FENG_HAO_742200_AIR PART A

STUDIO AIR HAO FENG 742200 2016 SEMSTER 2 TUTOR: CAITLYN PARRY

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

P. 2 - 3

PART A. CONCEPTUALISATION A.1 DESIGN FUTURE A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION A.3 COMPOSITION/GENERATION A.4 CONCLUSION A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES A.6 APPENDIX - ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

P. 6 - 9 P. 10 - 13 P. 14 - 17 P. 18 P. 19 P. 20 - 21

REFERENCES

P. 22 - 23

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INTRODUCTION

My name is Hao FENG. I am a second-year student at the University of Melbourne. I was born and raised up in China and came to Melbourne three years ago. I had the passion for designing and modeling when I was small. I appreciate the idea of “less is more�, and I also have an interest in lightness and space.

Before I take the Digital Design and Fabrication subject in the last semester, I have no interest in digital modeling and fabrication. I preferred to draw by free hand and make models by traditional ways. However, the idea of digital design and fabrication totally changed my view on digital design. It can make the modeling process more efficient by advanced technology and make the design more complex and dynamic by computational thinking. Digital design gives people a new way of thinking and designing. I believe that in this subject, I will learn more about computational and parametric design.

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Digital Design and Fabrication: Sleeping Pod

Earth Studio: A Place for Secrets

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CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.1 DESIGN FUTURE CASE STUDY 1 Project: Liyuan Library Architects: Li Xiaongdong Atelier Location: Beijing, China Project Year: 2011 Liyuan Library, designed by Li Xiaodong, is located in a village in the suburb of Beijing. People can get rid of the busy urban life and get close to nature in two hours’ drive from the city. The library is decided to build front the water and with hills at back instead of in the center of the village. This particular site enhances designer’s appreciation of the natural landscape qualities and provides the reader a pleasant and quiet place for reading.

Fig 1 6

According to Fry, people now have reached a moment of criticality.

The resources are decreasing, and changes are needed to make. The only way to redirect people to a far more sustainable habitation is by de1 sign. Designing sustainable building is what the designer pursue. The aim of creating Liyuan Library is to integrate architecture with nature. The facade of the library is cladded by the locally sourced firewood which is gather by villagers to fuel the cooking stove. By using the ordinary materials at hand in an extraordinary way enables the architecture to have regional characteristics. Using the local materials not only economical but also can reduce the embodied energy. In winter, the trees senescing and the leaves falling, the library will merge in the landscape. In next spring, the library became alive because the firewood will attract birds to make nests on it.

Fig 2

What Li Xiaodong created is not architecture but the environment.

According to him, many architects want to build a prominent building, but what he want is to make architecture disappear, which means make the design blends into the landscape. He puts more emphasis on the relationship between the building and its surroundings rather than the building itself.

The designer not only makes the library looks like a part of nature but also makes it sustainable to fit the environment. The library does not connect to the local electricity grid, so it has its lighting and ventilation system. The library is fully glazed on the wall and roof so natural sunlight can light it. The front pool and the removable consist the ventilation system. The air chilled over the pond can move through the library to cool the whole room.2

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1. Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Prectice (Oxford: Berg, 2008), p. 1 - 16 2. Peters, T. (2015), Sustaining the Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design. Archit. Design, 85: 136–141. doi:10.1002/ad.1889 Image Source: Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b286528ba0d25b9000104-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 2. http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b285e28ba0d25b9000101-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 3. http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b286228ba0d25b9000103-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 4. http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b285b28ba0d25b9000100-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image

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CASE STUDY 2 Project: Dance Palace Architects: UNStudio Location: St. Petersburg, Russia Project Year: due for completion 2016 UNStudio is well known for the compound and non-standard morphologies. Dance Palace, designed by UNStudio, will be located on a new square in the historic center of St. Petersburg and this project won 1st prize competition entry. It is one part of the European Embankment complex project. This dance theater has an area of 2100 square meter and can hold 1300 guests (1000 in a large hall and 300 in a small auditorium).1

The urban context is essential in the design. So it is carefully designed not to block the view of nearby Prince Vladimir and Peter and Paul cathedrals. The height of the theater is St. Petersburg’s typical 28 m roofline. The facade of the dance theater is cladded in both transparent and opaque triangular panels, which gives people an open view and makes a connection to the neighbor architecture. For me, the facade system of Dance Palace is an individual-to-whole relationship. It becomes efficient and possible to organize every single element and to form an integrated structure, by using advanced technology and computational thinking.

1. Garcia, M. (2014), Future Details of UNStudio Architectures: An Interview with Ben van Berkel. Archit Design, 84: 52–61. doi:10.1002/ad.1781 Image Source Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com/29805/unstudio-wins-competition-to-design-dance-theatre-in-st-petersburg/un1 Fig 2. http://www.unstudio.com/projects/dance-palace

Fig 2

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Fig 1 In order to make a better connection to the outside, the vertical foyer is highly transparent. This design’s powerful expression from inside to outside presents a place to see and be seen. At the first glance, the building is simple and striking at night. However, the theater is integrated with is surrounding through its translucence and the building has characteristics of fluency, mobility, and light monolith.

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A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION CASE STUDY 1 Project: Skill Wall of the Arch-Union Office Architects: Archi-Union Architects Location: Shanghai, China Project Year: 2011 This office is originally an old warehouse which is shabby and abandoned. However, it has now been given new vigor and became an office and studio for the exhibition. The external walls are constructed of simple cement blocks but rotated it in different angles to create an interesting texture and enable various amounts of light coming through. With the different perspectives and the lightness, the walls become dynamic.

Parametric processes had been used to create the silk texture of the external wall. The designer limited the angle of rotation to 21 values.1 The perspectives of the rotation show in next page.

By using the advanced technology, the brick pattern becomes a simple numbering and position logic which is easy and economical for the builders.

We are now in an information age, because of the big data, the world becomes a globalized world and has more possibility to reinterpret the environment, the material, and the design.

Computational thinking and computation design gives designers more opportunities to solve complex problems. According to Yuan, the parametric methodology integrates design and fabrication a whole system.2

“When architects have a sufficient understanding of algorithmic concepts, when we no longer need to discuss the digital as something different, then computation can become a true method of design for architecture.” —— Brady Peters Fig 1

1. Yuan, P. (2016), Parametric Regionalism. Archit. Design, 86: 92–99. doi:10.1002/ad.2029 2. Yuan, P. (2016), Parametric Regionalism. Archit. Design, 86: 92–99. doi:10.1002/ad.2029 quote: Peters, B. (2013), Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought. Archit Design, 83: 8–15. doi:10.1002/ad.1545 Image Source: Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b84a28ba0d147d000670-au-officeand-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc-diagram Fig 2. http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b83e28ba0d147d00066c-au-officeand-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc-photo Fig 3. http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b85028ba0d147d000672-au-officeand-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc-diagram 10

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Project: Voussoir Cloud Architects: IwamotoScott Architecture Location: SCI-Arc, Los Angeles Project year: August 2008

CASE STUDY 2

Voussoir Cloud is site specifically designed for the Southern California Institute of Architecture Gallery in Los Angles. The whole structure consists of three-dimensional petals which are formed by thin wood laminates. There are three kinds of patterns, zero curve edges, one curved edge, two curved edges and three curved edges.

The material used in this structure which has light-admitting quality. Light can also translate through gaps between petals. So, the surface and the internal space of the structure becomes bright and dynamic.

Voussoir Cloud was computational designed and then fabricated by laser cutting.

Finally simply zip tied together. Now, in a computational age, digital computation is critical in designing. The geometric and computational strategy makes the design process easier. It is simpler to change and test the shape and structure of conception. In this model, the curvature of each petal depends on its adjoining voids. A computational script was written for Rhino model that managed the petal edge plan shape as a function of tangent offset — the more the offset, the greater the curvature.1 Besides, because of the repetition, elements needed to be etched for identifying. Computation has become a design method, which allows designer to extend their abilities to solve complex and changeacle situations.2 Fig 1

Fig 2

1. Leach, N. (2009), Digital Morphogenesis. Archit Design, 79: 32–37. doi:10.1002/ad.806 2. Peters, B. (2013), Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought. Archit Design, 83: 8–15. doi:10.1002/ad.1545 Image Source: Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecture-mais-buro-happold/54024_54061 Fig 2. http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecture-mais-buro-happold/54024_54051 Fig 3. http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecture-mais-buro-happold/54024_54067 Fig 4. http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecture-mais-buro-happold/54024_54068 12

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Fig 1

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A.3 Composition/Generation Project: Nine Bridges Country Club Architects: Shigeru Ban Architects Location: Yeoju-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Project Year: 2009

CASE STUDY 1

According to Maijidi, computation has not solely transformed what we can design — it has an enormous impact on how we build.1 Nine Bridges Country Club, located in South Korea, is designed by Shigeru Ban. The most stunning part of the building is the compound curved timber roof with along with the glazing wall, providing an open and transparent internal space. The process of roof design is computational and algorithmic. The first step to defining the roof is to project a tri-fold grid to a curve surface. Then the girders are created on every projected grid line. They are placed following the curve of the surface, interacting at almost 7,500 crossing points.2 The detail drawings show that one element is made up of five girders in five different layers joined by two lap joints in each girder, and one element can extend in three different directions. It is estimated that the complete roof used roughly 3,500 curved timber components and nearly 15,000 lap joints.3 This significant evaluation is impossible in a traditional design process. The only possible way is programming. Then the program will automatically generate the patterns from a reference surface and some parameters. This process is called algorithmic design, utilizing technology as our capabilities to solve complex problems, which is an innovative way of design. However, when I research for Ban’s other designs, some of other building use the same method to construct the roof. So, a specific algorithm may restrict creative thinking.

“Algorithm thinking means taking on an interpretive role to understand the result o ft. generating code, knowing how to modify the code to explore new options, and speculating on the further design potentials.”

—— Brady Peters 1. David Jenkins (ed), Normal Forster Works 4, Prestel Verlag (Munical), 2004, p. 28.

2. Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 3. Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 3.quote: Peters, B. (2013), Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought.

Archit Design, 83: 8–15. doi:10.1002/ad.1545

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Image Source: Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com/490241/nine-bridges-country-club-shigeru-ban-architects/53325861c07a80cb6b0000a2-ninebridges-country-club-shigeru-ban-architects-photo Fig 2. Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 Fig 3. Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 15

Project: Nine Bridges Country Club Architects: Shigeru Ban Architects Location: Yeoju-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Project Year: 2009

CASE STUDY 2

Computation is the processing of information and interactions between elements which constitute a specific environment; it provides a framework for negotiating and influencing the interrelation of datasets of information, with the capacity to generate complex order, form, and structure.

—— Sean Ahlquist & Achim Menges This pavilion is a fibre-reinforced pneumatic shell inspired by the subaquatic nest construction of the diving bell spider. The architects investigate how the water spider construct the habitat, then transfer the biological processes into robotic processes.

In the process of construction, the water spider has a systematical sense to strengthen its nest.

Regularly changing the shape of the pneumatic body results in a hierarchical fibre arrangements.1 To achieve the same effect in the research project, a program and a large amount of data were input in a digital agent which enables it to simulate the biological behavior. The digital agent will traverse the inwall of the inflated imitative membrane to accomplish the fibre arrangements which is similar to the pneumatic nest’s.2 Besides, the nest’s formwork has a dynamic geometric which can change shape according to need. So, A custom robotic end-effector tool is installed to extrude fiberes, in sync with the robotic movements and adjust to change. An integrated sensor system is required in the process to have good control.3 The unique skin of the pavilion has composite structure and weatherproofing quality. A little transparency allows excellent spatial experience. In my sense, the completion of the research project shows the possibility that computation can reinterpret the biological behavior by using a new language.

Fig 1

quote: Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges, ‘Introduction’, inSean Ahlquist and Achim Menges (eds), Computational Design Thinking, John Wiley & Sons (Chichester), 2011.

1. Doerstelmann, M., Knippers, J., Koslowski, V., Menges, A., Prado, M., Schieber, G. and Vasey, L. (2015), ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2014–15: Fibre Placement on a Pneumatic Body Based on a Water Spider Web. Archit. Design, 85: 60–65. doi:10.1002/ad.1955 2. Doerstelmann, M., Knippers, J., Koslowski, V., Menges, A., Prado, M., Schieber, G. and Vasey, L. (2015), ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2014–15: Fibre Placement on a Pneumatic Body Based on a Water Spider Web. Archit. Design, 85: 60–65. doi:10.1002/ad.1955 3. Doerstelmann, M., Knippers, J., Koslowski, V., Menges, A., Prado, M., Schieber, G. and Vasey, L. (2015), ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2014–15: Fibre Placement on a Pneumatic Body Based on a Water Spider Web. Archit. Design, 85: 60–65. doi:10.1002/ad.1955 16

Fig 2

Image Source: Fig 1. http://www.archdaily.com/770516/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart/55acef02e58ece12 db000248-icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart-conceptual-fabrication-strategy-1-inflated-pneumaticmembrane-2-robotically-reinforce-membrane-with-carbon-fiber-from-inside-3-stable-composite-shell Fig 2. http://www.archdaily.com/770516/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart/55acee53e58ece12 db000241-icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart-image 17

A.4 Conclusion The first part of conceptualization is designing future. Now we are in a different era.

Things around us are changing rapidly. So the traditional ideas and methods of design are outdated. We need to utilize new ideology, sustainable materials and advanced technologies to refine the practice of architecture.

In the second part, I realized that computation is a new design method which enables designers to increase their capability to solve highly complex situations. In architectural practice, computation is integrated with fabrication and construction.

In the designing process, material and physical environment are taken account.

However, with the help of the computer, it is more precise and efficient to test the properties of material.

When we design computationally and write a program on a computer to solve problems, what we do is to create an algorithm. Peters defined the algorithm as “a particular set of instructions, and for these instructions to be understood by the computer they must be written in a language the computer can understand, a code�.1 In my opinion, thinking mathematically and algorithmically is critical which enables people to transfer random biological behavior to a new language that computer can understand.

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A.5 Learning Outcomes

Before learning about computation and algorithm, I used to use the computer as a tool to do drawings or editing, which is called ‘computerization’. However, computation is to extend our abilities to reinterpret the idea and design. Computation has a great connection to the materials and logic behind the behavior. I used to design without thinking about the relationship between project and materials and forgot to investigate the embedded logic in performances. After three weeks of learning, I found it is interesting to use algorithms to create unusual forms. I am now in the stage to learn a new language, code. I think it will be more useful to help me designing when I have a good command of it.

1. Peters, B. (2013), Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought. Archit Design, 83: 8–15. doi:10.1002/ ad.1545 Image Source: Carranza, P. M. (2014), Programs as Paradigms. Archit. Design, 84: 66–73. doi:10.1002/ad.181

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A.6 Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

Every week, we watch online videos and then do some grasshopper exercises. These are some outcomes I did in the past few weeks. In week one, I learned how to create interesting forms. Lofting is the most common way to create surfaces; triangulation tools could split the surface into polygons. In week two, I learned how to using box morph and contour line tools.

My favorite outcome is the second one on the left page. It looks like a feather and is dynamic in shape.

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References: 1. David Jenkins (ed), Normal Forster Works 4, Prestel Verlag (Munical, 2004), p. 28.

2. Doerstelmann, M., Knippers, J., Koslowski, V., Menges, A., Prado, M., Schieber, G. and Vasey, L., ICD/ITKE Research, (2015).

3. Garcia, M., Future Details of UNStudio Architectures: An Interview with Ben van Berkel, (Archit Design, 2014), 84: 52–61.

4. Leach, N., Digital Morphogenesis, (Archit Design, 2009), 79: 32–37.

5. Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Prectice (Oxford: Berg, 2008), p. 1 - 16 6. Pavilion 2014–15: Fibre Placement on a Pneumatic Body Based on a Water Spider, Web. Archit. Design.

7. Peters, B., Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought. (Archit Design, 2013), 83: 8–15.

8. Peters, T., Sustaining the Local: An Alternative Approach to Sustainable Design, (Archit. Design, 2015), 85: 136–141.

9. Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H., Lost in Parameter Space?, (Archit Design, 2011), 81: 70–79.

10. Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges, ‘Introduction’, in Sean Ahlquist and Achim Menges (eds), Computational Design Thinking,John Wiley & Sons (Chichester, 2011).

11. Yuan, P., Parametric Regionalism, (Archit. Design, 2016), 86: 92–99.

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Image References: Fig 1.1 http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b286528ba0d25b9000104-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 1.2 http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b285e28ba0d25b9000101-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 1.3 http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b286228ba0d25b9000103-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 1.4 http://www.archdaily.com/256525/liyuan-library-li-xiaodongatelier/500b285b28ba0d25b9000100-liyuan-library-li-xiaodong-atelier-image Fig 1.5 http://www.archdaily.com/29805/unstudio-wins-competition-to-design-dance-theatrein-st-petersburg/un1 Fig 1.6 http://www.unstudio.com/projects/dance-palace Fig 2.1 http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b84a28ba0d147d000670-au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architectsinc-diagram Fig 2.2 http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b83e28ba0d147d00066c-au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architectsinc-photo Fig 2.3 http://www.archdaily.com/82251/au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/5012b85028ba0d147d000672-au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architectsinc-diagram Fig 2.4 http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecturemais-buro-happold/54024_54061 Fig 2.5 http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecturemais-buro-happold/54024_54051 Fig 2.6 http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecturemais-buro-happold/54024_54067 Fig 2.7 http://www.archdaily.com.br/br/01-54024/voussoir-cloud-iwamotoscott-architecturemais-buro-happold/54024_54068 Fig 3.1 http://www.archdaily.com/490241/nine-bridges-country-club-shigeru-ban-architects/53 325861c07a80cb6b0000a2-nine-bridges-country-club-shigeru-ban-architects-photo Fig 3.2 Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 Fig 3.3 Scheurer, F. and Stehling, H. (2011), Lost in Parameter Space?. Archit Design, 81: 70–79. doi:10.1002/ad.1271 Fig 3.4 http://www.archdaily.com/770516/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-universityof-stuttgart/55acef02e58ece12db000248-icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-universityof-stuttgart-conceptual-fabrication-strategy-1-inflated-pneumatic-membrane-2-robotically-reinforce-membrane-with-carbon-fiber-from-inside-3-stable-composite-shell Fig 3.5 http://www.archdaily.com/770516/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-universityof-stuttgart/55acee53e58ece12db000241-icd-itke-research-pavilion-2014-15-icd-itke-universityof-stuttgart-image Fig 4.1 Carranza, P. M. (2014), Programs as Paradigms. Archit. Design, 84: 66–73. doi:10.1002/ ad.181

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