5 Cubecell tower

- Designing a tower in tehran using cellular automata -

Type: multifunctional tower

Year: 2020

Location: Tehran

Area: 90000 m²

Status: Concept & Reasearch

Architects: DNA Group, Zahra Salehi

Brief:

The problem of the project was the design of a multifunctional 60-storey tower. According to the studies, in addition to commercial and administrative services, we provided cultural and recreational use. Due to the needs and factors such as structure, energy, and performance needs, we came to the conclusion that the use of a computational process will be beneficial in achieving a faster and more efficient response. We turned to agent-based algorithms, specifically cellular automata. In this path, the intended goals such as the ability to prefabricate, change and reproduce and add parts at different times of this cellular system have been selected. Finally, by choosing several alternatives and analyzing them by using the Karamba plugin to check the structure, the energy analysis plugins in Grasshopper, and CFD to check the final form and shell against wind currents, the best option was chosen.

Contributation to the project:

Idea Development

Modeling: Rhinoceros 6.0 & Grasshopper & Python

Rendering: Lumion 10

Presentation: Photoshop 2020

Cellular Automaton

A cellular automaton consists of a regular grid of cells, each in one of a finite number of states, such as on and off (in contrast to a coupled map lattice). The grid can be in any finite number of dimensions. For each cell, a set of cells called its neighborhood is defined relative to the specified cell. An initial state (time t = 0) is selected by assigning a state for each cell. A new generation is created (advancing t by 1), according to some fixed rule (generally, a mathematical function)that determines the new state of each cell in terms of the current state of the cell and the states of the cells in its neighborhood. Typically, the rule for updating the state of cells is the same for each cell and does not change over time, and is applied to the whole grid simultaneously, though exceptions are known, such as the stochastic cellular automaton and asynchronous cellular automaton.

Void units: These units only form the edge of the work, and no box is ultimately drawn for them.

White units: In this part of the code, these units are randomly converted into Cells, Terraces, and Spaces.

Fixed units around the core units: These units are considered fixed and do not change in any generation or in any initial state.

Core units: These arrays are also considered fixed and are essentially the structural part and the main. communication core of the building.

Neighborhoods of each cell selected based on Neumann’s :

First method : The number of generations is arbitrary and the number of classes is defined separately.

1-If a Cell has a neighboring Space or Terrace and if one of its neighbors is Void, it will be randomly converted to a Terrace or Space.

2-If a Terrace has one or more Terrace neighbors, it can be randomly converted to a Cell or Terrace.

Second method : The number of levels required determines the number of generations.

3-If a Terrace has one or more Terrace neighbors, it can be randomly converted to a Cell or Terrace.

4-If a Terrace has one or more Terrace neighbors, it can be randomly converted to a Cell or Terrace.

5-If it is a unit of Space and has four Cell neighbors, it becomes a Cell.

Structure

The basis of designing the plans in this project is square modules. The system which has been chosen would be beam and column structure (bending frame) in which the beams of the stories used in dimension the square plan modules pattern and the length of spans are equal to the length of the main module. One of the reasons for choosing this structure would be the reproducibility of the structure based on designing the 0 to 15th floor to add some modules to the structure. Also, this structure allows repeating the pattern of filling and removing the modules in the plan environment in the height of the structure. Other areas of choosing the steel structure compared to concrete structures would be the reduction of the cross-sectional dimensions of structural elements and also the higher construction speed which in turn would reduce costs during project implementation. In addition to the steel frame, this structure would have also benefited a truss core in bearing the gravity and lateral loads which would be transferred to the foundation by the central core.

The first alternative for structural analysis by the KARMBA plugin was a metal frame with a core. In the next alternative, 2 one-story belt trusses and truss arms at the retreat site in the façade and the last were added. In the last, the height of these members increased to two floors. By browsing the data of structure analysis finally the second structural alternative was chosen as the optimal alternative.

In interior design, according to the functional needs in the early stages of the project, as well as in explaining the code, we have had a smoother path. One of the main goals was to make maximum use of sunlight, as well as to create various spaces and green terraces to control sunlight and create a favorable atmosphere for people.

Vertical circulation design

7 passenger elevators and two freight elevators are located in the central core of the building. Of these 7 elevators, 3 elevators belong to the classes with a multiple of 10, two elevators are even multiples and the other 2 elevators are odd multiples. There are also floors with a multiple of 10 safe floors and staff dining halls. The unloading space of core elevators is equivalent to the per capita declared by international standards. There are also two escape routes Located in the core. In addition to the vertical communication routes and escape routes in the commercial and cultural floors, 4 elevators

Plans

and two other escape stairs have been installed which are located on both sides of the building and the closest place to the exit doors.

In addition to the core of the building and through the parking lot, the office workers can access the separate entrance from the southeastern facade of the building by several elevators that go to the office lobby.

However, on the same front, there are several other freight elevators that continued to the cultural classes, and the access of docking machines to this front has been established.