AIR newOrder 2018 JOURNAL PART A TIANHONG ALEX SHEN
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Contents Part A. CONCEPTUALISATION
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Introduction
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A.1. Design Futuring
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- Zaha Hadid: Guangzhou Opera House - Archigram: Plug-In City
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A.2. Design Computation
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- Introduction - 3D Printing and Robotic Fabrication
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A.3. Composition/Generation
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- Composition: Top-Down Design - Generation: Bottom-Up Design
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A.4. Conclusion
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A.5. Learning Outcomes
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A.6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches
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Citations/Figures
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Introduction Hi, I’m Alex. Now in my third year studying architecture, the studio environment has become all too familiar. What sets AIR apart from the previous studios to me is its strong linear progression. The digital focus and introduction of parametricism is refreshing and distinct. While it may not be everyone’s preferred design method, its increasing prevalence in contemporary design is undeniable. As for my technical knowledge, I’ve used numerous digital design software since the commencement of my degree. I have a basic grasp of SketchUp and am comfortable utilising Rhino and AutoCAD.
F.1 Studio Earth Project
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A.1. Design Futuring
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One work to demonstrate Zaha Hadid’s approach to design is the Guangzhou Opera House (2003-10). Rising and falling along the bank of Zhujiang River, its contoured profile and unique ‘twin boulder’ design enhances urban function and vitalises the site with new dialogues with the new town3. In a dynamic and audacious design that shuns any use of the right angle, the opera house combines advanced materials with complex geometric variation. Offering an incredibly futuristic aesthetic, the complex stands in clear contrast against the city background. The dramatic interplay of circulation and open space combined with advanced natural and artificial lighting creates an ethereal
F.2,3 Structural Plan
F.4 Section
Zaha Hadid: Guanzhou Opera House
Zaha Hadid (1950-2016) was an influential and celebrated architect who departed from the strict rules of architectural geometry, bringing about an expression and freedom rarely seen in preceding works. Her style is not easily defined; at once demonstrating deconstructivism, abstractionism, modernism and parametricism1. As noted by the Pritzker Prize Jury upon her award2, “she’s moved away from existing typology, from high tech, and has shifted the geometry of buildings.” With “each project [unfolding] with new excitement and innovation”, Zaha Hadid contributed much to the advancement of digital design.
1 John Seabrook, ‘The Abstractionist’, The New Yorker (2009) < https://www.newyo-
rker.com/magazine/2009/12/21/the-abstractionist> [10 March 2018]
2 The Hyatt Foundation, ‘The Pritzker Architecture Prize’, Laureates (2004) < https:// www.pritzkerprize.com/laureates/2004> [10 March 2018] 3 Zaha Hadid Architects, ‘Guangzhou Opera House’, Zaha Hadid Architects < http:// www.zaha-hadid.com/wp-content/files_mf/guangzhouoperahouse.pdf> [10 March 2018] F.5 Construction
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Be it the warm, organic auditorium or the futuristic hallways flanking the pebbles, innovation in the design process is evident. While this is by no means a unique case for Zaha Hadid, it does represent a major example that has been fully realised. The complex geometries and structure are only made possible with digital modelling. In China, monotony is a common theme in urban architecture. Too often do buildings forgo architectural intentions, instead focusing on superficial appeal to buyers. By taking on such a dynamic and poetic form, the opera house issues a challenge to the established Chinese urban landscape. The new urban precinct has done well to enrich the culture of Guangzhou and will likely continue to be held in high regard by the local populace.
F.6,7 Main Auditorium
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Plug-In City by Peter Cook (1964) featured huge forms devoted to continual circulation. Functions of modules are scrambled and boundaries blurred. Referring to motifs found in modernism that of the megastructure and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;building-in-becomingâ&#x20AC;?1. The plug-in city combines elements of precedent projects through its focus on collectivity, modular accommodation and a rapid transportation network.
Archigram: Plug-In City
An avant-garde architectural group formed in the 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Archigram expressed their neo-futuristic visions across countless drawings. Envisioning an alien future dominated by technology and machines, they presented hypothetical solutions to emerging issues within expanding cities. With only the production of drawings, their work acted as social and infrastructural experiments.
Despite its futuristic and unlikely appearance, there is an innate reasonableness in this vision. Its system addresses the issues posed by the ever-expanding urban landscape. While architecture traditionally focused on permanence and completeness, Plug-In presented architecture as being incomplete without human involvement. The style pursued by Archigram contrasted against that of the prevailing brutalists. Instead of the complete, frozen 4 Simon Sadler, Archigram: Architecture without Architecture, (Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2005) Page 14, < https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unimelb/detail.action?docID=3338538>, [10 March 2018]
F.8 Plug-In City
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In-line with their vision of the future, the city will be automated. Factories and other industrial facilities are seen as obsolete. The implication that obsolescence must be replaced is not dissimilar to the vision of the Italian Futurists. Unlike the original futurists however, Archigram took a humanistic approach, tackling the problems of over-population, land inadequacy and traffic thought to inhibit the feasibility of megacities. The visions presented by Archigram collided with that of the contemporary landscape. In a time dominated by modernism and consolidation of architectural practice, the confronting art of Archigram reasserted the architect as a creative individual. Proposals such as Plug-In City were a response to the “superficial formalism and dull suburban tendencies common to British modernism of that time”5. Notably, the projects of Archigram provided a reprieve from the monotony of suburbia. 1
Despite not having materialised any of their visions, Archigram’s theories and visions would go on to have a lasting influence on future design. The decision to bring forth the services and topple traditional hierarchy is reflected in Center Pompidou by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. Without ever bending to the constrains of construction, Archigram’s fantastical drawings would go on to inspire subsequent generations of architects.
5 Gili Merin, ‘AD Classics: The Plug-In City / Peter Cook, Archigram’, archdaily (2013) < https://www.archdaily.com/399329/ad-classics-the-plug-in-city-peter-cook-archigram> [10 March 2018]
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F.9 Plug-In City
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A.2. Design Computation
Design Computation
Computation has brought a revolutionary new medium to the practice of design. Empowering the designer to visualise concepts without committing to the irreversibility of physical processes, computational design has become a mainstay in the industry for rationalising designs. Computation has already reshaped our perception of the industry. No longer do the skills of model-making and drawing take precedence over digital proficiency. There exists a loss of heritage in the contemporary design practice. Graduates are quizzed about their expertise in CAD and other modelling software. In practice the convenience of digital documentation has overcome the endless drafting we associate with traditional practice. The advantage of computation does not end with formal refinement. Structural and performance simulations are now essential as part of the design process6. The ability to accurately simulate results allows the designer to correct faults and identify the theoretical ideal. 1
The advent of the information age has brought with it not just the power to envision designs digitally but also the ability to produce a physical product with minimal manual input. There are two main approaches to digital fabrication: physical to digital and digital to physical. The former, more conservative approach is employed by the likes of Frank Gehry to document complex design and rationalise its construction7. The second method is becoming increasingly prevalent in contemporary design and expands the possible methods of construction. 2
6 Peters, Brady. (2013) â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thoughtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Architectural Design <LMS> [14 March 2018] F.10 Studio Water Render
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7 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003) <LMS> [11 March 2018]
3D Printing F.11 3D Printed Bridge
The rise of digital fabrication has culminated in a variety of fabrication techniques falling broadly in two categories. Subtractive fabrication has long been used in industry with the likes of CNC milled parts. Additive fabrication is quickly advancing with 3D printing being one of the best-known examples. The technology of 3D printing comes as a revelation similar to the emergence of 3D modelling software. Allowing the designer to quickly produce physical analogues aids in the progression of design and allows for the creation of forms difficult to produce otherwise. One of the more audacious implementations of 3D printing is the 3D-printed Bridge in Amsterdam by MX3D. Printing the bridge out of stainless steel, the robotic armâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sophistication is beyond what was once thought feasible. The printing of steel will allow for more organic forms than normal and makes moulds redundant. The designers have been experimenting to have the bridge printed as a single piece8. Like similar projects, one of the aims have been to enhance the precision of fabrication, reduce waste and ultimately cut construction costs.
Despite the excitement generated through the innovative approach and its respectable goal, these projects all suffer from a crippling drawback â&#x20AC;&#x201C; time. Requiring a lengthy 2 years to produce, the bridge is by no means an overnight project. From a utilitarian perspective, it appears laughable that 3D printing will succeed conventional fabrication in the foreseeable future. A similar bridge printed of concrete took 3 months to produce. While taking significantly less time to fabricate, the bridge is also far less ornate. We are forced to ask: is itworth it? 3D printing offers exceptional convenience in the materialisation of complex geometries however with the current technology it has yet to become a viable replacement for existing construction techniques.
F.12 3D Printed Bridge
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Robotic Fabrication
Another emerging area of digital fabrication is that of robotic fabrication. Robots are already widely used in high-precision industrial applications for their strength, precision and speed. Their use in the design discipline is comparatively recent. An interesting departure from the industrial use of drones in assemblage. Flight Assembled Architecture (2011-12) by Gramazio Kohler Architects was a compelling early demonstration of drone construction. Assembling a complex architectural structure of over 1500 elements, a team of drones worked simultaneously9. Not only do drones offer a high degree of precision like other robots, they present a real prospect of improved efficiency. Simultaneous operation emulates the real mechanic of construction while the liberation of movement makes redundant the ever-present shackles of scaffolding. Places prohibitively difficult to reach or dangerous for human workers can be easily overcome with implementation of drone fabrication. In an age where the capabilities of drones are continually evolving, drone-assemblage will surely have a place in construction. 1
8 Houzz, ‘How 3D printing is disrupting the architecture and design industry’, New Atlas (2018) <https://newatlas.com/3d-printing-housing-architecture/53083/> [11
F.13 Droned Assemblage
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March 2018] 9 Gramazio Kohler Architects, ‘Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012’, Gramazio Kohler Architects (2012) < http://www.gramaziokohler.com/web/d/installationen/209.html> [11 March 2018]
A.3. Composition/Generation F.14 Walt Disney Concert Hall
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Composition: Top-down Design F.15 El Peix
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Top down design is where an overall concept is physically established and then realised through digital processes. The initial shift to digital format was through composition. The computer was a tool to document designs and is at most a tool for refinement. To bypass the pen and paper and directly model in 3D is also composition. The rise of computational design was a breakthrough in the design medium however it did not represent a major shift in the creative process. One architect who designs in such a manner is Frank Gehry. His first experimentation with a paperless approach was in the late 80s in the design and construction of his fish sculpture, “El Peix” (1992)10. Composed of a complex geometry, it was found to be prohibitively difficult to describe with standard conventions. The decision was then made to reproduce the model digitally and construct from this model. Setting a precedent for all his subsequent projects, Gehry would create physical models to be 3D scanned – it is within the digital realm that internal structure and hierarchy would be established and rationalised. A physical model would be machined from the digital version and be compared with the conceptual model. Famously he would create large quantities of paper models for consideration. The chosen example would then be digitally recreated and developed into a functional building.
10 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing
As processing power increased with the importance of CAD in practice, the scope of design possibilities also expanded. Some have made the claim that digital generation is the future of architecture though that remains to be seen. The rise in parametric modelling has been evident through works of architects such as Zaha Hadid Architects. The organic and sometimes alien lines of parametric buildings have prompted a new debate to emerge. The idea that we as designers should exploit the power of computation to generate designs is one that is at once innovative and confronting. Simultaneously empowering the designer to go beyond his conventional geometries and a threat endangering the very identity of the designer, the power of algorithms cannot be understated. In the practice of bottom-up design, desired properties are identified through digital experimentation and collated into a component-based design. One designer who has harnessed the capabilities of parametric design is Michael Hansmeyer. Now well known for his new column order series, he has imbued an unimaginable amount of detail into his designs. By utilising algorithms - sets of unambiguous and simple rules11; he generates countless versions of detailing which he carefully considers and implements.
Generation: Bottom-up Design
F.16 Hansmeyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Columns
As noted earlier, a shift in process to digital generation is both an innovation and risk. Algorithms and scripting and by no means new concepts in the field of computing however this method of problem solving has yet to find full acceptance in architectural design. It has been assumed that the designer is the one in control, the one to take full creative rein. While expert use of algorithmic generation can lead to entirely unique and arguably deliberate designs, the element of randomness will likely remain a sticking point for the foreseeable future.
11 Definition of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Algorithmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Wilson, Robert A. and Frank C. Keil, eds (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (London: MIT Press) <LMS> [14 March 2018]
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A.4. Conclusion F.17 Archigram Collage
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Precedent study and basic GH tutorials have been the focus of Part A. By analysing significant works and innovative approaches I have been able to further my knowledge of digital design within the discipline. Though task 2 (sketching/analysing a building) was tangential to a pure generative approach, my building, VCCC was an inspiring precedent. What VCCC represented was a highly polished network of free-flowing lines realised through digital design. Beyond its superficial appeal, the symbolism of the design shone through and was substantiated through its unique architecture. I wish to exploit these innovative design techniques, experimenting with forms difficult to achieve otherwise. Though the adoption of new technique is common in the discipline, it can lead to richer and more profound solutions. Having entered what many refer to as the digital era, technology has truly become indispensable in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design process.
A.5. Learning Outcomes
The semester thus far has been interesting and different. Despite the focus on innovation in digital design, much attention has been paid to its history and provide a comprehensive approach. I had not considered the process employed by the likes of Frei Otto to be a form of parametric design. The studio has widened my perspective on the scope of digital design. While taking Digital Design and Fabrication last year, my group encountered the limits of complex modular design in rhino. Trying to model a complex network of custom folding was overly inefficient without the help of parametric modelling. I hope that in the remainder of the course I will attain the skills to enrich my own design process.
F.18 Wk2 Columns
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A.6. Appedix The very first columns. Indicative of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to come, they served as an introduction to GH3D. 18
The primitive instinct of creating an interesting form. With little experience and few options on hand, I submitted to the process and forfeited my part in the generation.
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Citations
Definition of ‘Algorithm’ in Wilson, Robert A. and Frank C. Keil, eds (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (London: MIT Press) <LMS> [14 March 2018] Gili Merin, ‘AD Classics: The Plug-In City / Peter Cook, Archigram’, archdaily (2013) < https://www.archdaily. com/399329/ad-classics-the-plug-in-city-peter-cook-archigram> [10 March 2018] Gramazio Kohler Architects, ‘Flight Assembled Architecture, 2011-2012’, Gramazio Kohler Architects (2012) < http://www.gramaziokohler.com/web/d/installationen/209.html> [11 March 2018] Houzz, ‘How 3D printing is disrupting the architecture and design industry’, New Atlas (2018) <https://newatlas. com/3d-printing-housing-architecture/53083/> [11 March 2018] John Seabrook, ‘The Abstractionist’, The New Yorker (2009) < https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/12/21/the-abstractionist> [10 March 2018] Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003) <LMS> [11 March 2018] Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design <LMS> [14 March 2018] Simon Sadler, Archigram: Architecture without Architecture, (Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2005) Page 14, < https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unimelb/detail.action?docID=3338538>, [10 March 2018] The Hyatt Foundation, ‘The Pritzker Architecture Prize’, Laureates (2004) < https://www.pritzkerprize.com/ laureates/2004> [10 March 2018] Zaha Hadid Architects, ‘Guangzhou Opera House’, Zaha Hadid Architects < http://www.zaha-hadid.com/wp-content/files_mf/guangzhouoperahouse.pdf> [10 March 2018]
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F.8,17 https://nocloudinthesky.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/archigram-prefab/ F.9 https://www.archdaily.com/399329/ad-classics-the-plug-in-city-peter-cook-archigram
Figures
F.2-7 http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/
F.11,12 https://www.3ders.org/articles/20150612-mx3d-teams-with-heijmans-to-build-world-first-3d-printedsteel-bridge-in-central-amsterdam.html F.13 http://www.gramaziokohler.com/web/d/installationen/209.html F.14 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LAtrip.jpg F.15 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/3542431/The-best-of-Frank-Gehry.html?image=7 F.16 http://www.michael-hansmeyer.com/projects/columns.html#1
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