Category: LookingOutwards-03

Carly Sacco – Looking Outwards – 03

Coded Clay is a project and business where 3D parametric fabrication creates pots and vases for people to use in their homes. This project is particularly interesting because code is used to alter every aspect of the 3D printing process to create unique vases. The 3D printer is also custom built to be able to print clay after using parametric coding in grasshopper.

The 3D printer prints clay in an arrangement coded and designed parametrically.

The process taken to create the pots starts by a sketch idea of a form/shape. Then by the use of parametric coding in grasshopper, the forms are digitally modified until the desired aspects of the pot are met. Lastly, the pots are 3D printed, fired twice, and hand glazed. Brian Peter is the creator of these and he if interested in both computational architecture as well as pottery. He went to undergrad for Studio Art and completed a ceramic residency – where the 3D printed clay idea started.

The pots are coded parametrically before the printing process begins.

Julia Nishizaki – Looking Outwards – 03

The project I chose to look at is a part of the Vespers series, a collection of 3D-printed death masks created by Neri Oxman and her Mediated Matter Group at MIT.

Three masks from the Vespers collection, the left most is from the first series (Past, the Natural World), the middle is from the second series (Present, the Digital World), and the right most is from the third and final series (Future, the Biological World)

The three series within the Vespers collection represents the past, the present, and the future, as the first series explores traditional death masks, and the concept of containing the wearer’s last breath, the second series is the metamorphosis or transition between death masks as an ancient relic and a more contemporary interpretation, and the third series creates an environment that guides and informs gene expression, in the sense that microorganisms inside the mask can produce chemicals that can help their users.  In order to meld the masks from all three series together, the team used spatial mapping algorithms to transform the different geometries and colorations from the first series to the second and the second to the third.

  • One of the five masks from the third Vespsers series, “Future, the Biological World”
  • A close up of the mask shown on the left, each mask in the third series contains living microorganisms

I found the third series, “Future, the Biological World” particularly interesting, as not only are the five 3D-printed masks, or “biological urns” beautiful and elegant, but they capture the balance between life and death both visually and physically, through their functions. Using bioactive materials that they then 3D-printed using a Stratasys Objet500 Connex3 multi-material 3D printer, the Mediated Matter Group synthetically engineered microorganisms to produce specific pigments or chemical substances like antibiotics or vitamins. The masks are not only tailored to the physical features, but also to an individuals genetic makeup and their environment, opening up the possibilities for wearable interfaces and skins in the future.

Yoshi Torralva – Looking Outwards – 03

UNYQ Align Scoliosis Brace, UNYQ Design inc., 2017

Braces for scoliosis have been adjustable to the user’s condition but never personable. Ultimetality this results in these braces to be uncomfortable when worn for long periods due to adjustable straps and locks. UNYQ Align solves the issue of discomfort using an algorithm that uses current measurement data and desires goals to assist in mitigating the health effects of scoliosis. What why admire about the brace is how the structure is slimmer yet as effective due to the computer-generated design. The UNYQ Align’s overall design language is similar to that of an organically formed structure. UNYQ is applying this method of auto-generating forms into casts and braces for different parts of the body. One note is that they don’t go into detail about if the brace treats scoliosis faster or at the same rate as similar braces.

A person wearing the UNYQ brace personalized to their medical needs.

Austin Garcia – Looking Outwards – 03 – Section C

“Mass Regimes” by – Epiphyte Lab

The Epiphyte Lab’s study “Mass Regimes” is an exploration in implemented parametric modeling and CNC work. By programming a CNC machine to ‘print’ concrete in complex forms, they are able to experiment with the thermal properties of the concrete. These different computational forms all allow for differing heat transfer through the material. By studying the thermodynamic performance of different complex forms, the Epiphyte Lab is able to test new and unique thermal strategies for passive heating and cooling of buildings.

The Process for creating these surfaces most likely involved crafting parametric functions which created 3d digital models. These models were then read and ‘printed’ by a CNC machine capable of printing with Concrete. The specific parameters for these forms had to do with varying size, geometric complexity, and density of forms in order to experiment with the thermal properties of the concrete.

Gretchen Kupferschmid-Looking Outwards-03

The sculpture that was installed at Miami Art Basel

Constructed from aluminum that is one millimeter thick, Marc Fornes/THEVERYMAN created a sculpture that works as a pavilion called Labrys Frisae. The sculpture was meant to blur the distinctions between edge and space to create a immersive experience. This object was create through computational code, but what I find intriguing is creating art through code that humans can interact with and hold the human form. I couldn’t find much information of the exact algorithm he uses, but I know that process is meticulous and hands on.

The indoor pavilion at Art Basel

https://theverymany.com/constructs/11-art-basel-miami

Nawon Choi— Looking Outward-03

3D-Printed Kinematics Dress


3D-printed Kinematics Dress by Shapeways

The 3D-printed kinematics dress stood out to me because the designers took a material and form that is solid and rigid and developed techniques to make it flexible. In doing so, they created a new function for 3d printing. They used algorithms that they’ve previously developed based on biomorphic generativity to create shapes based on the natural principles of the nervous system. The creator’s artistic sensibilities are manifested in the final form in the way that they adapted this initial algorithm, which they used to create rings, and adapted it to create a wearable and flowing dress. The design and shape of the dress, as well as the decision to create a dress, rather than another piece of garment, were all creative decisions that the artist made.

Sarah Choi – Looking Outwards – 03

This form of generated art interested me because the inspiration came from water. The MIT Media Lab showed “Water-Based Additive Manufacturing”, portraying the design approach of water-based robotic fabrication and technology for additive manufacturing. The entire project used biodegradable hydrogel composites.

Looking at dimensions, the project develops structural materials for additive deposition. They used different types of materials all around incorporating technology for biodegradable composite objects. The technological aspect to shape the objects created a basis for the algorithms that fully generated the work. This project combined art and nature, using natural hydrogels and further made different scaled objects. The fabricated objects were then dissolved in water and recycled. The final forms produced beautiful and radiant architectural structures.

The creator’s artistic sensibilities showed a unique variety of art, producing what people term “generative art”. The final forms produced beautiful and radiant architectural structures, reminding me of natural forms in our world which aren’t normally seen through the naked eye on a day to day basis.

https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/water-based-additive-manufacturing/overview/

Mari Kubota- Looking Outwards- 03

The Digital Construction Environment (2016) by Neri Oxman’s Mediated Matter Group at MIT is an open dome structure, with a diameter of 14.6 m and a height of 3.7 m, fabricated using the The Digital Construction Platform (DCP). The Digital Construction Platform is an experimental large robotic arm system that can rapidly 3D print large scale structures on site.

The Digital Construction Platform creating the Digital Construction Environment

The robotic arm consists of two systems, a large arm made for reach and the small “hand” used for more precise positioning. The Digital Construction Environment was made using digitally controlled mathematical calculations in order to make the curvature for the dome structure. This project drew my interest because it reminded me of a large scale 3D printer. It is an interesting new way of building a structure using computers and mathematical equations.

Video of DCP

Minjae Jeong – LO – 03

I found a project done by The Computational Fabrication Group at MIT called Knitting Skeletons: Computer-Aided Design Tool For Shaping and Patterning of Knitted Garments inspiring in a way that it is a great example of how computational fabrication can change our daily lifestyle.

http://cfg.mit.edu/content/knitting-skeletons-computer-aided-design-tool-shaping-and-patterning-knitted-garments

This work aims to allow anyone to design a simple knitted garment with much freedom. This work was very interesting that until now, I thought manufacturing garments did not have much connection with computer programming. But with such technique, it allows the designers to create their pieces with more flexibility and creativity.

Sean Leo – Project 03 – Dynamic Drawing

I wanted to create an dynamic drawing that was minimal and focused more the on the composition and geometries of the basic shapes. Stopping your mouse anywhere on the canvas will produce a new composition, color and relation between all the parts. Also it’s really satisfying to just roll your mouse around on the canvas!

project-03

//Sean B. Leo
//Section C
//sleo@andrew.cmu.edu

//Project-03
function setup() {
    createCanvas(600, 480);
    strokeWeight(4);
  }
  
  function draw() {
    background(0);
    noFill();
    //scale mouse X value from 0-175
    var a = map(mouseX, 0, width, 0, 175);
    //scale mouse Y value from 0-175
    var b = map(mouseY, 0, height, 0, 175);
    //print(a);
    //contrary motion
    var inX = width - mouseX;
    var inY = height - mouseY;
    //rectangle transformations
    stroke(a, 0, 100);//scales R value
    rect(inX, inY, inX, inY);
    //circle transformations 
    stroke(100, a, b);//scales G B values
    ellipse(width/2, height/2, a, b);
    //triangle transformations
    stroke(0, a, 100);//scales G values
    triangle(width/2, mouseX / 2, mouseY / 2, mouseY / 2, mouseX, mouseY);
  }