The initial two fabric formwork tests were both based on hanging the fabric loosely from a frame and then draping the material over bamboo and filling it with plaster. I decided that I would then take a departure from this to carry out some iterations where the fabric was tensioned over the bamboo instead. For this, I used the same base and the same elastane fabric, and have so far carried out three different tests.
First test
For the first iteration, I wanted to keep things fairly simple, and so I arranged the bamboo so that the heights only varied in the X direction and then repeated this in Y direction 3 times. This meant that when the fabric was stretched, it effectively gave a section model, and meant that the fabric was only being distorted/stretched fairly uniformly in one direction.
Process – arranging bamboo, stretching fabric, applying plaster, peeling fabric, final cast
This test did crack into two pieces under the stress of the fabric being peeled off. However, the larger piece does demonstrate both a peak and a trough using only a thin depth of plaster and using no reinforcement.
Final cast photos
Second test
For the second test I wanted to then explore the effects of the fabric being stretched in more than just one direction, creating a form that was more varied in all directions. The arrangement that I elected to use was of a full grid of evenly spaced, equal-height bamboo, with 'pull-down points' in the middle of each bay.
Process – arranging bamboo, stretching fabric, applying plaster, peeling fabric, final cast
During the casting process, three of the pull-down points popped out, which actually resulted in a more interesting and unique final form. This is one of the things that I find so useful and enjoyable about the physical modelling process, particularly with something as experimental as fabric formwork, as unexpected things happen which can then inform later iterations of design and testing, which is less likely to happen in virtual testing. In this test, instead of going for a thin layer of plaster, I poured the plaster in.
This cast also broke in two, I believe due to the weight of the cast creating a bending moment at one of the thinner areas whilst it was being lifted off the base. The final result is an interesting, atmospheric vaulted space. The vault heights are around 60mm, so these can be viewed as spatial studies nominally at 1:50 or 1:100 scale.
Final cast photos
Third test
In the latest tensioning test, I have aimed to bring together the most interesting parts of the previous two tests – the thinness of plaster of the first, and the three-dimensional vaulted spaces of the second. Again, as with the second one, some of the pull-down points popped out, but again this led to a more interesting final result.
Process – arranging bamboo, stretching fabric, applying plaster, peeling fabric, final cast
This test was a great success, as it did not break apart at all, in spite of the thinness of plaster and lack of reinforcement. I particularly like the moments where the plaster hasn't covered the tops of the bamboos in places, leading to oculi which allow light into the space.
Final cast photos
Reflection
I'm really happy with the results of these tests, and think that each one offers something different. Comparing them to the first, loose-hang fabric formwork tests, I would say that these have more use in thinking about space, treating them as small-scale models, whilst the loose-hang tests were a good starting point for understanding how the fabric and cast material act together, and can be treated as more of a 1:1 detail study.
I think that it could be interesting, moving forwards, to undertake more physical modelling tests with the aim of creating spaces, and then photograph these and overlay with drawing and lines from computer models as well. Some initial experiments at populating the spaces are shown below.
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