Stanford University's Treehacks, 36-hour Hackathon

In collaboration with Kwanpo Cheng, the project entailed fabricating a custom connection device.  

Collaborators:

Madeline Gannon
Kevyn McPhail

"Motorola and 3D Systems, the inventors of the cell phone and 3D printing, are teamed up together on a project known as the “MAKEwithMOTO” tour. Seven people with backgrounds ranging from engineers to designers, hit the road driving the United States in a Sprinter van packed with prototyping tools and 3D Systems Printers. The stops they make are bringing creativity out at some of the nations top universities. Over this past weekend, the crew spent three days with students from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The crew worked with 25 students from the university. The students were composed of four groups and included software engineers, designers, programmers and more. Each group was given the task of brainstorming ideas on Friday evening and picking one idea to work on through the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, the students put in over 18 hours to bring their idea to concept. Each group worked on their ideas to bring them to life. The students used hardware/software unlocked versions of Motorola’s latest smartphones, prototyping tools, and the hit of the event; 3D Systems 3D Printers!

One of the teams, “MoTu” stood out creating a beautiful project that implemented 3D printing. The printer they used was a ProJet 460Plus. The 460Plus incorporates advanced 3-channel CMY full-color 3D printing. The final project comes out with a ceramic like feel.

The team project was called Morning Breath, it was designed as a way to connect two people who were in opposite time zones. The project goal was aimed at recreating physical connections over long distances. Through the phone, Morning Breath listens to the sound of one’s breathing and transmits it to their loved-one’s phone which has a fan apparatus and recreates that rhythm on that device.

The 3D print that they designed covers the hardware on the back of the phone. After a couple mockups to test ergonomics, the team modeled a tessellated form in Rhinoceros around the hardware using what was learned from the ergonomics test. They then developed the base model of the 3D case. For airflow they mapped and subtracted out holes based on the fibonacci sequence to give the case its unique pattern. The case is beautiful! See the photos. Which one is your favorite?"

Excerpt obtained from: 
http://www.3dsystems.com/de/node/5102

EPIC Metals Competition Project 

The Folly's form is derived from the concept of duality. The spiral form creates two contrasting experiences that ultimately clash at the focal center. Light and Dark serves as the primary contrasting principles behind the two paths; while one ascends into light, the other remains cold.

Metal Decking material emphasizes this contrast with its acoustic properties by maintaining silence inside the shell. The final orifice between the dark heart and the viewing deck generates a biased interaction between visitors of their respective paths. People from below are able to view the sky from above through a small opening as well as interact with viewers above. 

The structure is deceptively simple: The steel tubes support the center of the folly and the curvature of the deck supports itself. At night, the paths are illuminated by light traveling through each ridge of the metal deck. Light forms in darkness and darkness forms in light.

Bathhouse Competition Project - NCMA
48-205 Second Year Studio, Spring 2013
Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture 

Partner: Richard Chou

StonEscape transitions between constructed and organic conditions. Circulation is driven by a huge curved concrete wall, which itself formulates the division. Passing through a small opening in the wall, one's surroundings are immediately transformed by free-flowing forms and openness of the space. Stereotypically linear and massive concrete is eroded, forming gentle contours and new expressions. A huge curtain wall reflects the lake and absorbs natural light, creating a serene atmosphere. The individual is able to transition again through a glass wall and back into nature. Stereotypically linear and massive concrete is eroded, forming gentle contours.

The Bathhouse features a calderium and two frigideriums. It is oriented in such a way that allows for a private entrance. It offers the feeling of being aloof from the rest of the world and being able to rejoice in the private comfort of nature and water. Located deep into the woods and on the edge of the lake, the glass curtain wall frames a beautiful panorama of the lake and beyond. The glue-laminated wood panels on the roof relate directly to the curves of the building and filter the light coming through the glass ceiling. 

Location:  Crawford Notch, New Hampshire

VOROSAUR
Materials and Assembly
Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture

In collaboration with our studio under Professor Dale Clifford. 
The project explored the material qualities of plywood and built a tower using only the plywood sheets and zip ties.

Our studio team began by examining the structure of bones and observing stronger densities at areas that were under more pressure and less densities in areas of tension. We took this idea and explored the potential of a 3d Voronoi pattern. 

Through the use of rhino and grasshopper we were able to model the structure of the tower and then removed the interior pieces in order to make the structure lightweight. Each piece was milled out using the cnc router for precision and then assembled on site with zip ties to form each individual cell. 

Shelter Project  - CMU Campus

Constructed Floor Plans; Measured Studs, Plywood, and Pipes; Calculated total cost; Diagrammed Use and Purpose; Built Physical 

1:1 Scale Shelter on Campus

The design of this bathhouse was constructed around the idea of light and how it can influence program. Experience was thought of as a journey. As one circulates through the structure, they transition between different levels of light. Firstly, they travel by canoe into a dark underground tunnel. As they climb out of the tunnel and up the stairs, they experience the bright light above them and make the transition to the outside. Likewise, the transition form the changing room space of the bottom levels to the baths is very dynamic and powerful as the massive 60ft cannon filters in light. The light directly illuminates the pools overhead and the angle of the cannons is optimal for allowing in the most amount of light. The top deck becomes a meditative space with a lightweight canopy overhead. The light-weigh exterior canopy alleviates the individual from the massive concrete surroundings, in effect creating a meditative deck that cantilevers over the lake. The deck is situated underneath a light weight metal mesh canopy, composed of voronoid geometry. 

Inspiration for the canopy was drawn form the Giant Amazon Water Lily. The lily is known for its ability to channel water off the sides and act as a self-supporting structure. When light passes through the canopy, pools of light form on the deck and provide a tranquil atmosphere. The canons are the main structural support system and are deeply grounded. The cannons also act as benches and are ergonomically efficient.

The structure is made entirely form concrete and the voronoid canopy utilizes steel with glass cladding.