Air Journal Interim by Jonathan Ng Cheong Tin

Jonathan Ng Cheong Tin_378259

studio_AIR GATEWAY * WESTERN pro/ject/

EOI

University of Melbourne : Bachelor of Environments : Semester 1, 2012

This design journal will introduce different features and research projects performed in this ADS 3 AIR studio. As a start, some state of the art projects were chosen as precedents to explain how they are advancing the architectural discourse and how they Integrate into our Expression of Interest (EOI) proposal for the Gateway Project. Then we looked at unique innovations presented by contemporary computational design techniques that could be integrated into our EOI. Contemporary scripting/ programming cultures are introduced through a project precedent that was analyzed. Then a matrix of combinations was produced with some grasshopper definitions under specific design criteria related to the Gateway proposal. All the different outcomes were recorded and some were useful for the design process and some were rejected by the search process used. A case-study project was chosen and was used to combine two or more of the provided definitions to produce an intended architectural effect which should be experimented in many ways. Fabrication will then take place so as the discovery design journey continues.

2 12 39 42 45

CASE FOR INNOVATION 2. Architecture as a Discourse 5. Computing in Architecture 10. Parametric Modelling 11. Case for Innovation Conclusion

RESEARCH PROJECT

I2. Scope of Possibilities 14. Statement Of Gateway Criteria 15. Matrix 28. Case studies Research 30. Reverse-Engineered Case-Study 32. Case Based Designs 34. Fabrication

E.O.I CONCLUSION

39. Expression of Interest Conclusion: Competitive Advantage 40. Learning Objectives and Outcomes: Interim

PROJECT PROPOSAL 20. Project Interpretation 21. Project Delivery 23. Project Presentation 25. Project Proposal Conclusion

FINAL CONCLUSION 31. Personal Background and Learning Objectives 32. Learning Progress 33. Learning Outcomes 34. Future Work

JONATHAN NCT_378259

[

CASE FOR INNOVATION HOW ARCHITECTURE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE GATEWAY PROJECT

Architectural theory and practice will be instrumental in the design and fabrication of the Western Gateway installation. The gateway brief specifically calls for the design of an installation, one with “longevity in it’s appeal” and exploration into “place-making aspects and qualities” - these parameters, however superficial, form the immediate basis for general architectural speculation and inquiry. ARCHITECTURE AFFORDS: Construction: TECHNOLOGY , FUNCTIONALITY Design: SPECULATION, PROCESS (DIGITAL OR OTHERWISE) History: EVIDENCE

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EOI

ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

]

“Its avant-garde morphology and typology define a new paradigm in the history of Mexican and international architecture.” {Evolo Magazine, 2011}

Located in Mexico City, the Museo Souyama employs cutting-edge architectural fabrication technologies to exist as a large organic, curving structure. The Museum plays an integral role in the transformation of the area: “as a preeminent cultural program, it acts as an initiator in the transformation of the urban perception” (Evolo 2011). Hailed by Raymund Ryan, curator of the Heinz Architectural Centre, as an “extraodinary, multi-dimensional icon”, the building relies heavily upon computational design methods to achieve it’s hexagonal-clad, flowing outer skin. What is architecturally significant here is the construction method used for the skin, and that can be an important source for our EOI if we are going to use the same methodology in our project proposal.

ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

[ DOUBLE HELIX LANTERN_JO NCT,

MELBOURNE, 11’.

““The obsession with which many young faculty and their students now pursue digital research to the exclusion of all contextual and real-world issues (materiality, for example) is astonishing,” he says” {William Menking, editor of The Architect’s Newspaper, 2011} Coordinator : Dr. Stanislav Roudavski Tutor: David Lister Subject: Virtual Environments My state of the art body lantern ; fabricated totally from paper using NURBS geometry. The design discourse of the design intent is about the feasibility of the double helix shape along with its curvatures and aerodynamic design. Can it make it to the real world or will it encounter the limitation of the materials used in the design. “Architecture needs to be thought of less as a set of special material products and rather more as range of social and professional practices that sometimes, but by no means always, lead to buildings.”Williams, Richard (2005). ‘architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), pp. 102-116, p. 108.” From this, we can use this ideology of “experimentation” when we are designing the art form for the Gateway project.

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[HELIOS HOUSE_ OFFICE DA,

LOS ANGELES,06-07.

The design of the Helios House is quite similar to my precedent and the discourse from my personal precedent has been solved as shown in this architectural state of the art project; we can achieve complex NURBS geometry even for a bulky real life project as the Helios House that is seen as an exercise in reinventing a classic American building type: the gas station. Its design conjures a vision that blends contemporary aesthetics, inventive fabrication, and sustainable building practices with a multifaceted communications strategy.“Architect, ‘Helios House LA,’ architect magazine, 96 (2007),74-75 (P.74)” Environmental discourse: Critics of this gas station usually point out the huge irony in having an environmentally sustainable building sell gasoline. Others find it a step in the right direction, and considering the car culture in Los Angeles, as well as the progressive nature of California in general, it is a perfect fit. Architecturally, it is quite appealing visually and offers a public lesson in sustainable design as well. All of the faceted stain- less steel panels are recycled, and the ground is composed of crushed glass. It can also produce enough electricity from its solar panels to power three homes. As the project brief stated “an exciting, eye catching installation at Wyndham’s Western Gateway”; people are bound to stare at it, it’s a masterpiece as the first LEED certified gas station and because of its exceptional/ unconventional design. Philip Jodidio, Green Architecture Now! (Cologne: Taschen, 2009), p.255 .

“Office dA aims to liberate the boxed-in Swiss as well as reign in the formalism of the likes of Frank Gehry. It’s a testament to the practice’s lofty ambition, but it’s easy to get lost in the language and rhetoric that surrounds it ” {ICON magazine, 2007}

ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

[ ANTI-SMOG_ Vincent Callebaut,

PARIS,07

““The prototype uses green technologies and techniques but is more than just an example of sustainable design. Callebaut’s ‘Anti Smog: An Innovation Centre in Sustainable Development’ is a catalyst for cleaner air.” {Ali Kriscenski, 2008}

The architect describes Anti-Smog as an “Innovation Center in Sustainable Development”.“Ali Kriscenski, ‘Anti Smog Architecture: A Catalyst for Cleaner Air in Paris’, Design for Health, (2008) <http://inhabitat. com/anti-smog-architecture-a-catalyst-forcleaner-air-in-paris> [accessed 4 April 2012].”It is a state of the art complex which will use all available renewable energy forms to fight against the Parisian smog. In being a fully functional entity, the building is a utility for the city and also a big uplift to the surrounding. The Anti-Smog complex takes the idea of the “green” building a step further than usual: the architect proposes to reduce ambient pollution rather than simply taking care not to contribute to energy waste. Philip Jodidio, Green Architecture Now! (Cologne: Taschen, 2009),

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p. 94 . This concept can be very well inspire the getaway project because of its breakthrough in the “green” discourse and due to the great help of the computer in enhancing/optimizing the concept; funky shape. The project brief specifies that “It may be a structural or landscape response, or a balance of the two, however, it is a requirement that the gateway will make a significant impact.”In this way,our precedent takes the social discourse of a green building into political stance which has a big impact on the world scene ; a good way to put Werribee on the map.

[ BLOOM_ DOSU Studio Architecture

, 2012

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EOI

UNIQUE ADVANTAGES Enabled/By

PARAMETRIC DESIGN

]

PARAMETRIC DESIGN

[[ INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL WATERLOO_ Nicholas Grimshaw Architects,

London , 93’.

“Waterloo International Terminal offers a clear demonstration of conceptual and developmental benefits afforded by the parametric approach to design.” {Kolarevic 2003}

This project above offers a clear demonstration of conceptual and developmental benefits afforded by the parametric approach to design. Parametric design enabled Grimshaw architects to manipulate the dimension of the sequential ribs; using same topology in different scale and varying the axis to follow the shape of the design.. A new breakthrough in computational design was achieved by Grimshaw architects and, a highly complex hierarchy of interdependences could be parametrically modeled, allowing iterative refinement, i.e. the dimensional fine-tuning of the project in all stages of its development, from conceptual design to construction. The methodology surpasses analog design capabilities, as any form or geometry may be rationalized in an infinite number of ways in response to the tweaking of parameters. As stated in the project brief, the object centred individual sculpture/ experiential approach; will be a state of the art design due to the high complexity of forms, achievable by such a “savoir faire in terms of manipulation.

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[ INSTANT HIGH-RISE_ MESNE Studio

, 09

This project recasts the initial ambition for vertical expansion. It envisages a rapidly deployable structure that will provide centrally located resources in areas struck by disaster. The tensegrity principle is explored for its potential to provide a feasible structural system that enables the deployment of a [near] instant skyscraper. This design proposal was developed in collaboration with Cache Studio as an entry to the 2009 Evolo skyscraper competition. The motivation for this project was based on earlier observations regarding the incredible flexibility and adaptive nature of tensegrity structures. From 416 entries in the competition , [near] Instant High-Rise was awarded an honorable mention and has been singled out as exemplary in online architectural forums by bringing “some new refreshing ideas [that justify] the persistence of this competition” (Boiteaoutils 2009). Zhou, YY, Li, J, Frumar, JA & Ren, G, Instant Built Tensegrity Structures with 3D Compression Members, Advanced

Materials Research (2011), vol. 243-49,pp. 5894-8. This precedent conceptual project illustrates that, “For the first time perhaps, architectural design might be aligned with neither formalism nor rationalism but with intelligent form and traceable creativity.” ‘Terzidis, Kostas (2006). Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), p. xi’. Innovative digital design produced by parametric tool; what makes it unique is its intelligence and dynamism as an installation. Its deployable feature enables it to be rise in places where there is a disaster like an earthquake . It also explores the principle of structural tensegrity (based on the use of isolated components in compression inside a net of continuous tension) Innovation needed for the project will be using this kind of intelligence in design.

“For the first time perhaps, architectural design might be aligned with neither formalism nor rationalism but with intelligent form and traceable creativity.” {Terzidis, 2006}

PARAMETRIC DESIGN

[SCRIPTING CULTURES [ ICD ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION_ Acim Menges and Jan Knippers, University of Stuttgart

, 2010.

In 2010, the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) designed and constructed a temporary research pavilion. The innovative structure demonstrates the latest developments in material-oriented computational design, simulation, and production processes in architecture. The result is a bending-active structure made entirely of extremely thin, elastically-bent plywood strips. The information model was individually programmed computer script (in RhinoScript ®). From the two-dimensional drawing of the production-related and machine-specific data to the three-dimensional model .This innovative approach to digital data management in the architectural design process makes use of modern software tools, by expanding this project-specific functionality. The modern script of this 3-D geometric model could be generated with the help of over 6400 lines long code of the information model, all relevant data for the calculation in the finite element analysis software and the CNC machine-specific data.(M. Fleischmann, S. Schleicher, J. Lienhardt, 2010) . Although that the model’s geometry corresponding shape-determining factors such as non-operating properties to the finished construction, traffic and wind loads have not been taken into account, it nevertheless has allowed a realistic evaluation of possible designs in the form of true material; Digital feasibility studies. That this one at all times, especially represented in the earliest design phases present, the central component

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of the project, were a particular concern and an important aspect of innovation in the digital modeling process. A very interesting feature/asset to have in our future proposal. From Scripting Culture (Burry,M , 2010) , it is mentioned that the main challenge of the scripting generation is the move from the creation of inventive articulated patterns, and the smallscale installations to the full scale architectural projects where scripting can unleash an entire universe of opportunities for architectural space. (Matias del Campo, SPAN)This is what the research pavilion tried to demonstrate how this is possible. A very good point which the author proposed is that ‘customisation’ enable by the scripting agent is a very powerful motive for using a such design tool as grasshopper, pushing the limits of computational capabilities, its the same as thinking outside the box. In a way the scripting tool is enhancing our creative freedom by not only depending on the presets or database of the software engineers. The role of the computer in the design process,extensively criticized,is suggested to be a practical ‘aide-de-camp’ and a digital design agent. The designer who wants to be completely in control of the results must be in control of the process. To be in control of the process, the designer must be in control of the tools. The tools are computation, therefore a designer who wants to be in control must also be a scripter (or suffer the consequence of the unseen influence of using other people’s tools). (Robert Aish)

Today’s scripters are inventive; however, scripting is a relatively new technique for the exploration of architectural designs and designers are still figuring out new potentials for using scripting as a design tool. (Brady Peters) In this way the scripting culture, particularly in our context , the visual script rather than textual, will bring new potential outcome to the Gateway project. The design brief states that the Western Gateway installation should provide an entry statement and arrival experience, and become a new identifier for the municipality. Furthermore a good dialogue between sculpture and landscape to compose the Gateway; original and engaging in form. This is the opportunity for ‘scripters’ like us to unleash our creative freedom to make the art community proud and generate a sense of place to the locality, Wyndham. Something that people outside Wyndham will find innovative and appealing because as for the moment the region of Werribee is still unknown and regarded only as a residential suburban area.

“The designer who wants to be completely in control of the results must be in control of the process and to be in control of the process, the designer must be in control of the tools. Here, the tools are computational; therefore a designer who wants to be in control must also be a scripter. ” {Robert Aish, 2006}

PARAMETRIC DESIGN

[CONCLUSION After my research on contemporary computational design techniques (parametric modelling) , my perspective on these new methodologies have changed. I was unaware to what extent the new technology could go in the building industry particularly in the design process.“For the first time in history, Architects are designing not the specific shape of the building but as a set of principles encoded as a sequence of parametric equations by which specific instances of the design can be generated and varied in time as needed.” (Kolarevic, Branko, 2003, pp. 18) So for we, designers, the goals are not fix anymore, it can change with a single difference in the equation. The design outcome maybe spontaneous and unpredictable in a way that innovation is ensured. Relating that to the project Getaway brief particularly this part where it states that ‘The Western Gateway should propose new, inspiring and brave ideas, to generate a new discourse’; The “hightech” design tool that we will be using will determine not only the outcome but also it will contribute to its discourse by creating positive polemics around the architectural design. The case for innovation in terms of discourse and parametric toolset will help us for the research project cut ( exploration of parametric designs for the project proposal).

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STATEMENT OF RESEARCH DESIGN FOCUS

Parametric Design

Transformative Geometries

(geometries changing in scale/or and topology, insinuating growth/change)

“In architecture, morphogenesis (cf. “digital morphogenesis” or “computational morphogenesis”) is understood as a group of methods that employ digital media not as representational tools for visualization but as generative tools for the derivation of form and its transformation often in an aspiration to express contextual processes in built form {Stanislav Roudavski, 2009}

Scale/Repetition

Kevin Yu_324229 Matthew Harkin_358628 Jonathan Ng_378259

RESEARCH PROJECT CUT MORPHOGENESIS

RESEARCH PROJECT CUT

EOI STATEMENT OF GATEWAY CRITERIA

GATEWAY BRIEF: Installation: exciting, inspiring, eye catching Prominent location of the site at the entry to metropolitan Melbourne; Back dropped by a large scale service centre; Consideration of how the installation integrates with and/or sits in the immediate and surrounding landscape; Iconic feature; Appropriately scaled; Dialogue between sculpture and landscape to compose the Gateway; Original and engaging in form; Object‐centred individual sculpture or a more experiential approach; Literal or abstract; Adherence to the regulations imposed by VicRoads in relation to siting, view lines, setbacks, materials, colours; Daytime and night time viewing;

SCALE, LIGHT CONDITIONS, MATERIALITY, WEATHER (AIR) Our group’s theme is ‘Nature’. We have been able to develop some criteria so that we can start our designing process. Our focus was on the morphogenesis process; the evolution of life forms, the change in state of matter, the growth of modular shapes into complex ones// SCALE. Growing means evolving from a simple/modular state to a more complex/constraint level under specific rationale. The rationales that we are using to limit/guide our design outcomes are related to the effect of repetition, illusion of light, tectonics. The morphogenesis ideology can be implemented into our EOI by several ways. From the brief, Wyndham city council is looking for a bridging architectural form to link the city and the coast. As analogy the transition from the coast to the city can be seen as a growth , a change in threshold. The “imaginary” bridge will be seen by drivers on the freeway when they go to and from the city using the effect of light and air. Another emergence factor is the city of Wyndham on the world map. The city council wants to create something that will make a special impact on the audience inspiring “Wyndham is alive and here.” So we have analyzed many situations where growth is relevant to the context. With this research project CUT, our group is trying to represent our morphogenesis process by exploiting different grasshoppers definitions to produce some growth output design.

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[ INPUT :PATTERN AND OVERLAP P&O_ImageSampler_Rotation

P&O_Curve Attractor_Rotation

P&O_Image Sampler_Shader

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ENTER THE MATRIX MATRIX

P&O_Maths Functions_Extrusion

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[ INPUT :USING SURFACE NORMALS SN_Image Sampler_Extrusion

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TOPOLOGY Fundamental agent or cell that provides building block for installation, allowing fabrication- relating to biological morphogenic processes. This syntax of simple forms has been exploited to produce this topological relationship with the environment (air).

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GROWTH Augmentation of geometries within landscape representing cultural emergence of Wyndham. The growing geometry of the design is relevant to our design criteria that relates to the brief requirement; promoting the emergence of Werribee as a new city on the Melbourne map.

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SN_UsingSets_Shader

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SN_CurveAttractor_Rotation

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SN_Attractor Point_Rotation

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[ REPETITION

Creating complex, dynamic forms from simple geometry. Parametric driven. The repetition creates an illusion effect which can be exploited by the sun where shades and light patches can be obtained.

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[TRANSFORMATION

The changing of geometries over space/time, a metamorphosis symbolic of Wyndhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultural change into the future. Augmentation of geometries within landscape representing cultural emergence of Wyndham.

MATRIX

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Curve Intersections_Image Sampler/ Attractor Point_Components

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[ LEGEND

1. Hexagonal Grids were used and they were rotated in 3 different axis with the rotation component making the circle geometry spiral effect. 2. Rotating a pattern dependent on an image around a sphere surface. By doing it, an effect is being produced, the concentric pattern is gradually increasing in intensity from the middle. The design is proving its relevancy as the emergence concept has been created here. 3. Superimposing two relief planes using overlapping input and shading one of the layers as red. 4. Overlapping of circles positioned on a curled surface which are being extruded. 5. Interesting overlaid patterns of cones and lines rotated about a curvy plane performing as a special texture. 6. Truncated cones being affected by an attractor point and aligned to a wave surface. 7. The Death Star : extruded rectangles determined by multiple mathematical functions creating the repetition illusion all over a surface. 8. Rotated cones over a wave surface under the influence of multiple mathematical functions. 9. The progressive intensity (growth) of rotating lines around a core produced by streaming a series of numbers in a text. The change in the density of the enclosure is altered to give that rotating and dynamic outcome. 10. A series of extruded cones and lines shaded differently associating a stream text. 11. From a free form surface, circles are extruded normal to this surface producing this fluid shape. 12. Abstract forms sproduced by the image sampler. 13. Extruded polygons being normal to this curved surface producing different concentration of scale due to an image. 14. Using a Mathematical function and a rotation output to create an orbiting pattern. 15. Skin pattern produced by components output using a maths function. 16. Hexagons being extruded under the influence of a curve attracting some elements. 17. Topology explored; Organic patterning created by extruding a geometry along the x-axis. 18. The idea of gradient , from simplicity to density of circles, is produced here by rotating the sets techniques.

This matrix of designs exploration seems to be sort of random and under-constrained. To try to overcome this unpredictably ,without compromising the delight of discovery, architects have developed methods that can be relied upon to produce satisfactory. By using search processes methods where we produced a range of solutions and choosing the â&#x20AC;&#x153;rightâ&#x20AC;? one for further consideration and development. In this research project CUT, a combination of search methods were used : Depth first ; where a promising solution is explored to its logical conclusion (either it meets the goals or it fails) before another solution is examined , the other method used was Best First where all available solutions are evaluated, under the current design criteria and constraints of the client, and the one which appears most promising is chosen for further development. ( Yehuda E. Kalay, 2004 pp. 18-20) From this search methods, some designs were outstanding because of the relevancy to the design criteria and their potential application in the Gateway project.

19. Levels of patterns enhancing shaded sets . 20. Combination of life forms created by a series of circles under the effect of a curve attractor and a rotating effect. 21. A variety of patterns surfaced on a sphere, cylinders being extruded and patterns shaded in cyan. 22. The Bird: arches rotated and being attracted to points on a distorted plane. Producing this complex bionic form demanded some many attracting points which affected the geometry of the design in terms of transformation. 23. Arches being extruded around an open loop surface under an attractor point effect. 24. Torus surface being meshed by a organic stream text pattern. 25. Ellipses being extruded in the x-axis around a double curvature surface. 26. Shading ellipses positioned on a wavy surface producing interesting visual effect. 27. Fish scales : Rotated circles in graft mode using multiple mathematical functions. 28. The Feather : hexagonal grids used over a simple plane with parallel techniques to produce the intended architectural effect of growth; the lines tend to perform from a common threshold level and follow a specific constraint. 29. Rotating pattern with multiple maths function creating some distortions and producing some growth effect. 30. Rectangles components being set on a surface grid to create this evasive illusion of repetition. The design is made up of simple modular rectangles and they are transformed by an image sampler.

MATRIX

RESEARCH PROJECT CUT De Young Museum _ Herzog & de Meuron

Pixelated natural skin facade used to stimulate the effect of light filtering through natural canopy of trees. The architects achieved this architectural effect by image sampling the photographs of the surrounding flora. This demonstrates the powers of the digital tool in the design process specially in a large surface where 3 millions perforations and debossing were produced.(Ben Pell, 2010) It behaves as a good screen in its environment playing with illusion effect using the daylight. The repetition factor in its patterning can be used in the design of the gateway project.

Hills Place_ Amanda Levette Architects Amanda Levete Architects has harnessed high quality ship hull technology to create an ingenious sculptural facade for a new office building just off London’s Oxford Street. They have created from an existing building an elegant, inventive and new durable architecture. (Michael Stacey, 2010) The aerodynamic shapes relate to its environment and how air is fluid over its surface is amazing. This is a clear example how can a design interacts best with AIR. Smoothness in the design of the gateway proposal should be paramount.

Restaurant Aoba-Tei_Hitoshi Abe The project was developed around the concept of “soft boundary surface” where the surface takes the form of an organic membrane which responds to the pressure of adjacent spaces and is constituted as a continuous interior wrapper- a complexly curved steel armature. Image of a Zelkova tree was translated into a dot-screen for production as perforations making up the surface (Ben Pell, 2010). The parametric tool used here is the one responsible for the resulting ambience inside the restaurant.

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CASE STUDIES Articulated Cloud_Ned Kahn

The screen is intended to suggest that a digitized cloud has enveloped the building ,its appearance changing dramatically with variations in light conditions ,weather ,and time of day. The acrylic panels just ripple like clouds moving across the sky when under the effect of wind. (Christine Killory & René Davids, 2008) The kinetic effect of the wind is explored here. Dynamism of the design is relevant to our design criteria for the gateway proposal , where growing/transformation/emergence can be represented dynamically with such installations.

Airspace Tokyo_Faulders Studio The cellular design and double-layering of the screen references the biomorphic density of the original layers of vegetation. It acts to protect the building from the street, much like the lush vegetation that occupied the site. The screen is made up of a series of digitally-generated geometric patterns which were then overlaid and projected as voids on the facade. (Ben Pell, 2010) The screen interacts with its environment in a natural way as the patterns are vegetation-like and they provide a good link between the built world and the forest. In that way our design for the brief should interact with the natural landscape.

John Lewis Department Store_Foreign Office Ach. The offset of the two frit patterned surfaces produces a flickering optical effect for passers-by. The design of which combines a textile pattern originating from the translucency of saris worn by the large South Asian population of the architect’s city. The patterned and layered assembly thus works to maximize the effect of the skin’s role as an architectural fabric that reveals the exterior. (Ben Pell, 2010) It is a good way to envelop a building and give to its environment this eye candy impression, that’s not what it is all about? Producing something really eye catching for the brief.

RESEARCH CASE STUDIES

[REVERSE-ENGINEERED CASE STUDY

PROJECT CREDITS BANQ restaurant/ 1375 Washington Street, Boston, MA / 20062008 Project Size / 4,800 square feet Client / SOWA Restaurant Group, LLC Architect / Office dA, Inc. Project Design / Nader Tehrani, Monica Ponce de Leon Principal in Charge / Nader Tehrani Project Architect / Dan Gallagher Project Coordinators / Catie Newell, Brandon Clifford Project Team / Harry Lowd, Richard Lee, Lisa Huang, Remon Alberts, Janghwan Cheon, Jumanah Jamal, Aishah Al Sager Contractor / Homeland Builders Structural Consulting Engineer / Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. MEP Consulting Engineer/ Wozny/Barbar & Associates, Inc. Lighting Consultant / Collaborative Lighting Acoustical Consultant / Acentech Kitchen Consultant / TriMark USA, Inc. Building Code Consultant / Hal Cutler Photographer / John Horner

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B a n Q

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The application of a case to solving a particular design problem,however, depends on the relevance of the situation from which the case was derived to the current situation. Their degree of similarity characterizes cases as prototypes, precedents, analogies, symbols, or metaphors-each category further removed from the particulars of a specific design situation. In this case study,one of the focus is on how the one strip of modular plywood is evolving (morphing) into another form hence producing this pattern effect; the scale and perspective. Another aspect is the contour one which will be explored in the fabrication process. The last but not least is the intelligence of the design to not only produce a very good ambience with the design but also to hide services from the eyes of the public; this intelligence will be further explored for our design proposal. “Restaurants are like calisthenic exercises,” says architect Nader Tehrani, a partner, with Monica Ponce de Leon, of Boston-based Office dA, explaining how these projects are great places to flex experimental muscles. “You test out a technique, certain means and methods of production, and they give you a way to expand on them.” With BanQ, a new Boston restaurant serving French-inspired food with Southeast Asian influences, the architects had the opportunity to continue their long-standing investigation of CNC milling. Here, Tehrani says, “The experiment was to radicalize the difference between the ground and sky; to do something economical, but have its effect appear incredibly luxurious.” (Beth Broome, ‘BanQ: Office dA, Inc.’, Architectural Record, (Jan,2009) <http://archrecord. construction.com/projects/bts/archives/restaurants/09_banq/ default.asp?bts=REST> [accessed 17 April 2012]. ) Combining an economy of means with an intrepid spirit, Office dA gets maximum mileage out of its elegantly simple system. With a single gesture, the architects, in the process of concealing mechanical and providing an acoustic baffle to mitigate sound for the residences above, have given the restaurant its identity, at once obscuring and exaggerating the infrastructure, creating motion, and introducing a topography and texture to an otherwise featureless space. But it does so at a tenable volume and, while pouring on the drama, manages to carve out zones that reinforce dining out as an intimate experience.

“There is nothing subtle about BanQ, it is inyour-face architecture, eagerly calling out for attention and never letting guests forget where they are .” {Beth Broome 2009}

REVERSE ENGINEERING

The search process continues here with the iterations of the banQ restaurant case study. The definitions is evolving step by step as the breadth first methodology is used to get the reverse engineering going. The parametric tool used here, Grasshopper, has been up to expectations, in the sense that from all the precedents backing up this technology, now it is proving itself for this design proposal.

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[BANQ ITERATIONS

SERVICES SCALE/ PERSPECTIVE

CONTOURS

[ CASE EXPLORATION

Prototypes are the most common formalism used to capture and apply architectural cases. They are generalized groupings of elements in particular design domains, including prerequisites, sets of elements (syntax) , etc. Much like other design methods, the use of prototypes, precedents, and metaphors is intended to provide the designer with a starting point from which to develop the new design. Each design method uses a different approach to accomplishing this task, whose purpose is to bridge the gap between the three main components of the design process: the analysis of the problem, from which design goals and constraints can be developed; the synthesis of design solutions; and their evaluation vis-a-vis the goals and constraints. ( Yehuda E. Kalay, 2004 pp. 25)

REVERSE ENGINEERING

BANQ MODEL 1

FABRICATION

CONTOURS

The first model was the first step into fabricating what we had designed in Grasshopper. We tried mimicking the architectural effect of our case study ; Contour effect. The model was not that successful because of the scale and there were no variations between each elements of the model, so with no variations we could not really play with light conditions as we mentioned earlier in our design criteria, unfortunately unsuccessful here.

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SCALE PERSPECTIVE

The second aspect of the case study that we wanted to explore was the scale and perspective criteria which were directly connected to our design intent. We successfully produced this effect of gradual change; the growth effect that we explored in our research. The change from one modular plywood to the extreme wavy form.

FABRICATION

BANQ MODEL 2 ////SERVICES After learning from our mistakes for the 1st model, we considerably scale up the 2nd model and tried to get us nearer to the BanQ restaurant layout. Following our successful fabrication, we wanted to explore this time the intelligent design methodology that Office dA used in their interior space . As mention earlier in my precedent for the case of innovation, we will try to design intelligently. So here we have a perfect illustration of how it can be done , Office dA made the contours not only for the aesthetic value of the interior but also to hide and purposefully produced a camouflage effect for all the services ; A.C / ventilation , electrical wires, water pipes, sprinklers,etc. This is a very good attempt in designing intelligently and we successfully reproduced this effect in our 2nd model.

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The 2nd model was also exploring the light conditions feature which we intended to research in our design. As illustrated above, the difference in dimensions of the slits made it possible for the light to go through the design. It also helped to vary the spacing between the slits to produce exceptional lighting effect. The brief states that the installation should be running during the day and night, and our design should interact with air. Both of these constraints were being put in our design so that it is at the end satisfying and rationalized.

FABRICATION

[IMMATERIAL ARCHITECTURE â&#x20AC;&#x153;The user decides whether architecture is immaterial, but the architect, or any other architecture producer creates material conditions in which that decision can be made while other authors of architecture and agents of ambiguity- such as the weathermay intervene to alter perception and matter.â&#x20AC;? {Jonathan Hill 2009}

In this video (on the wiki), light conditions effect has been proven to be very dynamic thanks to our 2nd model case based design. Putting the model in its environment is about taking in considerations all the natural factor not only air has a kinetic influence. The topology of the landscape can also be our influence.

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[ COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

So by now you have seen our research achievements but why you are going to choose us is because we are willing to push the parameters to the next level by doing more experimentation as illustrated above and by rationalizing these complex speculations into fabrication-friendly installations. These are more complex iterations of the case based design, from the same grasshopper definition but put into the site context. Constraints like site boundary specially the curve along the freeway were used as curve attractors in the definition. We started to rationalize the base of the design so that we can start thinking about the construction feasibility of the installation. Overall it is just to give you a foretaste of what is waiting for you if you employ us. Thank you for your time..

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

The research project cut enabled us to explore the design tool, Grasshopper, by limiting ourselves to our design criteria related to the Gateway proposal. The case base design, BanQ restaurant, also helped us to research the different aspect of our future design proposal will be offering ; from the process of fabrication via the laser cutter, materiality has been proven to be a key factor in the design. We have achieved our goals for the research project by experiencing some existing effect provided by our case. Now it is time for us to go further in our discovery design journey to fully satisfy our design criteria hence fulfilling the proposal’s brief.

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RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS // LEARNING OUTCOMES

“Parametric and generative computersupported techniques in combination with mass customization and automated fabrication enable holistic manipulation in silico and the subsequent production of increasingly complex architectural arrangements.” {Stanislav Roudavski, 2009}

[ REFERENCES

Ali Kriscenski, ‘Anti Smog Architecture: A Catalyst for Cleaner Air in Paris’, Design for Health, (2008) <http://inhabitat.com/ anti-smog-architecture-a-catalyst-for-cleaner-air-inparis> [accessed 4 April 2012]. “Architect, ‘Helios House LA,’ architect magazine, 96 (2007),74-75 (P.74)”

Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 62

(Ben Pell, ‘De Young Muesum’, in The Articulate Surface : Ornament and Technology in Contemporary Architecture (Basel, London: Birkhäuser ; Springer distributor, 2010), pp. 74 - 79)

Michael stacey, ‘New Frontiers in Light Metals: Proceedings of the 11th International Aluminium Conference INALCO 2010 (Netherlands: IOS Press, 2010), pp. 8

Ben Pell, ‘Restaurant Aoba-Tei’, in The Articulate Surface : Ornament and Technology in Contemporary Architecture (Basel, London: Birkhäuser ; Springer distributor, 2010), pp. 54 - 59

M. Fleischmann, S. Schleicher, J. Lienhardt, Research Pavilion ICD / ITKE - University of Stuttgart (2010) < http://www.archplus. net/home/news/7,1-4711,1,0.html?referer=128> [accessed on 21/03/12]

Beth Broome, ‘BanQ: Office dA, Inc.’, Architectural Record, (Jan,2009) <http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/ bts/archives/restaurants/09_banq/default.asp?bts=REST> [accessed 17 April 2012].

Philip Jodidio, Green Architecture Now! (Cologne: Taschen, 2009), p.94-255

Burry, Mark. Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), (2011) pp. 8 - 71.

Roudavski, Stanislav (2009). ‘Towards Morphogenesis in Architecture’, International Journal of Architectural Computing, 7, 3, pp. 345-374

Christine Killory, and René Davids, ‘Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’, in Detail in Process. 1st edn, Asbuilt (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2008), pp. 112 - 117

”Williams, Richard (2005). ‘architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), pp. 102-116, Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25.

Erzidis, Kostas (2006). Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), p. xi

Zhou, YY, Li, J, Frumar, JA & Ren, G, Instant Built Tensegrity Structures with 3D Compression Members, Advanced Materials Research (2011), vol. 243-49,pp. 5894-8.

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