Air Final Journal Siyang Wan

STUDIO AIR 2016, SEMESTER 2, CAITLYN PARRY SIYANG WAN

CONTENTS 0.0 INTRODUCTION

B6. Technique: Proposal

1.0 PART A. CONCEPTUALISATION

B7. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

A1. Design Futuring A2. Design Computation

B8. Appendix-Algorithmic Sketches 4.0 PART C. DETAIL DESIGN

A3. Composition / Generation

C1. Design Concept

A4. Conclusion

C2. Tectonic Elements & Prototypes

A5. Learning Outcomes

C3. Final Detail Model

A6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

C4. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

2.0 REFERENCES 3.0 PART B. CRITERIA DESIGN B1. Research Field B2. Case Study 1.0 B3. Case Study 2.0 B4. Technique: Development B5. Technique: Prototypes

5.0 REFERENCES

0.0 INTRODUCTION

M

y name is Siyang Wan. I am from China and currently study the Bachelor of Environments with major in Architecture at the University of Melbourne. I love designing architecture since I think it is a creative and meaningful combination of aesthetics and technology. During three years of studying designing architecture, I gradually master the digital softwares from straightforward Sketchup and elementary Rhino for establishing models, autoCAD for architectural drawings, Indesign for presentation layout, Photoshop for rendering digital models, 3D printing and lasercut for transferring digital models to physical models as well as basic knowledge of complicated Grasshopper for algorithmic architectural design.

I realise that the importance of digital-based design as well as the assicuated new digital design thinking in the current architecture fields. These computing programs easily facilitate developing new architectural possibilities in more abstract and complicated geometric forms due to accurate calculation. My designer agenda is to create sustainable digital based design to harmonise the transition between manmade environments and natural landscape.

Figure 1. ‘a transitional urban space which connects the urban context of Federation Square to the natural context of the Yarra River, via a ‘reflective’ space for users to take place of reflection about urban life and nature’ for Designing Environments, 2014

Figure 2. ‘3D printed mass model’ for Studio Earth, 2015.

Figure 3. ‘Studley Park Boathouse’ for Studio Water, 2015.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 5

A.1 DESIGN FUTURING As Fry mentioned in the book ‘Design Futuring’, humans are facing a critical moment

that anthropocentric design practice, including architecture, accelerate defuturing condition of unsustainability.1 Indeed, since existing design practice resulted in severely unsustainable ecological issues regarding environmental degradation and climate change, there are increasing concerns about environmental impacts of design practice and design’s significance as a decisive factor to secure a satisfying future. Fry suggests that the main issues of current design include that design practice are economy-oriented or culture-oriented rather than sustainmentoriented and those so-called sustainable design merely slower the defuturing not essentially change the condition. 2 Therefore, it is necessary to have a design revolution to solve these problems. As Fry states that the most important task that design futuring should confront is redirecting human towards far more sustainable planetary habitation modes. 3 Fry also indicates that the focus of design change should be on the design process rather than only design outcome and form. I really agree with his ideas. As designers, we need to change the design practice to challenge the current unsustainable way of thinking through the whole design process. Only this, we can fundamentally change our ideology and entire mindset so as to redirect towards a sustainable future. However, Fry does not mention how to redirect design practice on earth and what kinds of design contribute to a brighter future. Dunne gave us more explicit answer to that. Dunne introduced the concept of speculative design, which is to use design as a means of speculating how things would be in the future in order to stimulate human’s imagination of alternative ways of being.4 In this way, the speculative design can guide people to have environmental awareness and encourage human to explore new design possibilities by providing a counterpoint to the preconception of the existing world.

Then,

in which ways we can explore design possibilities? It is well-known that the cultural paradigm has already shifted to the digital age. I think we can readily explore new design possibilities for a better future by taking advantages of contemporary technology and computational design approaches such as algorithm and parameterisation. Moreover, Fry also indicates that design should be regarded as a participatory discourse which should be communicated among not only design community but the larger groups of people.1 For instance, the design discourse can act as an educational agency to promote design as a common literacy.

This reflects that profound significance of design practice contributes ideas to the society and culture at large. Besides, Dunne also states that design as discourse needs more pluralism of ideology and values not of only style. 2 In the current era, I think designers can reasonably utilise the values of updated technology and computational approaches to contribute to futuring design by giving an adaptive and sustainable respond to the natural environments.

In order to support my arguments above, I select the following cases, which are the Hy-Fi installation by the Living and Seawater Greenhouse & Sahara Desert Project from Architectural Design Journal, to demonstrate how their designers consider ‘futuring’ as a signpost for their projects and how design practice changes, on the basis of designers’ awareness of environmental and ecological degradation due to past practice, to challenge people’s existing values, attitudes, state of mind, perception of everything and ways of behaviours. Through these precedents, we can observe in which ways these speculative designs push forward alternative approaches and explore new typologies and possibilities by combining architecture with updated technology to inspire people imagination and pursue a sustainable and desirable future.

1.Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice. (Oxford: Berg, 2008), p. 2.

2.Fry., p. 12.

3.Fry., p. 6.

4. Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona, Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press, 2013) p. 2.

1.Fry., p. 6.

2. Dunne., p.9.

Case1 The Hy-Fi installation

Architects: New York-based studio The Living Date: 2014 Location: the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) PS1 courtyard (as part of the Young Architects Program), New York

FIG.2

Figure 1: Hy-Fi Installation

Nowadays,

the globalisation and widespread caplitalism has resulted in the mainstream architectural practices lack the pluralism of regionalism. Meanwhile, it is well-known that ordinary architectures become one main factor of inducing environmental degradation. Accordingly, in order to response to the above issues, contextspecific architecture, which is very locally responsive and have sustainable benefits for both natural environments and the adjacent community, is increasingly explored.1 The Hy-Fi, as one outstanding context-specific architecture, clearly demonstrates how architectural practice under the concept of localness becomes an alternative approach to advance sustainable design.

1 Terri Peters, ‘Sustaining the Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Constructions: An Experimental Approach to Intensely Local Architectures. Guest Editors Michael Hensel and Christian HermansenCordua, Journal, Volume 85: Issue 2, (2015) pp. 136-141. (p.

136).

2 Peters., (p. 137).

3 Peters., (p. 137).

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CONCEPTUALISATION

The exploration of architectural possibilities is reflected in its structure and materials. Firstly, Hy-Fi is a temporary summer pavilion, a 12m cathedral-like tall structure. The repeated patterns of the complex structural forms were initially visualised by the parametric and algorithmic design approaches and then materialised by labours in the site. This demonstrates the values of contemporary computational design approaches largely facilitate to expand futuring possibilities in design practice.

Secondly, Hy-Fi provides full-scale testing of a fully organic building material-compostable bricks. The organic bricks are designed to be planted, to grow and die, consist of biodegradable, compostable modules formed from farm waste, mushroom roots and corn stalks grown in steel brick moulds.2 Previously, this material typically use for packaging after it was developed by researchers at Ecovative in 2007.3 Thus, the project successfully brings the future material possibility of compostable bricks to the field of architectural practice. As advocated by Dunne, designers should push the boundary of updated

future material possibility of compostable bricks to the field of architectural practice. As advocated by Dunne, designers should push the boundary of updated technology and architectural possibilities collectively contribute to a sustainable and satisfying future.4 Meanwhile, the new material possibility also add environmental friendly and low-carbon values to the design practice, which response to Dunne’s statement ‘We need more pluralism in design, not of style but of ideology and values’.5 Moreover, the choice of material also strengthens the architectural experience of visitors. The complicated roof space is stacked by small modules of bricks. Hence, people experienced filtered daylight and a distinctive smell in the sculptural interior.6 In this unique way, it challenges visitor’s perception of the space and stimulates people’s imagination.

As stated by Dunne, the conceptual design should serve a purpose, it is required to have ecological or social usefulness instead of being simply experimented.7 The Hy-Fi exactly satisfies Dunne’s expectation. The intensely local architectural approaches benefit the ecology and society in all stages of the design process. For instance, the building highly contributes to the fields of broader ecology since as part of design process, the design team considers using local raw materials to reduce energy during transportation, considers what kind of embodied energy of the material itself and labour were required, images how the building would change over time and planes the soil to be used by Build It Green in the Queens Community Gardens after the building was deconstructed and composted.8

1 Terri Peters, ‘Sustaining the Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Constructions: An Experimental Approach to Intensely Local Architectures. Guest Editors Michael Hensel and Christian HermansenCordua, Journal, Volume 85: Issue 2, (2015) pp. 136-141. (p. 136).

2 Peters., (p. 137).

3 Peters., (p. 137).

4 Dunne., p. 12.

5 Dunne., p. 9.

6 Peters., (p. 137).

7 Dunne., p. 34.

8 Peters., (p. 139).

9 Peters., (p. 139).

10 Fry., p. 12.

11 Fry., p. 6.

energy during transportation, considers what kind of embodied energy of the material itself and labour were required, images how the building would change over time and planes the soil to be used by Build It Green in the Queens Community Gardens after the building was deconstructed and composted.8 Benjamin regarded Hy-Fi as a test bed of how architects could design for the larger ecosystems in permanent architectural projects.9 Indeed, it reflects sustainable and environmental friendly alternatives of architecture to benefit the site and the broader ecosystem. In this way, the Hy-Fi conforms to Fry’s appeal regarding design practice should be sustainably positioned.10 Moreover, the Hy-Fi also contributes to the fields of social sustainability since it employs local labours and expertise as well as provides local training opportunities for employed people. In this way, it reflects the significance and values of architectural as a discourse to profoundly add social and economic benefits to the larger community. This is exactly as Fry suggested that design discourse should be participatory among not only design community but the larger groups of people in the society.11 Overall, all of above shows how the Hy-Fi explores new ways to engage with the distinctly non-architectural language of sustainability through reflection upon ‘the local’ in order to speculate a desirable future.

Figure 2: Interior of Hy-Fi Installation

CONCEPTUALISATION 9

Case2 Seawater Greenhouses and the Sahara Forest Project Architects: Exploration Architecture Ltd (collaborating with Seawater Greenhouse Ltd and Max Fordham LLP) Date: 2014 Location: Sahara Desert

Figure 1: Seawater Greenhouse & Sahara Forest Project

Similar

to the Hy-Fi pavilion, the Sahara Forest Project is also a built project and it also has actual contributions to the fields of ecosystem and socialeconomy. However, compared to Hy-Fi, the seawater greenhouse is far more radical in the contemporary era due to its dramatic influences in the bionics, ecosystem and technological community. Since the origins of civilisation, anthropocentric human activities have resulted in severe environmental degradation regarding shrinkage of forests and growth of deserts.1 The project’s revolutionary significance is reflected in the fundamental change of design practices to reverse desertification and mitigate climate change. The project successfully explores new possibilities of generating inspiration by the biomimicry design approach, which derives from natural organisms for survival in resourceconstrained environments. The project is inspired by Namibian fog-basking beetle’s way to harvest water from the air in a desert. The beetle radiates heat to the sky at night to become little cooler than its surroundings so that the moist air brought by breeze from the sea will condense as water at the relatively cool surface of beetles’ shell. 2 By applying the

1Ken Yeang, Michael Pawlyn, ‘Seawater Greenhouses and the Sahara Forest Project’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Digital Cities, Journal, Volume 79: Issue 4, (2009) pp.122-123. (p. 122).

2 Yeang., (p. 123).

3. Yeang., (p. 122).

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CONCEPTUALISATION

same water generation principle, the Sahara Forest Project innovatively combines eco-infrastructural building design with two proven technologies that produces fresh water from seawater as well as producing renewable energy and food in a zero-carbon way.

The two major elements of the design discourse are the Seawater Greenhouse and the concentrated solar power (CSP). The seawater Greenhouse creates artificial cool growing biomes in the desert, the cardboard grilles at the front of the greenhouse evaporate seawater to create humid air, which is then condensed as distilled water at the back. 3 The polycarbonate panels with slender steel columns and truss system ensure design brief of enough openness and insulated interior temperature for abundant sunlight coming in to satisfy plants’ growth requirements. The CSP, composed of an array of solartracking mirrors in a circle to concentrate the sun’s heat to create steam that drives conventional turbines, producing zero-carbon electricity twice as efficiently as photovoltaic technology, should be regarded as

a discourse far more than a mere sculptural-liked structure. In this way, it perfectly combines architectural aesthetics with the cutting-edge technology to add the values of the architecture. This accord with Dunne’s proposition about critical design should challenge the way technologies enter our lives.1 Meanwhile, the project highly benefits the site because it as alternatives to replace the conventional exploit of scarce underground water resources in the arid regions. As a discourse, it also deeply contributes to the surrounding inhabitants since the distribution of its surplus electrical energy to local users and other parts of the region. This conforms to Dunne’s statement regarding design should have a sort of social usefulness. 2

Moreover, the collaboration of seawater greenhouse and CSP systems works perfectly in hot desert conditions.

When the former produces vast surplus heat, the latter makes use of them to evaporate seawater. Meanwhile, seawater greenhouse produces abundant pure deionized water that the CSP plants, in return, require for their turbines and for cleaning its mirrors to keep optimal efficiency. 3 There are beneficial symbiotic relationships, the waste from one organism becomes the nutrient for another.4 This challenges the general viewpoints such as Fry states that ‘Whenever we bring something into being, we also destroy something’. 5 Conversely, the project perfectly meet Fry’s argument regarding ‘Design Futuring’ should sustain action countering the conventional unsustainability while also redirecting human to create more feasible futures. 6 The project expands the futuring potential of desert farming, which brings life to the desert. This challenges people’s existing perception and imagination of huge desert’s technological possibilities.

The inspiring project also profoundly contributes to its discourse’s values in biomimetic and scientific and technological fields. The high appreciation of the project in those fields is reflected in several awards, such as Global annual Institute of Engineering and Technology Award for Sustainability, it got.7 This is exactly as Fry suggested that the discourse should be participated and communicated among not only design community but larger group of people in other fields. 8 Overall, the project speculates future and inspires humans to concern more ecological and economical sustainability.

Figure 2: Planning of Seawater Greenhouse

Figure 3: Physical establishment of Sahara Forest Project’

1Dunne., p. 34.

2Dunne., p. 34.

3Yeang., (p. 122).

4Yeang., (p. 123).

5Fry., p. 4.

6Fry., p. 7.

7Yeang., (p. 123) 8Fry., p. 6.

CONCEPTUALISATION 11

A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION I

n recent decades, the unprecedented innovation of new technologies has largely advanced the architectural design. This is because computing complements the deficiency of traditional human architects by providing design continuity to better resolve wicked problems of design process. According to Oxman, computing brings preceding Vitruvian theory, a continuous logic of design thinking and making, back to architecture.1 Before Renaissance, architects supervised the whole project since buildings were directly constructed without preliminary planning. 2 Thus, the workflow was continuous and design was separated from construction.

Then the increasingly complex building knowledge forced the division of specialisation, thereby it brought a discontinuity to architectural process. It is very hard for human designers to control the whole process as well as realising unpredictably complex problems.

Nevertheless, current computing technology has the benefit to enable the continuum again, from form-finding, performance evaluation to materialization and fabrication, to assist human architects to solve design problems and generate satisfying outcomes.

1. Form-finding Kalay states that, in the past 50 years, the majority of computer-aided design (CAD) provided limited function of computerisation, as merely tools to actualize designer’ creative proposals. 3 However now CAD mainly serves as computation, which reveals the value of algorithm to explore morphogenetic conception and generate abstract and incredible forms.4 The shift from computerisation to computation becomes the major change in current design industry.

Accordingly, computation defines the new way of form-finding to replace traditional formcreating. Scripting form-finding provides the advantage to incorporate multidisciplinary research in building design, such as Toyo Ito’s Serpentine Pavilion 2002 reflects architecturally aesthetic and tectonic possibility by combining computational algorithm with mathematically geometrical principles. Although computation generates complicated forms fast, we should realise that the formation always prior to form. As Oxman suggests, algorithmic formfinding shifts towards architectural thinking of topologically logics independent from form representation. 5 This is another ongoing change within design industry.

1 Rivka Oxman and Rober Oxman, Theories of the Digital in Architecture, (London: Routledge, 2014), p.2.

2 Oxman, p.2.

3 Kalay and Yehuda E, Architectures New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004), p.4.

4 Kalay, p.6.

5 Oxman, p.5.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

2.

Performance evaluation

Another computing benefit is shown in the performative anticipation of architecture. Due to design’s seperation from construction for ages, many side effects and aftereffect of design proposals cannot be realised until the construction begins or even finishes. However, the use of digital model and simulation tools preview performative behaviours of architecture.1 Such as BIM Analysis can indicate energy and structural performance in advance. By this, digital design informed by performance will generate more favourable outcomes than before.

3.

Digital Materialisation and Fabrication

One dominant contribution of architectural digitization is digital materiality and fabrication design in 2000s. Oxman states that the ability to model building’s structure of material systems as tectonic systems makes mediated manipulation of material systems possible. 2 Willmann also suggests that the shift to material design redefines architecture as a material practice by providing the possibility to modulate digital materiality in design. 3 More specifically, the digital material experimentation adjusts porosity conditions of architectural surface to control the potential of light penetration. Moreover, the emerging of CNC fabrication enables customized materialization so architects better transfer design ideas to actual work.

Meanwhile, the digital techniques such as 3D printing and laser-cutting allow the possibility of material-driven form-finding and encourage more creative design.

To support the above arguments, the two cases in the following pages will demonstrate the advantages of engaging with specific contemporary computational design techniques in detail. They will also indicate how digital technologies affect different stages in the process to redefine the design practice to explore new possibilities for optimising design.

1 Oxman, p.4.

2 Oxman, p.5.

3 Willmann, Jan, Gramazio, Fabio and Kohler, Matthias, ‘Towards an Extended Performative Materiality – Interactive Complexity and the Control of Space’ in Theories of the Digital in Architecture (2013) p19.

CONCEPTUALISATION 13

Case 1-The Morning Line Pavilion Architects: Matthew Ritchie with Arup’s Advanced Geometry Group (AGU) and Aranda/Lasch Date: 2008 Location: Seville Biennial of Contemporary Art, Seville, Spain

In Figure 2, the algorithmic genesis of the Morning

Line is the tetrahedron, the simplest and most rigid solid in nature. Then designers truncated at tetrahedron’s vertices to generate the basis unit of a fractal geometric system. The combination of formgeneration capabilities of Rhino based on NURBS and integrated parametric modelers of Grasshopper enable designers to expediently map 2D drawings onto the surface of the truncated tetrahedron.

Consequently, the unit transfers from a solid to a structural ‘knot’ in space to result in a complex tiled network, a ‘3D drawing’.[1] By that, algorithm makes the previously inconceivable geometry achievable.

This reflects Kalay’s viewpoint that we should incorporate computer superb rational & logical ability with designers’ creative ability & intuition to create a powerful symbiotic design system for pursuing satisfying design.[2]

Schumacher suggests that parametric design’s capability, the modulation of elements in architectural facades to control the design’s topologial relationship, as a distinguishing characteristic of contemporary digital architectural practice.[3] Indeed, by employing the mathematically rigorous method, recursive algorithms coded in computer applications become new tools for designers to promote the emerging of a rich world full of new spatial networks with more habitable space, circulation and structure than before.[4] Thus, it defines the new way of formfinding for architectural design. Meanwhile, this accords with Kalay’s opinion of shifting computing from merely tools for actualizing ideas to new method of exploring abstract forms and realising morphogenetic conception.[5] This demonstrates the major ongoing change from computerisation to computation in design industry.

Figure 1: the Morning Line Pavilion in Seville

Computer

algorithms and scripting form-finding enabled architects and engineers to design in a nonlinear way. AGU is a research-based design group for creating exciting new built architectural forms by examining the structural dynamics of geometric shapes and patterns.1 The Morning Line Pavilion is one outstanding example to show how AGU utilises abstract genetic algorithms to create rational and systematical space organisation, which are rational to construct.

1.Daniel Bosia, ‘Long Form and Algorithm’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Mathematics of Space, Journal, Volume 81, Issue 4, (2011) pp. 58-65. (p.61).

2.Oxman, p.3.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

The Morning Line installation is a complicated structure that can be simultaneously expandable and reducible to a series of modular units. This structural possibility is provided by scripting form-finding, which have the advantage to easily generate and manipulate fabulous forms on the basis of simple and rational recursive process. This confirms Oxman’s statement about innovative technologies as a driving force in the formulation of design theories to produce a new wave of tectonic creativity in 2000s. 2

Figure2 illustrates the algorithmic genesis of the Morning Line’s form from simple recursive process

1. Bosia., (p.63).

2. Kalay, p.2.

3. Patrik Schumacher, The Autopoeisis of Archtiecture: A New Framework for Architecture (Chichester: Wiley, 2011), p.4.

4. Bosia., (p.65).

5. Kalay, p.4.

CONCEPTUALISATION 15

Case 2-ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion Architects: Institute for Computational Design (Achim Menges) and Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (Jan Knippers) Date: 2010 Location: Stuttgart

Vitruvian effect back to re-establish the design continuum from design to production.1

Figure 2: The measurement of material and digital mapping of data

Moreover, this project applies computational technology in the whole information processing and simulation. Nevertheless, the algorithm is essentially a script of principle and a recipe of design thinking initiated by human. It demonstrates that thinking always prior to computation. That is to say, it confirms Oxman’s opinion regarding formation always precedes form.4 Meanwhile, it also caters to Kalay’s proposition of combining computer’s superb rational ability with designers’ creative intuition to create a powerful symbiotic design system for pursuing satisfying outcomes.5

Figure 1: ICD Research Pavilion

Tinformation he ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion explicitly represent the workflow, from researches for material properties

and system behaviour to generative computational process of advanced performance simulation and robotic manufacturing, in the whole design practice. As Oxman states, the top-down hierarchical computational design process usually prioritises geometry formation and isolates material performance in the recent decades.1 Accordingly material in parametric design becomes design constraint instead of design opportunity.

However, this project reflects the potential of inputing material performance as a parameter to guide architectural formfinding. The first step is to test material in a microscopic scale.

The information of elastic bending behavior of birch-plywood lamellas is digitally mapped

1.Oxman, p.5.

2.Achim Menges, ‘Material Resourcefulness: Activating Material Information in Computational Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Material Computation: Higher Integration in Morphogenetic Design, Journal, Volume 82, Issue 2, (2012) pp. 34-43. (p.43).

This project applies materialisation as the driven force for architectural design. It accords with Oxman’s opinion of regarding materialisation as a design driver rather than design afterthought to push the design towards optimal outcome.2 In this way, computational technologies enable the possibility of design practice based on tectonic and material creativity. Similar to the previous case, this project is also a convictive example for Kalay’s argument about applying computing techniques as medium to support continuous logical of design thinking and making rather than merely instruments for translating human’s preconceived proposals.3 This shows the major change from computerisation to computation in the design industry. Furthermore, the project reflects the possibility to modulate digital materiality in design. It affirms Willmann’s statement that the use of materialisation redefines architectural design process as a material practice.

and imported to computer as design parameter.2(see Figure2) According to these data, the algorithmic computing simulates the physical effects of material to generate the digital geometry. It demonstrates the new mode of form-finding instead of traditional form-creating. Meanwhile, the simulation tests the structural possibility to allow designer to adjust the position of plywood strips based on the performance feedback. Then the design can be shifted from digital modeling to physical actuality. Based on the input of accurate digital information, Robotic cutting ensures high similarity between digital model and final assembly.

By this, it reflects Oxman’s statement of computing bring Figure 3: The robotic cutting of timber strips

1 Oxman, p.1.

2 Oxman, p.3.

3 Kalay, p.6.

4 Oxman, p.5.

5 Kalay, p.2.

CONCEPTUALISATION 17

A.3 COMPOSITION / GENERATION G

‘ enerative design’ is regarded as using computerized design methods, which contrasts with traditional compositional techniques. The use of generation has become an emerging approach in the architectural design. From the lecture, we know the chronological development of parametric thinking from rule-based data manipulation. Indeed, computation enables new way of algorithmic thinking to let designer find the underlying rational logics of design process and practice. Thus, the invention of computational techniques continually shifts architectural discipline and boundaries away from the compositional methods. We should embrace such a new design technique and associated conceptual change, meanwhile, we also need to be aware of both benefits and drawbacks of generative approaches and look critically at these computational architectural practice.

According to Sean Ahlquist & Achim Menges, the underlying philosophy of computational generation is the processing of information and interactions between parametric elements.1 By this, generative approaches provide a rational and logical way to speculate abstract design potentials. It allows designers to explore architectural concepts and spaces through writing and modifying of algorithmic rules based on the understanding of interrelations between parameters. 2 Hence, it expands design possibilities beyond designers’ own intelligence.

Moreover, Peters suggests that generative techniques have the benefit to well adapt to these dynamic parameters. 3 This is because by thoroughly analyzing these parameters, computing can simulate building performance in the design stage to efficiently create more responsive design. However, current algorithmic softwares are still limited and imperfect techniques because many generations and performance speculation cannot be easily achieved with that. Peters states that humans are shifting from an era where designers use software to one where designers create software.4 He concluded 4 approaches of combing architectural design with computing generation and the one with the most depth is hybrid software engineers/architects. It means designers actively develop their own software to customise the computation for specific design purposes. 5 As depicted in Figure 1, Daniel Piker developed

Kangaroo as plug-in for Grasshopper with the emphasis of doing interactive simulation and form-finding in a much easier way without any conventional step. Moreover, the 2nd case of Foundation Louis Vuitton Museum will detailedly discuss how designers created their own cloud model server to facilitate the design. In my opinion, although customising tools are a futuring possibility for design practice, for our current stage for Studio Air, the relatively practical goal is to be familiar with existing Grasshopper plug-ins to actualise our desired generations.

As Wilson, Robert & Frank suggest, mathematicians and computer scientists sometimes use algorithm to define the notion of an effective procedure.1 However, since the nature of algorithm is a thinking pattern, I think algorithm is essentially uncertain and ambiguous. For computer-based algorithm, architects have to translate the conceptual abstraction to a solid language that computer can comprehend and execute. 2 From this perspective, generative design approaches have the deficiency of highly relying on human designers. Appropriate coding skill is needed to frame the abstract idea within a finite and effective structure. 3 The ‘finite’ algorithm requires consideration of threshold. Before designers make a script to generate a form, they must expressly decide when the process begins, transforms and ends.

For instance, we want to stop a generation when two enlarging spheres touch each other.

We cannot describe the algorithmic process in such abstract language. Instead, the threshold can only depend on a Boolean value in computing logic. Hence, algorithm’s effectiveness requires the consideration of procedure from humans’ mind. Designers should set a rule to generate forms based on the design ideology that can be mathematical or performative. We should notice that it is pointless to form a random and unintentional generation.

With the development of algorithmic softwares in architectural industry, there are substantial generative designs. At first glance, audiences’ comment of these designs may be ‘cool’ or ‘amazing’, however, not all of those generative designs have intensional composition. The abstract composition may lead to the loss of architectural sensibility. Peter suggests that computation should be integrated as an intuitive design method, instead of a mere tool to generate unusual shapes.4 Moreover, Frazer argues that adopting generative methods tend to result in architectures adhering to some particular style, such as Voronoi, instead of flexibly describing geometrical forms. 5 This is one acknowledged drawback of generative design. Meanwhile, I think the evaluation of a generative design should also be based on underlying ideas, such as how the principle is intellectually used in the process, and actually architectural utility and functionality influenced by its cool forms instead of only concerning superficial forms, which are mere outcomes of appearances.

Figure1: Form generation based on reciprocal force diagram with Kangaroo Physics

1 Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges, ‘Introduction’, in Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges (eds), Computational Design Thinking, John Wiley & Sons (Chichester: Wiley, 2011). p.13.

2 Brady Peters, ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought, Journal, Volume 83, Issue 2, (2013). pp. 8-15. (p.11).

3 Peters,. (p.13).

4 Peters,. (p.10).

5 Peters,. (p.11).

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CONCEPTUALISATION

1 Wilson, Robert Andrew, and Frank C. Keil. The MIT encyclopedia of the cognitive sciences. (Cambridge: MIT press, 2001). p.11.

2 Wilson,. p.11.

3 Wilson,. p.12.

4 Peters,. (p.13).

5 John Frazer, ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 18-23. (p. 21).

CONCEPTUALISATION 19

Case 1-Galaxy Soho Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects Date: 2012 Location: Beijing, China

The

Galaxy Soho is an excellent project which successfully applies computational generative approach in the design process. Its design of enormous inner courts is inspired by the conventional Chinese courtyards which creates an internal world of continuous open spaces.1 This reflects how modern generative design derives the essence from traditional compositional techniques.

Figure 1: The Exterior of Galaxy Soho

The project radically redefines conventional Chinese courtyards from the perspective of the algorithm.

It consists five continuous flowing volumes that are set apart and fused simultaneously by stretched bridges. 2 The fluidity of its formal composition is actualised by rational generative process. The algorithmic scripting of Galaxy Soho follows a coherent formal logic of consecutive curvilinearity, which is generated from explicitly and precisely encoded protocols. 3 In this way, parametric approach creates differentiated but continuous geometries to both aesthetically and efficiently achieve the design intention of fluidity and connectivity in such huge and immersive spaces. This reflects Peters’ statement regarding using computational approaches to explore architectural concepts and spaces through rational writing and modifying of algorithmic rules.4 Meanwhile, it well demonstrates that such parametric generative approach produces the abstractive and complicated forms in a way which is completely different traditional compositional method.

Besides, compared to conventional approaches of architectural composition, the parametric modeling shows the feasibility of structure in a more efficient and explicit manner. As Peters states, computation become necessary in architectural practice for large project. 5 Indeed, the complexity of spatial arrangements in large-scaled projects has to rely on computing to solve detailed problems of curvilinear geometries’ complications. Those benefits of generative approaches reflected in the Galaxy Soho project clearly explains why generation approaches gradually become a competitive alternative to traditional compositional technique. However, critiques of this project are mainly in terms of design unbalance between forms and utility, i.e. excessive emphasis on building’s form. As Fraser argues, generative design generally adheres to some particular complicated style.6 Admittedly, Galaxy Soho reflects an obvious algorithmic structural design. Nevertheless, the algorithmic-generated coalescing volumes with streamlined forms can provide a 360-degree interface of communication where interaction are presented above, below and all around in layers and where new deep vistas open up with each step forward.7 This confirms that its parametrically architectural design well adapts to the contemporary issue of urban spatial constraints to achieve architectural utility. Thus, I think this project is an excellent generative example regarding sufficient developing the advantages of generative approach as well as avoiding this approach’s possible shortcomings.

1.ArchiDaily, ‘Galaxy Soho / Zaha Hadid Architects’ (2012), Accessed 9 Aug 2016. <http://www.archidaily.com/287571/ galaxy-soho-zaha-hadid-architects/> 2.ArchiDaily. Accessed 9 Aug 2016.

3.Mark Fornes, ‘The Art of the Prototypical’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 61-67. (p. 63).

4.Wilson,. p.11.

5. Wilson,. p.14.

6.John Frazer, ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 18-23. (p.20).

7.Patrik Schumacher, ‘Advancing Social Functionality Via Agent-Based Parametric Semiology’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 108-113. (p.109)

Figure 2: The vast interior of Galaxy Soho 20

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Case 2-Fondation Louis Vuitton Museum Architects: Gehry Partners Date: 2005 Location: Paris, France

Figure 2: Process map of the automation steps to generate the documentation of the glass-reinforced concrete Ductal panels

exploration of geometric specificity to the detail location for minimising the potential for complexity to bleed out the system.1 This avoids the deficiency of previous generative methods, using for design exploration only, regarding insufficiently robust to validate design feasibility and give the detailed feedback needed in the situations. 2

Figure 1: Building information model of Fondation Louis Vuitton Museum

This new art museum, as a successful parametric architecture, greatly pushes computing performance and simulation techniques to a new height. The project significantly breaks from traditional geometric composition and material principles by mass-customising glass and concrete panels to specific curvatures on an unprecedented scale.1 Take the curved-glass façade for example, designers applied a large parametric glass mould that enabled the accurate bending of glass sheets into cylindrical surfaces with contours at best developable, far cry from strict geometry of cylinders. 2 Then they developed the building information model for structural and enclosure systems through parametric scripting driven by system performance constraints. 3 The computing tools shift from the merely analytic to the more simulational and near 1. Tobias Nolte, Andrew Witt, ‘Gehry Partners’ Fondation Louis Vuitton: Crowdsourcing Embedded Intelligence’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: High Definition: Zero Tolerance in Design and Production, Journal, Volume 84. Issue 1 (2014). pp.

82-89. (p.84).

2. Nolte,. (p.85).

3. Peters,. (p.13).

4. Nolte,. (p.84).

5. Peters,. (p.13).

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real-time optimisations to provide reactive feedback of unprecedented richness.4 This evidences Peters’ opinion regarding using structural and material performance feedback as fundamental parameters to create building forms. 5 The generative approach has the benefits to accurately analyse architectural decisions in advance to explore design potentials for generating more responsive designs.

Figure 3: Virtual model of all glass cylinders viusualing particular design parameters in a colour range’

The macro gestures of complicated non-Euclidean forms require high-precision fabricated acutalisation. Thus, detailed structural junctions as the locus of connection between form and production become very important. According to Shelden, this project applied parametric detailing strategies to encapsulate details information and effectively control the

Figure 4: Parametric Details

After the initial prototype, the generation of these details was distributed across many machines by the cloud model server they created. 3 By this, technology consultants directly worked with engineers to create over 200 intelligent reusable components for custom conditions to validate details automatically and generatively.4 The concurrent design systems with the cloud can efficiently find the material deformations that best fit the ambitious global design since it is highly integrated across designers, engineers, builders and fabricators. 5 Many of these teams can define specific aspects of the geometry parametrically in the same digital model. In this way, it overcomes a traditional linear planning process. This accords with Peters’ statement about computing approaches as an integrated art form has the benefits to increase efficiency and enable better communication among different industries.6 Nevertheless, although the project is famous for its geometric complexity and collaboration scope facilitated by its generative approaches, I think there is very little connection between the cool form and the museum’s actual functionality and utility. This reflects a common issue of contemporary generative design. In my opinion, designer should think more about how to take advantage of the advanced generative approaches to better serve both design intent and architectural utility.

1. Dennis R. Shelden, ‘Information, Complexity and the Detail’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Future Details of Architecture, Journal, Volume 84, Issue 4 (2014). pp.92-97. (p.97).

2. Nolte,. (p.85).

3. Nolte,. (p.86).

4. Shelden,. (p.96).

5. Nolte,. (p.87).

6. Peters,. (p.15).

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A.4 CONCLUSION

Part A sets the foundations for our understanding of values of computational approaches to confront the design challenge. Overall, the lectures, weekly readings and case studies in Part A collectively give us the relatively sustainable design direction, which is to make architectural practice more innovative, inspirational, performative and generative.

1. Innovative: the ‘Design Futuring’ topic discusses architectural task to make critical design to speculate future and redirect humanity. In our small-scale Air project, we cannot be so ambitious. However, we should be innovative. I start to think about how we can innovatively incorporate organic forms along the Merri Creek into a parametric design to provide a space for propagating some creative and sustainable ideas or evoke unique emotions of audiences.

2. Inspirational: the design should be understandable and participatory. It should suggest an ideology as a discourse to inspire users to expand their thinking further. In other word, we should try to arouse positive changes to the communities through use of algorithmic scripting and parameters.

3. Performative: It has a dual meaning. Firstly, the form generation will be parametric, responding to users’ behaviours and other ecological factors. Secondly, the generation will take materiality feedback into account. Performance will be the driver for our design ideology. It is meaningless to make any gaudy fancy.

A.4 CONCLUSION

Above design direction informs us an appropriate design approach to the Studio Air Project. Since the project aims to produce a full-scale outcome, the design method must be practical and focuses on computing fabrication. We should start material analysis firstly to experiment different types of material deformation and recording data from that. We need to be innovative in this process of exploring materials to find the suitable materials for our design brief.

Meanwhile, we need to analyse users’ behaviours and make response to the demands of clients, which will be key parameters to the generative computation.

The form requires a synthesis of opportunities from both users and materiality.

So generally we need a Grasshopper script to generate a form responding to the design brief but also inputs material constraints as the threshold. The script is generative based on simple principles but the final outcome should be beyond imagination.

After we produce a rough form, we need to test its practicality by creating physical prototypes. Although theoretically a digital simulation conducted in Grasshopper is enough, physical prototypes can better incorporate materials into design and it will be a rehearsal for the final fabrication. The fabrication can be conducted with computational tools such as laser-cutting, ensuring the information transferred accurately from digital to actualisation. The workflow of the design approaches should be highly organised.

4. Generative: The form-finding should be generative rather than prescribed.

This requires finding an intellectual principle, which responds to the design brief and materiality at firstly. After that, we should translate the principle to an optimized algorithmic coding. This needs us to master parametric design softwares such as Grasshopper. We should combine our human intuition with the proper use of computational tools to obtain a satisfying design.

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A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES

Based on the learning of architectural computing theories and practices, my main knowledge and comprehension of computational-aided architectural design is reflected as follow.

1. We should regard architecture as a discourse to suggest some ideas to the society.

It should be speculative and inspiring. The emerging of computational tools creates many benefits for architectural design. We need to pay particular attention to the continuous logics from idea to fabrication brought by the digital techniques as well as their possible influences to the larger communities.

2. We can take advantage of scripting form-finding to obtain inspiration from multidisciplinary knowledge. Take my previous Studio Water project as example, I found it was very hard to come up with good design ideas of spatial composition and arrangement in the past. Now I could program a script of setting basic geometries as parameters and finding their correlations, such as trying to establish some relationships between these parameters based on mathematical principles.

In this way, I turn form-generation to form-finding. This makes design easier and may result in some excellent outcomes that beyond my own intelligence and imagination.

3. We need consider material performance and make use of digital simulaton tools before fabrication. I realise that materiality can be a great driver for design rather than a constraint. In my past Studio Earth, I chose using timber as the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s materials simply because it can be obtained easily in the surroundings and it can give people a sense of nature, which contributes to my design proposals. However, I did not consider whether the timber performs well in my designed structural forms.

Now I can analyse the properties of timber by simulation techniques, exactly as what Achi Menges did for his ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion. In this way, I can give a more rational reason to the decision of materials used in the project. Moreover, the understanding of material properties may also inspire me to generate more creative and complex forms, which are more suitable for my design intent. By this, materiality becomes the driver of design.

4. Algorithm in architecture is more a thinking pattern than a tool and the algorithmic thinking always precedes using algorithmic tools. In a macro scale, algorithmic thinking requires us to transfer an intuitional design process to a rational loop to efficiently undertake the process with the computational aid. In a micro scale, algorithmic thinking asks us to communicate ideas with computer in algorithm so that it can complete a task such as form-finding and performance simulation.

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A.6 APPENDIX - ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES Lofting

Triangulation

These forms are obtained by using the combination of Voronoi and populate 2D (for top two) & polulate 3D (for bottom two). Accordingly, they got very abstract and complicated patterns. Take the first one as example, it forms a wall which can divide two space. however, in such a way, it defines a very ambiguous partition of two space. That is to say, each side can only hazily see the opposite side through the wall. It may stimulates some curiocity of audiences about the other side. Moreover, these forms have lots of interrelations between two adjacent elements among it.

I think they can become the prototypes for some designs. For instance, the 2nd one can further develop to form a landscape park, or even labyrinth. The 3rd one can become an entertainment for children to explore. The last one can become a pavilion for people to observe the light and shadow changes within the complicated forms and stimulate them to contemplate some thing. Thus, these demonstrates that forms generated by algorithms are very inspiring and innovative.

The series of iterations is obtained by by lofting through three curves. Initially, the lofted surfaces reflect simplicity and elegance. When I used control points to warp these curves, it generated complex and more dynamic forms. We can see lots of movements suggested in these forms. Meanwhile, we can also find some detailed changes among the whole form. All the later forms are beyond my previous anticipation. This accords with the argument in the readings about obtaining insipration through the use of computational techiques.

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Box Morph

Initially, I use the loft and edge surface components to form the fluid and elegant ‘cloak‘. After applying the box morph component, the forms become more dynamic and suggest lot of motions in different directions.

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Contouring

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2.0 REFERENCES TEXTS

IMAGES

Achim Menges, ‘Material Resourcefulness: Activating Material Information in Computational Design’ in

Architectural Design, Special Issue: Material Computation: Higher Integration

in Morphogenetic Design, Journal, Volume 82, Issue 2, (2012) pp. 34-43.

ArchiDaily, ‘Galaxy Soho / Zaha Hadid Architects’ (2012), Accessed 9 Aug 2016. <http:// www.archidaily.com/287571/galaxy-soho-zaha-hadid-architects/> Brady Peters, ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue:

Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought, Journal, Volume 83, Issue 2, (2013). pp. 8-15.

Daniel Bosia, ‘Long Form and Algorithm’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue:

Mathematics of Space, Journal, Volume 81, Issue 4, (2011) pp. 58-65.

Dennis R. Shelden, ‘Information, Complexity and the Detail’ in Architectural Design, Special

Issue: Future Details of Architecture, Journal, Volume 84, Issue 4 (2014). pp.92-97.

Dunne, Anthony &amp; Raby, Fiona Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press, 2013) pp. 1-9, 33-45.

John Frazer, ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism

2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 18-23.

Kalay and Yehuda E, Architectures New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods

of Computer- Aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004).

Ken Yeang, Michael Pawlyn, ‘Seawater Greenhouses and the Sahara Forest Project’ in Architectural

Design, Special Issue: Digital Cities, Journal, Volume 79: Issue 4, (2009) pp.122-123.

Mark Fornes, ‘The Art of the Prototypical’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0:

Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 61-67.

Patrik Schumacher, ‘Advancing Social Functionality Via Agent-Based Parametric Semiology’ in Architectural Design,

Special Issue: Parametricism 2.0: Rethinking Architecture’s Agenda for

the 21st Century, Journal, Volume 86. Issue 2 (2016). pp. 108-113.

Patrik Schumacher, The Autopoeisis of Archtiecture: A New Framework for Architecture (Chichester: Wiley, 2011), pp.1-28.

Rivka Oxman and Rober Oxman, Theories of the Digital in Architecture, (London: Routledge, 2014).

Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges, ‘Introduction’, in Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges (eds),

Computational Design Thinking, John Wiley & Sons (Chichester: Wiley, 2011).

Terri Peters, ‘Sustaining the Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design’ in Architectural Design,

Special Issue: Constructions: An Experimental Approach to Intensely, Local Architectures. Guest Editors Michael Hensel and Christian HermansenCordua, Journal, Volume 85: Issue 2, (2015) pp. 136-141.

Tobias Nolte, Andrew Witt, ‘Gehry Partners’ Fondation Louis Vuitton: Crowdsourcing Embedded Intelligence’ in

Architectural Design, Special Issue: High Definition: Zero Tolerance in Design

and Production, Journal, Volume 84. Issue 1 (2014). pp. 82-89.

Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice. (Oxford: Berg, 2008).

Willmann, Jan, Gramazio, Fabio and Kohler, Matthias, ‘Towards an Extended Performative Materiality –

Interactive Complexity and the Control of Space’ in Theories of the Digital in Architecture (2013).

A1-Case1 Figure 1: ‘Hy-Fi Installation’ <http://www.world-architects.com/images/ CmsPage/16/82/84/53b17a0dc9544673853f500e0ab58542/53b17a0dc9544673853f500e0ab58542. jpgCmsPage/16/82/84/53b17a0dc9544673853f500e0ab58542/53b17a0dc9544673853f500e0ab58542. jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 2: ‘Interior of Hy-Fi Installation’ < http://cdn2.world-architects.com/images/ CmsPageElementImage/30/91/70/53b18314217c4580ba8a19020ab56b19/53b18314217c4580ba8a19020ab56b19. jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] A1-Case2 Figure 1: Ken Yeang, Michael Pawlyn, ‘Seawater Greenhouse & Sahara Forest Project’ in ‘Seawater Greenhouses and the Sahara Forest Project’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Digital Cities, Journal, Volume 79: Issue 4, (2009) pp.122’ Figure 2: ‘Planning of Seawater Greenhouse’ < http://saharaforestproject.com/> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 3:’Physical establishment of Sahara Forest Project’ < http://saharaforestproject.com/> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] A2-Case1 Figure 1: ‘the Morning Line Pavilion in Seville’ <http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/jpgs/ architects/morning_line_seville_iloniemie091008.jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 2: Daniel Bosia, ‘the algorithmic genesis of the Morning Line’s form from simple recusive process’ in ’Long Form and Algorithm’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Mathematics of Space, Journal, Volume 81, Issue 4, (2011) pp. 61.

A2-Case2: Figure 1: ‘ICD Research Pavilion’ < http://www.str-ucture.com/uploads/tx_nmstructurereference/ Forschungspavillon_2010_5_01.jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 2: ICD/ITKE, ‘The measurement of material and digital mapping of data’ <http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=4458> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 3: ‘ICD/ITKE, ‘The robotic cutting of timber strips’ <http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=4458> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] A3-Statement Figure 1: ‘Form generation based on reciprocal force diagram with Kangaroo Physics’ <https:// spacesymmetrystructure.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reciprocal_force.jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] A3-Case1 Figure 1: ‘the Exterior of Galaxy Soho’ < https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/be/ d2/e6/bed2e6d8f30f07a3c6633f4bc0bdd56e.jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] Figure 2: ‘The vast interior of Galaxy Soho’ < http://www.huftonandcrow.com/ images/uploads/ZH_Galaxy_Soho_013.jpg> [Accessed 11 Aug 2016] A3-Case2 Figure 1: Terri Peters, ‘Building information model of Fondation Louis Vuitton Museum’ ‘Sustaining the

Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Constructions: An Experimental Approach to Intensely, Local Architectures. Guest Editors Michael Hensel and Christian HermansenCordua, Journal, Volume 85: Issue 2, (2015) pp. 139.

Figure 2: Tobias Nolte, Andrew Witt, ‘Process map of the automation steps to generate the documentation of the glass-reinforced concrete Ductal panels’ in ‘Gehry Partners’ Fondation Louis Vuitton: Crowdsourcing Embedded Intelligence’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: High Definition: Zero Tolerance in Design and Production, Journal, Volume 84. Issue 1 (2014). pp. 85.

Figure 3: Tobias Nolte, Andrew Witt, ‘Virtual model of all glass cylinders viusualing particular design parameters in a colour range’ in ‘Gehry Partners’ Fondation Louis Vuitton: Crowdsourcing Embedded Intelligence’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: High Definition: Zero Tolerance in Design and Production, Journal, Volume 84. Issue 1 (2014). pp. 86 Figure 4: Dennis R. Shelden, ‘Parametric Details’ in ‘Information, Complexity and the Detail’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Future Details of Architecture, Journal, Volume 84, Issue 4 (2014). pp.96.

Wilson, Robert Andrew, and Frank C. Keil. The MIT encyclopedia of the cognitive sciences. (Cambridge: MIT press, 2001).

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B1. Research Field

PART B. CRITERIA DESIGN

B2. Case Study 1.0 B3. Case Study 2.0 B4. Technique: Development B5. Technique: Prototypes B6. Technique: Proposal B7. Learning Objectives and Outcomes B8. Appendix-Algorithmic Sketches REFERENCES

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CONCEPTUALISATION 37

B.1 RESEARCH FIELD- PATTERNING

P

atterning, as a fundamental feature of spatial design, plays an important role in people’s perception of architecture. With the passage of time, the meaning and functions of pattern have continually changed. In conventional architecture, patterning as a kind of ornament is mainly used as a symbolic decorations to reflect associated cultures and religions at that specific time. For instance, Neolithic patterns engraved on the stone cavern are symbolic, diagrammatic and apotropaic to avert evil spirits.1 Moreover, patterns are also widely used in Islamic architecture due to the central metaphysical concept of Nizam, or pattern, a key aesthetic, metaphysical and ontological category in Islamic philosophy where wisdom is composed of recognizing and understanding ‘patterns within patterns’. 2 Take Palace of Alhambra in Granada, Spain (1238) as example, Islamic artists used the geometric and calligraphic patterns of recursive and Arabic scripts as interior decorations to create the impression of endless repetition for representing the infinite nature of their god. 3 Afterwards, the patterning’s psychological, religious and cultural significance became gradually widespread and peaked at the period of renaissance especially due to the revival of neoclassicism.

However,

the

emerging

of

modernism

1 Mark Garcia, ‘Prologue for a History, Theory and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Patterns of Architecture, Journal, Volume 79, Issue 6, (2009) pp.6-17. (p.9).

2 Keith Critchlow, ‘The use of geometry in Islamic lands’, in AD Islam and Architecture, Journal, Volume 74, Issue 5, (2004) pp.71-77. (p.73).

3 Critchlow., (p.74).

4. Garcia., (p.12).

5 Garcia., (p.13).

6 Garcia., (p.8).

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industrialisation suppressed the idea of traditional patterning ornamentation in architecture. Instead of using patterning related to culture and tradition, architects started to use patterning to display the raw nature and honesty of materiality and evoke people’s experienced perception of architecture. For instance, in Barcelona Pavilion (1929), Mies Van Der Rohe took advantage of natural patterns of the materials, glass, steel and especially marble, to reflect the intrinsic rhythm of materiality and embody the pavilion’s ethereal and experiential quality.4 According to Garcia, the patterning in 20th century was regarded as ‘art’, independent of architectural spatial and structural systems. 5

Nevertheless, modernist strictures against ornamentation are challenged by postmodernism. The contemporary concept of patterning is ‘a sequence, distribution, structure or progression, a series or frequency of a repeated / repeating unit, system or process of identical or similar elements’.6 Beyond the patterning’s limited historical role as purely style, ornament and decoration, patterning can also serve as architectural structural components. Take Herzog & De Meuron’s Prada Store in Tokyo (2003) as example, the diamond-grid patterning

façade, composed of structural steel frames, not only represents the architectural aesthetics and unique building’s spatial quality, but also serves as primary structural elements to bear loads and support floor slabs.

(See Figure 1) Furthermore, the new design approaches such as algorithmic scripting design pushes forward the functionality of patterning in architectural structure and materiality. By using generative parametric modeling, contemporary architecture has the ability to integrate patterning of materials with architectural concepts, forms and performance for generating more responsive and adaptive design.7 For example, in Figure 2, Zaha Hadid’s Civil Courts in Madrid (2007) has an environmentally adaptive façade. The facade component is modulated in adaptation to the gradually changing sunlight exposure.

The parametric modeling explicitly controls the size of opening and the projection of the shading elements vary according to the changing sunlight context. 8 By this, besides the aesthetic effects of differentiation

and accentuation of patterning, the patterning surface as a performative adaptation becomes an inseparable and fundamental part of the court design. This represents how new technologies significantly change and centralize the roles of patterns in the building’s design.

Figure 1: Parada Store in Tokyo by Herzog & De Meuron

Figure 2: Civil Courts in Madrid by Zaha Hadid

In Part B, I will explore the parametric design based on patterning. Normally the design has gradually-changed patterns on individual components and creates an integral effect when all components form the whole design. Thus, I think the patterning design belongs to ‘Bottom-up’ strategy, which starts from the components and focuses on details and then generate the whole structure. I think the ‘Bottom-up’ strategy of patterning well accords with the algorithmic design thinking. I will try my best to apply my grasshopper knowledge to establish unique and interesting relationships between parameters for exploring more possibilities of creative and impressive patterning design.

and

7 Achim Menges, ‘Material Computation: Higher Integration in Morphophonemic Design’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Material Computation: Higher Integration in Morphogenetic Design, Journal, Volume 82, Issue 2, (2012) pp.

14-21, (p.20).

8 Patrik Schumacher, ‘Parametric Patterns’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Patterns of Architecture, Journal, Volume79, Issue 6, (2009) pp. 28-41. (p.35).

CONCEPTUALISATION 39

B.2 CASE STUDY 1-M.H. De Young Museum Architects: Herzog & De Meuron Date: 2005 Location: San Francisco

H

erzog and de Meuron mainly uses image sampling in grasshopper to obtain the varied and dynamic facade patterning for De Young Museum.

They chose to use copper as main building material for two key reasons.

Firstly, the colour and texture of copper makes the museum become part of the landscape. Secondly, the visual effects of the facade patterning are largely exaggerated with the fading colour of copper through oxidation.1 Accordingly, the corrosion of copper allows the facade’s patterning gradually changed through the years. In this way, Herzog and de Meuron perfectly integrated the selection of material with the building’s patterning design.

The facade’s patterning mainly includes two parts, which are perforation and pebble extrusions. The combination of the two layers add the depth and complexity to the building design.

Figure 1: Perforation of the building facade

Figure 2: Extrusion of the building facade

1 Archdaily, ‘M.H. De Young Museum / Herzog & de Meuron’, 2010 <http://www.archdaily.com/66619/m-h-de-youngmuseum-herzog-de-meuron>

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CONCEPTUALISATION 41

B.2 CASE STUDY 1-De Young Museum Analysis of algorithm

2. Image sampler & circle radius/moving height expression: Image sampler component largely influence the surface patterns since it allows the main surface patterns follow the shape of image. In this algorithm, it uses image samplers as one variable for circle radius’ expressions. In this way, it utilises the shape of sample image to control the size of circles located in diverse division points to generate complicated and varying surface patterns. In Species 2, I replaced the two sample image with other images to form the base of completely different patterns iterations. Moreover, in all species, I changed the expressions of the circle radius and moving height to push the capabilities of the definitions to its limits. In Species 4, I add new component of point/line charge associated with evaluate field as one variable for these expressions of circle radius and moving height in order to get entirely diverse patterns from the original design.

1. Referenced surface (from Rhino) and surface divisions: The algorithm has two surface divisions referenced from a same surface. This generates two layers of surface patterns for one surface. We use the number sliders to decide the number of segments in U&V directions of referenced surface to get division points with normal vectors and coordinates at these specific points. Species 1 regarding manipulating base parameters begins with changing the density of surface divisions to get different surface patterns.

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3. Geometric Output: It generates output geometry, which is circles, based on the patterns of points and radius received upstream. In Species 3, I changed the basic geometry from circle to triangles which rapidly produced different patterning results.

5. Ultimate geometric outputlofted surface and closed surface of circles: It adds depth and complexity to the final surface patterning.

6. Graft Tree is a component for data manipulation by adding an extra branch for every data item.

In this algorithm, it enables the loft component can exactly link each circle from circle 1 series to its corresponding circle from moved circle 2 series at each division point.

Additional Components:

4. Radian component: convert the angle specified in degrees to radians.

Changing this means altering the variables of moving height expression so that it can obtain different patterning outcomes.

In species 5, I added a series of components for box morph, such as ‘construct domain²’, ‘divide domain²’, ‘surface box’, ‘box morph’, ‘jitter’ and ‘cull pattern’ to alter the surface patterns. Besides, I changed the height of surface box by trying different expression to explore the possibilities of the algorithmic definition.

In species 6, I incorporated ARM Portrait algorithm into De Young Museum’s definition to create interpolated curves and loft between these curves to add complexity and form various surface patterns.

CONCEPTUALISATION 43

B.2 CASE STUDY 1-De Young Museum Species1- manipulation of base parameter

Species 4- point/line charge

2.1- change of image samplers of two surfaces

3.1-use triangles as basic geometry

4.1-add one point charge of srf1, srf1 circle1 radius’ expression as 2*x+y

1.2- srf2 u=53

2.2- srf2 u=27, v=49

3.2-srf1 circle radius expression as x+y

4.2- add one point charge of srf2

2.3-srf1 circle1 radius’ expression as x*0.2+y*2

3.3-based on 3.2+extruded height of srf1 triangle as 0.1

1.4- srf2 circle1 radius’ y input as 0.350 & expression as x*2+y

1.5- based on 1.4+height of srf2 circle2’s expression as tan(y)+(x+0.5) when y=30°

CONCEPTUALISATION

Species 3- change of basic geometry

1.1- srf1 u=92, v=22

1.3- srf2 circle1 radius’ y input as 0.726, srf2 circle2 radius as 0.319

44

Species 2- image sampler

2.4-srf2 u=50, srf2 circle 2 radius as 0.415

2.5- based on 2.4+height of srf2 circle2’s expression as (x/2)*y+0.5

3.4-extruded height of srf1 triangle as 0.3, cull pattern used for srf1 triangle

3.5-expression of both srf1 circle radius and srf1 triangle extruded height are as x+y

4.3-two point charge, one line charge of srf 2, srf2 circle 2 radius expression as x*y

4.4-change the lofted height expression of srf2 circle 2 as x+2*y when y is the field strength of the line charge at sample location

4.5-extrude srf1 circle, write the expression x*y as extruded height when x=5.5 and y is the field strength of the line charge at sample location

CONCEPTUALISATION 45

B.2 CASE STUDY 1.0-De Young Museum Species 5- box morph

SELECTION CRITERIA

Species 6- Incorporate definitions of ARM Portrait and DeYoung Museum 5.1-box morph of srf1 with using tube as base geometry, change the lofted height of srf2 circle2 to expression tan(y)*x when y=80 degree

6.1-incorporate ARM Portrait definition with surface 1 image sampler

F 5.2-based on 5.1, use cull pattern for srf1, extrude srf1 circle by using expression x+y for extruded height when x is based on original image sampler1, y=0.45

5.3-based on 5.2, add cull patterns for srf1 circle extrusion, use jitter to randomly shuffle the list for culling patterns

5.4-change box morph base geometry for srf1 to pyramid, write the expression tan(x)*y for surface box height when x=60 degree, y is the based on original image sampler 2

5.5-based on 5.4, write the expression sin(x)*(y+0.2), when x=66 degree and y is based on original image sampler 2, for radius of srf2 circle 2

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CONCEPTUALISATION

6.2-based on 6.1, reduce the moving height of points on divided surface by decreasing 0.2

6.3-based on 6.2, change the amplitude to -2, cull patterns

rom the generative process, I thoroughly understand the algorithm, such as the function of each component and the interrelations between each other. My proposal is to design a parametric garment which contains organic patterns to stand for natural features in Merri Creek and geometric patterns to represent human impacts to the nature. Through the two types of patterns, the garment provokes people awareness of human-natural relationships, ecological sustainability and environmental protection.

Thus, my selection criteria are shown as follows:

1. Aesthetic quality and contrast between organic patterns and geometrical patterns to express my design intent.

2. Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection: The design should satisfy the requirement for laser-cutting, such as unrolled geometry and planar surfaces, in order to be conveniently and efficiently obtained in the reality. Moreover, it also needs to have the possibility for attachment to easily join each piece.

3. The wearable ability & certain permeability: The design should have possibility for wearing and it should not restrain peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basic body movements when wearing it.

4. Possibility for further algorithm development: the design should have space for further amendment and improvement by utilising grasshopper or other software to pursue better design outcomes.

6.4-change the moving direction of points from z-axis to y-axis, change the amplitude to 1.03

6.5-extrude the srf 2 lofted surface by adding multiplication of srf2 circle 1 expression and 5, cull patterns

CONCEPTUALISATION 47

FOUR SUCCESSFUL ITERATIONS

T

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection Wearable ability & certain permeability Possibility for further algorithm development

his iteration is generated by adding ARM Portrait Building’s definition and DeYoung Museum’s definition together. Obviously, the organic strips reflect the quality of fluidness of natural wind or river.

Each individual geometric circles or circular cones with diverse heights and sizes can well symbolise human imprints among the nature. This patterning system is very easy to be laser-cut due to the planar surface of fluid strips and easily unrolled cones. Since pieces have some interspace between each other, the pattern has large possibility for different connections and it is suitable to form a garment, which is wrapped around human body. Moreover, the permeability between single elements will not limit human body articulation movements. In terms of speculating upon its future’s design development, the iteration has potentials regarding further amplifying the height of the geometric cones or extruding them in diverse directions to strengthen the acute sense in order to better reflect some human interruption to the nature so as to provoke people environmental awareness.

T

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection Wearable ability & certain permeability Possibility for further algorithm development

F

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection

rom micro perspective, the patterning system is mainly formed by triangles and triangular pyramids in varied sizes. Obviously, the geometric shapes represent human impacts. From macro perspective, the overall shape of the iteration is very organic which can stand for the natural world. In this way, it can symbolise the interactive relationships between humans and nature.

Moreover, the overlapping effects add the depth to its aesthetic quality and complexity. It has relatively high level of constructability for fabrication since it can be divided to different planar layers for sending to laser-cut. The elements can also be conveniently connected to each other by attaching them to one integrally intermediary layer. For speculating further design potential, I can use weaverbird’s smoothing components to get more organic and fluid sense for this iteration in order to emphasise the representation of natural quality to better achieve my design intent.

T

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection

Wearable ability & certain permeability

Wearable ability & certain permeability

Possibility for further algorithm development

Possibility for further algorithm development

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CONCEPTUALISATION

his iteration is generated by adding two point charges and one line charge as well as manipulating the expression of the extruded height based on the yield strength of line charge. We can see both waving and organic patterns to stand for the nature and the irregular extruded geometric cylinders to reflect the human interruption to natural environments. This patterning system gives people a strong dynamic sense. Similar to above iteration, this one also can be easily unrolled for digital fabrication and it also has several connection possibilities for joining each piece together. It can be readily wrapped around the body to form clothes and dress. Its certain permeability between ‘strips’ also allows the freedom of human body movement when actually wearing it. Further algorithm development of this iteration could be adding more line charges or blend some ‘strips’ together to make it more organic and aesthetic.

his iteration is created by blending the ARM Portrait Building’s definition and DeYoung Museum’s definition and then changing the amplitude level as well as apply cull pattern to get the dynamic and aesthetic patterning. Apparently, the streamlined and organic patterns stand for the nature and the solid geometric cones’ patterns reflect the human interruption inside.

It has high constructability because it contains both planar surfaces for each piece and easily unrolled geometry and high potentials for flexible joints to connect each element together. I imagined it would be a very cool and creative garment if wrapping it around the human body. Meanwhile, the spacings between individual strips ensure its permeability so that people’s body movement will not be restricted when wearing it. For speculating further design potential, I think I can explore more about establishing physical relationships between the two layers of patterning since the organic pattern system and the geometric pattern system seem to be a bit separate from each other. I may rotate all the cones 90°and move them to the ‘strips’ to attach cones to strips.

CONCEPTUALISATION 49

B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0-REVERSE ENGINEERING Tongxian Gatehouse by Office dA, in Beijing, 2001-2003 map the brick coursework in Flemish bond onto the NURBS surface.1 This algorithm can located the bricks not only on a planar surface but also on a doublycurved surface as well as meet the bounding requirements to the greatest degree possible. 2 When the wall curvature increases, individual mason units must be cut so that mortar joint thickness must be adjusted in order to meet the masonry bonding pattern. The algorithm applied in the project can provide feedback to the designer as to whether the curvature envisioned can be met without wholesale cutting of masonry units, or result in the general dissolution of the desired bonding pattern. 3 In Tongxian gatehouse, most walls are essentially planar and modest curvature can be conveniently accommodated within the mortar joints without cutting the masonry units.4 Meanwhile, the variation of the brick surface delivers a rich texture to the building volume. These two points support the architect’s design intents to adhere to the systems geometric and syntactic laws. Secondly, establish different rules for the corbelling of the bricks from the mean surface by extrusion of brick headers out from the datum. 5

Figure 1: Main facade of Tongxian Gatehouse

ongxian gatehouse designed by Office dA is the first of multiple planned structures for an artist colony in Beijing, China. The project’s design intent is Tas follows: “... the visible deformations of the body of the building are, at once, 1

the result of programmatic pressures that guide the form, and also the result of geometric and syntactic laws permitted by particular units of construction ... in this project we have used brick as both formwork and finish, thereby securing an unmediated relationship between the bonding, its layout, and the ultimate effect ”2 The project’s construction unit is brick masonry, laid in the Flemish bond pattern, with many of the brick headers corbelling out from the surface mean. In Tongxian gatehouse, the parametric modeling of the brick façade depends on the rules that govern the texture created by the projecting brick headers instead of rationalizing the number of types and configuration of the bricks. 3 Its patterning’s algorithm is occurred in two steps. Firstly, Figure 2: Tongxian Gatehouse External Wall Bonding Patterns

1 Ponce de Leon, M. and N. Tehrani, ‘Faculty project: Tongxian gatehouse, Tongxian, China.’ in Harvard design magazine, Journal, Volume 17, (2002) pp. 94-95. (p.94).

2 Ponce de Leon, M. and N. Tehrani, ‘Versioning: connubial reciprocities of surface and space.’ in Harvard design magazine, Journal, Volume 13, (2002) pp. 56 -58. (p.56).

3 Gentry, Russell, Andres Cavieres, and David Biggs. ‘Building Information Modeling for Masonry: Defining and Modeling Masonry Walls.’ (p.9).

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CONCEPTUALISATION

1 Russell., (p.9).

2 Cavieres, A., T.R. Gentry, and T. Al Haddad, ‘Knowledge-Based Parametric Tools for Concrete Masonry Walls: Conceptual Design and Preliminary Structural Analysis.’ in Automation in Construction, Volume 20: Issue 6, (2011) pp. 661-740. (p.675).

3 Russell., (p.9).

4 Russell., (p.9).

5 Russell., (p.9).

CONCEPTUALISATION 51

B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0-REVERSE ENGINEERING Tongxian Gatehouse Diagram

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CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 53

B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Tongxian Gatehouse Reverse-Engineering Definition

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CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 55

B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Reverse-Engineering Stages

56

Stage 1-divide surface

Stage 2-cull pattern 1 to get all even numbers points

Stage 5-rectangle type 2- as brick headers

Stage 6-add two types of rectangle together

Stage 7-move rectangle type 2 to the mid dle of each column

Stage 8-extrude rectangle type 1

Stage 9-extrude patterning type 1

Stage 10-extrude patterning type 2

Stage 11-extrude patterning type 3

Stage 12-extrude patterning type 4

CONCEPTUALISATION

Stage 3-rectangle type 1-as brick stretchers

Stage 4-cull pattern 2 to get all odd numbers points

CONCEPTUALISATION 57

B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Reverse-Engineering Final Outcomes

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CONCEPTUALISATION

Speculation on how to further develop this definition

T

F

he main difference between my reverse-engineering algorithm and the project’s original is reflected in the first step. The project’s definition mapped the Flemish bonding pattern onto the surface. However, I made the bonding pattern on the surface itself by dividing the surface into points and use ‘cull pattern’ component to segment all points into two series. Base on all odd numbers’ points to draw rectangles as brick stretchers and base on all even numbers’ points to form rectangles as brick headers. I think in this way I have more possibility to get diversely interesting iterations than its original definition. The similarity between my algorithm and its algorithm is represented in the second step. Both of us established different rules for corbelling of bricks by setting diverse Boolean commands to create different extrusion patterns in diverse series among the points of the surface.

Figure 1: Tongxian Gatehouse External Wall Bonding Patterns

Figure 2: My reverse engineering final outcome-perpective 1

Differences and Similarities

irstly, I plan to manipulate the existing components to see the change of existing algorithm. Secondly, I can change the surface input in the very beginning in order to make the planar surface to 3D geometry and result in very different outcomes from the original one. And then, add new components to push the possibility of this definition to the limit. Moreover, instead of getting different series based on extruded rectangles, I plan to base on points to get different series and then add additional components based on these points in diverse series with varied cull patterning series. In this way, I think the definition has large potentials to generate more interesting patterns.

Figure 3: My reverse engineering final outcome-perspective 2

CONCEPTUALISATION 59

B.4 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT Species 1- Manipulation of existing parameters and components

60

Species 2- Changing basic geometry

1.1-surface division (u=24, v=18)

1.2-cull pattern 2 (true, false, true, true, false)

2.1-basic geometry: a lofted surface, with cull pattern series 1-5 of original definition

2.2-based on 2.1, with all cull patterns of original definitionseries

1.3-rectangle 2 (x size=0.3, y size=1.1)

1.4-rectangle 2 (x size=0.2, y size=0.3) with moving distance = 0.65, extruded distance = 3

2.3-based on 2.2, rotate rectangle 1 based on X-axis and then loft all rectangle 1

2.4-based on 2.3, rectangle 1 (x=0.8, y=0.15)

1.5-based on 1.4, rectangle 1 & 2 radius = 1, rectangle 2 extruded distance = 2.5, series 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st number=1, count=58

1.6-set different vector for different seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; extrusion

2.5-based on 2.4, replace rectangle 1 by circle with radius 0.7

2.6-based on 2.5, scale series 1, 6, 8 only (scaling factor=1.5)

CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 61

Species 3 -Changing basic geometry

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Species4-Different changes applied in different series (rotation & scaling)

3.1-change basic surface shape

3.2-based on 3.1, offset the rectangle 1 series by -0.05

4.1-change shape of basic surface to ellipsoid, rotate series 1â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circles at 30-degree (rotation axis is X-axis)

4.2-rotate series 2&3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circles at 90-degree (rotation axis is X-axis)

3.3-based on 3.1, change count of all cull pattern series (series 1-8) to 290 & set the expression of first number of series N as 290*(N-1)

3.4-based on 3.3, change the cull pattern of series 1 to (false, false, true, false), use jitter to shuffle all series

4.3-combine 4.1&4.2

4.4-based on 4.3, rotate the rest series at 60-degree (rotation axis is Y-axis)

3.5-based on 3.3, replace rectangle 2 by circle with radius 0.6

3.6-based on 3.5, rotate circle extrusion based on X-axis

4.5-based on 4,4, change the surface extrusion to circle-edges extrusion , cull pattern

4.6-based on 4.5, scale series 2&3 (scaling factor=2.0) and scale series 4-7 (scaling factor=0.6)

CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 63

Species 5- Use ellipsoid as basic surface geometry with using path mapper to get different patterns

64

Species 6- Field lines & spin forces

5.1-without using cull pattern series, set path mapper and then extrude polylines in surface normal direction

5.2- using cull pattern series 1, 3, 5 of original definition, pipe all polylines with radius 0.03

6.1-change basic geometry, apply point charge, field lines and spin forces

6.2-based on 6.1, enlarge size of circles by multiplying 2, apply original definitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cull patterns series

5.3- use all original cull pattern series (series 1-8) with changing count of each series to 50, pipe all polylines with radius 0.05

5.4-based on 5.3, change the path mapper

6.3-based on 6.2, manipulate cull pattern and then extrude some series based on new cull pattern in Z-axis direction

6.4-change strength of spin force to 2, decay of spin force to 4, extrude based on cull pattern series in Z-axis direction

5.5-change the path mapper

5.6-change the path mapper

6.5-based on 6.4, reset circlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; locations, change charge of point charge to -1, increase circles radius to 4, pipe

6.6-based on 6.5, divide curves in different series in diverse segments, different series have polygons in various radius on their dividing points to get interesting patterns

CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 65

Species 7- Metaball

7.1-based on 6.5, use points on curve to find different points in different series’ curves, cull pattern, metaball

7.3-based on 7.2, series step number=1, moving height=28, threshold=0.072

7.5-based on 7.4, series step number=2, moving height=24, and then extrude each curves in Z-direction 66

CONCEPTUALISATION

Species 8- Voronoi patterns and weaverbird

7.2-based on 7.1, hide original garment and just explore the metaball ‘decoration’ patterns for the garment, moving height=40, threshold=0.024

7.4-based on 7.3, series step number=1, moving height=19

7.6-based on 7.5, threshold=0.12, boundary surface

8.1-apply different voronoi patterns applied in diverse series of culling patterns

8.2-based on 8.1, randomly reduce items applied in different series

8.3-based on 8.2, apply mesh edges in series 1, 4, 6, 7, 8

8.4-based on 8.3, apply weaverbird catmull-clark subdivision, level=3

8.5-based on 8.4, apply weaverbird’s laplacian smoothing with different levels in diverse series

8.6-based on 8.5, apply mesh edge to extract boundary curves, offset them in distance=-0.2, -0.1, 0.1, 0.2 in different series CONCEPTUALISATION 67

SUCCESSFUL ITERATIONS Species 9-Weaverbird inner polygon subdivision

9.1-based on 8.3, apply inner polygon subdivision and weaverbird catmullclark subdivision at the level = 2.727

9.2-based on 8.5, apply mesh edges, boundary surface and area to find the centroid of each piece, cull pattern to get rid of relatively small pieces of pattern, then base on the relatively large pieces’ centroids to create triangles, graft, loft in between pieces’ boundaries and triangles’ edges Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection Wearable ability & certain permeability Possibility for further algorithm development

9.3-based on 8.5, move the centroids in surface normal direction with set different vectors with gradually changed directions and lengths in these patterning series, use centriods as centres of circles and use point on curve to get 4 points on these circles, then apply boundary surface to get the extruded-triangles pattern.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

This iteration can well express my design intent. The organic patterns can stand for the natural biodiversity in Merri Creek while the geometric triangles in the middle of each organic patch can represent human intervention to the natural environments. Besides, this patterning system has both planar surface and easily unrolled triangles so that it can be easily laser-cut and wrapped around the human body to form a garment. The relatively large spacing between patches result in high adaptability for diverse connections’ design and it will not restrain human body movement when wearing it. It still has large possibility for further algorithm development. For instance, for speculating its design potential, I will think about which types of connections are the most suitable for it and which new components I can add to further strengthen the contrast between organic and geometric patterns.

CONCEPTUALISATION 69

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection Wearable ability & certain permeability Possibility for further algorithm development

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CONCEPTUALISATION

This garment design is generated by mapping the field lines to the waistcoat-like surface and then obtaining polygons in varid sizes and numbers in diverse stripseries based on different culling patterns. The overall pattern is very elegant and beautiful. The fluid and organic strips can reflect my design intent regarding the symbolism of nature as well as the geometric hexagons with the manmade sense may stand for humans in the nature. The surface can be easily unrolled in computer for fabrication and each strip can be easily jointed together by using other mediums. Since it is already in a shape of cloth, this demonstrates that it can be successfully worn. Nevertheless, the design is based on simply planar surface now. Thus, the possiblity for further development should focus on how to make it 3D to be more creative and to better achieve my design intent regarding more obvious contrast between natural features and human impacts.

Aesthetic quality and relation to design intent.

Constructability for fabrication & adaptability for connection Wearable ability & certain permeability Possibility for further algorithm development

This iteration is very aesthetic with the strong sense of dynamics and fluidness. The organic strips can stand for the water stream in the nature and the geometric circles can be regarded as the polluted points by industrial runoff and other human interventions to the creek.

By this, it can well link to my design intent. Since it is composed of planar surface with certain curvature, they can be unrolled in computer and sent to laser cut to get efficient and precise fabrication. Meanwhile, strips have large possiblities for varied connections. From the image, it is clear that the design satisfies the requirement in terms of certain level of permeability. The direction for futher algorithm development may focus on creating more interesting pattern on each strips or extrude each strip in diverse directions to add creativity, depth and complexity to the garment design.

CONCEPTUALISATION 71

B.5 TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPES The purpose of this prototype part is to find the optimal choices of materials and joints for desired effects of my waistcoat design. This part explores in which ways each element can suitably connect to each other and better fit the human body by testing different materials and joints performance.

4. As shown in the below scripting, establish four series of these cells to get diverse raised triangles sizes and directions in different cells to generate changed patterns.

3. Apply weaverbirdcatmull clark to smooth the edge of each cell

Analysis of articulations and body movement A: Shoulder part: Major body curve -

I intend to make my design to be a loose waistcoat instead of close fitting to the human body. However, considering the comfort ability of garment, I still need to clearly understand the body joints, curves and associated body movements in order to design a suitable and comfortable waistcoat. Since my design is a waistcoat, the focus of articulations and body movements’ analysis should be limited to the shoulder, clavicle & back, chest, waist, stomach & hip areas.

nearly 90-degree curvature, shoulder joint - ball and socket joint B: Clavicle part: have slight body curve C: Chest & back parts: Relatively smooth surface without major body movement D: Waist part: Major body curve, connect the front and back sides of body E: Stomach & hip parts: mostly have bending movement, spine joint - facet joint; hip joint - ball and socket joint

Figure 1: Body articulation analysis

According to the above analysis, all the yellow areas should be designed with relatively small pieces whilst green areas should be designed with relatively large piece. Meanwhile, I design to create relatively large spacing for connections between elements in order to give the freedom of human body movement as much as possible.

Computational technique: Arrange layout of chosen patterns for prototype fabrication

5. Measure the approximate length of shoulder. Divide the actual shoulder length by the length of cell which is on the shoulder part to get the scaling factor. Then scale all elements by this factor to get the exact dimensions of digital model for laser cutting in order to establish precise physical model.

Prototype fabrication process & Performance test 1. Points distribution based on analysis of body articulation movement on 2D garment (slightly dense points around the neckline, two waist sides and bottom edge of waistcoat and relatively sparse point in the middle)

2. Generating voronoi patterns according to these points

Material choice A: 1mm white screenboard Bending test

White screenboard is highly prone to bending and it easily generate bend traces left on the surface which extremely destroy the visual effects. As shown in the blue circle, when apply bending, it has crack between the raised triangles’ surface and the planar cell’s surface.

Advantages: 1. Relatively lightweight compared to MDF 2. Easily for cutting and punching Disadvantages: 1. Highly prone to bending and buckling 2. Easily have bending traces left on the surface which extremely destroy the visual effects 72

CONCEPTUALISATION

CONCEPTUALISATION 73

Joint prototype 1: Interlocking joints by using 5mm foam core as connection materials (fixed joints) Making process and joints details

Making process and joints details

Sagging test

Considering the visually aesthetical effect, hide the knot of strings at the bottom side of the garment.

The connection is very rigid so that elements do not fall down when lifting. Meanwhile, since the connection is very rigid, the prototype does not have draping effect.

Stretching test

Shifting perspectives and changing light

Body fitting test- Shoulder test

Firstly, I only cut the foam core joints with the width of screenboard in order to interlock them. However, I realised that the connection is not tight enough.

Then, I also cut on the edge of screenboard pieces with the width of foam core for tighter connection with larger frictional surface to generate more frictional forces. In this way, the connections become stronger. Meanwhile, the irregular geometrical shape of the joints stands for the human intervention in the originally natural world. This can strengthen my design idea. From the shifting of light, we can see the variedly interesting projected shadow patterns. This prototype successfully passed the shoulder test. This is mainly because the connection material is very solid, it can hold the overall shape of my waistcoat and connect them in the required bending degree. However, since the interlocking joint belongs to fixed connection, which cannot be stretched and bended and highly restrict human body movements. From this perspective, this type of joints does not suit my design.

From the stretching test, I found that this type of connection is quite flexible so that it allows a certain level of movement between the cells. Thus, it will not restrict human body movements when wearing it.

Shifting perspectives and changing light

Sagging test

Shoulder test

Joint prototype 2: Strings (flexible joints)

Due to the time restraint, I did not send this prototype to laser cut. However, the computational technique to get correct hole positions should be as follow: In grasshopper, use mesh edge to extract all outer boundary edges and then offset the boundaries inwards and use â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;points on curveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; component to find 3-5 points on the curve then use these points as centres to draw 3mmdiameter circles as holes for strings to go through.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

From the sagging test, I found that this prototype has perfect draping effect.

In other words, the joints are too soft to make the model stand up. It is suitable for close-fitting garment design.

Due to the lightweight and draping effect of this prototype, it can well fit the shoulder curvature.

CONCEPTUALISATION 75

Material choice B: 80 gsm lightweight recycled kraft brown paper

Shoulder test

Use the same computational technique mentioned before to get the accurate position of holes for connection in grasshopper.

Besdies standing up byitself, through the body fitting test, I find that the prototype can also perfectly fit to the required body curvature when wearing it.

Bending test

Joint prototype 4: Alloy buttons combined with silver paper (flexible joints) Throught the bending test, I found this material is very lightweight and soft so that it has the large flexibility in bending.

Making process and joints details

Joint prototype 3: Iron wires Making process and joints details

I used relatively short ‘one-way strip’ joints to connect between two patches and applied ‘two-way crossing strip’ joints to connection among more than two patches.

Distortion Test

Stretching test

From he stretching test, I found this joint prototype have favorable elasticity at a certain degree so that it can be distorted. Thus, it allows people’s articulation movements to some extent.

Different perspectives with shifting light & bending test

Bending Test

From this experiment, I found that the iron wires can hold th shpe of these cells in any desired curvature due to its stiffness. Thus, it makes the prototype have the potential to stand up itself instead of closely fit to the skin. Due to the bending structure, it can have interesting changing shadows on the body when shifting the light direction. In this way, the shadow effect contributes to the prototye’s aesthetic quality.

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CONCEPTUALISATION 77

Shoulder fitting test

Joint prototype 6: Stainless steel cable ties Though the tests above, I found that this type of flexible joint can be highly movable so that it allows human body movement. That is to say, each patch has large flexibility and their spacing can be freely changed. That can result in very interesting and dynamic garment design. I think this prototype is more successfully than others. I will further explore its quality and further develop it in part C.

Making process and joints details

Shoulder fitting test

Joint prototype 5: Add one layer of cellulose acetate as connection medium with stapling nails (fixed joints) Making process and joints details

Sagging test

For this prototype, I create fixed joints by using stapling nails to attach each patch to the acetate. The sagging test shows that this prototype has a certain level of draping effect.

From the making process and several tests, I realise that stainless steel cable ties has advantage of toughness in structure so that it can adjust the distance of joints between edges of patches and hold the model’s shape at desired curvature. When the garment model can stand up by itself, the shadow that it generated is very interesting. This highly benefits the visual effect of the garment. Meanwhile, the shoulder fitting test shows that the prototype can also enable the close-fitting effect of shoulder curvature.

Bending test

Bending Test

The bending test demonstrates that it belongs to movable joints, which allow the freedom of body articulation movement.

Through the bending test, I found that although the acetate has certain flexibility and adaptability for bending, the cells cannot be tightly adhere to the acetate when bending it at a large curvature.

In terms of this aspect, it may form part of garment at relatively flat surface on human’s body such as the belly area but it cannot perform well on body articulation areas such as shoulder areas.

Material choice C: 0.6mm polypropylene

Material choice D: 3mm MDF It has similar process, which is from computational model to laser cutting fabrication, to the polypropylene’s. Compared to other materials, the disadvantage of MDF is heavier and it easily get burnt traces from laser cutting. This slightly damages the visual effect of the garment design.

Joint prototype 7: 5mm dense foam

Computational technique: In grasshopper, use ‘mesh edge’ component to extract all boundary edges outside and then offset the boundaries inwards. After that, apply ‘points on curve’ component to find 3-5 points on the curve then use these points as centres to create circles with 5mm-diameter as holes for extra joints to go through.

Finally, bake them in rhino and send the rhino file for laser cutting.

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Making process and joints details

I used the hot-wire foam cutting in the fablab to cut dense foam. The metal wire is heated via electrical resistance to around 200°C. When the wire is passed through the dense foam, the heat from the wire vaporises the dense foam. I cut it with 3mm with is MDF’s thickness since I wanted to make interlocking joints for this prototype.

CONCEPTUALISATION 79

B.6 TECHNIQUE: PROPOSAL

Test the softness elasticity of dense foam

However, the joints were failed because the connections were not tight enough. I think it was due to imprecise measurements by hand-control cutting machines and dense foamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certain level of elasticity and softness.

Learning from this prototype, I will 3D print the joints by using ABS (AcrylonitrileButadiene-Styrene) to make sure the joint can be connected tightly for the next time.

Site Analysis Plans

Selection criteria for successful prototypes 1. Good level of bending and stretching quality in order not to restrict human body articulation movement when wearing it.

2. Relatively high level of aesthetics, from both the shapes of the prototypes themselves and the shadow effect it generated 3. The joints have some contribution to the expression of my design intent by highly contrasting with the organic cells. I.e.: through either jointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; materiality or their geometric or other man-made shapes to reflect the human interruption to the nature.

Natural environments-River, trees and grassland

Based on the above criteria, the successful prototypes are: Prototype 4: lightweight recycled kraft paper with alloy button & silver paper as joints The texture of the craft paper is highly contrast with the texture of alloy joints. In this way, it contributes to the expression of my design intent.

Prototype 6: polypropylene with stainless steel cable ties The prototype can reinforce my design intent in terms of the distinct contrast between the organic cells and geometric shapes of joints and projecting triangles.

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Urban environments around Merri Creek and severely polluted points in the creek

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Natural Environments

Negative Human impacts

Biodiversity- Flora & Fauna

Physical pollution â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Plastic & rubbish along the creek

Severe water turbidity Organic stone patterns along the creekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banks

M

erri Creek is a waterway that begins near Wallan north of Melbourne and flows south for 70 kilometres until it joins the Yarra River at Dight Falls. During my site visit, I found Merri Creek is a quietly natural place with high level of biodiversity with diverse floras and faunas.

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I

n contrast, I also noticed some negative human impacts in this area. For instance, there are lots of physical pollutions such as plastic and rubbish along the creek. Moreover, in recent year, the sewage discharge has resulted in severe water turbidity and decrease in natural species.

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Main Timeline

Source from: Merri Creek Management Committee <http://www.mcmc.org. au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36&Itemid=188>

M in

1989

W

etlands originally constructed in 1989 and progressively planted with indigenous trees, shrubs and

y waistcoat is designed for unpaid workers in Merri Creek Manage Committee, who conduct the works regarding tree plantings and weed removals Merri Creek. Thus, the selection criteria should mainly include two points:

1. The waistcoat should not obstruct volunteers’ body movement when they fulfill their jobs. For instance, both tree plantings and weed removals need action regarding bending down. Accordingly, the waistcoat should allow certain level of freedom of body movement.

2. The contrast of organic and geometric elements, in terms of either the materiality or shapes of patterning, on the waistcoat should be enough obvious in order to draw visitor’s attention when they see the garment worn by these Merri Creek workers so as to provoke visitors sense of human-natural relationships.

Fine-tune of my technique

2005

2011

L

itter mounds and rubbish generated by recent flood

M

erri Creek became the city’s most polluted waterway due to heavy stormwater, severe discoloured water and industrial runoff

I B

ased on my site visit and research information, my proposal is to design a parametric waistcoat which contains organic patterns to stand for natural biodiversity in Merri Creek and geometric patterns to represent existing human interruption to the environments. Through the sharp contrast of the two types of patterns, the garment provokes people awareness of humannatural relationships, ecological sustainability and environmental protection.

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n order to better respond to my design proposal, I rotated the extruded triangles around the centriods of each patch with diverse angles in different series to strengthen the symbolism of negative human impacts to the natural Merri Creek and make them more obvious to draw visitor’s attention. Moreover. I planned to change the material for the patch to bamboo in order to add more natural feeling to the organic patterns. Based on points along the edges of each piece, I used interpolated curves to create the connection systems for my design. The connections’ material is planned to use stainless steel, which has strong manmade feeling, can well contrast with the organic pattern in order to better express my design proposal.

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B.7 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

1. Regarding Objective: developing “an ability to generate a variety of design possibilities for a given situation” by introducing visual programming, algorithmic design and parametric modelling with their intrinsic capacities for extensive design-space exploration;

M

y grasshopper skill has improved a lot when I did various iterations of case study 1 & 2 and complete the algorithmic tasks each week. For instance, I continually challenged the limitation of case studies and push it to be more versatile. Through the technical development, I also explored some grasshopper’s plug-ins’ components. For instance, I used the ‘catmull-clark subdivision’ component and ‘laplacian smoothing’ component in weaverbird. Besides, both the tutorial videos and online resources helped me a lot to improve my skills in terms of visual programing and algorithmic scripting. Meanwhile, my understanding of algorithmic design and parametric modeling also get increasingly comprehensive through the practice of grasshopper.

2. Regarding Objective: developing “skills in various three dimensional media” and specifically in computational geometry, parametric modeling, analytic diagramming and digital fabrication;

D

uring the practice of creating prototypes, I tried diverse approaches to realise my design in three dimensions. Originally, I can only finish the physical model by hand that is very time-consuming and not accurate enough. Up to now, I hav experienced more modelmaking machines such as the hot-wire foam cutter. More importantly, I learnt about the process from generating parametric model by using grasshopper, baking it in rhino and then sending rhino file for laser cutting and 3D printing to explore the possibilities of digital fabrication. I am trying to optimise my ability of digital fabrication to replace manual works.

3. Regarding Objective: developing “the ability to make a case for proposals” by developing critical thinking and encouraging construction of rigorous and persuasive arguments informed by the contemporary architectural discourse;

4. Regarding Objective: developing capabilities for conceptual, technical and design analyses of contemporary architectural projects;

O

riginally, I analyse all architectural precedents in very traditional throught. However, with the improvement of my grasshopper understanding and skills, I am capable of analyzing concept and techniques of architectural projects depending on parametric thinking. Since I have personal experience of algorithm thinking, I can basically understand which part is the most significant one to focus on when I look some projects generated from grasshopper scripting.

5. Regarding Objective: developing foundational understandings of computational geometry, data structures and types of programming;

T

hrough the reverse engineering process of Tongxian gatehouse, I develop a very comprehensive understanding of data structures and data flows especially through the use of gradually changed culling patterns in different series according to diverse list items. Besides, after encountering and solving many unexpected and even illogical failures among using grasshopper, I have more clearly and thoroughly understand of how the parametric design process works.

6. Regarding Objective: beginning developing a personalised repertoire of computational techniques substantiated by the understanding of their advantages, disadvantages and areas of application.

N

ow, I can have a fundamental understanding of which components in grasshopper are applied to solve what types of designing issues. I am at a stage of trying to solve parametric design problems and to actualise forms by using my own way instead of searching for existing solutions of every problems encountered in the digital design process from the Internet. In this way, it facilitates me to exercise my algorithmic thinking. Meanwhile, it also develops my independent ability to solve computational techniques’ problems.

T

he algorithmic logics of the results of reverse engineering Tongxian Gatehouse Project set the basic framework to act as guidance for the subsequent development of my design proposal. I also tried to criticise my design as much as possible to make appropriate adjustment to my design proposal. Moreover, the feedback I got from interim presentation, which is about creatively bringing more about the extrusion quality of the case study to my own design, was very constructive and it plays an crucial role in the amendment of my design outcome.

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B.8 APPENDIX - ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES Fractal

I think the fractal technique is very useful to create complicated, creative and interesting patterning design. The origins for these patterns are very simple.

However, by using trim solid and scale components, I always get unexpected sophisticated outcomes. This accords with the argument from the part A readings regarding obtaining insipration through the use of computational techiques. Meanwhile, the fractal technique adds the depth to the design because it breaks the entire design in different layers in terms of scales. By deeply looking these parametric sketches, it helps me to better understand the tight interrelationships between holistic design image and its individual elements. This inspires me to carefully balance my design in both overall form level and very detailed levels in the future.

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Field, spin forces and graphing section

Field lines and spin forces are very useful to create organic line patterns. It inspires me to include this type of patterns in both buildling facade design and garment surface design.

Based on the 2D line pattern created by point charge, merge field and field lines, and I used graph mapper to make it in 3D and then utilise interpolate curves and loft in between these curves to get the elegant patterning results.

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The referenced image is plant that I saw in Merri Creek. The shape that I thought was very complicated before can be easily achieved by combining the use of point charge, field lines, graph mapper and pipe components in grasshopper now. The resulted images are very dynamic and powerful since they suggest lots of movements in diverse directions.

The sketches not only inspire me to include their qualities to very dynamic patterning design for building facades. Moreover, the spatial quality of overall form and interrelationships between individual elements in it also give me inspiration about residential and commericial buildling complex design.

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2.0 REFERENCES Weaverbird and Kangeroo

TEXTS Achim Menges, “Material Computation: Higher Integration in Morphophonemic Design”, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Material Computation: Higher Integration in Morphogenetic Design, Journal, Volume 82, Issue 2, (2012) pp. 14-21, p.20.

Archdaily, ‘M.H. De Young Museum / Herzog & de Meuron’, 2010 <http://www.archdaily. com/66619/m-h-de-young-museum-herzog-de-meuron> Cavieres, A., T.R. Gentry, and T. Al Haddad, ‘Knowledge-Based Parametric Tools for Concrete Masonry Walls: Conceptual Design and Preliminary Structural Analysis.’ in Automation in Construction, Volume 20: Issue 6, (2011) pp. 661-740. (p.675).

Gentry, Russell, Andres Cavieres, and David Biggs. ‘Building Information Modeling for Masonry: Defining and Modeling Masonry Walls.’

Keith Critchlow, ‘The use of geometry in Islamic lands’, in AD Islam and Architecture, Journal, Volume 74, Issue 5, (2004) pp.71-77. (p.73).v Mark Garcia, ‘Prologue for a History, Theory and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design’ in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Patterns of Architecture, Journal, Volume 79, Issue 6, (2009) pp.6-17.

Patrik Schumacher, ‘Parametric Patterns’, in Architectural Design, Special Issue: Patterns of Architecture, Journal, Volume79, Issue 6, (2009) pp. 28-41. (p.35).

Although the form of the design is very fluid, it gives me a sense of power, cohersive forces and stability. By exploring components in Kangeroo and Weaverbird, I realise that the importance of force to shapes and the large design potential of using diverse meshes to generate interesting, complicated and powerful design.

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Ponce de Leon, M. and N. Tehrani, ‘Faculty project: Tongxian gatehouse, Tongxian, China.’ in Harvard design magazine, Journal, Volume 17, (2002) pp. 94-95. (p.94).

Ponce de Leon, M. and N. Tehrani, ‘Versioning: connubial reciprocities of surface and space.’ in Harvard design magazine, Journal, Volume 13, (2002) pp. 56 -58. (p.56).

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2.0 REFERENCES IMAGES

Research Field Figure 1: ‘Prada Store in Tokyo by Herzog & De Meuron’ <http://www.prada.com/ content/dam/prada/SPECIAL%20PROJECTS/EPICENTERS/cover-tokyo.jpg/_jcr_ content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg> [Accessed 20 Aug 2016] Figure 2: ‘Civil Courts in Madrid by Zaha Hadid’ <http://assets.inhabitat. com/files/zahamadridcourtsomething.jpg> [Accessed 20 Aug 2016] Case 1.0 Figure 1: ‘Perforation of the building facade‘ < https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg. com/736x/1f/a3/b3/1fa3b30c422a0bb7e93ff1de40ca0964.jpg > [Accessed 25 Aug 2016] Figure 2: ‘Extrusion of the building facade‘ < https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg. com/736x/c0/51/28/c051282e2c19d5eef2cf7f0aa91fb011.jpg > [Accessed 25 Aug 2016] Case 2.0 Figure 1: ‘Main facade of Tongxian Gatehouse’ < http://acdn.architizer.com/thumbnails-PR ODUCTION/1b/6c/1b6cee748b8f4dedbdd2e62fc4e777bd.jpg > [Accessed 10 Sep 2016] Figure 2: ‘Tongxian Gatehouse External Wall Bonding Patterns’ < https://images.patternity.org/gw_2_7_markkoehlertownhouse_ matthijsborghgraef_bricks_arch_shad.jpg > [Accessed 10 Sep 2016]

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PART C. DETAILED DESIGN

C1. DESIGN CONCEPT C2. TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES C3. FINAL DETAIL MODEL C4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES REFERENCES

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Address feedback from our interim presentations

A

fter the interim presentation, Eve, Hao, Iris and I formed a group for doing Part C Detailed Design together.

All of us got very useful feedback from our presentations. The refined directions are represented as follows: Eve’s:

Hao’s:

1. Should emphasise the contrast of pattern more. The cube pattern is too geometric rather than organic.

1. Pattern is fine but it is not made by using parametric computational techniques.

2. Not properly consider the wear-ability & structure of the garment. Should think about how the cube patterns are attached to each other & attach to the skin. It would be better to design a structure for the patterns to sit on.

2. Should use more digital ways for physcial fabrication instead of hand-made fabrication, which is very time-consuming.

3. Should have more variation, such as size change, among these diamond patches.

3. Should focus more on the variation in the pattern. For instance, different scaling change.

4. Should consider the relationship between the garment and the human body

4. The materials are not strong enough. Should reconsider the proper material for further model.

Iris’s: 1. The pattern is too simple. Should carefully think about the variations and changes among the pattern, such as gradually changing scales and protrudent directions of patches, in order to make the pattern more dynamic.

I

n order to address the most important feedback we got, which is establishing garment’s relationship to the human body, our group established the digital model of a garment-like basic geometry surface to wrapp around the human body mesh at first. According to our test, this surface was easily to be unrolled. Thus, we deicided to use it as the basic geometry for our later garment’s patterning design.

2. Unrollable surface is good for physical fabrication. Should follow this direction later.

3. Should establish the relationship between the garment and the body

My (Ivy’s): 1. Should definitely get the model fabricated properly, such as using laser cutter intead of hand.

2. Do not use voronoi pattern 3. Should set up some relationships within the garment 4. The garment is two-dimensional. Try to make it more dynamic, make it in three-dimensions.

5. Some joints are interesting. Should develop more on the relatively successful type of joints.

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Finalise the concept behind design proposal

A

fter carefully considering the feedback from interim presentations, our group decided to reexamine and research the site, Merri Creek, and prudently blend and combine everyone’s previous design concept to form an ultimate design proposal.

Our group member’s original ideas Hao - Use single geometries to stand for stones, flowers, leaves and water waves for learning centre’s children understand the nature better.

Eve - Use organic forms to represent stones and water waves in Merri Creek’s natural environments to create a moveable garment, which focus on the sensorial experience.

Our group final concept

T

o design a parametric garment which contains diverse organic forms to stand for stones and ripplings in the natural environments of Merri Creek whilst using manmade polypropylene as materials for these organic patterns to stand for human intervention to the rest of nature. Through the sharp contrast between forms and material, the garment provokes people’s awareness of human-natural relationships and environmental protection to advocate returning to nature.

Figure 1: Merri Creek Natural Scene 1

Figure 4: Merri Creek Natural Environments

Ivy - Use organic for to stand for natural biodiversity in Merri Creek, which contrasts with using geometric patterns to represent human interruption to the nature to provoke people’s awareness of humannatural relationship and eco-sustainability.

Figure 5: In 2011, Severe water turbidity due to sewage discharge

Our group target client

Figure 2: Merri Creek Human’s Rubblish

Iris - Use a three-dimension form to represent both the river flow and the river bank to indicate the natural environment.

Figure 6: Volunteers in CERES community

O

Figure 7: CERES community

ur target client is volunteers in CERES community to specially exhibit the garments towards visitors.

Figure 3: Merri Creek Natural Scene 2

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Qualities and useful grasshopper components from our reverse engineering projects

B

ased on our final design concept and the amended directions that we got from the interim presentation feedback, our group planned to reexamine the qualities of our reverse engineering projects. The purpose is to find out what specific ideas of patterning that can be inspired from these projects and which grasshopper components can be utilised in our later design. Since all of us concentrated on the “patterning” projects, “patterning” became our focus for the garment design.

Figure 1: Aqua Tower

Hao chose Aqua Tower as her reverse engineering project. The quality of this architecture is the dynamic, organic and fluid patterning on its building facades. The most important component used in the building’s grasshopper definition is the ‘image sampler‘ component. Our group planed to realise our garment design by mainly utilising this component to generate our desired diverse

Figure 1: AU Office and Exhibition Space

Both Eve and Iris chose AU office and Exhibition Space as their reverse engineering project. The patterning of this project is the rotated blocks. Note that the rotation angle here is critical, as it determines the establishment of the whole structure. Such unique structural patterning drew our attention and may become one possible direction for our final model.

However, although the project has cubes with diverse rotations, they all in the same scale. Meanwhile, our interim presentation feedback also suggests us to generate different scales to make our pattern more dynamic. Thus, firstly, different scales will be one design focus. Furthermore, since we need to incorporate the organic form of Merri Creek into the garment design, this rectangular shape is too static to simulate the natural elements. Hence, secondly, we decided to changed rectangles to triangles for creating the dynamic and flexible overall form. Thirdly, unlike the brick building, garment do not have the ground support. meanwhile, it is also highly influenced by the human body movements. Thus, we reckoned that the joint design is critical for protecting the integrity of the garment. Accordingly, our group planned to design unique joints that can properly fit our garment’s forms and materials.

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Figure 3: ‘Tongxian Gatehouse External Wall Bonding Patterns’

I chose Tongxian Gatehouse as my reverse engineering project. The building major quality is the protrudent brick patternings. The main characteristics of its grasshopper definition is utilising ‘cull pattern‘ and ‘extrusion‘ components. Thus, our group decided to creatively and wisely use these two components in our grasshopper script for form and joint design.

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Surfaceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structural patterning script development

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Divide surface

Divide surface

Populate geometry

U count=3

U count=6

Count=15

V count=3

V count=6

Seed=5

Target domain of amplitude

Target domain of amplitude

Target domain of amplitude

Start value=0

Start value=0

Start value=0

End value=35

End value=100

End value=70

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Workflow diagram of our design definition Marginal surfaces/panels Basically, we used the extrusion component to get the long and short marginal surfaces. These marginal surfaces were regarded as additional structural patternings, which made the garment more undulating, dynamic and interesting. Moreover, they provided space for attaching the strip patterning later.

Structural patterning For creating triangular structural patterning in grasshopper, we got the random points on a surface and connect them to the image sampler, image sampler was used to control the movements of the points. Since we will design a garment, comfort of wearing cannot be ignored, positive domain restriction was added additionally, to further control the pointsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movements in the outwards direction from human body. In this way, the inside part will be relatively flat. Finally, we created the 3D structure.

Strip patterning We utilised the cull pattern to select the top edges of the marginal surfaces. Then we divided the edge to eight segments and deleted the first two and the last points. Next we redraw the lines and loft them to form the strip patterning. Unfortunately, we found that Grasshopper cannot choose the start points of lines as we excepted. Sometimes we needed to reverse some curves for estalshing correct order. Thus, we can only select two lines each time manually.

Figure 1: Rendered digital model of our expected outcome 106

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C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT Diagram of the envisaged construction process

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 1

Prototype 1-digital joint design - Interlocking joint & digital preparation for physical fabrication

O

ur purpose of making prototype 1 is to test whether the structural patterning that we designed can be fabricated in the reality, can be jointed properly and can have the visual effects as we expected. Thus, for this step, we only fabricated the fundamental layer of structural patterning. The prototype 1 is one shoulder part of our garment design.

Prototype 1-rendered digital model of structural patterning

Digitally tectonic refinement For creating triangular structural patterning in grasshopper, we originally use ‘divide surface‘ component to get points on a surface and connect them to the image sampler in order to control the movements of the points. Considering the comfort of garment, positive domain restriction was added to further control the points’ movements in the outwards direction from human body. Thus, the inside part was relatively flat.

However, we then realised that the sizes of triangle patches are almost the same due to the points on surface created by dividing surface are very orderly. Therefore, in order to greatly diversify the sizes of triangles, we changed the ‘divide surface‘ component to ‘populate geometry‘ component with count=15, seed=5. In this way, we successfully get the dynamic variation of the triangles’ sizes, as shown in the above image.

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After we got the structural patterning, we started to use grasshopper to design the interlocking joints.

Diagram 1 & 2 show the diagram for designing a pair of interlocking joints. Firstly, we extended all edges of each triangle patch outwards by 5mm for connection. Secondly, we cut opposite holes in each pair of edge line for interlocking, as indicated in the joint diagrammatic drawing.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 1 Prototype 1- physical fabrication process & Light/shadow test

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Prototype 1’s process & features

Prototype 1’s issues

For laser cutting, we unrolled the 3D patterning into the individual patch and label all the edges, a pair of edge was labeled with same number for ease of model-making. For material, we chose polypropylene, firstly, because it’s light and flexible so that it is easy to adjust with human movements and limit the extra weight when people actual wear it. Secondly, polypropylene is a manmade plastic material, which can represent human intervention, reflecting the idea of human & nature relationship in our design concept. For the part of joints, we specified the etched lines, for the convenience of folding and connecting in later model-making process. Prototype 1 successfully proved that this type of structural patterning was feasible to be assembled and the material, polypropylene, behaved as expected. Meanwhile, this structural patterning had the perfect light&shadow effect, which contributed to add dynamic and aesthetic sense for our garment design.

However, prototype 1 also revealed some problems in the physical fabrication:

CONCEPTUALISATION

For patterning: we realised that one layer of patterning was indeed very simple and boring.

For joints connection: Our group reckoned that 5mm marginal surface would be impossible for the layer of strip patterning to go through. It became potential issues for later fabrication. Moreover, we realised that the ends of joints easily obstructed each other. We had to use scissor to cut it for preventing the obstruction.

Thus, we should change the length of joints in the next stage.

For labelling: The texts’ sizes were too small to recognize. It seriously decreased the efficiency of physical fabrication.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2

F

rom prototype 1, we concluded some issues and made some modifications in our second prototype. We decided to fabricate the fron body part of the garment in the prototype 2. This is because the front body part occupies the majority of the garment. Accordingly, prototype 2 would be a great indicator of what our garment look like when wrapping around the human body.

Digital adjustment of prototype 1’s issue - Patterning

Inspired by case study of De Young Museum’s two layers of patterning, as shown in the first image, we realised that two layers of patterning can add depth to the overall design. Thus, we decided to make the garment more dynamic and interesting by adding another layers of strip patterning, For generating the strip patterning in grasshopper, as shown in the above diagram, we utilised the cull pattern to select the top edges of the marginal surfaces. Then we divided the edge to eight segments and deleted the first two and the last points. We redraw the lines and loft them to form the strip patterning. Unfortunately, we found that Grasshopper cannot choose the start points of lines as we excepted. Sometimes we needed to reverse some curves for estalshing correct order. Thus, we can only select two lines each time manually. The rendered digital model with expected visual effects is shown in the second image.

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For preparing the physical fabrication of strip patterning, we firstly unrolled these strip with keeping their properties and labelling them automatically. However, we encountered two problems. As shown in the first two images, first, the automatic label for strips did not increase in order. Each piece started from number 0 repeatedly. After we unrolled them, it was impossible to know the accurate location of each piece. Second, two adajacent strips were connected together as one whole strip. By physical testing, we realised that it was harder for longer strip to pass through the very small holes, which were planned to be cut in the structural patterning’s marginal surfaces. Thus, in order to adjust these problems, we decided to make strips seperate from each other, as shown in the third image. Moreover, after we unrolled them, we manually gave them serial number in rhino for ease of physical fabrication.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2 Digital adjustment of prototype 1’s issue - Marginal surfaces & joint connections

As shown in the first image of prototype 1, we found that the ends of the marginal surfaces easily obstructed each other. Hence, in grasshopper, we reduced the length of marginal surfaces inwards by 8mm in order to avoid the obstruction. Moreover, our group decided to make the patterning more dynamic. Accordingly, we added long marginal surfaces. In prototype 1, marginal surface was only extruded for connection. Nevertheless, in prototype 2, the long marginal surfaces are also contributed to one part of undulating structural patterning. To create the adjusted long and short marginal surfaces in grasshopper, basically, we used the extrusion component to extrude all triangles’ edges along normal direction of base triangles’ surfaces by 50mm and 5mm for the long and short marginal surfaces respectively. The second image depicts the adjusted marginal surfaces in our digital model process. Moreover, these marginal surfaces provided space for attaching the strip patterning later.

After that, we started to consider how to connect between the strip patterning and the structural patterning. In order to maintain the uniformity of the whole model, we also chose to insert the strips into the marginal surface.

We cut three holes 3mm below the top edges of marginal surfaces and extended the length of the strips for easier passing through the holes. Meanwhile, we realised that the height of the short marginal surface in prototype 1 was very hard for patterning to go through because it was not high enough. So in prototype 2, we lengthened the short marginal surfaces from 5mm to 8mm. Above two images are rendered digital model to indicate our expected joint connections.

Digital adjustment of prototype 1’s issue - Labelling_

As shown in the first photo, the size of prototype 1’s labelling texts was too small to recognize.

In order to increase the efficiency of physical fabrication. we change the label size from 2mm to 4mm and move them from the edge to the surface for easier to be seen in physical fabrication. The second image explicitly represents this amendment regarding convenience of fabrication.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2 Physical fabrication process

F

or the material of strip patterning, we thought about between polypropylene and optix card. Due to the property of polypropylene, it is hard for using glue to connect them. So, we chose optix cards as our strip atterningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material. For the physical fabrication process, we firstly connected all pieces of structural patterning and then planned to put all strip patternings onto these surfaces. However, we realised that it is impossible for inserting strips to the holes after we connected all the triangle surfaces already.

Thus, we had to demolish some pieces, which would have the strip patterning above later, for inserting the strips firstly and then connecting them to the rest of triangle pieces. After the strips past through the holes, we glued each pair of long marginal surfaces.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2 Body-fitting Test

Prototype 2 features & qualities

I

n terms of the expression of our design intent, prototype 2 had the very undulating structural patterning to stand for stones in the Merri Creek and the strip patterning to represent the rippling in the creek. Moreover, both translucent polypropylene and black optix card had the strong sense of manmade materials.

In this way, it accords with our design concept regarding showing sharp contrast between natural environments and human intervention.

In terms of the visual and aesthetic qualities, prototype 2 has good light and shadow effects due to the highly undulating structural patternings.

Meanwhile, when the strip patterning was connected with marginal surfaces with different heights, it also highlighted the contrast between two layers and further added complexity and interesting light and shadow effects to the garmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall form.

In terms of the relationship between the garment to human body, the body test revealed that this garment design is feasible due to no very sharp-angled pieces towards the human body.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2’s issues

A

lthough prototype 2 has plenty of improvements, there are still some issues.

Regarding marginal surface of geometry

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Regarding material of strip patterning Our group thought that the 50mm long marginal surfaces largely hindered the visuality of already undulating structural patterning. As shown in the left image, the marginal panel drew audiences’ attentions and thereby the bottom structural patterning was not obvious.

The optix black card 300gsm did not perform well as expected. From the prototype 2’s physical fabrication process, we realised that the optix black card easily had bending traces, as shown in the left image.

Moreover, we found that prototype 2 had drawback regarding not aligning each pair of marginal surfaces, as indicated in the red circle of the first image on the left. Meanwhile, in the second photo’s red circle, we realized that the opposite long marginal surface obstructed each other easily.

The two aspects decreased the garment’s neatness and aesthetics.

The left image represents that the strip was hardly inserted to the holes on the marginal surface due to the relatively soft characteristic of the material. We also realised that black card was very prone to fracture when twisting. However, we had to twist the strip for letting it pass through the corresponding small hole.

Thus, the material became one issue for our garment design.

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C.2 TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES Prototype 2’s issues

Regarding joints

Regarding labeling In order to test the rigidity and stability of joints, we exerted gradually larger forces to adjacent triangle patches, as shown in the left images. After the joints-testing, we realised that the interlocking joints used in the prototype 2 was not tight enough and thereby we had to use glue for extra bonding.

However, the glue largely destroys the visual quality of garment.

Moreover, as shown in the left images, prototype 2 had to let each small strip pass through corresponding small hole. This method was very difficult and timeconsuming. We reckon that if we use this type of joint, it would make the time of fabrication for final garment not feasible.

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As shown in the left image, the 4mm-labels on triangle patches’ surfaces largely decreased the neatness of garment.

Regarding physical fabrication sequences From prototype 2’s physical fabrication process, we noticed the difficulty of putting all strip patterning onto the surface after jointing all structural geometry already. Thus, we had to demolish some pieces, which would have the strip patterning above later, for inserting the strips firstly and then connecting them to the rest of triangle pieces.

We must adjust the sequence of the physical fabrication for the final model.

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Digital adjustments of Prototype 2’s issues

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Regarding marginal surfaces of geometry

Regarding strip patterning

we decided to align all pairs of marginal surfaces and change form of marginal surfaces to trapezoid for reasons in terms of neatness, aesthetics and no obstruction between two opposite long marginal surfaces. We rewrote a new script for the marginal surface.

Firstly, we refined the grasshopper script of generating strip patterning from previously cumbersome method, which only makes strip patterning between two adjacent marginal surfaces each time, to high-efficient way, which generates a group of strip patterning simultaneously.

As shown in above diagram, we extruded edges of each patch along the normal direction of each patch’s surface by either 30mm or 6mm and then applied the cull pattern to obtain the top edge and bottom edge on each marginal surface. After that, we used ‘point on curve’ and ‘line from 2 points’ components to get half-length in the middle of each top edge. Then, we used ‘loft’ to make trapezoid surfaces between the new top edges and bottom edges of each marginal surfaces.

The new script is indicated in above diagram. Basically, we use ‘sort list’ component to rearrange two kinds of sequences: First, arrange the sequence of divided points on each top edge outwards from the centre point.

Second, orderly arrange these marginal surfaces. For achieving this, we got the centre point of each group of strip patterning firstly and utilize the distances between the centre point and all divided points as the key for the sort list. And finally we used polylines as well as ‘flip matrix’ component to orderly connect all divided points between successive marginal surfaces.

In our grasshopper script for the marginal surface, we changed the long and short marginal surfaces from 50mm & 8mm to 30mm & 6 mm respectively for not largely hinder visuality of originally undulating structural patterning.

The first image above is rendered digital model to show our desired visual effects after this amendment. We also redesigned the label. As shown in the second image above, we reduced its size to 3mm and put the label on marginal surface instead of patch’s surface for both neatness and physical fabrications convenience purposes.

Above image is the rendered digital model to show the final outcome when adding strips to the refined structural geometry.

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Digital adjustments of Prototype 2’s issues Regarding joints

Joint type 1:

The first image is the detailed slot joint diagram and the second image depicts the final physical outcome of our designated joint to connect two adjacent patches.

Joint type 2:

Firstly, we amended the surface joint from interlocking joints to slot joints. The diagram 1 & 2 show the way that we designed the joint type 1 & 2 for a pair of slot joint by using grasshopper. Basically, for joint type1, we inwards moved the end points (A&B) of each edge of patch along the edge by 8mm to get two new points(C&D). Then we used ‘line from two points’ component to obtain three line-segments on each edge. We used the same script principle but just changing the moving distances to one 8mm and one 18mm, we got joint type 2. We also used offset component to get the middle lines as holes for later strip patterning to go through.

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Moreover, we also refined the patterning joints. We decided to add one integrated edged strip for a pair of three strip patterning. In grasshopper, we unrolled all strip patternings and extruded each edge outwards by 6mm to get the integrated edged strip. This design has advantages regarding neatness, convenience of fastening and reducing the time of physical fabrication. Besides, as depicted in the above diagram, we decided to apply the same type of slot joint as surface joint’s for tidiness, aesthetics and stability of connection. Meanwhile, we changed the material of strip patterning to black polypropylene for aesthetics and rigidity of materials. The final physical strip joint detail is shown in the second image above.

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Stirp/s material twisting test

We did the material twisting test for the strip patterning, as shown in the above images. It demonstrates that perfect ductile quality of using polypropylene as strip materials.

Materiality and surface treatments & Connection details

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Fabrication process Unroll from digital model to laser cutting fabrication process

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Fabrication process Physical fabrication process

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earning from the prototype 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical fabrication experiences, we changed our fabrication sequences for the final model. We firstly jointed the triangle patches which will have groups of strip patterning later. And then we put the strip patterning group by group through the holes on these triangle patches. And finally, we connected one group to another as well as all the left patches. This method largely improved the efficiency of the fabrication process.

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Final outcome- Shading and visual effects

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Final outcome- Shading and visual effects

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Final garment - Rendered digital garment

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C.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL Final garment - Physical garment Qualities of final garment

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he final outcome has achieved the desired effects.

Regarding the representation of the design intent, the contrast of the black and white color gives a threedimensional effect, representing the stone and the ripplings in the creek. Besides, the shadow effect, which is reflected on the lower surface, has further emphasized the organic representation.

Regarding the final visual quality, we have achieved a high quality with neat surface as well as slot-joint connections. A pair of marginal surfaced are locked together without any additional glue or tape or other pin joint, showing the strength of the connection itself.

Meanwhile, the two pieces of marginal surface are in the same size and shape, which give us a better visual effect. It is noticable that all the joints are integrated smoothly and skillfully into both the structural patterning and strip patterning of the garment. Also, all the joints are concealed in the garment for the optimal visual outcomes.

Regarding the material, all the elements, including the strucutral geometry, the strip patternign and the joint, are made from polypropylene. More specifically, since the polypropyleneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellent pliability and relatively light weight, it allows the strip to be easily underpinned by the structural surface below and easily passed through the holes for jointing. Furthermore, due to the property of polypropylene, the strip is bended to a certain curve without twisting or splitting. The pliability of both the connection and the strip gives the final garment a better quality and a better visual effect.

The final outcome also established a hamonious relationship to the human body. The outer surface is three-dimensional, representing the organic form with the patterning on it while the inner surface is quite smooth and comfortable for considering the comfort of garment.

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C.4 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES Address feedback from the final presentation

final presentation informed us how to Tto hefurther adjust our garment design in order achieve a better outcome. Based on the feedback, we All the suggestion and our possible solutions are represented as follow:

1. All the long marginal surfaces (panels) have the whole panel to be utilised for connecting the strip patterning. However, we just used one line in the marginal panel and ignored the whole piece.

Thus, for further amendment, we can cut holes for joints on these panels more interestingly and creatively, such as cutting an undulating lines on the panels for connecting strip patterning, as shown in the rendered digital prototype below.

2. Regarding the arrangement of strip patterning, we can arrange them in more creative and dynamic ways. For instance, we can arrange some strips in a string to repersent the river flows whilst arrange others in a group to represent the ripplings rather than arrange all the strip patterning groups by groups. In this way, we can add more complexity and organic sense to

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Further development to address presentationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feedback

the garment. The solution of this feedback are shown in the workflow diagram and rendered digital model in the next page.

3. We can further add diversity and complexity to the patterning in terms of changing lengths and shapes of strips. Up to now, all the strips are very straight and their lengths are similar to each other. Thus, it looks very orderly and regular. We may make some strips bend in desired curvatures and make the lengths of the strips vary largely in order to acchieve a better outcome.

4. Regarding position of strip patterning, the guest pointed out that, the photo of model that is taken from the inside to see the strip patterning was very inspiring. It reflects a sense of hazy beauty. Our group agrees that it will generate an interesting contrast if audiences cna see some strip patterning directly from the outside whilst others are partly hidden and partly visible under the transparent structural patterningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surfaces, as represented in the image below. Hence, it forms an amended direction for our design.

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C.4 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES Learning objectives and outcomes Objective 1. “Interrogating a brief” by considering the process of brief formation in the age of optioneering enabled by digital technologies.

Objective 2. Developing “an ability to generate a variety of design possibilities for a given situation” by introducing visual programming, algorithmic design and parametric modelling with their intrinsic capacities for extensive design-space exploration.

Objective 3 & 7. Developing “skills in various three-dimensional media” and specifically in computational geometry, parametric modelling, analytic diagramming and digital fabrication. & Developing foundational understandings of data structures and types of programming.

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uring the process of Part C, I realised that the design brief and proposal were continually changed and I got more clear understanding of the design brief as I experienced the digital computation more expertly. For instance, initially, my understanding of the design brief was very ambiguous. After I started to generate some forms by using grasshopper components, I found some opportunities which provided new direction to my design intent. Meanwhile, during the whole process, I bore the design brief in my mind all the time and try my best to use my computational techniques to approach to the design brief. In this way, it makes my comprehension to the design more explicitly and it well demonstrates that how digital technologies provide feedback to inversely influence the design brief.

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e all know that the most dramatic advantage of algorithmic computational design is that it can easily and efficiently generate a large amount of iterations with diversely interesting forms by just changing the parameters of the grasshopper definition. These iterations may beyond the human designers’ initial envision. After obtaining these outcomes, we can continue to discuss which one is more desirable and suitable to our design intent. For instance, I developed my ability to generate plenty of design possibilities during the form-generation and script development in both Part B and Part C.

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Objective 4. Developing “an understanding of relationships between architecture and air” through interrogation of design proposal as physical models in atmosphere.

Objective 5 & 6. Developing “the ability to make a case for proposals” by developing critical thinking and encouraging construction of rigorous and persuasive arguments informed by the contemporary architectural discourse. & Developing capabilities for conceptual, technical and design analyses of contemporary architectural projects.

Objective 8. begin developing a personalised repertoire of computational techniques substantiated by the understanding of their advantages, disadvantages and areas of application.

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rom Part C of finalizing the detailed garment design, I had more thorough and comprehensive understanding of relationships among the garment, human body (the ‘micro atmosphere for the design’) as well as the site atmosphere (‘the macro atmosphere for the design’). Generally, our group established the physical relationship between the garment to the human body, which means satisfying the comfortable requirement without any sharp corners facing toward human body and adjusting the garment’s form to fit to the body articulation movements and major curvatures in human body. Besides, our group established the conceptual relationship between the garment design to the Merri Creek site, meanwhile, the mood created by the final form of our garment design in natural environments is very harmonious instead of out of place. This reflects our group carefully considered the interrelationship between the design and the atmosphere.

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n Part C, I developed the ability to creatively and critically use the existing contemporary architectural precedents to inform our garment design. We think the building’s façade patterning design and garment patterning design interrelate with each other. Our final proposal’s one major concept, which is generating two layers of patterning, is inspired the two-layer façade design of De Young Museum.

From analysing De Young Musem, we realise that two layers of patterning can add more depth and dynamics to the entire design. Thus, we also established two layers of patterning in our garment design and continually explored the optimal method to connect the two layers by using our computational techniques. Fortunately, through our efforts, the final garment outcome represents the excellent and aesthetic qualities of using two-layer patterning and establishing ingenious relationship to joint them together.

y skills in diverse three-dimensional media have been developed largely during the whole course of Studio Air, especially in doing Part C. From making the computational three-dimensional model by establishing different logical relationship between diverse parameters, I got more clearly understanding about how the three-dimensional geometry is resulted from the parametric logics. After unrolling this three-dimensional geometry to send to laser-cutting for preparing physical fabrication, I understood the relationship between the whole threedimensional geometry and two-dimensional pieces more clearly. Now, I completely master the skill to realise my digital models and assemble them in reality. Meanwhile, my understanding of data structure get increasingly explicit when I continually tried ‘flatten’ ‘graft’ ‘reverse’ ‘simplify’ as well as ‘reparameterise’ components to see what changes the components brings to the three-dimensional geometry. I also always use the ‘panel’ component to view the data structure of grasshopper definition. The better understanding of data structure highly contributes to the improvement of my parametric computational skills.

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rom the experience in Part C, I realised both the benefits and drawbacks of computational design. Through the whole process, I have increasingly better control ability of using computational techniques and basically know where the computational intrinsic drawbacks would occur and how to adjust and solve its general issues. Besides the grasshopper skill, I also learnt a lot about digital fabrication and understanding materials, especially the polypropylene, characteristics as well as performance. All of these become my ‘personalised repertoire’, which will be utilised in the future to assist the realisation of my later design projects.

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REFERENCES IMAGES

Figure: ‘Aqua Tower’ <http://www.architravel.com/architravel_wp/wp-content/ uploads/2013/01/Aqua-Tower_1-630x315.jpg> [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘AU Office and Exhibition Space’ <http://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5012/ b83e/28ba/0d14/7d00/066c/large_jpg/stringio.jpg?1414003673> [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘CERES community’ <http://www.ecotravellerguide.com/wp-content/ uploads/2012/06/ceres.jpg> [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘In 2011, Severe water turbidity due to sewage discharge’ <http://yarraandbay.vic.gov.au/ about/news-and-events/news-and-updates/news/~/media/OSS/Images/News%20and%20 events/Pollution%20Alerts/2013%202014/merri-creek2.jpg> [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘Merri Creek Natural Scene 1’ <http://rochiii.deviantart.com/ art/Merri-Creek-55694534> [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘Merri Creek Natural Scene 2’ < http://www.we-love-melbourne. net/images/ms2.jpg > [Accessed 25 Oct 2016] Figure: ‘Tongxian Gatehouse External Wall Bonding Patterns’___ < https://images.patternity.org/gw_2_7_markkoehlertownhouse_ matthijsborghgraef_bricks_arch_shad.jpg > [Accessed 25 Oct 2016]

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