CASE FOR INNOVATION KURT BALLENER 541042
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ARCHITECTURE AND ITS SOCIAL AND POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY AS WHILST INCORPORATING THE EVER-EVOLVING DIGITAL DESIGN TOOLS FOR PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY By considering how architecture must reflect the environment it sits in, whether commentary of contrasting, we see the obligation architecture has - especially within the built environment. This is especially the case with the progression of digital design tools and the productive capacity to generate and assemble more abstract and radical forms. Through reflecting on this concept, we have sought the precedence of the unbuilt Shi Ling Bridge to demonstrate these reflective attributes whilst displaying the capabilities of innovative digital design. STUDIO
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Upon visual analysis of the Shi Ling Bridge you see immediately a sense of Biomimicry present on its aesthetic - emphasizing the concept of Fractals and self-similar geometry in composition, thereby producing newer and more complex patterns throughout the design. The Shi Ling Bridge is a perfect example of how the use of the parametric approach to digital design can be utilised to produce highly reflective and expressive designs. As Matt Davis states “…why make a bridge out of beams when the beams can be the bridge?” As the bridge sits within its environment, its form is reflective of the contours and topological distinctiveness of the site. Its expression of the topography does not limit it to reflection through curvy bridge features, but a thorough and nature-esque fashion. The bridge design embodies the site in such a way that is made possible only through digital design. The Biomimicry architecturally expressed through the bridge demonstrates fractality and the self-similar shapes, as discussed in Nicoletta Sala’s analysis of Fractal Models in Architecture (Sala, 2000). The repetition and use of shapes at a variety of scales in order to produce another shape which in is the same modular shape at a different scale. Although it is very wordy, STUturn DIO AIR - Un the concept of expressing aiM fractal into digital design parameters expresses the true naelb ABsystem PL ture of the site – provided the site was the basis of the modular shape.
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O AIRattention It is importantTUtoDIpay - UniM to the design process and how the Shi Ling Bridge had learnt lb ABPL and the concept of shell structure which pre-exist in a structural techniques fromenature naturally occurring phenomenon
The Wyndham City Western Gate would do well to consider the parametric design approach as it would allow Wyndham to benefit from a highly aesthetically expressive digital form whilst representing natural aspects of the municipality through the same form. For example, we could follow a similar design approach and apply it to the K Road Cliffs, which is a popular attraction of Wyndham, and emphasise the sheer rock face and the curvilinear form of the Werribee River. Utilising the little-scale analysis from the same case analysis, we may explore the numerous stages of iterations through taking a sample of the topography or curvilinear geometry presented by the site and simplify this into a modular form to influence the Western Gateway to be both compelling and reflective of the municipality – as per the Brief.
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As the “Seeds of Change” currently stands along the Eastern Gateway, it would be ideal to generate our own discourse between East and West through the exploration of nature within the Gateway design. With regards to the “Seeds of Change” pushing the innovative design approach for the Western Gateway, we can further emphasise the Biomimicry approach through understand the tree root architecture explored in the New Phytologist (The Authors, 2008). There understanding of tree root architecture mentions the shape and spread of the root system is highly dependent on the soil-types the tree is in. Following onto a similar thought path we can take a native and protected species local to Wyndham, the Senecio macrocarpus (Department of Sustainability, Environment, 2013). By taking a sample of its floral patterning, as previously mentioned, we can use this as a template for further form exploration, thus emphasising the exclusivity of the flora within the state of Victoria. Furthermore, in a fractal fashion, the modularity of that sample can be further emphasised through the use of self-similar shapes as previously mentioned. STUDIO
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UniMe lb ABPL By referring to the Senecio macrocarpus and considering its preservation, the design idea seeks to emphasise longevity through proudly displaying the one of Wyndham’s treasure to be continuously kept alive.
As the gateway must make a great impact, it is seemingly fitting that it engulf the Princes Freeway almost suggesting the entering into Wyndham as parallel to entering into an entirely new world or an experience that like entering into a world within a world – allowing for and encouraging a further innovation and exploration of this concept. As the trre root system shows above, the vertical trunk of the tree is seemingly engulfed by the root system but seemlessly so as to retain a sense of one between bot the tree trunk and the roots.
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The pre-existing tripartite attributes of the city are, as stated on the Council of Wyndham website “City. Coast. Country.” and by incorporating this into the design, we are able to separate the gateway into a tripartite composition a la Classical Order and 19th Century skyscrapers. From this point we can harmoniously integrate the three into a synonymous Gateway design embodying the spirit of Wyndham expressed, through the use of the parametric design approach, as a contemporary work of art. Provided that from the city you will undoubtedly experience it, the city aspect of the design will be the first experience of the Gateway; the expression would show the rectilinear geometry of the city in composition demonstrating fractality and the spirit of Biomimicry throughout. As the road progresses along the Princes Freeway, away from Melbourne City, the Anthropic and natural environment transform into a more rural and country atmosphere. Emulating this, rectilinear will morph progressively into a more curvilinear geometry with forms influenced by the landscape and countryside. Once again the Fractal concept of Biomimicry will be explored, although to a higher degree as the organic forms will have the ability to modulate iteratively into one another more smoothly. Taking into consideration the third and final aspect of the design, the coast, this will continue throughout the design seemingly connecting the other two together. This is reflective of the Princes Freeway and its almost parallel running to the shoreline – suggesting an ongoing relationship with the road and the ocean, thus explored throughout the Gateway design. We should take this approach into consideration as it sits on the forefront of architecture capability and demonstrates how far we have come and how much we have to offer. The tripartite composition simplifies what can often be a higly abstract process and it creates a sense of tangibility for those who have to experience the Gateway; providing them with characteristics that they can identify and then relate to which makes the architectural experience interactive even from afar. It also takes the heart and idea of Wyndham and packages it into a physically expressive form the same wat that Le Corbusier presented the idea of the Maison Dom-Ino all those years ago. This capacity to give so much to the public and to those of Wyndham almost requires us to approach thisSTWestern UDIO A Gateway Project with a parametric digital design approach as it proj- UniM ects Wyndham into aIRclass ofeinnovation and currency in a way that it has never been before. lb AB PL
REFERENCES Shi Ling Bridge: Concepts, Information and Images accessed 27th March 2013 http://www.arch2o.com/shi-ling-bridge-tonkin-liu/#prettyPhoto Nicoletta Sala’s Analysis of Fractal Models in Architecture accessed 28th March 2013 http://math.unipa.it/~grim/Jsalaworkshop.PDF The New Phytologist - Tree Root Architecture accessed 1st April 2013 http://aspenface.mtu.edu/pdfs/Pregitzer%202008.pdf Image of K Rock Cliffs accessed 3rd April 2013 http://www.flickr.com/photos/87791108@N00/3715832277/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Image of Senecio-macrocarpus accessed 3rd April 2013 http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JhubaYZcD5A/SOgoLnSR5ZI/AAAAAAAAA5k/0Frewf0vgLc/s400/ Senecio-macrocarpus---2.jpg Image of Seeds of Change - Eastern Interchange accessed 2nd April 2013 http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2254/2249888668_b004ea2fcf.jpg Image of Tree Root accessed 3rd April 2013 http://www.volkerballueder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/tree-root.jpg Department of Sustainability, Environment accessed 31st March 2013 http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/103296/68_Large-fruit_Fireweed_2009.pdf
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