Design Studio Journal: Air
Kaixin Zhang Semester 1, 2016 Tutor: Sonya
Table of Content
Table of Content
A. Conceptualisation
Introduction A.1 Design Futuring A.2. Design Computation A.3. Composition/ Generation A.4. Conclusion A.5. Learning outcomes A.6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches Reference List
Introduction My name is Kaixin Zhang and I am in my final year of Bachelor of Environment, architecture major. Architecture is something I’ve always adored, mainly because its ability to shape interactions and experience of the users; thinking about how the built environment can coexist with the natural environment and allowing designers to apply their artistic and analytic thinking in this problem-solving process. My first encounter with digital design was during Studio Earth, where I first obtained knowledge of Rhinoceros. Although it was a challenging experience, it allowed me to fundamentally understand how digital programs can assist in the production of sophisticated architectural structures. Looking at nowadays’ architectural projects, the assistance of digital technology is apparent and is recognized as an essential skill. Part A of this journal will provide detailed examples of how digital design is a powerful field in the architectural practice.
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Design Futuring, the finite nature of human species means that we must consider sustainable ways to sustain our habitation and to elongate our existence on the planet. (Fry, 2008). Architects nowadays focus greatly on minimizing environmental impact through responsible design outcomes. In Vincent Callebaut’s 2050 Vision of Paris, the emerging trend of green buildings is very obvious. Not only do buildings adopt sustainable design components, such as passive shading and solar power reuse, the idea of building vertically is rather prominent. Additional attention is paid to nature and how we could integrate our built environment into it. Given the lack of greenery within the city, the insertion of gardens on high-rise buildings is an increasing trend. While the existence of trees mitigates city pollution, it means that construction methods must advance rapidly to accommodate the change of planting trees above ground level. Previously community facilities are built horizontally on the ground, nowadays architects tend to shift it vertically. This means that inhabitants no longer need to occupy or exploit large land area for human activities, unoccupied natural land can be valuable for other species. This concept can be inspirations for architects to explore further on future designs. This is a much appreciated practice all over the world for designers. It sets potential for architects to develop future possibilities, analyzing and rethinking how inhabitance design can contribute to a more sustainable future.
A.1. Design futuring Precedent 1: Vincent Callebaut’s 2050 Vision of Paris as a “Smart City”
Fig.1. 2050 vision of Paris (Giermann, 2015)
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Precedent 2: Guangzhou Opera House Location: Guangzhou, China Architect: Zaha Hadid Project year: 2010
Fig 1. Guangzhou Opera House (Baan, 2011)
The Guangzhou Opera House is a prominent example of architecture being explored through digital computation. It stands out from the surrounding high-rise and box-like buildings, giving emphasis on the geometric shapes both from the exterior and giving sophisticated circulation experience for users. The Opera House design concept was drawn from natural landscape, revolving the idea of erosion and topography in correspondent to nearby river (De Zeen, 2011). It is intriguing to draw ideas from nature, for human species to be sustainable, a close understanding of our environment is critical.
Fig 2. Guangzhou Opera House (Baan, 2011)
Fig 3. Guangzhou Opera House interior (Baan, 2011)
When looking at its computerised form, the use of material and lighting pose a futuristic impression on this city, this is surely a breaking free from ordinary modern architectural forms, not only impressing the inhabitatns, but also instigating architects to explore interesting shapes with the help of computer modelling. The exposed steel skeleton and glass faรงade was a challenge to build. Zaha Hadid and her signiture curvelinear were once unbuiltable (Moore, 2013), but with accelerating construction methods, more and more boldness is getting built. The success construction of Guangzhou Opera House is just one of the example that encourages future possibilites in the field of architecture. 5
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Unlike architecture that had to follow specific proportioning and shape in order to construct in historical times, the presence of computation redefines architectural practice, this gives the result of more sophisticated architecture, giving architects more freedom and opportunity to explore in great depth of innovative forms and aesthetic possibilities that best suit the Beijing National Stadium in this instance. A simple click of button can give alternative form to this architecture.
A.2. Design Computation Precendent 1: Beijing National Stadium Location: Beijing, China Architect: Herzog & De Meuron
Fig.2. Steel structure (ARC239 Parametricism, 2014)
Computation also allows parties to preview rendered result in real-life environment before it was constructed, individuals who could not comprehend drawings can easily understand the outcome, this allow greater communication between interdisciplinary fields. Fig.1. Beijing National Stadium (ARC239 Parametricism, 2014)
The Beijing National Stadium is renowned for its bird nest shape, the faรงade of this building consists of steel strips intersecting each other to create an enclosing web. As demonstrated in Fig 3, the form started with a cylinder, and were deducted to complex geometries produced by a set of algorithmic rules, the associated forces required to hold the structure were also determined with the help of the computer (ARC239 Parametricism, 2014). The computer is therefore capable of generating a variety of possible solutions for the architect during the design process as long as a rational programming system is involved. Unlike human that could make mistakes, the computer provides accurate outcomes of the location of the steel system. In this manner, computer and the architect exists symbiotically, with the architect providing the creative inputs and the computer generating possible rational alternative outputs for the designer to make a decision (Kalay, 2004). 7
Fig.1. Parametric modelling of Beijing National Stadium (ARC239 Parametricism, 2014) 8
The Centre Pompidou-Metz of France is a clear example of structure produced with the aid of computation. The enormous woven roof covering the beneath structure is a unique combination of triangles and hexagons formulated from the method of form-finding, which is a critical component of computing programs (Galilee, 2007). Form-finding develops the optimum shape for the roof, small adjustments can be easily made by simply changing parameters in the software programs, providing new possibilities in geometrical arrangement of the roof. The form affects the force transferred from the roof to the structure below, therefore it could be a challenge for the construction industry in terms of the feasibility of building it. The construction and design industry is closely linked in achieving the final structure.
Precedent 2: Centre Pompidou-Metz Location: Metz, France Architect: Shigeru Ban Project year 2010
There are also limitations to using computation in the design process. While structures can be digitally generated, structures might be difficult to construct physically. In the Case of Pompidou-Metz, the curved roof is impossible to create by bending one layer of timber beams, therefore new construction means were adopted (Galilee, 2007). However, this could be an advantage in terms of facilitating the construction industry to come up with new fabricating solutions for design outcomes created by computation. Another limitation to computation is that it requires a vast knowledge of computer programming, understanding the logics behind parametric relationship is critical, which can be difficult to adapt to or learn. Ultimately, it relies on human to give input and program meaning (Kalay, 2004).
Fig 1. Centre Pompidou-Metz (Galilee, 2007)
9 Fig 2. Centre Pompidou-Metz computation modelling (Galilee, 2007) 10
A.3. Composition/ Generation Precedent Project 1: Constructed Clouds Project developer: Dongil Kim and Seojoo Lee from the University of California, Berkeley. This project demonstrates the generative property of forms through experimentation with computation. According to Kalay (2004), design is a process of discovery, and computation maximizes the opportunity for finding complex and interesting outcomes. The Constructed Clouds utilizes parametric modeling that is able to come up with new forms with each updates of algorithmic inputs. The Constructed Clouds is an aggregated model, having a system of octahedrons as the base, a series of lattice, trail or ring shaped structures are generated (Admin, 2015). Fig xx is just two of the many possible interior configurations it proposes. When comparing with the traditional compositional method of design, where a specific outcome is anticipated, this generative approach is an efficient and rewarding design process, due to its ability to generate unexpected forms.
Fig 1. Constructed Clouds (Admin, 2015)
Design generation has been a great area of discourse in terms of the potential it brings to the architectural field. The emergence of literature explaining the shift from traditional composition architecture to a focus on computer generated models surely impact on how architects deal with their design, and the thinking behind their design process.
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Precedent project 2: Thinktank and the life aquatech Project developer: The architectural association school of architecture in London
The resulting form is often achieved with iterative process of updating parametric information, giving algorithmic command to make change to specific areas. Parametric modeling has the ability to create radical, surprising and unlimited forms, however the architect should be aware of the feasibility of construction during the design process.
Thinktank and the life aquatech is an outstanding example of generative design. As the shift from composition to generation is made, the architecture industry responds to this by the emergence of many architectural forms that were not possible to create by composition. ‘Thinktank and the life aquatech’ used generative design process to explore the expression of fluidity in architecture, recreating the flowing effect through the contouring function of parametric software (Wang, 2013). Given the complexity of the organically contoured shape, it would be nearly impossible to achieve by composition.
Fig 2 and 3. Life aquatech (Wang, 2013)
Fig 1. Life aquatech (Wang, 2013)
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A.4. Conclusion
A.5. Learning Outcomes
Part A presents a thorough insight into the emergence of computation and how it instigated the shift towards a more digitally and algorithmically centered thinking and designing process. Computation demonstrates an algorithmic thinking, not only creating forms through surfaces and solids, but rather thinking about their parametric connections and exploring alternatives. Although computation does have its limitation, it is with no doubt that it will occupy and lead the architectural industry into future practice.
Studio Air presented me with a strong understanding of the importance of computation in the field of architecture. I grew a deep appreciation for the programs that allow symbiotic connection between architects and the computer. The power of parametric modeling is substantial to creating unlimited forms for exploration during the design process. With new knowledge of parametric design, I would improve my Studio Earth project that experimented with sprawling linear forms by testing multiple connection possibilities.
Architects also have a great responsibility on how buildings impact on the environment, therefore my design approach for Studio Air would be focusing on how design can mitigate environmental damages and bring benefits to the ecosystem as well as the creature that dwell within it, while advocating the general public to conduct sustainable behavior.
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A.6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches
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Reference List Admin. (2015, November 09). Constructed Cloud: Generative Growth Aggregation in Solar Environment. Retrieved March 17, 2016, from http:// www.evolo.us/architecture/constructed-cloud-generative-growth-aggregation-in-solar-environment/ ARC239 Parametricism. (2014, March 25). Beijing National Stadium. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from https://arc239parametricism.wordpress. com/2014/03/25/beijing-national-stadium/ Baan, I. (2011). Guangzhou Opera House / Zaha Hadid Architects. [image]Retrieved from: http://www.archdaily.com/115949/guangzhou-opera-house-zaha-hadid-architects/501388c628ba0d150700072b-guangzhou-opera-house-zaha-hadid-architects-photo [Accessed 12 Mar. 2016]. De Zeen. (2011, February 25). Guangzhou Opera House by Zaha Hadid Architects. Retrieved March 14, 2016, form http://www.dezeen.com/2011/02/25/ guangzhou-opera-house-by-zaha-hadid-architects/ Fry, Tony. (2008). Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice. Oxford: Berg. Galilee, Beatrice. (2007, April 13). Hats off to Shigeru Ban’s Pompidou-Metz. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from http://www.bdonline.co.uk/hats-off-to-shigeru-ban%E2%80%99s-pompidou-metz/3084678.article Giermann, Holly. (2015, January 08). Vincent Callebaut’s 2050 Vision of Paris as a “Smart City”. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from http://www.archdaily. com/585254/vincent-callebaut-s-2050-parisian-vision-of-a-smart-city Kalay, Yehuda E. (2004). Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Moore, Rowan. (2013, September 08). Zaha Hadid: queen of the curve. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/sep/08/zaha-hadid-serpentine-sackler-profile Wang, Maggie. (2013, September 10). Thinktank and the life aquatech: water generative design. Retrieved March 16, 2016, from http://www.designboom. com/architecture/thinktank-and-the-life-aquatech-water-generative-design/
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