DESIGN JOURNALMODULE THREE: FABRICATION

Jackson Wylie 638578 Sierra Stathis 640338

PRECEDENCEWINDE RIENSTRA, PETER ZUMTHOR AND LOUISE BOURGEOIS

We drew inspiration from Dutch designer Winde Rienstra, Swiss

architect Peter Zumthor and contemporary artist Louise Bourgeois.

Their work focuses on the skin and bone design concept. The

elements we used in our design were the ‘interior skin’ and ‘exterior

bone’ displayed in the Steilneset Museum and the geometric

fashion design and positioning of the shapes on the body.

This gives the inner skin the ability to look as though it is floating and

also creates some very unique shapes as the materials composing

the inner skin are stretched. In our design, we want the inner skin to

be stretched dramatically to create a very unique, organic shape.

DESIGN SKETCHES & DRAWINGS IMAGES

Our designs have progressed from initially being movable

to a solid structure. Gradual modification of the design

through prototyping and further investegation into

precedence have helped us to reach our final design option.

DESIGN EVOLUTIONRHINO MODELS

INITIAL PROTOTYPING & MATERIAL TESTINGPHYSICAL MODELS

These were our Initial prototypes for our design, and the problem we were attempting to solve with these models wat what sort of

materials we would use to construct it out of. What we found was, cardboard was far too flimsy and couldnot withstand the pressure

that the fabric would put on it when taut. The wood was strong enough but joining it at the corners was extremely difficult as the

wood would split and thus loose all of its strength at the joins. Metal was definitely strong enough and could pssibly be joined much

more effectively than wood by either soldering, welding or other means. We decided that we would opt to use metal as our ideal

material for the outer ‘bone’ layer.

CARDBOARD PROTOTYPEMETAL PROTOTYPE WOOD PROTOTYPE

FURTHER DEVELOPED PROTOTYPE& CHANGES IN DESIGN

After our decision to choose metal as the material for our ‘bone’

layer we came across a few technical challenges. First problem was

that most metals were quite heavy and this could result in the second

skin being very uncomfortable and difficult to wear for prolonged

periods of time and it may even impair the persons’ posture. We

solved this issure by choosing to use hollow aluminium tubing which

was extremely light.

The second issue that we came across was how we would join the

aluminium tubing together and to the fabric. Inspiration came from

camping tents which share almost identical frame material of hollow

fibreglass or aluminium tubes, and they were joined together quite

effectively by elastic rope which runs through the middle of it.

IMAGES AND MAKING PROCESSMETHOD: STAGE 1

The first step was ensuring all our materials

were collected and cut down to size. We

calculated the number and length of the

aluminium tube we needed. Important

element of building our model was ensuring

all the ends of the aluminium tubing was

blunted to ensure it wouldn’t cut the elasted

feeded through.

FRONT BASE FRAME BACK BASE FRAME

IMAGES AND MAKING PROCESSMETHOD: STAGE 2

Stage two added the 3D aspect of the model. The Triangles were added

individually using the same piece of elastic as the base frame to minimise

the visible knots and to ensure maximum strength. This process was quite

similar to the building of the base frame as it still involved running elastic

string through each of the aluminium pieces and securing them with a

knot at each of the pyramid’s pinnacle/intersect point.

IMAGES AND MAKING PROCESSMETHOD: STAGE 2 CONTINUED

After all of the pyramids were complete, the front and back pieces needed to be connected to complete the frame and make it wearable. This was done simply by adding two 20cm aluminium pieces between the top of the front and back pieces, and this was joined by doubling up the elastic string to strengthen these two pieces and allow the shoulders of the model to support the entire second skin’s weight.

IMAGES AND MAKING PROCESSSTAGE 3

Then the flexible skin layer could be added, this was the

most difficult part of the entire fabrication process. We

proceeded to stretch the fabric between each pyramid

to get rid of folds and slack areas of the fabric, we found

as we were doing this that it was also adding strength to

the overall second skin structure.

To secure the fabric to the edges of the frames we first

attempted to sew, this proves to be very difficult as it

was very time consuming, so instead we decided to

explore other ways in which we could secure the edges

of the fabric. Hot glue, was very quick however it did

leave a slight discoloration of the fabric which was not

ideal.

We ended up sewing each corner of the fabric

and glueing the fabric to the metal in between. This

approach worked because the stitches at the corners

held the fabric in place, which gave the glue time to

dry.

RHINO ASSEMBLY IMAGESRHINO

To aid the assembly of our second skin frame we made a simplified

2D version of the frame. This was very helpfull as we could see all

the different lengths of aluminium tubing that we required to scale

and proportion. In this assembly rhino drawing we seperated

the frame into the top and back base assembled which consists

of only 20 and 30cm pieces and below in groups of three each

of the lengths required for the 3D pyramid element of the fame.

RHINO EXPLODED FRAME IMAGESRHINO

PERSPECTIVE VIEW TOP VIEW FRONT VIEW

FINAL RHINO DESIGNSSECOND SKIN

FINAL PHOTOSFRONT AND BACK