ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO:
AIR
YI LU 531865
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
CONTENTS
PART A - CASE FOR INNOVATION A.1. ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE A.2. COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE A.3. PARAMETRIC MODELLING A.4. ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATION A.5. CONCLUSION A.6. LEARNING OUTCOMES
PART B - DESIGN APPROACH
PART C - PROJECT PROPOSAL
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
PART A -CASE FOR INNOVATION
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
A.1.1 INTRODUCTION
Architec work. Th organic boathou direct pe cess, I us
My name is Yi Lu, a third year environment student major in architecture. I used to do my architectural design by hand drawings. Because I feel free to use my hand to draw my ideas down and give them colors and shades to show the tones and textures. I think it’s more flexible and changeable. Before this course, I always thought the computer could easily help people translate the hand drawings to a digital edition and become more real and contagious. It cannot help people design or get inspired. But in this subject, I found that computer is not just a tool or a time- saver, it can help people to design something we cannot imagine by our limited imagination ability. So I think the use of computer programs can help us to explore interesting forms in a convenient and fast way. It 3 can make the design controllable, accurate and fast.
WEEK 1 - ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE
A.1.2. PREVIOUS WORK
cture design studio: water is the last studio I did. We learnt a lot of masters’ works, especially Sejima’s he major project is the boathouse design. I paid a lot respect to the site that the boathouse has an shape with curves gently around the trees. The design also focuses on people’s experiences in the use. For example, the shape of the house extends in three different directions and each of them can eoples’ eyes to different views so that they would have different experiences. In the designing prosed hand drawing and modeling to express my different thoughts.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
5 - 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.
WEEK 1 - ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE
A.1.3. AECHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE
For the Gateway project, architecture would be the best solution. To explain this, we need to firstly understand what architecture is.
tal limitations, the social issues and the public aesthetics. However, these factors also make the architecture acceptable and powerful.
With the development of architecture, architecture is no longer ‘a shelter’ or a ‘primitive hut’, which was brought by Laugier’s Essay on Architecture (1755). Just like what Richards (2005) said that ‘architecture is as much a philosophical, social or professional realm as it is a material one’. Architecture is not only existing as an independent artwork, it relates to the site it stands, the people experience inside or outside and the time it goes through. All these things can put impact on the system of architecture and make it change and renew. That’s what makes the architecture system generate and develop.
In addition, architects are trying to translate their concept to the users by organizing the users’ experiences in the building or outside. It’s similar to the experience that people would have in urban. So there must be approaches that can examine architecture in terms of the urban experience. (Richards, 2005) That’s also what makes the architecture different from other forms of arts.
Architecture is different from art. For a piece of artwork, it only expresses the creator’s individual thought and opinion, it can be totally meaningless to others. However, architecture is kind of a compromised art. There would be many constrains which will limit architects’ design, such as the environmen-
So architecture discourse would benefit the Gateway project design, which has been asked for intentions of eye catching and landmark. It’s important to think about the urban culture and the users experience around the gateway. It should be eye catching but at the same time be harmonious with the environment. To achieve this, computer programs could help in the design process. Grasshopper would be useful to bring the ideal model into the real physical structure.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
HUTONG BUBBLE 32
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Hutong bubble is a silver luminescent blob, which is located in Beijing’s oldest neighborhoods. It makes a completely contrast between its amusing shape and the ancient surroundings, which are known as traditional Chinese courtyard residences. This project is included within MAD’s proposal for the future Beijing 2050- a green public park in Tiananmen Square, a series of floating islands above the city’s CBD, and the ‘future of Hutongs’. With the fast development in China, the city’s landscape has been altered in a massive scale. It has caused many urban problems, such as the old buildings, chaotic structures, ever-changing neighborhood and the poor standards of hygiene. Hutong has been gradually becoming the local residents’ dumpster. The architect, MAD, has seen this condition and designed ‘bubbles’ to change the urban fabric and bettering the urban function.
Fig.1.4.1 Info from: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/mad-architects-hutong-bubble-32-beijing/ Fig. 1.4.1. www.e-architect.co.uk Fig. 1.4.2. archrecord.construction.com
WEEK 1 - ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE
The first ‘bubble’, called Hutong Bubble 32, was finished in 2009. It includes a bathroom and staircase to a roof garden. In the aged neighborhood of Beijing, the bubble serves hutong communities by improving their access to sanitary services. The material used for the bubble is luminescent, thus it can reflect the surrounding wood, brick and greenery, implying the past and future can coexist. This idea really has a metaphorical and visual link about the tension between modern and traditional China. The architect’s intent is to attract ‘new people, activities, and resources to reactive the entire neighborhoods’. (Ma, 2009) Hutong Bubble is really an exciting design for the big contrast between the aged surrounding and the modern form. It can give people a totally new experience in the urban life. I like this design not only for the eye-catching outlook, but mostly because these bubbles can really help save the hutong community. Currently, people live in old hutongs have to go to public toilet. If they cannot stand this poor condition one day and move out, rich people would take over and transfer this urban fabric into couple big villas, then community dies. It’s what actually happening now. So these bubbles can vary people’s lifestyle and preserve the community. This can be addressed in the Richard’s reading that ‘architecture is as much a social realm as it’s a material one’. To think about the urban context is what the Gateway project really need. It’s believed that the urban culture and people’s urban experience could help to shape our design. The daring material used could also inspire us to give the project a philosophical meaning, which would make the design generative and powerful.
A.1.4. PRECEDENTS
8 Fig.1.4.2
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
CHANGSHA MEIXIHU INTERNATIONAL CULTURE AND ART CENTER
Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Center is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, located on the edge of a lake in Changsha, China. The construction is now underway. This project features an 1800-seat theatre, a contemporary art museum and a smaller multi- purpose venue. The form of the building is very fluid and full of tension, which looks like a grouping of petal- shaped volumes. The functional spaces are well organized in the way that the central plaza is generated by the relative position of these separate buildings. This layout makes the flow of visitors that come from all sides of the site intersect and meet. Thus it offers a strong urban experience. The curved balconies, which are parallel to the edge of the petals, are aiming to engage the site’s unique location and surrounding views into some of the gallery spaces. It would give the visitors special experiences.
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Info from: pinterest.com/alessandraesp/spectacular-buildings/ Fig.1.4.3. skyscrapercity.com
WEEK 1 - ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE
A.1.4. PRECEDENTS
The inspiration of this design comes from nature. It creates a connection between modern city to natural spaces by the fluid internal spaces and the long curved balconies, which create natural views for visitors. This design is impressive for its modern and creative form. The building lines are no longer straight and the corners are not sharp any more. Parametric design must be a good help to make this curved form possible in real world. In conclusion, this building is a typical parametric design, which brings a new way of thinking architecture. In the future, the elegant and innovative architecture would become the new cultural and civic node for the city of Changsha. The residents’ life would be reshaped in the way to combine city life with nature. That’s what we should think about in the Gateway project. How could the gateway to be the sign of the city or how can it engage with people’s life? I will keep this in my mind when doing the project.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
A.2.1. COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Architecture has always been involved with cultural revolutions, which includes the human change, society change and technology change. From century to century, architecture has been gone thorough many different styles due to the changes in our societies. Different styles can show people’s different aesthetics, different understanding towards architecture as well as their different needs. The discovery of new materials and new technologies can very our ways of thinking and broaden our horizon to lead to a new architectural style. Computer, as a new media, has been widely used in the architectural design. It’s more than a tool for saving the architects’ work time and make the process easier and quicker, it can also direct people’s thinking and inspire them during the designing process.
sis, evaluation and further research stages. However, sometimes the designing process is not rational. They must achieve multiple goals or encounter uncertainties. Computer, as a superb engine (Yehuda, 2004), can be used in the rational processes, such as the problem analysis. Computer can be easily used for listing the goals and constraints the design should achieve and searching for precedents. They can organize those results of the analysis and present them to people quickly without any mistakes. Although, solution synthesis step is not a rational process, in which designers finds the arrangement of forms, materials, views and other elements to achieve the design purpose. Computers can benefit this process in the way of providing details of the formal precedents and knowledge of previous styles and composiDesign process is like the process of search- tion rules. For the communication, computers ing for problem solving methods, which in- can ‘expand access to information and open cludes problem analysis, solution synthe- up the design process for more people to be-
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- Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25 - Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28
WEEK 2 - COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
Digital technologies cannot only benefit the designing process in such ways, but most important that it offers many new possibilities for approaching design. Although, computer has been described as ‘lack any creative abilities or intuition’ by Yehuda, it can somehow make designers creativity in the process of testing and trying different programs. It allows complex geometrical exploration, which may be constrained by people’s limited minds, and provides a new way of thinking. One of the most important innovations of computational design is the generative design method. It was described by Kolarevic () that ‘designers articulate an internal generative logic, which then produces, in an automatic fashion, a range of possibilities from which the designer could choose an appropriate formal proposition for further development’. Generative design method makes the communication from computer back to designer possible.
is introduced, which can ‘construct a broad range of geometric forms, from straight lines and platonic solids to highly complex, sculpted surfaces’ (Kolarevic, 2003). It was widely used for its high controllability and variability. Furthermore, computer provides possibilties for people to optimize the architectual structures in terms of structural, material and spatial efficiencies. For the information age, it’s challenging not only how we design building, but also how we construct them. (Kolarevic, 2003) The role that computer takes in the range of construction industry is very important, because they can evaluate the structure and develop them to be more resistant, more material efficient and more energy saving by the use of new technologies such as topological geometries, parametric design and data spaces. This is what makes the computational design distinct and full of power.
The Gateway project aims to approach inAs people see the potential of computers in novation by exploring new and bold ideas. the design process, people are trying to de- Computational design would be a useful velop computer programs to become more way to achieve this purpose. controllable and effective. The term, NURB,
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
Guggenheim museum is possibly the most well known example for the computational architecture. It’s significant not only because of the exaggerate form but also because it’s the icon of the digital technology revolution. It overturns the classical architectural aesthetics as well as the modern architectural forms. Guggenheim Museum, which is designed by Frank Owen Gehry in 1997, is one of the redevelopment projects of Bilbao. The museum covers an area of 24,000 square meters, including 11,000 square meters of exhibition area.
GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
Fig.2.2.1
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The whole structure was designed by using the revolutionary freeform- program, CATIA, which was usually been used in the aerodynamic field. The materials used for this project are mainly glass, steel and limestone. Part of the surface is covered with Titan, which is related to the traditional industry of Bilbao, shipbuilding. The titanium sheeting façade can reflect the sunlight as well to give the architecture different light effects. The most prominent feature of the building is the randomly appearing curves on the exterior of the building, which is designed to catch the light to avoid the depressing feeling of the shady side. The curved façade of the exhibition room, which is near the river, also echoes the movement of the river and shows the scale relationship.
- Hughes R, Things I Didn’t Know: A Memoir, 2006, Alfred A. Knopf Inc. - Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28 Info from: http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=827 http://blogs.artinfo.com/secrethistoryofart/2011/02/11/inside-the-masterpiece-frank-gehrys guggenheim-museum-bilbao/
WEEK 2 - COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
A.2.2. PRECEDENTS
Robert Hughes (2005) states that the ‘use of cutting-edge computer-aided design technology makes the translation from poetic forms into reality possible’. As well as Kolarevic (2003) said in his book that the museum ‘will not stand there without the computation innovation in architectural design, not to mention generating a new era for architecture’. It’s thus clear that the adoption of computational design makes the museum become one of the most important buildings of the 20th century and hailed by people until now. To think about the Gateway project, the outcome should be daring and innovative as well to stand there and be memorable. The use of computer programs would be a good help to achieve the complex and exaggerate form, which is unachievable by hand.
Fig.2.2.2 Fig.2.2.1 www.destination360.com Fig.2.2.2 tlc.howstuffworks.com
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
ABSOLUTE TOWER The Absolute Tower is a 50-story apartment, which is located in Toronto. The construction was completed in 2011. The young architect, Ma Yansong get inspired from the habit of fish that fish’s living space isn’t relate to the external form of fish tank, also they do not active around the corners. Thus the space inside the Absolute Tower is fluid and free. He was trying to find a more natural lifestyle, rather than designing an apartment. Ma said he was against the modernism, because it paid to much attention to technologies but ignored humanity. Absolute Tower is twisted, curved and natural, which has nothing to do with the industry and would make people associate with beauty’s body. So the local residents call the building as ‘Marilyn Monroe Skyscraper’. The towers serve as a gateway to the city beyond. A continuous balcony that wraps the entire building creates the textured band-like facade. These continuous balconies can widen residents viewing angles and promote community at the micro scale of a single floor. It corresponds to Ma’s purpose that he hopes the building can wake up metropolitans’ desires towards nature, such as sun and wind. Furthermore, the structural solution is surprisingly simple and inexpensive. They are supported by a grid of concrete load bearing walls. The rotated and twisted exterior is just accessory structure. It not only makes the structure resistant, but also enables the distinctive form.
Fig.2.2.3
15 Info from: http://www.dezeen.com/2012/12/12/absolute-towers-by-mad/ http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/absolutetowers/ Fig.2.2.3 www.globalconstructionwatch.com Fig.2.2.4 www.granddown.com
WEEK 2 - COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
A.2.2. PRECEDENTS
Absolut Tower is an example of parametric design. Because parametric design hasn’t been widely used in architecture, there are few precedents could be used. Without the parametric design, the accurate angled rotation of floors, which is the most distinctive feature of the building, would not be achieved. However, the most attractive part of this building is the concept. It makes the building dynamic. It seems like the building can communicate with people by using the space language. Thus linking back to the Gateway project, design should be honest to our minds. As Perkins states that ‘architecture must have an ethical, social and aesthetic component, otherwise it is just fashion’. This attitude was lacking among many of today’s computational architects. To think about human themselves, rather than technologies, are the most important to make the architecture vital.
16 Fig.2.2.4
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
A.3.1. PARAMETRIC MODELING
Parametric modeling has been more and more widely used in the architecture design. It’s surprisingly that it developed so fast in such a short time. This system is different from the traditional modeling system that ‘parts of design, relate and change together in a coordinated way’ (Woodbury, 2010). The most outstanding feature of parametric modeling is that it’s easily to change the design intent by change the parameters. Thus
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this system can make the design process more efficient and controllable. It can help designers to meet the design intent more accurately and easily. The other important feature of the parametric modeling is formula, which shows the parameters are interrelated and interact on each other. As a result, when changing one of the parameters, others would be changed accordingly.
- Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48 - Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 8 - 71 - Gesprach, Ein and Ben van Berkel. “Digital Sustainability and Spaces that Follow You.” Detail (Dec 2007): 1424-31.
WEEK 3 - PARAMETRIC MODELING
More than a time-saver, this system provides many different methods for people to exploring. In some extent, the system can inspire people and make their design creative. Just like Burry states that the parametric system provides ‘a significantly deeper engagement between the computer and user by automating routine aspects and repetitive activities, thus facilitating a far greater range of potential outcomes for the same investment in time’. Moreover, architecture is more than artwork, so the shape needs lots of exploration to meet the functional demands. The system can be helpful to achieve these and make the form possible in real world. Furthermore, parametric modeling is not limited for the exterior design, but also allowed to create diverse and meaningful spatial experiences. Berkel (2007) advocates that ‘A parametric model means that you’re not only able to define the position of various points in space, but also the relationship between them. The revolutionary aspect of this paradigm shift in design lies in considering how we can conceive spatial qualities in a new way. It’s a question of how a building responds to
people’s movements.’ Generally, the parametric design is efficient and controllable, which provides a new architectural design method. However, parametric modeling has some limitations because of the complicated operating system. Some designers know the whole system well and can program the system unrestrainedly, whilst some designers would be programed by the system. Thus Burry (2011) suggests that people cannot put entire trust in the software engineers. The improper use of the system would make people get trapped in the mindset and limit people’s creativity in some extent. Generally, parametric modeling has been widely used in architecture, because of its efficiency and controllability. For the Gateway project, parametric modeling would paly an important role during the design process. However, be aware of the use of parametric modeling system that people’s mind shouldn’t be narrowed by the programs. Anyway it would be an efficient method for the project to generate a new discourse.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
WATER CUBE
The national Aquatics Centre in Beijing, better known as Watercube, finished construc The soap bubbles shaped façade makes this building outstanding.
The watercube associates water as a structural and conceptual motif with the square totally random appearance hides a strict geometry that can be found in natural syste ported with column and beams, cables and spans, to which a façade system is applied 90% of the solar energy falling on the building can be trapped by the highly efficient cally friendly by the use of special technology and materials.
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The façade of the watercube is the most striking and impressive part. It simultaneousl create a striking two-dimensional graphic, the curvature and translucency of the pla structure was discovered by Lord Kelvin in1887 and was successful. Thus, this fundame translated to the fabrication program. Now it has become a parametric design metho programs. Furthermore, the bubbles of the watercube are geometrically independent the confines of the cosmetic field, to become the defining force shaping the building s tion of architecture in the information age, parametric software and digital fabrication reality, there is no longer any technical, structural difference’ (Hoverstadt, 2007). T herefore, the parametric design would be helpful to achieve the eye-catching form, w would be a good point to make the design dynamic and vital.
- Hovestadt, Ludger. “The Technical Reconstruction of Architecture in the Information Age.” Detail (Dec 200 Info from - www.dezeen.com/2008/02/06/watercube-by-chris-bosse/ - escdesign.net/index.php?/writing/walker/ Fig.3.2.1 archidose.blogspot.com
WEEK 3 - PARAMETRIC MODELING
A.3.2. PRECEDENTS
ction in 2008 for the Beijing Olympic Games. The planning area is 30,000 square meters.
e, which is the primal shape of the house in Chinese tradition and mythology. Behind the ems, such as crystal and cell. For the structure, unlike traditional stadium structures supd, and the structure of the watercube is integral with the space and the façade. Moreover, t structural zone. Generally, the building is visually striking, energy-efficient, and ecologi-
ly employs both graphic and sculptural cosmetic strategies. While its aluminum mullions astic panels gives a three-dimensional sculptural effect. Actually, the first soap- bubble ental mathematical formula has been documented and this geometrical information was od. The success of the watercube could be concluded as the good use of the parametric t from the internal structure grid. It exemplifies the potential of symbols, released from structure and material. Just like Ludger Hoverstadt (2007) said that ‘technical reconstrucn as liberators of architecture from the constraints of the grid’. Thus ‘between virtual and
which has been asked in the Gateway project. Inspired by the watercube, natural process
07): 1436-8.
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
GUANGZHOU OPERA HOUSE Guangzhou Opera House is a structure located at the foot of Zhujiang Boulevard. The planning area is 70,000 square meters. The project features an 1800-seat theatre, a 400-seat multi-function room and a smaller multi- purpose venue. Zaha Hadid said the concept of the opera house is from the Chinese garden, which is integral with the natural environment and provide a peaceful feeling. From this point, she integrated the independent architectural elements together, in order to make the structure coherent and aesthetic. Be affected by the topography, which has been eroded by the Zhujiang River, fold lines in this landscape define territories and zones within the opera house and different spaces and light effects are achieved by the line cuttings inside the structure. Thus ‘second nature’ is the core of this project. The use of the parametric modeling is very significant in this building. The forms of the two main structure
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Fig.3.2.2 Info from: http://www.dezeen.com/2011/02/25/guangzhou-opera-house-by-zaha-hadid-architects/ http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/ Fig. 3.2.2 www.e-architect.co.uk Fig. 3.2.3 frankupdates.com
WEEK 3 - PARAMETRIC MODELING
A.3.2. PRECEDENTS
The use of the parametric modeling is very significant in this building. The forms of the two main structures, which look like stones, are plastic and malleable. They are similar, but different. The parametric modeling method, tessellation, would be helpful to make the free form to be more rational and more achievable. Moreover, the faรงade is composited by small planes, which are randomly modeled in the parametric software. But without the support from the parametric manufacturing technology, the project would not be achieved because of the nonstandard production. The interior design of the opera house is more amazing because of the seamless and fluid space effect, which provides a perfect acoustic effect. To achieve this, Zaha used the new material, GRG, and the parametric modeling system. Because different space has different sound absorption coefficient demand, which reflects in the appearance are the density and size changes of the faรงade openings. Parametric modeling unifies the functional (acoustic effect), aesthetic and constructional demands together by the flexible and controllable operating system. this building exemplifies the advantages that parametric modeling bring to architecture, especially for the impressive interior design. it helps careate special spatial experiences, which sometimes has been ignored in computational designs. Be inspired, the Gateway project would benefit from the Parametric modeling and provide diverse and meaningful spatial experiences.
Fig.2.2.4
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
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ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATION
I’ve done some algorithmic explorations in the progress of this course. There is some documentation of my experiences in the using of Grasshopper in Rhino, which is a typical parametric modelling system and has been widely used in architecture design. The form I did is similar to the form of ‘Bird’s Nest’, however it’s much more simple. I think the most challenge as well as the most interesting part of this form is the intersected curved lines. They were created by the using of the ‘shift list’ tool twice. In architecture context, these overlapped lines are not only for looking good, but also for making it possible to be triangulated, so that the form can be constructed and built. Be inspired, I tried different forms but in the same parametric formula. I found this method could provide many different experiences for people. For example, these intersected lines can make amazing light effect. Also, the shape of the arcs can be changed into many different forms, thus spaces can be organized in an effective way to meet the different demands. So the method of doing the Gateway project would be similar with this intersected line exploration. It’s believed that grasshopper would be a handy tool to achieve the Gate-
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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR
A.5. CONCLUSION
As Richards states ‘architecture is as much a philosophical, social or professional realm as it is a material one’. Architecture is not only existing as an independent artwork, it relates to the site it stands, the people experience inside or outside and the time it goes through. Based on the researches of different topics, which includes architecture discourse, computational architecture and parametric modeling, it’s believed that architecture should be an ideal solution for the Gateway project. A gateway is a symbol of the city, which would give the visitors the first impression of the city. So more than an eye catching form, the design should be functional and representative. I would be interested in designing something, which is adapted by the surrounding environment, can represent the urban culture and give people a different urban experience. Furthermore, parametric design would allow us to explore the outcomes more efficiently and make the complex forms possible in real world. Just like Ludger (2007) said ‘between virtual and reality, there is no longer any technical, structural difference’.
25 - Hovestadt, Ludger. “The Technical Reconstruction of Architecture in the Information Age.” Detail (Dec 2007): 1436-8.
CONCLUSION
A.6. LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the learning of the readings on different architecture topics, I have understood many different architecture theories and known many different design methods. It can really widen my view of architecture. At the start of this subject, I was in a panic about using the computer programs, because I used to use hand drawing for my previous designs and I thought the computer programs would somehow limit my work. However, after the learning of computational design and parametric modeling, I’m now interested about it. It’s fascinating that a shape could be changed easily by adjusting the parameters. Also, through the learning of many precedents, such as how the architects exploring the forms and the materials to achieve the design purpose and how they played with the parametric modeling to make the forms possible in real world, my knowledge of computational architecture has been improved and they make me more believe in this new kind design method. Parametric design allows designers to try different forms and patterns quickly and provide non-standard production to achieve the real structure. After the learning of parametric modeling, I think I can improve my Earth Studio design, where I made lots of physical models by hand and it’s still not exactly what I designed. But now I’m confident to refine the design and make the model more elegant, just like my original design.
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