Tag Archives: Laser Cut Acrylic

Subvert Skate Park, Saskia Furman

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This site is currently a car park in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Saskia’s 3rd year proposal for this site is a new development providing a space for the ‘socially un-welcome’. The development would include a skate park, hostel and other spaces for urban sports.

For this project Saskia used different coloured acrylics to represent different sections of her proposal.

This type of model is sometimes known as a ‘Jewel model’ due to the illuminated effect given by the coloured acrylics. Commercially this type of model get’s varied use.

Architects Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners favour this style of model during their design development stages.  Providing the CAD files are set up and drawn correctly this type of model can be a great quick addition to a project, this example took around 5 hours to draw, cut and assemble incuding some trial and error!

Ancoats Community Development ‘Hybrid Scheme’, Sandra Schenavsky

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3rd year Student Sandra Schenavsky decided to take a materialistic approach to her final submission model. The proposed site in Ancoats would feature a well rounded use of buildings to create a ‘Work, Life and Leisure’ balance for those who might use the space.

Sandra wanted to convey the different uses of each element of her design by representing them as near to her proposed material finish as possible. To do this the existing site and landscaping was represented in laser cut card contours. The main building itself was constructed using pigmented plaster casts to represent concrete sections, laser cut MDF to represent wooden cladding and laser cut acrylic to represent glass facades.

This was a great experimentation project which found a good balance of techniques. Casting plaster into MDF molds proved challenging but after several trials Sandra was able to come up with an effective way of casting the forms she wanted.

 

1:500 site model of a distribution/retail centre in Bradford, Sam Higgins

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Sam HigginsThis 1:500 Site model was made by 6th Year MA Architecture Student Sam Higgins. The model uses limited block coloured components to clearly define the outlines of various parts of the site. This model was made using laser cutting and hand cutting of components and was largely assembled out of the workshop hours. This is often essential to achieve a high volume of physical work for your portfolio as workshop hours can be restrictive. It’s important to make the most of any allocated time slots or time you choose to spend in the workshop for the best outcome in terms of what you are trying to convey.  Sam Higgins 1

New Precision Tools in the Workshop

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New Tools (1)

We have just had a delivery of precision tools to help in the accurate construction of your models. For anyone who has had trouble getting straight walls or accurate angles in the making or assembly of any of your models, you now have no excuse! 🙂

Please ask either myself or Jim for a short tutorial in the correct use of these tools which can work wonders towards accuracy in your work.

More than happy to help!

Scott

‘Trimo Urban Crash Bike Base’ Competition entry, Alexandr Valakh

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This competition entry was completed in January 2013 by 5th year MA Architecture student Alexandr Valakh. Here is a brief project description taken from Arch Daily:

‘In digital imaging, a pixel, is a physical point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable element in a display device; so it is the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the screen. The pixel is a multifunctional Cafe and Bike storage repair stop, designed on an orthogonal grid, with entirely adaptable elements including optional layouts and furniture arrangements. The Pixel like its name sake is in an adaptable social environment designed to to create a new and flexible social public space.

These spatial responses include differing strategies for Daytime, Nighttime as we all as
different strategies which can be implemented to respond to environmental/seasonal factors, site conditions as well as security requirements.’ -Alexandr Valakh

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Alexandr used laser cut ply wood to create this concept model showing how his proposed design would look in relation to its surroundings. He also used a minimum of contextual details such as people and a car to further convey its scale.

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In addition to the context model Alexandr produced a detail model of the units construction featuring laser cut bike silhouettes. The level of detail shown in this detail model would be inappropriate on the smaller context model.

‘Exchange Parade Theatre’ Context Model, Rachel Jenkins

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Just completed design development model, this 1:500 context model aims to show how this proposed theatre design will sit within what is currently an urban car parking space. The model includes subterranean levels and roadways that make up the different site levels. At this stage the model can be disassembled to allow for possible design changes to be discussed with Rachel’s tutors.