Studio AIR Digital
Alchemy:
Variations
B rett McColl 83 213 8
tutor: Davi d Wegma n 2 01 8 S emest er 1
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Theme
0.0 Contents
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0.0 Contents 0.1 Introduction
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Part A
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A.1 Design Futuring Case Study 1 A.1 Design Futuring Case Study 2 A.2 Design Computation A.3 Composition/Generation A.4 Conclusion A.5 Learning Outcomes A.6 Algorthmic Sketches A.7 Bibliography and Image List
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0.1
Introduction
Fig 1. Me
Fig 3. Designing Environments Final Model
Fig 4. Design Studio Earth Final Model
Fig 5. Design Studio Water Final Render A
I am Brett McColl, a third year student in the Bachelor of Environments, majoring in architecture. My passion for architecture and design stretches back long before I even knew what the words meant. As a child, I used to play and build using LEGO bricks, a hobby and a passion which has remained constant in my life. This desire to build, create, and see the fruits of my efforts inspired me into studying architecture. Architecture provides a fantastic opportunity for me. It allows me to express multiple facets of my personality easily through one medium. I’m used to working with numbers and mathematics, so having a field that allows for this to combined with the ability to design and create is perfect. Problem solving challenges and digital design work added to the formula only helps to cement the desire. Like most skills, the ability to design has evolved naturally. Starting out with simple plastic blocks, the tools I have used to design have become increasingly complicated, moving through pencils and paper into computer software along the likes of Sketchup and Rhino. The past two years at the University of Melbourne has helped to refine my critical design thinking, yet this particular skill will always need constant refinement, regardless of age and ability.
Fig 6. Design Studio Water Final Render B
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Fig 2. Custom LEGO Spaceship
Fig 7. Desiging Environments Final Render, created using Google Sketchup and Twilight Renderer
Fig 8. Design Studio Earth Final Render, created using Rhino and the Rhino renderer
Fig 9. Design Studio Water Final Render, created using Rhino and V-Ray
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a.0
PART A
Conceptualisation
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a.1
design futuring CASE study 1
Hertfordshire House Facit Homes, 2012
This house, built in Hertfordshire in the UK, is an interesting design that encompases part of the ideas surrounding Design Futuring. The idea behind Design Futuring is that there is a future that architects and other professionals will need to design for, and it is possible that the future is not pleasant. In Speculate Everything, Dunne and Raby note that “it is impossible to continue with the methodology” that already exists1. This house, designed by the architecture firm Facit Homes, utilises a new process known as D-Process. The process to create this house beigns with a computer model of the house, which contains “every aspect” of the house2. What is truly unique is the manufacturing process for this. Rather than cutting the prefabricated timber offsite, a shipping container holding all the required tools to cut the timber is brought to the site. This reduces much of the carbon footprint involved with manufacturing and transport of individual elements. This also removes the possibility of errors, as the entire project is coordinated by one person, rather than a team that could easily misinterpret information. Not only does this unique D-Process reduce labour and material costs, it also saves time, as each piece is prepared at the time is required. This approach is not limited to just this house, as the software can and has been used to design and manufacture other houses. Although this is currently only used for bespoke house design, it is entirely possible that this system of design could be applied to high rise construction. Considering that the process relies on a scripted software, it would be realatively simple to modify it to adapt the possible outcomes and futures.
Fig 10. Facit Homes BIM Model
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Fig 11. Facit Homes container production unit
1. Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona, Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming, (MIT Press, 2013) p. 9 2. Facit Homes, D-Process, 2018 <https://vimeo.com/20103388
Fig 12. Facit Homes Hertfordshire House
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a.1
design futuring CASE study 2
O-14
RUR Architecture, 2009 O-14 is an outlier amongst the incredibly standard office towers that populate Dubai, not only in terms of design, but in construction. O-14 has a unique outer shell, made from concrete and perforated by circles determined by algorithmic software. This concrete structure is the primary lateral and vertical support of the structure. This allows for a columnless interior, which in turn allows for occupants to “arrange the flexible floor space according to their individual needs”1. This design allows for the building to be easily re-purposed, which falls into Dunne’s and Raby’s idea that design is “not in trying to predict the future”, but being able to “open up all sorts of possibilities”2. The use of this concrete structure also creates a chimney effect that reduces the overall cooling costs of the building by redirecting hot air away from the glass, and out through the top. This combination of environmental consideration and planning for future changes and possibilities demonstrates the type of design that is required for the future.
Fig 13. O-14 3D Model
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Fig 14. O-14 Floor Plan +2
1. Welch, Adrian, and Isabelle Lomholt, “O-14 Tower Dubai - Skyscraper - E-Architect”, E-Architect, 2016 <https://www.e-architect.co.uk/dubai/o14-tower> 2. Bruce Bell and Sarah Simpkin, “Domesticating Parametric Design”, Architectural Design, 83.2 (2013), 88-91 <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/ doi/10.1002/ad.1560/epdf>.
Fig 15. RUR Architecture O-14
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a.2
Design computation Design computation is changing the architectural industry, slowly moving it away from the traditional methods of design used for centuries. Previously, architects had to rely on pen and paper drawings, before moving to computerised design software, such as AutoCAD. Computerised design and computational design sound similar, but are ultimately two different ideas. Computerised design is more about automating and enhancing the same abilities of traditional pen and paper architecture, whereas computational design is more focused on harnessing the processing power inherent in computers to allow “the writing of rules…for the creation of variations”1. This notion that computers will follow an idea “to its logical conclusion”2 is the inherent point of design. Architects themselves do not have the brain power to process all this information, due to the fact that “we…tend to make mistakes when confronted with large and complex problems”3. Computational design resolves this flaw, allowing for a “powerful symbiotic design system”4, which allows the cold rationalism of the computer to interact freely with the creativity present in the architect. This comes back to “the creation of variations”5. Using this computational design, architects can easily modify the design to suit a range of aesthetic criteria. The computer can easily modify the internal structure to suit the new design, modify the environmental requirements of each room, or possibly restructure and reorganise the layout of an entire building. The entire geometry can change as well, as computers are not limited to considering one or two basic shapes, but rather a veritable suite of specific curves and surfaces that will best work with the inputted designs. However, the key requirement of this partnership of man and machine “is predicated on communication”6. Without this, it is impossible for the computer to truly understand what the ultimate goal of the design is.
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1. Yehuda E Kalay, Architecture’s New Media (Cambridge Mass: The MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5-25. 2-6. ibid 7. “London City Hall - Famous Buildings And Architecture Of London”, Designbookmag.Com<http://www.designbookmag.com/londoncityhall.htm> 8. Amy Frearson, “China Milan Expo 2015 Pavilion Has Over 1,000 Bamboo Panels”, Dezeen, 2015 <https://www.dezeen.com/2015/05/05/beijing-skyline-mountain-rangeroof-china-milan-expo-2015-pavilion-studio-link-arc-tsinghua-university-bamboo/> 9-10. ibid
London City Hall
Foster & Partners The London City Hall is an example of the benefits of computerised design. The unusual shape of the building is derived from a sphere, which has several effects on the building, mostly that the surface area of the building is minimised, which allows less roof space exposed to direct sunlight and allows less heat to transfer between the internal and external environments7. The minimised surface is impossible to create efficiently by hand, which is where the benefits of computerised design come in. Rather than manually calculating the designs, designers would be able to define certain parameters for the building and have the final design reflect the requirements. The use of computerised designs allow for these environmental concerns to be inserted into the building’s design from the very beginning.
Fig 16. London City Hall
China pavilion
Tsinghua University + Studio Link-Arc Computational design can breathe new life into ancient building techniques. An example of this is the China Pavilion, which “aims…to create a building that embodies both Chinese traditions and modern technologies”8. The roof changes profile at the front and back of the building, with one side being a copy of a contour of mountain ranges9. The other side uses the profile of the Beijing skyline. Across these two profiles, 1052 sheets of glue laminated bamboo panels, each individually unique, are laid so that the two profiles could be connected10. Although this could have been done by hand, using computational design allows for the panels to be adjusted according to the number, size, and location of the panels, as well as changes to either profile. The use of computerised design also allows for easier fabrication, as the panels can be individually laid out for laser cutting or other such processes.
Fig 17. China Pavilion
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a.3
Design computation The use of algorithmic based design tools have allowed for the change between architects manually composing the designs of their creations to generating multiple possibilities of their work. Algorithms are a set of instructions; they follow “a finite set of rules… that are unambiguous and simple to follow”1. The key point of this is that there are a finite set of rules, which ultimately means there should only be a few perfect solutions to any given problem. Here begins the change from composition to generation. While it is possible to follow this set of rules by manually composing the design, it is far less likely to be the correct answer to the problem. This is because there are often too many competing conditions that drive the set of rules. In contrast, generative design allows the computer to process these unambiguous rules, and create a number of possibilities based upon them. From these, the computer will find the optimal, if not perfect, solution to the given rules. The main drawback to the generative method of design is the possible loss of creativity. With this algorithmic based design, the “designer [acts] as a “curator”, rather than making all the decisions”2. Whilst this does mean that the individual has less precise control over a design, it allows for the computer to ultimately calculate the optimal solution to the given problem.
Fig 18. Autodesk Office Generated Layouts
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1. Definition of ‘Algorithm’ in Wilson, Robert A. and Frank C. Keil, eds (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (London: MIT Press), pp. 11, 12 2. Howarth, Dan, “Generative Design Software Will Give Designers “Superpowers””, Dezeen, 2017 <https://www.dezeen.com/2017/02/06/generative-design-software-will- give-designers-superpowers-autodesk-university/> 3. Howe, Marc K., “The Promise Of Generative Design -”, World-Architects, 2017 <https://www.world-architects.com/en/architecture-news/insight/the-promise-of-generative- design> 4-5. ibid 6. Stocking, Angus W., “Generative Design Is Changing The Face Of Architecture | Cadalyst”, Cadalyst.Com, 2009 <http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/building-design/generative- design-is-changing-face-architecture-12948> 7-8. ibid
Autodesk offices
mars discovery district A key example of generative design comes from how Autodesk designed their office space within the MaRS Discovery District. The aim of the design was based around the ideas of easily traversable spaces while simultaneously creating spaces for people to interact3. This was combined with several simple rules, which determined how much distraction an area was to receive, who was to sit near who, how the spaces and teams are to interconnect, what type of work styles are compatible, and how much sunlight each area received4. Based upon the parameters set, the software completed ten thousand iterations within days. Danil Nagy, designer for Autodesk focused on generative design software, noted that “The computer can then evaluate each one and tell us which ones it thinks are the best. Human architects can then evaluate them on the basis of subjective factors such as aesthetics”5, which ultimately led to the final design of these offices.
Water cube
Arup, PTW, & CSCEC Generative design can also implement rules that are found in nature to influence design. An example of this is Beijing National Aquatics Centre, commonly known as the Water Cube. The external structure of the building used generative design software to mimic the formation and rules of soap bubbles6. J Parrish, one of the directors involved with the project, stated that the programs used allowed him to “do in a morning what used to take me a month”7. This software not only designed the structure, it also checked the load paths and force distributions, in order to ensure it would remain standing. Using this generative design software saved Arup “$10 million on design costs alone compared with traditional design methods”8, showing that this design method is not only efficient, but economical as well.
Fig 20. Beijing National Aquatics Center Interior Fig 19. Autodesk Office Generative Information
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a.4 Conclusion
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Learning Outcomes
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This section looks towards the future of design. By focusing more on the software aspect of design, and on the generative design, architectural design is improving and ushering in a new age of practice. It is important to understand these systems, as these will be an invaluable tool to use as buildings demand to be larger and more complex. The use of computerised software will be fazed out over time in favour of this new system, allowing designers to create new and complex forms with efficiency and ease.
Architectural computing is a tricky, yet necessary skill to master for the new age of architecture. These past few weeks have mostly been focused on experimenting and discovering the capabilities of Grasshopper, and attempting to transfer existing knowledge of visual coding languages. However, most of the work in Grasshopper so far has revolved around the tutorial guides, and there has yet to be personal exploration of the limitations of the designs.
a.6 Algorithmic sketches
Fig 21. (Above) Response to blockage of communication Fig 22. (Left) Design based off branching system of tree Fig 23. (Below) Segmenting communication blockage
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a.7
Bibliography + image list
Introduction + Part A
Adam-Smith, Ben, “HPH046 : Manufacturing A House On-Site Using A Mobile Production Facility – With Diana Woodward”, Houseplanninghelp.Com, 2014 <https://www.houseplanninghelp.com/hph046-manufacturing-a-house-on-site- using-a-mobile-production-facility-with-diana-woodward/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Bell, Bruce, and Sarah Simpkin, “Domesticating Parametric Design”, Architectural Design, 83 (2013), 88-91 <https://doi. org/10.1002/ad.1560>
“China Pavilion - Milan Expo 2015 / Tsinghua University + Studio Link-Arc”, Archdaily, 2015 <https://www.archdaily. com/627497/china-pavilion-milan-expo-2015-tsinghua-university-studio-link-arc> [Accessed 13 March 2018]
Definition of ‘Algorithm’ in Wilson, Robert A. and Frank C. Keil, eds (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (London: MIT Press), pp. 11, 12
Facit Homes, Celia & Diana - Grand Designs 19Th September 2012, 2012 <https://vimeo.com/53932758> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Facit Homes, D-Process, 2018 <https://vimeo.com/20103388> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Frearson, Amy, “China Milan Expo 2015 Pavilion Has Over 1,000 Bamboo Panels”, Dezeen, 2015 <https://www.dezeen. com/2015/05/05/beijing-skyline-mountain-range-roof-china-milan-expo-2015-pavilion-studio-link-arc-tsinghua-university- bamboo/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] “Generative Architecture - Transformation By Computation - BUILTR.IO”, BUILTR.IO, 2015 <http://www.builtr.io/generative- architecture-transformation-by-computation/> [Accessed 14 March 2018]
Grozdanic, Lidija, “Stunning Chinese Pavilion For Milan Expo 2015 Resembles Billowing Wheat Fields”, Inhabitat.Com, 2015 <https://inhabitat.com/stunning-chinese-pavilion-for-milan-expo-2015-resembles-billowing-wheat-fields/> [Accessed 13 March 2018] Howarth, Dan, “Generative Design Software Will Give Designers “Superpowers””, Dezeen, 2017 <https://www.dezeen. com/2017/02/06/generative-design-software-will-give-designers-superpowers-autodesk-university/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Howe, Marc K., “The Promise Of Generative Design -”, World-Architects, 2017 <https://www.world-architects.com/en/ architecture-news/insight/the-promise-of-generative-design> [Accessed 14 March 2018]
Kalay, Yehuda E, Architecture’s New Media (Cambridge Mass: The MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5-25 Keane, Katharine, “Architect Magazine”, Architectmagazine.Com, 2017 <http://www.architectmagazine.com/practice/autodesks- move-to-mars-complete_o> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Lee, Evelyn, “O-14 GREEN DUBAI TOWER”, Inhabitat.Com, 2008 <https://inhabitat.com/o-14-dubai-commercial-tower/> [Accessed 14 March 2018]
“London City Hall - Famous Buildings And Architecture Of London”, Designbookmag.Com<http://www.designbookmag.com/ londoncityhall.htm> [Accessed 13 March 2018] Peters, Brady, and Xavier de Kestelier, Computation Works (London: Wiley, 2013), pp. 8-15 Pohl, Ethel Baraona, “In Progress: 0-14 Tower By Reiser + Umemoto”, Archdaily, 2009 <https://www.archdaily.com/22200/in- progress-0-14-tower-by-reiser-umemoto> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Rondina, Ilaria, “0-14 Tower | Area”, Area, 2014 <https://www.area-arch.it/en/0-14-tower/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Stocking, Angus W., “Generative Design Is Changing The Face Of Architecture | Cadalyst”, Cadalyst.Com, 2009 <http://www. cadalyst.com/cad/building-design/generative-design-is-changing-face-architecture-12948> [Accessed 14 March 2018] “The Facit Home - Facit Homes”, Facit Homes, 2018 <http://facit-homes.com/the-facit-home> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Turrill, Katrina, “Grand Designs 2017: Couple Let Architect Take The Reigns But Do They Like The End Result?”, Express.Co.Uk, 2017 <https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/property/859641/grand-designs-2017-kevin-mccloud-chris-kayo-hertfordshire> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Villaggi, Lorenzo, and Danil Nagy, “Generative Design For Architectural Space Planning – Autodesk University – Medium”, Medium <https://medium.com/autodesk-university/generative-design-for-architectural-space-planning-9f82cf5dcdc0> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Welch, Adrian, and Isabelle Lomholt, “O-14 Tower Dubai - Skyscraper - E-Architect”, E-Architect, 2016 <https://www.e-architect. co.uk/dubai/o14-tower> [Accessed 14 March 2018]
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Fig 1. McColl, Wayne. 2018 Fig 2. McColl, Brett. 2018 Fig 3. McColl, Brett. 2016 Fig 4. McColl, Brett. 2017 Fig 5. McColl, Brett. 2017 Fig 6. McColl, Brett. 2017 Fig 7. McColl, Brett. 2016 Fig 8. McColl, Brett. 2017 Fig 9. McColl, Brett. 2017 Fig 10. Facit Homes. 2011. Retrieved from <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1560/epdf> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 11. Facit Homes. Retrieved from <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1560/epdf> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 12. Facit Homes. Retrieved from <http://facit-homes.com/clients/selected-exteriors> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 13. RUR Archiecture. Retrieved from <https://www.area-arch.it/en/0-14-tower/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 14. RUR Archiecture. Retrieved from <https://www.area-arch.it/en/0-14-tower/> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 15. RUR Archiecture. Retrieved from <https://www.archdaily.com/22200/in-progress-0-14-tower-by-reiser-umemoto> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 16. Foster & Partners. Retrieved from < http://www.designbookmag.com/londoncityhall.htm> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 17. Tsinghua University + Studio Link-Arc. Retrieved from < https://www.archdaily.com/627497/china-pavilion-milan-expo-2015-tsinghua-university-studio- link-arc/55482fa4e58ece50290006e6-china-pavilion-milan-expo-2015-tsinghua-university-studio-link-arc-photo> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 18. Autodesk. Retrieved from < https://www.scandinavian-architects.com/images/CmsPageElementImage/98/77/43/58dd80c01e7041f4beea33f00ab568f5/58d d80c01e7041f4beea33f00ab568f5.f5fb7444.jpg> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 19. Autodesk. Retrieved from < https://www.scandinavian-architects.com/images/CmsPageElementImage/99/43/55/58e3fd2d07e8480eac4519910ab5609b/58 e3fd2d07e8480eac4519910ab5609b.f5fb7444.jpg> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 20. Arup, PTW, & CSCEC. Retrieved from < http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/building-design/generative-design-is-changing-face-architecture-12948> [Accessed 14 March 2018] Fig 21. McColl, Brett. 2018 Fig 22. McColl, Brett. 2018 Fig 23. McColl, Brett. 2018
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