ACD_SM1/2021_Assignment 1_Yuhan Hou

1.1 Randomness - Tower

Pattern Development For the tower design, the pattern is expected to extend linearly along one direction. The verticality is the essence. A set of Golden Rectangular geometry is selected to fit with the geometrical character of the tower. The research explores a few simple rules of transformations as mirroring, copying, and scaling along the vertical direction, allowing the pattern to be varied in size, orientation, and relative position. And a high level of randomness can be achieved with controllable rulesets.

Technique Besides, the research also interests in the way to extract data and approach to amplify the randomness. The data be sorted with shared traits. For example, after the combination of the rules, all squares that are not split can be extracted and joint as one specific material. The density of the pattern can be changed by easily choosing every second square. By extending the edges of all squares and rectangles, an irregular grid can be established. As shown in the Sheung Wan Hotel in Hong Kong, I see the potential of using the same technique of pushing and pulling selected square boxes with varied depth. The others can be engraved upon the surface material. This technique will be applied in the latter proposal.

Figure 1.00. Sheung Wan Hotel from Hong Kong (25 Stunning Architectural Facades - DecoJournal, n.d.).

1.2 Randomness - Box Building

Pattern Development Compared to the tower, the box building requires a pattern to extend in both directions. By rotating the set of Golden Rectangular at specific two points, the extending direction is shifted. The overlaying of geometry gives a level of complexity with simple movements. Again, the data can be extracted in varied ways. The limit of the ruleset avoids over-complicating design and leaving the space for future development.

Technique The Barcode Project in Oslo has an evenly divided grid. The randomness is expressed by grouping the varied number of square. And some 2x2 and 3x3 squares are regulated as windows.

The precedent shows its stability in its rigid and legible grid and express its instability in grouped pattern and its varied depth. In the later proposal, the set of Golden Rectangular will be scaled to offering 3 identical window sizes enhancing the performance of the façade.

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Figure 2.00. Barcode Project in Oslo, Norway (25 Stunning Architectural Facades - DecoJournal, n.d.).

1.3 Randomness - Circular Hollow Building

Pattern Development The circular Hollow Building requires the geometry to be extended in the horizontal direction. By simply mirroring the set of Golden Rectangular, the pattern ables to be extended linearly with variables. By creatively connecting the centres of the largest three circle and extend polylines to the edge of the facade. A similar geometry of the Serpentine Gallery can be achieved.

Technique The Serpentine Gallery is created by rotating the scaled squares and extend the edges of squares. The intersection liens split the surface into small irregular pieces. The intersectional lines are extruded to give the depth of the façade. Two material is used to further amplify the richness of the pattern. Also, the solid parts work as a structure while the glaze provides adequate daylight and a beautiful view of the outside. The pattern can potentially be used as a way to define the structure and glaze, to control the amount of daylight and framing of the views.

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Figure 3.00. Serpentine Gallery 2002 (Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2002 / Toyo Ito + Cecil Balmond + Arup | ArchDaily, n.d.).

1.4 Randomness - Dome

Pattern Development Dome requires geometry to extend in all direction. By using the circle instead of rectangular, the pattern is able to extend in both 4 directions. The centre of the largest three circles is selected as the rotating centres. By testing, there are limited types of ration that no circle will intersect with the other. By overlapping, the circles can extend in many directions subtly. The stability is controlled by the size of the circle and adjacent relationships between circles. The randomness is expressed in the position of the circles.

Figure 4.00. Louvre Abu Dhabi (In Progress: Louvre Abu Dhabi / Jean Nouvel | ArchDaily, n.d.).

Technique The Louvre Abu Dhabi uses hexagons, starts and triangles as basic geometry to create a complex dome structure of the gallery. The technique I am mainly inspired by how it manipulates the pattern of shadow and amount of daylight by overlapping the layers of the varied structures. The structure and window are united.

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1.5 Randomness - Plaza

Pattern Development The shape of the golden spiral is the potential to define the varied domain of the plaza. By mirroring the golden spiral in both vertical and horizontal direction at the selected point, a smooth transition can be achieved. The shape of the golden spiral has the potential to create some enclosed spaces.

Figure 5.00.

V-Plaza Urban Development / 3deluxe architecture (V-Plaza Urban Development / 3deluxe Architecture | ArchDaily, n.d.).

Technique The V-Plaza use curves to create an urban plaza. The curves direct the path and inform how people experience the space.

The V shape provides both enclosed and open public space because of its geometrical property. The depth defines the varied domain and materials define the function of the space as path, staircase, seatings and landscapes.

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Since the project utilizes a bottom-up approach. The initial formation of the golden rectangular is important. The diagram below shows an initial understanding of rules to build a series of golden ratio rectangular. Each new rectangular is generated based on the information of the previous rectangular.

The copy direction is defined by the remainder of dividing integration by four.

And importantly, to maintain the same data structure of output as input, the data is clean before implementing the new recursion.

2.1 Computational Workflow - GH 014

2.2 Computational Workflow - GH

After a set of Golden Rectangular is created, it is essential to understand the potential of the geometry. First, the Golden Rectangular are scaled according to the actual floor-to-floor height.

The purpose is to provide 3 different sizes of windows. The randomness giving the variety of the Windom position and method of grouping. Also, the varied size of rectangular has been given different material thickness, enhancing the richness of the pattern.

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3.1 Python - Golden Rectangular The initial step is focusing on how to use Python to create the recursive generation of the Golden Rectangular. The diagrams below show the logic of generation. Comparing to the grasshopper script, the python script creates a new function, as a tool to generate infinite golden rectangular. However, the research sees the limit of using Golden Rectangular to generate façade. The physical size of the building and accessible material size does not allow the infinite growing of geometry.

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3.2 Python - Self-Similar Geometry

The advantage of Golden Rectangular is its self-similarity.

The limit is there is only one branch of rectangular scaling up or down. Therefore, the research started looking at other self-similar geometry.

By using the branching approach, a square will be divided into four and the selected parts will be divided again. By doing so, a high level of randomness can be achieved with simple rulesets.

Again, the intent is to use the size of the rectangular to inform the thickness and type of the material and location of the windows.

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