PROJECT I | jamiejones

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN II

PROJECT I: FORM & FUNCTION

This project is based around the concept that form follows function. The aim of the project is to develop a pedestrian bridge that can open/close to allow a boat (30' x 40') to pass through. A prototype must be chosen for both the bridge and the opening mechanism. The opening mechanism that is incorporated into the bridge prototype is ultimately going to determine the form of the final bridge. Alterations to the form of the bridge can only be made if there is a functional need to do so, and not just to create a pattern or recognisable shape in the form. My prototype was altered to create a higher arch that allowed more space for boats to pass through, and also to support the mechanism of pulleys and pistons that open and close the moveable bridge section.

PROTOTYPES:

The 3 bridge examples I chose to modify were, the Choatianmen Bridge (arch type bridge), the Rio-Antirio Bridge (cable stay), and the Tokyo Gate Bridge (truss cantilever). This provided a variety of bridge types to emulate and to incorporate different mechanisms into.

Choatianmen Bridge

Rio-Antirio Bridge

Tokyo Gate Bridge

The 3 mechanisms I decided to incorporate into my bridge design were, a golf bag stand (hinge with a piston mechanism), a drawing compass (hinge with a control mechanism) and an umbrella (piston/hinge mechanism). I chose these 3 objects because they provide several different hinge mechanisms that work in different ways and that could be incorporated differently into a bridge design.

Golf Bag Stand

Drawing Compass

Umbrella

3 X 3 GRID:

PRELIMINARY DESIGNS:

From the 9 conceptual combinations created in the table, I developed two preliminary design concepts. The first design uses the arch type bridge prototype with a basic hinge mechanism incorporated. The second uses the cable stay bridge prototype that also uses a hinge mechanism but which also has a control mechanism for the hinge (as in the compass). Preliminary design 1 is the idea that I chose to develop further into the final solution, by adding a piston mechanism that would activate the hinge, and by further development of the arch of the bridge.