Week 3: Geometric explorations

The particular stone carving technique which was explored by the Armenian craftsmen for decades unveils a dialogue between the design intent of the master and the geometric boundaries of the material. With the help of computational techniques I have analysed an architectural specimen of stone masonry, found in Geghard monastery chapel dome (4^th Century AD).

Geghard cave and monastery dome 

There are number of computational and fabrication techniques that can be implemented throughout design and construction processes and these implementations have become more accessible with the use of CAD/CAM. I have been computing some geometries, based on the fusion of techniques used in stone carving of the dome and the Khachkars of outer cave.



Khachkar and dome pattern studies

The shapes were created around the form of the ornaments, and composed in 3D, translating the individual layers of depth and light-dark contrast.



Exploring folding and sectioning of the stone pattern

Folding is a simple yet a very versatile technique where a flat surface is turned into a three dimensional shape. The fold itself introduces a structural element of rigidity and stiffness in the form that sometimes can be self-supported. In these preliminary explorations I have looked into the stiff honeycomb shape patterns of the dome that echo the support locations of the stone carved structure. 
Sectioning, on the other hand, uses a series of profiles, the edges of which follow lines of surface geometry,  rather than constructing the actual surface. The embodiment of sectional fabrication was facilitates mostly by emergence of laser cutting technology, which allows building of big scale profiles and which I will be exploiting in more detail in weeks to come.

Tessellation and resolution studies

Tessellation, in fact, is an ancient technique, that uses collection of pieces that fit together forming a surface without gaps. These method have been explored in stained-glass windows of Gothic Cathedrals, screen walls of Islamic architecture and mosaics of Byzantine and Roman empires. The digital technologies reinvented this patterning technique with higher resolution and greater modulation and variation. NURB and mesh modelling offer an enormous definition of surface approximation from faceted to smooth. These studies gave birth to the parametric architecture, which allows a wide array of tessellating possibilities. I will be comparing the limited array of Geghard dome tessellations, that are dictated by the internal structure of the rock with the liberating possibilities of digital tessellations on the platform of 3Ds Max and CATIA.

Digital carving- contouring

Contouring is the subtractive method of removing successive layers of the materials, which, in essence, is carving, that creates a three dimensional relief by reshaping the surface. The rock cutting technique used in Armenian temples and Khachkars is the earliest form of the contouring process, which nowadays is widely performed by CNC milling machines. The digital fabrication method of milling thus transcends the old analogue crafting technique, with additional resolution and depth. My preliminary focus will be on pushing the boundaries of existing limitations of scale and cost prohibitive factors of this technique, by series of 3 axis milling studies of the rock cutting specimen. 

Phantasmagorical 3D carving and folding elevations 

Finally I will be looking into the process of forming, which has been largely deployed by industrial design since the early industrial revolution but has only recently established more concrete framework within the realm of architectural structures. Here as well, digital fabrication unveiled new potential for designing customisable concepts, although forming inherently is a manual process. With the help of digital milling and rapid prototyping, I will be investigating into non-standardized mould making of analogue digital hybrids that can be developed into architecturally scalable structures by multiplication and variation.

Contouring path and joint explorations

Phantasmagorical 3D representation of the pattern