Cloud Terminal Prototyping Research

The Cloud Terminal prototype constitutes a material and geometric investigation into complex surface articulation through metal mesh assemblies, examining the relationship between digital modeling processes and physical material behavior. This research interrogates the translation of computationally generated geometries into built form, foregrounding questions of fabrication precision and material intelligence within non-standard architectural surfaces.

Through systematic physical modeling, the project tests the adaptive capacity of the mesh system, revealing how structural performance varies across the surface topology and how material properties respond to differential stress conditions. The prototype serves as a testing ground for understanding the negotiation between digital design intention and material constraint, demonstrating how computational tools can inform rather than dictate material application.

This investigation contributes to contemporary discourse on digital fabrication methodologies, proposing approaches for achieving geometric complexity through systematic material logic rather than purely formal manipulation. The research examines how mesh systems can function simultaneously as structural envelope and atmospheric mediator, challenging conventional distinctions between surface and structure.

The prototype functions as both technical study and methodological proposition, illustrating how digital design tools can be deployed in dialogue with material intelligence to generate architectures that are computationally informed yet materially grounded. The work advances understanding of how complex geometries can be realized through careful attention to fabrication processes and material performance characteristics.