Interim Portfolio Carolyn Butler
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Transcript of Interim Portfolio Carolyn Butler
LEARN
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
FREI OTTO [NATURAL STRUCTURES]
Frei O! o is a german architect who studied architecture in Berlin
before being dra" ed into the Lu" waff e as a pilot in the last years
of World War II. It is said that he was interned in a French POW
camp and, with his avia$ on engineering training and lack of
material and an urgent need for housing, began experimen$ ng
with tents for shelter. O! o is a leading authority on lightweight
tensile and membrane structures, and has pioneered advances
in structural mathema$ cs and civil engineering. He founded the
Ins$ tute for Lightweight Structures at the University of Stu! gart.
Occupying and connec$ ng. 2009 Frei O! o. Form fi nding techniques & models
“With buildings of animals all kinds of construc$ ons are found:
caves, beam structures (many birds’ nests), membrane and
rope-construc$ ons (webs of spiders and caterpillars), shells...
folded structures (honeycomb structures of bees), vaults (above
ground ant-hills), massive construc$ ons (pu' ed, cast and high
strength termite mounds).”
- Natürliche Konstruk$ onen p.20. 1985. Frei O! o.
The Olympiastadion was considered revolu$ onary for its $ me.
It included large sweeping canopies of acrylic glass stabilized
by steel cables that were used for the fi rst $ me in a large scale.
The idea was to imitate the Alps and to set a counterpart to the
1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, held during the Nazi-Regime.
The sweeping and transparent canopy was to symbolize the
new, democra$ c and op$ mis$ c Germany.
Biomime$ cs in Architecture | 2011 Petra Gruber
Olympia Park in Munich. 1972 Frei O! o. Japan Pavillion Hanover Expo. 2000 Shigeru Ban & Frei O! o.
Frei O! o and Shigeru Ban addressed this ques$ on of inter-
connec$ on and interac$ on of architectural systems and their
environment from a global ecological perspec$ ve. The main theme
of their Japan Pavilion at Hanover Expo was to create a structure
that would produce as li! le industrial waste as possible when it was
dismantled. The goal was either to recycle or to reuse almost all of
the materials that went into the building. The structural idea is a
grid shell using lengthy paper tubing without joints. The tunnel arch
was about 73.8m long stronger when it comes to lateral strain.
Frei O� o is a german architect who studied architecture in Berlin
before being dra! ed into the Lu! waff e as a fi ghter pilot in the last
years of World War II. It is said that he was interned in a French
POW camp and, with his avia$ on engineering training and lack of
material and an urgent need for housing, began experimen$ ng with
tents for shelter. O� o is a world’s leading authority on lightweight
tensile and membrane structures, and has pioneered advances in
structural mathema$ cs and civil engineering. He founded the
Ins$ tute for Lightweight Structures at the University of Stu� gart.
THREAD MODELS 01 | every point is connected to every other point by a $ ght wool thread 02 | an 8% over-length is added to each thread
Frei O� o studied “op$ mized path systems” by developing a method
of genera$ ng forms, he used wool thread, and soap & water to
generate vectorized systems that minimize the number of paths and
make them share the same geometry.
This algorithmic procedure is developed in three steps, mapping the
diff erent program points, increasing the length of the wool thread
by at least 8% and then dipping the en$ re model in water. The
threads mix and form a diff erent pa� ern every $ me.
Finding Form p. 69 | 1995
03 | model dipped in water 04 | superimposed models models 01 & 03
Image 4 is made of model 1 in black and model 3 in red
superimposed. Both models are effi cient in diff erent ways. It
depends what the objec$ ve is as to which is considered more
effi cient. While model 1 has large lengths of path system and a 0
detour factor, model 3 computes a solu$ on that signifi cantly
reduces the overall length of the path system while maintaining a
low average detour factor. This strategy could be used to compute
many types of urbansystems such as fabric modula$ on, street
systems, a system of open spaces.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL PATH SYSTEMS [FREI OTTO]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
PATH SYSTEM EXPERIMENTS [SELF ORGANISATION]
SELF ORGANISATION | The theory of self-organisa! on is also
called theory of non-linear (dynamic) systems (chaos theory).
It is applicable to physical and chemical, biological,
psychological and social systems.
By ‘self-organisa! on’ we understand the ability of systems to
develop and sustain their inherent order with no control from
outside. The implicit ability of complex adap! ve behaviour is a
central characteris! c of living systems - M. Euler.
00 | threads connec! ng points with 8% over-length
Frei O" o’s thread models used wool and soap & water. The
fi bres of the wool mesh together in the soap & water to form
a path system. This experiment used the same concept as
O" o’s models using thread with at least 8% over-length
connec! ng all the points to each other but three
dimensionally.
This model was then dipped into soap & water and photographed.
This process was repeated 5 ! mes fully drying the model between
each dipping to produce the above sequence of images. Each ! me
it was dipped in the water it self organised itself into a diff erent
forma! on.
03 | models dipped in soap & water 05 | model dipped in soap & water01 | model dipped in soap & water 02 | model dipped in soap & water 04 | model dipped in soap & water
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
PATH SYSTEM ANALYSIS [PHYSICAL MODEL]
Each result from dipping the thread model in water & soap is
superimposed onto the original dry model (fainter linework).
The resultant images show how the thread pa! ern deforms
and how the bunching of the threads self organise into
structural and aesthe" cally interes" ng forms.
Above | detail of thread bunching Right | superimposed images of thread models
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
PATH SYSTEM ANALYSIS [DIGITAL MODEL]
These images show a digital imita! on of the physical model
previously explored. It illustrates the threads movement
during the process of dipping it in water. The freeze frames
were taken at progressing stages as the physics simula! on was
ac! ve, they were then superimposed.
The darkest linework was the resultant confi gura! on while
the fainter llines were the original and process arrangement of
threads.
Renders of digital thread model
Detail of physical thread model
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
THREAD ANALYSIS [WET THREAD BEHAVIOUR]
01 | diagram with low sepera! on 02 | diagram with high sepera! on 03 | diagram with high cohesion 04 | diagram with high sepera! on power 05 | diagram with low tension 06 | diagram with high tension
tensile forces
operates between nodes of a single thread.
seek
controls ac! ve range of cohesive and separa! ve forces.
power
controls magnitude of each force
! mestep
controls rate of simula! on.
decay
controls the amount of velocity lost from one itera! on to the next.
0 = total velocity loss
1 = no velocity loss
source code by David Reeves 2011
This sequence of diagrams shows how the thread points react
under cohesion, tension and sepera! on.
separa! ve forces
operates between nodes of a single thread.
cohesive forces
operates between nodes of diff erent threads.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
THREAD ANALYSIS [DIGITAL MODEL]
This experiment illustrates the thread behaviour seen in the
previous physical experiments by using Grasshopper so! ware.
These ini" al renders show how the individual threads bunch
together digitally in the same way they do physically. However,
unless the ini" al points are moved the result of the physics
simulta" on will be the same every " me. In the physical model
this was not the case, the result each " me the threads were
dipped into water was diff erent due to minor changes in the
environment, such as air movement.
Renders of digital thread model
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
RADIOLARIA [HAND DRAWINGS]
01 | Cenosphaera cristata [DRAWN FROM PHOTOGRAPH] 02 | Spumullarian radiolaria [DRAWN FROM HAECKEL DRAWING] 03 | Androcyclas gamphonycha [DRAWN FROM PHOTOGRAPH]
These hand drawings illustrate a few species of radiolaria that
par! cularly fascinated me due to their complex geometry. Drawing
them helped analyse their forms.
A" er learning of Ernst Haeckel’s work on radiolarians I researched
further. Radiolarians have existed since the beginning of the
Paleozoic era, producing an astonishing diversity of intricate shapes
during their 600 million year history. They take their name from the
radial symmetry, o" en marked by radial skeletal spines,
characteris! c of many forms.
Spumellarians come in various shapes ranging from spherical to
ellipsoidal to discoidal, typically with radial symmetry. It is common
for the Spumellarians to have several concentric shells connected
by radial bars.
Individual radiolarians are normally in the size range of hundredths
to tenths of millimeters, but some reach dimensions of a millimeter
or more, large enough to be seen with the naked eye. Some species
are amassed into colonies, which may reach sizes of cen! meter and
even meter scale.
Radiolarians cytoplasmic mass, which cons! tutes the majority of
the space within the cell, is divided into two regions separated by a
perforated membrane. The fi rst of these regions is the central mass,
also known as the central capsule, and the second is the extraca-
psulum, a peripheral layer of cytoplasm surrounding the central
capsule. The central capsule contains the organelles common to
all eukaryo! c cells, such as the mitochondria and vacuoles, while
the extracapsulum is characterized by its thread-like extensions of
cytoplasm, the rhizopodia.
Aiding in the capture of prey, the rhizopodia are crucial in obtaining
the energy necessary for the successful comple! on of the Radio-
larian life cycle. Addi! onally, the rhizopodia act to increase the
surface area of the cell, improving the rates of release of metabolic
wastes and the uptake of oxygen. The separa! on of the cytoplasm
is thought to allow for increased control of the diff usion of large
molecules within the cell, such as fat globules, and organelles.
04 | Acanthodesmia micropora [DRAWN FROM PHOTOGRAPH]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BUCKMINSTER FULLER [GEODESIC DOME]
Buckminster Fuller was an architect, engineer, geometrician,
cartographer, philosopher, futurist, inventor of the geodesic
dome and one of the most brilliant thinkers of his ! me. He
was renowned for his comprehensive perspec! ve on the
world’s problems.
“To make man a sucess on earth... we must design our way to
posi! ve eff ec! veness.”
Above | Dome in Montreal, world exhibi! on. 1967 Fuller.Le# | Transparent dome over Manha$ an. 1950 Buckminster Fuller.
“Man now enters the phase of meager yet conscious
par! cipa! on in the an! cipatory design undertakings of
Nature. This conscious par! cipa! on itself is changing from
an awkward, arbitrary, trial and error ignorance to an
intui! vely concieved, yet rigorously serviced, disciplined
elegance.”
- Ideas and Integri! es p.323 | 1960 Buckminster Fuller
Fuller patented his geodesic domes in 1954. The
geometry of the domes is derived from the basic
geometry of the icosahedron, a volume with 20 equal
faces, a Platonic body. The edges are projected onto an
inscribed sphere, genera! ng sec! ons of great circles,
which are connected to a regular trigonometric pat-
tern.
- Biomime! cs in Architecture p.47 | 2011 Petra Gruber
Excerpts of patent specifi ca! on of Fuller’s domes.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL SURFACE [GEODESIC DOME]
The main advantage Fuller cited in his 1954 patent appli-
ca! on for the geodesic dome was its shape, because it is
self-reinforcing, it requires far less building material than
any other design.
Conven! onal buildings, according to Fuller, weigh about
50 pounds (22.7kg) for each square foot (0.09 sq meter) of
fl oor space. A geodesic dome can weigh less than 1 pound
(0.5kg) for each square foot of fl oor space.
02 | Geodesic Dome for the Ford Motor Company 1952–53
He called this shape a geodesic dome, because the pa# ern
of triangles forms an interlocking web of geodesics. A
geodesic is the shortest path between two points. This is a
line in two-dimensional geometry, but on the surface of a
sphere, the shortest distance between two points is an arc
defi ned by a great circle - a circle with the same diameter
as the sphere.
03 | Diagram of geodesic dome area calcula! ons 04 | Diagram of tradi! onal form area comparison
To compare building shape the following criteria are taken into
considera! on:
Floor area
Height
Volume
Surface area
When comparing the two forms the variables, height and
volume, cannot be kept the same due to the nature of the
shapes so two varia! ons have been calculated.
Fuller loved geometry, and was par! cularly impressed by the
triangle, the most stable geometrical shape - providing struc-
tural integrity. He also knew that the sphere was the most
effi cient three dimensional shape, enclosing the largest pos-
sible volume with the smallest surface area - meaning a dome
being a par! al sphere should be a logical shape for a build-
ing. Reducing the surface area in contact with the exterior
reduces heat loss as well as maximising material effi ciency.
01 | Tensegrity model
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
FOLDING GEODESIC SPHERE [FOLDING SEQUENCE]
The sequences of images above show how the geodesic sphere
deforms as it is folded into itself. Due to the element of fl exibility in
the plas" c straws, the junc" ons are able to ‘pop’ in and out freely.
Each stage of the geodesic spheres deforma" on creates interes" ng
and beau" ful geometries. Side and top view sequences.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
GEODESIC SPHERE + PATH SYSTEMS [CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE]
The sequences of images above show how the geodesic sphere is
constructed in a series of stages. Star� ng with fi ve short struts
connected together with one brad, this central pentagon is
subsequently connected to fi ve hexagons on each of its sides.
The hexagons are constructed from the longest struts while the
connec� ng struts forming the edges between the pentagons and
hexagons are a middle length strut.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
GEODESIC SPHERE [PHYSICAL MODEL]
02 | Plas! c geodesic sphere model centred on a hexagon
To construct this geodesic sphere the following strut lengths
were required:
hexagon - 140mm
pentagon - 118mm
edges - 136mm
The adjacent diagrams show how the pentagons and hexa-
gons are connected together to form the geodesic sphere.
This model is constructed with plas! c straws for the struts
and silver brads serving as the connec! ons. It spans 600mm
and is surprisingly robust. It is made up of regular pentagons
and hexagons with three diff erent strut lengths.
01 | Plas! c geodesic sphere model centred on a pentagon
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
GEODESIC SPHERE + PATH SYSTEMS [WET EXPERIMENTS]
This model is constructed in the same way the geodesic
sphere was, with plas! c straws and brads. It addi! onally
connects threads to opposite ends points of the sphere.
This model integrates the geometry of the geodesic sphere
and the minimal path thread experiments, that has been
researched previously. It starts to explore the use of the
minimal path system principles in another context other
that path networks.
01 & 02 | top view of geodesic sphere + thread model 02 | top view of geodesic sphere + thread model dipped in water 03 & 04 | front view of geodesic sphere + thread model
Model process
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
LE RICOLAIS [1894-1977]
Above | hexacore steel model
In 1935, as a prac! cing hydraulics engineer, he
introduced the concept of corrugated stress skins to
the building industry. In 1940 his work on three-
dimensional network systems introduced many ar-
chitects to the concept of ‘space frames.’ A" er years
of research he was well established as the ‘father of
space structures.’
‘the art of structure is where to put the holes’
Images from the Visions and Paradox exibi! on
Le Ricolais was considered along with Fuller & O# o
a leading expert on structural morphology in archi-
tecture. He was an engineer, architect, poet and
painter, known for his theore! cal research on trellis
structures and tensegrity during the 1950’s. His
work’s roots are in nature and science, in a seashell,
a soap bubble or le Ricolais’ fantasy of ‘going inside
a rope’ to fi nd a new way to realize his central vision
of zero weight, infi nite span.
BURN
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BURNING MAN FESTIVAL [BRIEF]
Above | burning effi gies at the end of the fes� val
Every year, they establish themselves in a new loca� on
to seek freedom and self-reliance. Nevada’s dry Black
Rock Desert comes to life some weeks before the actual
start of the fes� val. It ends with the burning of a larger-
than-life effi gy made of wood and straw, from which the
fes� val gets its name. theme camps are sta� onary and
some are moving; the moving ones are probably art cars.
Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Respect & Restore!
It is impossible to describe Burning Man. It is
the closest to going to a diff erent planet, it is
the biggest party on earth, it is an utopia…
‘Burning Man’ is no ordinary fes� val. There are
no large stages or big bands; nevertheless, it is
extremely popular. More than 50,000 people
gather in the Nevada desert over the course of
the six days in early September.
Right | Burning Man Fes� val - night satellite image
11 days before the fes� val Traffi c jam into fes� val
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BURNING MAN FESTIVAL [RESEARCH]
Burning Man is much more than just a temporary
community. It’s a city in the desert, dedicated to radical self
reliance, radical self-expression and art. Innova� ve sculpture,
installa� ons, performance, theme camps, art cars and
costumes all fl ower from the playa and spread to our
communi� es and back again. Our mission is to promote
and support interac� ve public art, even beyond our event.
2009 & 2010 BLACK ROCK CITY PLAN
Due to a great deal of feedback cri! cal of the expanded size of the 2008 city,
2009 returned to nearly the same, smaller footprint of 2007. The distance
from the inner-most road to the Man was reduced from 2700 to just 2100
feet. The Center Camp was also smaller than 2008, a compromise between
2007 and 2008. The 2010 city plan was very similar to 2009 - the only change
was the addi! on of three new ‘public’ plazas at 3:00, 6:00 and 09:00.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
A TEMPORARY CITY [PLANNING]
2007 & 2008 BLACK ROCK CITY PLAN
Compared to the 2007 city plan the distance from the Man to the Esplanade
road increased from 2200 to 2700 feet in 2008, which meant the length of the
Esplanade grew over 2500 feet longer. 2007’s three inner blocks were removed
crea! ng a new Esplanade for 2008. Two longer concentric roads at the back of
the city replace the three shortest concentric streets from the inside.
2011 BLACK ROCK CITY PLAN
The city grew again. The distance from the inner-most Esplanade street to the Man was
2400 feet. This means all blocks from Esplanade to Gradua! on were wider between the
clock streets. By far, the most drama! c change in the 2011 plan was the addi! on of
sixteen new streets. To ease pedestrian and bicycle movement and access at the back of
the city, the new streets were short radials at the fi # een and forty-fi ve clock posi! ons.
Public Plazas also returned at Kindergarten and 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00.
THE PENTAGON
The Pentagon surrounding the city defi nes the land used by the event, the
7-mile long temporary plas! c fence that surrounds the event. This 4-foot high
barrier is known as the “trash fence” because its ini! al use was to catch wind-
blown debris that might escape from campsites during the event.
Image of Burning Man Fes� val
‘This place is a bike city, you have never seen so
many bikes in your life, and at night? Wow every-
thing is glowing! Bikes are all decked out. They even
have a “pimp my bike” camp!’
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BURNING MAN FESTIVAL [TRANSPORT]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BICYCLE WHEEL [ANALYSIS]
Above | detail of bicycle wheel hub Right | bicycle wheel forces analysis
A bicycle is the most effi cient mode of transporta" on, in terms of
energy conversion effi ciency from a human to mobility. Part of this
effi ciency results from its structure, resul" ng from an effi cient
deployment of tensile forces requiring, as a result, minimal mass.
Spokes don’t push outward holding the rim at bay, rather the rim
is evenly pulled inward by spokes that are laced through the hub,
which makes it extraordinarily strong. These spokes coming from
the hub then radiate outward to the rim, where they a# ach to nip-
ples, which are like li# le nuts res" ng in the rim. ROAD
TORQUE
Spokes play a key role in the transferring the power from your legs
to the rim to make the bike move. The force driving the bike for-
ward gets distributed among many spokes. Even under a very heavy
load many spokes help spread out the weight so that it is more
evenly carried and doesn’t put too much stress on any single spoke.
Though some bicycles have appeared with ‘sta" cally determinant’
cables deploying tension in one plane, and for one triangle of the
frame, there is no bicycle yet available that deploys omnidirec" onal
tension.
HUB
RIM
SPOKES
TEN
SIO
N
Another type of bicycle wheel can be formed in one piece from
a material such as thermoplas" c and carbon fi ber composite.
Although spoked wheels are lighter, the solid wheels are more aero-
dynamic. A solid wheel is never used on the front for a road race
but can be used on the rear of the bike.
The top sequence of images show the deforma� on of a bicycle wheel
using a direct force to the rim on the opposite side of the fl oor. The
bo� om sequence of images show the further deforma� on rota� ng
the bicycle wheel and applying force to diff erent points of the rim.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BICYCLE WHEEL DEFORMATION [DEFORMING SEQUENCE]
Details of deformed bicycle wheel
Views of deformed bicycle wheel
These close up photographs of the deformed bicycle wheel
illustrate the spokes buckling under the force applied to the rim of
the wheel. The spokes either bent or became una! ached to the rim,
poking through its hole and s" cking out at bizarre angles due to the
lack of tension in the material.
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
BICYCLE WHEEL DEFORMATION [DETAILS]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
WHEEL STRUCTURE [DIGITAL MODEL]
This digital model experiments with Le Ricolais’ enigma! c three dimensional
la" ce system as illustrated on the previous sheet. The form is very en! cing
and it was modelled in the hope of understnading it be# er. It takes the basic
from of geodesic or hexagonal sphere and pulls out the geometry at points -
the reverse of previous work on folding geodesic spheres.
Three dimensional la" ce system
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
ENERGY STORAGE WHEEL [SALTWATER BATTERY]
FLOATATION TANKS
for relaxa� on & healing
SOLAR PIPES
to collect heat in the salt water
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
to generate electricity for ligh� ng at night
WATER TABLE
source of salt water
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SALT CONCEPT [DESIGN DEVELOPMENT]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL PATH SITE ANALYSIS [BLACK ROCK CITY]
This series of diagrams digitally illustrate the direct and minimal path
networks that the plan arrangement of Black Rock City produce. The black
markers indicate circula! on nodes at street entrances, the burning man and
the temple.
Diagram 01 shows the direct path routes from the streets of the city to the
burning man. Diagram 02 shows the minimal path routes from the streets of
city to the burning man superimposed on the fainter direct paths in order to
clearly illustrate the comparision.
Diagram 01 | direct path routes to the burning man Diagram 02 | superimposed direct and minimal path routes to the burning man Diagram 03 | direct path routes from all nodes to all other nodes Diagram 04 | minimal path routes from all nodes to all other nodes
Diagram 03 shows the direct path routes from all nodes to all other nodes.
Diagram 04 shows the minimal path network from all nodes to all other
nodes. This network is produced by a digital algorithm - imita! ng the Frei
O" o’s wet wool experiments that a" empted to form fi nd path organisa! ons.
BURNING MAN
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
PATH NETWORKS [BLACK ROCK CITY]
Actual path routes from all nodes to all other nodes - satellite image of 2011 Burning Man Fes! val
These images highlight the path networks to and within
Black Rock City. The city’s streets are structured radially
but the path networks across the playa are formed from
the natural foo" all of the crowds. In the satellite image,
the lightness of the en! re central playa indicates that
that the paths are not defi ned but self formed. This led
to the far right image that digitally generated a minimal
path network connec! ng all nodes to all other nodes.
This could not take account of all the art installa! ons in
the Playa as these posi! ons change annually.
This site analysis indicates where noisy areas would be
i.e. areas of lots of movement therefore ideal sites for
Flota! on Power would be off the most used paths. Theore! cal minimal path routes from all nodes to all other nodes - digital representa! on
Detail of movement networks in the Playa centre
Quiet site loca! on
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SALTWATER FLOTATION [EXPERIMENTS]
Density is the amount of space something takes up per volume. When more
mass is added to the same amount of space being taken up the density of the
liquid changes. When a raw egg is dropped into fresh water the egg doesnt
displace enough water making the egg more dense then the water around it.
This creates an unbalanced force which sends the egg to the bo! om of the
glass. When salt is added to the 250 ml of water and s" rred, the salt crys-
tals break down into molecules and and fi ll in the gaps inbetween the water
molecules.
Saltwater fl ota" on experiment process
The solu" on now has more mass in the same space or volume, which changes
the density of the water. When the egg is added to the salt water you displace
the same amount of water but that space has more molecules in it and the
egg becomes less dense than the salt water around it. When fresh water is
slowly added to the salt water the less dense fresh water fl oats on top of the
more dense salt water.The egg sinks through the less dense fresh water and
fl oats on the more dense salt water.
Experiment with diff erent salt concentra" ons of water - side
Experiment with diff erent salt concentra" ons of water - top
DENSITY ANALYSIS
Object fl oa" ng on saltwater Fresh water poured into glass Object fl oats between salt and fresh water Food colouring added Blue = less dense fresh water
Clear = more dense saltwater
250ml water 25g salt + 250ml water 50g salt + 250ml water 75g salt + 250ml water 100g salt + 250ml water
250ml water 25g salt + 250ml water 50g salt + 250ml water 75g salt + 250ml water 100g salt + 250ml water
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SALTWATER BATTERY [EXPERIMENTS]
When salts are dissolved in water they become ions that carry posi! ve
or nega! ve charges. It is the ions that are dissolved in water that conduct
electricity. The voltage created in a ba" ery is due to ionic chemistry. One
electrode will become charged to a greater extent than the other resul! ng
in a voltage diff erence between the electrodes. Because of this diff erence,
electrons will want to move from one electrode to the other. This a" rac! ve
poten! al is the voltage that is measured between the electrodes, and the
origin of the ba" eries electrical power.
In this cell copper is used for the cathode and aluminium is used for the
anode. Copper serves as a source of electrons, it simply passes on electrons
from the external circuit, a$ er they’ve fl owed through the LED. The cell
current decreases over long periods of ! me because the metals become
coated with oxides/byproducts. The voltage, however, remains constant as
it’s aff ected primarily by the electronega! vity of the metals, which does not
change.
This series of experiments show that a single cell saltwater ba" ery can
produce 0.63V. This voltage can be increased by connec! ng mul! ple cells
i.e. 3 cells = 1.66V and 6 cells = 3.25V.
Apparatus of saltwater ba" ery
salt
aluminium
copper
container + water
hook up wires
mul! meter
Six cell saltwater ba" ery producing 3.25V Six cell saltwater ba" ery ligh! ng up a light emi& ng diode - side
Copper cathode
Single cell ba" ery without the electrolyte
Light emi& ng diode powered by the saltwater ba" ery
Single cell ba" ery with the electrolyte = saltwater
Six cell saltwater ba" ery ligh! ng up a light emi& ng diode - top
Three cell saltwater ba" ery producing 1.66V - top
Three cell saltwater ba" ery producing 1.66V - side
Saltwater ba" ery diagram Tradi! onal ba" ery diagram
LEDLED
cathode (+)
anode (-)cath
od
e (
+)
an
od
e (
-)
Cl -
Na +
electrolyte
saltwater
NaCl
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SALT CRYSTALLISATION [EXPERIMENT]
Using black thread hanging into saltwater, this experiment looks at how salt
crystals form on the ver! cal threads as the saltwater in the container
evaporates. The salt crystallisa! on forms an interes! ng barrier material.
This process could be used to surround the individual fl ota! on tanks, eff ec-
! vely cocooning the tank and crea! ng protec! on from the wind while also
providing a method of extrac! ng extra salt to increase the salt density of the
fl ota! on tanks when necessary.
DAY 1
Salt crystallisa! on on glass - as saltwater evaporates crystals form
DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5
DAY 3 - salt crystallisa! on on ver! cal threads DAY 5 - salt crystallisa! on on ver! cal threads
EXPERIMENT PROCESS
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM [APPLYING MINIMAL PATH RULES]
This model used the process previously explored in the minimal path systems
from Frei O! o but a! empts to take the concept a stage further and create a
minimal structural system.
The thread lengths are given approximately a 12.5% over-length leaving them
quite loose and messy when dry. The model is then dipped in a water and
soap solu" on and hung upside down. The wet threads bunch together, as
seen in previous experiments, but due to the increased over length they also
dip downwards crea" ng a domed form. When dry, the model is coated with
resin in order to cast the form. The model can then be turned over maintain-
ing the rigid minimal structural system.
Model of minimal structural system - made of co! on thread and resin
Co! on thread a! ached to all pins Model dipped in water and soap Threads naturally form a minimal structural system Model painted with resin
Underside of structure
Detail of modelPLAN AFTER = wet threads + resinPLAN BEFORE = dry loose threads
MODEL PROCESS
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT [SKETCHES]
The concept is primarily based around salt and its sustainable uses,
the source of salt is from the site itself. This project uses saltwater as
an electrolyte to generate electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng and as an
integral ingredient for fl ota! on therapy. The programme of fl ota! on
informs the architecture by requiring a cocoon-like environment with
salty, skin-temperature water in which to fl oat, sheltered from the
harsh elements.
CONCEPT | FLOTATION POWER
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
saltwater used to generate
electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng
ba# ery cells form a wall of
plas! c containers crea! ng a
wind barrier
FLOTATION TANKS
for relaxa! on & healing, warm
saltwater is provided from solar
collector pipes and thermal store
salt crystals form on the barrier
around the fl ota! on tanks as the
saltwater evaporates, this creates
a thicker protec! on from the
elements, cocooning the user in a
sensory deprived environment
SOLAR COLLECTOR PIPES
to collect heat in the salt
water throughout the day
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
tubes fi lled with sand provide
thermal mass, confi gured using
principles of minimal path systems
THERMAL STORE
stores heated salt
water to distribute
to fl ota! on tanks
at night
SA
LT
WA
TE
R S
OU
RC
E
SOLAR SHADING
structure and solar pipes
provide solar shading
Ini! al concept sketch
SOLA
R COLLECTO
R PIPES
SALT
WATER B
ATTERY CELLS
LIGHTS
FLOTATION
TANK
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL
SYSTEM
FLOTATION TANKS
SOLAR COLLECTOR TUBES
maxim
ising solar gain
ACCESS
ACCESS
ACCESS
LIGHTS
SALT WATER
BATTERY CELLS
to power lights
at night
SALT WATER
BATTERY CELLS
to power lights
at night
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM [PHYSICAL MODEL EXTERIOR]
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM [PHYSICAL MODEL INTERIOR]
FLOTATION TANKS
salt crystals form on the barrier around the
fl ota" on tanks as the saltwater evaporates,
this creates a thicker protec" on from the
elements, cocooning the user in a sensory
deprived environment
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
DEVELOPMENT [DAY VISUAL]
update
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SYSTEM DIAGRAM DEVELOPMENT [DESIGN DEVELOPMENT]
These diagrams explain the energy, environmental and structural
systems that this project u! lises, to achieve Flota! on Power. The
concept is primarily based around salt and its sustainable uses, the
source of salt is from the site itself. This project uses saltwater as an
electrolyte to generate electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng and as an
integral ingredient for fl ota! on therapy. The programme of fl ota! on
informs the architecture by requiring a cocoon-like environment with
salty, skin-temperature water in which to fl oat, sheltered from the
harsh elements.
CLOSED LOOP ENERGY SYSTEM
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
saltwater is used to generate
electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng
FLOTATION TANKS
for relaxa! on & healing, warm
saltwater is provided from solar
collector pipes and thermal store
SOLAR PIPES
to collect heat in the salt
water throughout the day
MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
tubes fi lled with sand, confi gured
using principles of minimal path
systems
THERMAL STORE
stores heated salt water
to distribute to fl ota! on
tanks at night
SA
LT
WA
TE
R S
OU
RC
E
OVERVIEW
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
FINAL CONCEPT [FLOTATION POWER]
The concept is primarily based around salt and its sustainable uses,
the source of salt is from the site itself. This project uses saltwater as
an electrolyte to generate electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng and as an
integral ingredient for fl ota! on therapy. The programme of fl ota! on
informs the architecture by requiring a cocoon-like environment with
salty, skin-temperature water in which to fl oat, sheltered from the
harsh elements, this is provided by natural salt forma! on.
SALT
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
saltwater used to generate
electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng
ba# ery cells form a wall of
plas! c containers crea! ng a
wind barrier
FLOTATION TANKS
for relaxa! on & healing, warm
saltwater is provided from solar
collector pipes
SOLAR COLLECTOR PIPES
to collect heat in the salt
water throughout the day,
pipe organisa! on a# ached
to minimal structural system
THERMAL STORE
stores warm salt
water in day to
be used at night
SA
LT
WA
TE
R S
OU
RC
E
SOLAR SHADING
structure and solar pipes
provide solar shading
FLOTATION TANKS
SALT WATER
BATTERY CELLS
to power lights
at night
LIGHTS
night ! me ligh! ng powered
by saltwater ba# ery cells
SA
LT
WA
TE
R S
OU
RC
E
TRANSPIRATION
evapora! on from the
fl ota! on tanks and outer
pools cause saltwater to
be drawn up from the high
water table below the
desert surface
SALT FORMATION
salt crystals form a barrier
around the fl ota! on tanks as the
saltwater evaporates, cocooning
the user in a sensory deprived
environment
Salt forma! ons in nature Digital salt forma! on on fl ota! on tank
CLOSED LOOP
POWER SYSTEM
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SOLAR SYSTEM [FLOTATION POWER]
Transpira! on diagram
water absorbed
by root hairs
water lost by
transpira! on
capillary ac! on
The saltwater is drawn up from the water table via transpira! on and
travels through the black solar collector pipes absorbing heat and
deposi! ng the warm water into the fl ota! on tanks. The tanks act as
thermal stores, storing the warmed water for their night use.
OVERVIEW
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
saltwater used to generate
electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng
ba# ery cells form a wall of
plas! c containers crea! ng a
wind barrier
FLOTATION TANKS
for relaxa! on & healing, warm
saltwater is provided from solar
collector pipes
SOLAR COLLECTOR PIPES
to collect heat in the salt
water throughout the day,
pipe organisa! on a# ached
to minimal structural system
SOLAR SHADING
structure and solar pipes
provide solar shading
TRANSPIRATION
evapora! on from the
fl ota! on tanks and outer
pools cause saltwater to
be drawn up from the high
water table below the
desert surface
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
PLAN [FLOTATION POWER]
This illustra! on shows the superimposed process of the digital
minimal structural system. The result has a similar aesthe! c to the
physical structural model made previously.
1:100 DIGITAL MINIMAL STRUCTURAL SYSTEM PLAN
N
DIGITAL MODEL PROCESS - stages of physics simula! on of minimal structural system
N
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
SECTION [FLOTATION POWER]
SALT WATER BATTERY CELLS
saltwater used to generate
electricity for nigh! me ligh! ng
ba" ery cells form a wall of
plas! c containers crea! ng a
wind barrier
FLOTATION TANKS
for relaxa! on & healing, warm
saltwater is provided from solar
collector pipes
salt crystals form a barrier
around the fl ota! on tanks as the
saltwater evaporates, cocooning
the user in a sensory deprived
environment
SOLAR COLLECTOR PIPES
integrated into the minimal
structural system, the black
pipes collect heat in the salt
water throughout the day
SOLAR SHADING
structure and solar pipes
provide solar shading
DS10 CAROLYN BUTLER
ELEVATIONS [FLOTATION POWER]
[01]
[02]
[03]
[04]
[02] EAST ELEVATION
[01] NORTH ELEVATION [04] WEST ELEVATION [03] SOUTH ELEVATION