HexAperture
As part of the 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing seminar at CCA, HexAperture is exploring the creation of temporary space and experience through the techniques of digital design and computation. The intent of the installation aims to highlight new potentials for digital fabrication and craft through an architectural lens. As the architectural profession at large begins to incorporate 3D printing into its practice, HexAperture aims to exhibit specifically how students are questioning its place in architectural pedagogy.
The installation is freestanding and mobile, made up by a congregation of 3D printed hexagonal modules that are designed parametrically using the Silkworm plugin for Grasshopper. Instead of designing a 3D geometry, Silkworm allows its user to design the very tool path of the 3D printer and generate gcode directly. This increased creative freedom allows the user to experiment with endless possibilities to optimize the geometry, and to think about the project economically in terms of time and material consumption. The end result is an optimized installation made up by groups of standardized modules, with controlled variation ranging from dense to clear, translucent to transparent, and black to white. The end installation encourages spectators to walk around, peek through, and possibly make eye contact with another user.
Taking advantage of the light-weight property of 3D printed material, HexAperture has the ability to be disassembled, stored, and reassembled when desired.
Joint Clip design
Early iterations
Presentation Panels
Time-lapse of installation
