STUDiO AiR 2015, SEMESTER 1, TUTOR: SONYA 6:15 TUESDAY JACKSON WYLIE 638578
TABLE OF CONTENTS STUDIO AIR 2015
A1
B1
4-5 INtRODUCtiON
28-30 BiOMIMICRY
6-7 DESiGN FUtURiNG - Precedent # :1 Para Eco House
30-31 PRECEDENT - EUREKA PAVILLION//Nex Architecture
8-9 DESiGN FUtURiNG - Precedent # 2: Heydar Aliyev Centre
A2
11 DESiGN COMPUtAtiON 12-13 DESiGN COMPUtAtiON - Precedent #1 14-15 DESiGN COMPUtAtiON - Precedent # 2
A3
16-17 COMPOSitiON GENERAtiON 18-19 COMPOSitiON GENERAtiON - Precedent #1
B2
32-33 CASE STUDY 1: - SEROUSSI PAVILLION//Biothing 34-36 ITERATIONS
B3
37-39 CASE STUDY 2: - BANQ RESTAURANT// Office dA 40
41-42 LOGIC STEPS/PROCESS
B4
20-21 COMPOSitiON GENERAtiON - Precedent # 2
43
22 CONCLUSiON: PART A
B5
A4 A5
23 LEARNiNG OUTCOME
A6
24-26 APPENDiX & REfERENCES
LOGIC DIAGRAM
TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT INTRO
44-47 MATRIX OF 20 ITERATIONS
48
TECHNIQUE PROTOTYPE
B6 49
TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL
B7 50
B8 51
2
CONCEPTUALISATION
LEARNiNG OUTCOME APPENDiX & REfERENCES
A
A1 PART A: A1
CONCEPTUALISATION 3
INtRODUCtiON JACKSON WYLiE
M
y name is Jackson Wylie, and I am currently studying my 3rd year of my Bachelor of Environments course, majoring in architecture.
In my past two years as a student at Melbourne University I have had some previous design projects some of which were computer based, others more orientated around the more traditional methods of manual sketches and drawings. My most notable project during my 2 years at Melbourne University was for the subject VIrtual Environments. This subject required us to get a pretty basic knowledge of the program Rhinoceros 5. This design project was a group project, my partner and myself were set the task of designing a ‘second skin’ that defines the individual’s personal space and also portrays the individuals mindset towards those around them. Our approach to this task was to create a skin that could both defend one’s personal space in times of reflection and thought and also allow for intimate interaction with others. Our solution to this was to create a semi rigid outer skin that was constructed of various different sizes of pyramids constructed of aluminium rods. These pointy shapes varied in size and the corresponding body part in which they protected. Regions of the body regarded as more intimate and private had larger more protruding pyramids. The inner skin was a flexible fabric membrane that was connected to the points of the pyramids. The purpose of this inner membrane layer was to allow for more intimate interactions others such as touch. This flexible inner layer permitted that, but only at the consent of the individual wearing the skin. This project was the most successful of my design projects at Melbourne University and was invited to be apart of a student exhibition at the completion of the semester. One project that I was not particularly fond of was my design for Studio Earth. This brief for this project involved designing an sculptural or built architectural piece that revealed a ‘secret’ of the island through design. I believe my concept was strong however the translation of that concept into a design was weak. I wanted to reveal the history of basalt mining at the location and how it helped shape the city that exists today, my design was far to literal as it was simply sculpted basalt rocks with protruding rectangular columns mimicking the city skyline. I believe I missed an opportunity on designing something much more experimental an creative as there were very few restraints for this project. Over the summer break in my own time I also started to experiment with some very preliminary and basic renovation designs for my parent’s house. These are a working progress as I still have a very basic grasp of the design softwares I am attempting to use to complete these designs. However during the next year I aim to complete some far more refined design options for the renovation of my parents house.
4
CONCEPTUALISATION
FIG.1: MY PAST DESIGN PROJECTS
CONCEPTUALISATION 5
DESiGN FUtURiNG - PRECEDENt # 1 “PARA ECO HOUSE” // TONGJI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
M
y chosen precedence may not be the most glamorous or grandoise example of parametrically designed architecture however it is one of the more progressive and groundbreaking designs I have stumbled upon. The “Para Eco House” uses parametric design to maximise the performance of the outer skin which is a lattice structure constructed out of bamboo and other timbers1. This skin structure is able to regulate ventilation, lighting and thermal performance due to its carefully calculated design. This outer skin acts as a passive strategy of improving the overall energy efficiency of the building 2. The outer skin also encorporates thin film solar cells that are able to capture and convert the sun’s energy into a usuable form, the wester facade also encorporates a vertical gardef that provides extra shading from direct sunlight. Enclosed within the outer skin is a carefully divided space of which has a miniture wetland mimicking garden for greywater treatment and other gardens for vegetables or other plants 3. The skin also provides wind cooling and irrigation for plants within the building’s skin and interior. The structure has a solar roof that has been designed through algorithms that maximise performance. The actual living space is a modular structure within the outer skin that encorporates vacuum insulated panel thermal insulation and XPS thermal board and newspaper to improve the energy efficiency of the living quaters 4 . Perhaps the most impressive thing about this parametrically designed building is that it was constructed in just 2 weeks 5. There is massive potential for this type of building in the future due to the ease of construction and ability to be replicated in different sizes and shapes according to client’s desire. I think it is of upmost importance that parametric designing should be used not just for its aesthetic qualities but for the potential to discover more efficient, more sustainable and thus environmentally sustainable ways of building/designing into the future. This design or similar adaptations or improvements of it will I continue to be relevent in the future due to the growing need for more sustainable forms of living and in rural or more low density suburban areas I could imagine designs like this being very functional. If this design were to be scaled up with the skin enclosing an apartment block with multiple residence within it i could also see this type of parametrically designed skin being appropriate and relvent in a more densily populated, built-up urban environment. I believe most of the ingenuity in this design is in the parametrically designed outer skin and this could potentially be relevent to any building type and any scale. The way that the frames are angled to allow sun in during the cold parts of the day/year whilst shading during the hotter times when cooling is required is always going to be relevent as it is a passive approach to energy efficient design and we are always trying to minimise energy consumption to both save money and resources. I believe that if this prefab design is able to be commercialised and made affordable for the general public it could spark a massive movement toward more sustainable designing. One thing that I believe should be noted is that in order for people to desire this type of housing, there needs to be a large amount of flexibility in the design. People desire individuality, and thus it is important that prefab houses like this are able to be completely unique whilst still maintaining the underlying sustainable qualities. I think that this type of housing is going to be more successful in countries where the housing is more uniform and of course in places where regulations will permit buildings such as this. 6
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 7
DESiGN FUtURiNG - PRECEDENt # 2 “HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER” // Zaha Hadid Architects
T
he last precedence I chose was an example of how parametric design can achieve improved functionality of a building. This example is quite different, as I believe this design places much higher value on aesthetics, and in this specific example it is for good reason. The Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan is with its extremely fluid, futuristic appearance is symbolic of the countries independence from the Soviet Union whose legacy can be seen in the more rigid monumental Soviet Modernism architecture of the past6. This building gives Azerbaijan its own new identity and this is quite appropriate as this building is the nations primary cultural centre7. The futuristic design of this grandoise building gives the people of Azerbaijan confidence of the nation’s future prosperity. The design itself encorporates undulations, folds, bifurcations and inflections that all appear to seamlessly rise out of this urban plaza landscape 8 . The architects aimed to make this buildings skin seem so fluid and continuous that it almost “appears homogenous” 9. It has been said that such fluidity could only be achieved using very advanced computation, this is one design that would have been virtually impossible to complete without the aid of parametric design software. Yes architects could invisage buildings such as this in the past but the ability to actually accurately convert these drawings and concepts into something that is actually able to be constructed at such a massive scale has only become possible thanks to these advanced parametric computer programs such as Grasshopper 3D (Rhinoceros Plug-in)
8
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 9
A2 10
CONCEPTUALISATION
2
DESiGN COMPUtAtiON
T
he introduction of computation into the architectural world has dramatically transformed the design process. It has been argued that parametric design programs such as Rhino/Grasshoper are actually detracting from the creative nature of Architecture. To some extent I believe this to be true, but this is dependent on the nature in which the designer is using the software. As mentioned by Stanislav in the Week 2 lecture some architects use the programs as a means to translate ideas or designs that exist in rough sketch form into a digital 3D measured model that is actually constructable. This use of computation does not effect the creative nature of concieving an idea, it merely translates the idea into a more useable from for production. Alternatively designing without a preconcieved idea that one is attempting to replicate is to me a less creative design process. When one enters algorithms without an understanding of what form will be created is simply using the software to make design decisions for the designer. In my opinion to be ‘creative’ is the ability to make many decisions as a means to creating desired form, some of these computer programs can dramatically reduce the amount of decisions that the designer needs to make, thus reducing the autonomy of the designer.
Computation has enabled previously unconcievable architectural forms to be achieved, thus to date I would still contend that design computation has actually enabled architects to become more creative. However as there is continuous demand for faster, cheaper and less labour intensive ways of developing designs I fear that some of the autonomy will be taken away from the designer and this could have detrimental impacts on the architectural trade as raw creative ability could be devalued.
CONCEPTUALISATION 11
DESiGN COMPUtAtiON- PRECEDENt 1
Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall // University of Stuttgart Project
T
he Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall utilizes design computation to create not only a visually pleasing product but also a very environmentally responsible design. In this particular case, the use of one of the oldest building materials (timber) has been completely redefined through computational design10. It is a ‘biomimetic design,’ meaning that properties from nature such as the structural properties from a honey comb have been borrowed11. The reason for biomimicry, is that nature often finds the most material efficient way of constructing things and this is a common goal in the architecture/engineering and construction industries that are constantly attempting to create cheaper12, more material efficient buildings. Interestingly, each piece of shell structure was constructed by robots, and in under 3 weeks, this includes 243 beech plywood plates with 7600 individual finger joints that provide this buildings overall structural integrity13. Each plate that makes up this structural system is only 50mm thick thus very material efficient in comparison to a traditionally building of similar scale14 . Due to the very precise designing and planning of this project, come construction time it was able to be finished in only 4 weeks15. It is clear that computational design is not only transforming the way in which we design buildings today but also the way in which they are built. Ofcourse without a life-cylce analysis this is insignificant information in regards to whether the use of robotics in the fabrication stage is actually a environmentally responsible way of building but it seems like if may be if these robots are functional for many years even decades and able to fabricate the parts for entire buildings in only a period of weeks. This project is a prime example of the need for continual practice of computational design into the future where demand for resources is growing and solutions for more sustainable practice are continually being seeked out. It seems that projects such as this with such a heavy reliance on computational design are almost more in line with with engineering than architecture, as the form is often a result of attempting to achieve a certain function, in this case efficient use of a renewable structural material. Unfortunately it is indeed true that this design may not have come purely from raw ideas such as that of Frank Gehry’s but I believe there is definitely a place for this type of design as it is moving humans toward more environmentally responsible building.
12
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 13
DESiGN COMPUtAtiON- PRECEDENt 2 Fondation Louis Vuitton // Frank Gehry
F
rank Gehry’s Louis Vuitton Foundation Building is a prime example of how creativity is not lost at the hands of computer aided design. If anything this example suggests that true creative designs have been made achievable thanks to parametric design software, as buildings with such non-linear abstract geometries would have been virtually impossible to fabricate without these technological advancements. Whilst this building exemplifies the creative potential for computer aided design, in my opinion it does not use the the design software to its fullest potential. I believe that design computation has a greater purpose than just creating visually stimulating architecture, it should also redefine the way in which we utilize materials. According to critics of this building such as Oliver Wainwright from The Guardian to him this building is merely “a hell of a lot of steel columns and glue-laminated timber beams, thrown together in a riotous cradle of zig-zagging struts and braths, props and braces16,” reuterating the innefficiency of its design17. I think that if projects such as this that do not in any way lack creativity or individuality.
14
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 15
A3 16
CONCEPTUALISATION
COMPOSitiON GENERAtiON
M
odern architecture faces many challenges, many of which are posed by the increasingly fragile environment that humans are building upon. Yes, I believe that as designers we have a responsibility to create things that respond to the needs and requirements of the surroundings and in this day and age the most preeminent human challenge is that of global warming. Climate change, environment and resource degradation and other challenges such as shuman safety and wellbeing that validate the need for generative design in architecture. Generative design ensures that through algorithms and rules these challenges are being addressed in a design18 . Examples such as the “Para Eco House” and the “Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall” exemplify this. I appreciate the definition from this weeks lecturer Dr Dominique Hes, who describes the architectural movement today that is inline with a new world view that values sustainability and interconnectedness with nature19. I believe that generative design has a place within this new paradigm that thumans are currently entering. Rule based designs enable design techniques such as biomimicry that borrows patterns from nature to be achieved, these nature inspired design often function better within the environment due to their more efficienct use of materials with structural stability 20. As mentioned in the lecture designs need to tick many boxes such as providing health, happiness to those who use it, conserve energy through responsible design, ensure equity for users and also be visually pleasing. It is generative design that prioritises these ‘imperatives’ through simulation and digital modelling, it is a more all-encompassing way of designing 21, versus the compositional style of designing in the past thats primarily focused on aesthetics and human suitability.
CONCEPTUALISATION 17
COMPOSitiON/GENERAtiON PRECEDENt 1 THE WATERCUBE//PTW & ARUP ENGINEERS
T
he Watercube built for the 2008 Olympic Games has been groundbreaking in more ways than one. This building is so remarkable as the parametric designed skin and frame that was worked on by an integrated team of both architects (PTW) and engineers (Arup) has been tested as potentially one of the most earthquake resistant buildings of that scale in the world 22. This is yet another example of how parametric design can encompass so much more than just the physical appearance of the building but also the structural integrity of the architecture as well. The structural shell of this swimming pool facility is actually derived from the geometry of soap bubbles 23 . This is another example of the use of parametric design to emulate a time testest structural pattern from nature (bubbles). The materiality of this building is also quite impressive, the extremely lightweight frames encorporates a very high performance ‘space-age’ plastic material ‘ETFE’ that spans the polyhedral frame with it’s cushionlike appearance24 . This material is in fact able to reduce the energy consumption of the pool by 30 per-cent due to its ability to capture more incident sunlight than the equivalent amount of photovoltaic panneling 25. Even more impressive is the fire resistance of this building, which is vital for a public building of this type. The ETFE material went through rigorous testing and it is perhaps one of the most fire suitable materials as is does not burn butshrinks and melts allowing smoke to be quickly released from the building for an effective evacuation 26. Sophisticated computation using digital modelling and simulation has enabled this building to address many of the challenges that it faced whether it be earthquakes, fire and energy efficiency 27. I believe that computer based generative design is of great benefit not only to the preservation of the environment but also as evident in this case for the preservation of human life in the rare event of a fire or natural disaster.
18
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 19
COMPOSitiON/GENERAtiON PRECEDENt 2 KAZAKHSTAN NAtiONAL LiBRARY, ASTANA//Bjark Ingels
O
ne of my most insiring generative architectural designs is the winner of the international design competition for the Astana National Library in Kazakhstan 28 . This was won by Bjarke Ingels and from the digital images I believe it has potential to be an icon once complete. What I admire about this design is its concern with the human engagement with the architecture. One of the most vital components of libraries is a sense of order and I believe that it is ingenious that they have arranged it into a continuous circular ‘moebius strip’ (surface with one side and one boundary)that gives the interior a linear order 29. If one was to enter this library and search for a particular book all they would have to do is follow the path of the interior to navigate past each category. Being a continuous loop, there are uniquely no distant corners in the interior of the library thus eliminating any heirachy and giving the entire interior of the building a sense of centrality 30. Using such a complex, curved form such as a Moebius strip to be reflected on this grand scale is something that has only recently become achievable with the introduction of parametric design 31. Similarly to the earlier precedent of Zaha Hadid’s Heydar Aliyev Centre, this building is aiming to achieve much more than fulfilling its ability to be a well functioning library, it is also aimed to be a national icon, a cultrol centre and symbol for the development of Kazakhstan as a country 32. What should be noted is that the external panelling was also very carefully desired to regulate amounts of sunlight and heat entering the library to ensure that it is a cofortable space 33. This project in my opinion exemplifies the brilliance of parametric design as a creative tool for architects, the ideas were still all original and fueled by the context of the task rather than the capabilities of the computer software.
20
CONCEPTUALISATION
“What is a library but an efficient archive of books… and a path for the public to reach them” - Thomas Christoffersen, the Project Leader on the National Library
CONCEPTUALISATION 21
22
CONCEPTUALISATION
A4
CONCLUSiON: PARt A I
believe that one of the most valuable things an architect can possess is originality. I appreciate architects that maintain a certain style throughout all of their designs. I believe that this is because behind each of their designs is an extensive stage of conceptualisation, ideas are generated, refined, eliminated and refined again all before they are processed by a computer. I think that it is vital for the stage of conceptualisation to be undertaked in a traditional manor through sketches and visualisation, rather than fiddling with parameter inputs via trial and error. I do not want to neglect parametric design in my own design approach but i want to use it as a tool to translate my ideas into something that can be adapted and created. I want to use parametric design to make my designs more material efficient. I believe that it can also be a helpfull tool to improve passive perfmance of my designs as more critical analysis can be done in response to the surroundings (climate etc.). I believe that architects have a huge responsibility in the way in which they design in today and in the future as it is clear that it is no longer adequate to design a building for purely aesthetic purposes as it is not equitable to design energy inneficient buildings in a day and age where energy is in ever increasing damand. Parametric design is an all encompassing means of solving potential design challenges to a great level of accuracy, closer analysis of detail and greater control of variation.
CONCEPTUALISATION 23
A5
LEARNiNG OUtCOMES
T
hroughout this module I have realised that parametric design is a valuable tool for the modern architect. Originally I was of the opinion that the latest movement toward parametric/computer generated architecture was for the purpose of making more complex and sophisticated forms. I have discovered that it is much more than this. It can be used as a means to maximise lighting, thermal and sound performance. As we discovered in the case of The Water Cube it is also instrumental in designing buildings that are safer and also more comfortable for users (passive thermal design). Computer aided design enables us to use algorithms to calculate mroe efficient ways of using materials which I believe is a major requirement in this day and age as we are constantly attempting to design buildings for a cheaper price and in a more environmentally responsible manner. I believe that there is also a major need for parametric design for the purpose of restoring and modernising old buildings which are often very energy innefficient. Simply by designing a second external skin for additional shading of interior spaces or by other building modifications the passive energy performance of the building can be dramatically improved.
24
CONCEPTUALISATION
A5
APPENDiX
ALGORitHMiC iMAGES
Our week # 2 algorithmic task involved creating a tree with several branches
using grasshopper. I created this tree via the use of perpendicular frames along curves, on each of these frames would be a pentagon. Loft was then used to create a piping surface. This appeared very synthetic in its appearance so in order to give it more of a natural ‘tree-like’ appearance I converted the surface into a mesh and ran it through the smooth mesh tranformation. This image was the outcome, as i reveresed the direction of the smoothing and it actually created a rougher, bark-like surface on the trunk and branches.
T
his example was actually a failed attempt of creating a random height surface box mesh on the trunk as whilst the surface box’ extruded outwards in a random manor on one side of the trunk, the surface boxes actually extruded inwards on the other side of the curve. I did however successfully use attractor points to decrease the size of the surface boxes on both of the smaller branches to mimic the way in which branches get skinner the further away from the trunk they are.
T
his final example was my successful attemt at creating a surface mesh on my week#1 sea sponge digital model. I believe this dramatically transformed these models into much more natural looking sea sponge models. I find the surface box tool really useful in creating interesting patterns that can closely mimic patterns found in nature (biomimicry).
CONCEPTUALISATION 25
REfERENCES 1-5 Furuto, Alison.
“Para Eco House / Tongji University
Team” 12 Nov 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed 13 Mar 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=289503> 6 “Heydar Aliyev Center / Zaha Hadid Architects” 14 Nov 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 13 Mar 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=448774>
7 Oliver Wainwright, “Wave of Protest...” 1/7/2014, The Guardian, Accessed 13 March 2015 http://www.theguardian. com/artanddesign/2014/jun/30/zaha-hadid-architecture 8-9 “Heydar Aliyev Center / Zaha Hadid Architects” 14 Nov 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 13 Mar 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=448774> 10-15 Ana Lisa, “Robots Built this Peanut...” 25/06/14,
Inhabit, Accessed 13 Mar 2015 < http://inhabitat.com/ stuttgarts-geometric-landesgartenschau-exhibitionhall-is-made-from-243-prefab-wood-panels/> 16-17 Taylor-Foster, James, “Gehry’s Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris: The Critics Respond” 22 Oct 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed 13 Mar 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=559473> 18 Michael Bergin, “Trends in Generative Design” 31 March 2012. Archinet, Accessed 16 Mar 2015 http:// archinect.com/archlab/trends-in-generative-design 19 Dr. Dominique Hes, “Week 3 Lecture” 16/3/2015, Studio Air, Melbourne University 20-21 Michael Bergin, “Trends in Generative Design” 31 March 2012. Archinet, Accessed 16 Mar 2015 http:// archinect.com/archlab/trends-in-generative-design 22-23 Rose Etherington, “Watercube by PTW Architects” 6 Feb 2008, Dezeen Magazine Accessed 17 Mar 2015 <http://www. dezeen.com/2008/02/06/watercube-by-chris-bosse/> 24-25 Arup, “Gold for the Watercube” 09/6/2009, ARUP Accessed 17/3/2015 <http://www.arup.com/News/2009-06%20June/09_ Jun_2009_Gold_for_the_Watercube>
26
CONCEPTUALISATION
REfERENCES 26-27 Tristram Carfrae, “Engineering the Water Cube” 01/07/2006 ArchitectureAU Accessed 17/03/2015 < http://architectureau.com/articles/practice-23/> 28-30 Ridhika Naidoo, Big New National Library in Astana, August 26th 2009. Design Boom Accessed 17 Mar 2015 <http://www.designboom.com/architecture/ big-new-national-library-in-astana-kazakhstan/> 31 http://www.technologyreview.com/ review/517596/new-forms-that-function-better/ 32-33 Basulto, David. “National Library in Astana, Kazakhstan / BIG” 25 Aug 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 17 Mar 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=33238>
CONCEPTUALISATION 27
PART 28
CONCEPTUALISATION
B
B1
RESEARCH FiELD BiOMiMiCRY
B
iomimicry describes an architectural movment that looks to nature to solve human challenges1. Through years of evoution, it is nature that has developed time tested methods of making extremely strong and material efficient, this is a common goal in architecture and construction, as we are always searching for cheaper, more sustainable ways of building equally rigid buildings 2.
“Solutions to global challenges are all around us... 3” Architects have looked at many different facets of nature at almost any scale to inform their designs. From microscopic cellular structures in plants to patterns found in the weather and climate, inspiration can be found in all aspects of nature to inspire designs. Sometimes architects use biomimicry for purely aesthetic purposes where as othes use it to improve the functionality of a building4.
“A new science that studies nature’s models and then uses these designs and processes to solve human problems5”
CONCEPTUALISATION 29
B1
PRECEDENt
EUREKA PAViLLiON//NEX ARCHitECtURE
T
he Eureka Pavillion by Nex Architecture was constructed as an installment for the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London and its form is actually directly inspired from the site context6. The Nex Architecture team studied plants on the microscopic level mimicking the cellular structure of the the leaf to inform the structure of the pavillion itself 7. The infill of the facade is also inspired from a similar scale, and is in fact a representation of leaf capillaries 8 . This facade treatment creates a fascinating shadowing affect within the pavillion that is very â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;natural looking9.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Due to the fact that this pavillion is more of an art installment rather than a building that shelters or houses humans there is minimal functional benefits from adopting this form, but rather it is more for an artistic affect and educational in a sense that users of the space will often have very little understanding as to the microscopic building blocks of the organisms in this garden, and this pavillion illustrates a representation of the plant cells10.
30
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 31
B2
CASE StUDY 1.0
SEROUSSi PAViLLiON//BIOTHING
S
eroussi Pavillion by BIOTHING, is an exploration of magnetic fields and the effect they have on the sine curves11. I was particularly curious about this project as it is exposing an aspect of nature that we cannot see. This project is actually able to illustrate the way in which magnets can influence form and the outcome is quite aesthetically pleasing12. In my exploration of this design I want to alter the magnetic field that acts on the curves and see what forms are made. This more of an experimental way of designing as I do not have even the faintest pre-concieved idea as to what the resulting form will be, so there is a lot of trial and error when altering the algorithms in grasshopper13.
32
CONCEPTUALISATION
CONCEPTUALISATION 33
B2
ItERAtiONS:
SPECiES 1: BASIC PARAMETER CHANGES
34
CONCEPTUALISATION
B2
ItERAtiONS:
SPECiES 2: CHANGING MAGNETIC FIELDS
CONCEPTUALISATION 35
B2
ItERAtiONS:
SPECiES 3 CHANGING GRAPH TYPES
36
CONCEPTUALISATION
B3
CASE StUDY 2.0
BANQ RESTAURANT//Office dA
B
anq Resturant commissioned Office dA architects to help re-design the dining space to maintain flexibility for constant seating and table rearrangements on ground level14 whilst also creating a design that conceals the not-so-attractive mechanics of the building such as plumbing, lighting, sound system, and structural components that are all a visible part of the ceiling15. Office dAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solution is to use sectioning. It is essentially an enclosure of the ceiling that is porous permitting sound and ventilation whilst also obscuring the view of the mechanics of the building16. The curved nature of the sections exudes a sense of movement in the room as if the ceiling is slumping or drooping, structural members of the building no longer seem as though they are holding up the ceiling, but rather as if they are being suspended from the ceiling, this is a unique effect of this type of sectioning that simulates the melting of a material such as plastic17.
CONCEPTUALISATION 37
B
CASE St BANQ RESTAURA
38
CONCEPTUALISATION
B3
tUDY 2.0 ANT//Office dA
CONCEPTUALISATION 39
B3
LOGIC DIAGRAM
BANQ RESTAURANT//Office dA
set base geometry surface divide
find extents of base surface
image sampler: to create pattern for later
create intersection frames: (perp frames)
amplify this pattern
extrusion
move points from pattern in z-axis to create a nurbs surface solve intersection between nurbs surface and defines plane, this creates the “sections” 40
CONCEPTUALISATION
B3
LOGIC BEHIND PROJECT BANQ RESTAURANT//Office dA
STEP 1: The base geometry upon which the sectioning will occur needs to be set. For the Banq Restaurant Ceiling, it will be a simple flat rectangular shape.
STEP 2 The surface must be divided to smaller sections, if greater resolution is desired then divide into smaller sections
STEP 3 the extents of the base surface need to be found prior to creating intersection perpindicular frames that will define how the form will be sectioned
STEP 4
perpindicular frames are created that define the plane of each section
STEP 5
get an image that has a high level of contrast, in this case i used a black backgorund and erased white gradient patches. The pattern from this image will determine what parts of the section will droop further from the ceiling.
CONCEPTUALISATION 41
STEP 6
this pattern then needs to be amplified
STEP 7
the points from the surface division then need to be moved in the z-axis (vertical) in accordance to the pattern from the image (lighter parts project further from the base plane)
STEP 8
from these points a nurbs surface will be created
STEP 9
the final step is to solve the intersections between the nurbs surface created in “Step 8” and the planes defined in “Step 4” to create the sections
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CONCEPTUALISATION
B4
TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT BANQ RESTAURANT// Office dA F
or my own design in Section C, I believe that sectioning could be an appropriate technique so i am curious as to how flexible it can be by altering algorithms in grasshopper. In my process of developing my technique my first few iterations are from simply changing input values from within my algorythm, however later iterations are adopted from introducing new components into the algorythm, some of these I gained from other grasshopper exlporations during the semester. I chose to use an image sampler in my grasshopper definition as this can create an almost infinite amount of unique patterns from each unique image that is sampled. Another thing i wanted to explore in my development of this technique is how the sectioning technique can be applied to different base geometries, for the last 5 iterations I had to use a completely different algorithm that did not use image sampling but rather a control curve that determinds how the geometry was sectioned, i found that is was a great way of creating numerous different outcomes, however the resulting forms were less easy to predict and thus it was more trial and error.
SELECTION CRITERIA porosity - filtration - buoyancy/fixed - flexible
CONCEPTUALISATION 43
SPECiES 1 CHANGING BASIC PARAMETERS
44
CONCEPTUALISATION
B4
TECHNIQUE D BANQ RESTAURA
4
DEVELOPMENT ANT//Office dA SPECiES 2:
SPECiES 3: IMAGE SAMPLER CHANGES
CONCEPTUALISATION 45
SPECiES 3: IMAGE SAMPLER CHANGES
SPECiES 4: EXTRUDED
CONTOURING OF NONPLANAR BASE FORM
46
CONCEPTUALISATION
B4
TECHNIQUE D BANQ RESTAURA
4
DEVELOPMENT ANT//Office dA SPECiES 4: EXTRUDED
CONTOURING OF NONPLANAR BASE FORM
CONCEPTUALISATION 47
B5
TECHNIQUE PROTOTYPES BANQ RESTAURANT//Office dA FABRICATION
PART 1: PROTOTYPE OPTIONS
D
O
esign ption #1 (FROM SPECIES 4) This design is actually using sectioning as contours and thus each section is not flat, like my other design option. This makes the fabrication process for both the model or the actual scaled installment a little more complex as the sections are not ‘flat’ and would need to undergo ‘unrolling’ to be able to cut each section on the lazer or card cutter. This may not be an ‘accurate’ way of fabricating this design especially on a model scale as the sections will not necessarily bend in the ways specified in my digital design, thus to more accurately replicate the overall form of this design I have resolved to 3D print the model of this design using the ABS material. In this fabrication method the sections themselves may not be ‘clean’ but the overall structure will be in the form that I have specified in Rhinocerous, and I can later adapt the design for more seamless fabrication.
48
CONCEPTUALISATION
Design Option #2 (FROM SPECIES 3) For my second design option, the sections are flat, and thus they can be easily arranged on a two dimentional template two be laser cut into each of their pieces. On a larger scale, these pieces would most likely be cut in a similar way each coming from a flat surface in an arrangement that minimises material wastage.
FABRICATION
PART 2: ASSEMBLY DETAILS
Design Option #1 (SPECIES 4) RIBS
To make this structure plausible there is a few additional structural elements that need to be added. Namely there needs to be perpendicular ‘ribs’ that span accross the sections and hold them all in position. These ribs ensure that the spacing of each of the sections is correct, with small checouts that match each section. SUPPORTS As there are some cantilevering components within this design it is appropriate to add in some small supports to ensure that these do not collapse, ideally a material for the final product will be specified to be structurally capable of bearing the loads, however during the model making process, small supports will need to be added to reduce the chance of a collapse. VOLUME The thickness of each section needs to be specified and this could be material specific. SIMPLIFICATION As this design is quite a complex, 3dimensional structure is requires simplification prior to fabrication. So I divided it into a top and bottom half and each half will be printed seperately and put together afterwards.
Design Option #2 (SPECIES 3) RIBS
This design option also requires perpendicular ribs or ‘sections’ and they can be made either descrete, hidden within the structure or more visible as a component of the design. These will prevent the sections from collapsing under lateral load forces from wind or water movement. As the secitons are flat/linear, the perpendicular ribs/supports can be arranged in a grid formation to ensure even distribution of load forces. MATERIALITY The materiality of this section design is important, as it will affect it’s structural integrity, durability and also importantly it’s aesthetics in response to the site context.
CONCEPTUALISATION 49
PROTOTYPE
FABRICATION MEHOD & DIAGRAM
Design Option #1
Design Option #2
DEVELOP FUNCTIONAL DIGITAL DESIGN
ADAPT/CONFIGURE FOR FABRICATION
FABRICATE PROTOTYPE
REVIEW PROTOTYPE
50
CONCEPTUALISATION
Design Option #1
Design Option #2
CONCEPTUALISATION 51
FINAL REFINED PROTOTYPE FORM, FEATURES & CONCEPT 3 Stages
STAGE 3
At stage three the smaller pieces of litter are collected, this stage represents the small undulations on the surface of the whale sharkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gills which capture the smallest organisms that need to be digested rather than dispelled with the excess water that they require to breathe.
STAGE 2
State 2 captures the medium sized pieces of litter, smaller pieces are able to simply flow through the gaps in the sections where they will be captured in stage 3 which has much smaller gaps in the sections, permitting only minute pieces of debris to flow through with the river water.
RIVER FLOW 52
CONCEPTUALISATION
STAGE 1
This stage has the sections set at very wide spacing capturing only the larges pieces of litter that pass through merri creek. Clothes, plastic bags, and large pieces of debris will all be captured at this first stage of the litter capturer. Just like the whale sharkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large mouth, all sized fish enter, however later stages of filtering will determine which organisms the shark digests. Most litter will pass through this stage.
B6
TECHNIQUE: PROPOSAL BANQ RESTAURANT//Office dA SITE CONTEXT
LOCATION & DESIGN RESPONSE (Location 1&2)
M y proposal is the installation of two of my litter collector designs
in relatively close proximity to the stormwater outlet pictured to the left. Whilst my design does not completely eliminate the presence of litter in the merri creek ecosystem, its close proximity to the stormwater outlet ensure that most of the litter that enters the system is almost immediately captured and thus prevented from travelling further downstream to the even larger Yarra River. Noteably this location is within walking distance of Merri Creek Primary school and I think these litter capturers could help to educate the students about looking after the environment and in particularly nearby creek ecosystem as every bit of litter disposed of incorrectly ultimately ends up in in the stormwater drains before entering the creek, they will see this upon visiting this site and observing the large amounts of litter captured on a daily basis
STORM WATER OUTLET
FLOW OF LITTER DOWNSTREAM
CONCEPTUALISATION 53
BIOMIMICRY CONCEPT the whale shark gill system W
HALE SHARK CONCEPT I was studying natural occurances of water filtration and found that the whale shark’s gill system is extremely effective at capturing the most microscopic organisms whilst filtering out excess water18, this is essectially the same aim that I desire to achieve with my design as it needs to capture rubbish and allow the passing of water with the the creek’s current. Noticably, the whale shark’s gill system is essentially a series of flesh sections with a corrugated texture19, this is where I gained the inspiration to use sectioning in my design. Their gills have ‘rakers’ that are able to collect small organism and allow water and unwanted debris to flow through,20 Being a litter collecter there are certain basic requirements of the design for it to achieve its desired function. POROSITY The design must be porous as it needs to let the flowing water pass through it easily and without too much friction. This lead to the decision to use sectioning as an appropriate material system for my design. As water will move freely through it. CAPTURE LITTER Whilst water’s movement through the design should be permitted, litter should be captured. It is understandable that some of the smaller pieces of litter may pass through with the water however due to the litters buoyancy and intentional placement and spacing of sections this can be minimalised to ensure that almost all of the litter that enters the structure is captured.
54
CONCEPTUALISATION
DESIGN PROPOSAL concept, features & innovation W
hilst there is currently litter collectors in sections of the Yarra river, there is very few in the upstream parts of the river system such as Merri Creek. I have identified the need for a more versatile design thate can exist in much narrower sections of river. The current litter collectors that block off large portions of the river and are simply floating buoys containing rubbish21, that are visually very unnactractive and a are commonly in the way of other boats. I believe that these rubbish collectors actually help to educate the society about the poor health of our urban river systems as these large piles of litter highlight that all incorrectly disposed-of waste ultimately ends up in the river system22. Therefore I want my design to also lave the collected rubbish exposed, as i believe it is an important thing for people to see, and should not be ‘concealed.’ The issue with the current rubbish collecting buoys is that they have no filter and will collect literally everything that floats. My design borrows the fundamental principals from the whale shark’s gills to seperate large pieces of litter from medium and small sized litter and debris. As it is able to be walked upon, community members, visitors and students from the nearby schools will be able to inspect the different types of litter that enter our waterways and thus educate them about the need for improved waste management programs.
CONCEPTUALISATION 55
FINAL PRO
IN CONTEXT (Locatio
56
CONCEPTUALISATION
OTOTYPE
on no. 4 - up stream)
CONCEPTUALISATION 57
B7
LEARNING OUTCOMES T
he ‘B’ module of Studio Air I found contradictory in nature, as we were asked to first explore a material system/ parametric design typology and then use that knowledge to develope a design for the Merri Creek Site. I do not believe this is the way in which one should design, there needs first to be a problem or need for an architect to create a solution to, using whatever tools they have at their disposal and deemed of assistance in achieving the desired outcome. It seems to be that in this module we we asked to start with the a preconcieved ‘solution’ prior to knowing the problem that we are attempting to resolve, I believe that this was what lead to many of the design flaws that were highlighted by the Grimshaw architects in regards to our design proposals. This theme of aimless design is something I believe the world of parametric design is riddled with as many of the parametric designs existing in the world today are sculptural in nature and achieve little function but rather aim to inspire awe in the complex nature of their form. I am firmly of the oppinion that one of the primary responsibilities of the architect, past and present is to solve problems, similarly to the engineer, there must be concern for the function, efficiency and emotive qualities of a design, and none of these should be neglected to achieve a more ‘desireable’ aesthetic. I believe that if I were to restructure module B of Studio Air I would first get students to identify a need or issue on the Merri Creek site followed by identifying potential ways to gain a resolution, all prior to exploring the different parametric design typologies and material systems, as then each student will have a much stronger sense of direction in their design. I felt that in the stage of my design proposal I was trying to find a problem that can be solved by my material system, rather than a material system that can solve my identified problem.
58
CONCEPTUALISATION
B8
APPENDIX ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES I
n the B module I found the most intriguing forms in my three main areas of exploration, which were: Contouring, Sectioning and the use of magnetic fiels through the example of the Seroussi Pavillion. As i found out, there is almost endless possibilites in each of these areas as parameters, base geometries and all sorts of iterations can be made to either simplify or further complicate the design. What i did find throughout my explorations is that complexity does not necessarily equate to a good design, as often I had to simplify my algorithms dramatically to come up with an appropriate design.
SEROUSSI PAVILLION Playing with
magnetic fields....
CONCEPTUALISATION 59
B8
APPENDIX ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES CONTOURING
exploring the potential of contouring
SECTIONING
exploring the applications of sectioning
60
CONCEPTUALISATION
B
REFERENCES
1-5 What is Biomimicry? Biomimicry Institute, 2014. viewed 24/04/2015 <http://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/> 6 - 10 Times Eureak Pavillion, Arch Daily , 2011. viewed 16/04/2015 < http://www.archdaily.
com/142509/times-eureka-pavilion-nexarchitecture/ http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5> 11-13 Seroussi Pavillion, Biothing, 2007. viewed 23/04/2015 <http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5> 14-17 Banq, Australian Design Review, 2009, viewed 26/04/2015 <http://www. australiandesignreview.com/interiors/661-banq> 18-20 Whale Sharks, Marine Bio, 2005. viewed 25/04/2015 <http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=47> 21-22 Litter, Cleaner Yarra and Bay, 2014. viewed 29/04/2015 <http://www.cleaneryarrabay.vic.gov.au/issues/litter>
CONCEPTUALISATION 61