ALEX DALLAS | CARET 6

CARET 6

FALL 2013 | CRITIC KORY BIEG

COLLABORATORS: TEX-FAB, MITSUBISHI PLASTICS, & UT ENGINEERING

TEAM: KORY BEIG’S DESIGN V STUDIO

ROLE: LEAD DESIGNER & PROJECT LEADER

Caret 6 is an architectural installation designed to exhibit the finalists and winners of the TEX-FAB SKIN competition. The exhibition supports graphic displays and prototype models, while standing on its own as an architecturally significant project. The structure consists of an inhabitable catenary vaulted space and an articulated ground surface that emerges from the vault to support the competition finalists. Using digital tools (Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, and Kangaroo), Caret 6 is designed parametrically to generate unique formal qualities and fit the programmatic requirements for the exhibit, while allowing for the mass customization of hundreds of unique pieces and connections, which are cut on a CNC router.

The form is a result of the study of the modularity of diamonds and their ability to aggregate within complex geometries. The diamond modules are deconstructed into two primary elements: ribs and infill surfaces. The ribs serve as the structure that support the infill surfaces, which are hinged to emphasize the pattern. The ribs are discontinuous as a result of the irregular grid that the modules aggregate within. These discontinuities necessitated collaboration with students and professors from the UT Cockrell School of Engineering to ensure the structural integrity of the installation.

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