PROJECTS: Self-Ventilating
By using solar energy, a thermobimetal system can be smartly designed to block the sun. This strategy is especially useful when trying to prevent solar heat gain and glare to enter a building, while using no energy and needing no controls.
Torus
October 2015
Project Description
Because thermobimetal is manufactured in 6” wide rolls, the obvious way to make a continuous surface is by tessellation, or by laser-cutting many small tight-fitting tiles. In Bloom, for example, there were over nine-thousand thermobimetal pieces, each numbered to identify its specific position. Looking for new ways to ease fabrication and reduce sorting time, the “Torus” study explores the idea that an entire project can be made from one single piece. The need to pre-cut a sheet of thermobimetal in numerous small pieces is eliminated, making it virtually impossible to lose valuable pieces. With custom-made jigs, the 6” wide roll of thermobimetal can be fed into the laser-cutting machine on a continuous feed. The product can be rerolled and inexpensively shipped to new sites for easy re-assemby.
Along the spiraling spine, the geometry of the flaps strategically interlock together eliminating the need for any fastening system. Those same cantilevering flaps flare open when the internal infrared heating device is turned on. This piece is used to demonstrate innovation in the use of old metals.
Credits and Information
Materials: Thermobimetal, aluminum, heating unit + wiring
Project Team: Doris Sung, Elizabeth Phillips, Justin Kang, Dylan Wood, Eugene Su, Michelle East, Adelfrid Ramirez
Funding: This project was privately funded for an undisclosed amount.