Huanzhi Chen W.Y. studio
WHO AM I? Hello. My name is Huanzhi Chen, if it is too hard for you to pronounce or remember, you can also call me William. I come from China originally, but since I have a passionate interest in western culture, I chose to become an Australian citizen. I have been educated here in Melbourne since year 9. When I was little I loved painting and making models. I was the arty person in my businessman family. Since I still could not jump out of that businessman mind inherited from my family, I decided not to become an painter but a space maker-- an architect. In fact, it wasn’t a bad choice after all. I am now enjoying studying architecture and I am looking forward to the exciting world of digital architecture.
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MY EXPERIENCE WITH DIGITAL DESIGN My first encounter with digital design was in the year 1 Virtual Environments when Rhino was taught to produce a lantern. I enjoyed the subject in both the design process and the design outcome. Since then I used Rhino to work on a few projects with the aids of V-ray to add a bit more effect in presentation. Outside the school, I used Rhino, Photoshop and Illutrator to help some of my friends to visualize their new home (see pic 4) or to design a logo for them (see pic 5). Digital Design had opened a new world for me and I wish Studio Air can once again expand my horizon in this area.
Architecture as a Discourse While Glenn Murcutt holds tight the Pritzker Prize in his arms smiling at his hand-drawn designs, on the other side of the world, Greg Lynn is presenting his formal experiments with use of complex computer algorithms, which stun the eyes of people. Nowadays, architecture as a discourse has been split into small groups based on different design process and focus. While some architects is scratching their head designing a structural system with vertical columns and horizontal beams that acts as the skin and aesthetics of their building, there are architects who attempt to widen the horizon of architecture discourse by using digital technology as a tool to generate complex, yet logical forms. “To make architecture is to map the world in some way, to intervene, to signify: it is a political acts.” (Dutton et al, 1996) Architecture had never been just a built object but rather it has a power to speak and communicate with the environment. Glenn Murcutt surely speaks his Australian origins with his delicately assembled houses, but the best ‘speech’ by an architecture is the result of the best response of its architect to his surrounding environment, one that listens and thus ‘intervenes’ the era. What kind of era are we in? When the text here in this document are to be edited without a drop of ink or a piece of rubber, we should realize we are in the era of information and technology, an era never existed before. When computers allow us to do more, why should we stay with vertical columns and horizontal beams?
Not to say that Glenn Murcutt’s design principles aren’t sensitive to what is happening now--in fact, local materials, simple construction process and passive designs of his projects express his standing and sensitivity in environmental practices. However, there are more that he can do with the assistance of technology and at the same time remain these principles. Greg Lynn on the other hand, took advantage of digital technology to expand the possibility in architectural forms, he seeks non-modularity to forms, while keeping in mind of the environmental responsibility. Both Greg Lynn and Glenn Murcutt represent their group of architect who contribute to the discourse of architecture in 21st century. There is no right or wrong approach but there is a better one among them who take technology as the key to open up a brand new century of architecture.
Without being Modular
The Korean Presbyterian Church is one of a few project of Greg Lynn that come to realization. It was done as a result of collaborative work with two other firms. In his world of design, Greg Lynn is not very interested in simple ideal geometric structures likes those vertical column and perfect arches. But rather, he learns from the nature by studying the generic forms and generic evolution of organisms which he discovered a pattern of change in these organism (Greg Lynn, 2005), and it is this ‘pattern of change’ that inspires his works both formally and structurally. The Korean Presbyterian Church has a series of roof covering above the main stairs. Without being modular, these roofs are varied in size, structure and distance in a similar way. According to Lynn, it is a ‘calculus based definition’ that make the roofs change in pattern. This change of pattern defined
by calculus not only contribute to the formal features of the church but also to the spatial experience of visitor- the rational change in distance and opening between components create a high sense dynamic movement in space.
Computation in Architecture [N]owadays almost every part of our daily life is closely connected with computer technology. From the moment of our phone alarm waking us up punctually in the morning, to when we are successfully transferred to the floor of our office by lifts, then to the moment we reply an e-mail, our day is run by computers and program motivated environments. Just like what Kalay1 thinks about computers, they are ‘superb analytical’ brains which can accurately accomplish what they were told to do. Of course, talking about accuracy and speed, human brains were never a good rival-- we can not wake ourselves up at 8 o’clock sharp, not to mention sending a message to a friend far away in seconds. Since we know the operation of computers were ran by programs that were programmed by humans, who also controls the thinking and responding logics of computers, so ultimately digital products, including that the digital design of architecture as our interests in this subject, were all produced through the creative and intelligent brains of humans. In the process of design there are qualitative factors and issues that computers, with its rational analytical function, cannot solve or comprehend since there aren’t any benchmarks or criteria. In this point of history where the architecture of ‘euclidean geometry of discrete volumes represented in Cartesian space...’2 has become less and less of people’s interests, what kinds of forms and compositions of architecture would find its place in the changing taste of general public is a question only can be answered by our brains.
1,2,3: Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25
“If we could find a way to take advantage of the abilities of computers where ours fall short, and use our own abilities where computer fall short, we would create a very powerful symbiotic design system.’3 I agree with Kalay’s idea about where the relationship between designers and CAD programs should end in the future . Theoretically, the best digitally designed architecture should be a combination of human intuition and computer rational abilities which one of them should be the complementary to the other. However, I do see the need to establish a clear understanding of the hierarchy between the two entities in this relationship. A question should arise and be answered: in an appropriate approach to digital design of architecture, does the rational and analytical functions of computer come first before human creativity, or in the other word, does creativity follow creation? According to a video that mentioned in the lecture, because the interfaces in programs needed for digital design had become more and more user-friendly, designers are becoming unable to understand how programs work and thus they have became more and more distanced apart. Therefore as a beginner in digital design of architecture, we students can easily fall into traps where we see all the flashy possibilities generated by computer programs, and then we bury our creativity in the process of claiming one of them as our own- just because we know a few curves and a ‘Loft’ button can generate an organic form, we can mistakenly think that generation of form is only the result of curves and point. In this circumstance where human creativity is constrained by modular-
House Prototype in Long Island In forward kinematics, elements from top to bottom within the system are not connect, in inverse kinematics is opposite, since all elements are correlated by the ‘skeletons’
iors of computer programs, any creativity should be considered ‘fake creativity 4’ that it is only a creation of the program’s programer. The continuous development of such ‘creativity’ is heavily relied on the technical improvement of the program. As a result, this ‘creativity follows creation’ approach to digital architectural design is very limited. On the other hand, if ‘creation follows creativity’ finds its roots in the design process, digital architecture can probably see a more promising future. Buildings saw their formal limitations with a ‘creativity follows creation’ approach before Renaissance 5 , as the improvement in architectural design were made after Renaissance, that the ‘creation follows creativity ‘ approach began to be employed, building forms revealed more opportunities and possibilities. 4. Lawson, Bryan (1999). ‘’Fake’ and‘Real’ Creativity using Computer Aided Design: Some Lessons from Herman Hertzberger’, in Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Creativity & Cognition, ed. by Ernest Edmonds and Linda Candy (New York: ACM Press), pp. 174-179
Even to these days, this approach of architectural design is still strongly influential. Greg Lynn in his House Prototype In Long Island 6, used ‘inverse kinematics’, seemingly unrelated to traditional architectural forms, to create complex forms. By applying the principles of inverse kinematics, Greg Lynn constructed a ‘skeleton’ formed by ‘bones’ and ‘joints’. Similar to structure of human body, once a ‘bone’ is lifted by either internal forces or site-introduced forces, the other bones will also act accordingly due to the connection at the joints. The degree of the angle or height of which the bone can be lifted to is infinite and so is the form of the skeleton. Therefore if this skeleton is to put on a layer of skin to generate a form, then motion-based approach can generate tens of millions of forms. More importantly, this layer of skin depicts an or5. Kalay,2004 6,7. Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28
Mobius House by UNStudio
from the tradition architectural form of ‘euclidean ganic, smooth and continuous form, one that differ geometry of discrete volumes’. Greg Lynn used this project as a showcase for how the creative minds of human can integrate theories from other disciplines into architectural designs, and how analytical ability of computer become only a tool of simulation, to achieve this stunning design outcome. Similarly, architects from UNStudio borrowed mathematical theory the Mobius Strip as a point of departure, designed a private house 7. The design of the organizational and formal structures of the house was based the principles of Mobius Strip, the end result was an interesting space where the intertwining trajectory of the loop relates to the 24-hour living and working cycle of the family, where individual working spaces and bedrooms are aligned but collective areas are situated at the 4. Lawson, Bryan (1999). ‘’Fake’ and‘Real’ Creativity using Computer Aided Design: Some Lessons from Herman Hertzberger’, in Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Creativity & Cognition, ed. by Ernest Edmonds and Linda Candy (New York: ACM Press), pp. 174-179
crossing of the paths. The clever borrowing not only made Modius House visually appealing, but also adds more depths to the form as it make the spatial experience more dynamic and human-focused with the ‘8’ shaped spatial organization and its internal functions. In this process of design, computation or computer program was only a tool of transferring concepts into readable construction drawings. Therefore, digital technology or computation do play an important role in the process of architectural design when human cannot do precise calculation, measuring or drawings. But Since human creativity should become the starting point of successful architecture design, computation is only a means to create this creative product. Creation should follow creativity.
5. Kalay,2004 6,7. Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28
Parametric design in Architecture [A]s this parametric technology become more mature and common, parametric design is being pushed to another hill-top of the architectural history. Although parametric design itself is very similar to that of conventional design in terms of the fact that both are a process of constantly decoding design problems, finding and amending design possibilities and then ends with a negotiated design solution. However, comparatively parametric modeling makes this design process, which requires a high level of rational management, more explicit, rapid and user-friendly. To put it into a simple explanation of what parametric design is, the idea of an ‘equation’ achieves the purpose. If a parametric design is to be translated into an equation, where the designer writes all the items and mathematical notations as well as the outcomes, symbolizing all the elements, their composition and the design outcomes in real life, then what differ from parametric design to the conventional one is the relationship between all the elements in this equation. In this example of the equation, all the items and notation are interrelated, that one change in each of items or notations can cause correlated action of the other element and thus the whole equation. Parametric modeling is making these ‘correlated actions’ automatic rather than manually if it was conventional design process. Although to programmers or professional parametric designer, the word ‘automatic’ comes out too straightforward and simple as it involves far more unseen processes such as complex calculations and algorithms, but for most of us who are unprofessional, parametric design or modeling offers a user-friendly working 1. Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48
space, one that can help encouraging deeper understanding about how, in a methodological sense, our design solutions are generated and how easily they can be generated. Robert in his book, Element of Parametric Design1 mentions that in the process of design, parametric modeling retrieves or improves the design skills which we could but didn’t employ due to conventional design process. These skills include conceiving data flow, dividing to conquer, naming, thinking with abstraction, thinking mathematically and thinking algorithmically. Conventional design and design process relies heavily on specialized knowledge, intuition and experiences, the design results would seem too limited. By using parametric design, our design process is easier to understand, to control and become more differentiated and efficient. In our class exercise, the performance of Grasshopper is truly fascinating. Before the use of grasshopper, objects within the space of Rhino are defined with shapes and volumes. In previous design experience with Rhino, if we are to change the form of the object, we need actions such as stretching and scaling them to do so. In this design process, history records about the changes of an object or actions performed are very limited for later reassessments. Thus we often encounter an awkward situation where we happen to change our mind, and desire to change the grid size of which an already in place 3D paneled structure is based, and then we find out that we need rework everything to make a small change. Reworking is always time-consuming and the tested results aren’t always guaranteed. However, with Grasshopper, this issue is improved by a great extent.
Conventional Modelling process
Paramatric Modelling process
The power of parametric modeling allows me to only change the value of the specific ‘box’ or parameter that controls grid size, so it automatically affects the information flow through the entire graph, in order to change my 3D panels. This happens algorithmically, rapidly and free from reworking.
more organic and smooth. In here, the idea of ‘rate of change’ introduced in the project is very much like the roofs in the church project of Greg Lynn, as mentioned previously. Both of the projects, through the help of parametric modeling, are able to control algorithm processing of its design and thus give their controllable architectural space with more continuity and dynamics.
However, the power of parametric design isn’t the algorithm which does the job automatically for designer; but rather, the amazement of it is that we can control this algorithmic process to gain control of the design outcomes. The International Terminal at Waterloo Station London2 is a good example to explain this. In this project, the designer Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners design parametrically a roof which consists of a series of ‘dimensionally different but identically configured’ arches. The geometry of the arches and the structure were defined by mathematical equation, which entails that the change in geometry of arches is according the change of its span. Thus each arch is changed based on a pattern or the ‘rate of change’ that makes the whole form 2. Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28
Roof section of International Terminal at Waterloo Station London
What does it mean for our project? All above are to show the power of technology, and it ability to help us to do so much. It opens up the possibilities unthinkable in conventional world of architecture. As long as we are able to free our imagination in the design process, with the assistance of digital computation such as parametric design, we can create architectures that are very promising now and in the future. The project of ‘Western Gateway’ in Wyndham City requires intense computational means to accomplish its set goals. In the purpose of upgrading the condition and aesthetics of its streetscapes, parametric tools are needed in the process of design the gateway installation. Seeing that the project trying to follows on the form the success of ‘Seeds of change’ installation at Princess Freeway, which the design is inspired by the nature, I do see the starting point of my design of the proposal— biomimicry. This means we can learn from the nature, its models, systems, systems, processes and element to free our creativity and take inspirations. With biomimicry being my potential starting point, I do need to keep my design abstract, inspirational and dynamic to its users, probably mostly drivers. To achieve these qualities in my design I need the help of Grasshopper and Rhino. These design tools also help me to perfects the complex forms or surface, and entails construction methods so the design become makeable
Design Focus To both City of Wyndam and City of Melbourne, the Gateway project holds a very important meaning to them. For an installation which is to be placed at the urban fringe acting as an entrance sign, we the WY STUDIO think that it carries the responsibility to introduce and shape an positive image of the city of Wyndam and to enhance the driving experience of those who travel through it. On top of this, we think this ‘driving experience’ should not limit in time and space, that is, drivers should have rooms for imagination and rethinking in their minds even after they have past the installation. This effect that we wish the installation can bring are to be constructed and emphasized by the careful articulation and combination of special forms, structures, composition, materials and natural forces.
As one of the hardest aspects of the project, how we can successfully translate the multi-faced city culture and image of Wyndam into a tangible but at the same time abstract architectural form is what we need to be precise and mindful about. Undoubtedly, the city of Wyndam displays an image of a young and increasing growing city where very limited historical burdens have been placed on it to restrict its innovation and freedom. However, the development or the ‘growth’ of the city inevitably needs nutritions from external environment -- the ‘nutritions’ in forms of knowledge, culture and economic income people leave behind during their exchange between Wyndam and other cities. Most of these people mainly go for or come from the bigger city, Melbourne, the heart of the state.
25 KM from metropolic Melbourne
City of Wyndham
40 KM from Geelong city center
RAVEL 25 MINS T
Melbourne Port of Melbourne
Close to major Airport & container port
15 Avalon Airport
Geelong
Port of Geelong
S MIN
VEL TRA
Everyday hundreds of thousands people are traveling for work or school between Wyndam and Melbourne via Princes Freeway, injecting enormous amount of ‘nutritions’ to Wyndam, and makeing the existing urban fabrics which connects city to city, such as the freeway, an important contributor in the growth of Wyndam. Therefore as it displays a sense of reliance to the existing urban fabric which allows the population exchange between cities, Wyndam as well as other secondary cities express some degree of adaptability, that instead of growing vastly without direction, they grow with proximity to the roads and infrastructure that the existing urban development already provided them. Such an city development trend where one’s growth rely on its connection with others is, in the eyes of WY STUDIO, obvious in the image of Wyndam. The ‘growth’, ‘connections’ and ‘adaptability’ then are keys words to Wyndam City, and it is unsurprising that these key words link to organisms on earth that they also need nutritions for growth, they need connections to live collectively to expand, and they also need to adapt to different conditions to survive and reproduce. Seeing this relationship between coral and Wyndam, we chose to move our design focus to Biomimicry, that we intend to mimic the structure, the growth pattern and appearance of organisms to inform design solutions for the Gateway project.
During our research, we found that coral was pretty interesting and inspiring to us. Corals were given by the nature a special fractal rules of propagation. Through observations we found that their fractal structures help them seize necessary nutritions such as food and light; in a large coral reef, the sharing and transmission of information between coral had made its community resilient to changes happening around. Besides, corals also display high aesthetic values in their complex but unified patterns as well as the variations of colors on its skins, allowing us to see design potentials in which we wanted to ‘enhance driving experiences’. Therefore, coral express a very strong connection with city of Wyndam. Biomimicry helps us to redefine both objects so their similarity can possibly be synchronize in the Gateway installation.
Case Study 1.0 The Morning Line
The Morning Line project is an inspiring project to our Gateway project that deals with fractal process, where the structure is constructed by constantly mirroring a basic form, and attach the solids with smaller version of itself. The understanding of structure gave us a starting point to tackle the idea of growing, especially how elements rely on each other in order to grow. Beside structure, the pattern it produces on each faces of solids and the action of taking the base solid away leaving behind the pattern created very unexpected texture and depth to the installation. This project, then, helps us to see more of
of what structure can do, that structure doesn’t have to be seen to express itself, but rather it can use it’s ‘skins’ or other mediums as forms of expression.
Form Exploration
Tetrahedron
Cube
Icosahedron
trimmed object
trimmer
Investigation on the existing ‘fractal’ definition provided was done through 3 basic genres of solids-- the tetrahedron, cube and icosahedron. The definitions were manipulated by changing the scale factor and the number of the recursive algorithms to get more fractal
Form Exploration The given ‘fractal’ grasshopper definition from the case study of The Morning Line was changed slightly -change the ‘center of scaling’ from being vertice to the center of each face.
(Right) The trimmer solid which helped to create the frame.
Attempt to run the framing algorithm again on top of the a frame failed because the properties of components have changed from a pure 4 faced tetrahedron to a multifaced frame..
Changing the center of scaling from vertices of the form to the centroid of each face of the formextracts the frame out of the form which is interesting , and it provides ideas for the our installation’s structure. Perhaps we can do a skeletal structure made up with these framed elements?
Form Exploration
outter shell structure
Trimmer
Trimmed oject
The switching between trimmed & trimming object in a trimming process caught my attention when icosahedron created two left-over forms. The form exist inside (right middle) of the larger one (right top), is a icosahedron with centroids of faces concaved towards the center for a certain distance. I tried to create my own definition of such a form (right bottom) because to us we think it looks more like a coral and more develop-able.
inner core structure
Form Exploration
I attempted to create the same fractal effect as the morning line, having solids growing on the concave surface, and the scaled solid is orientated in such way that the edges will meet with the larger solid’s edge so it is fabricable.
Case Study 2.0 Reverse Engineering
Structuring
Fracturing
Reverse engineering involves looking at a final product and work out how it was produced step by step. Before I start with grasshopper, I wanted to create the Morning Line structure using just Rhino itself. Constantly mirroring a base solid helped me to create a structure very similar to the image, but I feel that it lacks depth in its creation process and it is quite static which can’t represent how coral or organism grow in ‘motion’.
Replacing
Motion-Based Form Generation
BASIC GEOMETRY
1
Recursive
ATTRACTOR PT. FIND CLOSEST FACE MIRROR
2
SECOND GEOMETRY
Diagram showing how the structuring strategy will run in Grasshopper recursively to create the notion of motion in growth and in organism adaptability
Grasshopper definition
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Motion-Based Form Generation
The structure showing on the left is created by manually repeating the same mirroring definition for each tetrahedron, which left with a very huge grasshopper definition. Not problematic, but new way of motiavting a recursive algorithm need to be investigated to make the whole programming easier and faster. ‘Site forces’ , in this case , the attractor points are introduced so that the each branch of the structure will ‘grow’ towards its own attractor point. The structure itself therefore become very adaptable with changes in different site forces, this drawing back to the adaptability of the city of Wyndam as well as the coral.
Motion-Based Form Generation
Tools
(above) Grasshopper plug-in Hoopsnake is used to run algorithms recursively. With the plug-in now the structure is able to grow along a curve .
(left) Attractor points tracking down a curve, this make s the structure, which changes due to positioning of the attractor points along the curve is traceable and more controllable.
Structure Exploration
The speed for with the attractor point move along the curve needs to be carefully calculated since too slow(left) the structure will jam up and mirror itself to the same place over and over again; or too fast (right) the structure will not follow the curve perfectly.
Attempts are made to change each solid’s size as it generate the form to add more complexity to the structure but this won’t work since their edges wont meet and so it is very difficult to fabricate.
Initial Attempts
SOLAR POWER
TRAFFIC IN TRAFFIC OUT
WIND
IINCREASING THE FORCING
MAXIMUM FORCE
Look closely to the coral's structure (left), the 'cells' are squashed together so that each cell is pushing or being pushed by their neighbors, forming this gap-less and irregular pattern. I used this observation as a starting point, using hand sketch (which goes back to my idea of that computer should not be the creator but should our human brain, hand sketch is most direct conversation between brain and drawing) to freely depict a four-sided form that shaped by different on-site forces, much similarly to the cells in corals.
Result?
PRINCESS HIGHWAY
HWAY
Plan view
HIG ESS PRINC
Ribs and spines are added to the structure trying to make it more organic. The structure is stretched in the axis of the road to try to make the journey of traveler long, allowing them time to appreciate in a high speed motion. But the result turned out to be unsatisfying because the ribs were too dense that made it necessary for the tetrahedron to be small, this in turn make the whole thing a slump which lacks power to reinforce the form and structure Enlarged Plan view
A section of the rib
PRINCESS
WAY
IGH
SH CES PRIN
Trying to simplify the previous structure but with the regular size of each tetrahedron and its one curve based form generation the whole form look dull. I start to see the limitation of the curve-based form generation approach aesthetically. It can bring boring ‘modularity’ (unlike the church project Greg Lynn created where inconstant change brings dynamic spatial experience) to the design. Even if looking closely the way each element connects each other can vary but when looking it as a whole the form becomes constantly and lack of change.
HIGHWAY
Structure Exploration Mimicin
Fractal tetrahedron is ‘looping’ along the curve in attempt to create a similar structure to the The Morning Line.
Rebuilding The Morning Line
Trying to mimic The Morning Line
Rebuilding The Morning Line
Pattern Exploration
Prototypes
The prototype models shown are fabricated with paper and each element is connected by glue. However, glue isn’t our first choice as ‘fixture’ and ‘static’ isn’t our design focus but rather the opposite. In order to create something dynamic but at the same time structurally stable, we didn’t go on studying the forms or patterns, but rather we study the joints which can possibly inform a dynamic, changeable, built-in-motion(much like what we did with Hoopsnake) fabrication process.
Joints
Therefore we used magnets joints. The power of magnets allow each element to be assembled and un-assembled easily. This means the structure can change any time depending on design intents and site forces. Thus we can successfully translate the motion-based form generation process in grasshopper into tangible matters. This again goes back to the idea of growth, connections and adaptability.
LAVA window installation
The window installation done by LAVA is a very similar project to ours . The way the little dodecatedrons are assemble and apertured was inspired by coral reef. The overall composition of element was beautifully done. Different to ours, the structures of the assembly of the elements are in a cluster/bunch form with give it more freedom to shape figures in a more textually interesting way. This is something we can learn.
Final Form Exploration
The finally form is developed by slowing down the speed of attractor points’ movement at Hoopsnake runs. As it becomes slower, the mirroring is happening more frequent in a given distance, thus give ‘thicker’ branch than it used to be. From this we can create a cluster of element pretty similar to what has been done by Lava.
Proposed Form for Gateway Project
This collage shows roughly how the structure can sit on the landscape. Having denser (right side) branches on the right and less dense on the left is trying to emphasize the sense of growing, and small branches can grow and reach out like corals. We think this is very strong in showing the idea of grow, connections and adaptability. Not only will we have static representation of these ideas (through overall structure and form ), but also we will represent these important aspects of Wyndam city in a more dynamic way in how we join our element as well as the form generation and fabrication process.
This chapter of design really encourage us to get into the technical aspects of design, while learning grasshopper is difficult and time-consuming, but it is a tool that enable us to do more complex design and have control over what we do. However, we also need to keep in mind that programs are only here for assistance, that they only serves the purpose of visualizing ideas in our head. Going to the next chapter where final and meaningful design is created based on what we learn in this chapter , we really need to keep in mind that design are site specific and user specific, and final judgment is given by ourselves, not computers.
Further DevelopmentThinkings The proposed form for the installation for the Gateway Project was only preliminary which only provides a rough concept of the assembly, that is, how the little element can connect to each other to from a structure more pleasing to eyes and at the same time able to express our main concepts of grow, adaptability and connectivity. Having this preliminary form as a starting point, what further development should I consider? From the feedback given by crit jury, few concerns were raised. 1. Site should be considered when design. 2. Form overly simply, CHANGE or VARIATION should introduce into the form and structure.
The site is a section of a highway where people are traveling in high speed . User experience is a crucial aspect of this project which means we can’t design anything too small or too short that allows high speed traveling driver no time to experience. Since our teams technique is curve-based form generation, we think we can generate a fractal line structrue which arches along the highway, and then use this line structrue to generate a basic structure made up of plain isocahedrons which allows further development. The generation of the line structure should link to the original source of inspiration - corals. Organism changes according to rules. With corals, their structure and substructure aren’t identical but in whole these structures follow a principle. Therefore the changes happen with an underpinning principle. These means our team can investigate further on these principles and perhaps introduce variations in our design according to these principles. We need to inject more ‘organic’ element to reinforce our ideas that they become easily readable and experience-able. We must make it alive!
Make it alive
Making it alive involves looking back to corals. Because of our team’s technique we are restricted to develop only upon structure that consists of lines. Therefore I looked closely to branching corals.
Simple fractal coral structure
Depicting coral’s ‘closely packed but never touch’ rule, one sided
From our observation, we discover that branching coral’s branches are closely packed but never touch, however even if they stay untouched, each branch somehow exert power to their neighbor that they are shaped by neighboring branches. This is an interesting finding.
Reduced branches (from previous form investigation I don’t want complex structure such as the rib&spine one)
Make it two sided
A little bit more crooked instead of straight-up structure give it a bit more vitality
Form Extraction
1. (Plan view) From last sketches, developing a coral-liked structure that can sit on the site and arch above the highway. 2&3. Simplifying the structure. 4. The structure can support itself by having several branches reaching out from the root that would then land evenly across the space. The growth occurs in the direction of the highway with its ‘root’ being the start point and the entrance point and the ‘tip’ being the finishing points, pointing the direction of the Wyndham City and Melbourne. This structure emphasizes ‘direction’ through its growth so it really much goes back to our design intent that our installation should act as a gate or a welcoming sign to the Wyndham City, our client.
From Generation Logics
2. 1.
Start!
2. Define the cruves in the 3D space
3.
The start point of the red curve which is ‘root of the structure should be thicker or bigger than the rest of the structure to emphasize the sense of growth. However,the limitation of the looping icosahedron along a curve is that it only create a line of icosahedron but not a mass. To make the root bigger, therefore, we added extra icosahedron to it through Rhino instead of Grasshopper.
3.
Start point of the structure
Addition of icosahedrons to start point
Use Hoopsnake to loop the icosahedrons along red curve.
4.
Within the generated structure, find closest icosahedron to the start points of orange, green and blue curves. Start Hoopsnake to loop.
5.
Same method, loop yellow curve from orange curve
6.
Done!
Hoopsnake Problem
4.
Using Hoopsnake to loop multiple curves was not possible because the attractor point which the Hoopsnake chase cannot split. Attempt to trigger secondary Hoopsnake algorithms when first Hoopsnake algorithm runs to reach a certain number of loops. The question was raised in the Grasshopper3d.com forum. No answer was posted though
Therefore I had to set to multiple Hoopsnake algorithms and run them manually like the method described.
(Left) This Hoopsnake component is meant to be triggered by ‘T*’ (when the first Hoopsnake runs to reach a certain number of loops and feed that message to ‘T*’), but a light gray wire was appearing, and the triggering was not successful.
Primary Structure
How can the form grow further?
The current structural growth simply cannot keep going otherwise it will be clumsy and dull like the previous examples.
Again, we need to learn from nature and professional works.
Rule of Propagation How can the form grow further? We looked closely at some tree corals which fractal growth is most apparent. Fractal growth takes place as the arms branches out, each sub-branch is very similar in appearance to its mother branch. If this translate into an algorithm, it can read: 1. ‘Parent’ Icosahedron
2. Copy + Scale down
3. ‘Child’ Icosahedron
2.
4.
Connect
5.
Fractal Form
Existing fractal definition is handy and fast to accomplish the process described above. But there is a limitation to it. The fractal process can only take place within the pyramid due to its ‘center of scaling’ being the vertice, thus, even the algorithm runs for a thousand times, the overall from will still remain a pyramid. This means changes needs to made in order to make the structrue more complex.
Precedent Study
4.
The Modern Primitives by Fendi& Aranda Lasch provided a very fine example of how primary(parent) form can grow and connect to secondary(child) form. The child form is connecting to the parent form in such way that they share some of their edges and vertices , making the structure more integrated. The form in red circle may be created in such way: Use in my form
Parent Icosahedron
Scaling to vertice
Mirror
This challenge of this fractal method is that because the child icosahedron exist outside the parent icosahedron, the number of them and the direction need to be carefully controlled, otherwise they can collide with other child icosahedron or even with their parent icosahedron.
Secondary & Tertiary Icosahedrons
1.
2.
1. Child icosahedron (red) are ‘growing out of the parent icosahedron. Population is controlled by having 2-3 child icosahedron each parent icosahedron. Any objects in collision was eliminated 2. Density of the child icosahedron is controlled by Grasshopper. The closer they are to the end point, the denser they are. 3. Manipulation and addition of the grand-child icosahedron take place. The density also was controlled through Grasshopper measuring their distance to the end point,
3.
Rule of Propagation A fractal structure doesn’t mean each branch of the structure should stay independent from each other in term of aesthetics. In corals, while each level of branch has their own color and details, it is when everything comes into a big picture that makes the coral beautiful. For our structure, we considered the connectivity of each element as part of the project’s aesthetics. The tertiary(grand-child) icosahedron should not scatter around the structure, it should have some pattern which contribute to beauty of the whole. Looking at the corals, we observed that the tip branches were actually holding the most color of the coral and while it ‘wraps’ around the main branch, the whole structure look integrated, not scattered........
So....
The tertiary and secondary icosahedron are arranged in such way that they from a path that wraps around the primary icosahedron. The growth now is not scattered but has a pattern open to interpretation. This makes the whole structure more living and organic. We are trying to bring it alive.
Pattern Design Matrix
Final Form
Pattern Development Workflow Explode, get face However, we think planar patterns, like those in The Morning Line, cannot best represent what coral really look like, because grow 3 dimensionally. Especially with the brain corals with they closely packed bubble-like patterns which formed by convex edges and concave centers -much like a mouth that used to breath. So using this observation as a starting point, we attempted to based on the current icosahedron structure, develop some kinds of ‘mouth’ pattern to make the design more organic and dynamic.
3.
1. Scale, create region for concave ‘mouth’ Scale, create region for convex edge
Extrude ‘mouth’ Region towards center
2.
3.
4.
Loft Last crit we were criticized for having regular frame width for the prototype model, this time we should add variation to the width of the ‘mouth’ edge.
5.
Join!
6.
4.
The angle of extrusion of the ‘mouth’ varies due to change of attractor points. Inconstant extrusion can make the object ambigous and complex when people preceive through it.
Tectonics
The magnet joint was investigated and experimented during Part B to intend to establish an adaptable design. However, feedback from crit had been that magnet joint perhaps not practical while working with large scale construction and perhaps magnetic field is hard to control to prevent it pull cars off the road. Therefore we need to come up with a joint that is flexible in terms of installation and perhaps practical or formerly used. Bolted joint?
Very strong structurally, but can be difficult and time consuming to install or uninstall.
Twist ‘n’ lock?
Very flexible, but unlike a geometry that is rounded due to the geometry of icosahedron, the ‘twist’ action is impossible to perform.
Push n lock?
Very flexible, easy to install. Teeth can stop it from falling apart by itself. Strong enough to hold up the structure.
‘Mouth’ & Icosahedron panel joint ‘Mouth’ component make up of glass panels
Screws
Metal plates to fix glass panels
Steel panel
Icosahedron panel & panel joint Screws Metal plates to bolt both steel panels Steel panel
Interior of icosahedron
Joined panels
Icosahedron & Icosahedron joint
Structure to Ground Joint
Earth
Pile Footings
Assembely process
1. ‘Mouth’ to polygon panel Can be pre-fab in factories 2. polygon panel to panel
3. Icosahedron to Icosahedron
4. Structrure to Ground
Build on site
Detail model with pattern
Bring it alive!
Glowing-in-the-dark paint achieve similar effect to the glowing corals. Special types of LED can achieve this in real life, when they adsorb light during the day and emit the light during the night. The light will die out after a period of time, reinforcing to driver that the installation has a life.
Breathing organism
During the night
During the day
Aging Organism
Learning objective & Outcome The brief for this whole Gateway Project was to build an installation that can represent the City of Wyndham and that it can ‘enhance’ the driving experience’ of drivers passing by. Our team focus much more on how our installation can become a landmark, a welcoming sign to the City of Wyndham for those who encounter with the installation. We have done investigations and observation and we think that Wyndham City is a fast growing city. We came up with three key words about Wyndham City: Growth, adaptability and connectivity. Our design had evolved dramatically through the process by the feedback from the crit and self-development, but we had always stick with these key words. This ensures that we always stay with a core idea as well as the plan. In terms of this I think we have done well. The final outcome is a pleasant one. We had been looked at the design in an all rounded manner, making sure that through structure, pattern, material and light effect we are showing a design that based on organism growth. While working with Biomimicry as our design approach, we have not compromised my creativity in the process of ‘mimic-ing’ coral and in the process of computation. Especially when we avoid having computer aided programs to help creating initial ideas, instead we used hand sketches to free our creativity. During the design process we are able to generate and try different possible solutions for both structure and pattern so that we are able to learn what kinds of design is suitable for us. For example, when I first attempt to create organic
forms I recognize the weakness and shortcomings of my definition. However I didn’t choose to choose another definition to work on. Instead, stay with it and sketch to obtain a suitable form to work on. During this design process, most challenge of all may perhaps be the technical aspects We are asked to learn grasshopper which was a tool completely out of previous knowledge. However, through the learning process, the subject and the software has taught me much about design logics .How every elements of a design is determine by brain logics, not anymore by doodling. It has been a long way but I am happy that I have learned a new skill and new ways of thinking in design.