This project was designed for a technical studio where NCARB criteria and requirements were used. In addition, this studio\'s conceptual approach was to select a material as a design methodology. The material I researched was Nomex Honeycomb, which was used as a modulating facade skin system.

1. MONOGRAPH ONE [1]
SELECTED ACADEMIC PROJECTS BY
EMMANUEL PIERRE JORDAN GEE
PANEL 1 PANEL 2 PANEL 3 PANEL 2
80% OPACITY 50% OPACITY 10% OPACITY 60% OPACITY
12’-0”
A
A
B
D
C [A] - INDUSTRIAL GLASS FACINGS
[B] - NOMEX RESIN COATED HONEYCOMB FIBER
[C] - MECHANICAL STEEL TRACK SYSTEM
[D] - FACINGS + HONEYCOMB SHEETS + MECHANICAL SYSTEM
= [MECHANICALLY INSULATED APERATURE SKIN SYSTEM]

2. PROJECT
APERTURE: skin systems as communication
TITLE:
CRITIC: RASHIDA NG
STUDIO: ARCH 331/431 FALL 2006
digiFAD laboratory
CLIENT:
PHASES: 3 DESIGN AND RESEARCH PHASES
[MATERIAL & SITE RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, DESIGN DEVELOPMENT]
COURSE THIS STUDIO WAS AN INVESTIGATION INTO DESIGN AS A PROCESS THAT EXTENDS
BEYOND THE CONCEPTION OF AN INITIAL IDEA. IT DEVELOPED AN INITIAL SCHEME
DESCRIPTION: INTO A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY THAT DEMONSTRATES THE RESPONSE TO SITE
CONDITIONS, THE MATERIAL NATURE OF THE ENCLOSURE AND ITS ASSEMBLY, THE
SUSTAINABLE RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS, LIFE-SAFETY REGULATIONS,
AND ACCESSIBILITY. THIS PROJECT WAS A SIMULTANEOUS INVESTIGATION INTO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIFIC MATERIAL AS A TECTONIC ASSEMBLY, WHILE ENGAGING
IN THE BROADER GOAL OF AN ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION. THE DESIGN WAS FOR A
DIGITAL FABRICATION AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN LABORATORY, SPECIALIZING IN
CUSTOMIZED ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING PRODUCT DESIGN AND DIGITAL FABRICATION
TECHNOLOGIES. WE WERE ASKED TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT IN FULL WITH A
GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION,
STRUCTURAL DESIGN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS PER NAAB CRITERIA. - NG
PROGRAM: THE PROGRAM FOR THIS PROJECT WAS TO FOCUS & DEVELOP A SYSTEM THROUGH
THE USE OF A SPECIFIC MATERIAL, WHILE DESIGNING A COMPLETE
WORKSHOP/LABORATORY. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES A LOBBY, EXHIBITION GALLERY,
WORK STUDIOS, MOCK-UP SPACE, TESTING LAB, MATERIALS LIBRARY, PROTOTYPING
SHOP, FABRICATION SHOP, AND ALL TYPICAL COMMERCIAL FUNCTIONS.
S I T E : THIS PROJECT’S SITE IS LOCATED IN MANAYUNK, PHILADELPHIA AT MAIN STREET AND
LEVERINGTON AVENUE BETWEEN THE SCHUYKILL RIVER AND THE MANAYUNK CANAL.
FOCUSES: THE FOCUS FOR THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNING A SKIN SYSTEM WHICH ALTERED THE
APERTURE OF THE BUILDINGS FACADE USING HONEYCOMB RESIN FIBER SHEETS.
AWARDS: THIS PROJECT WAS NOMINATED BY FACULTY FOR THREE STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITIONS.
IT RECIEVED A 2ND PLACE AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING DESIGN AND
PRESINTATION SKILLS FROM THE “AIA WEST NEW JERSEY STUDENT DESIGN AWARDS” IN
2007. IT ALSO RECIEVED AN HONORABLE MENTION FROM “VITTETA: BEST AND THE
BRIGHTEST BI-ANNUAL ARCHITECTURAL STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION”. THE THIRD
AWARD SUBMISSION WAS TO AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED “INPUT/OUTPUT”.

3. digiFAD LABORATORY IS AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND FABRICATION FIRM LOCATED IN MANAYUNK, PHILADELPHIA [ACADEMIC]. THE SITE IS LOCATED ON VENICE ISLAND, AN
Separation Map
ARTIFICIALLY CREATED ISLAND CENTERED BETWEEN THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER AND THE MANAYUNK CANAL. THIS LOCATION HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN AN AREA OF EXTREME FLOODING
AND IS FOUND ISOLATED FROM THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY DUE TO A WEB OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
IN AN ATTEMPT TO RE-INTEGRATE THIS MAN MADE ISLAND TO THE COMMUNITY, IT IS THE INTENSION OF THIS LAB TO ACT AS A COMMUNICATOR BETWEEN “THE BUILDING, THE
PRODUCT, THE FABRICATOR, AND THE COMMUNITY.” THE INITIAL GOAL IS TO CREATE AN ADAPTIVE AND MODULATING SKIN, WHICH COULD REFLECT THE PROGRAMMATIC
CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF PRODUCTION WITHIN, WHILE MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF PRIVACY NEEDED FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
Built Surfaces
Manayunk Canal
LOADING
Vehicular Movement DOCK &
STORAGE
MECHANICAL ROOM
Rail Movement
Schuylkill River
N
Water Density
Venice Island and Surrounding Densities: 2006 [Each Solid Block Represents 10,000 sqft]
Void and Nature
void - 1,978,187,620 roads - 850,324,047 water - 848,016,158 built - 570,092,444 train - 372,496,151

4. digiFAD’S EXTERIOR CLADDING IS A MECHANICAL SKIN SYSTEM MADE FROM HONEYCOMB FIBER SHEETS. THESE
HONEYCOMB SHEETS ACT AS SCREENS TO ADJUST VISIBILITY WITHIN. THE APERTURE OF THE BUILDING’S SKIN
CHANGES BY THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF MULTIPLE SCREENS MECHANICALLY INDEPENDENT FROM
EACH OTHER, BUT STILL CONFORMED TO A SINGLE SYSTEM, EACH INDIVIDUAL LAB/WORKSTATION WILL BE ABLE
TO WORK ON VARIOUS SETS OF PRODUCTS AT MULTIPLE STAGES OF RESEARCH, DESIGN, & DEVELOPMENT. THIS
SHIFT OF VISIBILITY WITHIN THE BUILDINGS INTERIOR ALTERS ITS IMAGE IN RESPONSE TO THE PROGRAMMATIC
CONDITIONS OCCURRING WITHIN, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATING ITS FUNCTION THROUGH SUBLIMINAL PUBLICITY.
digiFAD
S
DIO
STU
RK
WO
BY
LABORATORY
LOB
Y
LER
GAL
Second Floor Plan
P
SHO
ION Scale: 1” = 50’
AT
RIC
FAB
CE
PA
PS
K-U
MOC
S
DIO
STU
RK
WO
LS
ERIA
MAT RARY
LAB LIB
TING
TES
BUILDING
Third Floor Plan
Scale: 1” = 50’
CE
PA
PS
K-U
MOC
[1]
TING
MEE
[2]
TING
MEE
G
IN
YPE
TOT
PRO SHOP
PLANS
Fourth Floor Plan
Scale: 1” = 50’

5. 12’-0”
A
A
B
D
C [A] - INDUSTRIAL GLASS FACINGS
[B] - NOMEX RESIN COATED HONEYCOMB FIBER
[C] - MECHANICAL STEEL TRACK SYSTEM
[D] - FACINGS + HONEYCOMB SHEETS + MECHANICAL SYSTEM
= [MECHANICALLY INSULATED APERATURE SKIN SYSTEM]

6. THIS DIAGRAM REPRESENTS SOME POSSIBLE VARIATIONS WHICH THE MODULATING SKIN CAN PERFORM TO ADJUST THE APERTURE
OR “STATE OF PRIVACY” WITHIN THE BUILDING’S INTERIOR. THE INDIVIDUAL PANELS HAVE AUTONOMOUS MECHANICAL MANUVER-
ABILITY, WHILE STILL BEING AN INTER-DEPENDENT SKIN SYSTEM; AS ONE PANEL SHIFTS THE SUBSEQUENT PANELS WILL ADJUST
THIER APERATURE CHANGING THE VISIBILITY OF THE BUILDINGS SKIN
SINGLE HONEYCOMB SHEET
INSIDE FACADE SKIN SYSTEM
PANEL 1 PANEL 2 PANEL 3 PANEL 2
80% OPACITY 50% OPACITY 10% OPACITY 60% OPACITY

7. Wall Section
HONEYCOMB PANELS WITH APERTURE VARIATIONS
Scale: 1’ = 20’

8. MECHANICAL
Ground Floor Plan
&
STRUCTURAL
Second Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
PLANS
Fourth Floor / Roof Plan

9. Detail Section_2
Scale: 1/2” = 1’
Detail Section_1
Scale: 1/4” = 1’