PUFFD COMPOSITES / SUPER COMPONENTS / METASEAMS

BRENNEN HULLER / NELS LONG / NIKITA TROUFANOV

PUFFD prototype explores plasticity of COMPOSITE construction and the role of the seam and joint in architecture. Inspired by Japanese wood joinery, puffy jackets and jet fighter airplanes, PUFFD proposes a novel construction technique for full scale architecture. Instead of following parametric paneling and module-based logics, PUFFD employs large monolithic building components or SUPER-COMPONENTS suggesting new ways of full scale assembly on site. The project follows up on our previous explorations including studies of super-components, joinery, material agency, and robotic assembly.
The previous prototype used the language of stitching and wood joinery to study how composite tectonics would utilize a MEGA-SEAM for a simplified assembly and explored the role of real and fake
seams in architectural assemblages. The current proposal scales up and develops an inflatable composite sandwich technique to minimize waste and explore new formal and structural possibilities. PUFFD
alters the aesthetic of traditionally seen and recognized materiality and displays a structural system that appears soft in nature. Unlike current facades or shell systems the injected surface presents itself
as a soft surface not recognized yet in architectural applications. A precise tectonic seam and stitching pattern encourage an inexact articulated soft surface treatment. The form of the prototype is a
folded envelope with hyperbolic surfaces.

DIGITAL PUFFING

SEAM FIGURATION

SEAMING & PUFFING

PROTOTYYPE GEOMETRY

STRESS FALLOFF LINES

PRINCIPLE STRESS GRADATION

STRUCTURAL INFLATION

FOAM INJECTIONS

UNROLLED STITCHING PATTERNS

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS & REINFORCEMENT THROUGH PUFFING

GRADIENT/HALFTONE PUFFING

TOPOLOGICAL PUFFING

FIGURAL PUFFING

PUFF EVOLUTION

ROBOT_1 W/
NEEDLE & FOOT
END EFFECTOR

DOUBLE LAYER
FIBERGLASS
FIXED TO FRAME

ROBOT_2 W/
SHUTTLE HOOK
END EFFECTOR

ROBOT_1 W/
UNIVERSAL SPRAY
END EFFECTOR

PUFFED COMPONENTS
FIXED TO FRAME &
JOINT RAILS

2 KINECT
3D SCANNERS
FOR EVALN

ROBOT_2 W/
UNIVERSAL SPRAY
END EFFECTOR

FINISHED COMPONENTS TYP. (5X)

(W/ X-Y LOCKING JOINTS)

3D PRINTED KEYS TYP. (9X)

(Z-LOCKING)

COMPONENTS SNAPPED
INTO PLACE BY 2 PEOPLE

5/2-C

4/3-A
5/4-A

5/2-B

5/4-B

4/3-B

5/2-A

4/2-A

3/1-A

ROBOTIC STITCHING: DOUBLE ROBOT NEEDLE & HOOK SEWING

ROBOTIC FOAM PUFFING, RESIN SPRAYING & FINISHING

TEX-FAB FULL PROTOTYPE FABRICATION & INSTALLATION STRATEGY

EXPLODED COMPONENTS DIAGRAM

ASSEMBLY ON SITE WITH 3 PEOPLE

KEYS LOCKED
BY 1 PERSON

PUFFD COMPOSITES / SUPER COMPONENTS / METASEAMS

BRENNEN HULLER / NELS LONG / NIKITA TROUFANOV

The built prototype displays the injected sandwich COMPOSITE technique with stitching patterns derived from the structural analysis of the form. Building PUFFD is broken into the assembly of rigid joints
and flexible fabric components. The joint is constructed out of carbon fiber to achieve a base rigidity to the SUPER-COMPONENT. The stitching of the fiberglass fabric was executed with stretchable
thread allowing the injection of spray foam to inflate the panel system. Once completed the joint is embedded within the fabric and fastened in place via resin then injected with foam in specific volumes to
area based on previous analysis. Once the panel has expanded multiple coats of resin creates a composite MONOCOQUE panel allowing a singular tectonic to connect finished panels to one another creating
a simplified on site construction process. The panels are designed with teeth to assist in assembly and minimize sheer loads but are fully fastened with a 3d printed key mechanism and specialized tool. At
the pavilion scale these components can be assembled with as few as three people in under twenty minutes using only the printed hardware and tool. At a larger scale the fabrication process allows the
fabric to be rolled on site and attached to the rigid rails prior to applying resin. This allows for enhanced shipping and assembly of architectural components and encourages the use of robotics to assist
with the on site applications of injecting and resin application.

9 OZ CARBON FIBER
AT JOINT

17 OZ STICH MAT
FIBER GLASS

INSULATION
SPRAYFOAM

TOOL
KEY

LOCK

STITCH
TYP.

LAP JOINT
W/ TEETH

JOINT AT TYP. LAP

KEY IN LOCKED
POSITION (ABS)

JOINT AT KEY

JOINT CONDITIONS DETAIL

JOINT TECTONIC

PARTIAL PROTOTYPE CLOSE-UPS

PARTIAL PROTOTYPE FABRICATION WORKFLOW

PATTERNS
UNROLLED

PATTERNS
ROLLED-UP

1
CONSTRUCTION SCALE SEQUENCING PROPOSAL

PATTERNS
PUFFED & CURED

COMPONENETS
LIFTED INTO PLACE

TRUCK W/
SPRAY FOAM

BOOM-ARM
CRANE TRUCK