AIR 2013 SEMESTER 1 T 16 : Michael & Zak K M
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Kelvin Man
CONTENT INTRODUCTION
PART A EXPRESSION OF INTERESTI CASE FOR INNOVATION Architecture as a Discourse Computational Architecture Parametric Modelling CONCLUSION LEARNING OUTCOMES
PARTB EXPRESSION OF INTEREST II
PARTC DESIGN PROPOSAL
DESIGN APPROACH
DESIGN PROPOSAL
Design Focus
Gateway Project: Design Concept
Case Study 1.0
Gateway Project: Techtonic Elements
Case Study 2.0
Gateway Project: Final Model
Technique: Development
Algorithmic Sketches
Technique: Prototypes
LEARNING OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOME
Technique: Proposal LEARNING OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES
INTRODUCTION Ho Kwan Kelvin Man
city combined by modern skyscrapers. I remember when I was young, I looked at these skyscrapers as many rectangular blocks and I was hoping to build the tallest block when I grow up. As I studied more about architecture in the university, I discovered more about buildings, not just its purpose but the idea and construction method behind it. I appreciate the aesthetic sense of architects that they can design buildings into a piece of art work. I hope I will be a good architect and design more good My interest and impression in architecture work in the future. was brought from Hong Kong, a crowded Welcome to my Journal! This is Kelvin. I am a 3rd year student studying Bachelor of environment, major in architecture. I was born in Hong Kong, an extreme crowned city where I completed my high school studies. In Feb 2010, I flied over to the Southern hemisphere to continue my study journey. Knowledge from high school has helped me to survive in tertiary study and I believe knowledge and experience that I get from Melbourne will benefit my future architecture journey.
Experience My experience with digital design theory and tools was mainly began in 1st year Virtual Environment which I learnt to use Rhino to create a lantern that can express the natural process and be able to wear on a body. My design was base on the process of transmission of sound wave which is transmitted through compression and reflection of air particles. As sound wave was produced, they will be diffracted and reflected when hitting the objects. I captured the reflection moment and tried to express it in bending and twisting form. I found it hard to create my design in Rhino at the beginning as I was not familiar with the command and I messed up the 3Dpanel usually. As I had more try and error, I was getting more familiar with
this this design tool. In the 2nd year, I have taken Studio Earth and visual communication. In these two subjects, I tried to engage several digital design tools to my design. I learnt to use Autocad to draw plans and sections; Sketchup to create 3D model and illustrator to edit the perspective drawing. In this year, I need to learn how to use Grasshopper in Rhino to create 3D models. Although I have basic skills in using Rhino, Grasshopper is completely new to me. I understand that Grasshopper can help to increase the flexibility for using Rhino and I hope I can overcome the challenges and create greater model.
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST I
PART A C A S E F O R I N N O VAT I O N
Architecture as a Discourse Discourse architecture as “The Mother of the Arts”
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rchitecture is inescapable to human life. They shelter human activity and they define our life, movement and discipline, hence, architecture is of huge social importance and they are responsible to the public (Williams, 2005). As to think of what is architecture, Architecture as art might be the popular answer in architecture writing. Similar to other artist, sculptors and painters, architects would engage their personal aesthetic sense to design and express themselves in order to get visual attention and resonance from audience. However, a good architecture is not merely about personal expression and having esthetic appeal; it is about communicating and responding to the public. In this course of Studio Air, I aim to explore and create architecture as a “mother”. I believe a good mother would listen, communicate and respond to children’s need, giving the best to them; and I think this is what architecture should be, engage in communication with the public and response to their need. Therefore, I would describe the architecture as the “Mother of the Arts”.
To further analysis, “architecture needs to be thought of less as a set of special material products and rather more as range of social and professional practices” (Williams, 2005). Architecture should not merely take care of personal benefit and expressing personal aesthetic interest, treating architecture as an individual product; it is as the “Mother of the Arts” that having both aesthetic expression and social interaction. Having social interaction in architecture is to respond to the human needs inside and outside the building, create an interaction between the building and the user and not disturbing the natural environment. Architecture designs should therefore make balance between all the “children” needs and expression of personal or client interest. Moreover, human needs and environment are changing from time to time, it is important to keep communicating and rethinking architecture as a discourse in order to create responsive and interactive architecture to adapt the fast changing environment. “Buildings with no capacity to change can only become slums or ancient monuments” (archigram, dir., archigram, bbc Productions, 1966).
archigram, dir., archigram, bbc Productions, 1966 Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 - 116
HYGROSCOPE Menges and Reichert
“Responsive architecture is commonly defined as a type of architecture that has the ability to alter its form in response to changing conditions” (Sterk 2003). This hygroscope project as being a responsive architecture that can adapt to the climate change is what I am appreciated. The aim of this project is to respond to the climate change and create an architectural system that can make people feel comfortable under the moisture climate. The design team had explore the behavior of wood under climate change condition and realized that wood has the ability to absorb moisture when dry and yield moisture to the atmosphere when wet. This concept has been inserted into the Wooden Hygroscope system which makes it able to ventilate the moisture saturated air without any sensory equipment and electricity supply. There are 4000 elements in this system and each of them having different size and shapes which can be physically programmed to adapt to different humidity level. I am very appreciated with this architectural system and it is the “mother of the arts” that I described. This architectural system has been focusing on human needs from its aim, to respond to human needs in the uncomfortable moisture condition. With its continuous responsive feature, it helps people adapting to the climate change over time. This system had also take care the environment by reducing need of non-renewable energy, treating the architecture itself as the dehumidifier. In addition, the composition of thousands of unique elements has created a great hierarchy to the structure which gives a aesthetic appeal to the audience.
http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=5083 Sterk, T.E. (2003) Building Upon Negroponte: A Hybridized Model Of Control Suitable For Responsive Architecture
Hills Place Amanda Levete Architects
Hills Place, filled up with large aluminum skin is another architecture that I am appreciated. It is not just the aesthetic skin and technology behind that inspired me, but the similar situation that I am facing that makes me feel I need it. Similar to many student accommodations in Melbourne, Hills Place located at the city heart of London is surrounded by buildings with similar height. They are not only blocking the view of the building, but most importantly, the sun light. Inspired by the art work of Lucio Fontana, Amanda Levette designed the Hills place with large window facing towards the sky to increase the probability of sunlight receiving. And to increase the level of sunlight, the skin of this architecture had been placed with slashed aluminum strips which help to reflect sunlight into the building. This architecture has truly contributed to the needs of human and changed the pattern of living from which electric light is needed in daytime to sunshine. Hills Place have not only contributed the functional benefit to the stakeholders, but also having an aesthetic appeal which I would describe it “the Mother of the Arts�. The fine facet of the aluminum strips has created a smoothing and comfortable shape to the audience. This aluminum strips reflects the sky, light and streets, created a beautiful and highly visible scene to the public. It seems that this slashing aluminum strip would be a solution to the Gateway project since it can increase the visibility to the architecture which will be further explored in this course.
http://www.dezeen.com/2009/09/10/10-hills-place-by-amanda-levete-architects/
COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE Digital designing tools create opportunities for new design situation and enhance problem solving
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rchitecture design has come to an age that driven by digital design technology. This evolution of designing tool is changing the way of architectural design process and methods of problem solving. Digital designing tools help architects to design architecture in a more effective and efficient way, they open up opportunities to allow designing and constructing very complex architecture that were thought to be too difficult or even impossible to build in previous age (Kolarevic, 2003). In addition, Computer are machines that follow the program logic, if correctly programmed, they would follow the input instruction to make its logical conclusion, never get tire and never make silly arithmetical mistake (Kalay, 2004). To be more specific, computational systems provides varying levels of assistance to the design industry. The basic level is computerization which computer helps designer to draw lines and other geometric entities, digitize existing image or process that preconceived in the architects’ mind (Peters & De Kestelier, 2013). This helps architect to create image more efficiently and make it convenient for documentation. The advanced level is computation which computer can process information through an understood
model to express as an algorithm (Peters & De Kestelier, 2013). It help architect to extend their abilities to deal with complex situation, provide inspiration and solve problem. As mentioned in the last chapter, architecture as the “Mother of the Arts” has to respond to the public need, having social responsibility. This issue of responding to the human needs become the architectural problem that architects have to solve with. Architects might thus analyze the problem, setting goals, evaluate the efficacy of each solution and communicate with others involved in the process; however this traditional problem solving method might have to create lots of unsuccessful solution which will decrease efficiency. With the advancement of computational systems, analytical systems having enough understanding of the data can be able to provide rational appraisal for human designer’s solution, designers can thus group the potential solutions and focus their efforts towards the potential ones. Moreover, they can set the boundary for the solution in computational systems so that the generated solution will not exceed the limit which can increase the probability of successful solution.
Peters, B. & De Kestelier, X. Computation Works: The building of Algorithmic Thought. Vol 83, Issue 2, (2013) pp. 1–152 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28 Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004)
CIRRIFORM Jason Kelly Johnson
Cirriform is a responsive architectural system that can create interaction between human and architecture itself. Different from the Hydroscope described in the last chapter, Cirriform cannot make response on its own material, but is powered and controlled by the computational systems behind – Grasshopper and Firefly. This architectural system is combined by hundreds of small illuminated crystalline components, with sensors inserted in each component. When visitors walk towards the façade, their proximity will trigger the sensors closest to them which signal will be transferred from the sensor to the Firefly. Firefly serves as the bridge between digital and physical world and give real-time feedback to the grasshopper. The
illuminated crystalline components will finally rotate towards the visitors and light them up according to the program logic of Grasshopper. In this architectural system, computation has created a bridge between human and architecture which human can interact directly with the architecture. It is no more an individual product alone but having social practice that would communication with the audience under the assistance of computation tool. With the help of Firefly and Grasshopper, architecture can further develop to respond to human needs by using sensors to detect the actual environmental condition like thermal and brightness condition, and giving real-time feedback to the hardware to satisfy human needs.
Payne, A. O. and Johnson, J. K. (2013), Firefly: Interactive Prototypes for Architectural Design. Archit Design, 83: 144–147. doi: 10.1002/ad.1573
Innsbruck Airport Thomas Buseck
A new passenger terminal of Innsbruck Airport, designed by Thomas Buseck, has integrated the environmental analysis into his design. This design is assisted by GECO, a plug-in of Grasshopper, which can create linkages between 3-D modeling software and analysis platform. GECO allows architects to export environmental analysis and evaluate the designer’s performance in Ecotect and import the results back to Grasshopper.
condition and the overall design. The result was then imported to Grasshopper for design tuning. Base on the environmental analysis with GECO, the design team has refined the airport roof design in Grasshopper with holes in different size to control the amount of solar radiation passing into the airport.
This airport design has demonstrated how computation affects design process and how computation makes architecture suitable In the Buseck’s design, he aimed to create an to the environment and human needs. With airport that can adapt to the environmental the platform of GECO, architect can integrate condition in Innsbruck. The design team used different analysis such as acoustic and moisture GECO as a platform to analysis the solar access condition into the design process which helps condition to the roof design over a period time them to tune architecture into an environmental and explores the relationship between the solar adaptive one. Grabner, T. and Frick, U. (2013), GECO™: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback. Archit Design, 83: 142–143. doi: 10.1002/ad.1572 http://www.designboom.com/readers/thomas-buseck-new-airport-innsbruck/ http://thomasbuseck.blogspot.com.au/ http://networkedblogs.com/e5jFc
PA R A M E T R I C MODELLING Parametric Modeling creates opportunities and increases efficiency and flexibility for design process
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esign process is changing, parametric modeling represents change. (Woodbury, 2010). In the archetypal architectural design process, it is about “Add and erase” (Woodbury, 2010). With pencil, eraser and paper, architect can add their design and erase for changes. Some tools like T-square and compass may help to make drawing more accurate; however, mistake cannot be avoided. If architect wants to make changes and repair mistakes, they may have to erase the whole drawing. With the introduction of parametric modeling, design process has changed. Architects can not only “add and erase” but also “relate and repair” (Woodbury, 2010). Parametric modeling helps to create relationship between different parts of the drawing. If part of the design is required to change, the related part can change together in a coordinated way; on the other hand, if part of the drawing is erased, the parts that depend on the erased part will related again to the parts that remain (Woodbury, 2010). This, is called Parametric Modeling. Parametric modeling has advanced from process to outcome of architectural design. The first advantage is efficiency increasing. In the archetypal design process, it is quite time consuming to make changes since changing of a particular part may lead to unlink to the related part which the drawing may have to redraw. Parametric modeling automates routine aspects and repetitive activities can facilitate a far greater range of potential outcomes with the same
investment of time (Burry, 2011). The second advantage is flexibility increasing. Since changes of design context including client interest are unpredictable, parametric modeling with its “relate and repair” features make adjustment of the architectural design in late design stages become possible. The third advantage is to create opportunities for new design outcome. Parametric modeling makes shapes changing in architectural design become more efficient, new shapes and forms that were thought to be unreachable in previous ages can hence has the opportunity to be explored. The forth advantage is to lower production cost. Parametric modeling combined with affordable digital prototype fabrication creates opportunities for multiple versioning and bespoke production to clients (Burry, 2011). Even though parametric modeling has brought a number of advantages to design process, there are still short coming to the technique. It seems that parametric design tool may limit the design potential of designers since software engineers may not have considered some of the unpredictable situation. Burry (2011) suggested that parametric modeling is “effectively a computing program overlay, the tool user ( designer) becomes the new toolmaker (software engineer)”. Moreover, some parametric design software may be difficult for designers to get used to, it is time consuming for designers to familiar with a new or later version of parametric software.
MUSEO SOUMAYA Romero & Ramos
Museo Soumaya, perceived as one of the largest private art collection in the world, is a successful outcome of parametric modeling. This structure with such high complexity had never been achieved in Mexico and even the whole Latin America before. Without precedent and local expertise, it is a great challenge for designing teams and constructer. Museo Soumaya has a large curved interior surface which the exterior is covered by repeating hexagon shape panels to form a complex 3-D structure. To support the exterior panels, unique strut has to be designed for each panel in order for them to adapt to the curving surface structure. The initial design for this art museum required 16000 unique hexagonal panels, however this amount represented cost and time consuming for fabrication. With parametric modeling techniques, design team could create multiple versions to the client efficiently which it has reduced to about 14000 panels, satisfactory were gained and production cost was reduced. The design team understands the complexity of hexagonal panels would be a great challenge to them, if measurement were off, the surface would interlock correctly. Therefore, they used parametric modeling techniques to fix this issue. They tried to divide the surface into two zones, the most curved and the most regular. They then used the ‘relate’ feature of parametric modeling to group the similar hexagonal panels into ‘families’ in two zones. With parametric modeling techniques, design team can adjust the size and gap between them efficiently by extract and compress the panels and reapply into the surface without redrawing the whole design.
Romero, F. and Ramos, A. (2013), Bridging a Culture: The Design of Museo Soumaya. Archit Design, 83: 66–69. doi: 10.1002/ad.1556
British MUseum great court Foster & Partners
British Museum Great Court, designed by Foster and Partners, is highly influential with its glazed roof. This glazed roof with a large dimension has spanned across the British museum’s rectangular court and the circular reading room. The challenge of this design is to span though a large piece of area with supports on existing surrounding buildings that having both rectangular and circular shape. To design this complex roof, the design team divided the roof structure into two aspects: the shape of the surface and the pattern of steel members that support the surface. On the aspect of surface shape, a simple approach with singularity in surface curvature is preferred. It is because “rectangular boundary was on sliding supports to avoid horizontal thrust on the existing building. The roof, therefore, could only be restrained horizontally at the corners where the resultant thrust is balanced by tensions in the rectangular edge beam�. On the aspect of steel pattern, it seems that simple pattern is preferred since it can reduce the load of the roof and also the cost of materials. It is obvious that a roof with a singularity in surface curvature with simple steel pattern is preferred, however the truth is that, the more simple the steel pattern, the more complex curvature there are, and the same contrastory . To deal with this issue, parametric modeling technique helps designer to create multiple version of roof pattern efficiently, they can then contrast different version and make balance between steel pattern and curvature of the roof. The figures on the right side are the outcomes of parametric modeling that demonstrated different version of the roof pattern. Architects can not only choose the best structure from them, but also the one with best shading and aesthetic appeal.
http://digiitalarchfab.com/portal/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/British-Museum-Court.pdf
CONCLUSION “Mother of the Arts” with eye-catching aesthetic expression and social interaction to the Gateway Project
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rchitecture, as discoursed in the first chapter, is the “Mother of the Arts”. Architecture is not just an individual product, expressing personal interest; it is as a ‘mother’ that will communicate, interact and take care of ‘children’ needs. In the Gateway project, I will design architecture as the “mother of the arts”, with eye-catching aesthetic expression and social interaction with the drivers. These two types of items are very significant to this project. Eye-catching appearance can draw attention from the audience; create opportunities for audiences to remember the architecture. Moreover, Gateway project located at the highway entrance of the city should have an expression of city image in the architecture; demonstrate the artist value of the city. However, having eye-catching aesthetic appearance is not enough to make the Gateway project a good one. What’s most important is the social interaction. Architecture should have interaction with the public. This can not only strengthen the memory of this iconic architecture to the public, but also demonstrate a friendly image of the city to the audience. With the advancement of computation in this new digital age, computer can make the above design approach become possible.
LEARNING OUTCOMES Explore what architecture should be and how computation has benefited to us
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hen I was young, I looked at the skyscrapers in my home city as many rectangular blocks and I was hoping to build the tallest block when I grow up. Even when I have chosen architecture as my major in Melbourne University, I was just keep on designing using Autocad, Rhino, Sketchup, Illustrator, keep drawing and keep tracing. I never thought of what architecture is and how this software had helped me design efficiently. Until I enrolled into Architecture design studio AIR, I started to discourse what architecture should be like and explore how computation has helped us to design more conveniently. With the help of parametric technique, I believe I can create more great design in the coming days.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Grabner, T. and Frick, U. (2013), GECO™: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback. Archit Design, 83: 142–143. doi: 10.1002/ad.1572 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28 Peters, B. & De Kestelier, X. Computation Works: The building of Algorithmic Thought. Vol 83, Issue 2, (2013) pp. 1–152 Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 116 Romero, F. and Ramos, A. (2013), Bridging a Culture: The Design of Museo Soumaya. Archit Design, 83: 66–69. doi: 10.1002/ ad.1556 Sterk, T.E. (2003) Building Upon Negroponte: A Hybridized Model Of Control Suitable For Responsive Architecture Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004)
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST II
PART B D E S I G N APPROACH
DESIGN FOCUS Patterning
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ase on our individual Architecture discourse topic, our design team has chosen patterning as the area for further development in our design project. Before creating our group discourse topic and constructing group argument, I would like to discourse what patterning is as the starting point.
as decoration in classical architecture and it is necessary element of architecture which building without decoration are seen as unfinished and unacceptable at that period (Schumacher 2009). To the period of parametricism, patterning is not only a ornament but used to differentiate surface and correlate with the functional aspects of the space. Modern patterning accentuates apertures Discoursing Patterning on a surface which they are made to correlate ‘Pattern’ as defined by Collins English Dictionary with the furnishings within a space. With different (2009) is a decorative design with combination orientation, directions and sizes of apertures, it of qualities, acts, tendencies, etc, forming a creates opportunities for patterning to adapt to consistent or characteristic arrangement. And the external environment. for ‘patterning’, it means a design or decoration formed by the creative arrangement of formation Design Focus of patterns. To our group interpretation for In the Gateway project, our design team aims patterning, it seems to be a design having to use the definition of patterning to create an repeating objects with the similar base shape architecture that can make driver feel comfortable and arranging them in a creative way. and be able to participate into the experience of the architecture. A comfortable architecture Patterning has been used in large variety of can help to enhance the driver safety on the human artifacts including ancient Egyptian highway and it can be obtained by using having pottery and human body surface since time smooth curves on the surface and connect to the immemorial. Since architectural patterns have surrounding natural environment. Interactive a board and deep lineage and wide spread between the driver and the architecture is also practice, there is not a well- defined and unitary important which it can let drivers participate into function for them (Schumacher 2009). With the experience of the architecture and rise their evolving practices of patterning, new functions interest to the city. are acquired and prior functions may be loose. It is interesting that patterning had been used
ICD/ ITKE Research Pavilion 2011 ICD / ITKE University of Stuttgart
This research pavilion constructed by University of Stuttgart is combined by lots of large repeating pattern. It intends to explore the architectural transfer of biological principles of the sea urchin’s plate skeleton morphology. This project was computer based designed and the elements were produced with computercontrolled manufacturing methods. With parametric modeling tools, the size and shape of the pattern can easily be modified. The structure is mainly constructed by very thin sheets of plywood, with just 6.5mm thick. The most interesting and challenging of this structure are the finger joints connections between panels. These plywood panels consist of 100000 finger joints which they are digitally fabricated and are able to join together naturally without any nail. This natural combining method makes patterns naturally correlated and has an interaction between them. It is not only the biological idea behind the structure but the experience of the smooth pattern connection within the structure which makes visitors has a special feeling of everything interacting and linking together. The gateway project can take advantages of this connection method and create a natural interactive design to the audience.
http://www.archiable.com/2012/20120519_ICD_ITKE_Research_Pavilion_2011.html http://inhabitat.com/amazing-bionic-research-pavilion-explores-the-sand-dollars-skeleton-morphology/icditke-research-pavilion-2011-13/
De Young Museum Herzog de Meuron
The new de Young Museum in San Francisco is built in 2005 by Herzog de Meuron. This architecture has created an experience to the visitors from the outside of the museum. The new museum is designed to respond to the natural surroundings which they wish to make the museum blend in and complement the environment. Not only the ribboned large windows diminish the obvious boundary between the interior with the outside environment, the eye catching facade was also designed with the inspiration brought from the green surroundings. The facade of this architecture contains a lot of circular holes and dimples which forms a large surface image. The patterns of holes and dimples are inspired by the image of light filtering through a tree canopy, which could be pictured as dark leaves and branches and the overwhelmed sunlight passing through the gaps which creates a pattern of holes with contrasting dark and bright colours. The material chosen for the patterned facade is copper, which would change from a brown colour to a textured one with green colours growing due to oxidation. The mixture of green and brown will blend into the natural surroundings. This architecture is designed by parametric modeling tool, which it helps designers to adjust the sizes and amount of holes and dimples easily. It seems that with the combination of difference size of holes, a whole new pattern can be formed. The gateway project can make good use of this technique to create patterning with welcome gesture. The technique will be further discussed in case study 1. Moreover, it is interesting that this precedent can make use of the oxidation feature of copper combined with natural pattern of trees canopy to create an experience to visitors that they are connecting to the nature. It helps the architecture to depart from the built environment and interact with the natural environment.
http://www.archdaily.com/66619/m-h-de-young-museum-herzog-de-meuron/
CASE STUDY 1 De Young Museum
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e young Museum contains a façade with patterning combined by many different sizes of holes. This chapter is going explore the facade of this architecture with grasshopper by adjusting the amount, shape and protrude of holes in order to create different patterning outcome. It will also try to change the image sampler in order to create different types of image of patterning. The outcomes will be examined by the following fitness criteria and the outcome that best suit the criteria will be circled with the corresponding colour. The final outcome will be the one having most circle which means it is fitting the most criteria. Fitness Criteria Outlook Does this pattern have a natural, smooth and aesthetic feeling? Shadow Effect Can this pattern create an interesting shadow? Load Bearing Does the pattern has a light structure and possibly to be fabricated? Panel Connection Is the pattern joining smoothly and possibly to fabricate? Message Transfer Can the pattern convey message clearly?  
Change in circle radius Circle radius
(x*y)+0.1
(x*y)+0.01
Amounts of circles
0.2
U48, V74
0.4
U24, V38
0.6
U16, V25
0.8
1.0
U13, V19
U10, V15
(x*y)+0.01
Exploring Resolution In Case study1.0, we tried to explore the pattern resolution of de young Museum as the beginning. A black and white circle image shown below was chosen as the image sampler and the pattern will follow the contrast level of this image. We tried to use the same radius equation to create pattern combined by different size of circle radius with the same amount of circle. It seems that with the larger circle radius, the clearer the image sampler pattern it is. However,
pattern combined by larger circle radius seems having overlapping which make each single circle become unclear. We then tried to change the amount of the circle (UV value) to make them not overlapping. The result is reversing, with no overlapping of circles, the smaller the circle radius, the higher resolution it is and the pattern become clearer. We then tried to use this concept to further develop this precedent.
Outcome It seems that pattern with no overlapping can create a smoother outlook which people will feel more comfortable with it. It also enhances panel connection and creates interaction within the structure. This patterning with small circles can also reduce the load bearing and concentrate the penetration of light in order to create a great shadow effect.
Change in radius of upper circle
Change in height relative to radius
Change in individual pattern shape
Exploring 3D Patterning The second step of exploration is to try to create a 3D pattern with two layers of circle. We tried to adjust the radius of the upper layer circle and the outcomes show that the smaller the circle radius, the sharper the individual cone shape and the sharper the overall image. The height of pattern was then be explored. It seems that the height of the individual circle was relative to the radius of the lower circle which a slider can be inserted to control
the relative ratio. With the larger the radius, the height of the pattern will also be increased and the pattern will become more protrude. The shape of each pattern had also been adjusted. In the of De young museum, the faรงade was combined by lots of circular shape pattern. In the grasshopper exploration, we tried to change it to hexagon, pentagon and many other shapes, which many unexpected outcome were created.
Outcome This pattern with small medium upper circle radius and less protrude seems has created a smooth and comfortable surface to the audience. Although the patterning image is not as clear as those with large protrude of pattern, it helps to reduce the load bearing and make pattern connection become easier and clearer.
Exploring Image Sampler The final exploration for case study one is image sampler. With an image sampler, grasshopper will follow the contrast and brightness of the image to determine the size of each pattern in order to generate the shape of the image sampler. It seems that images
with larger range of grey level can create pattern with more hierarchy while image sampler with a large contrast, only black and white, has less hierarchy and seems less interesting compare to those with different grey levels.
Outcome This pattern has fit the most criteria since it is developed from a good image sampler. This image sampler has a large range of grey level which helps to make the patterning generated with a larger hierarchy. Larger hierarchy of patterning also maintains a smoother surface and creates a better shadow effect.
CASE STUDY 2 Roskilde Dome 2012
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he Poskilde Dome is located in Denmark and designed by Kristoffer Tejlgaard and Benny Jepsen. The design intent of this architecture is to response to the scarcity of resources on Earth. To achieve this, architects tried to optimize the use of resources to a high degree and imitate natures own method. The whole structure of this dome is in semi-sphere shape and combined by lots of large hexagon aperture within. These patterns are all closely link together within the semi-sphere and thus form a great tension and shear force within the structure. The joint of this structure is similar to the ICD / ITKE Research Pavilion which they are all linked together without nails. With the great interaction within the structure, the Poskilde dome can stand with great stability using the least resource. In Case Study 2, our design team is going to recreate this case study project in grasshopper and try to create a structure with smooth layout, great interaction with less resources.
http://www.archdaily.com/355536/roskilde-dome-2012-kristoffer-tejlgaard/
Exploration 1
Step1 Create a flat rectangular surface and set the surface into grasshopper. Divide the surface into polygons. Adjust the amount and size of polygon with sliders in order to obtain a suitable pattern with less overlapping.
Step2 Divide the surface again in order to obtain a second layer of patterning. Adjust the amount and size of polygon in both layers with sliders so they can have a suitable size and relationship with the each other layer of patterning. It seems that the amount of polygon in the two layers have to be the same in order to making lofting process in step3 become successful.
Step3 Lift up the second layer with “move” and “unit Z” command and adjust the height of the second layer with slider. Loft the two layers in order to obtain a 3D patterning and bake it out to Rhino.
Step4 Create another surface in Rhino which it is the desired shape of the structure and set it to Grasshopper. Divide the surface into a number of boxes and adjust the amount of boxes with slider.
Step5 Pick one individual pattern from the previous baked patterning surface. Set the pattern into the geometry of the boxes. The whole surface will be filled with the pattern finally. Outcome The outcome of this exploration is not as good as expected. Since the patterning of the surface are in hexagon shape, there will be gaps surrounding it when they are set into rectangular boxes. Patterns thus cannot be connecting closely together and makes the whole structure lack of connection. Moreover, the size of each pattern cannot be adjusted further since it is generated from a baked pattern. It is complicated to keep baking the patterning surface in order to test the outcome of the final surface. Further exploration is required to obtain better outcome.
Exploration 2
Step 1 Since the pattern in exploration1 cannot fulfill the surface, we tried to create the surface in hexagon grid whether than dividing the surface into polygon. The size and amount of hexagonal can be adjusted with slider and they will never be overlapped.
Step2 Similar to exploration 1, create another layer and divide it into polygon. Adjust the slider to make the amount of polygon and grid layer become the same. Adjust the polygon size to obtain a comfortable effect.
Step3 Lift up the polygon layer with “move” and “unit Z” command and adjust the height of the polygon layer with slider. Loft the two layers in order to obtain a 3D patterning.
Step4 Create another surface in Rhino which it is the desired shape of the structure. This time the surface is created by a sphere which makes the surface much smoother. Set the surface into grasshopper.
Step5 Link the surface to “surface morph� and link it to the lofted surface. Adjust the slider so that the amount of polygon can fulfill the whole surface. Outcome The outcome of exploration 2 seems much better than exploration1. This is because the pattern can fulfill the whole surface with no gaps, this create a great interaction within the whole structure. Moreover, the size and amount of polygon on the surface is much easier to adjust compare to exploration1 since the patterning surface and structure surface are all linked together in grasshopper. The shape of this outcome is much smoother as well since it base on a smooth semisphere surface.
Technique Development
I
n the technique development, we tried to further develop the outcome from case study 2. We explored interchanging inputs, outputs and associations. In the development of exploration1, we tried adjust the amount of hexagon and height of the 3Dpattern. The outcome surface looks very rough and they are not connected well together.
Pentagon
Hexagon
Octagon
In the development of exploration 2, our design team tried to change the hexagon into different types of polygon such as pentagon and octagon. However, it seems better to have the same polygon shape with the grid layer. The height and size of 3D patterning are also being explored. It seems that pattern with lower height seems provide a smoother and comfortable shape.
Outcome After further development in case study 2, we decided to use the outcome from exploration 2 as the basic and insert another surface that is more suitable for the gateway project into the grasshopper. However, it seems that the structure is not strong enough with only one layer of pattern. Therefore, we created another pattern layer exactly under the original layer to make the whole structure looks stronger and tougher.
Technique Prototype After developing the outcome from case studies, we tried to fabricate the model from grasshopper. The material that we intend to use for the structure is light timber; however it seems to be quite difficult to link the panels together with timber in a 1:100 model. Therefore, we tried to fabricate the prototype with cardboard. We built the outer layer first and the structure collapsed since the cardboards are not thick enough and the whole structure is not stable as well. We then built the inner layer. The structure becomes much stronger and stable as we expected. We tried to put the model under sunlight and it seems that the shadow effect is quite clear and interesting as well.
Technique Proposal
The intended location of this architecture is going to be on top of the road. In order to make the shape of the structure look smoother, we may lower down the height of the pattern and make the pattern smaller. It can thus create a more continuous smooth faรงade to the structure and bring out a more comfortable image to the driver. Moreover, our design aimed to let drivers participate in the experience of the architecture, thus we tried to create a flap on top of each pattern. When cars pass through the architecture, the wind that they generate will lift up the flap and let the drivers participate into the experience.
FLAP MOVEMENT
external wind: no internal wind: no
external wind: weak wind internal wind: no
external wind: weak wind internal wind: planty of cars moving
external wind: strong wind internal wind: planty of cars moving
Panel Joint In our design structure, joints are connected naturally without any nails. This helps to enhance the interaction within the whole structure.
Wind speed diagram
The diagram below demonstrate the wind speed surrounding the car when car running in 36km/h. The red colour curves represent high wind speed while blue ones represent low wind speed. It seems that wind will flow upward when the car moves and the height of speedy wind would generally be one car level above the car. Therefore, the wind generated by the speedy car on the highway should be able to lift up the flap on the architecture.
http://haagringnews.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/virtual-wind-tunnel-streamlines-u-air.html
Learning objectives and outcomes Our design team has faced a lot of challenges in the gateway project design process. Since every team member has a different discourse topic, it is difficult to figure out a group argument that suitable for all our members and the gateway project. Moreover, since we are not familiar with grasshopper, it seems that grasshopper is guiding our design focus whether than we use our design focus to direct the outcome in grasshopper. As we faced more try and error, changing inputs and outputs, keep baking, we are getting more familiar with grasshopper and getting more idea for the project. In the mid-term presentation, we presented our design with flaps on patterning that can create interaction between the drivers and the architecture. However, it seems to be a problem since we cannot show evidence on how air flows around a speedy car and the flaps may be affected by the unexpected climate condition. Therefore, we did further research on how the air flows when the car pass along the highway and it demonstrate that it should be able to lift up the flaps. Moreover, it seems that we don’t have a clear reason for using hexagon as our pattern. We will do further research and develop a suitable pattern for our design.
GATEWAY DESIGN PROJECT
PART C D E S I G N PROPOSAL
PROPOSED INSTALLATION AREA
GATEWAY PROJECT: DESIGN CONCEPT Respond to Wyndham City Gateway Porject Design Brief Background Our design is going to respond to the design brief of the Western Gateway Design project of the Wyndham City. In recent years, Wyndham City has been undertaken several works to address its image by improving the condition and aesthetics of its streetscapes, open spaces and parks, Western Gateway is one of the significant work in this program. The site of this project is located on the road reserves adjacent to the Princes Freeway. This freeway is an important route entering the metropolitan Melbourne which the site area can be seen as the entrance point of the city. It can be viewed by the motorists travelling at high speed and also people using the adjacent large scale service centre.
Design Brief The Wyndham City intends to place an exciting and eye catching installation at the Princes freeway. This installation has to provide an entry statement and arrival experience which makes it become a new identifier for the city. Safety of drivers and different time and angle of viewing have to be considered. Response Our design team will take the design brief defined by the Wyndham City as the basic for further development of our design approach. We have developed several models in the Expression of interest stage base on our design focus – patterning. This model and design approach will be further developed using technique such as image sampler and adjustment of patterning shape in grasshopper to make it a suitable one for the Gateway project.
DESIGN CONCEPT CONCEPT DIAGRAM
Eye Catching Public Art
Light and Shadow
Create an eye-catching public art at the gateway as an iconic sign of the entrance to the metropolitan Melbourne.
Create special light and shadow effects through patterning on the faรงade of the installation
Possible solution Using image sampler in grasshopper to create patterning that has an image that can convince as the representation of Melbourne. The shape of the pattern image can then projected onto the ground through light and shadow. The Deyoung Museum that mentioned in Case Study1 would be the precedent of using image sampler.
Air Flow
Interaction
Create movements within the installation with the interaction with air flow resulted due to high speed vehicles and wind force
Build interaction between users and the environment and let user to participate in the installation.
Possible solution Create flaps on the installation that can move under wind flow. Wind flow can be obtained through speeding car and natural car. This would create an interaction between the user, the installation and the environment. The UAP Brisbane Airport Car Park Faรงade is a precedent of flap installation which will be examined further.
DESIGN CONCEPT MODEL CONCEPT REFINING
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Original model In the previous presentation, we have presented a 3D hexagonal model that having flaps responding to the wind flow generated by the speeding cars. The intended material of this installation was timber and the flaps were made by Timber as well. The combination of hexagonal pattern had created some special shadow effects and these patterns were connected by natural timber joining method. Feedback The following comments were made by our tutors 1. There is no statistics, precedent and physical testing supporting the working system of the flaps 2. The timber material and structure may not be able to support the large arch structure 3. There is no clear reason for using hexagon as the pattern 4. Image sampling developed in Case Study 1&2 were not implemented into the model
Response Base on the feedback from our tutors, we have made the following amendment to our model design. 1. Further developing and using detail model to test our flap system Using UAP Brisbane Airport Car Park Faรงade as the precedent of the flap system and learn how it works. 2. Adjusting the 3D hexagonal grid structure to a waffle structure to give better support. A separate patterning faรงade would be built on top of the waffle to give a smoother structure. 3. Using image sampler well explored in Case Study 1 & 2 to create the pattern image for the installation. The image would be coffee beans which is a significant culture of Melbourne. 4. Changing the material of the structure from timber to steel and change the timber flaps to aluminum flaps
DESIGN CONCEPT NODE DIAGRAM
Waffle system Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
LOFT the desired BOUNDING BOX XY PLANES created EXTRUDE the outline shape with descending created around along x y axis within of xy planes within the size of curves the surface bounding box surface area -->
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Decide on the number of planes, the more the plane the more dense it is. Denser ribs form a more rigid structure.
Collect the number of points along the boundary of the surface. Ensure ribs are not exposing outside the surface
Patterning Step 5
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
CAP the extruded MOVE surface P A T T E R N S TRIMMED surface formed planes and ribs along onto the ribs as a created through with circular patterns as xy planes are formed cover above them image sampling the cutting object -->
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Ribs with thickness can be formed. The exact thickness to be set during fabrication process.
Density and size of holes define the resolution of the image
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Consideration on both materials in real world and the model
The optimum resolution would give a better and more obvious shadow of the image
GATEWAY PROJECT: TECTONIC ELEMENTS Exploring joint of UAP Brisbane Airport Car Park Fecade
To learn more how the flap system can be able to work in the physical world, we have chosen the UAP Brisbane Airport Car Park Façade as our precedent to further explore. This fecade is located in the Brisbane Airport and designed by American architects Ned Kahn. The design concept of this fecade is similar to our design concept which to provide an arrival signal to the audience stating that they have arrived the the entrance point of Brisbane – the Brisbane International Airport. The architect also wants to make the installation as an icon of the city. The interior face of this installation was combined by 118000 suspended
aluminum panels and these panels will response to the ever changing patterns of the wind. The elevation will create a direct interface between the installation and its natural environment. When wind passes through the fecade, the panels will move and the patterns of moving shadows will be projected onto the walls and floor. This Brisbane Car Park Fecade has a similar design concept as our design team. We will try to explore the panels working system behind it and explore how we can put this concept and technique into the Gateway project.
http://www.designboom.com/art/brisbane-airport-kinetic-parking-garage-facade-by-ned-kahn-uap/
TECTONIC ELEMENT JOINT DETAIL MODEL
The image on the right hand side is one of the panels in the UAP Brisbane Airport Car Park Fecade. This panel is made by aluminum which is a light metal that wind flow could be able to blow it up. There are many holes inside in the panel which can create an interesting pattern image which combining all the panels together. The joint of this panel is the most significant part that we should learn. This panel is supported by a long nail connecting to the steel structure behind. This nail is specially designed which is much longer than common one to allow the movement of panels.
We tried to implement the joint technique from the Airport Car Park fecade into our physical model. The photo on the left hand side is the detail model of our design. Due to limitation of material, we tried to replace the metal nail into a timber joint and using cardboard to represent the panel. Different sizes of holes were also created to represent the patterning of the full scale model. We then used a fan to blow into the panels and they moved smoothly within the nail. This prove that the joint system work properly in the physical world.
TECTONIC ELEMENT FULL SCALE MODEL - WAFFLE
After exploring the detail movement of the flaps, we tried to construct the full scale model. As mentioned before, we have changed the model from a Hexagonal system to into waffle system. Due to cost and material limitation, we decided to make the waffle system in Plywood. We divided the waffle into laser cutting company and they were
cut into pieces. The plywood is 3mm thick and we have created the notches with 3 mm wide. It seems that the waffle should be built quick and easily, however, since there is variable to the thickness of the plywood, it is thicker than we expected. The notches hence couldn’t be able to match together and we had to hand cut the notches which is very time consuming.
TECTONIC ELEMENT FULL SCALE MODEL - FLAPS
After making the waffle structure of the model, we tried to make flaps onto the waffle. We used the cut carder to cut the flaps out and then we tried to stick the flaps onto the waffle. We were planning to use nail to pin the flap onto the waffle, however, the head of the nail is too large which may affect the pattern. Therefore, we designed to use tape to stick to them onto the waffle finally.
Eye Catching Public Art
Light and Shadow
Create an eye-catching public art at the gateway as an iconic sign of the entrance to the metropolitan Melbourne.
Create special light and shadow effects through patterning on the faรงade of the installation
Air Flow
Interaction
Create movements within the installation with the interaction with air flow resulted due to high speed vehicles and wind force
Build interaction between users and the environment and let user to participate in the installation.
GATEWAY PROJECT: FINAL MODEL Amendent to the design concept
After the final presentation, our design team has gained many valuable feedbacks from tutors and guests. We have processed their feedback make some amendment to our design concept and model design. As mentioned by the guest architects, it seems that our project has focused on too much aspect of design concept which makes the audience feel confused. Moreover, the flap design of our model is difficult to convince the client that the flaps will work in the physical
installation. Therefore, our design team decided to narrow down our design concept to Eye catching public art, light and shadow and interaction. Flaps will no longer appear on our model and they will be replaced by fixed panels. Materials will also change from aluminum to copper which can demonstrate the rusting effect as described in Case Study 1. We hope that these amendment will make the project design become more convincing and workable.
FINAL MODEL CONSTRUCTION PROGRASS
FINAL MODEL SHADLOW EFFECT
FINAL MODEL RENDER
ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATION
LEARNING OBJECTIVE AND OUTCOMES
After studying Design Studio AIR, I have learnt a lot about the design progress, conceptual thinking and model making technique. I think Studio AIR is different from other studio, it is much more focus on the design process and concept while other studio focus more on the final outcome. I have started to reconsider what architecture is and how we should design architecture after studying this course. This subject has also let me understand the importance of corporation. Sometimes there may be some argument between different group members since we have different ideas. However, studio air has helped us to combine different memebers’ discourse topic which can help us solve the problem finally.