Ong_JinMingChristian_629928_StudioAir by Christian Ong

STUDIOAIR ONG JIN MING CHRISTIAN | 629928 2015 | STUDIO 8 | BRADLEY ELIAS

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PART A CONCEPTUALISATION 6 A0 DESIGN FUTURING 12 A1 DESIGN COMPUTATION 18 A2 COMPOSITION | GENERATION 24 A3 CONCLUSION 25 A4 LEARNING OUTCOMES 26 A5 APPENDIX

PART B CRITERIA DESIGN

B1 RESEARCH FIELD

36 B2 CASE STUDY 1.0 48 B3 CASE STUDY 2.0 56 B4 TECHNIQUE: DEVELOPMENT 60 B5 TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPING 62 B6 TECHNIQUE: PROPOSAL 66 B7 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES 68 B8 APPENDIX

INTRODUCTION

Being a kid that started remodelling his own home as early as I could draw logically-discernable pictures and with my crafiness in creating objects with my set of Lego building blocks, my father figured that one day I would grow up to be an architect. With him working in the property line, it only increased my interest in designing buildings as he constantly exposed me to countless projects that he was involved in. The past two years in the Bachelor of Environemnts was full of interesting design studios, however none of which is as unique as Studio Air. I have always been accustomed to designing buildings from bottom up, considering all the conditions and requirements myself, generating the

overall idea to final presentation design. Things are done differently in Studio Air though, with the whole idea of design computation being introduced and letting software like Rhino and Grasshopper generate design possibilities instead. I am also a professed Norman Foster fan ever since I found my interest in architecture. His technologically advanced designs have a strong conciousness on their environmetal impact whilst maintaing a signature design elegeance. I dream of one day having the opportunity to work in Foster + Partners and to experience the multitude of diverse projects they often participate in.

PART A

CONCEPTUALIZATION

DESIGN FUTURING

As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown. Norman Foster

CONCEPTUALIZATION 7

DESIGN FUTURING 30 St Mary Axe London, UK | 2004 Foster + Partners The distinctive form of 30 St Mary Axe was determined with the use of dynamic simulation, resulting in reduced wind deflections compared to a rectilinear tower or similar size. [1] The towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core is surrounded by a grid of interconnected diagonally braced structure which allows column-free floor space and a fully glazed facade that opens up the building to light and views, reducing the need for internal lighting during the day and increasing environmental efficiency.[2] The bearing system of the tower is secured by the outer steel armour whose cornerstone is formed by two solid inverted Vâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s which are two storeys high, a unique design that enhances the structural efficiency of the radial-based building.[1]

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Diagrams of wind flow generated by dynamic simulation which greatly contributed in determining the final form of the building, whose profile widens as it rises and tapers towards its apex. The diagrams show how the wind deflection is decreased at lower floors, maintaining a comfortable environment at ground level; while the stronger pressence of wind on the upper floors creates external pressure differentials which are taken advantage of to naturally ventilate the building.[2] 6 intersticing pipes on each floor function as cooling components during summer, and for heating during winter by using heat from within the building.[2] Because the walls are freed up from bulky heating and cooling systems, more natural light is permitted into the building, resulting in a reduction in the cost of lighting.[1] 30 St Mary Axe is a clear example of how design software has assisted in optimising the structural and environemntal performance of a building. From ensuring more efficient load bearing structures to energy saving systems, it is obvious how design simulation through analytic software has been influential in this project.

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| 01 + | 02 30 St Mary Axe by Foster + Partners | 03 + | 04 Wind flow research diagrams | 05 + | 06 Natural lighting and ventilation effects during winter and summer

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DESIGN FUTURING London City Hall London, UK | 2002 Foster + Partners Designed by Fostrer + Partners using advanced computermodelling techniques in collaboration with their Specialist Modelling Group (SMG), the London City Hall represents a reconsideration of architectural form.[2] Its shape was derived from a string of form finding experiments with Arup to achieve optimum energy performance by maximising shading and minimising the surface area exposed to direct sunlight, whilst it flask shape enhances acoustic performace.[2] The Offices are naturally ventilated, photovoltaics provide power and the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooling system utilises ground water pumped up via boreholes, resulting in this building using only a quarter of the energy consumed by a typical air-conditioned London office building.[2]

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This computer generated model for shows the impact of solar radiation on the buildings external envelope. The cones indicate the direction from which each of the facade panels receives sunlight; red represents the maximum level of energy received and blue the minimum. [2]

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A solar impact analysis study was also carried out based on an early iteration of the building, showing average annual heat gain. This information allowed the buildings components to be placed accordingly.[2] For example the chamber is located behind the “coldest” part of the facade to allow maximum glazing, while the photovoltaics are placed in the “hottest” part.[2] These computer generated models are examples of environmental optimisation of a building using architectural computation.

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| 01 + | 02 London City Hall by Foster + Partners

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| 03 Internal spiral staircase | 04 Section view of London City Hall | 05 Solar impact analysis diagram | 06 Solar radiation diagram

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DESIGN COMPUTATION

Computation augments the intellect of the designer and increases capability to solve complex problems Brady Peters

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DESIGN COMPUTATION Siemens Headquarters, Masdar Masdar City, UAE | 2013 Sheppard Robson The Siemens Heaquarters in Masdar City is one of the first buildings completed under the master plan of Foster + Partners to create a zero carbon city in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. By undertaking parametric analysis, Sheppard Robson managed to find the best performing solutions to certain vital aspects of the design: u-values, layout of floorplates, orientation of the building, and the ideal window-to-wall ratio.[3[ The Siemens Headquarters in Masdar City is a clear example of optimised building performance with the use of parametric design software. There was no predetermined aesthetic, but only a main focus of achieving maximum efficiency through design computation.[4]

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The variation in the form of the shading systems was designed to offer legibility to the architectural expression with each facade tailored to suit its solar orientation. [4] In addition to variation in facade treatment, 144 different floorplates were analysed, and the architects picked the best for even distribution of daylight, flexibility, and optimal wall-to-floor ratios; producing column-free floor plates achieve a 92 percent usable-area efficiency.[3]

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These methods are examples of rule-based design computation, where you plug in the key factors and allow the software to generate multiple possibilities. Once all possible design outcomes are reviewed, a suitable one can be chosen with regards tohow it meets the predetermined criteria.

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DESIGN COMPUTATION Shenzhen Bao’an Int. Airport - Terminal 3 Shenzhen | 2013 Studio Fuksas The Shenzhen Bao’an International Aiport - Terminal 3 is designed to cope with the vast economic growth of Shenzhen, better connecting with the world. The curving roof canopy is constructed from steel and glass wraps around the airport, accommodating spans of up to 80 metres.[5] Covered on both sides by a perforated cladding is the airport’s space structure, consisting of 60,000 unique facade components and 400,000 seperate steel units. Hexagonal skylights perforate the surface of this roof, allowing natural light to filter through the entire terminal.[5]

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A parametric data model controlled the size and slope of the openings, which were adapted to meet the requirements of daylight, solar gain and viewing angles, as well as the aesthetic intentions of the architect.[6] Once the architects have set out the deisgn requirements and their design intentions, design computation was put to good use in determining a suitable form for the building. Mutliple outcomes would have been generated for example the size of the openings and even the locations and angle of them to achieve the desired lighting effect in the interior of the building, This is how design computation afftects the design as to enhance its environmental performance through natural lighting.

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The curvy structure is is also a product of structural optimisation with design computation to ensure the structure of the terminal is able to cope with the vibrations from aircraft and loads of the 45 million passengers the airport is expected to cater for per year.

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COMPOSITION | GENERATION

it is now possible to materially realize complex geometric organizational ideas that were previously unattainable . Branko Kolarevic

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COMPOSITION|GENERATION Dresden Station Redevelopment Dresden, Germany | 2006 Foster + Partners Dresdenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main railway terminus is one the largest and most impressive late-nineteenth-century railway stations in Europe. It was unfortunately seriously damaged during the war and was rebuilt.[7] In 1990, severe signs of deterioration were noticed, and plans for remedial conservation were made. Structural analysis showed that reconstructing the original roof covering would add loading to the arches that would push them beyond allowable contemporary standards. [2] Foster + Partners hence proposed a large lightweight membrane roofing component. As membranes carry roof loads by their shape, they must be calculated by parametric analysis to ensure that the entire surface is always in tension, no matter what the loading pattern.[2]

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Above are screen grabs of the computer-generated model, and the resulting physical models; whose development allowed the design team to study and develop the form of the fabric roof canopy in great detail.[2] Using parametric software from membrane specialists Birdair, the generated 3D model formed the basis for an iterative form-finding technique.[2] Once the edge parameters were established, the Birdair software was able to generate a shape solution in seconds, which allowed the architects to analyse geometric options very quickly, and to develop a shape that harmonised with the arches.[2] The parametric model could be adjusted and the offset distance of the fabric from the arches could be changed; also allwoing the tension that pull down points could be tightened - with the resulting shape calculated quickly.[2]

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This echoes what was found in the Brady reading which argues that through computation, the digital architectural design environment is both able to construct sophisticated models of buildings and provide performance feedback on these models.[6]

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| 05 | 01 Internal perspective of the station | 02 Dresden Railway Station | 03 + | 04 Parametric models of the roof | 05 + | 06 Physical models to further research based on parametric model

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COMPOSITION|GENERATION Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre Astana, Kazakhstan | 2010 Foster + Partners Measuring in at 150m high, The Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre is the tallest tensile structure in the world, and envelopes an area of more than 100,000 square metres. [8] This new facility provides numerous leisure activities including a 450m jogging track and a water park, together with cinemas, retail outlets and restaurants.[8] Astana can get as cold as -35 degrees Celcius in winter and can get as warm as +35 degrees in summer, hence the new structureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance in coping with the varying temperatures had to be optimised.

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The design team made use of a form-finding algorithim to generate quick design possibilities for the cable-net structure.[6] This is an example of design generation through parametric software as multiple possible structures were produced that fulfilled the set algorithm, and one suitable option was selected. This algorithm formed part of the parametric model that was used to develop and define the building form.[6] This has to take into account the tensile properties of the three-layered ETFE envelope, the weight of building components, shrinkage and exnpansion due to erratic temperatures, and other forces and loads. The Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre and the Dresden Station Redevelopment both utilised tensile structures in collaboration with architectual computing. These could be very beneficial case studies for my project to design a canopy/hammock/cocoon, which could also be built around a tensile structure.

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| 01 Interior view of tenside structure and supports

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the

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CONCLUSION

Internal view of the tensile roof structure in the Dresden Station Redevelopment

I found the order of learning about design futuring to computation, and to generation was an effective and way to transition into the core ideas of this subject. It was an incremental approach into the level of influence and impact computation had on design. My intended design approach will be one which relies strongly on architectural computation to generate multiple possibilities. This will create a diverse group of design options that meet the predertermined criteria of the brief

CONCEPTUALIZATION 24

with respect to on-site factors. My precendent projects also had a strong focus on environmental optimisation and hence my design would include a significant amount of environmental consideration. It is significant to design in this way as it is an efffort to put a halt to manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unsustainable way of life. This will not only benefit us but also future generations that will hopefully have the chance to inhabit this Earth.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Facade elements of the Siemens Headquarters, Masdar CIty

I have always had a very vague impression of what architectural computation was and how relevant the designs produced are, however after researching numerous precedent projects, I have come to realise that computation is crucial in optimisation of countless aspects of the building. This can be in a structural or an environmental sense. From generating floorplate arrangements to unique load bearing systems, and from natural ventilation and lighting systems to generated facade shading panels. Human minds can only go so far in generating designs,

however with architectural computation, we as designers now have more control over more aspects that affect the design. We are more equipped to make sure our designs have the ability to respond to all these factors and choose an optimal design from multiple possibilities. I used to think that computer generated ideas were only conceptual and were never fully materialisable, I have never been more ignorant in my life. With the advancement of construction technology, these generated designs are no longer virtual entities but are starting to reshape the world we know today.

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APPENDIX

Algorithmic Sketches

Grasshopper OcTree Command Exercise Model up a very basic NURBS surface replica of a famous building whose form is curved and apply the OcTree component to your surface(s) and create a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;blockyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; version of your chosen building. I chose to model up 30 St Mary Axe for this exercise. I found it interesing that even though the surface curvature of the building seemed even, the points populated on the geometry were not, and hence the uneven grouping of points in the OcTree cubes.

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Grasshopper Kangaroo Physics Exercise I manipulated the anchor points using the Gumball tool to experiment with various different types of folding. I was aiming to create a tensile structure that could support the weight of human occupants whilst incorporating unique spaces and intersecting elements.

Grasshopper Kangaroo Physics Exercise For this sketch I experimented moving only one of the anchor points far away from the others and created this â&#x20AC;&#x153;scoopâ&#x20AC;? like geometry. I could explore this further and create a space where people can congregate on the tensile structure.

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APPENDIX

References

1 | “30 St Mary Axe”, Foster+Partners, last modified 2015, http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/30-st-mary-axe/ 2 | David Jenkins (Editor), Norman Foster: Works 6 (London: Prestel Publishing, 2013), 262. 3 | “Siemens’s Lean Efficieny”, MetropolisMagazine, last modified November 2014, http://www.metropolismag.com/Siemenss-Lean-Efficiency/ 4 | “Siemens Headquarters Masdar CIty, Abu Dhabi HQ”, e-architect, last modified January 3, 2012, http://www.e-architect.co.uk/dubai/siemens-headquarters-masdar-city 5 | “Studio Fuksas completes Terminal 3 at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport”, dezeenmagazine, last modified November 26, 2013, http://www.dezeen.com/2013/11/26/ studio-fuksas-terminal-3-shenzhen-baoan-international-airport/ 6 | Peters Brady, Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought (Wiley, 2013), 15. 7 | “Dresden Station Redevelopment”, Foster+Partners, last modified 2015, http:// www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/dresden-station-redevelopment/. 8 | “Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre”, Foster+Partners, last modified 2015, http:// www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/khan-shatyr-entertainment-centre/

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PART B

CRITERIA DESIGN

RESEARCH FIELD

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RESEARCH FIELD SECTIONING

| 01 Sectioning is essentially the breaking down of complex geometries into multiple surfaces, allowing for an easier and usually more economical method of fabrication. Just like making section drawings, sectioning in digital fabrication creates multiple cuts and slices of a defined geometry through the use of intersecting lines and planes, which decomposes the original geometry into manageble parts or pieces for fabrication. The image above shows the construction of the ICD/ ITKE Research Pavilion of 2010, which apart from demonstrating the elastic behaviour of bending plywood strips, clearly illustrate the idea of fabricating geometries in parts. The shell-like shape of the pavilion was divided into long sections with varying widths which generally tapered towards the centre. Along with the interchanging connection points, this resulted in the fabrication of 500 geometrically unique parts, all of which, once put together, materialised the overall geometry of the pavillion.1

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This method of sectioning allows designers to fabricate complex and even â&#x20AC;&#x153;blobbyâ&#x20AC;? geometries more accurately than manual constuction methods, and more economically compared to using a 3D printer to fabricate the whole structure. With sectioning, designers are able to use readily available materials (such as the plywood panels described in the ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion of 2010) to recreate NURBS generated in 3D modelling softwares such as Rhinoceros and physically fabricate them. Sectioning also reduces the need for highly skilled construction personel for during assembly, as these parts are often labelled and have specified connection details. Similar to other means of prefabricating structures, there is less wastage of material in construction as parts are fabricated off site, also recuding the time required for construction.

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| 05 The four images above are other examples that reproducing curvy and complex geometries utilizing the sectioning method. They demonstrate the different methods of sectioning certain geometries, all in efforts to achieve the most accurate representation of their intended design idea. There are however, numerous fabrication concerns when using the sectioning method.

the structure. Apart from this, the thickness of the materials have to also be determined before the parts are measured and cut as this will affect the suitability of type of joinery, and also the overall accurate assembly of the structure.

Issues of connections and joinery in these structures are crucial in recreating geometries successfully. If connection and joining efforts are poorly carried out, the structure will often fail and not be able to display its desired geometry. Hence, connection details of the structure have to be taken into consideration and defined by the design team before fabrication to ensure satisfactory construction of

CASE STUDY 1.0

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CASE STUDY 1.0 AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

| 01 The 2009 Summer Pavilion at The Architectural Association is commonly refered to as The AA Driftwood Pavilion because of its driftwood like outlook. It is the creation of Sibingo and three other group members in attempt to introduce a spatial affect that enggages and overwhelmes the senses through her original idea of .driftwood space”. The ideas were manifested through a computer generated

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script which manipulated the movement of lines in a continuous parallel fashion, creating line drawings which formed the basis of a plan. The pavilion is centered around the idea of carving, eroding and layering. The final design consists of twenty-eight layers of plywood which conceal an overall internal ‘Kerto’ (a renewable spruce plywood) structural system.

The 2009 Summer Pavilion at The Architectural Association is commonly refered to as The AA Driftwood Pavilion because of its driftwood like outlook. It is the creation of Sibingo and three other group members in attempt to introduce a spatial affect that enggages and overwhelmes the senses through her original idea of .driftwood space”. The ideas were manifested through a computer generated

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CASE STUDY 1.0 AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

Basic Geometry

Iterations

In the above iteration exercise I focused on recreating the AA Driftwood Pavilion geometry and try different sectioning methods. I changed the input geometries into the sectioning planes to produce different-shaped cuts. I also rotated the direction of planes and even the orientation of the planes on the X-Y plane. This gave me a variety of section cuts at different angles.

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CASE STUDY 1.0 AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

I now tried to change the original geometry and attempt to apply the sectioning method from above. I created a spiral -like object and sectioned it at different angles and in different directions. This produced a few iterations of which demonstrated the many methods I could fabricate a sprial accurately with single pieces of material.

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CASE STUDY 1.0 AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

These iterations were more of a creative exploration of a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;curvy towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; design, and how maybe even buildings could have a sectioned aesthetic or construction. Creating different sets of voids and permeability, making a tower virtually see-through at certain angles. It was here that I started expermenting with more depth the idea of making a solid item seem transparent at certain angles.

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CASE STUDY 1.0 AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

|These iterations were an attempt of using my sectioning method in response to my studio specific brief of a hammock/ cocoon/canopy/net/web that had to be suspended over the site.

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CASE STUDY 2.0

I believe that the material doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be strong to be used to build a strong structure. The strength of the structure has nothing to do with strength of the material.

Shigeru Ban

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CASE STUDY 2.0 METROPOL PARASOL

The Metropol Parasol is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest wooden structure.Llocated in Seville, Spain, and designed by J. Mayer H. Architects, this monumental structure presents itself in a waffle like structural compostion. The structure, though an incredibly large scale and of a complex geometry, could be fabricated through this method of sectioning,

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namely the waffle grid. The geometry was broken down into slices in 2 or more directions, creating single surfaces for evey cut. These surfaces were then carefully labelled before they could be fabricated to prevent complications during assembly. This is a great example of how sectioning allows complex geometries to be materialised.

The connections and joints of this structure were also meticulously detailed and specified before fabrication, as this is crucial to the assembly and safety of the structure.

Every piece had to be carefully connected to allow the structure to function as a whole, with little reliance on the strength of individual materials.

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CASE STUDY 2.0 METROPOL PARASOL

REVERSE ENGINEERING

In reverse engineering the Metropol Parasol project in Grasshopper, I started off with creating a basic grid of intersecting lines along the X and Y axes using the Linear Array command, varrying their distances between each other with number sliders for each direction.

These intersecting lines were then extruded in the direction of the Z axis, by using the Extrude and Unit Z components respectively, creating a grid of intersecting planes. The height of these planes were controlled by a number slider.

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I modelled up the geometry of the Metropol Parasol simply by using a single vertical line and the Pipe command in Rhino. The radius of the circle was the largest at the top of the line and tapered downwards to the bottom, creating the â&#x20AC;&#x153;mushroom-likeâ&#x20AC;? geometry.

This geometry was then referenced as a brep component in Grasshopper and moved into the grid of intersecting planes. A Brep | Plane intersecting component was used to find where the geometry intersects with the planes. These solutions used a curve component as output.

After obtaining the intersecting curves, I searched for a way to create surfaces from them. I attempted using the Loft command, which did create surfaces but realised that you could only loft between two curves and not within a single curve. The only loft success was with the base grid, which was not the desired effect.

Multiple surface-creating components and runtime errors later, I achieved the desired waffle-grid-like structure as seen in the Metropol Parasol with the Boundary Surfaces command. This command created surfaces within the boundary of the individual curves, as these curves intersect one another, the surfaces generated also intersect one another.

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CASE STUDY 2.0 METROPOL PARASOL

REVERSE ENGINEERING

Top View

Side View

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TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

In the matrix above I experimented with the idea of a canopy/hammock/cocoon that comprised of two thin surfaces which intersect lightly. The surface meshes were generated in Grasshopper using Kangaroo Physics and various manipulation of anchor points and force strengths to achieve the desired shape. These forms were then sectioned to reproduce the transparent or permeable effect of the structure at certain angles.

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The matrix on the right displays my experimentation through numerous iterations of mesh forms and sectioning densities. It was discovered that with thin materials, a larger sectioning spacing (lower density), and a simpler sectioning method (line directions and angles), the permeabilty of the surface would increase and become seemingly transparent and non-existent.

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TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

Front

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle 0

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle 0

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle 45

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle 45

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle

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Perspective

Right

I decided to attempt sectioning simpler geometries in order to achieve the maximum permeabilty of the structure. Top

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing

Perspective

Right

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle 0

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle 0

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle 45

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 0

Vertical Rotation Angle

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle 45

X + Y Section Planes 18 Section Plane Spacing 3

Horizontal Rotation Angle 45

Vertical Rotation Angle

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TECHNIQUE PROTOYPING

I produced a simple prototype to experiment with connections and materiality. The boxboard pieces fit together using simple notches and are held in place by a small amount of glue. They assume intended positions and orientations through the cut directions of the notches. The assembly sequence starts off with the seperation of the vertical and horizontal members of the prototype. The horizontal members are then arranged according to predefined lables and the vertical members are slotted into them

where their notches meet. My design relies heavily on this to achieve the desired effect of being an open and yet somewhat closed space. If the material used is too thick, my design would appear bulky and the openings between the individual members would not be big enough to provide a sense of openess in the closed space.

Design is not just about the way it looks. Design is about how it works. Steve Jobs

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If I was to suspend my design over the creek, it would not be favourable to obstruct the views along the creek. I find that defeats the purpose of our design in contributing to the surroundings. My selection criteria relies on the affect I am trying to achieve with my design, which is the maxiumum permeability through the structure to preserve views along the creek. Hence I have selected to prototype models that are see-through from certain angles, as seen in the image above.

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TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo Da Vinci

My design takes the idea of a cocoon and breaks it down to its fundamental ideas, just like how sectioning breaks down geometries into parts. Cocoons are essentially a tranluscent or opaque casing woven by insects to protect the pupa inside from predators. Similar to my chosen site along Merri Creek, the dense tree cover and other growth protect the creek from negative human impact. From the design brief our designs should express, support and even amplify relationships between technical, cultural and natural systems. My design aims to do just that CRITERIA DESIGN 62

and exemplify this idea of protection, with the protection enclosure being permeable and open. A sense of protection and the idea of a closed yet open space are the fundamental underlying concepts to my design.

Site Map

Intended area of work

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TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL

My technique enables the creation of an enclosed geometry, yet allows it to be punctured at various points to create a permeable space, an â&#x20AC;&#x153;openâ&#x20AC;? space. This is in line with ampliftying characteristics of my chosen site, punctured at certain points and openings made towards the sky which create a sense of openess. With relation to the idea of the cocoon, my design provides a sense of protection and shelter in an innovative way. The dense tree growth on the banks of the creek at my site give an impression of them forming a protective barrier from the surroundings.

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My approach is preferable in comparison to other possible options as sectioning allows for a more organised and systematic method of fabrication. The cocoon can be broken down into simple surfaces and economically fabricated out of inexpensive material. Sectioning also provides a means of puncuting my design with holes with the gaps between surfaces in order to contribute to the idea of permeability.

The drawback of my design is its bulky outlook - its visual weight, and even its physical weight. This could have been overcome by simply designing a lighter, floating structure that could look like a sheet of paper. However, I strongly feel that in order to express that sense of protection as seen in the idelogy of a cocoon, and to communicate that effectively to the user, my design should retain certain obvious visual cues as to help the user understand my design without much explanation.

In my opinion, communicating design intents and ideas to the user effectively is an essential part of architecture. It would defeat its purpose if my design was visually appealing to me and other designers, but completely confused the everyday user.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

Through these iterations and experimentation process I was able to deduce my form and research the desired aesthetic effect of my design. By starting with reverse engineering projects that had sectioning as the underlying fabrication method, I was able to gain a deep understanding of how sectioning works and formed the basis for my exploration in using sectioning to fabricate my design. There were times when the definitions supplied were not always sufficient in the whole of my Part B process, seperate Grasshopper definitions were required and downloaded from Rhino forums and some definitions had to be reconstructed in order to prevent over-complication of my model. Definitions like transforming meshes into surfaces was downloaded to aid me in my reverse engineering efforts. Apart from this, having a clear design intent and selection criteria was a key in deciding on the form and design of my cocoon from the countless iterations done. As my design progresses into the final stage, I am interested to see how it continues to evolve and grow into the final fabricated product.

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Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Leonardo Da Vinci

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APPENDIX ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

Apple Ball Sketch This algorithmic sketch was a creative experimentation with image sampling logoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s onto solid objects. This created complex spheres which wre populated with circles with formed the images of the chosen logos.

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Patterned Meshes This algorithmic sketch was an extension of the Apple Ball Sketch by image sampling images of the rocks in the creek onto canopy meshes. With the idea of permeabilty affecting the definition of the image sample on the mesh.

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