Stones_Jordan_640811_PartC by jordanstones

AIR

CONTENTS

PART A_ CONCEPTUALISATION A1_DESIGN FUTURING A2_DESIGN COMPUTATION A3_COMPOSITION & GENERATION A4_CONCLUSION A5_LEARNING OUTCOMES A6_APPENDIX - ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

3 7 9 13 14 15

PART B_ CRITERIA DESIGN

B1_ RESEARCH FIELD B2_CASE STUDY 1.0 B3_CASE STUDY 2.0 B4_TECHNIQUE - DEVELOPMENT B5_TECHNIQUE - PROTOTYPES B6_TECHNIQUE - PROPOSAL B7_LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES B8_APPENDIX - ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

21 23 29 35 39 45 51 53

PART C_ DETAILED DESIGN C1_DESIGN CONCEPT C2_TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES C3_FINAL DETAIL MODEL C4_LEARNING OUTCOMES & OBJECTIVES

51 69 75 85

ABOUT ME JORDAN WILLIAM JAVIER STONES

AM CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING A BACHELOR OF ENVIRONMENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, WHILST WORKING PART-TIME AS A KITCHEN DESIGNER IN MELBOURNE'S WEST. I WAS RAISED IN A SMALL COUNTRY TOWN IN VICTORIA. IT WAS DURING MY TIME AT SECONDARY SCHOOL THAT MENTORS BEGAN TO FOSTER MY CREATIVITY IN DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND LITERARY SUBJECTS. MY DESIGN WORK IN VCE CAME PRIMARILY FROM A STUDIO ARTS SUBJECT, FOR WHICH MY WORK WAS SELECTED AS PART OF NEXT GEN ART EXHIBITION FOR 2012.

III

AS PART OF MY DEGREE I HAVE DEVELOPED A RUDIMENTARY SKILL BASE WITH DIGITAL DESIGN PROGRAMS SUCH AS REVIT, AUTO CAD, SKETCHUP AND ILLUSTRATOR, RHINO, GIMP AND OTHERS. AS PART OF MY WORK I AM REQUIRED TO DESIGN COMPREHENSIVE KITCHEN PLANS ON 20 20 DESIGN SOFTWARE. THIS PROCESS IS ALMOST ENTIRELY DIGITAL, RANGING FROM THE MEASUREMENT OUTSETTING TO THE FINAL RENDERS. WORKING WITH SUCH A PROCESS HAS GIVEN ME SOME INSIGHT INTO DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE IN PRACTICE. I AM EXCITED TO CONCEIVE A DESIGN WITH NO EMPERICAL RESOLUTION. USING THE VIRTUAL SPACE WITH PARAMETRIC MODELLING WILL GRANT A FREEDOM THAT I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED BEFORE WITH ARCHITECTURE BEFORE.

PART A_ CONCEPTUALISATION

A1_ DESIGN FUTURING

HE BANQ RESTAURANT IS A FULLY INTEGRATED EXAMPLE OF PARAMETRIC MODELLING IN AN INTERIOR SPACE. THE UNDULATING CURVES THAT SPAN THE CEILING FORM A FLUID PIECE OF FICTION THAT VEILS STRUCTURE AND CREATES A HOMELY AMBIENCE IN WHICH TO DINE. ALTHOUGH SEEMINGLY RANDOM, THE TECHNICAL PRECISION OF ELEMENTS IS PRAGMATIC IN APPLICATION, AS IT CONFORMS TO THE STRUCTURAL NECESSITIES BENEATH. THIS SENSE OF ILLUSION IS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE MODERN FORM, AS MANY BUILDINGS SPORT EXTERIOR SKINS FOR AESTHETIC APPEAL. THE REAL SENSE OF ILLUSION COMES IN THE FINISHED BUILT FORM. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT INFORMS THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SPACE; THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE ROOM CHANGES AS PEOPLE TRAVERSE IT. THE FLOOR SPACE IS DESIGNED PRIMARILY AROUND FLEXIBILITY. THIS HAS STRONG LINKS TO THEORY FOR DYNAMICS AND HIGH TURNOVER FLOWS IN A RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENT. THERE IS HOWEVER A TENDER BALANCE BETWEEN THIS FLEXIBILITY AND THE NECESSARY FEATURES OF THE SPACE.

"THE INSPIRATION THAT ULTIMATELY RECONCILED THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE CEILING WITH THE DESIRE TO CREATE SOMETHING TRANSCENDENT WAS VERY SIMPLE, IT WAS THE INTERSECTION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY WITH THE TOTALLY CONVENTIONAL".1 THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SITE WAS ONE OF RESPECT; AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM. BEYOND THIS SOLUTION, THE DESIGN IS ONE OF EVOLUTION. IN LINE WITH THE DIVERSITY OF FOOD CHOICES SERVED AT BANQ, THE PARAMETRIC SHAPES HELP TO DEVELOP THE STYLE OF WHAT A NEW AGE RESTAURANT CAN BE. "THE CEILING'S ARCING SURFACES COMPRISE JUST ANOTHER PRECEDENT 01 BanQ Restuarant by Office dA Location: Boston, MA, USA Project Design: Nader Tehrani, Monica Ponce de Leon Figure 2: John Horner, BanQ, 2009, photographs, http://www.archdaily.com/42581/banq-office-da/.

CENT, AND RICH, LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY".

LAYER IN A RE-

1 “Banq,” David Sokol, australian design review, last modified June 30, 2009, http://www.australiandesignreview.com/interiors/661-banq. 2 “Banq,” David Sokol, australian design review, last modified June 30, 2009, http://www.australiandesignreview.com/interiors/661-banq.

A1_ DESIGN FUTURING

EANNE GANG'S AQUA TOWER IS A COMPREHENSIVE EXAMPLE OF HOW A PARAMETRIC FORM CAN PERFORM AN INTEGRAL FUNCTION OF A BUILDING WHILST REMAINING HONEST, SIMPLE AND ATTRACTIVE. THE BASIC YET REVOLUTIONARY FORM OF WATER RIPPLES LED TO THE AQUA TOWER BEING AWARDED THE EMPORIS SK YSCRAPER AWARD IN 2009. THE RIPPLES PERFORM A PRAGMATIC FUNCTION FOR BALCONY VIEWING IN AN OBSCURED HIGH DENSITY AREA, WHILST REFERENCING THE FORMS OF LIMESTONE OUTCROPPINGS ON LAKE MICHIGAN.

PRECEDENT 02

Aqua Tower by Studio Gang Architects Location: Chicago , IL, USA Architect of Record: Loewenberg & Associates Project Leader: Jeanne Gang Project Year: 2007 - 2009

THE BUILDING IS A PROJECT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE RESIDENT. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS WITH PEOPLE AND COMFORT IN MIND HAVE ENSURED THAT THE PARAMETRIC SURFACE IS NOT SIMPLY A LAYER OF MAKEUP. AQUA TOWER IS THE TALLEST SKYSCRAPER IN THE WORLD TO BE BUILT BY A WOMAN. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT GANG'S WORK IS REVOLUTIONARY.

"SKYSCRAPERS ARE TRADITIONALLY SEEN AS AN EXPRESSION OF OVERBEARING MALE LIBIDO, A SORT OF MINE'S-TALLER-THAN-YOURS COMPETITION. SO, EVEN TODAY, IT IS A SURPRISE TO FIND A WOMAN BUILDING SO SWAGGERINGLY HIGH". 1 THE PARAMETRIC DISTINCTNESS AND FLUID PRAGMATISM ELEVATE THE AQUA TOWER TO A NEW LEVEL IN THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE CHICAGO SKYLINE.

1 Aqua Tower " the tower that Jeanne Gang built," Jonathan Glancey, the guardian, last modified 21 October, 2009, http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/oct/20/aqua-tower-jeanne-gang.

Figure 5: Dave Wilson, Aqua Building Abstract, 2011, photograph, http://www.davewilsonphotography.com/2011/03/28/aqua-building-abstract-chicago/.

A2_ DESIGN COMPUTATION PRECEDENT 03 Project for Teatro Col贸n Competition by Xefirotarch Principal: Hernan Diaz Alonso Project Year: 2013

ARAMETRIC DESIGN BY DEFINITION UTILIZES ALGORITHMIC THINKING TO DEFINE CUSTOMIZED PARAMETERS AND ENCODE SPECIFIC MEANING TO A DESIGN RESPONSE. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT VARIATION IS SO PROMINENT AND THEREFORE NOT IMMEDIATELY COMPATIBLE WITH A STANDARDISED CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM OF VARIATION EXTENDS TO BOTH THE CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN INDUSTRY. LIKE THE PROJECT FOR TEATRO COLON, A MODERN SKYSCRAPER (FIGURE 7) ALSO REMAINS UNBUILT. THE SKYSCRAPER DEMONSTRATES HOW BENEFITS OF COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN ARE OFTEN UNRECOGNIZED OR ARE ONLY PURSUED TO AN EXTENT BEFORE A STANDARDISED INDUSTRY TAKES OVER. THIS MODERN SKYSCRAPER PRESENTS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HOWEVER. THE DIGITAL DESIGN PROCESS REVOLVED AROUND THE DYNAMIC FORCE OF EXPLOSIONS AND DISTORTION OF SHAPE IN EXPLOSIONS. UTILIZING A COMPUTATIONAL METHOD OF EXPERIMENTATION MEANS THAT DESIGNS CAN BE CONCEIVED AS MICROCOSMS FOR MUCH LARGER INSPIRATIONS. THIS IS WHERE CONVENTIONALITY FALLS SHORT.

"SINCE TRADITIONAL DESIGN SKILLS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DESIGN MATERIALS AT THE MACRO AND MICRO LEVEL, MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHMS WILL BECOME MORE CRITICAL IN THE DESIGN PROCESS." 1 DESIGNERS MAY THEREFORE BE FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF DESIGN CONCEPTUALIZATION AND THE DIGITAL PARAMETRIC COUNTERPART. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN IMPORTANT MIDDLE GROUND IN THE BINARY HERE. THIS IS WHERE SYSTEMS SUCH AS ARCHITECTURE REVIT OPERATE. THIS PROGRAM IS A DRAFTING TOOL AT ITS CENTRE, BUT ALLOWS FOR THREE DIMENSIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH A DESIGN AND ITS STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS.

Alfred Andia, Ph.D, "Automated Architecture: Why CAD, Parametrics and Fabrication are Really Old News," Blucher Design Proceedings 1 (2014): 83.

Figure 6: Xefirotarch, Project for Teatro, 2011, rendering http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1776/abstract.

HE DESIGN PROCESS IS SOMETHING IN WHICH TIME PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE. IN RELATION TO COMPUTING AND DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE, TIME CAN BE MANIPULATED TO MAXIMISE THIS PROCESS. OUR BRAIN CAN PRODUCE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES AND VARIATION OF ITS OWN ACCORD, HOWEVER WITH THE AID OF DIGITAL COMPUTATION WE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE VARIATIONS IN A SHORTENED AMOUNT OF TIME. THIS AFFECTS THE DESIGN PROCESS DRAMATICALLY, AS SOME ARGUE THAT IT ENRICHES IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY, WHILE OTHERS MAINTAIN THAT ENDLESS VARIATION IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO REAL DESIGN AND PRODUCES UNORIGINAL SELECTION BASED DESIGN. USING THE PROJECT FOR TEATRO COLONAS AS AN EXAMPLE (FIGURE 6,) I WOULD ARGUE FOR THE FORMER. THE PROJECT PRESENTS A CLEAR ENGAGEMENT WITH COMPUTATIONAL METHODS OF DESIGN, YET REMAINS HIGHLY ORIGINAL, ABSTRACT AND SPECIFIC. THE PROJECT ILLUSTRATES HOW VARIOUS MANIPULATIONS OF A SIMPLE SPHERICAL FORM CAN RESULT IN A COMPLEX, UNIFIED AND STIMULATING DESIGN. ALTHOUGH UNBUILT, THE PROJECT FOR TEATRO COLON REPRESENTS BOTH THE MAJESTY AND INTIMACY THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH COMPUTATIONAL PROCESS. NO MATTER THE INTERPRETATION, COMPUTING HAS BEEN USED TO REDEFINE PRACTICE. COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN HAS OPENED A GATEWAY TO PEOPLE WORKING IN VARIOUS FIELDS WITH VARIOUS SKILLS; INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MATHEMATICS, SOFTWARE DESIGN, CODING, PHYSICS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. CONVENTIONAL DRAFTING PROGRAMS OR TECHNIQUES ARE COMPARABLY FAVOURED BY ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS, WHEREAS PARAMETRIC MODELLING SYSTEMS CAN SUIT THOSE VERSED IN COMPUTATIONAL PRACTICE.

"WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL SPACE MAKING AND FORMAL VARIATION THE DESIGN WORLD HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES FROM STANDARDIZATION TO CUSTOMIZATION". 1 1

Tristan Al-Haddad , " PARAMETRIC MODULATIONS IN MASONRY," Cumincad (2008): 221.

PRECEDENT 04 Modern Skyscraper SOFI by Danny Karas Principal: Hernan Diaz Alonso Project Year: 2011 Figure 7: Danny Karas SCI-Arc , Modern Skyscraper SOFI, 2011, rendering, http://super-architects.com/archives/4746.

A3_ COMPOSITION & GENERATION PRECEDENT 05 Subdivided Columns – A New Order by Michael Hansmeyer Location: Seattle Johnston Architects Project Year: 2011:

ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

IS NO STRANGER TO COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEMS OF DESIGN. RANGING FROM THE 1960S ONWARDS, COMPUTER AIDED SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED BY ARCHITECTS TO REFINE DESIGNS FROM PEN AND PAPER TO THE SCREEN AND BACK AGAIN.

"ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION HAS TRADITIONALLY GIVEN MORE ATTENTION TO EUCLEDIAN AND PROJECTIVE GEOMETRIES, WHICH ARE USED IN THE GENERATION OF ORTHOGONAL CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND PERSPECTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS OF BUILDINGS. RECENTLY, HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING INTEREST IN OTHER TYPES OF GEOMETRY, ESPECIALLY IN TOPOLOGY". 1 ONLY NOW IS COMPUTER GENERATION PLAYING A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE CONCEPTION OF SUCH DESIGNS. THIS SHIFT FROM A COMPOSITION TO A GENERATION OF IDEAS SPARKED THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL DEBATE. IN RELATION TO THEORY, DISSENTERS HAVE ARGUED THAT THE ADOPTION OF COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN REMOVES AN ESSENTIAL ANTHROPOCENTRIC ELEMENT REGARDING ORIGINALITY. THIS CRITIQUE ARGUES THAT ARCHITECTS ARE NO LONGER DESIGNERS AND ARE RATHER SELECTORS. PRACTICALLY, SOME HAVE ARGUED THAT COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN PRODUCES FORMS THAT ARE NEITHER CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT NOR PRAGMATICALLY VIABLE. THIS APPROACH IS SHALLOW HOWEVER, AS A MOVE TOWARDS COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN AROSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A GLOBALISED ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE. SHOWN IN FIG-

URE 8 AND 9 IS MICHAEL HANSMEYER'S 'SUBDIVIDED COLUMNS; A NEW ORDER'. THEY USE AN ALGORITHMIC PROCESS TO TRANSFORM A CONVENTIONAL DORIC COLUMN INTO AN ORNATE AND OUTRAGEOUSLY SOPHISTICATED NEW COLUMN.

"THE RESULT IS A SERIES OF COLUMNS THAT EXHIBIT BOTH HIGHLY SPECIFIC LOCAL CONDITIONS AS WELL AS AN OVERALL COHERENCY AND CONTINUITY". 2 HANSMEYER'S COLUMNS REPRESENT THE ENOURMOUS COMPLEXITY ACHEIVABLE THROUGH COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN, AND FURTHERMORE ILLUSTRATE THAT SUCH DESIGNS CAN BE PHYSICALLY GENERATED. 1 G, Di Cristina, Architecture and Science (New York: Wiley, 2001), 1. 2 'Algorithmic Architecture,' Riley (Johnstonarchitects), johnstonarchitects, last modifed March 8, 2011, https://johnstonarchitects.wordpress.com/tag/algorithmic-architecture/.

Figure 8: Michael Hansmeyer, columns1, 2011, rendering, https://johnstonarchitects.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/columns1.jpg.

Figure 9: Michael Hansmeyer, columns2, 2011, rendering, https://johnstonarchitects.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/fabricated_columns2.jpg.

A3_ COMPOSITION & GENERATION I

N AN ERA WHERE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IS SPURRED BY BIOMIMICRY AND BIOPHILLIA, DESIGNERS ARE LOOKING TOWARDS THE COMPLEXITIES OF NATURE FOR INSPIRATION. ALGORITHMIC THINKING IS AN APPROACH BY WHICH COMPLEX GEOMETRIES CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH SIMPLE DATA, SO CELLULAR STRUCTURES OR NATURALLY OCCURRING PATTERNS CAN BE REPLICATED TO GREAT EFFECT. 3D PRINTING IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR ALGORITHMIC FORM; BECAUSE "IN 3D PRINTING COMPLEXITY COMES FOR FREE, WHEREAS IN ARCHITECTURE COMPLEXITY COMES WITH A COST".1 SOFTWARE LIKE RHINO AND GRASSHOPPER IS ALSO GREATLY SUITED FOR SUCH MODELLING. SHOWN IN FIGURE 10 AND 11 IS ANGEL QUINTANA'S VISIONARY WORK USING RHINO AND GRASSHOPPER. DESIGNED FOR 3DMETRICA, QUINTANA'S WORK IS EXEMPLARY OF THE INTERACTION WITH NATURE THAT TRANSPARENT AND FLUID COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE CAN ACHIEVE. OFTEN REFERRED TO AS VIRTUAL ARCHITECTURE, THE ALGORITHMIC PROCESS HERE ENCOMPASSES THE ANALOGY OF FLOWER PETALS. IN A SIMILAR VEIN, PARAMETRIC MODELLING HELPS TO ELUCIDATE DESIGNS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE UNACHIEVABLE. THROUGH A SERIES OF DEFINED PARAMETERS OR ALGORITHMIC ENCASINGS, PARAMETRIC MODELLING ALLOWS FOR A VIRTUAL YET EMPIRICAL PROCESS OF COMPLEX GENERATION. THESE PARAMETERS ARE ACHIEVED THROUGH SCRIPTING CULTURE, THAT IS; "THE CAPABILITY OFFERED BY ALMOST ALL DESIGN SOFTWARE PACKAGES THAT ALLOWS THE USER TO ADAPT, CUSTOMISE OR COMPLETELY RECONFIGURE SOFTWARE AROUND THEIR OWN PREDILECTIONS AND MODES OF WORKING".

PRECEDENT 06 Project for 3DMETRICA by Angel Quintana Location: Mexico City Project Year: 2012 Figure 10: Angel Quintana, Project for 3DMETRICA, 2012, rendering, http://www.cgarchitect.com/content/portfolioitems/2012/02/46116/02_large.jpg Figure 11: Angel Quintana, Project for 3DMETRICA, 2012, rendering, http://www.mimdap.org/wp-content/uploads/9669.jpg

"SCRIPTING AFFORDS A SIGNIFICANTLY DEEPER ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPUTER AND USER BY AUTOMATING ROUTINE ASPECTS AND REPETITIVE ACTIVITIES, THUS FACILITATING A FAR GREATER RANGE OF POTENTIAL OUTCOMES FOR THE SAME INVESTMENT IN TIME".2 1 'What is Algorithmic Design?,' Sivam Krish, Generative Design, last modifed March 11, 2012, https://generativedesign.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/algorithmic-design/. 2 Mark Burry, Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming, (Melbourne: John Wiley & Sons, 2013), C1.

A4_ CONCLUSION

HROUGH THE COURSE OF PART A: CONCEPTUALIZATION, I HAVE EXPLORED JUST SOME OF THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE CAN BE APPLIED, INTERPRETED AND LEARNT FROM. MY INTENDED DESIGN APPROACH IS NOT SET IN STONE. I PLAN TO AFFORD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EXPLORATION TO BIOMIMICRY AND BIOPHILLIA, HOWEVER I ALSO DESIRE TO FLESH OUT DIFFERENT MATERIALS. I AM HOPING TO ARRIVE AT A SORT OF MIDDLE GROUND WITH MY DESIGN APPROACH. I AM SEEKING TO RECONCILE DESIGN AND MATERIALS IN ORDER TO CREATE SOMETHING WITH BOTH FLUID FORMS AND POCKETS OF INERTIA. I BELIEVE THAT THIS APPROACH WILL ALLOW ME TO LEARN GREATLY ABOUT PARAMETRIC DESIGN IN REGARDS TO APPLICABILITY AND CONSTRUCTABILITY IN A PHYSICAL SENSE. I DO HOWEVER HOLD THE RESERVATION THAT THIS STUDIO IS NOT PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH CONSTRUCTION IN AN INDUSTRY CONTEXT, SO I DONT PLAN ON GIVING IT TOO MUCH THOUGHT.

A5_ LEARNING OUTCOMES

RCHITECTURAL COMPUTING IS SOMETHING STILL RELATIVELY NEW TO ME. HAVING EXPERIENCED SOME SECOND HAND GRASSHOPPER WORK IN PREIVIOUS YEARS, I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT IN RELATION TO DESIGN GENERATION. IN REGARDS TO PARAMETRICS, HOWEVER, I HAD PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED IT AS NOTHING MORE THAN SCULPTURAL ELEMENTS GENERATED WITH COMPUTERS. THIS DID NOT MEAN I DIDN'T RESPECT IT'S CAPABILITIES THOUGH. SINCE MY TIME IN THIS SUBJECT STARTED, I HAVE COME TO REALISE THAT PARAMETRIC DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL COMPUTING ARE COMPREHENSIVE AND THEORETICALLY SOUND RESPONSES TO SOLVING DESIGN PROBLEMS. I RECOGNIZE COMPUTING NOW AS A MEANS OF DESIGN ITSELF, NOT SIMPLY A MEANS TO COLLABORATE AND REFINE PREVIOUS WORK. ALGORITHMIC THINKING IS SOMETHING I AM YET TO FULLY UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER AT THIS STAGE I AM WILLING TO MAKE FULL USE OF ITS COMPOSITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY PROJECT.

A6_ ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

ABOVE ARE MY FIRST ATTEMPTS AT LOFTING. I CHOSE THIS SKETCH BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THE BASIC SHAPE THAT I AM HOPING TO MANIPULATE AND REFINE AS THE SEMESTER GOES ON. IT IS COMPLEX AT ONE END AND GRADUALLY LEVELS OUT AT THE OTHER. MY FIRST THOUGHTS ARE THAT IT WILL MIMIC PARTS OF THE RIVER BANK AT MERRI CREEK. AT LEFT IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT CREATING A GRID SHELL. THIS WAS BASIC EXPERIMENTATION WITH BOTH RHINO AND GRASSHOPPER. AFTER EXPLORATION OF THIS FORM I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RULED IT OUT AS AN AVENUE TO PURSUE.

ABOVE IS MY COMPLETED GRIDSHELL FOLLOWING AN ONLINE TUTORIAL. I INCLUDED THIS SKETCH BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT A COMPLEX DEFINITION, AND IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS TO COMPLETE. THE FORM ITSELF ALSO BUILDS ON MY ORIGINAL CONCEPTIONS FOR A FINAL FORM.

ABOVE IS A PIPING EXPERIMENT FORMED BY DIVIDING A GEOMOTRY AND OFFSETING A POLY POINT, THEN JITTERING THE CONNECTING LINES AND PIPING THEM. THIS FORM ALSO ALLOWED ME TO EXPERIMENT WITH COLOUR PALETS.

REFERENCES

IMAGES

TEXT

Angel Quintana, Project for 3DMETRICA, 2012, rendering, http://www.cgarchitect.com/content/portfolioitems/2012/02/46116/02_large.jpg

Alfred Andia, Ph.D, "Automated Architecture: Why CAD, Parametrics and Fabrication are Really Old News," Blucher Design Proceedings 1 (2014): 83.

Danny Karas SCI-Arc , Modern Skyscraper SOFI, 2011, rendering, http://super-architects.com/archives/4746.

'Algorithmic Architecture,' Riley (Johnstonarchitects), johnstonarchitects, last modifed March 8, 2011, https:// johnstonarchitects.wordpress.com/tag/algorithmic-architecture/.

Dave Wilson, Aqua Building Abstract, 2011, photograph, http://www.davewilsonphotography.com/2011/03/28/ aqua-building-abstract-chicago/.

Aqua Tower " the tower that Jeanne Gang built," Jonathan Glancey, the guardian, last modified 21 October, 2009, John Horner, BanQ, 2009, photographs, http://www.arch- http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009 oct/20/ daily.com/42581/banq-office-da/. aqua-tower-jeanne-gang. : Michael Hansmeyer, columns2, 2011, rendering, https:// â&#x20AC;&#x153;Banq,â&#x20AC;? David Sokol, australian design review, last modified johnstonarchitects.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/fabriJune 30, 2009, http://www.australiandesignreview.com/incated_columns2.jpg. teriors/661-banq. Michael Hansmeyer, columns1, 2011, rendering, https:// johnstonarchitects.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/columns1.jpg.

Mark Burry, Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming, (Melbourne: John Wiley & Sons, 2013), C1.

Tristan Al-Haddad , " PARAMETRIC MODULATIONS IN MAXefirotarch, Project for Teatro, 2011, rendering http:// SONRY," Cumincad (2008): 221. onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ ad.1776/abstract. 'What is Algorithmic Design?,' Sivam Krish, Generative Design, last modifed March 11, 2012, https://generativedesign. wordpress.com/2012/03/11/algorithmic-design/.

PART B_ CRITERIA DESIGN

B1_ RESEARCH FIELD B

IOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE IS THE CONTEMPORARY DESIGN FORUM OF PHILOSOPHICAL AND PRACTICAL MEANS IN WHICH DESIGN RESOLUTIONS ARE INITIATED FROM NATURAL PROCESSES. NOT CENTRALLY CONCERNED WITH PHYSICAL EMULATION, BIOMIMICRY RATHER EXTRACTS ITS TRUE INSPIRATION FROM THE UNDERLYING RULES WHICH GOVERN NATURE AND NATURAL ENTITIES. A KEY OPPORTUNITY OF PURSUING BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE REVOLVES AROUND CONCEPTIONS OF TRUE AND UNHINDERED NOTIONS OF BEAUTY. "A TRUER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE SEE, WITH OUR MIND AND EYE, IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING ORGANIC. MAN'S EYE AND BRAIN EVOLVED OVER AEONS OF TIME, MOST OF WHICH WERE WITHIN THE VAST UNTRAMMELLED AND UNPAVED LANDSCAPE OF OUR BIOSPHERE!"1 FOLLOWING THIS LINE OF REASONING, BIOMIMICRY IS SEEN AS THE TOOL WITH WHICH A COMPROMISE CAN BE REACHED BETWEEN THE PREVIOUS PROGRESSIONS OF ARCHITECTURE AND AGE OLD IDEALS OF BEAUTY. THIS IS SEEN IN 'MAPLE LEAF SQUARE CANOPY' BY UNITED VISUAL ARTISTS (FIGURE 12), WHICH USES COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN TO ABSTRACT THE GEOMETRY OF LEAVES AND GIVE THE SENSE OF WALKING THROUGH A FOREST AT DUSK.

21 Figure 11: Ashley Nelson, ICD + ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION, 2011, rendering, http://www.knstrct.com/art-blog/2011/12/20/ icd-itke-research-pavilion-2011 [accessed 10 April 2015].

HOWEVER, BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE IS NOT ONLY CONCERNED WITH PETITIONS FOR NATURAL BEAUTY. BY EXTENSION OF ITS DISPOSITION TOWARDS NATURAL PROCESS AND GOVERNING RULES, BIOMIMICRY SEEKS TO UTILIZE NATURE TO RESOLVE A BUILDING'S FUNCTIONALITY. AS SEEN IN THE CD/ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART (FIGURE 11), A SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF SAND DOLLAR SEA URCHINS WAS ADOPTED IN WHICH AT LEAST THREE PLYWOOD SHEETS ONLY 6MM THICK WOULD FORM REPETITIVE JUNCTIONS, ENABLING THE TRANSMISSION OF NORMAL AND SHEAR FORCES BUT RESTRICTING BENDING MOVEMENT IN THE JOIN ITSELF. THE KEY OPPORTUNITY HERE IS THAT THE METHOD CAN BE APPLIED TO A NUMBER OF 1

Figure 11: Ashley Nelson, ICD + ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION, 2011, rendering, http://www.knstrct.com/art-blog/2011/12/20/ icd-itke-research-pavilion-2011 [accessed 10 April 2015].

David Pearson, New Organic Architecture: The Breaking Wave, First edn (California: University of California Press, 2001), p. 10.

Figure 12: James Medcraft, United Visual Artists, maple leaf square Canopy, 2010, http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/uva_canopy__4/ [accessed 10 April 2015].

NE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN IMPLICATION OF THIS IS THAT INCORRECT OR INAPPLICABLE RULES FROM NATURE ARE UTILIZED FOR DESIGNS WHICH MAY NOT NEED THEM. BEYOND CONCEPTIONS OF BEAUTY WHICH ARE SUBJECTIVE REGARDLESS, BIOMIMICRY MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR STRUCTURAL RESOLUTIONS. THERE IS ALSO A MORAL CONSIDERATION IN THE APPLICATION OF BIOMIMETIC FORMS. IN ELEVATING NATURE AS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE FOR CONCEPTUAL INSPIRATION, BIOMIMICRY CAN BE SEEN TO DISTANCE HUMANITY AND NATURE BY DEFINING THE TWO TERMS AS BINARIES. AN INTERPRETATION FOLLOWS THAT NATURE IS INDEPENDENT OF HUMANITY AND IS THEREFORE STILL PERCEIVED IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE AS HAVING NO INHERENT VALUE; ONLY INSTRUMENTAL VALUE. IT IS THEREFORE QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHETHER A DESIGN APPROACH WHICH ADVOCATES NATURE AS SUPERIOR WHILST POSSIBLY SUBJUGATING IT FURTHER SHOULD BE USED. HOWEVER, SINCE THE FINAL DESIGNS FUSE BIOLOGICAL GUIDELINES WITH MANMADE STRUCTURES, SUCH A MORAL OBJECTION IS OUTWEIGHED BY THE PHYSICAL COLLABORATIVE RESULT. BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE IS NOT NECESSARILY LINKED TO ANY SPECIFIC MATERIALITY, HOWEVER THERE IS A LARGE DISPOSITION TOWARDS UNIFORMITY OF MATERIAL AND NEW TECHNOLOGY. GENERALLY INVOLVING COMPLEX FORMS, FABRICATION IS CURRENTLY AN INHIBITING FACTOR IN SOME WAYS, HOWEVER WITH THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS LIKE GRAPHENE, THIS IS UNLIKELY TO POSE LONG-TERM ISSUES.

B2_ CASE STUDY 1.0

24 VoltaDom by Skylar Tibbits Location: MIT Project Year: 2011

Figure 13: SJET, voltaDom: MIT, 2011, http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html [accessed 12 April 2015].

MY EXPLORATION OUTCOMES WERE EXTREMELY VARIED. AS I MANIPULATED THE DEFINITION OF SKYLAR TIBBITS' 'VOLTADOM' (FIGURE 13), I BEGAN TO STRAY FURTHER AND FURTHER

FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN INTENT UNTIL I BEGAN WORKING WITH FORMS I BOTH LIKED AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH. THE ORIGINAL DEFINITION INVOLVED THE MANIPULATION OF SURFACE ELEMENTS TO CREATE A LARGE PLASTIC LIKE PATTERN. I HOWEVER BEGAN SINGLING IN ON INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS AND MANIPULATING THEM DIRECTLY TO ACHIEVE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. I BEGAN MY ALTERATIONS BY SEEKING OUT VISUALLY APPEALING OPTIONS AND FROM THERE MOVED TOWARDS ITERATIONS THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION WITH FUNCTIONS I HAD NOT EXPLORED BEFORE. MY FINAL OUTCOMES ARE BY NO MEANS RESOLVED, AND I AM YET TO PROPERLY APPLY MY EXPLORATIONS TO THE SITE AND BRIEF.

JITTER PIPING

TEXTURE PIPING

25 SOILD GEOMETRY

REPETITION

B2_ MATRIX OF ITERATIONS

B2_ SELECTION CRITERIA 'create architectural intervention that will express, support, amplify or question continuous relationships between technical, cultural and natural systems'

' encourage innovative forms of participation'

ALTHOUGH VISUALLY REPETITIVE, I INCLUDED THIS

THIS KEY REQUIREMENT OF THE BRIEF DEMANDS

OUTCOME BECAUSE OF BOTH ITS SURFACE PATTERN AND ITS PLATEAUED INCLINE.THIS INCLINE IS BASED OFF THE VARIOUS HILLS AND GULLIES AT THE MERRI CREEK SITE, AND THOUGHTS ON HOW TO NAVIAGTE THROUGH THIS TOPOGRAPHY WITHOUT SIMPLY FOLLOWING THE EXISTING PATHS. THE CROSSHATCHED FINISH IS ALSO SOMETHING I WISH TO EXPLORE WITH REFERENCE TO BIOMIMICRY.

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VARIOUS SYSTEMS AT MERRI CREEK. THROUGH ITS INTERCONNECTD PIPE FORM, I BELIEVE THE OUTCOME AT LEFT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REPRESENT THE COHESION OF MULTIPLE USERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE SPACE AT MERRI CREEK. FURTHERMORE, THE FORM ALSO OFFER A BASE ON WHICH TO EXPAND BIOMETRIC AVENUES OF DESIGN.

' locations as complex, interconnected and dynamic ecologies'

THE OUTCOME AT RIGHT FLOWS IN A SIMI-

LAR VEIN , HOWEVER THE KEY OPPORTUNITY TO STRESS HERE IS THE DYNAMISM OF THIS FORM, AND THE VARYING DEGREES / POINTS OF CONCENTRATION BOTH IN THE DESIGN AND AT THE MERRI CREEK SITE. THIS TO ME IS IMPORTANT AS IT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF SITE LOCATION, PEOPLE MOVEMENT AND FUTURE USE.

' Design, test and build innovative, surprising and beautiful three-dimensional form'

MY FINAL INCLUSION REVOLVES AROUND A

LARGELY GIVEN REQUIREMENT OF THE BRIEF; TO CONCEIVE BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS. THIS IS THE KIND OF FORM THAT I AM ATTREACTED TO IN MY WORK. THIS DESIGN IS LARGELY INSPIRED BY BIOMETRIC DESIGN ON A CELLULAR LEVEL. I AM UNSURE AS TO WHETHER I WANT TO PURSUE THIS AVENUE; BUT I INCLUDED IT TO GIVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FORMS I WISH TO EXPLORE FURTHER.

B3_ CASE STUDY 2.0 W

ITH 'MAPLE LEAF SQUARE CANOPY,' (FIGURE 14) UNITED VISUAL ARTISTS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SIMULATE THE EXPERIENCE OF WALKING THROUGH A FOREST CANOPY IN TORONTO'S INNER PRECINCT. WITH NO JUSTIFICATION NEEDED FOR THE USE OF MAPLE LEAF GEOMETRY, THE PROJECT RELAYS THE DAPPLED SUNLIGHT AS IT SIFTS THROUGH CONIFER LEAVES. "DURING THE DAY, APERTURES IN THE MODULES FILTER NATURAL LIGHT TO THE STREET BELOW. AFTER DUSK, PARTICLES OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT ARE BORN, NAVIGATE THROUGH THE GRID AND DIE, THEIR SURVIVAL DETERMINED BY REGIONS OF ENERGY SWEEPING ACROSS THE STRUCTURE."1

29 Maple Leaf Square Canopy by United Visual Artists Location: Toronto Project Year: 2010

Figure 14: James Medcraft, United Visual Artists, maple leaf square Canopy, 2010, http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/uva_canopy__4/ [accessed 10 April 2015].

I BELIEVE THAT THE CANOPY HAS ACHIEVED WHAT IT SET OUT TO DO, HOWEVER I WOULD QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE LINKS DRAWN TO BIOMIMICRY ARE ONLY SHALLOW ONES. THE DESIGN IS ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND EXPERIENCED BASED, AND CENTRES ON VISUAL LOOKS. IT THEREFORE ONLY ADHERES TO CONCEPTIONS OF NATURAL BEAUTY, AND FUNCTIONAL OR STRUCTURAL LESSONS LEARNT FROM NATURE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. I WISH TO BE MORE THOROUGH IN MY APPROACH TO BIOMIMICRY, AND NOT SIMPLY DABBLE WITH ITS AESTHETIC APPEAL.

Nico Saieh , Maple Leaf Square Canopy / United Visual Artists (2010) <http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/> [accessed 27 Apr 2015]

B3_ Reverse Engineering_CASE STUDY 2.0

STEP 1_

OUTLINE A RECTANGULAR FORM AND PLOT POINTS, ENSURE PROXIMITY IS SET ACCORDINGLY.

STEP 4_

CONNECT POLYPOINT TO VORONOI AND THEN EXTRUDE TO POINT ON Z PLANE, USING VORONOI AS BASEPLANE.

STEP 2_

CREATE VORONOI SURFACE FROM POINTS, BOUNDARY SET TO ENCLOSE.

STEP 5_

STEP 3_

OFFSET VORONOI, EXTRUDE NEW SURFACE, AND CAP.

GROUP THE EXTRUDED CURVE OFFSET AND THE EXTRUDED POLYPOINT PRISM TOGETHER TO FORM DIVIDERS BETWEEN EXTRUDED CELLS.

B3_ Reverse Engineering_CASE STUDY 2.0 DESIGN PROCESS

STEP 6_

APPLY DIFFERENT COLOUR SWATCHES TO DIFFERENT FORMS IN THE DESIGN, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE DESIRED EFFECT.

HE OUTCOME OF MY REVERSE ENGINEERING PROJECT IS STILL RELATIVELY SIMPLE. I HAVE INCLUDED THE VORONOI SURFACE AND ITS DIVIDING ELEMENT, AS WELL AS THE EXTRUDING PRISMS WHICH ALLOW THE LIGHT TO DIFFUSE IN A NATURAL WAY. THERE IS HOWEVER THE LIGHTING ELEMENT OF WHICH I HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THOROUGHLY. NOT ALL CELLS IN THE CANOPY ARE LIT, AND THE LIGHTING OF THE CELLS CHANGES UNDER NIGHT TIME CONDITIONS. THIS WAS DIFFICULT TO CAPTURE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE IT FURTHER. I WILL ATTEMPT TO APPLY THIS DEFINITION ON DIFFERENT SURFACES IN THE FUTURE, WHICH WILL LIKELY CONTRIBUTE TO MY FINAL DESIGN.

B4_ CASE STUDY 2.0_Matrix Development

B4_ TECHNIQUE_DEVELOPMENT 'create architectural intervention that will express, support, amplify or question continuous relationships between technical, cultural and natural systems'

' encourage innovative forms of participation'

HIS UNDULATING DESIGN WAS CONCEIVED IN RELATION TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ELEMENTS: LIKE THE MERRI CREEK RIVER, THE SURROUNDING TOPOGRAPHY AND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL. THE FORM INCLUDES VARYING SPACES INTO WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO FUNNEL USERS, .

THE FORM BELOW IS ONE OPTION FOR A COMMUNITY SPACE, ,

WHEREBY USERSWOULD TRANSVERSE A PATHWAY AND COME ACCROSS AN OPEN AREA BEFORE EXITING BACK ONTO THE RIVER PATH.

' locations as complex, interconnected and dynamic ecologies'

HIS SECOND UNDULATING DESIGN RESPONDS TO THE HILLY SITE AND RIVER, AND RELIES UPON THE USE OF LIGHT FILTERING LIKE THAN IN CASE STUDY 2.0.THIS FORM OFFERS MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS IN RELATION TO SHAPE, MATERIALITY AND SURFACE ORNAMENT. THE DEISGN WILL INCLUDE SEATING, VARIOUS LIGHTING STYLES AND VIEWS TO PAST AREAS TRAVELLED. BIOMIMICRY WILL FORM THE BASIS FOR BOTH MATERIALITY AND PATTERN, WITH PANELED SECTIONS USED FOR VORONOI EXPRESSION AS AN EXAMPLE. .

B5_ TECHNIQUE_PROTOTYPES ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM

HE ELEMENTS THAT COMPRISE MY DESIGN ARE MADE UP OF STEEL, WOOD AND GLASS. THE OVERARCHING MEMBERS ARE MADE OF STEEL, AND SMALLER SECTIONS OF STEEL ARE WELDED ONTO THEM WHICH SUSPEND VORONOI PATTERNED PANELS .

HE END OF EACH STEEL MEMBER IS BOLTED TO EXTERNAL COLUMNS WHICH SUPPORT THE STRUCTURE. THE STEEL MEMBERS ASSUME THEIR INTENDED POSITION TO ALIGN WITH THE BEDROCK EXCAVATION AND NATURAL SURFACE SURROUNDING. THEY PATH OF THE DISSENT INTO THE OPENED AREA IS REACHED THROUGH THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE SITE AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF CERTAIN ELEMENTS. THE STRUCTURE WILL BE LIGHTWEIGHT AND THE SUPPORTING ELEMENTS WILL BE FASTENED AT EACH END TO THE BEDROCK. AT THIS STAGE THE DESIGN WILL BE SEMI RECESSED INTO THE ROCK RACE, SO WEATHER CONCERNS ARE NOT A PRIMARY CONCERN. FLOODS HOWEVER ARE. WITH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO DIGHTS FALLS, ENTRANCES AND OPENINGS MUST BE RAISED ABOVE A SAFE FLOOD LINE. AT THIS STAGE OF THE PROTOTYPE I AM OPTING FOR FIBRE CEMENT SHEET FINISHES ON VORONOI SURFACES AND EXPOSED STEEL FOR THE STRUCTURE BEHIND.

B5_ TECHNIQUE_PROTOTYPES T

RANSARQUITETÔNICA BY HENRIQUE OLIVEIRA (FIGURE 15) OFFERS INSPIRATION FOR MY CLADDING TECHNIQUE. THERE AS A SLIGHT RUSTICATION THAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE WHICH IS SHOWCASED IN TRANSARQUITETÔNICA. ITS USE OF RECYCLED PLYWOOD AND WIRE FRAME ARE THINGS WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO EMULATE IN SOME SENSE. THE TWISTING TUNNEL FORMS UTILIZE BIOMIMICRY TO EVOKE A CERTAIN FEELING. IT IS IN THIS SENSE THAT I HOPE TO UTILIZE BIOMIMICRY; NOT SIMPLY WITH REFERNCE TO AESTHETICS, BUT WITH A FUNCTIONAL RESOLUTION RELATED TO THE MEANING OF THE BUILDING. FOR INSTANCE, OLIVEIRA MAKES USE OF THE PLYWOOD IN THE SHAPE OF A TREE TO COMMENT ON THE SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDE IN FAVELA AREAS OF SOUTH AMERICA.

Figure 15: Henrique Oliveira, Transarquitetônica, 2015, http://indulgd.com/wooden-tunnels-installation/ [accessed 25 April 2015].

I WILL UTILIZE BIOMIMICRY IN A SIMILAR SENSE, Transarquitetônica by Henrique Oliveira THIS IS WHY I HAVE OPTED TO BUILD A FORM Location: Museu de Arte Contemporânea da Universidade, São Paulo THAT LINKS MULTIPLE AREAS AROUND THE Project Year: 2014 SITE TO ONE ANOTHER. FUNNELING PEOPLE FROM A SEMI CLOSED SPACE INTO AN OPENED ONE WILL ALSO EMULATE THE MULTIPLE FORMS OF THE RIVER AT DIGHT'S FALLS.

B5_ TECHNIQUE_PROTOTYPES U

NDER DESIGN CONDITIONS LIKE STRETCHING AND TORSION, THIS MODEL OF THE VORONOI CELLS REACTED WELL. IT WAS HIGHLY FLEXIBLE, HOWEVER IT ASSUMED ITS ORIGINAL POSITION EACH TIME AN APPLIED FORCE WAS RELEASED. THE LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE WAS UNABLE TO BEAR HEAVY LOADS OF ITS OWN ACCORD, AND SO I IMPLEMENTED STEEL BEAMS TO SUPPORT THE FRAME IN THE FORM OF COAT HANGER WIRE. LIGHT WORKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS DEPENDING ON THE ORIENTATION OF THE CELLS, WHICH IS ALSO DEPENDENT UPON THE MATERIAL USED

ESIGN CONDITIONS DID NOT BODE SO WELL FOR MY PATTERNING PROTOTYPE, AS ANY AMOUNT OF DISTORTION WOULD DISRUPT THE MAGNETS AND CAUSE THE MODEL TO COLLAPSE IN ONE AREA OR ANOTHER. THIS PROTOTYPE DID HOWEVER ALLOW ME TO EXPLORE MATERIALITY. I WILL CONSIDER THIS ASPECT FURTHER IN PART C.

N REGARDS TO MY PATTERNING PROTOTYPE MODEL, IT DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT CELLS THAT ARE SMALLER ARE STRONGER, AND THAT WITH SMALL STRONGER CELLS THE SURFACE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT EFFECT WITHOUT COVERING THE ENTIRE FORM.

HE PROCESS OF FABRICATING THESE PROTOTYPE MODELS ALLOWED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE OVERALL DESIGN. AFTER EXPERIMENTING WITH VORONOI CELL STRUCTURES ARRANGED IN A SEMI ENCLOSED SEMI OPEN FORM, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT WITHOUT ADEQUATE REINFORCEMENT AND ANCHOR POINTS THEY WOULD NOT HOLD UP. THIS LED ME TO INCLUDE STEEL BEAMS AS SUPPORTS WHERE I OTHERWISE MAY NOT HAVE HAD THEM.

B6_ TECHNIQUE_PROPOSAL

Y DESIGN PROPOSAL REVOLVES AROUND THE IDEA OF EXPERIENCE, COMMUNITY AND WONDER. I HAVE UTILIZED BIOMIMICRY TO SOLVE THE FUNCTIONAL AND SYMBOLIC PROBLEM OF COHESIVENESS BETWEEN MUTLIPLE SYSTEMS AS PER THE BRIEF, I HAVE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE WITH THE UNDULATING TOPOGRPHY OF THE SITE AT MERRI CREEK; SPECIFICALLY DIGHTS FALLS WHICH HAS BEEN A HUB FOR COMMUNITY OVER HUNDERDS OF YEARS.

HE EXOSKELETEN ABOVE DEMONSTRATES BOTH THE FORM OF THIS PROPOSAL AND ITS LOAD BEARING ELEMENTS. USERS ARE INTENDED TO MAKE THEIR WAY FREELY DOWN A PATHED AREA WHICH BEGINS AT THE TOP OF THE RIDGE ABOVE DIGHTS FALLS, AND EMERGE INTO A SEMI-RECESSED GATHERING SPACE AT THE BASE OF THE FALLS. THE CEILING FOR THIS SPACE WILL BE LITTERS WITH VORONOI CELLS WHICH DIFFUSE LIGHT THROUGH THE FORM.

B6_ TECHNIQUE_PROPOSAL

Y TECHNIQUE IS FAR FROM SET IN STONE; PUN INTENDED. I BELIEVE THE CURRENT LOCATION AT DIGHTS FALLS IS WHAT I WISH TO DESIGN MY FORM AROUND, HOWEVER THE FORM WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY CHANGE. I BELIEVE MY DESIGN IS INNOVATIVE BECAUSE IT PUSHES THE BOUNDS OF BIOMIMICRY IN APPLICATION, AND IT HANDLES THE BRIEF ON A SUBCONSCIOUS AND DEEP LEVEL. I BELIEVE THAT MY DESIGN IS ALSO A SURPRISING ONE IN THAT IT WILL BE PARTIALLY IN THE ROCKFACE THE DRAWBACK OF MY PROPOSAL ARE FIRSTLY THAT I HAVE MANY THINGS TO CLARIFY; ONE BEING THE DESIGN ITSELF. I THINK THAT NOW WITH A STRONG GROUNDING IN MY THEORETICAL APPROACH THAT I CAN TAKE THIS FORM INTO PART C WITH CONFIDENCE THAT I CAN EXPAND AND BUILD UPON IT.

B6_ TECHNIQUE_PROPOSAL

B7_ LEARNING OBJECTIVES_OUTCOMES M

Y RESEARCH INTO THE COMPUTATIONAL FIELD HAS SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE ISSUES DISCUSSED IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE. I FEEL THAT THERE IS NO VALID GROUND FOR CLAIMING THAT COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE HAS NO ROLE TO PLAY IN THE DESIGN PROCESS; IT IS MERELY AN ITERATION TOOL. DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE IS LIKE ANY OTHER FORM, IN THAT BRIEFS MUST BE MET TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER AND THAT MULTIPLE CLICKS OF A BUTTON ARE NO DIFFERENT TO MULTIPLE STROKES OF A PENCIL.

MY INTERROGATION OF THE BRIEF WAS INFORMED YET SIMPLE. I PICKED OUT FOUR TO FIVE KEY REQUIREMENTS WHICH I FELT ENCAPSULATED THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, AND STARTED TO THINK HOW THOSE REQUIREMENTS COULD CONNECT AND INTERRELATE TO FORM A DESIGN. ONCE MY CRITERIA DESIGN WAS ESTABLISHED, THE LIMITLESS OPTIONS OFFERS BY COMPUTATIONAL PROCESS QUICKLY SHRUNK. MY ABILITY TO GENERATE A VARIETY OF DESIGN POSSIBILITIES HINGED ON MY INTERROGATION OF THE BRIEF, AS WITHOUT THIS FOOTING; FORMS ARE NOT DESIGN POSSIBILITIES BUT RATHER ACCIDENTS OF COMPUTATIONAL PROCESS. I DEFINITELY HAD SOME ACCIDENTS ALONG THE WAY HOWEVER. I AM YET TO REACH MY FULL POTENTIAL WITH GRASSHOPPER. I FEEL THAT I NEED TO KEEP ON EXPANDING MY COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUES, NOT JUST THE FORMS WHICH I APPLY THEM TO. I AM HOWEVER LEARNING MORE ABOUT OTHER THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA SUCH AS MAGNETS AND PROGRESSIVE MODEL MAKING. I BELIEVE I HAVE MADE GREAT HEADWAY WITH MY DESIGN PROPOSAL, SPECIFICALLY THE JUSTIFICATION FOR DESIGNING A SKELETAL STRUCTURE USED TO MOVE PEOPLE THROUGH THE SITE. MY ARGUMENTS DO NEED WORK HOWEVER; THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT RIGOROUS AND PERSUASIVE ENOUGH YET.

B8_ APPENDIX_ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

REFERENCES

Pearson, David. New Organic Architecture: The Breaking Wave, First edn (California: University of California Press, 2001), p. 10. Saieh, Nico. Maple Leaf Square Canopy / United Visual Artists (2010) <http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/> [accessed 27 Apr 2015] Figure 11: Ashley Nelson, ICD + ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION, 2011, rendering, http://www.knstrct.com/art-blog/2011/12/20/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2011 [accessed 10 April 2015]. Figure 12: James Medcraft, United Visual Artists, maple leaf square Canopy, 2010, http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/uva_canopy__4/ [accessed 10 April 2015]. Figure 13: SJET, voltaDom: MIT, 2011, http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html [accessed 12 April 2015]. Figure 14: James Medcraft, United Visual Artists, maple leaf square Canopy, 2010, http://www.archdaily.com/81576/maple-leaf-square-canopy-united-visual-artists/uva_canopy__4/ [accessed 10 April 2015]. Figure 15: Henrique Oliveira, Transarquitet么nica, 2015, http://indulgd.com/wooden-tunnels-installation/ [accessed 25 April 2015].

PART C_ DETAILED DESIGN

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT I

BEGIN PART C WITH REFLECTION ON THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED FOR MY INTERIM PRESENTATION. AT THIS STAGE MY DESIGN WAS LARGELY CONCEPTUAL AND STILL LIMITED TO MY EXPLORATIONS WITH GRASSHOPPER. THE FEEDBACK I RECEIVED WAS VERY USEFUL, AS IT HELPED TO BOTH INFORM MY DESIGN DIRECTION AND OFFER OUTSIDE CLARIFICATION ON THE APPEARANCE OF MY TECHNIQUE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY OUTCOMES WERE INTERESTING BUT THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TO LINK WHAT I HAD DESIGNED TO WHAT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THE SITE OF DIGHTS FALLS. IN RESPONSE TO THIS FEEDBACK I HAVE OUTLINED A COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN RESPONSE FOR MY FINAL TECHNIQUE.

DESIGN RESPONSE

Y DESIGN RESPONSE WAS TO IDENTIFY A SITE ALONG THE MERRI CREEK TRAIL THAT REPRESENTED A HUB FOR INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN TECHNICAL, CULTURAL AND NATURAL SYSTEMS. DIGHT'S FALLS WAS MY CHOICE, AS IT INCLUDES BOTH MAN MADE, NATURAL AND CULTURAL SYSTEMS THAT OPERATE IN UNISON. I IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM AT DIGHT'S FALLS IN REGARDS TO THE FUNCTIONAL ACCESSIBILTY OF THE SITE AND THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF THE MERRI CREEK TRAIL. MY SOLUTION IS TO EXPAND UPON THE MERRI CREEK TRAIL TO INCORPORATE DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE FORMS OF PARTICIPATION; IN A WAY THAT REFERENCED THE EXISTING SITE FEATURES AND MY RESEARCH FIELD: BIOMIMICRY. I CHOSE TO AMPLIFY THE CONTINUOUS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE SITE FEATURES AS PER THE BRIEF, IN A WAY THAT WOULD SOLVE THE IDENTIFIED PROBLEM. MY DESIGN INCORPORATES AN UNDULATING BRIDGE FORM AND COMMUNITY AREA THAT REFERENCES THE NATURAL SYSTEM OF THE RIVER, AND THE SITE OF DIGHTS FALLS. MY DESIGN LINKS TWO PATHWAYS THAT ARE OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE YET GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE. THE BRIDGE DRAWS UPON THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE RIVER, INCLUDING THE MEANDERING FORM, THE FLOW PATTERN AND WATER REFLECTION; ALL OF WHICH ARE LINKED TO THE EXPERIENCE ASPECT OF THE DESIGN.

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Dights Falls A. DIGHT'S FALLS

SITE PLAN REVIEW & INTENTION THE BELOW SITEPLAN DISPLAYS THE FUNCTIONAL PROBLEM THAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE WITH MY DESIGN. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO POSSIBILTY OF CONNECTION BETWEEN POINTS A AND B. AS SUCH USERS CANNOT ACCESS ONE SIDE OF THE RVER FROM THE OTHER WITHOUT MAJOR DETOURS. AS BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER AT DIGHTS FALLS ARE AREAS OF COMMUNAL GATHERING AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, I WISH TO LINK THEM AND EXPAND UPON THE MERRI CREEK TRAIL.

B. APPROACHING TRAIL

MERRI CREEK YARRA RIVER

WALKING TRAIL

CAR TRAIL

PROPOSED DESIGN SOLUTION

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Dights Falls: BIOMIMCRY: EMULATING FLOW OF MOVEMENT

BIOMIMICRY STANDS AS THE PRACTICE OF EMULATING NATURE OR TAKING LESSONS FROM

NATURE TO RESOLVE DESIGN PROBLEMS RELATING TO STRUCTURE, FUNCTION OR SUSTAINABILITY. FOR MY DESIGN, I AM UTILIZING THE OVERALL FORM OF THE RIVER AS A SYSTEM THAT MOVES WITH THE LANDSCAPE; NOT THROUGH IT. DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE IS EFFECTIVELY LIMITLESS. IT THEREFORE DEMANDS JUSTIFICATION FOR DESIGNS WHICH INCLUDE PARAMETRIC MODELLING AS A CENTREPOINT; OTHERWISE WHY NOT SIMPLY MAKE A SIMPLE FORM TO SATISFY A PROBLEM. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I DRAW UPON THE FORM OF THE RIVER TO SATISFY THE EXPERIENTIAL INTENT OF THE DESIGN. AS I HAVE STATED, MY DESIGN SETS OUT TO SOLVE AN ACCESSIBILTY ISSUE AT DIGHTS FALLS. HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATIVE PARTICIPATION AND AMPLIFY THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MULTIPLE SYSTEMS AT THE SITE, I AM CONSTRUCTING A DESIGN THAT LINKS THE NATURAL RIVER WITH THE TECHNICALITIES OF PARAMETRIC DESIGN AND HUMANS AS SOCIAL INCLUSIONS. MEANDERING FORMS ALSO ALLOW USERS TO IDENTIFY LONGER WITH DIGHTS FALLS, THUS ADDING TO THE LIST OF MEANINGS AND FEATURES ALREADY PRESENT. THESE INCLUDE THE DIVISION BETWEEN SALT AND FRESH WATER THAT THE DIGHTS FALLS WEIR PROVIDES, AS WELL AS THE ONGOING FISHING ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT THERE.

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Technique & Use T

HIS DESIGN IS A PRELIMINARY FINAL WHICH I HAVE USED TO EXPLORE HOW PEOPLE CAN INTERACT WITH THE BRIDGE FORM AND THE SITE. THIS TECHNIQUE INCLUDES THE ESSENTIALS OF MY FINAL DESIGN, YET IT IS LIMITED IN ITS FORM TO SIMPLY FUNNELLING PEOPLE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER TO THE OTHER. THE PARAMETRIC TECHNIQUES THAT I AM USING WILL REMAIN THE SAME FOR MY FINAL DESIGN, YET THEY COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO REFLECT HOW PEOPLE TRANSVERSE THE SPACE. RATHER THAN SIMPLY WALKING FROM A TO B IN A DIRECT LINE, USERS COULD MEANDER DOWN THE ROCK FACE AND ACROSS THE RIVER THROUGH A SERIES OF TWISTS AND TURNS. THIS TECHNIQUE ALSO ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH MY ORIGINAL PROPOSAL OF GIVING USERS THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE WHEN ENGAGING WITH MY DESIGN.

HE DESIGN BRIEF WAS RELATIVELY BROAD, AND SO EVEN AT THIS LATE STAGE OF THE DESIGN PROCESS I AM STILL OPEN TO NEW POSSIBILITIES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS OF MY TECHNIQUE THAT WILL SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF MY INTERPRETATION OF THE BRIEF. EXTENDING MY DESIGN TO LINK MULTIPLE PARTS OF THE MERRI CREEK TRAIL IS ALSO A DECISION THAT I AM SETTLED ON. THIS IS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ME WITH SOLID JUSTIFICATION AS TO WHY I AM PUTTING THE DESIGN WHERE IT IS AND HOW IT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN FUNCTION. ALTHOUGH THIS DESIGN DISPLAYS THE BASIC FUNCTION OF MY STRUCTURE, IT IS NOT FINALLY RESOLVED AND ISSUES REMAIN THAT I NEED TO ADDRESS IN MY FINAL.

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT I

N RELATIONSHIP TO THE SITE, I AM DECIDED ON WHERE I WANT TO START AND FINISH MY PROPOSED PATHWAY STRUCTURE. HOWEVER, HOW I MODEL THE CENTRE OF THE DESIGN WILL IMPACT DRAMATICALLY ON ITS ONGOING EVOLUTION AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SITE. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I WISH TO INCLUDE NICHES OF VEGETATION AND ALCOVES OF SEATING WHERE PEOPLE CAN SIT AND ENGAGE WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS. THIS IDEA IS SOMETHING I HAVE WANTED TO EXPLORE THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS, AND NOW I AM SETTLED ON ITS INCLUSION. I FEEL THAT IT WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS SATISFYING ONE KEY ASPECT OF THE BRIEF; 'ENCOURAGING INNOVATIVE FORMS OF PARTICIPATION.'

LTHOUGH THIS PRELIMINARY FINAL IS NOT COMPLETE, IT CONVEYS MY INTENT FOR PEOPLE TO USE THE SITE AS A PASSAGE FOR CONNECTION AND INTERACTION. GLASS PANELS WILL FORM PART OF THE WALKWAY SO THAT USERS CAN VIEW THE RIVER BELOW WHILST THEY CROSS THE STRUCTURE. THIS IDEA STEMS FROM MY INTERPRETATION OF AMPLYFYING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURAL, SOCIAL AND TECHNICAL SYSTEMS. I HOPE THAT VORONOI GLASS CELLS WILL PROVIDE A TECHNICAL LENSE BETWEEN HUMANS AND THE NATURAL RIVER BELOW.

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Workflow PRELIMINARY DESIGN BUILDUP

UPDATED/FINALISED DESIGN BUILDUP

START WITH SURFACE MODELLED FOR TOPOGRAPHY

EXTRACT EDGE CURVES AND FORM STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

SPLIT CURVES INTO INCREMENTS AND FORM CONTOUR LINES FOR SUPPORTING MEMBERS

PIPE MEMBERS

SHATTER CURVES TO TRIM

PIPE MEMBERS

OFFSET CURVE AND APPLY VORONOI FOR SUPPORTED STRUCTURE

SHATTER VORONOI TO CREATE RANDOMNESS

EXPLODE VORONOI FOR INTERSECTION POINTS

OFFSET POINTS AND LINE

PIPE MEMBERS

CREATE FIELD LINE THROUGH GAPS, OFFSET AND LOFT

FIND EDGE CURVE

OFFSET, LOFT & EXTRUDE

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Construction

INSTALL DIAGONAL SUPPORTS ON CROSS BRACING FOR SUSPENDED WALKWAY ABOVE

CRANE IN AND ATTACH RIVER SPANNING BEAMS, THEN ATTACH ROCK FACE BEAMS FOR RIGIDITY

DIVERT WATER TO INSTALL SUPPORTING ELEMENTS ON NORTHERN SIDE OF RIVER

SITE SURVEY FOR GEOTECHNICAL INTEGRITY AND PRONE WATER LEVELS

INSTALL GARDEN BEDS FOR SAFETY

FABRICATION OF PRIMARY STEEL STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

INSTALL SUPPORTING BEDROCK STRUCTURE ON SOUTHERN SIDE OF RIVER

INSTALL STEEL SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH

INSTALL WALKWAY AND FRAMED GLASS PANELS

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Tectonics AT LEFT IS A STRUCTURAL EXCERPT OF MY

FINAL DESIGN. ALTHOUGH MATERIALY UNFINALISED, THESE CONFIGURATIONS AND CONNECTION DETAILS DISPLAY HOW MY FINAL DESIGN IS TO BE SUPPORTED AND HOW STRUCTURAL MEMBERS ARE TO BE LEFT EXPOSED YET REMAIN INTEGRATED OVERALL. GLASS VORONOIS, WALKWAYS AND GARDEN BEDS WILL BE SUPPORTED WITH A SERIES OF CIRCULAR STEEL BEAMS WHICH FLOW UNDERNEATH THE STRUCTURE AND LINK TO STRUCTURAL EDGE BEAMS.

THIS SYSTEM IS STRUCTURALLY SIMPLE, YET IT ACHIEVES THE OUTCOME I DESIRE WITHOUT COMPROMISING MY DESIGN. A SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM ALSO HELPS TO ELIMINATE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH A STRUCTURE THAT IS LARGELY SUSPENDED OVER WATER AND WHICH RELIES ON NATURAL ROCK FOR FOUNDATION. (FLIPPED)

C1_ DESIGN_CONCEPT: Tectonics

THESE 3D SCHEMATICS DEMONSTRATE THE CONNECTION DETAILS

AT JUNCTIONS IN MY STRUCTURE. THE TWO DIRECTLY AT LEFT EXHIBIT THE FLEXIBLE JOINS WHERE STRUCTURAL EDGE BEAMS INTERSECT WITH SECONDARY BRACING ELEMENTS THAT RUN HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE MY STRUCTURE. THE INTERSECTING ELEMENTS PLUG INTO A BRACKET THAT IS WELDED ON IN PRODUCTION; AND LARGE STEEL PINS ACT AS BOLTING CONNECTIONS TO HOLD THE TWO TOGETHER, YET ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE JOINT.

AT FAR LEFT IS THE CONNECTION DETAIL WHERE THE

PRIMARY STEEL BEAMS CONNECT TO EITHER BEDROCK OR EXISTING CONCRETE FORMS (DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE OF THE RIVER). BEAMS PASS INTO A STEEL BRACKET WHICH IS BOTLED HEAVILY TO THE FOUNDATION. AT LEFT IS THE CONNECTION DETAIL BETWEEN GLASS PANELS. THEORETICALLY THEY ARE SELF SUPPORTING ELEMENTS, YET SUPPORTIVE BOLTING GIVES THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE FAR MORE HORIZONTAL BRACING.

(FLIPPED)

C2_ TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES

THE PIPING ELEMENT OF

MY DESIGN FORMS THE MAIN STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. THIS ELEMENT WORKS AS BOTH THE LOAD BEARING STRUCTURE AND AS THE CLADDING FOR SOME PARTS OF THE STRUCTURE.

THESE ELEMENTS ARE TOO THIN AND THE STRUCTURE IS TOO SKELETAL FOR 3D PRINTING. THE FINAL FABRICATED MODEL IS TO BE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF SCALE SO AS TO BE STRUCTURALLY SOUND. I DONT THINK THAT THIS WILL PROVE APPLICABLE TO THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE DESIGN, AS THE FABRICATION PROCESS IS VASTLY DIFFERENT.

C2_ TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES

THE GLASS CASEMENTS ARE THE SECOND MOST

IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN MY DESIGN. THEY ARE KEY TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE STRUCTURE WITHIN A BROADER LANDSCAPE, AND THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO FABRICATE. THE DESIRED WIDTHS OF THE PANELS AND THEIR AREA IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DIGITALLY FABRICATE WITHOUT VAST CHANGES WHICH ALTER THE DESIRED OUTCOME SIGNIFICANTLY. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE GLASS IN RELATION TO SLIPPAGE AND MAINTENANCE. THIS REMAINS A LARGE ISSUE WITH MY DESIGN; MY THOUGHTS IN REGARDS TO USAGE ARE NOT REALLY EXTENDING BEYOND THE INITIAL INSTALLATION.

C2_ TECTONIC ELEMENTS & PROTOTYPES THIS PROTOTYPE SETS OUT TO SHOW THE KEY STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OF MY DE-

SIGN; BEING THE ELONGATED STEEL BEAMS. THE MODEL IS SMALL SCALE SO AS TO ALSO DEMONSRATE THE ENTIRE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE PROTOTYPE. AS SUCH THE ELEMENTS ARE OUT OF SCALE. THE JOINTS RESPOND WELL TO TENSION AND SHEER, HOWEVER THEY ARE STILL FIXED JOINS HERE AND NOT FLEXIBLE AS PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED. I FEEL THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS IN THIS PROTOTYPE, HOWEVER THAT MAY JUST BE DUE TO THE INREASED WIDTH OF MEMBERS NEEDED FOR 3D PRINTING.

THE MATERIALS BEHAVE AS EXPECTED TO SOME EXTENT. THEY FORM A SEMI RIGID SKELETAL STRUCTURE THAT IS BOTH FLEXIBLE AND STRONG. HOWEVER, TO ACHIEVE 3D PRINTING I ALSO HAD TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL MEMBERS FOR SUPPORT WHICH ARE NO OUTLINED IN MY DESIGN. THIS LED ME TO EXTRAPOLATE THAT DURING THE REAL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS TEMPORARY SUPOPRTS AND FORMWORK WOULD BE ESSENTIAL.

C3_ FINAL DESIGN & DETAIL MODEL

SITE PLAN

ELEVATION

C3_ FINAL DESIGN & DETAIL MODEL

C4_ LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES

I 85

FEEL THAT THIS SUBJECT HAS INTRODUCED ME TO DIFFERENT APPROACHES OF DIGITAL ARCHITECTURAL AND HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THEM AS A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER OF CHANGE IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION. IN DOING SO IT ALLOWED ME TO INTERPRET THE DESIGN BRIEF WITH A VASTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH; ONE CENTRED ON EXPLORATION AND CREATION RATHER THAN LIMITED PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING. I FEEL THAT I HAVE ENGAGED VERY SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF A BROAD BRIEF, AND THEREFORE BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE A VARIETY OF OUTCOMES TO SUIT A SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THIS ALLOWED ME TO FUNNEL MY DESIGN INTO SOMETHING I AM RELATIVELY PLEASED WITH. AFTER EXPLORING MY DESIGN AS FAR AS I COULD WITHIN THE TIME CONSTRAINTS, I HAVE COME TO GAIN A FAR GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF DIGITAL METHODS OF DESIGN. I AM FAR MORE COMFORTABLE WITH GRASSHOPPER AND RHINO; INCLUDING THEIR CAPACITIES TO PRODUCE VIRTUAL RENDERS AND PHYSICAL PROTOYPES. THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I HAVE LEARNT FROM THIS SUBJECT PROBABLY STEMS FROM THE CRITICAL THINKING THAT FLOWED THROUGHOUT IT. IT BECAME APPARENT VERY QUICKLY TO ME THAT ALL ASPECTS OF DESIGNS MUST BE JUSTIFIED, AND COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE IS NO EXCEPTION. I ATTEMPTED TO JUSTIFY AND PROVIDE ARGUMENTS FOR THE TECHNIQUES THAT I USED THROUGHOUT SEMESTER, YET I KNOW THEY REMAIN IN A CONCEPTUAL STATE.

FIN.