Stage 3 portfolio, Julian Besems, BA Architecture by Julian Besems

S TA G E 3 PORTF OLIO

Julian Besems

Academic Portfolio BA (Hons) Architecture Newcastle University Experimental Architecture 2015/2016

Julian Job DaniĂŤl Valentijn Besems 130258852 Academic Portfolio BA (Hons) Architecture Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Stage 3 Studio: Experimental Architecture 2015/2016 Architectural design 3.1 ARC3001

CONTENTS

LEARNING SUMMARY 5 120 HOURS FUTURE BUILT

PRIMER 13 process 16 final prototype 44

ALLENHEADS OBSERVATORY 67 HOUSING PROJECT MILL 73 GRAD PROJECT 81 site selection 82 brief 110 2022 120 2028 132 2040 150 2045 176 conclusion 192

APPENDIX 194 LITERATURE 211

Work not presented as part part of the final review will be indicated with a: New work developed since the final review will be indicated with a:

LEARNING SUMMARY

As stated in my learning summary of second year my objective for this year was to “try and combine my logical way of thinking with more innovative influences and various theories to eventually be able to produce a design both intellectually intricate and spatially well resolved”. This was followed up on by an early conversation with my tutor Martyn Dade-Roberston about my last year’s work and looking forward to this year. He said that even though my projects are well resolved, they lack an element of architectural spectacle. This led to the agreement to challenge me this year by taking me out of my comfort zone. Overall I think that the primer was very much within my comfort zone. It involved a very mechanical way of thinking, even more so than usual projects. While I explored some conceptual design steps inspired by human muscle movement to be simulated by the hygroscopic material, the final design was a much more rational and mechanically inspired approach. This suited me quite well and whilst it was probably the most work intense period of the year I really enjoyed it. The grad project is an entirely different story. To begin with the staging method was completely different to any design exercise thus far. In the beginning I was really sceptical about deriving a site from a small bit of fictional text, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Weirdly enough I found that once I got started and had the beginning covered, this completely illogical process started to make a lot of sense within it’s own context. I started the design process with a reasonably down to earth approach to the rather theoretical brief that was derived from the staging process. Martyn encouraged me to step away from this and follow a different approach based around a narrative. This initiated a fundamentally different design process of designing a dystopian and unrealistic building, almost perpendicular to my regular design methods, but whilst it was a theoretical project it was driven by rigorous methodical processes, which could be seen

as an extreme of my usual approach. Although this way of working was definitely interesting it could at times also be extremely challenging due to the lack of direction and not being able to rely on old habits. I also experienced that a dystopian project can be quite discouraging since I wasn’t working towards a well resolved nice design, but rather trying to convey something through a process. Overall this year has definitely pushed my limits in architectural design, encouraging me to do different work than usual, on a much more theoretical level as opposed to a purely functional and rational approach. My aggrevating lack of interest in architecture, which started last year and lasted throughout most of this year, possibly enforced by the troublesome development of the grad project, made me decide to start a degree in Maths next year. During the evaluation of the project I started to doubt this decision again. Most likely because I am now able to look at the entirety of the project rather than struggling within the dystopian work ethos. This enabled me to notice the interesting aspects, which where often clouded by frustration throughout the project development. This sparked new interest and curiosity in architecture.

120 HOURS FUTURE BUILT

Fig. 1.

A special edition of the annual student competition 120 hours, now open to anyone. The assignment was to design a sustainable addition to one of the projects by Future Built, a Norwegian firm that specialises in sustainability. I completed this competition together with Tom Badger, Alex Borrell and Jack Lewandowsky.

120 HOURS FUTURE BUILT

The notion of sustainable design has seen rapid into society has ultimately failed thus far. The dev The notion of sustainable design has seen rapid development recent years,to yetgain itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integration of where foo a means for aindesigner a moments notic into society has ultimately failed thus far. The development of technology has become ephemeral, process or im a fundamental cultural change, going beyond a means for a designer to gain a moments notice. In order to truly embed sustainability requires proposal aim evident the food industry where we con a fundamental cultural change, going beyond these within developments. This issue is particularly evident within the food industry where wemore continue to use energy intense exist. processes, where Initial interven efficient methods more efficient methods exist.

to then grow generations. garden spac insect farmin of the system in looking afte competition.

The project addresses the psycho-cultural of alternative The projectissues addresses the psyc food sources and urban farming, in the hope that we can integrate food sources and urban farming, existing technologies into the real world more successfully.

existing technologies into the real

Over two billion people world wide include insects into their daily diet, however in our western culture there is a profound stigma against their consumption. Insects have twenty times the food conversion rate than traditional livestock, giving them a better feed-to-meat ratio than beef, pork Over two billion people world wide include inse and chicken. They also require notably less water, feed and arable land. Many of us would be culture there is a profound stigma against their c disgusted if we found an insect in our salad, despite them being a truly sustainable and healthy source of protein and nutrients. Our supermarket culture creates distincttraditional lack of understanding conversion ratea than livestock, giving

and chicken. They also require notably less wa disgusted if we found an insect in our salad, des source of protein and nutrients. Our supermarke

d development in recent years, yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integration of where food comes from. We simply pick up products from the shelf, often oblivious of the velopment of technology has become ephemeral, process or implications of its manufacture. By introducing urban farming on a micro scale, our Theto notion sustainablesustainability design has seen rapid development in recent years, yet to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integration of where food comes from. We pick up products shelf, often oblivious of the proposal aims alter this by educating people insimply the procedure of from foodtheproduction. ce. In order trulyof embed requires into society has ultimately failed thus far. The development of technology has become ephemeral, process or implications of its manufacture. By introducing urban farming on a micro scale, our these developments. This issue is particularly a means for a designer to gain a moments notice. In order to truly embed sustainability requires proposal aims to alter this by educating people in the procedure of food production. Initial interventions will take place in the education system and work place, the proposal hopes ntinue to use energycultural intense processes, a fundamental change, going beyondwhere these developments. This issue is particularly evident within the food industry where we continue to useto energy where Initial interventions will take place the education system and work place, the proposal thenintense growprocesses, exponentially gradually changing the in perceptions and beliefs of current andhopes future more efficient methods exist. to then grow exponentially gradually changing the perceptions and beliefs of current and future generations. Modular planter elements will be installed in to FutureBuilt projects creating flexible generations. Modular planter elements will be installed in to FutureBuilt projects creating flexible garden spaces. Theseofcontain a variety of urban cultivation technologies, the focus focus onon garden spaces. These contain a variety urban cultivation technologies, withwiththe The project addresses the psycho-cultural issues of alternative cho-cultural issues of alternative insect farming. These elements insect farming. These elements are then linked to an interactive digital platform. The gamification are then linked to an interactive digital platform. The gamification food sources and urban farming, in the hope that we can integrate of the system allows for a more engaging method of education, where participants are involved in the existing hope technologies that we can integrate in looking after the insects and plants in the real, which in turn effect their performance in virtual of the system allows for a more engaging method of education, where participants are involved into the real world more successfully. competition. in looking after the insects and plants in the real, which in turn effect their performance in virtual l worldOver more successfully. two billion people world wide include insects into their daily diet, however in our western culture there is a profound stigma against their consumption.competition. Insects have twenty times the food

conversion rate than traditional livestock, giving them a better feed-to-meat ratio than beef, pork ects into their daily diet, however in our western and chicken. They also require notably less water, feed and arable land. Many of us would be consumption. Insects have twenty times food disgusted if we found an insect in our salad,the despite them being a truly sustainable and healthy source of protein and nutrients. Our supermarket them a better feed-to-meat ratio than beef, culture pork creates a distinct lack of understanding ater, feed and arable land. Many of us would be spite them being a truly sustainable and healthy et culture creates a distinct lack of understanding

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120 HOURS FUTURE BUILT

Food For Thought The urban farm is made up of insect holding modules, designed to stack on top of one another to reduce spatial requirements. Other existing urban farming technologies such as hydroponic systems can also be combined and added as they develop. The system is designed to be zero waste; plant decay is used to feed the insects and the insect waste feeds the plants. A digital system is integrated into the farm using sensors to allow the user to keep track on how well their farm is doing. This advises them when plants need watering and insects need feeding, and keeps a log of various factors to determine how sustainably their development is operating. The data is then linked to an online platform which connects all of FutureBuiltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects together via a multiplayer game. Each project has their own avatar which builds in strength determined by how well their farm is performing. Users then has the ability to compete in online tournaments to find the most sustainable project.

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PRIMER EXPER IMENT AL

Fig. 2.

For the primer our studio was tasked to design a kinetic wall panel, powered by a hygroscopic material, consisting of a mutated strand of the bacteria bacillis subtilis, applied to polyamide strips.

Video

PRIMER

INTRO DUCTI ON The first workshop introduced the construction of mechanisms. The mechanisms are initiated by one singular movement, which activates one or multiple reactions that can vary in direction, magnitude or quantity of the movement. The first mechanism is a grey card version of an aperture mechanism. It consists of 5 interlocking panels that are connected to a surrounding circle. If the circle is rotated by using a lever on the outside,

the panels are pushed in, closing the circular hole in the middle. The issue with this mechanism built out of this material is that the friction of the materials prevent the panels and the surrounding circle to move freely, which causes the circle to deform and the mechanism to cease function. The second mechanism consists out of multiple cogs arranged in a small box. The mechanism is activated by turning a wheel at the back of the box which then

initiates the movement of 4 cogs of various size and in opposite directions. Resulting in forces of various magnitude and direction.

INTRODUCTION

FIRST 10 MECHA NISMS

PRIMER

Following the introductory workshop we were asked to come up with 10 mechanisms on our own. Due to the contracting nature of the activation material, all mechanisms have to be activated by a single linear movement, theoretically caused by the contraction of polyimide strips treated with a mutated strand of the bacteria bacillus subtilis. The strips contract in dry air-conditions and flex in humid air conditions, due to the expansion and contraction of the bacteria spores that is dependent on the amount of water available to them. Because the bacteria are applied to a flexible material they only exert a relevant pulling force if they contract, but during the expansion the strip just flexes without any push. Because of this the mechanisms should ideally have a dormant state to which it returns if no force is exerted, this could either be because of for instance gravity or an elastic material, pulling the mechanism back in place.

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

NATURE OF MOVEMENT

EFFECT

ORIGAMI APERTURE

A folded paper mechanism consisting out of 8 slide-able components that can slide apart, which then forms a hole in the middle. The activation and movement of this mechanism are both linear, and could thus be easily activated by the strips, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a dormant state to which it wantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to return to, which makes it unsuitable for this particular activator.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

LEVER ACTION SHUTTERS The shutters in this prototype move in a circular motion, activated by a contracting force pulling down the lever on the top, which then lifts a vertical rod, to which the other end of the shutters are attached. Using a lever action increases the strength in effect of the contraction in the strips. The mechanism goes back to its initial state by putting a weight on the end of the vertical rod. This shutter mechanism could be applied to more then 2 shutters by extension of the vertical rod. In humid conditions it allows for ventilation, and if it is dry the vents are closed.

LEVER ACTIVATED HINGE The initial action of this mechanism is very similar to the one on the left but the actual shutter is opened in a slightly different way. An elliptical panel is rotated around a pivoting point off centre by the lever, which then wedges the hinging panel open. There is more friction in this mechanism and the opening is smaller but also less obvious. It does allow for opening a panel in a different plane than the activating mechanism.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

SLIDING SHUTTERS

The main aim of this mechanism was to demonstrate a way where the “muscle” would pull from both sides. The “muscle” would be attached to the wire between the bottom left and right pin, initiating the opening and closing of the panels from both sides.

RETRACTING WALL PANEL A very simple mechanism with a facade panel that can move back and forth to increase or decrease the surface area of the faĂ§ade. This way the mechanism doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow ventilation but increases the cooling down of the building by increasing the surface area. This idea is based on how a lot of animals cool down by increasing their surface area.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

CHANGE OF DIRECTION After trying to think of a way to transfer a movement in the x-y field to the z axis this was the only mechanism I could think of: a cog system where a horizontal movement rotates a set of cogs which in their turn make a perpendicular cog rotate which lifts a weight in the perpendicular field up.

SQUARE UMBRELLA

A simple umbrella like mechanism attached to a folded box system where if spread out it forms a flat square. If contracted it takes the shape of a square box with the mechanism underneath. This results in a facade made up of squares of variable sizes.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

MECHANICAL FINGER

Three separate fragments connected through hinges, with an elastic band on the top to bring the mechanism back to its stretched state. The “muscles” would be on the bottom part closing the finger when humidity drops.

ORIGAMI BIRD PANEL This prototype is inspired by an origami bird figure. The prototype is made out of paper and is folded in such a way that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;wingsâ&#x20AC;? fold in if the top part is pulled. This means that it can be used as solar shading that decreases as the humidity and thus the temperature drops, consequently improving solar gain.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS

SCISSOR JOINT CUBE A cuboid form built up from 10 scissor joints, allowing the entire mechanism to contract and expand both vertically and horizontally, by a single activation point. Elastic bands are connected to the top ensuring it to move back to its compact form.

REFIN EMENT

After exploring a variety of mechanisms activated by a contracting activator, I decided to mainly elaborate on two of the formerly described mechanisms for the development of a more refined mechanism. First of all the finger like mechanism, because of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s versatility and simplicity in movement, also allowing for easy expansion, either in series or parallel. The other mechanism I wanted to elaborate on was the origami bird, because of its automatic return to a dormant state without the need for an external element.

MECHANISM REFINEMENT

PRIMER

SHOULDERBLADE PROTOTYPE

Fig. 3.

The first idea for a more elaborate mechanism was to take the idea of the mechanical finger but instead look into a different joint in the body that inherently already has more panel like specifications. In my opinion the most logical choice for this would be the shoulder blade, since it already has the form of a panel and behaves in an omnidirectional motion because of the ball and socket joint to which itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attached.

To explore the characteristics of this joint I 3D printed a small model of a shoulder blade and attached it to a wooden ball socket. This enabled me to look at the attachment points for the muscles and how the panel could be held in one place but still be easily activated with a minimal force.

MECHANISM REFINEMENT

In the end I fixed the shoulder blade to various points on the wooden ball socket, resembling the end of the humerus, with elastic bands, based on the muscles connecting the shoulder blade to the humerus. This ensured that the shoulder blade moves back to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open position if the muscle activator is relaxed. The activator, in this case a muscle wire, is attached to a wooden frame on the left, resembling the spine, making the shoulder blade move in a downward-sideway movement if the activator contracts.

PRIMER

SHOULDERBLADE IN PANELS

After looking at the motion of the shoulder blade in more detail I determined the most effective primary direction of the pulling force. The next step was to think of a way to integrate the strips in a more effective way than simply attaching them to the top of the shoulder blade. Instead I wanted them to sit behind the main shape of the form, dividing the shoulder blade into slices with the strips sat in between them, on top of a flat

panel, recessed behind the contours of the form. The slices are all in the direction of the primary activating motion, so that the rotating motion is initiated most effectively by a linear contraction.

MECHANISM REFINEMENT

PRIMER

ORIGAMI BIRD FINGER

Fig. 4.

The second further developed prototype was based on the combination of two of the initial prototypes. It is a literal addition of the origami bird and the mechanical finger. The birds are attached to the finger, of which the top fragment is mounted on a wall. A piece of elastic band on the top of the finger holds up the mechanism if the strips are not exerting any force. If the muscle on the bottom of the finger contracts the finger mechanism is pulled down. Because of

the increase of space between the birds, which are connected with a piece of string, the bird mechanism is activated, making the wings fold in.

MECHANISM REFINEMENT

The aim of this mechanism is to allow ventilation whilst providing solar shading, and to stop ventilation whilst allowing for solar gain. This is why the mechanism stays in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s higher position under humid conditions, usually roughly corresponding with higher temperatures, due to the rise in the airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity for humidity if the temperature is higher. When it is dry, which usually means colder conditions, the muscles contract, closing the gap between the wall and the mechanism, whilst also making the surface of the solar shading smaller, allowing for solar gain.

PRIMER

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS LABORATORY

L A B O R AT O R Y

PREPPING OF MATERIALS The first steps in the lab experiment were to connect the polyimide strips to the acrylic fittings, using uhu glue. After this we started to practice pipetting with a glue-water mixture. Once we were familiar with the method of using a pipet we started to prepare the glue-water-spore mixture; first adding 5 micro liters of water to the spores, then adding a tip of glue to the mixture.

PRIMER

LABORATORY

APPLYING THE SPORES Once the mixture was prepared we applied ten drops of 2 micro litres to one side of the polyimide strips, using a pipet. After waiting for 30 minutes the same process was repeated on the other side of the strips. One of the four strips was treated with a mixture of only glue and water, which served as a control. Shortly after applying the drops to both sides a slight crumpling effect in the strips started to be visible.

PRIMER

TESTING

The next day we started to test the prepared strips in different humidity conditions. In most cases the strips treated with bacteria showed a clear difference in reaction, whilst variable in magnitude, from the control strips. In general the contracting reaction in dry conditions was a quicker process than the flexing reaction under humid conditions. After testing the strips on their own we started to connect them to different small lightweight mecha-

nisms to see what their capabilities were. In general there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lot of visible effect but in one of my mechanisms 4 strips seemed to be able to twist a thin strip of card.

LABORATORY

TESTING SETUP

The tests were performed in 2 humidity chambers, one humid, one dry. The humidity in the humid one was kept high by a tray of hot water sat under it. The dry one was kept as dry as possible by a layer of a water absorbing salt at the bottom. The strips were then hung from rods attached near the top of the humidity chambers. The entire experminent was performed in a cat 2 containment lab.

PRIMER

SIMPL IFICA TION Both outcomes of the mechanism refinement process seemed over complicated for what they had to do. It had a clear similarity to what is written in the chapter on kinetic facades in the Elements of Architecture bundle written by Rem Koolhaas for the 2014 Venice Biennale; “In its infancy, the fully automated façade always fell behind gadgets”. Because of this I wanted to try and distil my ideas down to a more functional, effective and more elegant design, rather than an impressive aesthetic.

After reading more about kinetic facades in the Elements of Architecture I was particularly interested by the statement that “Facades have always had moveable elements.” Of which the earliest example of a fully kinetic façade is the sliding shoji doors in traditional Japanese architecture. This led me to try and reinterpret the regular grid of rectangles seen in the shoji doors in a new way, where they do not slide out of the way, but rather fold outwards.

Fig. 5.

This range of motion would create a completely flat geometrical façade if the mechanism is not activated, but a more distorted organic form once the strips start to contract.

FUNCT I ON A L I T Y Another conclusion I made after rethinking the two refined mechanisms is that for the faรงade to be truly responsive to the environment around them, they should react to both the internal and external humidity. This makes it possible to regulate the humidity in a more effective and dynamic way, so that the ventilation created by the responsive faรงade automatically regulates the internal humidity to be more constant. In the end it is vital that the mechanism reacts to the internal variables of a building in combination with

the external since we want to design the internal in relation to the external. This can be easily achieved by using the finger mechanism by attaching strips on both the internal and external faces. If an equal amount of strips is attached to the internal and external surfaces, this would mean that if the external humidity is equal to the internal humidity the forces exerted by the external strips would be equal to the forces generated by

the internal strips, thus letting the mechanism stay in a closed position. If the external humidity is lower than the internal humidity the mechanism will start to be pulled outwards by the greater force in the external strips due to the higher contraction externally than internally. Once the internal humidity is equal to the external humidity the mechanism will return to its closed position.

FINAL PROTO TYPE

The final prototype is based on the conclusions made during the simplification and functionality processes described on the previous pages. The geometrical grid aesthetic of the mechanism is inspired by the traditional Japanese shoji sliding doors. The core mechanism is a further development of the mechanical finger mechanism. On the individual hinge elements, sprung hinged panels are attached. Every panel is attached to one side and overlaps onto the next finger mechanism, making variations in bending between each vertical series of panels possible, but still ensuring a gradual change.

FINAL PROTOTYPE

PRIMER

MECHANISM CONSTRUCTION

Hinge mechanism of balsa wood and pins, for the attachment of the panels. Allowing them to hinge outwards. Hinge between two finger segments, made out of acrylic and pins.

Elastic bands between the panels to simulate the sprung hinges of the prototype design. Piece of balsa wood preventing the panels from banding inwards.

FINAL PROTOTYPE

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

The mechanism is built up by a set of vertical hinged components, with horizontally hinging panels attached to them. To the vertical hinge components several strips of bacteria treated polyamide are attached. If these contract they initiate the vertical hinged motion. Every set of strips starts near the bottom of a segment and are attached to the bottom of the segment below it. The panels are attached to one side of each segment.

They are fixed with sprung hinges to ensure that the panels return to a position perpendicular to the side of the respective segment, they cannot hinge inwards. Every panel overlaps the next set of vertical hinged segments but is not physically attached to it. This means that if one set of vertical hinges bends less, the panels on the component next to it get pushed out by that set of vertical hinges, on their turn the vertical hinge segments are prevented from varying

too much from the series next to them, also compensating for if one complete component fails entirely.

ELEVATION CLOSED POSITION

PRIMER

FINAL PROTOTYPE

SECTIONAL VIEW

HINGING OUTWARDS

PRIMER

FINAL PROTOTYPE

HINGING INWARDS

PANELS IN SERIES

PRIMER

FINAL PROTOTYPE

In this visualisation the effect of the hinging panels becomes more apparent. Whilst being rectangular and arranged in a regular grid, they form an almost organic aesthetic if they start to fold out. Depending on the sensitivity of the mechanism the difference between each component can be made more gradual or abrupt, which then influences the hinging of the panels.

PRIMER

FINAL PROTOTYPE

PRIMER

FUNCT I ON In order to adjust the mechanism to different requirements in sensitivity the relation between the contraction of the strips and the angle of motion has to be determined. I chose to calculate this in a purely theoretical and mathematical way since there is not enough data on the exact forces of the strips available to be able to make accurate physical assumptions. In theory there would have to be more strips on the top segments of the vertical hinge series to be able to carry the weight of the other two. This could be

achieved by making the top segments wider so that they can accommodate more strips. It is also possible to put more strips either external or internal to achieve a different humidity ratio to which the mechanism remains closed. These are all adjustments that could be made once there is more information on the exact behaviour of the strips and after their function is optimized. For now I have mathematically expressed the degrees in rotation of the vertical hinges, depending on the

contraction of the strips, dictated by the ratio of perpendicular distance between the attachment point of the strips and the hinging point, and the length of a hinge segment. Assuming that the strips on every segment on one side contract evenly, and without taking their force in consideration. Once the weight of the mechanism is known, and the force the strips can exert, it should be possible to take those factors into account by using the equations found further on.

FUNCTION

Expressing the angle of rotation of a single hinge component in the length of the attached polyimide strip. 1.

Call top pivoting point of hinged component m

Call top connection point of strips along the hinged component t

Call bottom of the hinged component point s

Call lower connection point of strips along the hinged component u

Points m and t are stationary in the rotation and mt is horizontal

Create a line ml going down, perpendicular to line mt

Length of line ms is constant = A

Length of line su is constant = B

â&#x2C6; msu is 90

10. Length of mt = length of su, therefore length mt=B 11. Call length of the strips X, meaning line tu=X

PRIMER

Continuation of calculation. 12. The rotation of the hinged component is described by s moving in an arc with m as a centre and ms as it’s radius 13. Angle of rotation is described by ∠lms now called ∠ω 14. If ∠ω =0 then X=A 15. Given by function of mechanism X ≤A 16. Triangle msu is a constant triangle: see lines 7,8,9 17. Length mu is constant: see line 16 18. ∠umt is called ∠β 19. Law of cosines: a triangle with vertices A,B,C and sides a,b,c opposite their respective vertices, the length of side c is given by the formula: c2 = a2 + b2 -2 a b cos(C) Where a and b are the lengths of two of the sides and C is the angle in between them 20. If 19 is applied to triangle mtu then: tu2 = mu2 + mt2 -2 mu mt cos(∠β) 21. Which can be written as: X2 = mu2 + B2 -2 mu B cos(∠β) 22. mu2=A2 + B2 : rule of Pythagoras 23. X2 = A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(∠β) 24. ∠ω = 90 – ∠ smu - ∠ β 25. ∠β = 90 – ∠smu - ∠ω 26. ∠smu = tan-1(B/A) 27. ∠β = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω 28. X2 = A2 + 2B2 -2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω) Q.E.F.: X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω)) Or: ∠ω = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B)) Where the shrinking ratio of the strips is: X/A

FUNCTION

PRIMER

Expressing the combined angle of rotation of the three hinge components in ∠ω Assumptions: - All strips on one side contract evenly 1.

Name all hinging points: from top to bottom: m,s,q,n

Draw line ml straight down from m

∠lmn=total angle of rotation

Draw a line perpendicular on ml from s, with intersection v

Extend line ms

Draw a line perpendicular on extended ms from q with intersection p

Extend line sq

Draw a line perpendicular on extended sq from n with intersection r

the angle of rotation of a single hinge component in the length of the attached Given Expressing is that: ∠vms=∠psq=∠rqn=∠ω=! polyimide strip.

10. Given is that: ms=sq=qn 1. Call top pivoting point of hinged component m 11. From 3,5,7: ∠svm=∠qps=∠nrq=90 2. Call top connection point of strips along the hinged component t 12. From 8,9,10: triangles msv, sqp, qnr are identical 3. Call bottom of the hinged component point s 13. ∠qsm+∠psq=180 4. Call lower connection point of strips along the hinged component u 14. ∠nqs+∠rqn=180 5. Points m and t are stationary in the rotation and mt is horizontal 6. Create a line ml going down, perpendicular to line mt 15. From 8,12,13: ∠qsm=∠nqs=" 7. Length of line ms is constant = A 16. From 9,12: ∠smn=∠qnm=# 8. Length of line su is constant = B 17. ∠qsm+∠nqs +∠smn+∠qnm=360 9. ∠msu is 90 18. "+"+#+#=360 10. Length of mt = length of su, therefore length mt=B 19. "+#=180 11. Call length of the strips X, meaning line tu=X 20. From 8,12,18: #=!=∠ω 21. ∠lmn=#+!=2∠ω 22. The total rotation=2∠ω Theangle totalofangle of rotation=∠α Q.E.F. X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – 0.5∠α)) Or: ∠α = 2(90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B)))

FUNCTION

q n

r l

Continuation of calculation. Continuation of calculation. 62

12. The rotation of the hinged component is described by s moving in an arc with m as a 12.centre The and rotation theradius hinged component is described by s moving in an arc with m as a ms asofit’s centre and ms as it’s radius 13. Angle of rotation is described by ∠lms now called ∠ω 13. Angle of rotation is described by ∠lms now called ∠ω 14. If ∠ω =0 then X=A 14. If ∠ω =0 then X=A 15. Given by function of mechanism X ≤A 15. Given by function of mechanism X ≤A 16. Triangle msu is a constant triangle: see lines 7,8,9 16. Triangle msu is a constant triangle: see lines 7,8,9 17. Length mu is constant: see line 16 17. Length mu is constant: see line 16 18. ∠umt is called ∠β 18. ∠umt is called ∠β 19. Law of cosines: a triangle with vertices A,B,C and sides a,b,c opposite their respective 19.vertices, Law ofthe cosines: triangle vertices A,B,C and sides a,b,c opposite their respective lengtha of side c with is given by the formula: of side c is given by the formula: = a2 + b2 the -2 alength b cos(C) c2 vertices, b2 b-2are a bthe cos(C) c2 = aa2 +and Where lengths of two of the sides and C is the angle in between them Where a and b are the lengths of two of the sides and C is the angle in between them 20. If 19 is applied to triangle mtu then: 20.tu2If=19 triangle mtu then: muis2 applied + mt2 -2tomu mt cos(∠β) tu2 = mu2 + mt2 -2 mu mt cos(∠β) 21. Which can be written as: 21.X2Which as: = mu2 +can B2 be -2 written mu B cos(∠β) 2 2 2 X = mu + B -2 mu B cos(∠β) 22. mu2=A2 + B2 : rule of Pythagoras 22. mu2=A2 + B2 : rule of Pythagoras 23. X2 = A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(∠β) 23. X2 = A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(∠β) 24. ∠ω = 90 – ∠ smu - ∠ β 24. ∠ω = 90 – ∠ smu - ∠ β 25. ∠β = 90 – ∠smu - ∠ω 25. ∠β = 90 – ∠smu - ∠ω 26. ∠smu = tan-1(B/A) 26. ∠smu = tan-1(B/A) 27. ∠β = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω 27. ∠β = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω 28. X2 = A2 + 2B2 -2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω) 28. X2 = A2 + 2B2 -2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω) Q.E.F.: Q.E.F.: X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω)) X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – ∠ω))

(red line)

Or: Or: ∠ω = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B)) ∠ω = 90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B))

(black line)

Where the shrinking ratio of the strips is: X/A Where the shrinking ratio of the strips is: X/A

The graphs above are the functions of the rotation of a single hinge element. Where A= 80mm and B=10mm, the ratio used in the prototype I modelled. The function expressing the length of the hydras has a minimum of (82.9, 70.62) meaning that with the shortest length of the strips, 70.62mm, the angle of rotation is 82.9o. This is a contraction of (170.62/80)x100%=11.7%. Which is a lot less than the expected 30% of contraction. Increasing the per-

pendicular distance from the connection of the strips to the hinging point would make it less sensitive and require less force. Only a maximum rotation of about 15o per individual hinge element is wanted, which is a lot less than the 82.9o. Thus requiring even less contraction.

PRIMER

FUNCTION

Expressing the angle of rotation of a single hinge component in the length of the attached Expressing the angle of rotation of a single hinge component in the length of the attached polyimide strip. polyimide strip. 1. Call top pivoting point of hinged component m 1. Call top pivoting point of hinged component m 2. Call top connection point of strips along the hinged component t 2. Call top connection point of strips along the hinged component t 3. Call bottom of the hinged component point s 3. Call bottom of the hinged component point s 4. Call lower connection point of strips along the hinged component u 4. Call lower connection point of strips along the hinged component u 5. Points m and t are stationary in the rotation and mt is horizontal 5. Points m and t are stationary in the rotation and mt is horizontal 6. Create a line ml going down, perpendicular to line mt 6. Create a line ml going down, perpendicular to line mt 7. Length of line ms is constant = A 7. Length of line ms is constant = A 8. Length of line su is constant = B 8. Length of line su is constant = B 9. ∠msu is 90 9. ∠msu is 90 10. Length of mt = length of su, therefore length mt=B 10. Length of mt = length of su, therefore length mt=B 11. Call length of the strips X, meaning line tu=X 11. Call length of the strips X, meaning line tu=X

The total angle of rotation=∠α The total angle of rotation=∠α X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – 0.5∠α)) X = √(A2 + 2B2 - 2 √(A2 + B2) B cos(90 – tan-1(B/A) – 0.5∠α)) Or: Or: ∠α = 2(90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B))) ∠α = 2(90 – tan-1(B/A) – cos-1((A2 + 2B2 – X2)/( 2 √(A2 + B2) B)))

At the same maximum contraction of the strips the total angle of the total mechanism would be 165.7o, which far exceeds the maximum of bending moment we want to achieve. Because of this it might be necessary to limit the rotational range of every hinge.

(blue line) (red line)

PRIMER

EXHIBITION

FIRST 10 MECHANISMS EXHIBITION

ALLEN HEADS OBSER VATORY

Fig. 6.

A student competition to design a small observatory in Allenheads. The brief was to design an observatory room with a 360 degree view for the telescope, and a warm room for possible introductory lessons to the community, with a budget of ÂŁ20,000. I completed this competition with Freddie Armitage, Tom Badger, Alex Borrell George Entwistle and Jack Lewandowsky. Our design was shortlisted.

ALLENHEADS OBSERVATORY

ALLEN-SHED OBSERVATORY

Allen-shed Observatory QR478

ALLENHEADS OBSERVATORY

ALLEN-SHED OBSERVATORY

QR478

Scale 1:100

Not To Scale

HOUSING PROJECT MILL

A design for a housing development scheme in Mill, the Netherlands. The project consists of 3 row houses and an apartment block with 4 apartments on the edge of a small village. Several conversations with the city council, and other parties took place. The project is still in process. The design was aided by Tom Badger and Alex Borrell.

EXTERIOR RENDER

HOUSING PROJECT MILL

77 Doorsnede N-Z Rijtjeshuis Schaal 1/50 0 1

Doorsnede N-Z Appartementen blok Schaal 1/50 0 1

HOUSING PROJECT MILL

ROW HOUSE PLANS Terras

Keuken Terras

Eetkamer Keuken

Terras

Eetkamer Woonkamer

Keuken Eetkamer Woonkamer

Studie Woonkamer Studie

Studie

Slaapkamer 1

Badkamer

Lichtschacht

Badkamer

Lichtschacht Slaapkamer 2 Slaapkamer 3

Lichtschacht Slaapkamer 2 Slaapkamer 3 Slaapkamer 2 Slaapkamer 3

Zolderkamer/Berging

Lichtschacht Zolderkamer/Berging

Lichtschacht

Maisonette van Slaapkamer 2

Maisonette van Slaapkamer 3

Maisonette van Slaapkamer 2

Maisonette van Slaapkamer 3

APPARTMENT PLANS Ingang boven appartement

Ingang boven appartement

Slaapkamer 2

Slaapkamer 2 Woonkamer/Eetkamer ruimte voor kasten, wasmachine etc

Keuken

ruimte voor kasten, wasmachine etc

Slaapkamer 1

Slaapkamer 1 WC

Eetkamer

Woonkamer beneden appartement

Eetkamer

Keuken

Opslag/ Studie

Ingang boven appartement

Badkamer

Slaapkamer 2 Woonkamer/Eetkamer ruimte voor kasten, wasmachine etc

Keuken

Woonkamer/Eetkamer

ruimte voor kasten, wasmachine etc Slaapkamer 1 WC

Eetkamer

Woonkamer beneden appartement

Eetkamer

Woonkamer beneden appartement

Keuken

Opslag/ Studie

Keuken

Badkamer

Opslag/ Studie

Woonkamer/Eetkamer

Woonkamer beneden appartement

Slaapkamer

Sla

G R A D P R O J E C T

The project is a polemic formulated through a dystopian scenario. Within this scenario the development of a building is described over time. In architecture there have been various iterations of code languages meant to be used as a guide to generate a building design. This project goes back to some of these principles formulated in the 1960's and 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, like Christopher Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pattern language and takes them to the extreme, attempting to follow these codes uncritically, resulting in an illogical outcome. The project takes away the intended personal intervention to show the risks of taking the contemporary iteration of architectural code: parametric design, too far. The project attempts to be a warning that the tools used by architects should not lead to a linear process of design without critical personal feedback throughout the design. This danger of linear progression is simultaneously reflected upon in the social context, arguing that if rules in society arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dynamically adjusted, a deteriorative process is initiated, with the focus on global overpopulation and tourism in Venice.

S I T E SELEC TION

GRAD PROJECT

Invisible cities - Italo Calvino Cities & the Sky - 4 Summoned to lay down the rules for the foundation of Perinthia, the astronomers established the place and the day according to the position of the stars; they drew the intersecting lines of the decumanus and the cardo, the first oriented to the passage of the sun and the other like the axis on which the heavens turn. They divided the map according to the twelve houses of the zodiac so that each temple and each neighborhood would receive the proper influence of the favoring constellations; they fixed the point in the walls where gates should be cut, foreseeing how each would frame an eclipse of the moon in the next thousand years. Perinthia-they guaranteed-would reflect the harmony of the firmament; nature’s reason and the gods’ benevolence would shape the inhabitants’ destinies. Following the astronomers’ calculations precisely, Perinthia was constructed; various peoples came to populate it; the first generation born in Perinthia began to grow within its walls; and these citizens reached the age to marry and have children. In Perinthia’s streets and square today you encounter cripples, dwarfs, hunchbacks, obese men, bearded women. But the worse cannot be seen; guttural howls are heard from cellars and lofts, where families hide children with three heads or with six legs. Perinthia’s astronomers are faced with a difficult choice. Either they must admit that all their calculations were wrong and their figures are unable to describe the heavens, or else they must reveal that the order of the gods is reflected exactly in the city of monsters.

TASK The staging process within our studio was initiated by the analysis of a piece of text from Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, which we then had to relate to Venice.

SITE SELECTION

Invisible cities - Italo Calvino Cities & the Sky - 4 1. Strong presence of authority. 3. Roman names for the two major streets in a city, the first one orientated E-W the seceond N-S. Which is identical to the “passage of the sun” and the “axis on which the heavens turn”.

5. Once again stating the rigor and static process of the choice of location

7. The calculations which made the city successfull at first has now caused the city to fail. Resulting in catastrophical illness.

Summoned to lay down the rules for the foundation of Perinthia, the astronomers established the place and the day according to the position of the stars; they drew the intersecting lines of the decumanus and the cardo, the first oriented to the passage of the sun and the other like the axis on which the heavens turn. They divided the map according to the twelve houses of the zodiac so that each temple and each neighborhood would receive the proper influence of the favoring constellations; they fixed the point in the walls where gates should be cut, foreseeing how each would frame an eclipse of the moon in the next thousand years. Perinthia-they guaranteed-would reflect the harmony of the firmament; nature’s reason and the gods’ benevolence would shape the inhabitants’ destinies. Following the astronomers’ calculations precisely, Perinthia was constructed; various peoples came to populate it; the first generation born in Perinthia began to grow within its walls; and these citizens reached the age to marry and have children. In Perinthia’s streets and square today you encounter cripples, dwarfs, hunchbacks, obese men, bearded women. But the worse cannot be seen; guttural howls are heard from cellars and lofts, where families hide children with three heads or with six legs. Perinthia’s astronomers are faced with a difficult choice. Either they must admit that all their calculations were wrong and their figures are unable to describe the heavens, or else they must reveal that the order of the gods is reflected exactly in the city of monsters.

2. The location of the city is rationally located to accompany it’s needs. Based on the title the Sky and thus the heavens play an important role for this city.

4. This sentence amphasises their value of both science and religion. 6. The initial success of the city attracted a large variety of inhabitats

8. A rephrase of the ethical question: is science unable to grasp religion, or is religion the cause of many hardships. Often applicable to various elements in biological sciences, for instance: abortion, euthanesia, genetical manipulation.

GENERAL THOUGHTS The most obvious message to me was that overengineering something can easily cause it to fail because of that. Where the astronomers wanted to create a city that “would reflect the harmony of the firmament” and mapped the entire city out so that it conformed with both science and the way of the gods and even organised the neighborhoods according to the constellations, it eventually caused huge problems. This is similar to what Borges writes: “showing that the study of theoretical concepts alone is not sufficient to explain the real experience inside

buildings.”, which is what the astronomers did, they only focussed on the theoretical concepts without thinking about the actual inhabitants. This results in a city that seems eary and unpleasant, but still with a stong presence of a small group of authority. The other Important aspect is mainly described in the last paragraph; the combination and eventual conflict between religion and science. A common cause for ethical conflict in a lot of scientific research.

The described deformations remind of mutations caused by for instance, the flawed medicine softenon, radiation accidents, chemical warfare used in vietnam called agent orange.

GRAD PROJECT

SIMILILES VENICE & PERINTHIA

The rise and fall of Venice After looking into the history of Venice and the main reason for it’s success as a city state, followed by it’s occupation by the turks, I drew a simile between Venice and Perinthia in the following way. The most importatnt aspect of the location of Venice is that it’s surrounded by water which makes it the ideal location for a trade port. Thanks to this location Venice was one of the most important trading powers amongst the city states of renaissance Italy. Because of this you could say that what the sky and the stars are for perinthia, is what the water and trade routes are for Venice. In the same way the trade city attracted a lot of people from around the world, resulting in a multicultural variation of inhabitants. The city state of Venice was also run by a strong authority, putting in a lot of effort to maintain it’s position as a trading city. The doges signed peace treaties as well as maintained a fleet to protect their trade routes. The downfall of Venice was largely due to the catastrophical outbreak of the plague in Venice, which was particularly vulnerable because of the large amount of ships coming in from Asia and Africa, carrying rats and flees with them that spread the black death. This resulted in several outbreaks causing 50,000 fatalities in 1576-1577, almost a third of the population and again in 1680 when it killed 80,000 people Because of this Venice became vulnerable and was eventually occupied by the Ottoman army. After which it never regained it’s former glory. WThis history is still remembered annualy by the people of Venice by simulating bodily deformations, referred to as Carnival.

SITE SELECTION

Perinthia

Venice

The primary focus and initial success

The stong authority

The disease and downfall

Fig. 7-12.

GRAD PROJECT

San Giobbe

San Rocco

San Sebastiano

Trade access Santa Maria della Salute

Poveglia

SITE SELECTION

Decumanus

Cardo

SELECTION OF THE SITE After analysing the similes between Perinthia and Venice, mainly based arount the plage I developed the method I was going to use to select the site based on the story about Perinthia. First of all I looked up all religious and scientific locations in venice that have to with the plague, which can be interpreted as the counterpart of the constellations in Perinthia. Four of the religious places are churches that the Doges built during the plague, in the hope that god would stop the epidemic. The fifth religious location is San Marco square, which is now the main location for the celebration of Carnival. The first two scientific places are the two quarantine islands and plague hospitals, located just outside of venice. The second two scientific places are the arsenale and the primary access to the city and the grande canal, both played a key role in the trading success of Venice. The las scientific location is also San Marco square which was the most important market and thus essential for the success of Venice.

After identifying the equivalents of the constellations I connected the scientific and religious places. To represent the conflict and close relation of science and religion in Perinthia. The intersections of these connections symbolise this. To find the Decumanus I took the vertical average of the intersections, and the Cardo is the horizontal average of the intersections. The intersection of the Decumanus and the Cardo identifies the site.

THE SITE

The site area is a block defined by three canals: Rio de la Vesta, Rio de Sante Moise, Rio de lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aboro. On the south side and the part that lays at the Grand Canal there are hardly any sidewalks. Forming a major docking area for gondolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The largest street in the block is an expansive shopping street, Calle lara XXII Marzo. Because of this and being close to the San Marco square it is a busy tourist area, with a lot of illegal immigrants trying to sell their goods. There is little open space at the canals, but the buildings are interrupted by a multitude of courtyards.

GRAD PROJECT

SITE SELECTION

S I T E PROBE

GRAD PROJECT

Based on the inspiration of choosing the site based on different remains of the plague in venice, and the prominent role illness plays in the story of perinthia, I chose to analyse the site by using the underlying theme of infection. In the site analasys probe several observations/experiments were prepared to be executed on site. These observations can be divided into three different magnitudes of infection: human, city, global. The human infection observations look into the different possible contamination sources and influences of the site area. The city infection experiments are based on looking at tourism as an infection of venice. The global scale of infection looks into the problem of overpopulation.

SITE SELECTION

CONTENTS OF PROBE

1. Medical face mask

5. Plastic sample bags

6. Foldable sitting mat

2. A0 Map of the site area

3. Experiment booklet

7. Counter

8. Red and Green markers and pens 4. Eppendorf tubes

9. Geiger counter

10. Plastic gloves 11. DSLR Camera 12. Stopwatch 13. Calculator 14. Tweezers 15. pH measurment strips 16. tape measure

GRAD PROJECT

THE EXPERIMENTS

HUMAN

CITY

GLOBAL

This set of experiments looks into factors that have to do with human infection, in terms of disease. They mainly try to determine the likeleyhood of getting ill in the area. It seeks to find out contamination risks and as well as to how people react to signs of medical risk.

In these experiments tourism is interpreted as an infection of venice. It pushes the locals back further and further and starts to take over the entire city to a point where venice will resemble a theme park more than an actual city.

A set of observations of how humans have negatively influenced the environment, in this area but in a more general way than in the city experiments.

Washing hands

Toursist to local ratio

Ratio of parents to children

Mark all the spots in the area where people can freely wash their hands.

Determining the ratio of locals and tourists in 7 different spots in the area.

This observation is to establish what the growth ratio of the population in this area is.

Radiation

Access routes

Canal water contamination

Measure the background radiation to see if this is a possible cause of illness.

Counting the amount of people entering the area per bridge over 5 minutes.

Investigate how bad the state is of the canal water is due to pollution.

Radiation

Building contamination

Soil contamination

Measure the background radiation to see if this is a possible cause of illness.

Mark all buildings that have been altered for commercial or tourism use.

See if the soil is badly contaminated, as a result of pollution.

Reaction to signs of risk

Occupation contamination

Sound pollution

An experiment to see how people react to signs of medical risk.

Mark all buildings that are being used for commercial or tourism use

A measurement of how bad the sound pollution is in the area.

SITE SELECTION

CITY SCALE

The exact location of the site, in the area depicted above, was determined based on the results of the experiments looking into city scale contamination. The location was chosen with the aim to function like an antibiotic against the tourist infection of the area. The aim is that the location of the building will block the flow of tourists, by limiting the main access point into the area and also taking away the main views into the primary attraction for tourists: the fancy shopping street. The results of the City experiments will be illustrated in the following pages, followed by the location of the exact site.

GRAD PROJECT

TOURIST INFECTION

Fig. 13.

Fig. 14.

SITE SELECTION

Fig. 15.

The tourism in Venice forms a problem for many different reasons. Whilst the residential population dropped from 150,000 in 1950 to 59,990 today tourism is still rising. Resulting in Venice losing its socio-economic diversity and turning into a mono-economy anchored in tourism. This causes the deterioration of regular businesses and commercial shopping magnates to grow exponentially. If this continues, before long Venice will have more resemblance to a theme park or a shopping mall than an actual city. The inhabitants express their problems with tourism by a variety of graffiti, ridiculing the behaviour of the stereotype tourists as shopping obsessed monsters, and telling them to go away.

GRAD PROJECT

BUILDING & OCCUPATION CONTAMINATION

Building Contamination

Occupation Contamination

Combined Contamination Combining the results of the building and occupation contamination observations results into the figure ground depicted above. The green buildings have not been affected yet by tourism in either building elements or occupation. The brown areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have been affected by either the occupation or just building elements, and the red parts have been infected both on building and occupation level. It can be seen that almost all buildings on the main street have been affected by commercialism or tourism in at least one way.

SITE SELECTION

TOURIST FLOW 1.42 In: 17 Out: 12

0.44 0.00

0.25 1.48

3.56 In: 96 Out: 27

0.80 In: 20 Out: 25

2.44

0.20

0.00

Tourist / Local Ratio

Flow of People

Tourist Flow After looking at the ratio of tourists to locals in the area, and observing which access routes are used the most, it is clear that the east bridge is used the most and primarily by tourists, presumably because it comes from saint marco leading straight to the shopping street. The north bridge is used the least and mainly by tourists. The west bridge is mainly used to exit the area. This suggests that the most frequently used route of tourists is straight from the east bridge to the west bridge. This is also suggested by the figure ground plan on the left.

EXACT SITE

GRAD PROJECT

SITE SELECTION

Based on these factors the exact site was chosen to be square on the west side of the eastern bridge. By choosing this square as a site for a building the primary flow of tourists into the area will be cut off. The bridge will only lead up to a building and will no longer serve as a passage for the tourist infection of the area. If the flow of tourists into the area is reduced the expensive international chain stores will also lose a large fraction of their clientele. This will possibly result in them leaving the area, opening up spaces for the local enterprises. Stopping the commercial element in the area will hopefully also prevent the monumental buildings from being altered and modernised, making it possible for the area to maintain it's true venice characteristic. All of these results from this intervention will hopefully result in the main steet becoming more of a living city area again rather than a tourist shopping mall. And stop the rest of the area of becoming one.

100

THE S I T E

GRAD PROJECT

The exact site is located opposite campo San Moise, at the end of Calle Larga XXII Marzo. It is a small square surrounded by international stores and a hotel. It has an archway beside the canal leading to it.

THE SITE

101

The square is surrounded by primarily old buildings of heights between 10 and 17 metres. Opposite of the canal stands a 20m high modern building and a 20m high church.

The square is almost rectalinear, with the approximate dimensions of 23m x 12m and a surface area of 307m2.

The site is surrounded by historical buildings, with most prominently the baroque church of Chiesa di San MoisĂ¨, flanked by a medieval spire, which can be seen on the historical map above.

Exept for the church, all buildings are used for commercial use, mostly expensive international clothing chains, and hotels.

near San Marco â&#x20AC;&#x201D; V

102

GRAD PROJECT

23000m

12300m

THE SITE

103

104

N-S ELEVATION

GRAD PROJECT

THE SITE

105

106

Whilst the site hase the form of a square, half of it is also an important passageway leading from San Marco square to an expensive shopping street. Opposite of the site is another slightly bigger square with a modern hotel on it and a baroque church The flow of tourists coming through, throwing away food, attrackts a lot of pigeons in the area. At night the street is lit with an odd blue light, accompanied with large text projections on the floor, resulting in an almost theme park like atmosphere.

GRAD PROJECT

THE SITE

The area is primarily occupied by expensive international stores, like Gucci, Salvatore Feraagano and a Chanel store is about to be built. These shops attract a lot of tourists that come from San Marco square. Because of the large amount of tourists the square is a prime location for gondoliers, resulting in the canal being clutterered with gondolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

107

108

OTHER TESTS

GRAD PROJECT

The tests looking into infections on human and global scale were performed in the determined site area. Amongst these experiments are numerous samples that are to be analysed in different ways. The results of these tests are to inform the initial design decisions after the brief is specified.

OTHER TESTS

109

Children: 51 Parents: 35

pH: 7 pH: 7

Growth Ratio:

1.46

pH: 7

Overpopulation

Water Contamination

0.10 0.10 0.11 0.10 0.10

0.10

Soil Contamination

Radiation in ÂµSv/h

-36 -46 -30 -40 -38

-38

-30

Sound Pollutian in dB

Reaction to Risks

110

GRAD PROJECT

2016

BRIEF

2022

2028

2045

From the tests performed throughout the site analysis process the initial brief was derived. This was then added to with a narrative, describing the building as a progression through time.

BRIEF

111

INITIAL BRIEF

Programme The building to be designed will be a centre for the study of the dynamics of infections. The lab/research space is designed to integrate study of infectious behaviour on multiple scales, ranging from micro-organisms to a global scale. It will be related to a design studio that uses Venice as an extension of its experimental space, aiming to limit the tourist contamination of the city. All research and design departments will have to answer and work together with a government organisation also housed in the building. The main programme consists of four elements: A microbiology lab – capable of working on infectious disease. A global research centre – treating overpopulation as a global infection. A design and construction space – for developing city based interventions A public function – A government organisation overseeing the city interventions, whilst also keeping the balance between the aims of the microbiology lab and the global research centre.

Concept The project is a polemic based on the idea that tourists represent an infectious disease in Venice which should be controlled and inhibited. By occupying a prominent central location in the city the building will act as an antibiotic for the city in order to bring the infection under control. The project will aim to represent this concept accompanied by ideas of emergence - examining the mathematics of complexity across different scales.

Key Design Strategy The location is prominent and the building site is limited so the intervention will need to respond to the axis of the main street and the canal which runs underneath. The key strategy is to intervene in the city through blocking or redirecting routes. The core building will be considered in the context of a broader (and provocative) urban strategy. Given the prominent baroque church façade opposite to the primary façade of the building, some form of direct reaction to this façade will have to be formulated.

Technical Specialism The main focus in terms of technical integration in the project will primarily evolve around, but is not limited to, the declaration of a structure with the limited dimensions of materials, dictated by the supply route, in mind. Natural ventilation will also be discussed into more detail. An elaboration will be made on how the surrounding buildings can be “infected” by the new building, whilst the historical value of the buildings is maintained as much as possible. Various technical methods of achieving this will be explored with one final declared method. An exploration of the technical requirements for an environment suitable for research into infectious disease, where the regulations are met through an alternative take on usual lab construction.

112

GRAD PROJECT

STORY

The story is based on the events evolving around the building over time, and the different parties inhabiting it. In this way describing the social and political setting of the project.

2022 An expansion of the regional council of Veneto is constructed. The building contains the planning and renovation department, the healthcare department and the department of population. Led by C. 2028 External consultants are required for the proper functioning of the government departments. Three expansions are built attached to the government building: A design office concerned with planning and renovation. Led by D. A biological research lab looking into resistance of diseases. Led by I. A research centre into overpopulation. Led by O. 2032 O tries to convince the institute of the graveness of the issue that the world population is rapidly approaching the maximum of 10 billion. He is not taken serious by C, who is more concerned with current issues. O approaches I to propose a research program to tackle overpopulation at a cellular scale. I reacts shocked to the idea. I conducts research into the resistance of bacteria to medicine, a growing problem within the healthcare sector. D designs installations throughout Venice to attract tourists. 2040 The world population has reached the 10 billion. Due to the aggravation of the problems the offices start to expand. C does not have solutions for the emerging problems. The issues start to overlap, initiating closer collaboration of the offices, finding place

in the central government building. Tourism is no longer regarded as a sustainable income source but as a problem, the Design office shifts its attention to limiting the tourist flow within parts of Venice, including the area of the institute. 2045 Buildings around the institute start to be vacated, due to the decline of tourists in the area. The building starts to grow into these buildings. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter dies from a resistant infection, causing I to agree with Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier proposal. D designs another lab concealed within one of the vacated surrounding buildings. The offices slowly transform the central government building into a collaborative space, whilst the government officials start to get integrated within the offices, making it less distinguishable who is fulfilling what function.

BRIEF

113

SPACES AND FLOOR AREA

From the story 3 different stages were derived. For each step the following spaces were initially formulated.

Step 1: government building Government building space occupancy entrance area / reception 2 planning & renovation dep. 8 healthcare dep. 8 population & integration dep. 8 meeting room 25 main office 1 cantine 14 wc wc

m^2 18 20 45 45 45 45 14 27 15 15

Step 2: external advisors Design & planning office space

additional info gr floor gr floor

occupancy

m^2

4 / 4

35 30 15 10

studio modelling workshop office wc

gr floor

30%

circulation: lift staircase space

20%

tot. Area

375.7

tot. Area

108

office space + sitting area entrance area Lab main lab space storage area wetlab suite coldroom cell culture suite wc

occupancy

m^2

25 6

30 4 4 4 4 10

additional info shielded from the larger public

Overpop Research centre space

office space + sitting area conference room small library wc

circulation: lift staircase space

20%

circulation: lift staircase space

tot. Area

104.4

tot. Area

Step 3: growth Design & planning office m^2 expand with 250

access to river

gr floor

circulation: lift staircase space

Biology research lab space

additional info gr floor

Biology research lab m^2 expand with 250

Overpop Research centre m^2 expand with 250

occupancy

m^2

3 10

20 20 20 10

20%

additional info smallest of the three at the beginning

114

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THEORY The following books informed and portray the concept and critical theory behind the project.

QUOTATIONS

"In computational design, it is rather idealistic to imagine that a functional and highly effective behaviour can emerge from a fundamental nondeterministic process." "While not traceable explicitly, the concept that a computational process relies upon feedback provides the avenue by which emergent conditions can be honed in a nondirected set of procedures." p24

"Schumacher from archtictectsoffice Zaha Hadid says that parametricism leads to hypercommunicative cities. This seems to be a utopy. Parametric design tends towards spectaclearchitecture." p43

COMMENTARY

The project illustrates this idea, that computational design without feedback leads to irrational unpractical buildings. Necessary for this process is what in 1969 Bertanlanffy called an open system: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The system in exchange of its environment, presenting import and export, building-up and breaking down of its material componentsâ&#x20AC;? (p. 141).

In the utopian idea of a parametric architecture, where a multitude of parameters can be put in place, it is a small step for the wishes and the possibilities of the occupants to dissapear to the background, because these are so diverse that they are hard to be grasped by parameters.

Menges, A. (2011) Computational Design Thinking: Computation Design Thinking. West Sussex: Architectural Design

Ballon, P. (2016) Smart Cities. Leuven: LannooCampus,

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115

"Each space within the defined volume was then located in terms of this primary coordinate system and a secondary set of coordinates was set up to describe the 'local' dimensions of each space (Fig. 4.13). The surfaces were then annotated as follows: Enclosing walls 1,2,3,4 Floor 5 Ceiling 6 Enclosed walls 7, 8, 9, 10" p123

"We will run the DLA model under various conditions, thus demonstrating that a simple (but in Einstein's phrase, "not too simple") model can be manipulated through parameter values that influence its global structure.......here we will illustrate its wider potential as a basis for expermineting with urban form." p127

"A keyidea in complexity theory is that of small, simple parts, which are replicated, combined or changed, following simple rules. After a number of iterations, the result is a diverse system whose future state is not easily predictable." p53 "In architecture, complexity is not just a mathematical idea to be appropriated from science and the natural world or systems theory, and reapplied in design. It is also an inherent quality of the constructed world, most apparent in the patterns of growth and development of human settlement." p54

A very similar process to what is described here was used to derive the volumes of in particular the initial government building and extension.

In the growth phase of the design and planning office this theory of utilising a DLA model to experiment with urban form is implemented by deriving the growth process from a DLA model generated within the site.

Instead of only analysing the constructed world through complex systems, this project attempts to use complex growth patterns to simulate that of urban growth.

March, L. (1972) The Architecture of Form, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Batty, M. (2005) Cities and complexity: understanding cities with cellular automata,agent-based models, and fractals. Cambridge USA: MIT Press.

Burry, J. (2012) The New Mathematics of Architecture. London: Thames & Hudson

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"No one can be close to others, without also having frequent opportunities to be alone" p669 "it is certainly essential that the area immediately around his place of work be a community, just like a neighborhood but oriented to the pace and rhythms of work, instead of the rhythms of the family." p224 "No one enjoys his work if he is a cog in a machine" p226 "Encourage the formation of self-governing workshops." p402 "If two parts of an office are too far apart, people will not move between them as often as they need to; and if they aremore than one floor apart, there will be almost no complication between the two." p408

“After the structuralism and the general planning mania of architecture, architects are once again dedicated to a code. From planning mania our interest shifts to a code mania.” p43 “The digital neo structuralism [parametric design] operates from a similar thinking direction as classical structuralisms. It demonstrates a similar preparedness to surrender to the ‘rule’ and a similar belief in progression and practicability.” p37 “Even though this can be a lot more complex than the primary structure ……. in essence the algorithm remains a set of rules.” p38

“it appears that the theoretical foundations of digital design as a form of design are still unformulated and that its conceptual foundations are still bound up in ideological positions.” p238 “New roles for the designer are emerging in exploiting this approach in design.” p253 “The thought of the designer as digital toolmaker reflects both the potential for customizing digital design media as it does the necessity for specialist knowledge needed to operate such media. ” p262 “We propose four classes of interaction: with free form, digital constructs, representation and digital environment. “ p244

Initially Alexander’s theory was used within the project in an extreme and un-personal way, in order to illustrate the risks of using current code languages in architecture as a method rather than a tool. Alexander states that every person creates it’s own language with his patterns. If the personal is taken away from current parametric design, it results in that there are only as many languages as there are different software programs, possibly resulting in very identical designs. A method truer to Alexander’s intentions was used for the last step in the project, the restructuring of the government building.

This project is an elaboration on the by Macris mentioned code mania. Architects will have to decide how many rule based processes are permissible in creating dignified spaces and work environments.

Oxman does not name any interaction with the user, resulting in a lack of the human element within architecture.

Alexander, C. (1977) A Pattern Language. New York: Oxford University Press.

Macris, V. (2010) Een parametrische Architectuur, parametrisch modelleren en ontwerpen. Diepenbeek: Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg

Oxman, R. (2006) A Theory and design in the first digital age. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 27 No.3

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117

“this requires rigorous thinking in order to build a sophisticated geometrical structure embedded in a complex model that is flexible enough for doing variations” p310 “Knowledge-based systems in conjunction with parametric modeling are under development and depend on a powerful computational structure based on artificial intelligence.” p311

“concepts whose theoretical source is digital design are beginning to occupy a central role in current architectural language and discourse.” p102 “Like much of the writing of the period, the emphasis is upon theoretical discourse as related to design, and less upon technical, or systematic, exegesis of methods and design techniques.” p104 “current approaches identify generative processes with performance. Instead of analyzing the performance of the design, and modifying it according to results, performance-based simulations can directly modify designs.” p107 “parametric design has become medium of experimentation in itself.” p109

“Their principal limitation is the lack of appropriate instruments to modify interactively the model once it has been created. This is a fundamental aspect in any design. It should also be noted that, from an elementary point-of-view, there is not a clear boundary between what can be called parametric design and what is currently called computer-aided drafting or modeling.” p369 “In this way, we can define an abstract collection of elements and insert them in our models. This is good for a start, but what happens if after the element is inserted we want to modify it?” p371 “The method is still under research. Direct specification of predicates is tedious, non-intuitive and error prone. It is also difficult to determine the number of constraints a particular form needs to be complete (‘‘uniqueness problem’’). “ p374 “It is clear, however, that any development of this kind will take a long time before architects can use it.” p377

Only with more powerful computers and the development of artificial intelligence the possibility emerges for a fully computer driven parametric design that is tailored to human interaction.

Through lack of critical reflection on systematics, method and techniques within design, it could develop into the direction shown by this project.

Architects should be conscious of the fact that parametric and computational design still lack essential elements, and it is still far from the end solution to an automated design method.

Hernandez, C. (2006) Thinking parametric design: introducing parametric Gaudi. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 27 No.3.

Oxman, R. (2008) Digital architecture as a challenge for design pedagogy, theory, knowledge, models and medium. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 29 No.2

Monedero, J. (2000) Parametric design: a review and some experiences. Elsevier: Automation in Construction 9

118

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CHAIN OF WORK

CODE

VOLUME

Government building: Location: Calle Larga XXII Marzo, 2093, Venice Follow: Total floor area: Contents: :Varlist:0.10 Entrance area= 15m^2: floor 0 Reception= 20m^2: floor 0 Meeting room= 25m^2: floor 0 Main office= 15m^2: floor x Seating area= 30m^2: floor x Planning dep.= 50m^2: floor < healthcare dep. Healthcare dep.= 50m^2: floor < population dep. Population dep.= 50m^2: floor x Toilet= 15m^2: floor 0 If:floor 2: Toilet2= 15m^2: floor 2 if:floor 4: Toilet3= 15m^2: floor 4 Cirulation:multiply:total*1.3 =403m^2 Envelope: Distance S structure > 1500mm Envelope: Distance W structure > 1000mm Envelope: Distance N structure > 6000mm Envelope: Distance E river > 0mm Height floor 0= 4000mm Height floor >0= 3000mm Access: from archway S Priority: low height > small footprint Priority: Distance S structure > Distance N structure Materials: follow: extension â&#x20AC;&#x153;consiglio regionale del Venetoâ&#x20AC;?

Execute........

From the theory a chain of work that is to be rigorously followed throughout the project was derived. First a set of rules is established for each individual step. These rules are portrayed in pseudo code, resembling a computational process. As a computer would these rules are then uncritically followed in the design project, with as little personal design input as possible.

From the rules established in the code phase a volume is derived.

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119

STRUCTURE

A structure is then declared for the volume, that is the most suitable to the volume, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s further progression.

DESIGN

After the structure the occupancy of the building is designed, and the cladding, window placement and layout is declared.

120

2022

GRAD PROJECT

Theory: The initial phase consists of the seed building. This is the building from which the other stages will evolve. It is formed through a process of perimeterisation Program: The building is a satellite building expansion of the Venice city council, of which the main building is on the same island as the site. It houses three government departments: population and integration, healthcare, and planning. Social: It is a low impact building, not restricting the access routes on and around the site.

2022

121

122

CODE GOVERNMENT BUILDING

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2022

123

>6000m

>1000m

>0mm

Government Building (403m^2)/4

>1500m

Primary Access

PERIMETERISATION

The code for this step primarily states the total floor area, floor heights and the different spaces per floor. In terms of the placement and footprint rules are established stating the distances that have to be held between the new building and the existing surrounding buildings. Also stating that the primary access route is from the south, resulting in the primary entrance on that side.

124

INITIAL DIAGRAMS 2022

OVERPOPULATION 0

GRAD PROJECT

2022

DESIGN 0

125

126

GRAD PROJECT

Concrete frame

Population dep. Healthcare dep. Planning dep.

2022

127

THEORY

The result of this step is an extremely institutional non designed building. It only follows the rules that are established and keeps the additional design steps to a minimum, illustrated by the window placement, which is kept entirely regular throughout the entire building. The rules itself focus on it not restricting the access routes on and around the site, illustrating the stance of the city council, not having an active influence on everyday life within Venice.

REFLECTION

Whilst the code does prescribe the total floor area, perimeter and the footprint, and thus by that also the amount of floors a lot, especially the layout, was still left up to me as a designer. This was mainly the case due to the reasonably large and easily adaptable shape of the volume derived from the code. To limit the impact of my personal intervention I attempted to keep the layout and further design to an as simple as possible resolution.

128

ROOF PLAN 2022

GRAD PROJECT

2022

GROUND FLOOR PLAN 2022

129

130

1ST FLOOR PLAN 2022

2ND FLOOR PLAN 2022

GRAD PROJECT

2022

131

3RD FLOOR PLAN 2022

132

2028

GRAD PROJECT

Theory: The initial building expands through the attachment of 3 individual structures. Each structure has to attach to a certain level of the initial building, forming the primary rule base of each extension. Program: The three extensions are small individual businesses that also operate as external advisors for the government departments housed within the initial building. The businesses are: an overpopulation research centre, a biological research centre and a design office. Social: Since the economy of Venice is almost entirely held up by tourism almost all buildings in Venice are occupied with businesses related to the tourist industry. Since the government heavily relies on external consultants, which are not able to base themselves within the city because of this, they offer three small businesses to attach themselves to the government building.

2028

133

134

CODE OVERPOPULATION RESEARCH CENTRE

Overpopulation research centre: Location: Attached to Government Building Follow: Total floor area: Contents: :Varlist:0.10 Office space= 25m^2: floor x Conference room= 20m^2: floor x Library= 20m^2: floor x Toilet= 10m^2: floor x Circulation:multiply:total*1.2 =90m^2 Envelope: max. cantilever: 1000mm Connect to: Population department, Government Building, floor 3 Envelope: form: Geometrical: axial symmetry All spaces: height= 3000mm Surrounding buildings: involve: YES Surrounding buildings: interrupt: NO Allow for: potential connection to biological research centre

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2028

135

Overpopulation research centre 90m^2

Connect Gov. Population dep.

GROWTH AND ATTACHEMENT The code for this step primarily describes what the extension has to connect to: the population and intergration department, which is on the third floor of the government building. Since there is no vertical support around the building on that level, and it is stated that it cannot interrupt the existing buildings, the extension will attach itself to the top of the government building.

3000mm

136

CODE DESIGN AND PLANNING OFFICE

Design and Planning office: Location: Attached to Government Building Follow: Total floor area: Contents: :Varlist:0.10 Studio= 35m^2: floor x Workshop= 30m^2: floor 0 Conference room= 15m^2: floor x Toilet= 15m^2: floor x Circulation:multiply:total*1.2 =108m^2 Max floor nr.: 2 Floor 0: Void: S Archway to Entrance Government Building > 1500mm Floor 0: Distance N structure > 6000mm Floor 0: Width of built structure on river < 4000mm Connect to: Planning department, Government Building, floor 1 Max. floor number on river: 1 Workshop: direct access to river Workshop: height= 4000mm Studio: height= 3000mm Avoid: intervention with existing structure: exception: government building

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2028

137

Gov. Planning dep. Connect

Studio: 3000mm

Design and Planning office 108m^2

Workshop: Access to canal

GROWTH AND ATTACHEMENT The code for the design and planning office prescribes that it has to be connected to the planning office on the first floor of the government building, whilst also having direct access to the canal. This leads to a double story on one side, sitting partially on top of the extrusion of the government building, whilst the rest of the extension is single height and located on the canal.

Workshop: 4000mm

138

CODE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE

Biological research centre: Location: Attached to Government Building Follow: Total floor area: Contents: :Varlist:0.10 Office space= 25m^2: floor x Lab Entrance area= 6m^2: floor x Main lab space= 30m^2: floor x Storage area= 4m^2: floor x Wetlab suite= 4m^2: floor x Coldroom= 4m^2: floor x Cell culture suite= 4m^2: floor x Toilet= 10m^2: floor x Circulation:multiply:total*1.2 =104.4m^2 Connect to: Healthcare department, Government Building, floor 2 Office space: Adjacent to connection Internal: Double threshold: Lab space Surrounding buildings: involve: YES Surrounding buildings: interrupt: NO All spaces: height= 3000mm Surrounding buildings: involve but not interrupt Allow for: potential connection to Overpopulation research centre

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2028

139

Double threshold

3000mm

Biological research centre 104.4m^2

Gov. Healthcare dep. Connect

GROWTH AND ATTACHEMENT Since the healthcare department is on the second floor the biology lab has to attach to that. This is only possible by an extension that partially rests on top of a roof terrace of one of the surrounding buildings. Within the extension a double threshold has to be present between the office space and the lab.

140

INITIAL DIAGRAMS 2028

OVERPOPULATION 1

GRAD PROJECT

2028

DESIGN 1

141

142

GRAD PROJECT

Overpopulation research centre -Timber frame-

Design and Planning office -Steel frame-

Biological research centre -Space frame-

2028

143

THEORY

The three extensions are attached to the initial government building, each constituted by their connection priority laid down in the building code. Since the code is different for each extension due to the different occupancies, the structure of each extension has to be specific to the requirements of each individual volume. This results in three different structures, materials and thus aesthetics.

REFLECTION

The challenge during this stage was that 3 different construction types had to be chosen suited to each department, but since I knew that they had to be able to grow in the next phase, the choices for these structures were also partially informed by the nature of the next phase. One could argue that this is a faulty approach since the development is then not purely following the time line, but on the other hand it could be said that since the timeline was formulated at the beginning of the project, with a general description of the total development up until the end, so the concept of predestination justifies the influence of the later phase on the current one.

144

ROOF PLAN 2028

GRAD PROJECT

2028

GROUND FLOOR PLAN 2028

145

146

1ST FLOOR PLAN 2028

GRAD PROJECT

2028

2ND FLOOR PLAN 2028

147

148

3RD FLOOR PLAN 2028

GRAD PROJECT

2028

4TH FLOOR PLAN 2028

149

150

2040

GRAD PROJECT

Theory: The three extensions start to expand, each following a different linear growth process. Each linear system was explored on itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own after which rules were derived from it that constitute the generation of the expansion of each extension. It is attempted to stay as close to the linear system as possible with as little intervention as possible. Program: The growth of each external consultant forms an expansion of the current occupation of the extensions. Offering more research and library space for the overpopulation research centre, more lab space for the biological research centre and additional studio and workshop area, and exhibition space for the design office. Social: The problems the departments are looking into keep getting worse causing them to expand. The design office starts to block the tourist flow in order to preserve the site area for the local inhabitants, causing the surrounded shops to vacate the buildings, which are then invaded by the biological research centre.

2040

151

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CODE OVERPOPULATION RESEARCH CENTRE

Growth of Overpopulation research centre: Location: Attached to Overpopulation research centre: Aim: Extend research facility Growth pattern: Fractal growth Follow: Additional floor area: 250m^2 Fractal: Horizontal asymptote at 350m^2 Start with existing square shape of Overpopulation research centre Limit: if no vertical support within 2500mm vertical distance: stop fractal generation Allow: fractal spread on top of surrounding buildings Maximum height difference: 2m

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2040

153

No vertical support: does not generate

0 2 3

1 1

3 2 2

2 3 3

GENERATIVE COMPLEXITY

The linear system used for this growth pattern is fractal development. In a fractal a simple form is taken, changed with one basic transformation, which is then repeated over and over again, generating a complex form through repetitive simplicity. The form taken here is the square roof plan of the overpopulation research centre. The repetitive transformation is to add four partially overlapping plusses on the corner points. This is how the plan of the growth was derived. But in order for it to be able to stand up one additional rule was added: that each individual next step does not develop if there is no vertical support within a height difference of 2500mm relative to the previous step.

154

CODE DESIGN AND PLANNING OFFICE

Growth of design and Planning office: Location: Attached to design and planning office: Aim: Extend workshop and create exhibition space, blocking tourist flow Growth pattern: DLA Follow: Additional floor area: 250m^2 DLA: Node 1: 1500mm above centre of bridge Node 2: 1000mm above centre of canal Constraint surface: all existing structure on site

Spaces: Initiate Cubes at Node 1, Node 2 Cube development: perpendicular Stop: Cubes encase entire DLA

Execute........

GRAD PROJECT

2040

155

Cubic reinterpretation of DLA until encased

Initial node: Centre of canal

Initial node: Centre of bridge

EMERGANT COMPLEXITY

The primary aim of the growth process of the design and planning office is to restrict the tourist flow into the site area. The chosen system to generate this obstruction is Diffusion Limited Aggregation. In this system a node is chosen from which branches of a prescribed length emerge at random angles, which on their turn branch off again. To this a restriction surface is then applied, in this case the site and already existing buildings. Since the DLA bounces off of this restriction surface, it starts to occupy the empty space within the site. Two nodes were chosen: the middle of the canal, in order to obstruct the tourist traffic by gondola. - the centre of the bridge, which forms the primary pedestrian route into the area.

In order to derive spaces from the emerged set of branches it is then reinterpreted by encasing it in a set of interconnected cuboids, starting at the nodes, after which each cube has to connect to the previous one, until the entire DLA is encased.

156

GRAD PROJECT

CODE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE

Growth of biological research centre: Location: Attached to Biological research centre: Aim: Extend the lab with a concealed lab for research into overpopulation on a cellular scale Growth pattern: Inhabit vacant space in surrounding buildings Follow: Additional floor area: 250m^2 Maintain existing facades

Execute........

2040

157

Primary tourist flow blocked by Design and planning office

maintain existing facades

500mm gap between existing wall and lab for services

No tourists: chain shops are vacated: occupied by Biology centre

INVASION

Due to the obstruction of tourists into the area the international shops in the area are vacated. The closest one to the Biological research centre is in the building on the western border now occupied by Salvatore Ferragamo. This building is invaded by the biological research centre, but leaving the existing structure intact.

158

INITIAL DIAGRAMS 2040

OVERPOPULATION 2

GRAD PROJECT

2040

DESIGN 2

159

160

GRAD PROJECT

Overpopulation research centre

Design and Planning office

Biological research centre

2040

161

THEORY

In this phase the extensions grow by following a complex linear process. The overpopulation research centre by generating space through an adaptation of fractal growth. The design and planning office emerges through the interpretation of a DLA. The biological research centre invades vacated surrounding buildings. Especially in the case of the overpopulation research centre and the design and planning office this produces a volume with a lot of rudimentary space, which gets worse the further it progresses. This demonstrates that if a set of rules is not interfered with in due time the design process deteriorates into illogicality. I argue that a similar idea can be applied to society, where issues like global overpopulation and tourism in Venice should have been restricted by current needs instead of maintaining fixed rules. The growth process of the design and planning office proposes such a restriction within the city of Venice, by blocking the flow of tourists into an area, giving new opportunities for the occupation of the area by the local population.

REFLECTION

The primary challenge during this phase was the interpretation of the fractal and the DLA whilst still staying close to the nature of the process. This also meant that the spaces were hard to work with in terms of declaring a suitable use of them. This was aggravated by the fact that the building kept feeling quite diagrammatic, which only stopped after completing the final renders, giving the spaces a sense of distorted reality.

162

OVERPOPULATION RESEARCH CENTRE The growth of the overpopulation research centre results in the generation of more and more rudimentary space around the periphery. The amount of structure remains the same but the usable floor space becomes smaller and smaller. These result in very narrow isolated working spaces around the periphery, and dark deep plan spaces in the centre, as seen in the image to the right.

GRAD PROJECT

2040

163

164

STRUCTURE MODEL

The structure used for the overpopulation research centre is a timber joint construction, consisting of 4 columns bundled together, held together by a set of 2 beams. This structure makes it possible to easily expand to the structure in a linear and regular way.

GRAD PROJECT

2040

165

Zinc roof

Timber frames structure

SIP panel wall construction

Space for services

Rigid floor panel bolted to timber floor structure

SECTIONAL DETAIL

The construction itself sits encased within the structure, leaving the timber construction largely exposed.

166

DESIGN AND PLANNING OFFICE

The spaces that are derived by the cuboid reinterpretation of the DLA are very random. Because of this the heights of the spaces differ a lot, making it nearly impossible to have more than one floor throughout the building due to the fact that most of the high spaces are inaccessible, even though some of them are 8 metres high, they are often only 2-3 metres wide. This makes it very inefficient but also yields quite an interesting space with a lot height differences and only a small amount of first floor levels. To enable this complex shape with cantilevering elements a steel frame was used.

GRAD PROJECT

2040

167

168

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2040

169

170

DLA MODELLING PROCESS The software I used to generate the DLA is called Diffusion Limited Aggregation in 3D, written by Paul Bourke, 2004. It lets you upload a constraint surface and set the coordinates of the initial node. After this the length of the branches has to be stated. From this information a DLA is then generated within the software. The constraint surface I used was the site and the developed buildings of the project up to that point. Since I wanted to use 2 nodes, one central on the bridge, the other central on the canal, I generated 2 different DLA’s and merged them afterwards. The one with it’s node at the centre of the bridge is depicted above. The branch length used in both is 600mm. I stopped both DLA’s between 1200 and 1300 branches.

GRAD PROJECT

2040

171

172

BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE The idea behind letting the biology centre occupy the existing building whilst keeping the original faĂ§ade intact is to depict the seclusion of the lab from the public. The work performed in the lab is looking into overpopulation at a global scale, possibly involving genetic manipulation. Due to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s controversy the lab is maintaining the original uncharacteristic facade with a translucent inner wall, trying to avoid conflict with the public.

GRAD PROJECT

2040

173

174

GRAD PROJECT

SPACE SEPARATION

Office space and circulation Threshold spaces Lab spaces

The biological research centre consists of office space and circulation, threshold spaces to separate these from the lab, and lab spaces. The layout of these is depicted in the diagram above.

2040

175

Existing wall

Existing floor beams

Services between lab and existing structure

Polycarbonate

Steel space frame

LAB DETAIL

The structure consists of a lightweight steel space frame to minimise the impact on the existing structure it occupies. The labs are encased in polycarbonate with the services running between the polycarbonate lab spaces and the old wall.

176

GRAD PROJECT

2022

Overpopulation research centre

Biological research centre

Design and planning office

2045

Overpopulation research centre

Biological research centre

Design and planning office

2045

GOVERNMENT BUILDING ADAPTATION The last step in the development is the change of the government building. The three external consultants and departments realise the need for cooperation between them, instead of developing outward they start to look inward. The central government building is transformed from an administrative centre to a collaborative core. Instead of each department and external advisor staying on their own floor, each connection from extension to core now leads to the middle floor, forcing their cooperation. The floors itself are broken down into open work spaces. This approach draws inspiration from the true intention of a Pattern Language by Alexander and the structuralistic office designs by Herzberger.

2045

177

178

GRAD PROJECT

2045

179

180

GRAD PROJECT

2045

ROOF PLAN 2045

181

182

SECTION 2045

GRAD PROJECT

2045

183

184

GROUND FLOOR PLAN 2045

GRAD PROJECT

2045

1ST FLOOR PLAN 2045

185

186

2ND FLOOR PLAN 2045

GRAD PROJECT

2045

3RD FLOOR PLAN 2045

187

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4TH FLOOR PLAN 2045

GRAD PROJECT

2045

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SERVICES Because the building keeps growing the services have to continuously be adapted and in some cases post fitted to the new and older parts of the building. Especially ventilation servicing has to be increased. In the beginning all spaces are within the boundaries of natural ventilation, but as the building grows deep plans form, requiring mechanical ventilation. Water Drainage Electricity Mechanical ventilation

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CONCLUSION

The project clearly demonstrates that if personal intervention within the design process is removed, and the restraints constituted at the beginning are linearly followed, the outcome is illogical. By extreme exaggeration of the process and excluding the human factor, illogical designs are generated. The further the uncritical process develops the more rudimental space is formed within the design. But by being forced to reinterpret these illogical design steps, to a somewhat realistic building new creative ideas are formed that would normally not be thought of. Whilst the experiment aimed to be a warning for the uncritical linear use of code language within architecture it also showes that it can generate unexpected and interesting urban interventions. The final stage almost seems to resemble a busy Tokyo street with

a multitude of different structures stacked on top of each other, something that could have happened to Venice had it not been declared a heritage site, restricting any further growth. Overall it is clear that this process is ineffective in producing a well resolved design, but it does yield interesting concepts of urban intervention and simultaion of urban growth.

DISCUSSION

Throughout the project there a few general aspects that I struggled with. Intervening with the computational Within the concept of leaving the design to a set of rules that were established at the beginning, it was still inevitable that I had to intervening with this pseudo computational process in order for it to be fully developed. It was a challenge to decide where to draw the line in this. 4 buildings, 4 processes, 4 materials, 4 occupancies Another complication was that throughout the project I was continuously dealing with 4 buildings, 4 processes, 4 materials, and 4 occupancies. These 16 variables all relate to each other and were developed simultaneously, making it hard to keep an overview.

1 by 1 It might have been better to develop all steps one by one, rather than trying to do it all at the same time. This was however not possible since they all relate to each other, as already stated before, and should thus also influence each other’s development. Move on to more detailed design Because of this I wasn’t able to move on to resolving the design in detail until very late in the project, something that I would ideally have had more time for. I Especially would have liked to look at the occupation of the spaces in more detail. Dystopian project and reality I also found that working on a dystopian project requires an entirely different approach than a normal design project due to it’s alienation from reality. This

means that I could not think about regular solutions that would usually make sense, but rather imagine the dystopian reality and what would make sense in that context. Demotivational effect of a dystopian project. Another effect the dystopian nature of the project had on me was that it worked very demotivational. This can mainly be attributed to the fact that I wasn’t working towards a goal but rather attempting to show something through a process. It is also fundamentally different from a Utopian project, where you are working towards something ideal, whilst I was constantly working towards something that was meant to be flawed, making it hard to be happy about the work.

CONCLUSION

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>2050 Progression

APPEN DIX

- Charrette: Sensory overload - Roads less travelled volume studies initial structure exploration - Thinking Through Making week

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CH A R R ETTE

APPENDIX

The charrette I participated in was called sensory overload. We were tasked with making a space that disorientates you whilst going through. We did this by making a completely white room, with bright light and a maze of a net made out of plastic bags, ending in a room packed with bright balloons and a soundtrack running in the background of popping balloons.

CHARRETTE

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VOL UM E ST U D IES

APPENDIX

These volume studies were done in the first week after finishing the brief. They primarily informed me of the size of the building on site and the different possibilities of distributing the prescribed surface area in different ways. I did however not take any of the volumetric studies forward into the eventual project.

VOLUME STUDIES

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APPENDIX

VOLUME STUDIES

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INITIAL STRUC TURE

APPENDIX

In the second week a combination of various volumetric from the first week was elaborated on by formulating a structure and various more detailed elements of the design idea. I also started to explore the idea of applying fractal growth to the initial form. The structure declared at this stage, based on a collaborative project by UC Berkely + Kengo Kuma, was later applied to the overpopulation research centre.

INITIAL STRUCTURE

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Fig. 16.

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INITIAL DETAIL DIAGRAMS

A diagram showing an initial thought on intervening with the existing structure on the site.

APPENDIX

INITIAL STRUCTURE

Diagram of an expanding and contracting space, able to either block the bridge or leave it open.

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T TM WEEK

APPENDIX

A bamboo joint made during the bamboo workshop.

TTM WEEK

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Attempt at sawing out a polystyrene workspace during the polystyrene workshop.

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Inspired by the floating foundation type specified in the technical report I decided to make an attempt at casting floating concrete.

The first method was based on the method described by a dutch company constructing floating foundations. They cast concrete around polystyrene blocks. In this method I put a polystyrene block on 4 pins within the mould and casted the concrete around it.

APPENDIX

When finished and put into water, this block immediately sinks on one side, and clearly floats on the other side. This shows that there is a severe balance problem, and the polystyrene block must not have been at the centre of the mould. It also shows that a larger ratio of polystyrene to concrete is required to make it float properly.

TTM WEEK

In the second attempt the polystyrene was not in the form of a block encased by concrete, but small polystyrene balls were used used as the aggregate of the concrete. The ratio of the mix was: 3 polystyrene, 2 water, 2 sand, 1 plaster, 1 cement.

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This block does float at first when put in the water, but due to it being quite porous water starts to seep in after a while. This slowly causes it to sink completely. This method does seem promising but requires a larger ratio of polystyrene to concrete, in order to compensate for the water seeping in.

LITER AT U R E

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BOOKS

Alexander, C. (1977) A Pattern Language. New York: Oxford University Press. Batty, M. (2005) Cities and complexity: understanding cities with cellular automata,agent-based models, and fractals. Cambridge USA: MIT Press. Ballon, P. (2016) Smart Cities. Leuven: LannooCampus, Bertalanffy, L. von (1969) General System Theory Foundations, Development, Applications. New York: George Braziller. Burry, J. (2012) The New Mathematics of Architecture. London: Thames & Hudson Hernandez, C. (2006) Thinking parametric design: introducing parametric Gaudi. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 27 No.3. Macris, V. (2010) Een parametrische Architectuur, parametrisch modelleren en ontwerpen. Diepenbeek: Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg March, L. (1972) The Architecture of Form, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Menges, A. (2011) Computational Design Thinking: Computation Design Thinking. West Sussex: Architectural Design Monedero, J. (2000) Parametric design: a review and some experiences. Elsevier: Automation in Construction 9 Oxman, R. (2006) A Theory and design in the first digital age. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 27 No.3 Oxman, R. (2008) Digital architecture as a challenge for design pedagogy, theory, knowledge, models and medium. Elsevier: Design Studies Vol 29 No.2

LITERATURE

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IMAGE REFERENCES

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