Reality Computing

Where building construction meets shoe fabrication

The World is Flat is a class offered by the University of Virginia (UVa) School of Architecture. This hands-on fabrication seminar introduces students to digital fabrication and is taught by Melissa Goldman, the architecture school’s manager of fabrication facilities.

But the world, and the buildings on it, aren’t flat. So why the name The World is Flat?

“Students who are learning design and construction techniques for spaces and structures usually deal with components that are initially flat, such as boards, sheet metal, panes of glass, and so on. These materials then have to be cut, milled, folded, nailed, welded, and bolted to build a building,” says Goldman. “To help push the boundaries of construction, this class encourages students to think differently about construction—exploring and experimenting with materials and fabrication techniques that can more efficiently turn flat things into real three-dimensional products.” But in a semester-long class, the type of product they can actually produce is limited.

Which is where shoe fabrication comes in.

Every semester, the course has a different fabrication focus—from subassemblies that fold flat to advanced CNC milling techniques. The focus of the course this spring was 3D printing. In the first half of the semester, the students split up into different groups to design and fabricate a real three-dimensional product: custom-fitted, 3D printed shoes, created with the help of Reality Computing.

Capture -- The students used their smartphone cameras and software from Autodesk (123D Catch and Meshmixer) to generate 3D models of a student’s foot (see image at right).

Compute -- With Autodesk Fusion 360 software, the students used the model of that student’s foot to design a custom-fitted shoe around it—a shoe that could be 3D printed.

Create -- Iterations of the shoe design were printed for experimentation and testing on various types of 3D printers, some belonging to UVa and some in the manufacturing facility of a local shoe company: OESH Shoes. Goldman’s students were able to use OESH’s printers to prototype their designs beyond the capabilities of the 3D printers in Goldman’s facility—working with multi-material printers to explore and test how material selection and design choices influenced the flexibility and durability of their shoes.

 

Rural gas field development with Reality Computing

GHD Pty Ltd is a global firm that provides engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services. The firm recently used Reality Computing for the site design of a new gas plant for Horizon Oil, an Australia-based oil and gas exploration, development and production company.

Located in a remote (currently confidential) location with only helicopter access to/from the mainland, the plant complex also includes a wharf and 80 kilometers of roads. An external consultant designed the gas plant itself, whereas the earthworks, drainage systems, and roads around the gas plant site were designed by GHD. Given its rural location, the team had a very large area to choose from for the location of roads and building sites to minimize the amount of earthworks required.

GHD used model-based design, Reality Computing, and Autodesk software to develop its design and work more efficiently with other project consultants and designers. Model-based visualizations also allowed GHD to keep the client involved throughout the entire design process without them needing to interpret very technical 2D drawings.

Create -- For its preliminary design effort, GHD imported 3D scanned data (LiDAR), aerial imagery, and other geographic and topographic data into InfraWorks to create an existing conditions model of the proposed site. The design team used this base model as a reference to determine the best locations for the wharf, road alignment, and gas plant.

Compute -- The use of these existing conditions informed the designers’ decision-making when evaluating proposed alignments. For example, when placing the road alignment, they were able to highlight clearance zones that should be avoided due to local community requirements for fresh water areas, vegetation area, and so forth. By using the existing conditions model and the plant footprint, GHD also optimized the plant layout based on the cut/fill requirements for various elevations of the different pads on the building site.

Create -- In addition to using InfraWorks for preliminary planning, GHD used the software to create 3D visualizations that helped visually communicate planning options to its client and virtually transport the client to this difficult-to-access location. GHD also used InfraWorks to communicate the design to project stakeholders and nearby residents through a series of model-based rendered images. For example, GHD used InfraWorks to show local residents that the plant would be almost completely hidden from the vantage points of their respective villages.

Click here to see more 3D visualizations of this project.