ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO:AIR
MENGYAN ZHANG SEMESTER 1 2013
CONTENT 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
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PART B: DESIGN APPROACH B.1. Design Forcus B.2. Case Study 1.0 B.3. Case Study 2.0 B.4. Technique: Development B.5. Technique: Prototypes B.6. Technique Proposal B.7. Algorithms Sketches B.8. Learning Objectives and Outcomes
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Introduction
Hi, I’m Megan and this is my third year of university and my major is architecture. I’m from Shanghai, China and I’ve been in Australia for five years. I finished high school here. The life of university is a big challenge for me. Why I choose architecture as my major because I’m interested in designing and exploring interesting things. I want to challenge new and excited things. I like both of classical and modern buildings, so I hope one day I can go to Europe and have a look those ancient and famous architecture. For me, I prefer modern architecture to ancient ones because I think modern architure means for the future and the world is walking towards the future under high technology buildings with computation. For the first year semester one, I start to use digital tool, Rhino and it’s quite new to me and I felt difficult working this tool, which can make 3D models. I met the problem in the step of fabrication, so the final model is not worked well. From that moment, I thought I need to improve my computer skills on digital tools. Later, I’ve tried AutoCAD, Indesign and Photoshop as well and learnt basic skills. It is necessary to be familiar with these digital tools that may help developing my designs and presenting final works.
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Previous work
This is my final design in the subject of Virtual Environment and it’s not a successful design. However, I’ve learnt more about that digital tool and found that there is more space to discover by using the tool. A lot of amazing architectural buildings are created by it and human beings are so intelligent to use the tool to make the life wonderful and exciting.
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PART A: CASE FOR INNOVATION A.1.Architecture as a Discourse
What is Architecture?
Architecure as a practice of contributing ideas to the disciplinary discourse and culture and it is interesting to discover what architecture is. Architecture is the most public of the arts. It is inescapable on a daily basis for anyone living in an urban society. The public role of works of architecture, not to mention their size and complexity, means that they can be fantastically expensive, and more than any other practice of visual culture they require public patronage1. Through two different projects, TransBay Transit Centre and the Museum of Modern Art, they well demonstrate the significance of architecture contributing to the site and inhabitants as well as functional perspective. 1 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.
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Richard Williams described ‘architecture is as much a philosophical, social or professional realm as it is a material one, and it is through the consideration of architecture as discourse that one can engage with it as visual culture.’ Architecture is not just only buildings themselves in physical aspect, but also it has life and it may reflect the culture background of a city. It is represented in a visual way to the public. In the past, huge sculptures are an evidence of significant phenomenon and it is also an visual language of culture. Now, buildings are created after considering several aspects such as materials, environments, social influences and so on. They are more focused on the visual effect to the public and the society.
TransBay Transit Centre
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TransBay Transit Centre SOM, San Francisco, California, 2010
TransBay Transit Centre is designed by the team SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill), architects Keith Besserud and Neil Katz and structural engineer Alessandro Beghini, and it will be built in San Francisco, California in 2010. The transit center is consist of a glass tower and a five-and-a-half acre public park. It is also considered with sustainable features such as green roofs, passive solar shading, wind turbines, a rain and graywater recycling system and geothermal heating and cooling. The aim of the building is to centralize the region’s transportation system while also providing a community space. As a transit centre, it is funtional to the public under the original purpose. The choice of builting in the high density area is made because it is outstanding and special with natural environments around, that is a conncection with the urban city as well as an obvious contrast between different space. Natural environments soften the busy and stiff city and in addition, it adds colorful and snappy patterns of living into the whole city.
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People continue appreciate it not only based on that harmonious environments but also it is the skyscraper of the city as well as a landmark. This building belongs to the movement of urbanism because it integrates transport and logistics on the other hand.
Two primary research techniques SOM architects and engineers use are based on GAs (genetic algorithms) which are used for shapeoptimisation exercise and gradient-based algorithms, which are used for topology-optimisation exercises. The lateral bracing schemes for this project is revealed in topology-optimisation exercise using gradient-based research algorithms.
Michell frame
FE algorithms
The collaboration between architects and engineers pushes the development and innovation in computational technologies. The spirit of architectural and engineering collaboration feeds the development of conceptural and technical invention at SOM, leading to new structural and architectural paradigms. Architects need to undestand how the overll shape of a building affects its structural nature, even without understanding the mathematics or algorithms. From traditional 2-D FE meshes to 3-D, it is an improvement from the research and experiments. The influence of FE algorithms and power of computers show that it is possible to evaluate a large number of designs in a short amount of time.
Mayor Gavin Newsom has lauded the project, stating: “Through this forward thinking project, we can inspire change to an environmentally sustainable model of living while also enhancing economic growth in our City, region and State.�
Designers get the idea from the teardrop shape and develop into a more conically tapered shape as the optimal form. The Michekk frame concept is similar with this building project profile. Michell frames are a family of minimum material solutions for a variety of load and support conditions composed of orthogonal fields of lines. Lines of principle stress as revealed in finite elements analysis models and echoed in Michell frame diagrams were expressed architecturally on the exteriors of the buildings. Futhermore, it is an good example of future transport place designs, which well utilise the space for transport, at the same time create a open garden above, a brilliant idea. This project achieve the purpose of balancing the center between three principles: transit, community, and sustainability.
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The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley, New York, 1988
‘Deconstructivist Architecture’ The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York curated by Philip Johnson and Mark Wigley in 1988 is an typical example of decontructivist architecture, which posses the fragile veneer with untroubed and pure form. Grey Lynn thought the future of architecture would be ‘An Advanced Form of Movement’, which means the destabilisation of form in Desconstructivist objects is transposed to the process of making form itself. He also described ‘architecture is the last refuge for members of the flat-earth club and it is significantly suggested that human beings need to participate in the flows and forces that are shaping and reshaping the built environment.’ While designing the building, it is neseccary to consider the site depends on its purpose. Architecture participates within a larger urban situation through visual and historical lens.
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Diagram of architectural composition: contemporary logic of architectural composition General strategies are parts without wholes.
The Museum of Modern Art is designed through observing the surrounding environment,which is an urban situation. The building using simple geometry, mainly rectangle, to represent the modern atmosphere and architecture. The building with landscape designing gives the life of this city and open space with sculptures also combines the art of urban city and built natural environment that forms the constrast as well. It is a very clever design and the building is obvious observed from the sky and spatial aspect is well considered by using geometries. Open space is functional and interrelated with other parts of the building.
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Both buildings are used in a similar way through integration of open space for garden and urban city itself. The buildings are designed and utilised functionally though by different movements, urbanism and deconstructivism. For this case, the building is used as museum and gallary. Exterior open space for communication and relax also balances the sustainability within the urban modern city, New York. It is one of the most important advantages in this design. Thus from this project, architecture could be defined as visual culture and functional to the public.
A.2. Computational Architecture
Computers, by their nature, as superb analytical engines. They can present the results of manipulations in the form most suitable for human comprehension1. They follow by our orders and humans communicate with computers by sharing information. Computers are intelligent to understand textural, graphic and numberical meassages from humans and also open up the design process for more people to become involved. Computational architecture represent the revolution of design processes from the past. Computational and digital architectures of topological, non Euclidean geometric space, kinetic and dynamic systems and genetic algorithms supplant technological architectures2. With the high-technologies, digital technologies, such as CAD and CAM can solve construction of complex forms, which are impossibly designed and produced by using traditional construction technologies. The use of digital technologies integrates conception and production that means the concept of the design can be developed through digital technologies and then revolutes into the real building. In this digital age, architecture can be refined as high-technological or computational decoration. 1 Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25 2 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28.
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Contemporary digital architectures represent on idea logic, conception and formal break. From historical precedents, organic and biomorphic forms, which are sinuous curvilinear lines, change to apply variable curvature in digital produced architecture. Moreover, new information-driven process transforms cultures, societies and economics on a global scale and it is popular and advantaged to show special aspects through architecture to the world. In architecture, the conceptural world of design is balancd by the pragmatic world of construction, but also influenced by technology. The development of computational tools emerges from the architectural idea and the building’s performance is a primary consideration for the development of a form. Architectural design is always a balance of many contradicting constraints. Significantly, issues of performance are not all considered equally and the primacy of the architectural idea remains.
Messe Basel New Hall Herzog & de Meuron, Basle, 2013
Kai Strehlke is the leader of the Digital Technology Group at Herzog&de Meuron, which is a practice all about the architecture in Basle.
Messe Basel New Hall is designed by Herzog&de Meuron for competition in Basle, Switzerland in 2013. The design is inspired by two boxes, one on top of the other. It is slightly twisted to produce a hiperbolic surface. This building has less ornaments for the surface, and the geometry and materials used are the main considerable factors in design process. I agree with Strehlke’s opinion, which designs are not primarily visually driven. The generation of geometry and materia configurations are performance driven1. he cautions that ornament as decoration is not what they try to achieve and I think the design develop from the initial architectural idea by thinking about the shape and materials. Though complex geometries are definitely impossible in the past, they can fix out by computational tools, such as CAD, BIM and digital brabrication. 1
Computer Works-The Building of Algorithmic Thought.pdf. p53-56
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Museo Soumaya FREE, Mexico City
Museo Soumaya is built in Mexico City and designed by FREE (Fernando Romero EnterpriseE) and it is conceived as a sculptural building that is unique and contemporary. It is used to preserve a collection of international paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects dating from the fourteenth century to the present. Its functionality is maximized into boxes or containers for art initially, however, it is changed through designs and it may represent a city at a particular historic moment. 1 Mexico, is the city which reserve the tradtiton of craft and stone, wood, masonry are key material elements. This building uses lazer scanning, parametric modelling and other algorithmic techniques to design and model the project in 3Ds. Obvserving from the exterior of the hall, it shows a doube-curved surface that represents a concept of the museum as a container for the work, with the size of each floor plate responding to the nature of the collection on that floor. By using digital model, 26 curving columns and horizonatl steel rings are laid on the design surface. With the consideration of construction, a digital 3D model is applied through complex computational The detailed facade with a double-layer secontechniques. day triodestic structure as the support structure for the hexagonal panels. 1 http://www.architectureexposed.com/project/756/ museo-soumaya#
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It is quite different to build the model in real world, compared to computation design bucause more factors and details need to think about many times. The facade of the building is composed of hexagonal aluminium panels and each node i the facade structure holds the centre of gravity of a single hexagonal panel and three incoming struts. The geometric solution is to stretch each hexagonal panel to maintain the spacing, with each panel responding in size and angles to the local geometry of the surface. Parametric modelling techniques developed by Gehry Technologies were used to create the families. All of the geomtric data for the panels is extracted and reapplied to the surface and the desired final result of the design is achieved through many times of adjustments. Because of the complex form of the building, the design of interior elements is impossble to use a traditional 2D drawing and design process. In the future, computational technologies are well used in industies and as architecture becomes more complex, a simple, integrated process to understand and communicat the complexity is required.
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There are 20,000 square meters of exhibition space divided among five floors, as well as an auditorium, a cafe, offices, a gift shop, a multipurpose lobby, and storage space. The top floor is the largest space in the museum, and its roof is suspended from a cantilever that allows natural daylight in.
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It can say design information is construction information, through the process of data extraction and exchange from design to production by using digital technologies. It is obviously that computation is successfully contributed to architectural designs and it continuously trends towards the future performance-oriented designing. Computational architecture represents unlimited innovations of conceivable geometries, which change into real construction industries.
A.3. Parametric Modelling
Before start challenging the Gateway design, it is better to understand the field of parametric design modelling and its resultant architecture. Parametric modelling are the tools with marks and conventions that can make drawings more accurate and precise models of a design idea1. Parametric modelling is also called as constraint modelling, which introduces a fundamental change, marks. Marks are parts of a design, relate and change together in a coordinated way. The first computeraided design system was parametric and propagation is one of types of parametric modelling. Propagation has the advantages of reliability, speed and clarity and it is used in spreadsheets, dataflow programming and computeraided design due to the efficiency of its algorithms and simplicity of the decision-making required by users. It is a revolution of computational technologies. 1 Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48 19
Graphs are nodes connected by links, which are arrows in a directed graph. Links join tail (professor) to head (successor). In parametric modelling, nodes have names that are objects contining properties. Also, a grapg is cyclic if it has paths n which nodes recur. Using parametric design tools, changes of models limit exploration and effectively restrict design.
Taichung Metropolitan Opera House Toyo Ito, Taiwan, China, 2006~
Taichung Metropolitan Opera House was built in a new cultural venue in Taiwan and it is an significant landmark in civic district. Taichung is seen as one of the most cultural cities in taiwan with populutaion of roughly one million residents. It also defines cultural axis by setting on urban grid and the site is influenced by urban force fields and by shaping implicit flows1. The building is well integrated with the landscape and consider the spatial organization in the design process. The main structure of the buuiling is connected with several curved walls that in engineering aspect, it is impossible to finish this three-dimensional walls. However, the miracle appears. 1 http://www.designboom.com/architecture/toyo-ito-taichung-metropolitanopera/
The opera house has three main theatres: grand auditorium 2009 seats, drama theatre 800 seats and black box theatre 200 seats. Continuos surfaces in an open structure which actively engages its surroundings in all directions 
and create great opportunities for artists and visitors, stage and auditorium, interior and exterior. The technique with the use of parametric modelling in the architectural deign process have both advantages and disadvantages. For the advantages, it is a big challenge for construction and structural system, which realises the difficulties of free geometry in rational and efficient manner. On the other hand, it provides visitors and citizens a new and exciting vision in the cultural urban city. Conversly, shortcomings still exist, for example, sprayed concrete construction method is a complex process by taking one of the two methods, dry method or wet one.With special materials and method, it is necessary to carry out temporary protection to avoid polluting the surrounding area. 20
There are three main issues of the environment, resources, and energy that the architect, Toyo Ito suggested based on this building: 1. recycling of rainwater and sewage 2. use of eco-materials 3. adjusting the surrounding environment for energy savings Environmental protection should be carried out during the building construction because of the use of special maerials and methods as well as the parametric design of the building structure. In the future, protection and balance of ecological and sustainable environments is highly encouraged and performed. It is one aspect of contribution to architectural design and reflects the image of a city to citizens as well as visitors all over the world.
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The architect calls this space the ‘sound cave’, a horizontally and vertically continuous network.
Challenging technique,
parametric modelling is used in this building design. The freeform concrete surfaces are shotcrete (spray concrete), which is commonly utilized for tunnel construction and suitable for curved surface. It can be shot horizontally or vertically, rather than constructing doubly curved formwork that is expensive and time consuming on site. The temporary structure in the void creates faceted surfaces that best-fit the finished surface. Between the temporary steel work, expanded metal mesh is expanded metal mesh spans between the temporary steel work to act as faceted formwork. The use of parametric modelling in the design process creates more opportunities for ideas and it also scripts the local culture by reflecting from different perspectives of design and highlighting the integration of the form of building.
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Dune House
SU 11 Exhibition: ‘Open House: Intelligent Living by Design’ Vitra Design Museum/Pasadena Art Center Zeche Zollverein, Essen 2006
Dune house is desert housing inspired by local organisms, reptilian creatures as well as water saving cacti and it designs based on the desert climates of Navada and California1. Despite challenging natural conditions, the desert it still continuously converted into generic and repetitive housing communities, which neither reflect nor sustain their specif environment. Dune house is mostly skin, not surface and it is designed with a system that treats surface, structure and volume as continuities. Programmatic and functional layers are activated by and interwoven with the building structure, which oscilates between different stages of formal expression. The surrounding landscape is considered as significant factor of the overall design and it is integrated with the house and outdoor areas are connected with it. Dune house forms transitions to the nature surroundings: street, paths and gardens link the building to the desert. 1 http://www.su11.com/index. php?/project/dunehouse/
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To show the dynamics of the landscape, softer and more flexible materials are used instead of concrete ot asphalt. Technology is invisible from outside because it is not regarded as part of the structure and design. The concept of the dune house is based on the idea that innovative technology and architecture should be harmonized already during the initial planning phases. Thus, for this case study, the advantage is that the house uses parametric modelling to help developing the concept and transfer into the real with considering the natural environments and materials would be used.
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Parametric Modelling Process
These images show the design process of the parametric modelling clearly and basically, it starts with the surface and transform into skin, then integrated with the natural envionments. The disadvantages for parametric modelling in this case is maybe the technique is not well considered into the deaign concept. Futhermore, by using this technique, materials should be thought about seriously based on the environments and weather conditions.
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A.4. Algorithmic Exploration
Here are some examples which I explore algorithm with Grasshopper and I start creating Disney Tower through lofting and converting mesh into surface, also try to do gridshell by making a patten. Based on readings, these exploration prove the magic of parametric modelling and it is quite interesting to creats these sketches. Sometimes they do not work that makes me confused. I choose these because they are different types of models. In the lateral design, I may combine them or choose some of them into my design of Gateway Project. On the other hand, these algorithmic sketches demonstrate some arguments I made before. Architecture is thought as visual culture, for example Disney Tower is designed to show to the public and it is a symbol of history of Disney as well as stands for the culture of cartton movie.
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Some sketches do not work well finally, however I enjoy the process of exploration and it is a way for learning through failure of challenge, at least I know how it works and think a lot of creative ideas can be developed through Grasshopper.
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Disney Tower
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A.5. Conclusion
Architecture could be refined differently
and it could be thought as visual culture as Richard Williams described. However, from projects discussed above, architecture is not just like that, it is also computational decoration of buildings, functional to the public and community as well as integration of natural environments and sustainability of the city. Architecture is interpreted from social, cultural, ecological and economical perspectives.
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For the competition jury, the design approach will use computational design tools and parametric design modelling based on the concept of architectural idea by considering those perspectives, which have be noticed above. The mixture use of computational technologies, for instance, parametric modelling, CAM and CAD, is a new challenge as well as innovation of the architectural design. When the design idea changes, changes on the computational tools followed and they possibly change the overall design. However, using digital design tools may arouse and create more interesting forms of the design. The innovative approach is quite significant for the design because it leads to a different result with the help of digital tools and it provides more space for design developing. The aspect of construction and structure is seriously considered due to the possibilities of construction in the real world by creative designs. Thus architects need to be careful with that and make the design possible through communicating with builders. It is also beneficial for both of them by reducing the risks and costs waste during the process. On the other hand, viewers may enjoy the building and surprised with the digital tools, which also can represent the social and cultural perspectives for the city and make it more modern and attractive as landmark.
A.6. Learning outcomes
Learning the theory and practice of
architectural computing is quite beneficial for me before starting the design. At the beginning of the semester, it is a little confused with the concept of this studio and never think about what architecture actually is. However, after some readings weekly I understand more details of digital design tools and with the help of several case studies through analysising, it is better to know how those architectural buildings are influenced by computational technologies in the digital age. Moreover, the practise for algorithmic challenge is helpful to use with grasshopper, which we will use in the later design project and this plug-in is more conventient to make new forms and effect you prefer. When I happened to difficulties, I would like not to give up and try to figure out, even redo for many times. It is interesting I think. From past projects, I can learn a lot by searching and analysis how the building uses the digital tools with design and construction as well as work out the reason on why the project is successful and useful for me to learn. I compare projects and realise the differences and similarities of them. In addition, I integrate the knowledge from readings, case studies I have chosen and algorithmic explorations I challenged so as to get ready for new challenge, Gateway design project.
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PART B: DESIGN APPRAOCH B.1.DESIGN FORCUS
The term ’stream’ firstly ;makes people thinkof the flow of water or the movement, which is processing. The case study of SG2012 in New York using the gridshell of geometry as one of the parametric appraoches. It is valid to support the Wyndham City Gateway project as well as based on the precedent projects like Transbay Transit Centre. SG2012 uses straignt wood lath to build in size 11x7x4m. The project is focused on the design and construction of gridshell uses wood members bend along geodesic lines on a relaxed surface. The design also tries to use less material to achieve the maximum architectural presence in the space.The parametric and structural model integrates geometry, structures and material performance in balance. Transbay Transit Centre in San Francisco is functionally designed in economic, cultural and environmental perspectives and it may attract more people, more opportunities and create a vibrant atmoshphere as well as a great lifestyle. The project also balances on the transit, community and sustainability by creatively designing a roof garden on the top of the centre.
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By comparing, the Gateway Project has natural environmenta with a river and park. The centre is built in urban highrise are. They attract different types of people. The Wyndham City aims to enhance and embrace the city centre’s central river and park through the project, which is more focused on the design and contain more space for population flowing. The city has access to public transport close to home by designing the gateway. The idea of gridshell may leads people from the centre of the city to outside and the space between the wood members can reach the light with different shadow. The city councilproposes to mark the gateway to the Werribee City Centr by featuring retail, parkinh, offices and apartments. Inspired from SG2012 and Transbat Transit Centre project, creating the gridshell in geometry is a good start and the shape in the design maybe looks like the stram flowing rapidly.
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The definition of sectioning is interesting as well and I want to explore more not just only focus on gridshell and maybe the main idea of this two definition can be combined together for the project design. The interior of Banq Restaurant gets your head swirling with its banyan tree-inspired aesthetic. The interior is made up of curved layers of birch plywood that form an abstract wooden canopy that helps with the acoustics of the room. Banq’s sleek and sexy space, designed by the award winning team of Office dA, takes advantage of the soaring ceilings It is obviously show the sectioning idea. The Gateway project needs attractive design, which is eye catching as well. So these crazy curves can be well represented for the Wydham city. Also inspired from another design in Korea, Kring Kumho Culture Centre, by Unsangdong architects, it uses the original idea of sectional, ovbiously from exterior appearance. Spatial concept is strongly forcused and it satisfy customer’s needs and desire1. Space reinforces as a mdium of communications and it also reproduce the cultural imfluence and public sociality. The design also uses light effect at night and the effection may better show the depth and space created based on the idea of sectioning. The way approaching to design is about create an uurban suclpture with composing space in addition. 1 http://www.archdaily.com/66959/ kring-kumho-culture-complex-unsangdong-architects/ 39
Through the architectural interpretation process, the phenomenon of harmony was connected and emphasized to the city and society with undulation, then the notion of undulation was deepened. It is helpful to gather various elements of nature, life, and city harmoniously and that essence of harmony to rush out to the city creating echo and undulations. The building is symbolised as the monument of the city day and night, specifically, a lighting sculpture when it is dark. Moreover, it becomes a pure white space when entered into and contains all and any types of cultural program. The pure white space which achieves spatial surrealism is acting as a stage for performance.
The project of Putrajaya waterfront is a new project, which will be carried out in Malaysia. The design is original with unique, marine inspired structures, which draw from traditional Islamic designs and the buildings are composd of many different sizes of parts in city’s landscape,which includes an artificial lake1. The biggest inspiration comes from the sea and the entire development resembles a fleet of ships. The design uses parametric technologies to develop and it is quite close to the sectioning concept. The design tells the relationship with nature through culturally modern style. The supporting frame will act as a shading device over the glazing but not affect views. The buildings are to support natural cooling techniques which will enter the operable windows and be flushed out through the same apartment or across multiple floors. The buildings are placed to avoid blocking prevailing breezes. This design is more humanized and consider the natural environment and make me thik about the environmental factors into my lateral design. The building is eye catching from the exterior by people and they are design with similar height and form as well as structure.
1 http://www.evolo.us/architecture/putrajaya-waterfront-residential-towers-studionicoletti-associati/ 40
Bang Restaurant by Office Da
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B.2. CASE STUDY 1.0
Gridshell
Create three curves on the plane by having same number of points.
Redraw curves by myself ireegulary and start the new one.
Loft the curves and set points on the curve for surface division. Use tree explode and arc 3 points on the curface.
Set 16 points in these curves and points conncected to form lines.
Rebuid the curve and loft again/
Lines show inside but not abvious for outer curve.
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Reduce some points and make it more clear.
This is the elevation vision and it looks like the bat flying. The shape is symmetrical as well.
Redraw curves by myself ireegulary and start the new one.
change the location of curve while lofting, so lines on the curve moved.
Add one more slider and make the lines variable The shape looks like the
place the curve in different directions and change the slider number.
This is the elevation of this change and two horizontal lines are not in right position.
This one is created through change the size of circle but still keeps points number. Lines on the curve varies wider.
Lines are mixed together. Set five points connect to one point on another curve.
It looks like the bowl by change the distance between curves.
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By choosing gridshell, wihch I think is quite interesting, I develop from the original geometry into others by change sliders, shaoe of each curve, distance from each curve. The geometries on the right hand are more successful because they varies and quite different from originals and it is what I want to achieve. The form of geometries are changed through the points set on the curve as well. To crete an effect, lines on the curve intersecte together by nailing the wooden strips. Wooden strips are bended and the space within each wood strips reflect nice shadow. Through grasshopper, forms are created and changed any time and even you can create the design you never think about before. It opens your imagination of architectural design and it is a good beginning for me to develop. With the help of Grasshopper, the forms and space are variable. Challenging the material wood, we can use steel, glass filling the space to create other effects, especially under natural lights.
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B.3. CASE STUDY 2.0
Sectioning
Bang Restaurant, Office Da
We choose this project with the idea of sectioning finally as group decisions. As mentioned some descriptions of this sectioning project before, the main design intent behind is the form is variable with different degrees of wave and it it is functioned as the ceiling as well as interior decoration for attract people’s sight. From learning the algorithms in Grasshopper for this project, it is beneficial for me to start the idea and explore more possible changes based on the original. It is successfully in what it show based on using parametric algorithms. The design is clever to use part of the section area as the seperation of the space for the interior of the restaurant instead of normal columns. The curves extend to the ceiling and attract people to focus on the ceiling. The curved ceiling also decreases the space from the original and by using wood, it gives people an unforgettable, natural and free atmosphere. The ceiling can be used as a surface for the gateway paroject because it may covers large area for car moving and achieve the visual purpose at the same time.
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BREP
BREP/BREP (BBX) SET INTEGER: -1 SHIFT LIST SURFACE
SLIDER
RANGE SET DOMAIN: 0.0-3.0
OFFSET
GRAFT SURFACE SPLIT
Design concept
To break the original impresison of sectioning, we develop two different ideas based on the theme of sectioning and have more explorations further. Our practice is aimed to create an exaggerating structure. The developed uninterrupted forms under two different ideas are derived from our experiences. We regard it as a montage of an abstractive epitome of the entry of Wyndham. First idea we want to achieve is an effect concerns with accumulation and floating structure. In order to create such effect, we tried to achieve it by explorating the relationship between each single pieces within the overall intact entity. For inspiration, we choose Daniel Arsham’s Pixel Cloud1 and “Inlet” as our precedents. Then on one hand we tried to use the same way as it in these to works to achieve the idea of accumulation, that is to, connect each individual pieces together by simple overlying. After this, we explored a new interesting way to reach accumulation by applying a interlocking system on the model. On the other hand, we tried to create the sense of floating. The floating structures are the ensemble of these functions: they are floating volumes that can be moved, anchored, connected to the land, connected to themselves, usable before, during and after the emergency. The floating structures can have different forms and dimensions one to each other, to be more or less density, to have the chance to be modified and to contain different functions. The floating structures will be public and property of the city. Second idea we want to explore the changes of veiling surface under weather conditions, mainly focused on windy weather from the inspiration by American artists, Christo and Jeanne-Claude2 and Daniel Arsham. Weather condition is one of the considering factor that may influence the flow or shape of surface. The intensity of wind makes the movement and wave of veiling surface flexible, expanding or shrinking. These movements will change the proportion of the whole structure from visual effect. Moreover, the space within the veiling covered on the structure will also change based on the intensity of the wind. While veiling surface turns to shrink, sectioned area is more obviously shown. Veiling is also functioned as landscape art from environmental and aesthetic aspects. 1 http://www.danielarsham.com/index.php?/project/sculpture/ 2 http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/realized-projects
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This parametric diagram is developed based on the concept of sectioning and make some changes such as: adding more layers of curve on the original, repeating the same shapes on the surface, creating radiate lines from one point, explore irregular lines, rotating rectangles with the same angle, or intersecting irregular curves together, interlock circles or radiating surface through cut. They are differert from the original and we try to use the idea of space and structure to the next development and combine with group membet’s idea as well. We think about the material and how it can help to represent our idea on the other hand. We consider the veiling and explore mre on it. 50
From one of interesting artworks from American artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, ‘The Gates’ is displayed in Central Park of New York City and artists use colored flowing fabric panels to create attractive visual effect as landscape art. Soft and lightsome fabric panels wave slightly under gentle wind within the environmental surrounding. It also forms another memorable vision and impression for this city. Inspired from another artwork designed by Christo and Jeanne-Claude as well, ‘Wrapped Reichstag’ is completed in Berlin from 1971 to 1995 by using thick woven polypropylene fabric with an aluminum surface, blue polypropylene rope and tailor-made fabric panels. Materials are all recycled. The silvery fabric also creates a sumptuous flow of vertical folds that highlight proportions of the imposing structure.
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Learning from American artist, Daniel Arsham’s three-dimensional sculpture, ‘Hammock’, part of ‘the fall, the ball and the wall’, exhibited in OHWOW Gallery in Los Angeles in 2007. Arsham shows the speed, force, power and stretching through man hanging from the wall. The vertical visual effect showing heavy force of hanging and from the folds of hanging, we want to achieve similar effect, which the sectioned model is stretched by covering the veiling surface.
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B.4. TECHNIQUE: DEVELOPMENT
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Based on our seperated explorations, we combine our ideas together. Her creative forms seem to focused on the circle shape by rotating. Firsly, we try to make the model of it, but it doesn’t work so well to represent the concept of sectioning and materials used are limited. These iterations are deveoped further, but it is not abstract to the concept sectioning. The evolution of iterations are restricted and we need fresh at this moment. The forms of these iterations look nice, but it doesn’t look quire interesting and we can’t do more except changing the single part shape and rotating angles. It can be said unsuccessful for this step of development.
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With the help of tutor’s suggestion, we explore the veiling and change another angle of considering the sectioning. Through the characteristic of the material, we search stretch fabric and use different mateials for exploration later, such as steel wire, plastic paper, wood strips and plastic wrap. From these images, we achive inspiration of the way of showing the structure in a different perspective. By using stretch fabric, a good idea, but we havn’t found it in the end and use the plastic wrap to cover the structure instead. Fabric may clearly highlight the original structure and with the wind conditions, the structure is shown clearly and space will expand or shrink depending on wind blowing.
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B.5. TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPES
In the process of model making, it is a challenge that we make different small interesting models for developing and exploring the ideas by using different materials. Different combination of material create quite different effects. Imgages here show the models we made together and the most interesting one I like is the one to show main design idea, using a lot of wooden strips support the plastic paper and arrange them in a radiating form. Nice shadow are reflected by repetition of using plastic paper , which represent the veiling. Three particular models are shroulded with plastic wrap to show the veiling surface and its space changes under windy conditions. By using pastic paper and stell wires to cretae the structure, the changes on the surface is obviously seen and it can easily demonstrate the veiling concept through this model.
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These three models show the second idea of veiling. The one on the left comes from the precedent, The Gate, designed by Christo and Jeanne Claude. Tha artists use soft fabric panels on steel columns and panels will wave by the wind and bright color made pretty latge area of shadow, which is quite close to each other. We use plastic paper instead of stretch fabric here and wood strips to fit into the urban landscape. There is an special visual effect if it is installed in the urban city or natural environment. Each piece of plastic paper is penetrated by the wood strips at two opposite points in a diagonal line. The location of two points are fixed and each single group composed of two wood strips and one piece of plastic paper is arranged in a radiating form, so it makes an expanding form and shadow are reflected flowing that form as well. On the other hand, because of different intensity of wind, the wave of the veiling surface, used by plastic paper here, are variable and shadow effect is changeable as well.
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The idea of wrapping is clearly represented from this two models. For the first one, the structure formed by horizonal and vertical lines are changeless, however, the method of wrapping the struture makes the effect of the whole structural by viewers look different under wind conditions. Space within the plastic wrap change based on the intensity of wind and it may expand or shrink at different moment, gently or fiercely. Logically, space within the structure expand or shrink gently while the wind blows gently and fiercely when it blows fiercely as well. The structure is seen clearly when the veiling survace gives force by the wind to the structure. Using the plastic wrap is not the best choice, but it still can represent the design idea. The second model is constructed by a lot of hollow cylinders for free style and hollow cylinders are covered by plastic wrap, the limited material, as well. We stick each same size hollow cylinders together and they are placed in different angles. The effect we want to achieve is that the structure is different to the original vision without wind and hollow space is highlighted when there is a strong pressured wind. Moreover, the form of the structure changes and space within cylinders varies. The model can be enlarged into a big surface with these howw cylinders, think it will be interestng and create strong visual effect. 60
The exploration of accumulation and floating structure is interesting and this idea is totally different to the veiling one. We use different sizes of individual foam balls to stick together in a free integral form. Furthermore, we had experiments on the model and place it on the water. The light structure makes the model easily float on the water and the materiality of the balls influence the whole weight and structure simultaneously. The structure of foam balls is variable and there is a question that if there are more foam balls constructed together, is it still standable in water and keep floating condition? It needs us to develop further. If it can’t float, it is possible to change the material or create a standable structure, maybe, not sure yet, but it is a good beginning, and need to challenge ourselves further and deeper.
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Accumulation Floating 62
Veiling Wrapped
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B.6. TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL
Wyndham Gateway Project
It is important to understand the background of the Wyndham City for the innovative design. The design will be installed near the freeway and the site embraces the unique river setting as well. This new infrastructure will allow pedestrians and cyclists to move into, along, across and through the Werribee City Centre’s River and Park Precinct from the urban parts of the City Centre and surrounding residential areas. Restricted vehicle access through the Precinct is also proposed to provide access to the car parks of new developments overlooking the river and park1. To achieve the goal of attractive ad leading people to the city and other areas, exaggerated design is suggested and it is also functioned as landscape art. The design constructed in a natural landscape is considered into many perspectives, such as visual effect, relationship to the landscape and functions provided to the sity an so on.
1 http://www.onesixteen.com.au/ wyndhamVision.html 65
This project is suitable for the Wyndham Gateway Project because the idea of wrapping is exciting and has eye catching feeling. Architecture can be thought of an artwork from this project because it attracts people at the first sight and it is also functioned as landscape art. The innovative part of this project is that the veiling surface wrapped the structure will change to variable shapes from visual effect according to different weather conditions. Based on the site surrounding of the Wydnham City, our design will be outstanding and practical because the design with large area of veiling blowing creates strong visual effect on freeway. The blowing of wind and the wave of veiling seem to lead the cars driving forwards and give the direction to them. Cars driving through the veiling makes a movement as well.
Images here show the development of this city with a natural river and environment. The City is developed with economic, cultural and environmental aspects. Driving through the design area to this regional capital city or just pass this area, it is hard not to pay attention to the design as a landmark art. It is better to create strong vision by using bright color veiling panels or fabric, such as yellow, red, or blue. The feeling of veiling waving in the air makes people driving through the site delighted and pleased. For residents in this city, the design will bring them a positive and colorful life and make create an artistic city at the same time, except economic development.
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B.7. ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES
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The process of creating algorithms sketches from learning the video on sectioning and develop by changing surfaces and forms mainly. With the help of looking at some special architectural buildings, I think how architects achieve that effect and how they combine their observations and research into the design. From details or objects in everyday life, we consider the design in another way and represent by using a different form. The design method is not limited, just focus on the computation, we may try to explore other unconspicuous things, and pick some useful principles on the design with the combination of computational techniques as well. We need to search more and learn from others’ computational work and transfer to ours. Computational tools help human beings to achieve the unexpected effect we never think about before and regard architecture as a humanized design.
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B.8. LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
Working as a team, it is beneficial to explore the
design with different ideas and we may help with each other on digital skills of Grasshopper. Initially, the design idea on sectioning is limited and we are too focused and related to the gateway project. But with the inspiration from artists provided by tutors, we open our thinking abroad and think the definition into a different perspective. We develop the idea through model making process and create a lot of models with challenges of materiallity, structure and form. We still need more space for improvement and best architectural design never stops developing. From the feedback of guests and tutorials, we can combine two different ideas together, accumulation and floating, and veiling under weather conditions to the finalise an interesting one. With the theoretical research from the reading “Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing� by Branko Kolarevic1 and link to the lecture, which introduces the roles of contemporary computing in architecture. By using digital computing software, parametric, it can create new forms of architecture expression. At the same time, to produce and achieve the desired aesthetic and spatial effects, parametric software leads to a new world of architecture. From the exploration of ideas through parametric software, making models and some theories, we realise the significance of computation in the future.
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1 Reading: Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28.