Architecture Design Studio A I R Design
Journal
ABPL30048 Architecture Design Studio: Air Semester 1, 2014 The University of Melbourne Catherine Mei Min Woo 562729 Studio 12 Brad Elias & Phillip Belesky
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DEATH/DECAY
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS ENVS10008 SEMESTER 02, 2012
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A.1. Design Futuring ## A.2. Design Computation ## A.3. Composition/Generation ## A.4. Conclusion ## A.5. Learning outcomes ## A.6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches Part B. Criteria Design B.1. B.2. B.3. B.4. B.5. B.6. B.7. B.8.
Table of Contents
Part A. Conceptualisation
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Research Field ## Case Study 1.0 ## Case Study 2.0 ## Technique: Development ## Technique: Prototypes ## Technique: Proposal ## Learning Objectives and Outcomes ## Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches ##
Part C. Detailed Design
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C.1. Design Concept ## C.2. Tectonic Elements ## C.3. Final Model ## C.4. Additional LAGI Brief Requirements ## C.5. Learning Objectives and Outcomes ## References ##
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DEATH/DECAY
VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS ENVS10008 SEMESTER 02, 2012
Name: Catherine Mei Min Woo Level: Undergraduate, Year 3 What is good architecture? Functional and accessible, not just design for the sake of aesthetics, or exclusively for people who can afford it. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this 20 something wide eyed girl chose to put down her scalpels and lab-coats, only to pick up a pencil and scale rule, with the hopes of rekindling a long forgotten desire to create better futures through design and the built world. it is only through retrospect that the pursuit of architecture was really the only natural decision, and as life, the universe, and cosmic forces would have it, here she is, sometimes not recognizing herself in her reflections as she drags boxes and bags of modeling materials from the ground floor Eckersleys to her small room overlooking the city. The sleepless nights, she is told, are only the beginning to a tremulous -albeit masochistic- and unique relationship with the wonder that is architecture. A lover of art and science,
and she knows not a lot. What she are old favorites when it comes to does know is this: admiring the tremendous beauty and detail found in it’s design and She is deeply fascinated by the pro- architecture. Following the process cesses of life, particularly the life of video game design as they trancycle from growth to death. Each liv- scend from the mind, to paper, to ing creature that graces the earth computer, to player: is the most lives and dies in the most unique of intricate and wondrous journey to ways, as contradicting as the order embark on. Her words alone do no that humanity forces itself to abide justice to the intricacies of creating by, and in turn by it’s own creations, an entire universe, from it’s lore to built and otherwise. The built world, the color and texture of the mossy constructed around the whims and columns on the far right of the fancy of the riches, and needs and room. Go pick up a controller. longings of the poor, has been alarmingly clear throughout his- She loves her dogs, and misses them tory; A fascinating phenomena, as dearly. The comfort of thought, the the only true constant for humanity, wonder in learning, and the glow is it’s need to separate itself from of pure intent; It is clear, that her itself time and time again. As do passion, ultimately, is creating and architects, in their own, somewhat fascilitating environments for it’s inless egotistical way, of expressing habitants to feel safe and comfortthe unification of form and function able, in sharing ideas and learning in a building- let us say, a house. with likeminded people. An environUltimately, as humans inevitably die, ment that every human deserves. as the function of a house is inevita- She says this because she knows. bly made to serve it’s humans for as That is what she knows. long as they live. A fascinating, and very human conflict; Often extrapolated into architecture and always a pleasure for her to dissect at will.
(The Sims, She is new to this world, hence a tod- an obvious favorite), the Bioshock series and Alice: Madness Returns, dler knows what a toddler knows, She loves video games
introduction: Person and drives
This is she.
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CUBES OF EIGHT
DESIGNING ENVIRONMENTS ENVS10004 SEMESTER 01, 2012
Part a conceptualisation
A01 DEsign Futuring 8
THE CANOPY
ARTIST TEAM: ALEX BISHOP, STEPHEN MAKRINOS, DANIEL NICHOLS, SEAN BURKHOLDER ARTIST LOCATION: PITTSBURGH, USA
the day. This reaction and mechanism appears to be influenced by nature, whereby plants adapt throughout the day in response to the intensity of sunlight which is seen to be changing throughout the day and into the night. This phenomena is known as photoperiodism.2 The influence of nature in the design appears to be extremely deliberate and conscious decision throughout the design, almost a mimicry of the nature itself. This deliberate choice can be inferred as a homage to nature, as well as the evoluton of the perspectives towards architecture beyond the confines of form and function3, or that the function overrides the importance of recognising and considering the impact of architecture onto its environment and the future.4
This project made use of a fascinating mechanism that makes use of solar energy that influences its panels to move according to the intensity of light throughout Bishop, et.al. 2012. The Canopy. Land Art Generator Initiative Competition 2012. Thomas & Vince-Prue. 1996. Photoperiodism in Plants. 2nd Edition. Academic Press. 3 Schumacher. 2011. The Autopoiesis of Architecture. A New Framework for Architecture. John Wiley. 4 Fry. 2009. Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics, and New Practice. Oxford: Berg Publishers. 1 2
precedent: Past Entry: The Canopy
‘The Canopy’ is made from sheets of thin film photovoltaics attached to geometrically patterned electroactive polymers (EAPs). Thin film photovoltaics are lightweight and flexible, providing the opportunity to pair them with another material and benefit from the coupled performance. EAPs are used primarily in robotics as synthetic muscles, contracting and expanding when an electric current passes through them. Consequently, canopy coverage will fluctuate in response to light levels and the amount of energy captured. During the brightest times, the pattern will be essentially flat to maximize surface area; on cloudy days and at night the canopy will open up and become illuminated. The cells are oriented south-southwest in order to maximize solar exposure.1
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A01 DEsign Futuring
THE STRATUS PROJECT
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University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning 2010 Research Through Making Grant, University of Michigan Office of the Vice President for Research 2010 Small Projects Grant and a Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada 2011 Research Creation Grant
the potential for kinetic, sensing and environment-responsive interior envelope systems. The research emerges from a consideration of our attunement to the soft systems of architecture – light, thermal gradients, air quality and noise – to develop and prototype envelopes that not only perform to affect these atmospheres, but also to promote continual information and material exchange, and eventually dialogue, between occupant and atmosphere. It deploys a distributed approach to structural, mechanical and communications systems design and delivery, where localized response to demand is prioritized. The project works to reclaim the environmentally performative elements of architecture – in this case, specifically, interior mechanical delivery and interface systems – to within the purview of the discipline, as territories of material, formal, technological and experiential innovation and exploration The potential of this project introduces a fascintaing myriad of possibilites and design opportunities towards designing an architectural structure that can not only sustain itself structurally, but also produce energy to sustain itself, and possibly its surroundings as well. The Stratus project is an example of an onging study of different types of energy and the potential of combining them with engineering and architectural structures to create adaptive facades that are not only functional, but also aesthetically pleasing.
generation. Conventional renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and water all have the ability to generate kinetic energy with the use of machinery. I am interested in exploring the capability of integrating human psychology as a main driver for users of the site to interact with adaptive structures, and in turn generate kinetic energy through interracting with their environment.
ANSYS fluid dynamic modelling software Fluent was used to test the effects of various configurations of Stratus on air velocity, thermal stratification, and energy draw.
Kinetic energy is a form of energy explored by The Stratus Project in the operation of adaptive facades, and I believe, can be taken another step further into generating more kinetic energy to firstly, recharge or replenish the energy taken to operate the mechanism, and secondly, to be able to become a supplier of stable energy. The advantage of kinetic energy is the flexibility of the means of its
Research: Energy Technology
The Stratus Project is an ongoing body of design research investigating
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Image source: RTVR. 2011. The Stratus Project. at http://rtvr.com/research.
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