Unfold Sketch up tool

Using the unfolding sketch up plug-in the user is able to unfold a complex geometric shape in any way they choose

allowing the physicality of the digital form. An avenue for manipulation arises and interpretation alluding to the original form.

Computers build curvaceous shapes through an array of splines. The software that builds the shapes can be programmed

to alter the size and number of the faceted planes that constitute a form.

Example of this can be seen in the tutorial video for Google Sketch up plug-in below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcnyFolpVBg

Expression of interest

Manipulation of Digital Media

Through the investigation and ‘play’ of various digital medium, an inspirational body of work is generated. In the same way an architectural sketch becomes a catalyst for imagination; the imaginative perception of two dimensional planes and three dimensional shapes become the project generator.
Digital media

Revit; the sweep tool allows users to create unique, complex shapes to loft between one another.

ArchiCAD; the mesh tool allows the creation of curvaceous shapes, by using the simple cut tool these shapes can be dissected into geometric planes reminiscent of Frank Gehry’s crushed paper technique.

Montage; a classic form of altering perception, montage allows the investigation of skin and surface as a fluid and artistic means, inspiration for this can be generated from Zaha Hadid’s earlier conceptual work.

Waybe; A Google Sketch Up plugin that generates a flat plane from the ArchiCAD model, allowing the complex geometric shapes to be translated easily into physical models.

Generation of physicality

To transfer architectural ideas from digital space to reality has notoriously been an expensive and cumbersome process relying on expensive equipment unattainable within the majority of project budgets. While these works have an affirmed place in architectural popular culture and media, they fail to transcend into the general public’s daily lives.

Our goal would be to explore complex physical models generated from the manipulation of the digital media process, and investigate these models in terms of affordable building solutions, within a more conventional building typology.

‘digital representation’ + ‘structural resolution’ = ‘buildability & realisation’