Here are a few images and a quick video of how my screen is developing. I’m designing specifically for a NW facing wall in my studio project that diffuses light in a research library corridor. The demands of this space are simple: 1. Create dynamic light and rhythm in the 10′ wide corridor that parallels the wall and 2. Shield the adjacent bookstacks from the damaging effects of UV rays.
As the quick animation shows late evening sun projects light deep into the space…which is a problem. I wanted to create clearstory windows that would allow afternoon sun into the walkway, but these have the negative effect of then allowing light to hit the bookstacks. This might be mitigated with a light shelf or with louvers integrated into the screen itself, both are possibilities I am exploring.
The research library space is at the top of my building and overlooks a prominent campus square as a part of our team’s larger urban design for a new UO campus in Portland. The abstracted square windows allow views down into this space, similar to the Japanese snow windows we discussed briefly in class this morning. The decision to penetrate fully or carve into the panel is based on my selection of a translucent material for the screen that would allow for variations in the light levels depending on the depth of the carve. This should be more evident in the test mills.
Alex, I saw your posting immediately and I was puzzling on how to advise you. I really appreciate how you are using different views and animations to understand this wall – looking at the artifact from different views can help you understand it. It’s a great first step and the way you integrated your text on the second panel is helpful for understanding your intent.
I have thoughts about how you could adjust your approach to the problem to get more insight.
I was glad to hear that this wall is for a corridor, since the pattern would not be distracting from task work there. It’s really important that you model the other side of the corridor, even if it is bookstack ends, if you want to understand the lighting condition. This is particularly true if a goal is to protect the books from UV exposure. Material properties are also really crucial for the overall visual effect. It would be exciting to see your idea translated into translucent material and possibly including color.
Whiie the pattern has a fun, funky feel, the repetition needs to be varied more to carry that off at a larger scale. I would consider interspersing some mini versions of the panel in a kind of fractal-like nesting. See Elena Manfredini’s golden fish pattern to get ideas. You might enjoy seeing the Philip Ball work about patterns and processes: the self-made Tapestry.
Think carefully about how the full scale construction would be created, because it won’t be milling but will likely be a kind of armature. Maybe some translucent infill panels would work better than thinking of the whole frame solid.