The ENT 3410 Stage Rigging and Mechanics class is an algebra-based structural analysis course, which includes lecture and lab portions. In learning about mechanics, a solid knowledge of core concepts takes on importance. The module developed with the Performative Design project addresses certain fundamental concepts: ultimate strength, working load limit, design factor and strain. [Professor John McCullough]
Category Archives: module
Module: The Statics in Architectural Structures
The Statics in Architectural Structures video series is an 8-part introduction to the fundamental mathematics and science behind architectural structures.  The series will trace the history of the foundations of statics from its roots in Galileo and Newton, through the Industrial Revolution, to current theories of structure.  Students will learn about geometric, mathematical, scientific and technological advances the field, and learn how to apply the theories to actual problems.  At the end of each video, a short quiz will be given to test the student’s understanding of the subject matter.  [Professor Phillip Anzalone]
GIS Tutorial Module
Through this tutorial, students will be familiar with the basics of GIS and ArcGIS software. Additionally, they will learn about the raster data and imagery. It will cover the subjects to identify, locate, and acquire spatial data and to be familiar with the ArcGIS interface. Students, through this tutorial, will perform basic image analyses as well as image classification. Finally, they will learn how to create high-quality maps and associated graphics using feature and raster data to clearly communicate spatial information and analyses.
[Hamid R. Norouzi, PhD, PE]
Module-Tutorial: Coding Vocabulary and Idioms
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There is a vocabulary for talking and writing about code that is applicable across programming languages. This vocabulary attaches mostly to syntactic constructs within a language, meaning that the words and phrases describe general categories of functional code used to write a program. These natural language descriptors for programming idioms are required for communication between collaborating programmers or for speaking in general about programming tasks. They are also necessary for understanding tutorials written about programming languages that may be unfamiliar to the user.
This tutorial describes each of the sets of terms and phrases listed below through the lens of the Processing interpreter. Processing, a multi-platform graphical programming environment based on Java, can be downloaded here: Â Â https://processing.org/download/
In the near future, examples will be added for JavaScript, LISP, Python, and Ruby – languages used across several of the departments involved in the interdisciplinary Center for Performative Design.
After reading this tutorial, one should both understand what the following terms and phrases mean, and be able to code an example of each in Processing.
• variable
• variable declaration, declare a variable
• variable initialization, initialize a variable
• setting a variable
• variable scope
• global scope
• local scope
• data type
• logical operators
• comparison operators, relational operators
• arithmetic operators
• return
• return type
• function definition, define a function
• function call, call a function or method, call
a method defined on a class
• instantiation, instantiate an object, make
an instance of a class
• superclass, parent class
• subclass, child class
• constructor
• pass arguments, pass variables x,y,z as
arguments to a function or method
• conditional
• conditional branch
• iteration
• recursion
[Professor Adam Wilson]
Module- Building Performance: Climate, Comfort and Computational Fluid Dynamics
The Building Performance Workshop course [ARCH3550] offers students knowledge in the key concepts of performance analysis. Three modules, in the area of Building Performance, cover the principal areas: climate, comfort, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
The climate module provides an introduction to this topic. Starting from a delineation of differences between climate and weather, characteristics of climate are defined for various regions of the world. Urban microclimates, unique to built environments, are also introduced along with state of the art research topics.
The comfort module introduces the basic concept of how a human being feels and responds to climate conditions. While the level of comfort is visualized with a psychometric chart, much emphasis is given to existing models that serve to standardize approaches for measuring this.
The last module focuses on the basic concepts underlying computational fluid dynamics (CFD), providing an overview of important characteristics of flow and introducing a number of other methods of analysis. In addition, high performance building simulation processes with CFD are reviewed.     [Professor Jihun Kim]
Module: Paneling Freeform Surfaces with Sheet Metal
The Architectural Technology Department at NYCCT provides an elective course on architectural computation and fabrication — ARCH3590: Introduction to Computation and Fabrication. This course builds skills in mathematical and computational concepts to build a deeper understanding and control of architectural design software. These skills are introduced in modules that directly apply to a particular mode of fabrication. For example, the module in question consists of paneling freeform surfaces into planar elements that can be laser cut from flat stock paperboard and assembled into 3-dimensional form. The skills learned in this module are directly applicable to the principles of sheet metal design, with some added parameters (bend radius, compensation for added material thickness, welding at connections or connection hardware, etc.). Some of these additional parameters are demonstrated using laser cut acrylic and thermoplastic sheet benders, but with limitations. Therefore, it would be a natural extension of this module to move into a 1:1 scale sheet metal investigation of paneling freeform surfaces for architectural façade engineering.
This extension would require equipment more powerful that the laser cutters and thermoplastic sheet bender in the Architectural Technology Department. However, this equipment exists within the college:
- The Mechanical Engineering Technology and Industrial Design Department at NYCCT houses a large water jet cutter, which is capable of piercing sheet metals and stone slabs using a concentrated, high velocity jet of water which contains an abrasive admixture.
- The Civil Engineering and Construction Management Technology Department at NYCCT houses a plasma cutter, which is capable of piercing sheet metals using a concentrated, high velocity jet of inert gas combined with an electrical arc between the nozzle and the surface being cut, forming a plasma hot enough to pierce the metal and fast enough to move the molten waste through the kerf of the cut. This department also houses metal brakes for bending metal – these folds add stiffness to the panels and can be used as mating surfaces for panel joinery.
- The Entertainment Technology Department at NYCCT houses welding equipment which could potentially be used to investigate the joinery aspect of the module, though hardware connections could be used as well.
The proposed “Paneling Freeform Surfaces with Sheet Metal” module will bring together the computational and software resources of the Architectural Technology Department with the metal fabrication resources of the three departments listed above: Mechanical Engineering Technology and Industrial Design, Civil Engineering and Construction Management Technology, and Entertainment Technology. This module will allow students to do material-based research into the planar panelization of freeform surfaces for architectural façade engineering applications, making them aware of the fabrication limitations and possibilities of paneling methods as they move from paperboard prototypes into more industry-relevant sheet metal scenarios.
Module: HVAC in Energy Modeling
Submitted by Arpan Bakshi
The Architectural Technology department at NYCCT provides an elective course on building performance, ARCH 3550: Building Performance Workshop. This course introduces students to whole building energy modeling, the practice of performing a computer simulation which calculates the interactive effects of climate, building envelope, occupancy, mechanical, lighting and plumbing systems.
The Environmental Control & Facilities Management (EC&FM) department at NYCCT houses physical examples of heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment on campus for the purpose of demonstration and training. These include a variable air volume fan, a heat rejecting cooling tower, a chilled/condenser water pump, an evacuated solar collector and an energy recovery ventilator.
The proposed “Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning (HVAC) in Energy Modeling” module will bring together the intellectual and physical resources of the two departments to teach Architectural Technology department students how to research and represent the performance characteristics of the HVAC equipment physically located in the EC&FM department. The module will also teach EC&FM department students how field measurement techniques can transfer to computer simulation technology as a way to perform “what-if” scenarios for various control sequences virtually, to avert risk and identify optimal solution sets.
