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Project 1: Form and Function
Raul Ramdeholl
Form and Function:
Expression of Truth and Beauty
This project revolves around form and function being an architectural focus point. The goal of this project is to analyze existing prototypes (their form) and transform them to serve a slightly different purpose (their function), all while restraining from destroying the original prototype. The new prototype must have a road width of 12' and must allow a 30' x 40' opening for water traffic.
Span Prototypes
Here, I took three examples of common bridge types. These included a cantilever, cable-stay, and arch. Taking these photos, I mapped out their overall shape and structure (red).
Movement Analogies
Vice Grip
Tripod
Scissor Jack
Taking somewhat common objects, I drafted replicas of them and broke them down into their mechanism to find candidates to be implemented into the bridge.
Combination Table
Mechanism Demonstration and Views
I chose to base my mechanism on the vice grip. Because the project required a 30' x 40' opening, I had to make some adjustments to the mechanism in the sense that I upscaled the vice grip's components, which allowed for a greater range of motion that'd achieve the 40' required clearance height. The movement essentially works in a manner such that one side gets pulled down, thus pulling the other side down in addition to rotating slightly about the base.
Preliminary Designs
Final Design
In my final design, I refrained from varying the pattern of the structure like I originally did in my preliminary design. Here, we can see how the support structure on the right seems to "narrow" as it move closer to the middle of the bridge and maintains a trapezoidal shape. This is then reflected on the left side of the bridge, thus "maintaining" the main part of the original form of the bridge while also harboring some adjustments to suit the new function.
Transformation Process
Moving Bridge Demonstration
Final Elevations
(Open and Closed)
Final Views and Renders
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