Project
Carbon Tower (2001)
AP174.S1.2001.D1
Description:
This project file documents an unbuilt design by Testa & Weiser for Carbon Tower (2001), a forty-storey building made almost entirely of carbon fibre. The project was developed in parallel with scripting software designed while Peter Testa and Devyn Weiser co-directed the Emergent Design Group at MIT. "The tower consists of an interdependent set of parts: floor plates hang from a diagrid structure of bundled fibres reinforced by two double-helix covered ramps, which are run in and out of the structure and are themselves made of strands woven at a finer scale. A thin composite skin—glass would be too heavy—wraps the tower’s parts together. A collaboration with Arup in 2002 allowed Testa & Weiser to simplify the scheme even further, by moving all core elements, from elevators to structural supports, to the tower’s perimeter. To take full advantage of the flexibility and energy efficiency of composite materials, Testa & Weiser also imagined that the carbon fibre structures would be formed on site through a process called pultrusion."[1] The file contains a large number of digital files documenting the conceptual and design development of the project; consultation with Arup Consulting Engineers, New York; research on composite materials; fabrication of 3D printed physical models by 3D Systems and Windform; and exhibition of the project at several museums and galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, New York. Also contained in the file are 56 paper drawings (including some sketches done on top of printed computer-aided designs) and two 3D printed physical models produced by 3D Systems. Sources: [1] Canadian Centre for Architecture. Archaeology of the Digital 12: Testa & Weiser, Carbon Tower, ed. Greg Lynn (2015), ISBN 978-1-927071-25-0.
2002-2014
Carbon Tower (2001)
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1
Description:
This project file documents an unbuilt design by Testa & Weiser for Carbon Tower (2001), a forty-storey building made almost entirely of carbon fibre. The project was developed in parallel with scripting software designed while Peter Testa and Devyn Weiser co-directed the Emergent Design Group at MIT. "The tower consists of an interdependent set of parts: floor plates hang from a diagrid structure of bundled fibres reinforced by two double-helix covered ramps, which are run in and out of the structure and are themselves made of strands woven at a finer scale. A thin composite skin—glass would be too heavy—wraps the tower’s parts together. A collaboration with Arup in 2002 allowed Testa & Weiser to simplify the scheme even further, by moving all core elements, from elevators to structural supports, to the tower’s perimeter. To take full advantage of the flexibility and energy efficiency of composite materials, Testa & Weiser also imagined that the carbon fibre structures would be formed on site through a process called pultrusion."[1] The file contains a large number of digital files documenting the conceptual and design development of the project; consultation with Arup Consulting Engineers, New York; research on composite materials; fabrication of 3D printed physical models by 3D Systems and Windform; and exhibition of the project at several museums and galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, New York. Also contained in the file are 56 paper drawings (including some sketches done on top of printed computer-aided designs) and two 3D printed physical models produced by 3D Systems. Sources: [1] Canadian Centre for Architecture. Archaeology of the Digital 12: Testa & Weiser, Carbon Tower, ed. Greg Lynn (2015), ISBN 978-1-927071-25-0.
Project
2002-2014
drawings
AP178.S1.1988.PR07.SS9.057.3
Description:
Original file title :Edificio no 4 Sinistrada do Chiado, projectos de especialidades, desenhos ultrapassados This file includes details of the carbon monoxide detectors and distribution boards.
1998
Mechanical drawings, Recuperaçäo do Edifício dos Grandes Armazéns, Bloco C, Reconstrução do Chiado, Lisbon (folder 3 of 3)
Actions:
AP178.S1.1988.PR07.SS9.057.3
Description:
Original file title :Edificio no 4 Sinistrada do Chiado, projectos de especialidades, desenhos ultrapassados This file includes details of the carbon monoxide detectors and distribution boards.
drawings
1998
Project
Strand Tower (2006)
AP174.S1.2006.D2
Description:
This project file documents unbuilt designs by Testa & Weiser for Strand Tower (2006), a continuation of the Carbon Tower research project. Various iterations of Strand Tower are woven out of carbon fibre according to a pattern algorithmically generated by the Weaver software. “The complexity of the final design is produced by arraying a basic fiber bundle of 114 strands; stacked 70 times for a total of approximately 8,000 strands.”[1] The file contains a large number of digital files which document the conceptual and design development of the project, fabrication of 3D printed physical models, and exhibition of the project at several museums and galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The file also includes six physical models produced by the 3D printing firm 3D Systems. Sources: [1] "Strand Tower project and credit text" (AP174.S1.2006.D2.007). Testa & Weiser records, Centre Canadien d’Architecture/Canadian Centre for Architecture.
2006-2014
Strand Tower (2006)
Actions:
AP174.S1.2006.D2
Description:
This project file documents unbuilt designs by Testa & Weiser for Strand Tower (2006), a continuation of the Carbon Tower research project. Various iterations of Strand Tower are woven out of carbon fibre according to a pattern algorithmically generated by the Weaver software. “The complexity of the final design is produced by arraying a basic fiber bundle of 114 strands; stacked 70 times for a total of approximately 8,000 strands.”[1] The file contains a large number of digital files which document the conceptual and design development of the project, fabrication of 3D printed physical models, and exhibition of the project at several museums and galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The file also includes six physical models produced by the 3D printing firm 3D Systems. Sources: [1] "Strand Tower project and credit text" (AP174.S1.2006.D2.007). Testa & Weiser records, Centre Canadien d’Architecture/Canadian Centre for Architecture.
Project
2006-2014
drawings
AP178.S1.1988.PR07.SS9.025.2
Description:
Original file title : Edificio No 4 Zona sinistrada do Chiado - sistemas electricos (Sotecnica) This file includes details of the lighting and emergency lighting, as well as the carbon monoxide detector.
December 1997- March 1999
Electrical drawings, Recuperaçäo do Edifício dos Grandes Armazéns, Bloco C, Reconstrução do Chiado, Lisbon (folder 2 of 2)
Actions:
AP178.S1.1988.PR07.SS9.025.2
Description:
Original file title : Edificio No 4 Zona sinistrada do Chiado - sistemas electricos (Sotecnica) This file includes details of the lighting and emergency lighting, as well as the carbon monoxide detector.
drawings
December 1997- March 1999
born digital
Quantity:
423 digital file(s)
AP174.S1.2001.D1.005
Description:
Contains 3D computer-aided design files central to the development process of Carbon Tower. The bulk of the design files are in Rhinoceros and are arranged in folders by year. Also includes some Maya renders as well as design and image files resulting from early attempts to model the Carbon Tower in CATIA. Original directory name: "3D CATIA MAYA RHINO". Most common file formats: 3DM, Plain Text File, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES), Maya Binary File Format, DS_store file (MAC)
2002-2013
Three-dimensional Rhinoceros, Maya, and CATIA design files
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1.005
Description:
Contains 3D computer-aided design files central to the development process of Carbon Tower. The bulk of the design files are in Rhinoceros and are arranged in folders by year. Also includes some Maya renders as well as design and image files resulting from early attempts to model the Carbon Tower in CATIA. Original directory name: "3D CATIA MAYA RHINO". Most common file formats: 3DM, Plain Text File, Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES), Maya Binary File Format, DS_store file (MAC)
born digital
Quantity:
423 digital file(s)
2002-2013
born digital
Quantity:
284 digital file(s)
AP174.S1.2001.D1.006
Description:
Contains STL and Rhinoceros files used to create the 3D printed models of Carbon Tower printed by 3D Systems, as well as related correspondence, information, model assembly guides, and agreements with vendors. Also included are photographs of a carbon fiber 3D printed model printed by Windform in Italy and STL files used in the production of the Windform model. Original directory name: "3D PRINTS". Most common file formats: STL (Standard Tessellation Language) Binary, 3DM, DS_store file (MAC), AutoCAD Drawing, JPEG File Interchange Format
2004-2006
Working files and correspondence relating to 3D printed models
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1.006
Description:
Contains STL and Rhinoceros files used to create the 3D printed models of Carbon Tower printed by 3D Systems, as well as related correspondence, information, model assembly guides, and agreements with vendors. Also included are photographs of a carbon fiber 3D printed model printed by Windform in Italy and STL files used in the production of the Windform model. Original directory name: "3D PRINTS". Most common file formats: STL (Standard Tessellation Language) Binary, 3DM, DS_store file (MAC), AutoCAD Drawing, JPEG File Interchange Format
born digital
Quantity:
284 digital file(s)
2004-2006
born digital
Quantity:
4025 digital file(s)
AP174.S1.2001.D1.009
Description:
Contains photographs of an early Carbon Tower study model, 2002; the Extreme Textiles exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York, 2005; the 1:125 scale 3D Systems model on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2006-2007; and the 1:50 and 1:125 scale 3D Systems Carbon Tower models, 2013-2014. Original directory name: "MODEL PHOTOS". Most common file formats: Exchangeable Image File Format (Compressed), Canon RAW, DS_store file (MAC), Tagged Image File Format, Adobe Photoshop
2002-2014
Photographs of 3D Systems models and exhibits
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1.009
Description:
Contains photographs of an early Carbon Tower study model, 2002; the Extreme Textiles exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York, 2005; the 1:125 scale 3D Systems model on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 2006-2007; and the 1:50 and 1:125 scale 3D Systems Carbon Tower models, 2013-2014. Original directory name: "MODEL PHOTOS". Most common file formats: Exchangeable Image File Format (Compressed), Canon RAW, DS_store file (MAC), Tagged Image File Format, Adobe Photoshop
born digital
Quantity:
4025 digital file(s)
2002-2014
textual records
PHCON2002:0016:007:001
Description:
This letter was written by Richard Armstrong to Jane Crawford, but was carbon copied to Anne Alpert and Holly Solomon. An note written on a separate sheet of paper from Armstrong to Alpert indicates that this copy of the letter was the one sent to Alpert.
6 January 1981
Letter from Richard Armstrong to Jane Crawford
Actions:
PHCON2002:0016:007:001
Description:
This letter was written by Richard Armstrong to Jane Crawford, but was carbon copied to Anne Alpert and Holly Solomon. An note written on a separate sheet of paper from Armstrong to Alpert indicates that this copy of the letter was the one sent to Alpert.
textual records
6 January 1981
born digital
Quantity:
23 digital file(s)
Composite materials research
AP174.S1.2001.D1.002
Description:
Contains lists, presentations, and articles on various composite materials considered for use with the Carbon Tower. Original directory name: "_ref_MATERIALS". Most common file formats: Microsoft Word Document, Acrobat PDF 1.2 - Portable Document Format, Acrobat PDF 1.3 - Portable Document Format, JPEG File Interchange Format, Acrobat PDF 1.6 - Portable Document Format
2002-2007
Composite materials research
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1.002
Description:
Contains lists, presentations, and articles on various composite materials considered for use with the Carbon Tower. Original directory name: "_ref_MATERIALS". Most common file formats: Microsoft Word Document, Acrobat PDF 1.2 - Portable Document Format, Acrobat PDF 1.3 - Portable Document Format, JPEG File Interchange Format, Acrobat PDF 1.6 - Portable Document Format
born digital
Quantity:
23 digital file(s)
2002-2007
born digital
Quantity:
3102 digital file(s)
AP174.S1.2001.D1.007
Description:
Contains a higher resolution 2014 version of an animation originally created in 2005 to introduce the Carbon Tower project, as well as the various files used to create the animation. Original directory name: "ANIMATIONS". Most common file formats: Tagged Image File Format, Portable Network Graphics, Unidentified, DS_store file (MAC), Maya Binary File Format
2013-2014
Presentation animation and related working files
Actions:
AP174.S1.2001.D1.007
Description:
Contains a higher resolution 2014 version of an animation originally created in 2005 to introduce the Carbon Tower project, as well as the various files used to create the animation. Original directory name: "ANIMATIONS". Most common file formats: Tagged Image File Format, Portable Network Graphics, Unidentified, DS_store file (MAC), Maya Binary File Format
born digital
Quantity:
3102 digital file(s)
2013-2014