Jasmina McKennaStudent No. 537565 Semester 1/2012 Group 1

The Spider Web

Module 1, Week 1

Motion Pattern: The Falling Leaf

Module 1, Week 1

When we watch leaves falling in autumn we can identify a cer-tain pattern, in which they glide through the air until they reach the ground. The fall is almost a pendular movement: Due to its shape and light weight the leaf sailes through the air in a zigzag pattern. It is set into the most aerodynamic position to allow for an easy glide.

A well woven spider web is vital for the spi-der’s survival. Rather than attacing its victims physically, the spider’s strategy to get nour-ishment is much more elegant. By creating the fine woven web, all the spider needs to do is to await the victim to get entangled in its threads.

The Growth of Bamboo As a type of grass the bam-boo is characterized by its rapid growth. Each new blade shoots out on top of the previ-ous one in a manner that could be compared to an extending monocular. The bamboo sprout is a good example for the oc-currence of fractal patterns in nature.

Short video showing the growth of Bamboo, by BBC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfDOMwFX5Hg

Module 1, Week 1

Clay ModelsFalling leave - upper modelBamboo - bottom left

The clay model-making exercise has helped me to get a feeling for vol-ume and form. While 2D drawings help to analyse inspirational objects and patterns, 3D model-mak-ing allowed me to further abstract the inital form as modelling with clay is restricting in some way. I had to abandon any kind of detail - a task I struggle with in hand drawings.

Rhino Tutorials - Screen ShotsRhino Nurbs Exercise

Rhino Tutorial - Screen Shots

The exercises helped to get an initial understand-ing of Rhino functionalities. It allows the designer to virtually produce every imaginable shape or form without having to physically construct it. Being limited to 2D hand drawings may result in restrictions of his or her imagination. It also allows the designer to precicly define proportions and sizes, thicknesses etc. .

When the spider’s prey entangles in the web it is impossible to escape. As the spider notices its catch in the strings, one might imagine that the spider’s slow motion approach is a way to torture the captured victim. The spider enwraps the insect with such elegance and diligence that its handling seems almost benign. It could even be compared to a mother who holds her child with pa-rental affection.The lantern’s form will be similar to the shape of a pouch that is held close to the body to represent the spider’s intimate handling of its victim.

The PouchThe Spider’s Prey

With this model I want to communicate the idea of the lantern as a pouch hanging from the holder’s shoulder. The bendability of paper allowed me to easily represent the cocoon-like sac created by the spider to store her prey. The finely woven pouch again shows the spider’s conscientiousness in handling her catch, which reminds me of a mother caring for her child.

Module 1, Week 2

Spider spins its preyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PasIcWofgwE&feature=related

The ‘pouch’ is to be hooked over one shoulder while one arm will support the bottom of the lan-tern. The shape of the pouch consists of trapezes of different sizes that resemble the forms within the spider web. Furthermore, it has a similarity to a baby sling that enables the parent to carry the child as close to the body as possible. The di-rect contact creates not only a physical but also a psychogycal closeness.

These models show the surface pattern of the trapeze elements that make up the lantern. Each trapeze will be cut into horizontal sections that alternately fold inside and outside. This allows the light to give the surface a variety of interesting shades.

smaller trapezes

larger trapezes

Ideas for Shape and Form

Clay ModelSpider Web Pouch

Front elevation Side elevation

Inspirational Artists

Ben van Berkel, UN Studio, Frankfurt/ Germany

Work by Zaha Hadid

Toma s Saraceno, Spider Web Installation

Zaha Hadid, Guangzhou Opera House/ China

By looking at these artists I was able to gain some ideas for the shape and form of my de-sign.Zaha Hadid is known for her organic archi-tectural style. She is known to use simple ge-ometrical shapes that assemble a complex whole. Her works are great examples for the fractal structures discovered in natural pat-tern.Ben van Berkel mainly inspired me through the creation of smoothly formed surfaces that give the design a sense of fluidity.

This architect uses hexagonal forms that he derives from the shapes of the spider web. People can sit within the web like the spider’s prey or like a collective of raintrops.

John McAslan + Partners, London, King’s Cross redevelopment, 2012

Photograph by Russel Watkins after the flood in Pakistan, 2010

Photograph of spider web: Paolo Portoghesi

Frei Otto, experimental tensile structure

Spider webs have been used as inspiration for shelters and overarching constructions. In architecture they appear both as fragile and impressive designs.The web embraces and covers up - and marks the spider’s ‘possessions’.

While in architecture each pattern requires a patterner who precisely plans each element of a pat-tern shape, patterns found in nature form “naturally” following underlying principles. Even though these natural patterns seem to happen randomly and spontaneously they can be ascribed to math-ematical analogies. Although there is no universal theory of the formation of natural pattern, the re-occurrence of certain basic shapes show that they underly a common scheme. It is also to be noted that complex pattern systems break down into relatively simple pattern elements that add up and attach through repetition. Philip Ball’s ‘Pattern Formation in Nature’ had a significant impact on my perception of nature. Each natural phenomenon can be deconstructed until one discovers the core principle of re-occuring micro-shapes. It seems that I am now only beginniing to be aware of these phenomena, which sur-round us without being recognized.

Orthographic views show aspects of 3 dimensional objects in 2 dimensional form. Even though they do not comply with the 3 dimensional reality, these orthographic representations provide precise information about the object. Orthographic views enable us to visualise information needed in the design process, especially when materializing the virtual object.Other architectural drawing methods also inform us about form, size, texture, material, environmental context, building interiors and space division of architectural objects. All of these methods facilitate the understanding of 3 dimensional forms using explanatory 2 dimensional model drawings.

Reflection - Module 1

Kandinsky, a Russian painter and theorist at the Bauhaus, played an influential role in the teaching and understanding of analytical drawing. With his abstract drawings he investigates the objects from a compositional point of view and how they structually relate to each other. Analytical drawings from the Bauhaus focus on the tensions be-tween the framed elements rather than the exact depiction of the seen. Through a series of drawings the motif progressively becomes more abstract following a set of principles concerning balance, parallels and major contrasts. The ability to abstract is one of the most important skills a designer and architect must have. A good design is an abstract representation of the analogy that was chosen as inspiration. For me personally it was extremely helpful to abstract not only by drawing but also by modeling as clay forces you to simplify shapes and details.

On Analytical Drawing Clark Poling

On Pattern Formation in NaturePhilip Ball

On Orthographic TerminologyRendow YeeFrancis D.K. Ching