ADS 3 344434 Christopher Lam
Week 1: Architecture as a discourse
State of Art Project Serpentine Gallery
“The project may or may not get realised, but we see it as something that raises a conversation in the realm of architecture”. ”, Ronaldo Rael and Virginial San Fratello
This project involved designing a boathouse in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. It was designed in a traditional manner- Sketching, transferring into line drawwings and then translated into a 3D design through the use of Sketchup, and other rendering programs to visually represent its form and idea.
Computational architecture allows us to develop our design from the very start, rather than just being a tool used to render or represent an already established form.
It is fundamental to consider it in terms of the Gateway project. Contemporary computational design with programs such as “Grasshopper”, allows us to generate and manipulate our design which directly impacts its function, rather than being just a representational tool.
The Serpentine Gallery is probably one of the most important contributions in the discourse on inflatable architecture. What is interesting is the pavilion’s ovoid which interacts with the weather and floats during sunny time and seal off the structure during winter. Traditional materials and forms in architecture have created such challenges. The function of the Serpentine Pavilion demonstrates the lightness and flexibility of the material used.
te Sta
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From the point of view of ATK/p. art’s, softwares tend to alter an architect’s perception of material and structure. Design can be seen as an utterance of solid elements within an empty space or manipulation of clear-cut boundaries in terms of surfaces. I plan to explore different textures and how it can define a structure in relation to its environment. For example looking at the Honeycomb Skyscraper,it emphasize with its environment, creating a beautiful visual texture with its biomimetric form.
Week 2: Computation in Architecture
What is contemporary scripting? Scripting is a relatively new technique for the exploration of architectural designs and designers are still figuring out new potentials for using scripting as a design tool (Brady Peters). Scripting is learnt through the practice of sharing code through web based platforms and open source.
Project ZED London, UK Future System 1996
Project ZED is an example of Performative Architecture where computational design and programming are used to the form of a building based on its environmental performance. The focus was on creating a very sustainable form with the aim being to achieve minimal carbon emission hence the name of the project being “Zero Emission Development”.
Antoni Gaudi is probably one of the masters I admire the most. Casa Batllo, one of his projects, is probably one of the greatest feat of architecture design and innovation. The Casa Batllo is probably one of his project that advances discourses on architecture. Through Gaudi’s we can see the extensive use of symbolism, how his buildings has a combination of Gothic, and curvilinear forms, geometric shapes and design through rotation. Our last few weeks discussing in lectures and tutes, I think that Gaudi’s projects relates well to the discussion of architectural discourse. How Gaudi’s shapes and design created through contemporary computational design techniques.
Performa Pavilion New York US
Scripting provides huge opportunities to shift design practive in new directions. One project that expresses scripting culture is the Performa Pavilion created by Labdora Studios. The director and founder of the Labdora studio is Peter Macapia. His projects focuses on the geometry and topology of matter/ energy relations and the advent of algorithm. Nowadays there is a wide arrage of computers and software available for cheap, scripting has made its place in a cosy graphic environment. There is huge to explore with scripting and hence it would be appropriate and useful to integrate it into the Gateway project as it allows new explorations for architectural designs and there is a vast array of potential for using scripting as a design tool. In my opinion, its geometry and form it demonstrates the computation rather than the architectural design and it is also built. It is relevant to the Wyndham water Council Gateway project as it is eye-catching and it creates a dialogue between the buildings around it and form a sculpture on the landscape. The main challenge of the scripting generation is the move of the creaation of inventive articulated patterns, and the small-scale architectural projects where scripting can unleash an entire universe of opportunities for architectural space.
Through computational architecture, the building design is optimized for environmental performance by seamlessly interacting with its environment. By using the principle of performative architecture would improve the image of Wyndham council by showing its and Melbourne residents in general that it cares about the environment.
Such architecture during that time, was time consuming. The only technique that was available to create such a piece of architecture was calculated, to visualize it, and to create the flowing form. Nowadays in the world of architecture, designing is much faster and accurate using computational techniques.
Week 4: Research Project Cut: Develop
Research Project: Cut
Gateway Project
Brief
“Wyndham City is seeking responses from design professionals for the design of an exciting and eye-catching installation at Wyndham’s Western Gateway.
Brief: The installation of the gateway will enhance the physical environment through the introduction of a visual arts component. The Western Gateway installation should provide an entry statement and arrival experience and to be able to identify the Wyndham Council. It should propose new and inspriring ideas so as to generate a new discourse.
Case
y: Stud
nbein e t n Ga de Faca
yard Vine
The Gantenbein Vineyard is a small winery located in Switzerland. The facade design was designed by ZurichBased design office of Gramazio & Kohler, who proposed a strategy for masonry infill between the concrete skeleton which could serve as both temperature buffer and sunlight filter.
Further research have been done and this video actually shows the construction of the Ganteinbein Vineyard Facade. http://www.youtube.com/ w a t c h ? v = k D W 6 X C B 7 H P E
The surface of each brick reflects sunlight differently according to its angle relative to the facade, the building surfaces appear from a distance as a pixelated composition.
20,000 bricks were placed into 72 sub-panels that constitute the envelope according to specific preprogrammed parameters, such as orientation and spacing. WEach brick laid an offset that lets light to penetrate through the masonry wall, backed up with polucarbonate panels to stop wind and rain from entering the interior spaces. (Ben Pell, 2010)
Reverse Engineering Matrix
The visual effect of rotation is characterised more by natural light
Experiment on how light penetrates through model