>Jacal Final

The final form, with thinner pieces and more regulated structure, is produced using .08 PETFG plastic sheets. Four sheets were used to mill the final pieces. Two passes, the hole pass and the contour pass, were used for each sheet. The final pieces were milled with almost not production problems, the lessons learned from the half scale model proved valuable. Within the next day or so the final form will be pinned and constructed.

>Sub-structure acrylic

Above demonstrates at full scale integrating the weave into the super structure. The dimensions of the members are from the rhino model and show spacing currently used in the digital model. By notching the superstructure, thinner strips of acrylic could be introduced accurately and seamlessly. the scale of these notches is too bulky however. Also, there needs to be the same number of horizontal notches, as vertical notches-the striped member doesn't follow the weave logic due to the 3x4 arrangement. Is this dense enough to accept mud plaster? The spacing of the thin members leaves about a 1"x.75" gap. On the final I will use a 4x4 notch scheme with a much shallower notch, perhaps half of what is shown, allowing for the desired weave.

>Sub-structure

Two weaving approaches were taken-weave within the grid and weave within the wing nut points. There seems to be more logic and dependability from weaving within the grid. I would like to try a notched scheme that would allow the fishing line to become more integrated to the members.

>Forgive me Father for I have THINNED

Above demonstrates a rendered version of the jacal with slimmer members and more of them. Also the top conditions becomes more resolved. Instead of a thick defined end to the form, the plastic pieces will be revealed to carry the eye upward, blurring the boundary between mud, plastic, and sky.

>forgive me father for I have deSIgNNED

Half scale. At this telling scale I really got a grasp on how to achieve the final scale. Using the router produced many problems such as laminating the acrylic to osb for backing. In hindsight, laminating the plastic to MDF will produce a more reliable finished product. Using the cheap osb created many warps and caused chips and breaks in the pieces. Also, acrylic is somewhat brittle. After discovering polycarbonate, I believe this is a more suited material. Polycarbonate has a higher rubber content and is far more flexible. However despite the problems the form comes across quite seductively.

>Confess: Iteration 2

Above demonstrates a practical application of the pinned tensioned tectonic. Chip board was used for economic reasons. However, acrylic or plexi glass will be experimented with next. Even with chip board, the pinned form comes forth from the intersections. This shows that the idea is practical. The scale of the connectors is way too large and are perhaps close to the scale of the final pins. I think a 6"=1' scale model could be next. This would allow a proper experimentation with plastic and the use of the CNC. Since the upper most members are so delicate (.5" at full scale) working in model form is difficult.Also, the secondary layer of the woven string can be applied at the next scale.

>Confess: Iteration 2

Applying the technique used in the structural experiment-woven uv grid, allows for the development of a more complex form. The idea of the screen and two seats becomes the formal expression of the confessional. As seen in the plan (bottom) the form creates an entrance into the cocoon like volume, the break in the form also peels the corner in to create the dividing screen. Mud would be applied to the exterior, and the structure and woven materials would be exposed on the entrance flap to create the privacy screen-dense for sight, but allowing sound to pass.

The bottom most structural diagram describes lofting between uv curves-hugging the form more then the extruded idea. Not sure which is the most effective.

>Structure: Tangential Grid

An experiment. Take a doubley curved object, regulate the uv curves, then create developable surfaces from the controlled moments. Because they are tangent, once the moments are pinned, the material will begin to fold and curve based on the pins. Thus, a flat woven structure can be used as an alternative to a grid structure.

>Confess: Iteration 1

Confession+Catholicism yields the 1500 year old tradition of the confessional. A spacial artifact that holds the confessor and priest. A confessional can be as simple as a screen dividing a room, or as ornate as a carved Gothic example. From these two extremes yields the above process.

In plan(top) two spaces are wrapped by the surface. A priestly space which has a more direct entrance and a confession space that pulls you in more slowly, allowing a transition between the exterior and interior. The form also shades the tops of the two zones-allowing a greater sense of privacy, and buffering sound.

The screen is located in the middle of the two spaces. It follows the form yet reveals the woven structure.

Furniture could be incorporated into the form, however to keep the form a developable surface, furniture could be incorporated separately.

>Form:Roof Iteration 2

This iteration represents a condition where the Jacal would be a suspended entity-defining the character of the space. After several refinements I developed the above attempt to utilize a prefab steel building system as the superstructure which the woven mud could be hung. The large occulus breaks the glass cover while the wind chutes are designed below the enclosure.

>Form:San Isidro as Departure

San Isidro church is an abandoned ruin in the city of Antonito, CO. Built in1932, San Isidro is an interesting case where form can be influenced by the function of the church. this roof structure scheme creates an occulus that corresponds to the sun angles in the area. The wind scoops on the westerly side catch the prevailing winds to provide ventilation to the church. the hyperbolic vault is a visual reference to the gable roof that once sat on the structure-it is also a very structural roof system.

>Weaving:Sketch model 3

The above attempts take the previous sketch to the next level-a more ruled surface and structure. However, I recognize some inaccuracies in the unrollsrf command in Rhino. The end result is very interesting, yet it is not the expected result. Compared to the Rhino generated surface the above differs in curvature. Noticing these differences, should I continue with the above, finishing the weave. Or, leave the above as is and investigate better fabrication techniques?

>Weaving:Sketch model 2

The above begins to take the last sketch to the next level. A weave is nothing if the defined points are not accurate. Much like a loom, I tried to fix known intersection to then weave between. Though the surface is simple and the points of control few, this begins to address the accurate process for weaving a surface. The unroll command is not successful for point defining because it lays flat all points, thus connecting the points only creates a flat weave. Yet, when specific strips are split and unrolled individually from a surface, then the surface can take shape. The next sketch will address multiple control points, and a woven intervention between the control points.

>Weaving:Sketch model 1

The above photos represent a sketch attempt at digitally generated weaving. From a surface in Rhino, I adjusted the U/V curves to striate the surface into two stripped files. Then, through the UnRoll command i created two templates-one for horizontal weaving and one for vertical weaving. Learning from the Native American basket techniques I tried to create thicker vertical bands and more slender and flexible horizontal bands. After a few passes at weaving the two together i realized that chipboard is not the best material. Also, I'm wrestling with how the surface's undulations will be registered....how will the weave pull in and out as a surface does?

>Rapid Prototypes: Dr.Behrokh Khoshnevis

Dr.Behrokh Khoshnevis' research centers around the use of countour crafting.A process which can rapidly create a building through a robotic layering process. Many advantages are found with this process especially in relief situtions where large scale rebuiding is needed. In more recent studyies Dr.Khoshnevis has experimented with the layering of cermics, much like that of a pot.

>Weaving:Takeo Tanabe

Takeo Tanabe is an amazing bamboo weaving artist from Japan. He was educated Osaka and Tokyo where he graduated with a degree in sculpture. As a fourth generation weaver he carries with him a long history of intrinsic techniques-allowing him to formaly push the limits of hand weaving.