Reflection

I study within an architectural discipline. The metal skills I have learnt this semester have broadened my understanding of material capabilities and have made me realise that simple base objects can be made into incredible forms with skill, patience and a little love. 

Architectural Spectrum: Expansive to Enclosed

EXPANSIVE

ENCLOSED

The Spaces:

Lincoln Park Zoo South Pond Restoration and Pavilion, Chicago, USA - Studio Gang Architects

 The organic shape of this pavilion makes it feel light and weightless like a bubble floating off into the sky.

Bosjes Chapel, Western Cape, South Africa - Steyn Studio

The undulating roofline mimics the smooth transition of the curves in my blister shape which gives the building a sense that it is expanding from the corners to the sky.

Casa Tiburon, Ballena, Mexico - Javier Senosiain

 This bathroom uses negative space (skylight) similar to the blister shape expanding from the flat metal sheet. The light gives a sense of expansion whilst the shadow accentuates the enclosing nature of the organic form.

The DZ bank building, Berlin, Germany (1995-2001) - Frank Gehry

 Gehry's DZ bank building uses interconnecting blister forms to create an enclosing structure that is protruded with glazing.

Harbin Opera House, Harbin, Chine (2016) - MAD Architects

 These Opera boxes exploit the inherit enclosure of curved forms, which create cosy seating to watch the opera.

King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, Dhahran Saudi Arabia (2007 - 2017) - SNOHETTA

 The scale of this form is incredible as the curves encompass the entire building. The open setting is heavily juxtaposed to the enclosure of the various forms.

Tutorial: Blister Shape

This tutorial will help you make a blister shape, or any shape using the 'sandwich template' method.

EQUIPMENT:

• Aluminium sheet - annealed is preferable as it is easier to work with
• MDF 18mm
• Laser-cutter or CNC 
• 4x screws and bolts
• Double radius nylon mallet
• Sandbag
• Jigsaw
• Sander
• Bobbin Sander
• Plyers/Wrench
• Metal Guillotine
• Timber off-cut
• Computer
• Modeling software (e.g Grasshopper)

STEP 1:

Use a computer software to generate a shape to use as a template. 

• In my case the tear-drop shape was randomly generated on Grasshopper, but you could use Adobe Illustrator, 1234 Make etc, AutoCAD etc. 

TIP: Add holes to your template design for each corner that are marginally smaller than the diameter of your screw. You will use these holes to line up your templates and screw them together.

STEP 2:

Use a laser cutter or CNC machine to cut out the template x 2.

• Make sure you use a material that is thick enough to withstand repeated hitting. 18mm MDF worked well in my case. 
• You need 2x templates to create a sandwich. Laser cutting/CNC is ideal as the templates will be identical.
• Keep note that most Laser cutters will be able to cut through 18mm material
• If you are using the CNC ask the lovely FAB LAB staff to help you use it
• Your template will look something like this: 

STEP 3:

Use a jigsaw and sander to remove the tabs and shape from the template.

• This is only applicable if you had tabs holding your shape to your template. It would be more time efficient to program the CNC to cut the shape off entirely unless you have many pieces and don't want them to get mixed up.

STEP 4:

Cut aluminium using guillotine with minimum dimension of your template shape + 50mm each side. 

• This allows material for the sandwich to hold onto while you shape the metal.
• Cutting with guillotine produces much nicer cut than tin-snips and is much easier.

STEP 5:

Place aluminium sheet in between the two MDF templates and secure templates tightly with screw and bolts or clamps.

• Make sure you center the metal
• Use pliers or a wrench to secure very tightly

STEP 6:

Start stretching the metal using the large radius end of a nylon mallet. Aim for the middle of the shape for a more uniform stretching.

• It is important not to use the smaller radius (the pointy end) as it will take longer and not have as smooth a finish.
• Place the sandbag underneath the shape so that there is less chance of making a hole.

TIP: do not start off stretching the metal with the small radius of a mallet (the pointy end). This will create small dents that concentrate the stretching to a very small spot which can create an uneven surface and increase the change of making a hole.

STEP 7: 

Start stretching near the edge of the template

• make sure you are working around the radius of the shape evenly to produce am even blister shape and not to stretch one area too much which creates holes.

TIP: I found placing one mallet on the edge you want to hit and then hitting that with a second mallet to be very effective. This way the material stretches evenly and you don't have to hit at strange angles.

STEP 8:

Create a tool to define edges. 

• I found a timber off-cut in the workshop and rounded the edges of one side on the sander. Hand sand the curved edge afterwards to create a completely smooth surface otherwise you'll mark the metal when using it.
• Make sure the rounded edge is small enough to fit in the tight spaces where you need to define an edge. 
• The opposite end should be flat to allow a surface to be hit by a hammer.

TIP: Do not use a flat tool with sharp corners as the corners will make indentations into the surface of your metal which are hard to reverse. A curved tool will fit into more spaces, can be held at different angles and will not make harsh indentations. 

STEP 9:

Use the tool created in Step 8 to define the edges by hitting placing it on the edge and hitting it with a mallet or hammer.

• You want to create a crisp edge so put the timber tool as close to the edge as possible and hit it gently with a mallet. Work consistently around the perimeter of your template to produce an even finish

TIP: Wooden tool can be positioned at different angles to get into tight spaces including the tip of the teardrop. 

STEP 10:

Use the nylon mallet to smooth out any bumps the timber tool may have made.

• This will create a very smooth transition from the sharp edge to the rounded center of the blister.

TIP: Work from the perimeter down to the center. This will stretch the material down and create a deeper curve. You may need to create a dip in the sandbag to allow the shape to further stretch.

STEP 11:

Remove the template and polish the metal.

• This is optional, your aluminium blister's surface should already be smooth and untouched looking if you followed the previous steps and used nylon and timber tools only. 
• There are several ways of polishing the metal:

1. Brasso:
   
   This produces the best finish but the smell of the product is terrible, as it is highly chemical and toxic. This left me with a headache and I would not use it again unless I had to.
   
   Directions
• shake polish can well
• apply a small amount of polish onto a dry cloth and rub metal item thoroughly
• buff to a shine with a dry cloth - circular motions help remove discolouration
2. Natural metal polish:
   
   I have not used this product personally but I would be interested in purchasing for future metal projects. It uses only natural ingredients including glucose, fruit acids, vegetable oil compounds, lemon oil and diatomaceous earth.
   Available from: https://www.planetnatural.com/product/metal-polish/
   
   Directions:
• apply a small amount of polish and with a water-dampened cloth, thoroughly clean
• Buff to a shine with a dry cloth.
3. Bicarbonate soda & lemon juice:
   
   This is a natural metal cleaning agent not a polish. I used this method as I felt my metal surface already looked nice from my careful shaping. This will not give a polished effect but it will restore some shine and clean off any scuff marks.
   
   Directions:
• mix bicarbonate soda and lemon juice until a thick paste is made
• spread paste evenly over entire metal surface
• leave for 30 minutes
• scrub off with a water-dampened cloth

THE OUTCOME:

This method creates a nice deep curve with a smooth transition and a sharp edge. Enjoy!