAYbook. This should take up approx 2-3 pages for each site, and stick to our paper size. there should also be room for a body of text.
  

UdB Logo submissions

If you wish to submit a logo design, print it on a 8.5x11 sheet for wed's class and we will vote. (instructors/assistant votes will count as two votes). Here's a screen shot of my working file for what its worth...

tensile-draping balance

as we've been working over the past few weekends, i think we've been struggling with designing a balance between all-tensile and draped/flowing fabric surfaces. to that end--take a look at this precedent, a tennis complex in hamburg.

as a retractable roof structure, rather than receding to the perimeter edge, the canopy gathers in the center to allow sunlight to hit the court directly. the result is a fabric 'chandelier' as a kinetic architectural element, anticipating a later time of deployment.

let's revisit some precedents on wednesday (at least 2 each, as playbook sheets) as a way to push forward for more mock-ups this weekend.

cg

Image Uploading to Blog

Folks --

We need to figure out a good way of posting photos without 'flooding' the blog. I have taken down lindsay's post and added his photos to the udb_09 process image library (picasa)

would everyone agree that this is the best method for consolidating the photos? If so, I'll gladly take on the posting role, and individuals can email me their photos directly. I'll then post a message on the blog sharing the newly uploaded photos.

cheers, Kyle

u.n.l.r. shirt

u.n.l.r. shirts

does anyone think that printing u.n.l.r. shirts is a good idea?  they would cost about a hundred dollars for about fifty.  they could be given away to the community but is it a waste of money?  

thank you

UdB PLAYbook: Draft 1.0

BY NEXT WED APRIL 24th, each research lead will be responsible for committing all work/materials in their respective categories to this template and printing a color copy on 8.5x11 of each tile. here, each lead role should outline a format for their category's content and review it with me as soon as possible.



On the 24th we will compile a draft set to see where we want to go, but consider this a way of both cataloging exhausted methods and generating new research.

workflow tonight

tonight we will focus our class on ways to move forward from the dream day mock-ups, with focus groups based on the two constructions, and end with a studio wide design report and discussion of our mock-up goals for this Saturday in the alley.

9:30 10:00-- group discussion sessions
cloud canopy// discussion topics
+ evolve the form/define design concept
+ strengthen exterior connection points
+ discuss exterior armature (wind active)
+ light integration and design of interior connection points
+ materiality

aggregate canopy// discussion topics
+ create more 3x panels (are these 'final' or mock-up)
+ define design concept
+ light/shadow effects
+ refine interior connections
+ discuss and strategize 'framing' concept

10:10 - 10:15 group reports, Saturday logistics

More photos from Dream Day & Original Pillow Canopy