Studio Air Journal_825924_Jiexin Wang

STUDIO AIR 2018, SEMESTER 1 TUTOR: JACK MANSFIELD-HUNG JIEXIN WANG 825924

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A CONCEPTULISATION

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TABLE OF CONTENTS A.0 INTRODUCTION A.1 DESIGN FUTURING A1.1 Case Study 1 A1.2 Case Study 2 A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION A2.1 Case Study 1 A2.2 Case Study 2 A.3 COMPOSITION/GENERATION A3.1 Case Study 1 A3.2 Case Study 2 A.4 CONCLUSION A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES A.6 APPENDIX

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“Not taking things for granted, being skeptical, and always questioning what is given.� [1] - Anthony Dunne & Fiona Raby

[1] Anthony Dunne & Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, And Social Dreaming (MIT Press, 2013), pp. 35 6

A.1 DESIGN FUTURING Humankind is currently in an era of design futuring. Since the

industrial revolution and subsequently the rapid development of science and technology, people have been living in an anthropocentric world. In the perspective of humancenteredness, people treat the planet as if it were eternal and consume natural resources with insatiable appetite.

Inevitably, the shortage of resources comes to surface and has caused conflicts due to its distribution among countries.

Design as an ability to prefigure what we create before the act of creation[2], weighs significantly in our process of finding the balance between the development of the society and the sustainability of environment.

In my opinion, instead of pursuing good-looking and operative objects for humankind, a designer should take the responsibility to create some natural-responsible and optimal design to make some real difference within the appropriate approach of technologies in a right scale. Therefore, design futuring is a really good period for designers to get away from mass production, like rapid prototyping, rendering programs and digital graphs. Designers are currently at a turning point, experiencing an examination for them to redefine their design process and re-decide the design expectations. I believe what we wish to contribute to our future will light up our enthusiasm to redirect living way from a profit-oriented mode into a far more sustainable future.

[2] Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg Publishers Ltd, 2008), pp.2 7

A1.1 CASE STUDY 1 PROJECT: ARCHITECT: PROJECT YEAR:

MONTREAL BIOSPHERE BUCKMINISTER FULLER 1954

An inventive design is able to navigate the complex

relationships between society, technology, and environment through inputting the designer’s moral value. More specifically, in the consideration of material efficiency, structural integrity, and easy-replicable design quality, the result could be very influential to the societal value towards the technology even design futuring.

For instance, the Montreal Biosphere is created in a backdrop of postwar modernism, which remarks ethical positivity and a uniquely moral blueprint for Fuller’s revolutionary designs[1].

The project was intended to reveal the close contact between mankind and nature, elevating the state of humanity and promoting its responsible stewardship of the environment.

Considering the material efficiency, the lightweight dome offers the least surface area to hold the largest number of people. Meanwhile, functioning as a shelter, the geodesic dome could be placed anywhere and its lattice structure allows the maximum connection between humankind and nature. Therefore, this form really leads to a change of societal value towards the relationship between human and the planet and it has been deployed everywhere, from the display as a United States pavilion in the exposition to the later daily use in camping and military facilities.

Figure 1

Likewise, Saving Venice, the designer tries to visualize the merging of architecture and nature in a macro way, thus he transferred the urban context into the universe, moving human activities out of our planet. He utilised metabolic materials for the practice of spaceship and enabled the building to get its independent life cycle and growth, which could make people who live in the spaceship to see our planet in an objective way, reflecting on what we have done to the earth during the rapid technology development and transformation of the industry.

The project of the geodesic dome is a case of doing much more with much less, which remains profound impacts on people’s societal values towards the design and natural environment both morally and technologically. As Tony Fry’s argued in ‘Design futuring’: “Design takes on a determinate life of its own – designed things go on designing[2]”,

Image source: https://www.tripsavvy.com/montreal-biosphere-2391694

[1] “Montreal Biosphere / Buckminister Fuller,” ArchDaily, 25 November, 2014, < https://www.archdaily.com/572135/ad-classics-montreal-biosphere-buckminster-fuller > [accessed 12 March 2018] (para. 1 of 8) [2] Fry, Design Futuring, p3 8

Figure 2

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Biosph%C3%A8re#/media/File:17-08-islcanus-RalfR-DSC_3883.jpg

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A1.2 CASE STUDY 2 PROJECT:

DOLPHIN EMBASSY

ARCHITECT: ANT FARM PROJECT YEAR:

1974

In the design futuring, to rethink design in a critical way and

be willing to challenge the preoccupied cognition are very significant. As Dunne and Raby asserted, “Not taking things for granted, being sceptical, and always questioning what is given[2].” The possible alternatives could be changing the aiming clients of design, transforming the centeredness from human beings into our planetary habitation, which could be very much effective to facilitate the natural environment.

The dolphin embassy is a totally new proposal that attempts to build communication between the humankind and the dolphins which make them live in the same environment.

The design proposal is super special at the start. The default aiming client is converted to people and dolphin rather than centralise human as in the conventional design. The design brief begins to prioritise the dolphin’s comforts and living habits in order to build their relationship with highly ethical and ecological values. Meanwhile, the designer also critically comes up with a completely new living way that animals can live with human beings to learn more about each other.

Although it was never built, as Dunne and Raby argued in the “Speculative everything, “conceptual design exists as a form of critique looks for a sustainable way of living and building, questioning and challenging the preoccupied way of thinking and utilising that technologies placed on us, to break the rules that set up everything what is mean to be[1].”

[1] Anthony & Fiona, Speculative Everything, P34.

[2] Anthony & Fiona, Speculative Everything, P34.

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Likewise, the Mediated Matter group abandons traditional materials like plastic and redirects to explore biodegradable materiality and computational fabrication in effective customization and versatility. Their design regards the design and natural environment in the same height, which is composed of Nature-inspired Design and Design-inspired Nature. Their critical design not only proves the high achievement that sustainable materials could have done but provides us with a new perspective of material ecology and presents the ways that could never be done without computerisation, which challenges and breaks our normal ways of thinking. They disapprove the prevailing materiality and production process but offer a way that solves weakness with existing normality[2].

Both of the projects challenge the conventional design by considering design in a human-equal-nature level, one thinks for an ecological living way and the other researches in biological materiality, both breaking people’s inherent value and broaden the ways of achieving sustainable inhabitant from critical perspectives.

Figure 3

Image source: http://www.hiddenarchitecture.net/2016/02/dolphin-embassy.html

Figure 1 11

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Designers should become the facilitators of flow, rather thant the originors of maintainable things such as discrete products or imagesâ&#x20AC;? [1] - Wood John

[1] Wood John (2007). Design for Micro-Utopias: Making the unthinkable possible (Aldershot: Gower).

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A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION A super expanding relationship between computer and

architecture has been built, thus architects become much closer to engineers and they are pushing designs into a more logical and precise way. As we are gradually shifted from computerisation (utilise computers to visualise form) and computation (utilise a computer to conceptualise and generate form) at the moment. Computerisation has witnessed a digital continuum from design to computation, from form generation to fabrication design[2]. In previous decades, CAD programs can simply just represent and visualise ideas that already conceptualised in architect’s mind[3]. Nonetheless, computation emphasises algorithms with parameters and designer’s logical thinking instead of eye-catching free-form geometry, which requires the designers high engagement and close connection to the engineers, as Wood asserted, “Designers should become the facilitators of flow, rather than the originators of maintainable things such as discrete products or images[4].”

As far I’m concerned, design computation provides designers with a platform to cooperate with engineers and enables them to explore potentials regarding materiality and more certain controls in building’s spatial quality through parametric algorithms. It encourages research-based and experimenting design, tectonically expressed as a “poetics of construction” and engineering, which demonstrates the current relationship among the architects, constructing manager and structural engineers. This allows perfomative design exploring a broader range of materiality, as well as working in more accurate simulation and formalising in a higher level of complexity and variability, Developing from the basis relationship between logical structures and formal expression.

[2] T Oxman, Yehuda E. (2004). Architecture’s new media: Principles, theories, and methods of computer-aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press), pp.5-25 [3] Terzidis, Kostas (2006). Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), p.xi.

[4] John, Design for Micro-Utopias.

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A2.1 CASE STUDY 1 PROJECT:

LIQUID HUMAN DANCING

ARCHITECT: THE WONDERLAB PROJECT YEAR:

/

Robotics and algorithms play quite important roles in

broadening researching realms and types. The project of the form-finding evolution of liquid, this orientational porous structure is gotten from the liquid digital simulation and fabricated by robots via a series of algorithmic calculation.

In the beginning, in order to govern the design of such an uncertain system like a liquid membrane, the wonder lab decided to work it out by designing modern concept by moving decisively away from certainty and linearity. More specifically, the classic mechanical model explains the domination of traditional design giving away to computational method. This is one of the most dramatic shifts in expression technique since the vest development of computer hardware and progression in numerical method. The platform of Reat Flow has provided a possible solution to capture the nonlinearity.

Some regular fluid behaviour generated by structure, such as splash. Flow and vertex are listed by the tests from roboticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hours of weaving and 3d printing work. This emerging behaviour can create special structures, which is the same as the liquid structure in real life. Later on, they used the robots to do some tests, which were aiming to test the feasibility of weavings, their tolerance, and cooperation to robots, as well as testing the possibility of weaving multiple layers and also

trying to test out the maximum working efficiency. The whole test is divided into two sections of each layer and achieved by robots that following the series of grasshopper scripting algorithms. The whole process only takes 28 minutes, which is very efficient.

How computation unpacks and explores the hard-control structure in high complexity has been perfectly represented in this project. Analysing and simulating liquid structure via 3d modelling and diagrams, test and fabricate it via robotic techniques finally obtain two ways of representation. Each of the steps is in high accuracy and certain control, which cannot be achieved at all without computation. The form-finding evolution of liquid has perfectly represented how deep research and experimentation computational design can make, which shows us the potentials and prosperous future of computation design.

Figure 4 Image source: Image source: http://www.w-o-n-d-e-r-l-a-b.com/portfolio/fluid/ 14

Figure 5

Image source: Image source: http://www.w-o-n-d-e-r-l-a-b.com/portfolio/fluid/

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A2.2 CASE STUDY 2 PROJECT:

DAEDALUS PAVILION

ARCHITECT: AI BUILD & ARUP PROJECT YEAR:

2016

Smart technology is improving with leaps and bound, 3D printing technique with robotics can lead a cost-effective or applicable way on a very large scale. The utilisation of computational design to lower the cost of efficient construction and the significance of artificial intelligence are emphasised and envisioned. For instance, the designer of Daedalus Pavilion, Ai Build is seeking to change that and sees construction 3D printing as a possible key technology to create a new type of smart house with affordable price. This pavilion is one of his tests, which is fabricated by robotic 3D printing and is consisted of 48 separate pieces in a rapid construction speed with accurate achievement. The hyperbolic paraboloid structure is calculated by setting up control points of the curves and perfectly constructed by robots in a super precision, which can impossibly be done manually. Environmental-

Figure 6&7 Image source: Image source: http://www.w-o-n-d-e-r-l-a-b.com/portfolio/fluid/

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friendly, robotics applies a biodegradable filament material to the pavilion that helps to sustain our planetary inhabitant.

Meanwhile, this project is also a successful cooperation between architect and structural engineer. During construction, the structural engineering expertise Arup was mostly focused on creating a structurally sound pavilion, combined with the latest scale 3D printing technology, enabled the pavilion to be an elegant and structurally efficient form with an optimized distribution of material.

Figure 8

Image source: Image source: http://www.w-o-n-d-e-r-l-a-b.com/portfolio/fluid/

Figure 1 17

Computational design linked to computationally driven manufacturing requires a new interpretation of the design and construction process.

- Peter Brady

[1] Peters, Brady. (2013). Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought (Architecture Design, 83,2), P14 18

A.3 COMPOSITION / GENERATION Computational design is currently in a transformation that

brings the focus from foreground formal principals towards functional principles to adjust societal opinion such as material efficiency and sustainability[2]. Therefore, it leads to a generation of bottom-up design changed from a formdriven top style. In a way, the new custom digital tools extend the architects’ ability to create a more responsive design and deal with a highly complex situation, allowing them to make more comprehensive design decisions and able to analyse them to make more performative designs[3]. The adequate algorithmic database with multiple iterations gives rise to a trend of experimenting morphology and biological designs, which demonstrate how generative computational design can be.

However, it seems that architecture gradually becomes more like an automatic product by a series of algorithms, and design is so flexible that can be easily changed by adjusting of parameters. Although artificial intelligence is created by human, still, the computational design seems to replace lots of designer’s role and kind of restricting designer’s creativity and logical thinking. In the computational design, the shape of the design is decided by those algorithms and changing parameters that take place in scripting the series of codes,

but not architect’s thinking follow. As a result, architects are becoming more technical and straightforward, as well as designing becomes a very definite and effective logic thing that shows in a virtual drafting board. Seemingly, the design process is shifting into a highly customised, logical and precise way, however, at the same time, the designers nowadays rely more on those digital tools and kind of enjoy the convenience, customisation, and automation they brought. The current design process is more approaching to coming up with a design proposal and then computerising it, use digital tools to deal with those complex situations instead of dig into the real environment to explore and design, then creating more interesting things during the researching time.

All in all, although computerisation could cause some constraints in human’s creativity, I believe it is leading to a more intelligent and efficient future that is able to make more effective responses to the building environment and biodiversity of materialisation. Also, the design quality can usually be optimal, sustainable and biological. And I consider it will be significant to find a balance between computational automation and designers with their own creativity and critical thinking.

[2] Block, P. (2016), Parametricism’s Structural Congeniality. Archit Design, 86: 68-75. Dol: 10.1002/ad.2026 [3] Brady. Computation Works, P13 19

Figure 9

A3.1 CASE STUDY 1 PROJECT:

SILK PAVILION

ARCHITECT: MIT MEDIA LAB PROJECT YEAR:

2013

The generative design helps build the goal of imitating

complex biological activities of animals in architectural scale with the algorithmic application of fabrication means like robotics, 3d printing and so on. Meanwhile, not only computation can mimic biological activities, animals are also likely to “compute” material organization based on external performance criteria. For instance, MIT Media Lab make a project that explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication on product and architectural scale in a generative way. The team programmed the robotic arm and silkworm working together to make a 3D cocoon out of a single multi-property silk thread. The generation working principal is to translate the motion-capture data into a 3D printer that connected to a robotic arm for studying the biological structure in larger scales. The silkworms’ own density variation is deployed as a biological printer, which decides the overall geometry of the pavilion via using an algorithm that assigns a single continuous thread across patches providing various degrees of density.

Figure 9, 10 & 11 Image source: https://www.archdaily.com/384271/silk-pavilion-mit-media-lab

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For the imitation of environmental and spatial qualities, the geometrical density as well as variation in natural light and heat are considered. Hence, a season-specific mapping of solar trajectories dictated the location, size and density of apertures within the structure to lock-in rays of natural light entering the pavilion. This reveals digital fabrication’s another significant role as an environmental supervisor. Meanwhile, for the other basically parallel research, it explored the use of silkworms as entities that can “compute” material organization in some way. Specifically, the formation of non-woven fiber structures generated by the silkworms as a computational schema for determining shape and material optimization of fiber-based surface structures are digitally explored in combining design thinking of generation and composition.

Figure 12 & 13

Image source: https://www.archdaily.com/384271/silk-pavilion-mit-media-lab

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A3.2 CASE STUDY 2 PROJECT:

BUDIDESA ART PARK

ARCHITECT: ARANDA LASCH PROJECT YEAR:

2015

The generative design is a process of form-finding, moreover,

it could be applied into cultural combination of architectures in the same way. Aiming to get a balance regarding living way between different nations of residence, the challenge can be putting various culture into a sensitive ecological and cultural area. The design way of combining generation and composition can logically help that to compromise artistically. In this project called Budidesa Art Park, it utilises the combination of generative and compositional design to satisfy the various types of residences here. In this park, each room is a separate small building arranged dynamically across the site, and it is highly compromised among different vernacular architecture and make them involve into surrounding environments through a strategy of creating a Balinese Subak Cultural Landscape. The landscape applies compositional design, which owns a continuous circuit to the nature in portions of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Obviously, the landscape symbolises cultural attractions, featuring artwork and pavilions from East Asian and Western

Figure 14, 15 & 16 Image source: h http://arandalasch.com/works/budidesa-art-park/

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contemporary artists, which is close to the prevalent art island of Naoshima in Japan and Inhotim in Brazil. The ancient locally cultural elements are also demonstrated with the help of generative design. The surrounding rice paddies are watered through an ancient system called Subak which is the place for annual rhythm of water distribution tuned through a collective, decision-making process. This project has illustrated how architectural and landscape design can help maintain the cultural identity of the Subak system while supporting a framework for the display of contemporary art and other cultural identities. Generative design with part of composition help the project capable of constructing an evolving system in sustaining new forms of culture when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facing through the rising pressure from a growing population and increasing tourism.

Figure 16 & 17

Image source: h http://arandalasch.com/works/budidesa-art-park/

Image source: Image source: http://www.w-o-n-d-e-r-l-a-b.com/portfolio/fluid/

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A.4 CONCLUSION As weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re living in a highly digitalised and technological era,

the majority are experiencing a transition being computerised and to be computational. Architects, as a group of people who are capable of exerting impacts to the existing environment, keep sensible to the trending of the world, and could be those who take the lead in making innovative or revolutionary changes. With the rapid development of digital technology, the design means including the design options, designing process, researching fields and ways of fabrication have been changed a lot. Design decision have been more and more approaching to sustainability, cost-efficiency, optimise environments instead of profit-orient pursue of good-looking design in the previous decades.

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Meanwhile, architects are simultaneously involving in an examining period, instead of merely taking a role as designer, they are required to be in close touches with computation, construction and engineering. However, when embracing the total convenience brought by customized digital tools with large data base of algorithms, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for architects to remember keeping critical thinking and creativity all the time and realise the significance to make appropriate design decisions that can really do some difference to the situation.

A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES The part a – conceptualisation makes us have a general

understanding of the fluctuation as well as revolutionary transformation that digital age is experiencing. The writing improves our critical thinking and capacity of addressing arguments a lot. Meanwhile, from doing those case studies, by learning about architects’ design decisions to different projects and their utilisation of customised computational means, I was getting to know the entirely new ways of design which is so different from conventional design. Simultaneously, I realise the cost-effective and highly intelligent fabricating ways such as 3d printing, CNC machine and robotics arm might weight

so importantly in the transformation of constructing means.

They might be able to replace the traditional construction men and contribute to evolve into an ecological and costeffective constructing environment in a more efficient and accurate way. The prospect of exploring a much larger range of materiality and more complex design proposals can be envisioned in the close future. In addition, for myself, I was getting to know what studio air hopes us to do and I’m really looking forward to the later study of computational design.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Block, P. (2016), Parametricism’s Structural Congeniality. Archit Design, 86: 68-75. Dol: 10.1002/ ad.2026/ad. 2029 Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona (2013), Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press) pp. 1-9, 33-45.

Fry, Tony (2008), Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg), pp. 1–16.

“Montreal Biosphere / Buckminister Fuller,” ArchDaily, 25 November, 2014, < https://www.archdaily. com/572135/ad-classics-montreal-biosphere-buckminster-fuller > [accessed 12 March 2018] , para. 1 of 8.

Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1–10 Peters, Brady. (2013). Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought , Architecture Design, 83,2, pp. 08-15 Terzidis, Kostas (2006). Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), pp. xi.

Wood John (2007). Design for Micro-Utopias: Making the unthinkable possible (Aldershot: Gower), PP

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B CRITERIA DESIGN

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B CRITERIA DESIGN

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B.1 RESEARCH FIELD B.2 CASE STUDY 1.0 B2.1 ITERATION PART I B2.2 ITERATION PART II B2.3 BEST ITERATIONS

B.3 CASE STUDY 1.0 B3.1 REVERSE ENGINEERING B3.2 LOGIC / PROCESS

B.4 DEVELOPMENT B4.1 ITERATION PART I / B4.2 ITERATION PART II / B4.3 ITERATION PART III /

B.5 PROTOTYPING B5.1 B5.2 B5.3

B.6 PROPOSAL B6.1 SITE ANALYSIS / MERRI CREEK B6.2 DESGIN PROPOSAL

B.7 LEARNING OUTCOMES B7.1 DESGIN INTEREST B7.2 PARAMETRIC DESIGN B7.3 DESIGN THROUGH MAKING

B.8 APPENDIX B8.1 SKETCH BOOK B8.2 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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R E S E A R C H F I E L D BIO MIMICRY “Biomimicry ushers in an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her. This shift from learning about nature to learning from nature requires a new method of inquiry, a new set of lenses, and

Humankind have created massive sustainability problems for future generation, biomimicry becomes the consequent demonstration of future attention at natural ecosystem and design trending of mimicking biological activities. Basically,

above all, a new humility” [1] - Janine M. Benyus

biomimicry is learning from and then emulating natural forms, processes, and ecosystems to create more sustainable designs[1]. Its greatest legacy is a profound and deepening respect for the natural world. The goal is to create a system of productive, resilient, self-enriching and ultimately sustainable for our planet, which can be called a new way of living – including products, processes and politics - that well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul[2] .

In benefit to the advanced scientific instruments, architects and engineers got the chance innovated design by regarding biomimicry as one of the approaches to solve global challenges

B1. 0

around us in an eco-friendly way. As “innovation inspired by nature”, therefore during the design process, architects and engineers start to think and design in nature’s perspective and always ask “How would nature solve this?”. For instance,

[1] Janine M. Benyus, “A biomimicry primer”, Biomimicry 3.8, 2013, p.5, https://biomimicry.net/ b38files/A_Biomimicry_Primer_Janine_Benyus.pdf [accessed 24th March 2018] [2] Benyus, “A biomimicry primer”, p.2.

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[3] “What is biomimicry”, Biomimicry Institute, 2018 <https://biomimicry.org/what-is-biomimicry/>. [accessed 24th March 2018]

a company solve the complex problem of electrical grid via learning from bee’s working way - not limiting brain power, setting it instinctively and then doing the job individually.

Therefore, they shift from the uncommunicative powersucking appliances and machines into a network through providing controllers that communicate wirelessly with each other to maximize efficiency, keeping every bee in the hive in sync[3]. This demonstrates that capturing natural system can not only sustain the inhabitants, but able to optimise the

Figure 1

systems simultaneously.

Image Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2015-02-23/14smart-inventions-inspired-by-nature-biomimicry

In accord with the logic of generative algorithmic modelling, biomimicry is a design discipline, a branch of science, a problem-solving method, a sustainability ethos and a new way of viewing and valuing biodiversity[4]. Not only being culturally transformative, the role of borrowing chemical recipes and ecosystem strategies from the nature and build a right relation with the natural world is what biomimicry is acting at the moment.

Figure 2

Image Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2015-02-23/14smart-inventions-inspired-by-nature-biomimicry

[3] Amelia Hennighausen & Eric Roston, “14 smart inventions inspired by nature: Biomimicry”, February 24, 2015, https://www.bloomberg.com/ news/photo-essays/2015-02-23/14-smart-inventions-inspired-by-nature-biomimicry [Accessed by March 24, 2018] (para 9 of 16).

[4] Benyus, “A biomimicry primer”, p.3.

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C A S E S T U D Y 1.0 THE MORNING LINE A R A N D A L A S C H

2 0 1 3

This project is presented as a collaborative platform to explore the interplay of art, architecture, cosmology and music. The biomimicry design demonstrated in this case is the architect learn from natural universal structure utilising fractal patterns where each line connects to other lines to form a network of intertwining figures and narratives without any single start or end point. Essentially, this is a fractal building block that grows and scales by a fixed ratio in three dimensions to produce the lines, spaces and structure of the piece. Each bit is interchangeable, demountable, portable and recyclable, allowing the piece to change and adapt physically over time along with its sonic content.[1] With the aid of parametric modelling and computation, a single tetrahedron has undergone a series of truncations and transformations resulting in a repeating single geometry with different scales,

Figure 3

Image Source: http://arandalasch.com/works/the-morning-line/

which is a great approach system over principle or end form.

In modularity, the designer produces a developable element that can replicate to infinite growing their projects.

[6] â&#x20AC;&#x153;The morning lineâ&#x20AC;?, Aranda/Lasch, http://arandalasch.com/works/the-morning-line/ [accessed March 24, 2018], (para 1,2 of 3).

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B

Image Source:

Figure 4

http://arandalasch.com/works/the-morning-line/

B2.0 Figure 5

Image Source: http://arandalasch.com/works/the-morning-line/

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I T E R A T I O N P A R T 1.0 F R A C TA L

SPECIE 1.1 TRIMMING POLYGONS

Polygon - 3 Segment

Hexagon - 4 Segents

Hexagon - 5 Segents

SPECIE 1.2 FRACTAL ELEMENT V1.0

Cluster Polygon - 3 Segments scale F = 0.333

Cluster Polygon - 3 Sgments scale F = 0.333

Cluster Polygon - 3 segments scale F = 0.4

SPECIE 1.3 FRACTAL ELEMENT V2.0

Original Scale F = 0.333 Evaluate curve t = 0.5 Jitter seed = 3

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Original Scale F = 0.400 Evaluate curve t = 0.5 Jitter seed = 3

Add Voronoi Scale F = 0.333 Evaluate curve t =0.5 Jitter seed = 3

Hexagon - Ex=1.641, Ey=5

Cluster Polygon - 3 Segments scale F = 0.6

Add voronoi + pipe Scale F = 0.333 Evaluate curve t =0.5 Jitter seed = 3

Cluster Polygon scale F = 0.333

Cluster Polygon scale F = 0.407

Add voronoi + pipe (scale down) Scale F = 0.333 Evaluate curve t =0.5 Jitter seed = 3

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I T E R A T I O N P A R T 2.0 RECURSIVE STRUCTURE

SPECIE 2.1 FRACTAL STRUCTURE V1.0

Original

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 5 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1 Wbthicken D=0.1

Add Voronoi Reduce numb Brep to mesh WbFrame D=

SPECIE 2.2 FRACTAL STRUCTUREV2.0

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1 Wbinnerpolygom L=0.5

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1 Wbinnerpolygom L=1

Add Voronoi Reduce numbe Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1

SPECIE 2.3 FRACTAL ELEMENT V2.0

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh Wbtriangls L=5

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Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh Wbtriangles; Wboffset; Wbwindow

Add Voronoi Reduce number = Brep to mesh Wbtriangles; Wbw

ber = 1 h =3 Wbthicken D= 0.2

er = 4 Wboffset D=4

=4

window

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 5 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1 Wbthicken D= 0.8

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=1 Wboffset D=4 T{TRUE&FALSE}

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh Wbtriangles; Wbwindow; Wbsplitquads

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 7 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=3 Wbthicken D= 0.2

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh WbFrame D=20 Wbvertices D=6, T=0.4

Add Voronoi Reduce number = 4 Brep to mesh Wbtriangles; Wbwindow; Wbsplitquads; Wboffset

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Aesthetics

Cell quality Grid system Softness This modular geometry got simplest fractal element but with fasinating aesthetic value and cave-like spatial quality, which is a little similar to the stucture of pyramids. The grid system is composed of different size of triangles in the ratio of 1:3. However, this geometry is a little lack of softness with the sharp sharp edge looks.

Aesthetics

Cell quality Grid system Softness This modular geometry got very curvy, voronoi appearance. As the cell is boundary within a negative space without any closed shelter, the quality is not that suitable in the consideration of building homes for bee. For the grid system, this one got very distinctive shape with varying size of cells. The structure looks very flexible and soft that would be able to offer free individual space.

44

Aesthetics

Cell quality Grid system Softness This module got very beautiful composition with special cell composition. Each cell got a shelter with the weaving connection but simultaneously accompany with open space and platforms to offer gathering and activity saces. The grid system in this module looks not in a very obvious order but just combining the cells spatially. However, the structure looks soft enough to get some home quality.

Aesthetics

Cell quality Grid system Softness

This module looks in a biomimicry beauty with flowerlike cells spatially layout in a flowering structure. The cells look very private and comfortable in the wrapping of beautiful patterning shelters. Meanwhile, the round shape makes the whole structure present in a sofy and insulated community group.

45

C A S E S T U D Y 2.0 C A N T O N T O W E R INFORMATION BASED ARCHITECTURE

2010

This project intends to construct a free form tower that to become a landmark of the energetic city. It composed of distorted curves that are divided into multiple levels. With the advanced design of prior grid shell in terms of simple geometry, this tower provides me a point to take a further step of looking at computation design could play with simple geometry in such complex form. Essentially, this form is actually in terms of the rotational movement of the two ellipses, the whole shape is constrained by a waist structure that acts as densification of materials.

In this case, our group can learn how the biomimicry can be presented in such simple geometry but got such strong relationship with natural objects. Meanwhile, the rotational

B3.0 46

structure and compressional grid system also inspire us the ideas of further developing the potential of our cell and grid for embeesy.

Figure 6

CANTON TOWER 47

Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canton_Tower(Look_up).JPG

LOGIC/PROCESS

CONSTRUCT TWO POINTS

CONSTRUCT TWO POINTS

48

DRAW TWO CIRCLES CETERED WITH POINTS

DRAW TWO CIRCLES CETERED WITH POINTS

DIVIDE CIRCLES

DIVIDE CIRCLES

SHIFT LIST TO CONNECT START POINTS AND END POINTS BY INTCRV

SHIFT LIST TO CONNECT START POINTS AND END POINTS BY INTCRV

49

STEP BY STEP ALGRORITHM

STEP 1

STEP 2









STEP 3





×



50

STEP 4



STEP 8































STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

51

TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT SPECIE 1.0 ITERATED BY ADJUSTING SHIFTING LENGTH NUMBERS, NUMBER OF DIVIDING CURVE AND CONNECTING LINE TYPE

B4.0 52

53

SPECIE 2.0 ITERATED BY WEARVE BIRD PLUG-IN

Number of divide curve = 8

Number of divide curve = 8

Add Wbfra

Add Wbthicken & Wbframe D=2

Add Wbthicken & Wbframe D=2

Wbedges D

SPECIE 3.0 ITERATED BY ADDING CONES

Add cones to the flip matrix

Add cones to the flip matrix

Add co

R=4, L=3

R=25, L=100

R=33, L

54

ame D=2 Wbthicken D=3

Add Wbframe D=2 Wbthicken D=3

Add Wbframe D=2 Wbthicken D=3

D=5, Wbwindow D=58

Wbedges D=5, Wbwindow D=80

WbBEVELVERTICE D=18

ones to the flip matrix

Add cones to the flip matrix

Add cones to the flip matrix

L=190

R=234, L=9

R=33, L=792 55

SPECIE 4.0 ITERATED BY USING DIFFERENT LUNCHBOX COMPONENTS

On a single layer Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lun

U=31, V=21

U=96, V=40

U=9

Extrude diamonds - unit y =4

Pop

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbo

U=96, V=40

U=96, V=40

U=96, V=

Populated Geometry - Delanary Mesh

Populated Geometry - Delanary Mesh

Divide, C

Pipe R=0.5

Pipe R=1.2

Move, Di

When layering 27 surfaces

Original

56

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox

U=7, V=3

U=7, V=4

nchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

96, V=40

U=96, V=40

U=96, V=40

pulated Geometry - extrude circle

Populated Geometry - Delanary Mesh

Populated Geometry - Delanary Mesh Wbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mesh window

ox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

Lunchbox Diamond Panel

=40

U=96, V=40

U=96, V=40

Count=10

Divide, Count=36

Divide, Count=10

istance=4

Move, Distance=4

Move, Distance=48

x Hexagon Cells

Lunchbox Quad Panel

Lunchbox Skewed Quad Panel

U=7, V=4

U=7, V=4 57

SPECIE 5.0 ADD VORONOI

voronoi + reduce number Adding voronoi R=12

Adding voronoi

Adding voro

R=42

Reduce num

Brep to mesh

Adding voronoi R=14

Adding voronoi R=14

Adding vor

Reduce number R=27

Reduce number R=27

Reduce num

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to me

Wbwindow D=8

Wbwindow D=20

Wbwindow

voronoi + weavebird

58

Adding voronoi R=14

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to

Reduce number R=27

Wbwindow D=80

Wbwin

Brep to mesh, Wbframe D=9

Wbsplitquads L=3

Wbsplit

onoi R=14

Adding voronoi R=14

Adding voronoi R=14

mber R=8

Reduce number R=23

Reduce number R=27

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

h, Wbthicken D=5

ronoi R=14

Adding voronoi R=14

Adding voronoi R=14

mber R=27

Reduce number R=27

Reduce number R=27

esh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to mesh, Wbthicken D=5

w D=50

Wbwindow D=100

Wbwindow D=600

o mesh, Wbthicken D=5

Brep to mesh, Wbframe D=9

Brep to mesh, Wbframe D=60

dow D=300

D=9 Wbthicken D=5

D=9 Wbthicken D=5

tquads L=3

Wbwindow D=80 Wbsplitquads L=3

Wbwindow D=80 Wbsplitquads L=3 59

Aesthetics

Structure Grid system Softness This structure got even and curvy grid, which looks very soft. And there is an opening at the bottom, which can potentially be an entrance/exit. The inner chamber also got potential to be developed. The structure could be potentially designed as a comortable cell.

Aesthetics

Structure Grid system Softness This structure owns sharp cones at the boundary, which shows a hierarchy of different levelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spaces. The overall looks not soft at all, however, it offers a sense of security for the users inside. The grid system is not very obvious in this case, looks more like built by layers.

60

Aesthetics

Structure Grid system Softness This structure got two layers of grids via soft nets. In terms of the grid systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s property, the internal space is enclosed with layers of porous facades with much negative space inside. Meanwhile, the structure looks like in skeleton system got circular skeletons with skin nets.

Aesthetics

Structure Grid system Softness

This structure looks in a biomimicry beauty with multiple layers of weaved platforms. The grid system is not strong in this case. However, the patterning in each layer is valuable to take. The weaving like patterning create sense sof softness. Meanwhile, the negative space here is very gorgeous as well.

61

62

B.5 PROTOTYPING

63

TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPES TECHNIQUE - 3D PRINTING 3D printing is an additive manufacturing method, which is processed by computational softwares.

This technology allows almost any kind of shapes and is one of the easiest way to achieve 3D models in complex forms. As the whole process is controlled by computerized files, it’s working in high accuracy and efficiency.

Nevertheless, 3d printing also got its shortage.

Firstly, for the objects with same sizes, 3d print will be the most expensive way, got higher cost than laser cutting and CNC routing. Secondly, the size of model is restricted within 200mm through all of axis of the printer.

PROTPTYPE TEST In our group, in the consideration of the shape and size, we chose 3d printing as our prototype test and utilized the material – resin. One of the cells is printed as actual size and the others are printed

B5.0 64

in the scale of 1:5. Both of them got support base when 3d printing, and the hard thing is to remove those additional materials to get a smooth surface, especially the inner hollow chamber, it’s very hard to completely clean it. The actual size one is printed to test the visual aesthetic and spatial quality, those small ones are printed to test the joint way and different connecting means. For those small ones’ joints, we found it’s really hard to join them without any glue but just by plugging in holes that is perfectly achieved in rhinoceros. Also, we found the actual physical model is really different what we’ve seen in a digital mode, that’s why we need to test the physical model again and again.

REFLECTION In the next part, we’re planning to test more materials and trying to get other ways to achieve our physical model. Also for the joints of cell and the inner hollow chamber for bees, we’ll research and test more to get better outcomes.

65

66

B.6

DESIGN PROPOSAL

67

GENERATIVE URBAN STRATEGY MAP

MAIN POINTS GAS STATION

SCALE: 1:1200

HOSPITAL

MAYER PARK

WATERBODY MAIN MERRI CREEK PARK PLANTATION URBAN PARK PLANTATION FACTORY AREA

RESIDENTIAL AREA

PART I

EGAN RESERVE

COBURG PINE RIDGE CEMETRY

MERRI CREEK

BEAU MONDE RESERVE

PART II

BRUNSWICK

ABRAHAMS RESERVE

CERES COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT PARK PHILIPS RESERVE MERRI PARK

PART III GREEN RESERVE

MERRI CREEK LINEAR RESERVE

YARRA BEND PARK

YARRA BLVD

MELBOURNE YARRA STREAM

68

RICHMOND PARK

ANNETTES PLACE

URBAN POLLINATION STRATEGY This “generative urban strategy map” is

to live except the normal greenland/park

a product form the appealing to caring

land as an extension of bee’s inhabitants.

native bee/species. This map shows the

For instance, Brunswick residential area

main area that bees could live along

and the places around Yarra stream can

the Merri creek stream and the path

be really good options for them. However,

approaching to Melbourne CBD. In our

the gas station and hospitals will be the

research, bees are keen on living around

dangerous places for them to go marked

their food resources and water. Therefore,

with grey points.

we pointed out some possible area for bees

B5.0 69

URBAN STRATEGY ITERATION

ALONG MERRI CREEK RIVER TRIAL

70

RESIDENTIAL CORRIDOR

FROM MERRI CREEK TO YARRA RIVER

SURROUNDING RESERVES AND PARKS

PSEUDO ALGORITHM DIAGRAMS OF URBAN IDEA

BRUNSWICK RESIDENTIAL AREA

MERRI CREEK RIVER TRAIL

MELBOURNE ZOO

avoid hospital, gas station and factories

COLLINGWOOD RESIDENTIAL AREA

MELBOURNE CITY

MELBOURNE MUSEUM

SURFACE ENVIRONMENT

EMITTER The Blue Banded Bees in Melbourne built habitats along Merri Creek river trail where has adequate water resource and flower. As human being occupied the city space, the numbers of bees in city is dramatically decreasing FOOD CLOUD To explore the potential corridor to city, the food resource is set to be in city area or the surrounding open space like Melbourne Zoo and Meloburne Museum

PHYSAREALM

POPULATION POSITION

DISPLAY POLYLINE

BIRTH AND DEATH Generally adults bees can live only for one year and die when winter come. The larva will be stored in the nest during winter and become bees in spring SPEED 3m per second DEATH DISTANCE 300 meters 71

PRECEDENT TECOMANTHE HILLII

Inspired by the vine system, we were considering a new way to design a bee hotel in a natural condition. The proposal of the design will try to imitate the natural climber growing system and further develop to a self-growing structure. In terms of the above ground structure, the vine system can be seperated into three main branches, which are the stem, slem leaf and the flower, which can be architecturally analyzed as the structural frame and two different spieces of cells.

Tendril Support

Twining Vine

DOLPHIN EMBASSY 1974 ARCHITECT: ANT FARM The Dolphin Embassy was a research project that never was built and that attempted to study the communication between the human being and the dolphins. It would have been built with asbestos cement and it moved with a solar panel and a motor.

Besides the quality of the drawings, the interest of this proposal was in the social relations that the Dolphin Embassy was proposing between humans and the dolphins. Once Ant Farm was dissolved in 1978, Doug Michels tried to continue with the project, but unfortunately he never got the funds to build it.

72

D T AERSG IE G T CNL I ESNTT A T E M E N T Our target client is Australian native bee – blue banded bee, who needs a village of shelters for individual female bee living with their kids.

Their sizes vary from 2 – 10mm and they prefer to live in solitary but like to build spot together like a small village of neighbouring houses (units). As they’re active foragers, what they would be like to live is flower and water nearby with a wild area. For the quality of their shelter, softness and sunny with semi-shaded position are emphasised. Simultaneously, the tunnel’s size should be varied for different size of bees to perfectly match their bodies. Bee’s demand of bee hotel for rest when in searing sun or being pelted by wind and rain is similar to human’s living demand, which could be a reflection of behaviours and demonstrates urbanism in a micro level.

MISSION: To Build A Embeesy For Native Bees......

CAVE-LIKE HONE

HOME - TUNNEL W/ VARYING SIZE

A SUNNY & SEMI-SHADED POSITION OF HOME

REQUIRE FLOWER NEARBY

UNIT NEAR WATER, POND

WILD AREA CAVE-LIKE HONE HEIGHT: 1-2M

BUILD SPOT TOGETHER LIKE A SMALL VILLAGE OF NEIGHBOURING HOUSING ENCOURAGING BEES INTO GARDEN & BACK YARDS

SOLITARY

SIZE: 10-12mm

SOFT

HOME - A SHELTER WHEN ENCOUNTERING WITH WEATHER PROBLEM

HOME - FOR IMMATRUE BEES GET OVER THE COLD MONTHS

POLLINATED IN HIBBERTIA, TOMATO FLOWER

POLLINATED IN HIBBERTIA, TOMATO FLOWER

ACTIVE FORAGER

FLY DISTANCE: <300M

NOT AGGRESSIVE ALLOW CLOSE INSPECTION

FEMALE BEE LIVE ALONE IN NEST

BEE CAN LIVE IN SHALLOW BURROW IN CLAY SOIL

73

DESIGN PROPOSAL

74

PLAN

SECTION 75

DESIGN STATEMENT The site of our bee hotel – CERES PARK is an eco-friendly park

mold” ‘s growing principle, that is, growing approaching

along Merri Creek stream. In this park, the natural creatures

to the food recourses and got different responses as the

share the place and life with human-beings, which can be

environmental state changes. Other than regarded as a small-

seen especially in the residential areas. During the visit, we

scale architecture, it looks more like a micro urbanism for

were fascinated by the natural environment’s biodiversity and

bees composed of small villages and community groups, and

some artificial set-ups’ harmony.

is aware of deciding to extend the urban structure or not by observing the surrounding environment.

In our proposal, we finally chose the “Peace Center” – a small pavilion surrounded by local vegetation, which is a place got

In terms of digital technique utilization, our group experienced

sense of sanctuary but simultaneously got abundant food

a range of iterations from rhinoceros and grasshopper, which

resources. Therefore, we proposed to grow a bee hotel in one

allows us to explore more potential of the project by change

of the pavilion’s column that can grow bee hotel towards the

and layering the initial group of cells.

food resources that biomimicry liana plantation. The design intended to make the space be a share of human-beings and bees, creating more interactions between natural creatures and human-beings within the sense of artificial and natural comparison. In addition, the design also reflects a micro scale of urban pollination that follows a rule similar to “slim

76

In the presentation, the design is pointed out to be asymmetric and to grow by following some specific rules. Therefore, in next part, we will be more focusing on how to create some specific algorithms for the growing rules and further develop the cell shape and inner chamber shape with those entrances.

77

ITERATION MATRIX

78

DESIGN DETAIL

CELL PERSPECTIVE

CELL PLAN TERMINAL NO.1 TERMINAL NO.2

TERMINAL NO.3

CELL TUNNEL SEAL EGG INCUBATION SHELTER FOOD STORAGE

CELL INTERIOR STRUCTURE

FABRICATION DETAIL

79

B.7 LEARNING OUTCOMES OBJECTIVE 1

OBJECTIVE 3

Interrogating a brief

Developing skills in various three dimensional media

The brief of our tutorial is really unique and interesting when compared to the others. I am really interested the idea of looking at a macro urban development from a micro level. However, due to the little experience of using grasshopper, I am doubt whether we will be able to generate our final embeesy as an interesting design.

However, as weeks progressed, especially from last week, I eventually get to understand some part of the (too board and ever-changing) digital design and its technology. In the mid-term presentation, Doris and I finally proposed a not bad design after the long-term struggling in figuring out grasshopper and computation design.

In studio air, except the study of digital modelling in computation design, graphical communication skills examined through journal and sketchbook and physical modelling skills are improved through prototyping. The interim presentation is a really good chance for Doris and me to translate ideas from those 3D medias into a concise manner. A solid and attracting design is supposed to be well organized in all of those steps then we can eventually sell our products to people.

OBJECTIVE 2 Developing an ability to generate a series of iterations Design species and iterations are one of the most important ways to approach the logic of algorithm and familiar with those tabs, which is a huge challenge during the learning process as well. Nevertheless, Design iterations is also a very interesting learning process to manipulate various distinct definitions and methods. The outcome of some are really unexpected and stand out from the rest, while it is also happy to see through those similar results that can sometimes come from completely different algorithms. Tracking the parametric changes is a good tip in case when need to get back the iteration but

80

OBJECTIVE 4 Developing an understanding of relationships between architecture and air The topic of our studio - to build a embeesy really pushing us to have a general understanding of micro natural environment through an urban scale and in the specific site. For that taske of â&#x20AC;&#x153;generative urban strategyâ&#x20AC;?, Doris and I get to know how to use computation design to generate the bunch of paths that bees might pass in a beautiful way at first time, which updated our understanding of mapping way, The emphasis of site in our tutorial group tends to make us closer from the actual site, which is easier for us to imagine setting up our design into the realistic, got more

OBJECTIVE 5 Developing the ability to make a case for proposals After several weeks of learning, we have already generated several designs and some individual understanding of the digital design. However, it is a bit difficult stage to incorporate various good points into the digital design, set up some specific algorithmic rules and what to sacrifice for a flow design. After several prototype tests, a primary proposal was determined, we are also aware that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do more material tests and grasshopper attempts to explore the potential of our design and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not afraid to change or get failings as we go further.

OBJECTIVE 6 Developing capabilities for conceptual, technical and design analysis of contemporary architectural projects

OBJECTIVE 7 & 8 Developing foundational understandings of computational geometry, data structures and types of programming and begin to build a personalized repertoire of computational techniques.

After going through week by week videos and practices, I got a general understanding in the logic of algorithmic design and my computation design has obviously been improved. Both of the limitation and potential of computation design can be seen as I know more about it. I am still not very familiar with grasshopper as it got so many types of tabs and plug-ins that flowing through a range of logical ideas in different structure of digital modelling.

More testing and try not to be restricted by my cognitive way of thinking will be really important for me to continue the following study.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really good way to understand a innovative system or a specific design project via researching, analyzing and reverse-engineer it. Our attempt to learn from the Morning line requires us to know the fractal structure in terms of repeating a single element and the basic understanding of self-growing structure with start and end points.

From analyzing the design intent to the realization, the whole process allows us to have an understanding of contemporary innovative projects in conceptual, technical and design aspects.

81

BIBLIOGRAPHY “A BIOMIMICRY PRIMER,” JANINE M. BENYUS, BIOMIMICRY, 8 MARCH, 2013, <HTTPS://BIOMIMICRY.NET/B38FILES/A_BIOMIMICRY_ PRIMER_JANINE_BENYUS.PDF >[ACCESSED 24TH MARCH 2018] “THE MORNING LINE”, ARANDA/LASCH, HTTP://ARANDALASCH.COM/WORKS/THE-MORNING-LINE/ [ACCESSED MARCH 24, 2018].

“WHAT IS BIOMIMICRY”, BIOMIMICRY INSTITUTE, 2018 <HTTPS://BIOMIMICRY.ORG/WHAT-IS-BIOMIMICRY/>. [ACCESSED 24TH MARCH 2018] “14 SMART INVENTIONS INSPIRED BY NATURE: BIOMIMICRY,” AMELIA HENNIGHAUSEN & ERIC ROSTON, FEBRUARY 24, 2015, HTTPS://WWW.BLOOMBERG.COM/NEWS/PHOTO-ESSAYS/2015-02-23/14-SMART-INVENTIONS-INSPIRED-BY-NATURE-BIOMIMICRY [ACCESSED BY MARCH 24, 2018]

82

c DETAILED DESIGN

83

C DETAILED DESIGN

84

C.1 DESIGN CONCEPT 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3

PART B FEEDBACK FORM FINDING V.1 FORM FINDING V.2 FINAL CHOSEN STRUCTURE 1.4 CONCEPT & CONSTRUCTION

C.2 PROTOTYPES 2.1 FABRICATION WAY 2.2 FABRICATION PROCESS 2.3 PROTOTYPE

C.3 FINAL DESIGN DETAIL 3.1 FINAL CONCEPT 3.2 FINAL DETAIL DRAWI NG 3.3 FINAL MODEL

C.4 LEARNING OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES 4.1 FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 4.2 LEARNING OBJECTIVE

85

86

C.1 DESIGN COCEPT 1.0 FEEDBACK FROM PART B 1) Reconsider the design concept, come up with a stonger idea for the proposal 2) Further develop the shape of cell both in internal chamber and outlook with specific ideas.

3) Relate the design more to the site when considering the overall structure 4) Consider more constrains while designing and keep exploring the tunnel regarding beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behavior and living condition 5) Incorporate more details on the connection part and think about joint shape

87

FORM FINDING SITE ANALYSIS

V.1

THE FIRST FO

[POTENTIAL SITE 1]

MAIN FOOD RESOURCE

FOOD RESOURCE MAIN FOOD RESOURCE

PROPOSED SITE

HUMAN ACTIVITY AREA

INSECT HUT

FOOD RESOURCE

BEE PATHWAY

88

ORM STUDY IS BASED ON SITE......

PROS a). Nearby the major food resource, getting both of the insects and human activities involving around. b). Presented as a artifitially sculptural layout of bamboos, which is able to hang embeesy in a beautiful and intersing way.

Simultaneously, it can help bees build connection with human and insects in some way. c). The structure can be played with in many interesting ways.

CONS a). The site is positioned in one of the main path on this site, could be very crowded and intensive in human activities. b). Embeesy could potentially tend to be an exhibition instead of being comfortable zone for bees. c). The pond is not quite near from the proposed site and there is not much shades around here.

HUMAN ACTIVITY

89

SITE ANALYSIS

[POTENTIAL SITE 2]

HIGH INTENSIVE HUMAN ACTIVITY AREA FOOD RESOURCE

PROPOSED SITE

FOOD RESOURCE

FORM FINDING 90

V.1

MERRI CREEK

PROS a). Nice living environment on the site, specifically, that is abundant food resources, near water area, enough shades. b). Quiet, not too many human activities happening around the site, which could pontentially be a place caring for bees. c). The structure can be quite developed.

CONS a). There is much empty playground, which bees might not be very interested in. b). Less people would pop into that place, which cause less chance for them to look at the embeesy, less appealing effects.

91

ITRATION

FORM F

V.1

EXPANSION &

Iteration in Solid Material

J O I NJ TO IDNI TA GDRI A G MR A M

BRANCH ‘B’

BRANCH ‘A’

BRANCH ‘B’

BRANCH ‘A’

PA

Iteration in Transparent Material

B

B C

C

C A

FORM FINDING 92

V.1

A

A

C

A B

B

GROWING FROM GROWING BRANCHFROM ‘A’ BRANCH ‘A’ GROWING FROM GROWING BRANCHFROM ‘B’ BRANCH ‘B’

In the first version of form finding, we generated the form by aggregating the cells following the direction of site’s existing structure - a group of bamboo sculpture. The different iteration outcome comes from the different way they plug into each other, thus they could grow into different directions by different composition.

At this stage, we started to get the technique of how to generate a variety of different forms and gradually get the ability of controlling them. Yet we cannot rationalise where we cget this form from and why it could be bee’s inhabitant. Meanwhile, we haven’t clarify our

FORM FINDING

definition of embessy at this step. Structurally, we haven’t figured

EXPANSION & REPRODUCTION

out the structure’s foundation, structure and shading elements. The repetition of one cell without any change but just by transformation and boolean is also sort of boring.

BRANCH ‘C’

BRANCH ‘C’

JOINT DIAGRAM

JOINT DIAGRAM

PARENT CELL PARENT CELL

BRANCH ‘B’

BRANCH ‘C’

B

B

C A B

OM ’ BRANCH ‘B’

A C

BRANCH ‘A’

C

GROWING FROM GROWING BRANCHFROM ‘C’ BRANCH ‘C’

PARENT CELL

93

FORM FINDING

V.2

THE SECON

Figure 1. CRICKET SHELTER - MODULAR EDIBLE INSECT FARM, 2011

Figure 2. TOMATO FLOWER BRANCHES

This dual-purpose shelter and modular insect farm

The stems of tomato flower get relatively long

bounded into one structure and it's accessible for

and tstrong ones at the bottom, then become

people to check the activities of those crickets in

slimmer and shorter when they split. This natural

order to raise the livestock. Structurally, the shelter is

growing way inspires us to incorporate the idea of

manufactured by replicable modules by a simple CNC

changing scales in 'L' system. the structure starts

plywood archway with linked off-the-shelter plastic

at one point and grow into different branches and

container for crickets to live and produce high proteins.

decrease sizes to match the later small branches, which shows generating thinking.

This case has inspired us of expressing our design concept - "nursery" in the quality and fabrication of the cells, as well as the strong interacion with people.

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ND FORM STUDY IS BASED ON NATURAL PRECEDENT RESEARCH......

Figure 3. TOMATO FLOWER SEED

Figure 4. SECTION VIEW OF BEE-HIVE

The outlook of stamen has inspired us how to

The image provides information of baby bees'

develop our cell's shape that could base on the

living behaviour, which inspires us to design our

stamen's form and texture. Not only take the outer

tunnels also in a linear way.

look, but also get inspiration from those internal pistil that can work as bee tunnel's prototype.

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INSPIRED BY A The inflation

A

nt Farm provides a new perspec

recyclable material to build a enviro

and instability where could produce

the xyz planes of normal box-room.

most potentials has been created that

decide it is - a temple, a funhouse, a s

dome. Been provided as a quite play

handling material has enabled the d

thus easy-to-bring and quickly fabrica

geodesic dome, - an innovated dome

The interior design, to unfold, inflate

red purple cloudballoon, peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ca the space-making and beautifying

case, their own abilities can be a hint

yourself, which lifts the intimacy bet

level. This has inspired us to produce

more than the basic demands they g

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ANT FARM book - present design as a workable and playful product...

ctive of design, they use the cheap,

onment that with the most freedom

es a lot of energy that is confined by

. A new-dimensional space with the

t is able to becomes whatever people

suffocation torture device, a pleasure

yful product, the low-cost and easy-

design to become light weight and

ated one, which was similar to fullerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

e center.

e and see each other in a black white

ategory walls are broken down and come back to usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hands in this

t at the idea of playing the space by

tween people and space into a new

e a design that is playful to the bees,

got for the inhabitants, but offering

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FORM FINDING

V.2

The form finding here is to explore different L system that is able to define the behaviour of plant cells and model the growth processes of plant development. The tomato flowerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing process has been especially researched here, presented by branches changing into smaller size as the structure growing out.

L-SYSTEMS

L-SYSTEM STRUCTURE WITH CELLS

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1.4 FINAL SELECTED FORM-KEY CONCEPT

Since we need a structure that got potential to have stable foundation, self-growing structure and and shading. This structure got the most possibility to be built in L-system and simultaneously got the main elemetnts/parts we need. Also, the overall shape looks stretched that is able to provide private space around each cell.

Therefore, we chose this structure as our final one.

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C.2 T E C T O N I C E L E M

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MENT & PROTOTYPE

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2.1FABRICATION WAY

JOINT A

JOINT B

3D print those joints and then make a pinkysil mould for them to cast white resin with

SHADOW CELL Laser cutting shdow cell then cast resin onto the wing to get a enclosed

STRUCTURE 3D print the structure cell, then utilise pinkysil to make the mould of it, cast white resin onto the pinkysil mould afterwards, a solid structure is finished.

CORE

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First Attempt

Second Attempt

Third Attempt

CONSTRUCTION

NURSERY CELL: Firstly we tried to make a section model for nursery cell in order to show the internal structure. We planned to directly cut the cell into half and half and try to make a pinkysill model for it, however, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s failed as the internal tunnel too thin and if we cut half, it will float, which is not possible to cast. The second attempt isan advanced half-half model with tunnel printed separately, we tried to cast clear resin on it but failed as the resin will stick to the plastic mould. The third attempt is to make a solid mould and then drill holes on the resin casted cell to show the tunnels.

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2.2FABRICATION PROCESS 3D PRINT PLASTIC MOULD

USE THE 3D PRINT JOB TO MAKE A PINKYSIL MOULD

CAST DIFFERE

PROCESS OF MAKING A PINKYSIL MOULD

Make a mould for a cell.

Pinkysil (part a silicon + part b silicon); 2 volume cups.

Pour part a silicon into the cup first.

Prepare a volume cup that is able to pour silicon over cell.

Pour silicon over cell.

Get a dried pinkysil mould.

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ENT TYPES OF RESIN INTO THE PINKYSIL MOULD

Pour the same amount of part b silicon into the same cup afterwards.

Cut the pinkysil mould from half.

Get the two parts of silicon really mixed to get a uniform system.

Take the original cell out.

Get silicon well mixed.

Get the pinkysil mould for casting.

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PROCESS OF CASTING RESIN INTO THE MOULD

Get the pinkysil mould of the joint.

Get the resin and volume disk ready.

Pour the part a resin disk first.

Get the resin well mixed.

Pour the resin into the pinkysil mould.

Get the resin joint afte

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n into the volume

Pour the same amount of part b resin into the volume disk afterwards

Get the resin really mixed to get a uniform system.

er it dry.

Smooth the resin jointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface.

Get the pefect resin joint done.

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2.3 PROTOTYPE DIFFERENT TRYING OF MATERIALS

3D print job of structure cell in plastic

We 3D print each type of cell and create a pinkysil mould for each one respectively, then we tried different type resins to cast on the mould to test different material.

Nursery cell with clear resin. Drilling holes inside to show the tunnels. The clear resin dried the slowest, however, it could get the transparent quality to match the concept

Structure cell in clear resin.

DIFFERENT TRYING OF MODELLING TEXHNIQUES

3D print job + Resin cast

(FAILED)

We 3D print the sectional mould for making nursery cell with tunnels, however, when we cast resin on it, the resins will stick onto the mould and tunnels, which is hard to be taken out. Therefore, we failed to make a detailed section model for nursery cell.

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Lasercut perspex + Resin cast

(SUCCEEDED)

3D print job + Pinkys

We laser cut the wing shape and texture for the shading cell in perspex, then we cast white resin on it to get a enclosed shading cell.

We 3D print eac mould for each resin on each mo final model.

sil mould + Resin cast

Structure cell in white resin. The white resin dried the fastest, however, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to turn yellow after a periodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expose.

Clear resin mixed with white resin.

The clear resin could be touching with white resin and turned not that transparent, it dried in medium.

(SUCCEEDED)

ch type of cell and create a pinkysil h one respectively, then we caset ould to produce our prototype and

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C.3 FINA

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L DETAIL MODEL

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3.1 FINAL CONCEPT - NURSERY EMBEESY - NURSERY: This project is designed for taking care of bees, especially the babies whom have more intended to die in early spring. The design is originally inspired by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dolphin Embassyâ&#x20AC;?, which aims to strengthen the relationship between human and bees and raise the emergence rate of baby bees to contribute the biodiversity.

Structure: The cell shaped is inspired by the tomato flower, which shows the response to biomimicry.

The structure started from one foundation cell and growed into different branches. Branch is composed of structural cell, nursery cell and shading cell Growing rule: shading cell upon the nursery cell, which functions not only shading device but point out the location of nursery.

Nursery cell: The design of the nursery cell starts from the research of the emergence of the blue banded bee from egg to adult. During this process, the bee babies are facing threats from the nature. This include, firstly, the predators such as bee-eaters, shrikes, flycatchers who intends to eat the bee larva before emergence. Secondly, some of the pests would grab baby beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food before they are emergent from the eggs and cause the deaths.

To address these problems, we design a cell functioned as nursery to allow people to inspect and take care of the bees, which will increase the emergence rate of the blue banded bees and raise the population.

To achieve this, multiple tube shape tunnels in 12cm depth and 5mm to 15mm width is designed based on the research of the natural bee-hive that is, the hole would allow an adult female blue banded bees to enter to store the food for the babies. Then, the egg will be laid in the middle of the tunnel to prevent the attack from predators, meanwhile, for leaving enough space for putting thermal insulation. Furthermore, the bottom of the tube is a place for female blue banded bees to store the food for their babies in early spring. A linear flat shape is applied to those tubes, which is inspired from the tomato leaf.

Materiality: Clear resin is adapted for the nursery. In this way, people are able to view the inside condition through the transparent material. Under a periodic observation, a healthier and safer living condition can be ensured.

Furthermore, once disease or unexpected death happened, the movable nursery cell allows people to take off the cells individually for cleaning or adding food, which will be effectively help to develop the health conditions of the bee babies.

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River & route Reserve Apartment &house Stepping stones Food points Emitter points

Merri Creek

CBD Yarra river

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3.1 FINAL CONCEPT-URBAN STRATEGY Those pink points represent the existing inhabitants for blue banded bees around Merri Creek stream. They work as starting points to emit paths for bees to fly towards those black points that are the future potential sites for bees to live in. The connecting black lines are produced by a plug-in of grasshopper called edge bundling test that shows a bunch of potential paths bees might go in the future. The test is according to the safe greenery site like gardening of the houses and around apartments that is potential for bees to live in the future urban environment. Meanwhile, as an urban strategy, this is also the future planning of our design to put on in the urban scale.

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Buildings

Area with plenty of Flax-lilies

Parker reserve

CHOSEN SITE

Merri creek water

il reek tra Merri c

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3.2 FINAL DETAIL DRWAINGS - SITE ANALYSIS The site is selected in a hidden, shadowing and quite place beside river, which is quite near from water resource. Our design grows from a group of rocks, and branches out towards the river. The surroundings except the river is a small pathway for people to wale, cycle and jog, which is quite quiet at the most of time. Meanwhile, the food resources for bees are abundant, and are just around our design.

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FINAL DETAIL DRWAINGS - PL AN & SECTI ON

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Model in site context

FINAL DETAIL DRWAINGS - ISOMETRIC

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Nursery Cell

Structure Cell

Joint A

Shading for structure cell

Structure Cell

FINAL DETAIL DRWAINGS - DESIGN ASSEMBLAGE Nursery Cell Structure Cell

Joint B

Shading for Nursery Cell

Nursery Cell

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3.3 FINAL DETAIL MODEL

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N IINNG CC. 4. 4LLEEAARR N

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GG OOUUTTCCOOMM E SE S

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4.1 FURTHER DEVELOPMENT L-System The structure in the future development should have more control of cells while growing out and got more types of transformation.

Furthermore, the growing rules can be developed based on tomato flower’s one.

Structure Foundation Foundation cell Insert the foundation cell between rocks and the structue will start from here.

Interaction with site

Interaction with surroundings

The structure’s overall structure should be more responding to the site. Meanwhile, the shadow cell and the orientation of the structure should be considered more in accord with the sunlight and bee’s living behaviours.

Interaction with human As the concept of the design is for nursery, the overall structure could be considered more about human’s accessibility and interaction with the structure for conviniencing them to inspect and look after baby bees.

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4.2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Through the study of studio air, I have experienced a completely new way of designing and fabrication. Via an amount of parametric tutorials, readings and lectures introduction, I gradually know how computation design work and how much convinience it can brought us in the future design. It resolves a lot of problems I can’t make in the computational design softwares like Auto CAD and rhinocereoes and brings me a bunch of new inspiration during the exploration. It makes me realised design could be done in so many different ways with the help of computation like 3d printing, VR headset 3d print, therefore, whatdesigners could do in the future and how efficient they are is actually much more than my imagination.

For our tutorial group, our task is to design an Embeesy for bees to live in. This is our first time to design a structure for animals especially such small scale insect. Yet every single one got their own concept of embeesy at last, and coming in a quite interesting way. With the teaching of our tutor, I gradually learnt that design is not unchanged, it could be a way of continually resolving problems for ONE design, however, it could also be a non-stop process of exploring new ideas, adding new information and coming up new ideas every single week. It’s a process of self-critique and also a process of self- exploration. That’s the new way of accomplishing a design I learnt the most in this semester, it pushes me to do more research, consider more constraints of the design and learn more computation techniques every week, which is really a good way to make me explore my design’s unknown boundary.

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STUDIO AIR EM(BEE)SY

Jiexin Wang Mingyu Yang Jiali Sun

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