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Project 1: Form and Function
Architectural Design II - ARC 257
This project focuses on the importance of creating a structure that looks visually appealing while also performing properly. I was asked to redesign an existing bridge by modifying part of it and adding a movement feature that allows boats to pass through a 30' W x 40' H opening. I had to balance the bridge's form with its functionality, allowing them to mesh with one another.
Span Prototype
Name: Sydney Harbor Bridge
Type: Arch Bridge
Location: Sydney, Australia
Name: Forth Bridge
Type: Cantilever Bridge
Location: South Queensferry, United Kingdom
Name: Rio-Antirrio Bridge
Type: Cable Stay Bridge
Location: Antirrio, Greece
Movement Analogies
I was then tasked with finding five items that all contained two or more hinges. Once approved, I chose three of those items. In my case that was a wine opener, ice cream scoop and vice grip pliers. I studied each of their movements by drawing them in 3D and assembling them one piece at a time. After I completed my 3D models, I diagramed the movements as a system of lines to better understand how I might incorporate the movements into my chosen bridges.
Wing Corkscrew
Ice-Cream Scoop
Vice Grip Pliers
Preliminary 3x3 Prototype Table
The next step of the process was to explore how I could add the three movement features to the three bridges I chose. I did this by creating a 3x3 table with the bridges (form) as the rows and the movement diagrams (function) as the columns. This yielded me with nine individual prototypes to work with.
Selected Prototype
3D Bridge Process
Views
Detail Views
North West View
North East View
South West View
South East View
3-D View of the Mechanism
3-D View of the Bridge
3-D View of the Pulley System
Renderings
Final Design
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