Expression of Interest
Darcy Zelenko
Contents I.1
Case for Innovation
Architecture as a Discourse Computing in Architecture Parametric Modelling Case for Innovation: Conclusion
I.1.1 I.1.2 I.1.3 I.1.4
I.2
Research Project
I.2.1 Scope of Possibilities
I.2.1.1 Input/Association/Output Matrix I.2.1.2 Reverse-Engineered Case-Study I.2.1.3 Material Effects I.2.1.2 Assembly Methods
I.2.2 Research Project Conclusion
I.3
Expression of Interest Conclusion: Competitive Advantage
I.4
Learning Outcomes: Interim
i.1_Case_for_Innovation
i.1.2_Computing_in_Architecture In her interview with digital design guru Greg Lynn, Ingeborg M Rocker gives a good overview specifically in regards to parametrics, but i think it also gives an excellent synopsis of the unique innovations presented by contemporay computational design techniques. “...The most interesting thing about parametrics [...] is the ability to fuse the hierarchy of parts and whole to produce a deeply modulated whole as well as infinitesimal variation among parts.”
The National Art Center by Kisho Kurokawa, Toyko, Japan Designed by one of the world leaders of the Metabolist movement, Kurokawa has used many different design and fabrication techniques to create a space that by it’s very definition is constantly changing to meet the needs of exhibitions held within. All while maintaining an orchestrated flow of efficient and practical movement. Kurokawa has made use of parametric design revolving around Madelbrot’s fractal geometry to come up with a glass facade that wraps around the bulging truncated cone shapes that make up part of the structure that sits on an incredible 1.5m thick ‘super slab’. Visitors move through the entry cone and are greeted by a smart umbrella storage system before making their way into the complex. Skylights illuminate the seven large galleries that have the ability to be divided into several smaller ones by large, bulky internal partitions that despite their size, can be easily manipulated using two people. The cone shape is used throughout the building to draw attention to restaurants and coffee shops that also provide views of the entire complex, especially the many concrete panels that have been used in the construction of the different forms of the Centre. I think this building brings a lot to the architectural discourse. Kurokawa’s way of creating paths for people to follow and small additions of doing this more efficiently create a good precedent for future designers to look at. His use of certain geometry algorithms in the design also shows that architects are quite capable of using computational mathematical design successfully and showing that it definitely more
i.1.1_Architecture_as_a_Discourse
This statement illustrates three key points that really sum up some of the ways that computational design techniques can have a positive effect on architecture. The Ability to Fuse the Hierarchy of Parts and the Whole Computational design techniques allow us to establish an inter-connectedness among many aspects of a design. An example of this is the Integrated Project Deiivery (IPD) concept by the AIA Californica Council**. This approach re-aranges the traditional timeline of prjoect delivery putiing more emphasis on efficiency through all stages of design, fabrication and construction. Parametrics can help aid this process... Produce a Deeply Modulated Whole Through paremetric modelling one is able to blend together the parts with the whole to create something that is more open to customisation as it greatly increases the ability to see these changes in action and how they relate to other aspects of a design Infinitesmal Variation Among Parts With paramentric comes the new benefit of being able to create rapid prototypes of a design. This opens up many opportunities for designers and fabricators alike. The ability to make slight changes to one aspect of a degin and see them replicated sometimes instnataneously provides incredible possibilities for architects.
i.1.3_Parametric_Modelling The ICD/ITKE Research Pavillion located at the University of Stuttgart illustrates how computational design principles can have real world applications that are more than decorative. This inspiration for this project comes directly an example of an efficient structural form found in the shell of the Sand Dollar sea urchin. This marine animal’s outer shell or ‘test’ consists of a number of plates that are connected together in an efficient manner using finger joints. The designers took this concept and applied it in the design of the research pavillion. Achieving something like this without utilising some of the benefits of scripting would be almost impossible as the complexity in undertaking something like this is quite large. The designers undertook a number of experiments and investigations to push the boundaries of birch plywood which would be the sole material used in the structure. They then used their results to generate the constraints of their design, in this case 6400 lines of code to generate a structural analysis and work out how the structure would be fabricated. The structure itself consists of 500 individual ‘plates’ of plywood mimicing the shell of the Sand Dollar connected using 80 different patterns of finger joints. Paramentric design principles have been applied here to simplify what would have been an overly complicated task and the rapid prototyping abilities that come with parametric design would have allowed the designers to make sense of the forms that were generated using the parameters they coded into their program.
I think this project is a great example of how scripting in regards to generating form can be successful in architectural design. I also think that scripting has been used to efficently sort through a large body of data collected to establish design parameters that combine materiality with a highly efficient structural system influenced by nature to create a form that is highly innovative. It should be looked at by the scripting community as a way to teach students the benefits of using computational design techniques as it combines many different fields and re-iterates Neil leach’s comments in Burry’s ‘Scripting Cultures’ that “...we need to lose the old fashioned notion of the architect as some top-down demiurgic ‘designer’ and reconfigure the architect as the controller of processes.” In regard to the Expression of Interest document it think that this project should be an example cited as some of the major themes such as ‘efficiency in design’ and ‘innovation’ can be taken away from this because they parallell what the Wyndam City Council wants in their Gateway project.
I.2_Research_Project I.1.4_Case_for_Innovation: Conclusion
Dior Ginza Building The perforations of the outer layer are a series of circle shapes cut at two different radii arranged to form the burberry tartan pattern that is featured on the Lady Dior handbag, a product that Dior is famous for making. The inner printed layer also features the tartan pattern but the radii of the circles are 70% of the cuts on the outter layer. In the gap between the two skins exists a lighting system that operates during the night. When combined with the patterning this is what really makes the Dior building standout as it helps to sharpen up the image created by the overlapping patterns. The Dior building has been described as “…the iPod of Tokyo architecture.” This statement really encapsulates what the final product is. The designers took the iconicism that the Dior brand has been associated with and literally replicated it into built form.
i.2.1_Scope_of_Possibilites
I.2.1.1_Input/Association/Output Matrix
Instead of trying to see the whole picture at once or every single combination in detail we deliberately isolated an entire row or column, one at a time. By adopting this evaluative technique it allowed us to look at specific combinations in the context of a smaller data set. We were able to make sense of the great body of data we had created in a meaningful way.
I.2.1.2_Reverse-Engineered_Case-Study This was accomplished in Grasshopper by dividing a simple surface into a rather large grid before performing a Boolean operation with the intent of making the final pattern clearer. From there we used the Image Sampler with a small multiplication component to model a simple representation of intersecting lines. We then connected the output to the Using Sets associative technique and decided on circles of three different radii to present our image. This overall process was replicated and transformed in the z-axis using the Overlapping Patterns Input to construct the dual skin of the faรงade.
After completing our case study project we want to take the idea of the double skin facade further. We started playing with the notion of decay, where one skin would naturally disintegrate to produce something completely different. The idea for this form came from looking at the sine and cosine function. As time progresses they go throw many changes and stages only to end up back at the same place. As Wyndham is growing ad a relatively fast rate we wanted to replicate this in form but being inspired by the mathematical functions. As Kalay suggests that design is an open ended search generating many possibilities, we
I.2.1.3 Material Effects
I.2.1.4 Assembly Methods I.2.2 Research Project Conclusion
I.3 Expression of Interest Conclusion: Competitive Advantage
I.3 Learning Outcomes: Interim The feedback our group was given from the Interim Crit was that although we had thoroughly investigated our concept of growth, we hadn’t produced enough design experimentation. We rectified this by creating another set of models and started experimenting with how part of them would change/decay over time. From the results we have a very solid direction of how we’re going to develop this idea further in the coming weeks
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