Diploma Studio 10 at Westminster University School of Architecture
Thursday 6th November Tutorials
We just finished Brief01:System/Sci-Fi and starting Brief02:Buro/Burn – Here are couple pictures of our last tutorials by Toby Burgess. Students will be uploading their systems on Monday on this blog!
Our Joyful DS10 Studio – Picture by Vlad IgnatescuSpirohedron by Lorna jacksonSpirohedron by Lorna jacksonSpirohedron by Lorna jacksonSpirohedron by Lorna jacksonPyritohedrons by Sarah StellPyritohedrons by Sarah Stell
Curved Kerf Folding by Garis IuInversion Principle by Tom JelleyTom Jelley’s Inversion Principle explained in a model
Recursive Reciprocal Structure by Irina GhiuzanTobias Power plotting complex numbers onb a vertical axis – Rheotomic Surface inspired by Daniel PiikerJonathan Leung creating his own Bismuth CrystalsEsha Hashim’s Fabric TensegrityLianne Clarke’s Reaction Diffusion Patterns on Acrylic
Arthur Mamou-Mani AA dipl, ARB/RIBA FRSA – is a French architect, director of Mamou-Mani Architects, specialised in a new kind of digitally designed and fabricated architecture. He is a lecturer at the University of Westminster and owns a digital fabrication laboratory called the Fab.Pub which allows people to experiment with large 3D Printers and Laser Cutters.
Arthur has been selected as one of the RIBAj's 2017 cohort of Rising Stars. He has won the Gold Prize at the American Architecture Prize for the Wooden Wave project installed at BuroHappold Engineering and since 2016, he is a fellow of the The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.
Prior to founding Mamou-Mani in 2011, he worked with Atelier Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid Architects and Proctor and Matthews Architects.
View all posts by Arthur Mamou-Mani
4 thoughts on “Thursday 6th November Tutorials”
Really interesting explorations. Lorna and Garius, can I ask if you have had any problems with the joints failing when you are folding from a single sheet of wood?
Hi Michael, I’ve been testing kerf hinges with 0.8mm ply. What I’ve found is that in the case of curved bending, the ply becomes really flexible and is easily bendable when it is wet (usually soaked in water for about an hour), but will spring back to its original flat form if the pressure is released. However, if you are able to keep it bent while it dries, it seems to retain the bent form.
Some of the joints had begun to fail (snapping – folding instead of bending) but I believe it is due to bending while it’s dry, and the size of the kerf connection coupled with the thickness of the ply. I will be testing 1.5mm which should hopefully prove to be stronger.
As Garis pointed out using the kerf hinge on 0.8mm ply does work in water but is very fragile and more prone to snapping, the images on this post are of experiments I have made in 1.5mm ply, here the hinge works in a single directional plane however where I have three mountain joints meeting one valley there is a failure of the system. I am working towards resolving this issue by altering the cutting pattern slightly at these joints..
Thanks for the replies guys, interesting to note you have found it easier with the thicker wood. I would be interested to see if that could be scaled up further or whether any thicker would result in it becoming too difficult to bend or to hold its shape. Good luck with your future explorations.
WeWantToLearn.net 
Really interesting explorations. Lorna and Garius, can I ask if you have had any problems with the joints failing when you are folding from a single sheet of wood?
Hi Michael, I’ve been testing kerf hinges with 0.8mm ply. What I’ve found is that in the case of curved bending, the ply becomes really flexible and is easily bendable when it is wet (usually soaked in water for about an hour), but will spring back to its original flat form if the pressure is released. However, if you are able to keep it bent while it dries, it seems to retain the bent form.
Some of the joints had begun to fail (snapping – folding instead of bending) but I believe it is due to bending while it’s dry, and the size of the kerf connection coupled with the thickness of the ply. I will be testing 1.5mm which should hopefully prove to be stronger.
Hi Michael,
As Garis pointed out using the kerf hinge on 0.8mm ply does work in water but is very fragile and more prone to snapping, the images on this post are of experiments I have made in 1.5mm ply, here the hinge works in a single directional plane however where I have three mountain joints meeting one valley there is a failure of the system. I am working towards resolving this issue by altering the cutting pattern slightly at these joints..
Thanks for the replies guys, interesting to note you have found it easier with the thicker wood. I would be interested to see if that could be scaled up further or whether any thicker would result in it becoming too difficult to bend or to hold its shape. Good luck with your future explorations.