TUESDAY 8TH OCTOBER 2019

TECHNOLOGIES: MATERIALS 2
TROLLBEADS HOUSE, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
BBP ARKITEKTER, 2015

GROUP 4L:
Ella Wheatley
Joel Richardson
Namon Thongsuwan
Andreea-Maria Antoche
BRASS HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Brass sculpture in Seagram building

Roman brass helmet and brass coin

RENAISSANCE AND POST-MEDIEVAL

Brassmaking in Europe was changed almost completely by the 15th century.
PRE HISTORY The Renaissance invented lidded cementation crucibles which could produce
Brass has been used since ROMAN WORLD c.20 kg of brass and also used brass in interior design. Following by, the process
prehistory but people did not Brass was used in the production called ‘speltering’ was discovered which metallic zinc is being alloyed with copper
truely understand its true nature of sesterces coins and golden to make brass. In 1738, the first industrial scale distillation of metallic zinc was
as a copper-zinc alloy until the colored military equipment introduced by William Champion in Bristol. His technique provided greater control
post-medieval period. between 23 BC and 200 AD. of the production of expensive and complex shape objects.

EARLY COPPER-ZINC ALLOYS MEDIEVAL PERIOD MODERN WORLD

It is believed that copper-zinc
alloys, include bronze and brass,
were first deverloped around the
3rd century BC.
Brass was being used in the manufacture of
coins and artefacts in Egypt and Scotland
during this period. Furthermore, the increasing
popularity of brass also were occurring in
Europe and Islamic world. Many artefacts,
which used in religion ceremony, were made
of brass.
Modern artists, architects and interior designers widely use
brass in decorative and protective finishes. For example,
Artist Richard Lippold hangs his iconic brass sculpture for
interior decoration in Seagram building in 1958, which was
designed by Mies van de Rohe, and Trollbeads House
uses brass as a curtain and facade.

Gates of Paradise, Italian Porta del Paradiso, the pair of

gilded bronze doors (1425–52) designed by the sculptor Window frames at Betty's Tea Rooms
Lorenzo Ghiberti for the north entrance of the Baptistery of York (Rileys Metal Workers) Ltd
San Giovanni in Florence
MATERIAL SCIENCE AND ENGENEERING
THE FUNCTION OF THE BRASS CURTAIN
“1. Every morning, half of the curtain opens so the building
emulates the historic houses next to it with repeating windows in
a massive wall.
2. After working hours, the curtain closes automatically, and the
building is transformed into a burglarproof vault.
3. After dark, a dim light turns on inside, revealing a modern glass
house behind a veil of translucent brass.”
Below: A diagram of the facade detailing in which the brass curtain
can receed to reveal the true nature of the facade and allow light into
the interior.
Above: A pictoral illustration of the secure curtain created by the wall of brass, which creates a
stong facade which is difficult to break in to. This is at the centre of the building’s purpose due
THE TROLLBEAD HOUSE
The brass curtain opens every morning, drawing up to reveal the windows. Then,
after working hours the curtain closes automatically, providing a sturdy defence
against any possible burglars. Brass works well for this purpose as it is stronger
than other possible decorative materials, meaning it is practical, but is more mal-
leable and shape able than steel, allowing for the curtains intricate pattern. It is a
much more elegant solution to security than a normal shop front shutter.
The brass curtain drapes over the whole length of the structure, allowing the
building to fit in to the surrounding environment comfortably, with a rounded tran-
sition from roof to façade lessening its difference in height with its neighbouring
buildings. Comparatively to redesigning the entire building with more solid, ma-
terials, maybe integral to the structure, the brass curtain could allow for possible
changes in the future; the curtain itself could be more easily removed at a future
date than a possible stone or wood decorated façade.
Hinges efficiently make use of space, while other, maybe less honest, or pur-
posefully hidden mechanisms, such as sliding panels, would not only be more
complicated but may also crowd the façade.
to the necessity of protecting the valuable jewlery.
Above: Exploded axonometric diagram of The Trollbeads House, with the glass and brass skin
(displayed above the interior structure) covering the facade, roof and back courtyard
MATERIAL STUDY: OVERVIEW, SUSTAINABILITY, LIMITATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
PROPERTIES OF BRASS
Density: 8.3-8.7 g/cm3
Melting point: 900-940°C
Key properties:
Malleability while retaining stregnth
Low friction
Conductive
Acoustic properties
Easily castable
Corrosion resistant
THE ATOMIC STRUCTURE OF BRASS
The structure of a pure metal has a regular lattice structure, which means
that if the correct force is applied, layers of atoms can easily move past each
other. Due to the fact that brass is a combination of copper and zinc atoms
which are different sizes, the lattice structure is disrupted, hence improving
the structural integrity of the alloy. The tensile strength (MPa) of brass is
350MPa, while copper and brass are only 220MPa and 139MPa respectively.
Brass with a low zinc content are more malleable and ductile than brass
alloys with a higher percentage of zinc. When being used for casting, a higher
zinc content brass is preferable. If a brass has a higher copper content, a
protective oxide layer known as patina forms on the surface, which is a further
protective layer from corrosion.
Above: Diagram which displays a disrupted lattice strructure common in alloys. In this
example, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) elements are arranged in order to create brass.
SUSTAINABILITY
Despite brass’ long lifespan, the industry surrounding brass recycling
is efficient and well equipped to recycle the material effectively. If
brass were to be created from virgin copper and zinc, the process
would be wasteful of precious raw material, of which there is only a
certain amount remaining in the natural environment. Therefore, many
brass products are made from scrap metal that has been recycled,
which means that the material may be defined as sustainable.
Brass is not a ferromagnetic material, which means that it is easier to
separate from other metals for recycling purposes.
LIMITATIONS OF BRASS
> Wastes zinc: Zinc has a much lower melting point than copper. At
copper’s melting point the zinc starts vaporising; even though the
copper is melted first and then the zinc is added, there still is some
zinc lost to vaporisation.
> Brass, like most metals, oxidises when exposed to air. It requires
high maintenance to remove and inhibit tarnish.
> It is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, from ammonia.
> Brass is a good heat conductor, which makes it an improper
material to work with in hotter climates.
Above: Sketch which shows the Trollbeads House from a street view,
THE MODEL: HINGE MECHANISM

The first stage of the process is illustrated through the initial sketches and evaluation of how the
mechanism could be examined through the model making process. Then, a small piece of dowel was
cut to size, and a hole was created in the larger dowel which would allow the thinner piece to fit. The
size was tested until the hole was large enough to fit the the thin piece of dowel snugly while allowing The below images demonstrate the process of creating the model which examines the hinge mechanism
movement. The final mechanism can be seen in the final image, which demonstartes how the curtain which allows the brass curtain to function in transforming the facade from an open to closed state. The
mechnaism folds onto itself in such an innovative manner. model uses recycled wood to create a carefully structured functional mechanism.
THE MODEL: STRUCTURE

The model was made by cutting out two wooden shapes to represent the concrete structure beneath the
brass curtain. Metal sheets are laid across, as the brass curtain would be, helping to better understand
the layers of the building. The metal sheets were made through bending and cutting sheets of scrap
metal. It is a handy physical representation of the buildings structure that compliments the axonometric
drawing well and, along with the separate hinge model fully explores the main aspects of the building.