MITCHELL SU . 660192 ABPL30048 . STUDIO AIR . 2015/1
291066 . US LLEHCTIM OIDUTS . 84003LPBA 1/5102 . RIA
CONTENTS P R E F A C E ……… INTRODUCTION
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P A R T A . 1 ……… 0 1 DESIGN FUTURING -BRAS BASAH MRT STATION -NEW YORK HIGH LINE P A R T A . 2 ……… 1 1 DESIGN COMPUTATION -BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM -FLINDERS STREET STATION P A R T A . 3 ……… 1 9 COMPOSITION/GENERATION -HAYDAR ALIYEV CENTER -NANJING ZENDAI HIMALAYAS
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P A R T A . 4 + 5 ……… 2 9 THOUGHTS/CONCLUSIONS -HAYDAR ALIYEV CENTER -NANJING ZENDAI HIMALAYAS
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PART A.6 APPENDIX
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R E F E R E N C E S ……… BIBLIOGRAPHY FIGURES
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PREFACE INTRODUCTION 1. UoM Water Studio Kew Boathouse - Boathaus.
One half of my family is your traditional Christian Malaysian Chinese family with conservative view on the world. On the other hand, my other family was a liberal Filipino family who were more than happy to let me choose my own path. Because of these contrasting family dynamics, I’ve ended up in a conflicting middle ground for many of my approaches in life.
FROM BRISBANE TO MELBOURNE Hi I’m Mitchell and am a third year architecture student at The University of Melbourne. Having come from a racially and culturally contrasting family, I find myself in a world of middle grounds in many aspects of life.
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Being stuck in a world of middle ground has been the continuous status quo in my education from kindergarten all the way up to now in university. In high school I went to an art school but always had a leaning interest more towards clear cut subjects like mathematics and science. Even in my time in architecture, I find a studio like Air incredibly challenging given the emphasis on digital methods from ideation all the way to fabrication. With this studio I hope to find a happy resolution to this conflicting reluctance to rely on digital methods of design.
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1. UQ Architecture Studio 1 Part 1 - Burnett Beacon Lanterns. 2. UQ Architecture Studio 1 Part 2 - Burnett Laneway Intervention. 3. UoM Earth Studio - A Place for Keeping Secrets. 4. UoM Virtual Environments Second Skin - Panel and Fold
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PART A.1 DESIGN FUTURING 1. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Atrium). 2. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Concourse Level). 3. James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2014, New York High Line Section Three.
In an increasingly human-centric world, it has been recognized that the current status quo for designers is an unsustainable process. We have long assumed that designing must be a grand gesture to appease to the masses - that democratic design must appeal to the lowest common denominator and that holistically designing only involves the tangible process of translating resources from one form to another.
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ABOVE+BELOW Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Circle Line) WOHA Architects, 2010 65 Bras Basah Road, Singapore, Singapore, 189561
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However, time in itself creates an uncertainty within this - that longevity is no longer guarantee and our future is not so definite. Where design comes into this paradox is best embodied within Dieter Ram’s ‘Ten Principles for Good Design’. Design is not merely just about creating the tangible, but is also by approaching a problem and finding a solution or a conclusion that we ultimately leave the world better than we found it. This encompasses how we source our resources, what effect the conclusions we make leave on society and even what happens when something approaches redundancy.
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ABOVE New York High Line Section Three James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro New York, NY 10011, United States
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PART A.1 BRAS BASAH MRT STATION
4. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Basement 4 Concourse). 5. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Ground Level Site Plan).
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LEFT Station Atrium in Basement 4 ABOVE Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station Site Plan (Not to Scale)
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The Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station is a peculiar juxtaposition of grand civic gesturing along with a humble respect of local social contexts. Within this contrast however, lies a considered outcome that largely provides a net benefit to the local area in terms of environmental, intrinsic and cultural value.
significant portion of the station’s volumetric footprint, serving as an extravagant and almost indulgent filter for sunlight entering the atrium cavern. While somewhat excessive, this is not without purpose. The reflection pool filters not only sunlight, but also the heat energy from the sun, providing a means of passive cooling.
At station level, commuters are greeted with a mood lit cavern that offers a peek into the main atrium through punctured holes in the uniform surface treatment of the platform level cavern. Once leaving the platform level of the station, it opens up into the main atrium, revealing the grand gesture of the skylight above. This almost serves as a celebration of public transport, with the the complex ultimately being a social good.
Curiously enough, the ground level of the station and its surroundings are humble and unassuming compared to the grandiosity of the station’s interior. The reflection pool sits almost flush with the street level, creating an unobtrusive teaser into the commuters hurrying below.
The skylight itself serves the basis for a large reflection pool that covers a
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we find an outcome filled with contrast a seemingly humble outward appearance that does not offend nor diminish the existing value of the urban environment, but is grand in its bold gesture that celebrates the everyday. In turn, the complex adds to the overall value of the area, providing amenity and permeability without drastically altering the historical value for the worse.
6. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Ground Level at Day). 7. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Ground Level at Night). 8. WOHA Architects, 2010, Bras Basah Mass Rapid Transit Station (Basement 1 Concourse Atrium).
In regards to Design Futuring as a text, the humble role of public transportation is quintessentially a social good that leaves a lasting positive benefit. In taking a considered yet bold approach,
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Ground level of station during the day. BOTTOM
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Ground level of station at night. RIGHT Basement 1 concourse atrium
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PART A.1 NEW YORK 9. James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2014, New York High Line Section Two. 10. James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2014, New York High Line Section Two. 11. James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2014, New York High Line Section One.
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The New York High Line is an example of urban regeneration and adaptive reuse that takes into deep consideration the purposes of public infrastructure once it has reached the end point of conventional usefulness. The High Line was once a an elevated rail line for the western side of Manhattan in New York that was used largely for freight and industrial purposes. With the redevelopment of Manhattan in the late 20th century towards a more services oriented economy and the industrial yards surrounding the high line slowly disappeared and it’s purpose became redundant. Consequently, debate over the future of the High Line intensified with a strong argument to demolish it and replace it with commercial developments.
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New York High Line Section Two Bench Detailing BOTTOM
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New York High Line Section Two
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Rather than demolish the structure of the original High Line, the structure was recycled into an urban green spine with parks and public spaces as its main programming. With it, the a greater sense of social amenity appeared in the local urban environment, serving as a catalyst for urban regeneration. Old buildings in the High Line’s surrounding vicinity were rehabilitated, property prices rose and more importantly, street activation occurred at a higher level than previously observed with more people spending time outdoors. Part of this decision to repurpose rather then demolish the structure was how over time, nature had taken its course over the surface of the elevated rail line and a compact ecosystem of vegetation entirely different from the rest of the urban landscape. Had the line been demolished however, the end outcome could have potentially been far different from what has been observed so far. There is also the reality that merely demolishing the High Line and replacing it with unspecified development would have had a negative net benefit to the city. The sheer waste from demolishing the structure and then sourcing new resources to build new developments would be profligate and extravagant. In this pursuit for the new and for constant change to creating something tangible, we lose part of our history and in turn the intrinsic value of history’s past. If we consider design in a more profound manner - one that is sustainable and considers implications of every decision made from cradle to grave like what is suggested in Design Futuring, the High Line is a fundamental shift from how we approach development against the conventional Modernist approach. Rather
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than to abandon and express a rejection of the past, we find an appreciation for it and seek ways to engender a sense of longevity. Although the design of the High Line’s repurposing can be considered democratic in that a consensus was reached in the final outcome, the overall implications can be considered a net benefit to society in the value it adds not only to the lives of those in New York, but also to the condition of the environment.
12. James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2014, New York High Line
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“ DESIGN IS THE EPITOME OF INTELLIGENT BEHAVIOR: IT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ABILITY THAT DISTINGUISHES HUMANS FROM OTHER ANIMALS. “ - JACOB BRONOWSKI
PART A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION
Architecture in itself straddles a peculiar line when it comes to considering it as part of the design practice. It is both creative yet deeply rooted in rational thought. We dream on an enigmatic scale of grand visions that are only limited by our own minds yet are so deeply limited by practical constraints such as site conditions, budget, building codes and among a plethora of issues.
as fine arts, seldom does intuition lead to more than satisfactory results. This is where computational design comes in. Computers are particularly adept at analyzing and completing instructions. If one were to create a perfectly sequenced line of code, a computer would be able to follow it flawlessly. However, computers lack that sense of ‘intuition and creativity’ mentioned earlier that is essential in the field of architecture.
To overcome this constraints, designers come fall back consistently upon intuition and creativity - an innate awareness of ‘knowing’ rather than a strict pragmatic response. However, unlike in traditional creative fields such
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It is a curious paradox that whilst the human brain is by far more powerful than the fastest computer chip, we grow
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tired and unamused by rote tasks much faster than a computer would. So rather than rely on one or the other, the middle ground that architecture sits upon should treat neither as mutually exclusive. Rather, they should be used in tandem with each other as a harmonious synergy. Before the Renaissance, architecture was more craft than practice with buildings constructed and ‘designed’ on an ad hoc basis. After that period, architecture became more of a codified practice with an emphasis on detail, on multiple levels of careful reiteration to achieve an acceptable outcome. In this did we finally create a tangible difference between conception and construction. However, this was an excruciating process from start to finish wherein an architect risked being distracted by the mundane and tedious. With the advent of computational design, this process has not only has been accelerated, but is also beginning to experience a profound change. Computers can rapidly draft through iterations of a design to reach the most optimal design as desired by the architect. At the same time, there has been a shift from a focus on the craftsmanship of details to the bigger picture whilst leaving such considerations to an automated process.
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geometries whilst maintaining a logical formation.
More than ever is it easy to come up with increasingly complex and elaborate structures. We however risk in handing over too much of our own practice in the architectural field to computation rather than through our own imagination. After all, design is by all intentions and desires meant to be purposeful activity that reaches goals and creates outcomes. In this ever increasing blending of the digital world and architecture, new technologies have emerged that blur the difference between what we can considered designed in the traditional sense verses something that has been generated through an arbitrary and automated line of code. With approaches such as parametrization, the mathematical constraints of Euclidean geometry no longer sets a definitive limit on what is feasible in a design with computers capable of handling more complex operations that allow for more free form
With computerization in terms of parametric design, there is a more distinct emphasis on the concept of associations and dependency relationships between objects with each element having a flow on effect to other linked objects in an operation/design. Though we risk letting computerization handle too much of the design process, these concepts of relations and dependencies is where we can find a middle ground in achieving an optimal design on multiple parameters. With each element of a structure’s design being explicitly interrelated and causative on each other, it is possible to use parametrization as a means of optimizing a building’s performance in ter ms of sustainability, structural integrity, budget constraints, etc. In terms of sustainability and structural integrity, a potential scenario could entail using computer software to optimize the quantity of materials used to construct a design whilst setting quantitative parameters of what is considered structurally acceptable. By setting these guidelines and leaving it to automation to handle, we do not necessarily compromise a design, but rather enhance the over all performance
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of the structure without ruining the creative intentions of a designer. The use of computers to aid in finding these optimizations and outcomes also potentially addresses the age long discourse between architects and structural engineers over the relation between form and function. We not only can create unusual forms and structures, but can also do so without requiring exhaustive and profligate structural solutions. In many ways, design computation as part of contemporary architectural practice shifts the process to a more scientific and pragmatic approach. We no longer just design within the unknown, with intuition; but by researching and synthesizing data into a tangible form.
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PART A.2 BEIJING NATIONAL STADIUM 13. Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2008), Beijing National Stadium (Interior Detail). 14. Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2008), Beijing National Stadium (Facade Detail). 15. Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2008), Beijing National Stadium (Overview).
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13. The Beijing National Stadium was designed by Herzog & De Meuron Architekten in collaboration with Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The structure’s exterior shell is evocative of the Chinese culinary delicacy called ‘bird’s nest’. It has connotations of luxury and prestige as it is rarely consumed save for special occasions such as the Lunar New Year. However, as uncanny to the likeness of a ‘bird’s nest’ as the stadium’s exterior shell may be, it serves are a far more critical purpose in terms of the stadium’s structural integrity and environmental envelope. Simply using traditional methods through countless calculations and drafting would not have been enough to design a feasible structure, which is where computational design comes in.
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The exterior shell of the stadium is a lattice of steel that not only serves an aesthetic purpose, but is also entirely structural. The architects met this conclusion in the design process because of the mutual dislike of the traditional cantilevered roof of most stadiums across the world. At the same time, the general form was already predetermined early on, resulting in significant spacial constraints on top of the existing structural challenge posed by the steel frame. The resulting steel frame faced a number of challenges - the weaving nature of the frame would twist in a number of directions as a result of the shape, the frame had to be earthquake resistant to some degree and more importantly, it had to maintain the predetermined aesthetic silhouette. In terms of function, the structure also had to accommodate for the sight lines of
spectators at the highest seats and be as unobtrusive as possible to the circulation spaces in between the internal and external structures.
appears to be haphazard in placement, each beam and column is critical to the overall structural stability as calculated through parametrics.
In order to achieve a feasible design, the designers had to rely heavily on parametrics to optimize the steel frame. The steel frame started initially with m u l t i p l e ‘ L’ s h a p e d b e a m s t h a t interlocked with each other in the arrangement of a lens aperture to create a stable working base framework. This served as the primary structural components that the designers could work off.
To complement the weaving nature of the steel frame, ETFE membrane panels cut to size based on openings in the frame of the stadium were fabricated for protection against the elements. In this instance, parametrics serves more as an optimization of resource usage as well as labor costs by minimizing wastage along with fit out costs.
Subsequently, secondary and tertiary members were added to the primary members in a randomized order using parametric software, taking into account points of greatest stress as well as curvatures in the design’s for m. Although the resulting arrangement
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PART A.2 FLINDERS ST STATION
16. HASSEL + Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2014), Flinders Street Station Redevelopment. 17. HASSEL + Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2014), Flinders Street Station Redevelopment.
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LEFT Station Entrance at Swanston and Flinders Street ABOVE Flinders Street Station Site Plan (Not to Scale)
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The Flinders Street Revelopment Project is a proposed overhaul of the existing Flinders Street Station in Melbourne by HASSEL in collaboration with Herzog & De Meuron Architekten. The proposal entails restoring as well as adding to the existing precinct as well as adding mixed use programs above the platform level area. Within the site, there are a number of constraints that required what would most likely be computational design. Firstly, the original heritage structure (16) would be difficult to integrate with the proposed design due to uneven geometry. Secondly, the platforms in the station as well as rail lines have been added over time without consideration of consistency and future needs, resulting a complicated station layout. Thirdly, the proposed concrete weave pattern on the vaulted arches by the architects would be difficult to replicate
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with such varied geometry across the length of the station by hand. Based on working drawings as well as documentations by the architects, there was an intention to replicate the visual form of the original Flinders Street Station arches, but in a more contemporary fashion. However the intended form would require heavy assistance of parametrics to execute. It is presumed the optimization of the final proposed form developed as follows Firstly, the general curvature profile of each vaulted arch was developed by hand or at least visualized. Then, points where structural columns as well as points of the minimum of each arch were plotted along usable points along the station floor level while keeping in mind the structural limits of the arches.
points in order to generate a continuous arch structure across the length of the station. In order to add the weaving pattern, it could be assumed that a gridshell of some means was applied to generate a tessellating tile pattern on a three dimensional scale while adjusting itself for the random geometry of the curvatures. However the process was most likely not as simple as this and required a number of iterations to reach both a structurally and aesthetically pleasing solution as shown in the images (16-20). 18. HASSEL + Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2014), Flinders Street Station Redevelopment. 19. HASSEL + Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2014), Flinders Street Station Redevelopment. 20. HASSEL + Herzog & De Meuron Architekten (2014), Flinders Street Station Redevelopment.
At this point, the basic geometry of each arch has been extrapolated from the
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Station entrance from Federation Square BOTTOM
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Platform level of station RIGHT Rooftop function space
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PART A.3 COMPOSITION / / GENERATION 21. Zaha Hadid Architects (2013), Haydar Aliyev Center. 22. MAD Architects (2014), Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center.
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Haydar Aliyev Center, Zaha Hadid Architects (2013) BOTTOM
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Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center, MAD Architects (2014)
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Generative design opens up a range of possibilities to architects that have generally been out of the question for them until the advent of the digital age. As a general rule of thumb, this has made the creation of complex geometries as well as high concept data modeling a more common approach to the design process. However, the use of the word ‘possibilities’ in terms of generative design does not necessarily denote just solely positive nor negative outcomes for the architectural practice.
upon algorithms and definitions, we find a plethora of ethical and somewhat existential issues to the architectural practice that we have yet to particularly address. Generative design is not a process that does not necessarily fall under the notions of democratic design that is championed vigorously in the design practice in contemporary society. It is not accessible to the masses in that it requires specialized knowledge and software that has a perceived high opportunity cost individuals.
To begin with, generative design allows us to effectively accelerate the design process from inception to construction at a pace that is not humanly possible. Given the right hardware and definitions in a a program such as Rhino, it is possible to iterate through designs multiple times to reach an optimal design in just days compared to what would normally be a week long process with conventional methods. This is possible because of the relationships and dependencies concepts of computational design whereby changing one definition results in a near instantaneous adjustment as needed to other definitions, resulting in a new iteration.
Another issue we face with generative design is the possibility of intellectual property ownership issues which is in turn stemmed from a potential creation of a monotonous aesthetic given the rigidity of generative design. Because of the current state of technology in terms of software as well as hardware capabilities, the aesthetic scope of generative design is rather limited and many outcomes from it have similar curvilinear aesthetics. This is the due to the reality that generative design is nothing more than merely a line of code, a set of definitions that can be made by anyone in theory. This begs the question, does the architect who generates a particular ownership truly own it as their own design when a majority of the design process is not controlled by them, but merely directed? It is a question that is yet to be answered as generative design has not reached the same wide stream practice that computative design has.
A further advantage to generative design is the complex geometries and data analysis possible that w o u l d o t h e r w i s e re q u i re h i g h l y s p e c i a l i z e d mathematical knowledge that is general out of the abilities and scope of the general public. Complex curves such as Bezier curves and NURBS are difficult to calculate by hand, let alone multiple curves all with varying points of interpolation. With a computer, this can be done at a rate that is humanly impossible. On the other hand, with an increasing reliance on computation and generation - all of which are founded
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The following two precedents of Zaha Hadid’s Haydar Aliyev Center and MAD Architect’s Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center take a visual exploration into the possibilities and issues with generative design.
23. Zaha Hadid Architects (2013), Haydar Aliyev Center.
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PART A.3 HAYDAR ALIYEV CENTER
“ THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THE WORK OF AN ARCHITECT HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE USE OF DRAWING AS A DESIGN TOOL. LIKE DRAWING, ARCHITECTS WORKING WITH COMPUTERS AND WITH COMPUTATION STILL WORK THROUGH A MEDIUM OF REPRESENTATION. “ - BRADY PETERS
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Zaha Hadid Architects (2013), Haydar Aliyev Center.
The Haydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan is designed by Zaha Hadid architects. The form of the structure is a textbook example of generative design in that data is used as an input into an algorithm successively to generate a form that can be used as a basis for the final design of the center.
In some ways, this complex interpretation of data is almost a contextual response to the environment that would otherwise be impossible to do by any other means in such an explicit manner. It is sensitive to the landscape in that its own form is derived from it.
The data used was extracted from the architect’s study of the pre-existing topography of the site. It was mentioned that the site once contained a sudden sheer drop in the landscape and formed the basis of the striking curved moment of the exterior facade. It is assumed that that data from the structure was used to create some sort of interpolation of points and flipped to give this form, creating a generated form. After the form was noted to have been further rationalized to make it a feasible project in terms of ease of construction.
However, as stated earlier, we do risk the possibility that designs generated through this process continuously will ultimately result in a monotonous array of designs that stylistically do not deviate too far from each other. This is particularly adept to Zaha Hadid’s other later works which seem to have a near identical and consistent aesthetic thread woven through one another. However, much of this is the result of sinuous blending of forms and for as long as the original geometries are purposeful, their intention and functionality will not be particularly offensive.
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Zaha Hadid Architects (2013), Haydar Aliyev Center.
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ABOVE Main entrance as viewed from interior.
Zaha Hadid Architects (2013), Haydar Aliyev Center.
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PART A.3 NANJING ZENDAI HIMALAYAS CENTER 27. MAD Architects, 2014, Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center. 28. MAD Architects, 2014, Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center.
The Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center is a master plan proposal by MAD Architects. Their work largely represents their signature aesthetic of a contemporary interpretation of natural forms. In this instance, it is the forms of mountain peaks that can be recalled by the form.
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The basic forms of the peak appear to be based largely off topographic data much like with Zaha Hadid’s work previously with interpolation or some form of an attraction field applied to create a cohesive form. S u b s e q u e n t l y, i t a p p e a r s t h a t sectioning and profiling has been used to give the final outcome for the design.
design to a lesser degree with g e n e r a t i v e f o r m s n o t e n t i re l y dictating the final design of the proposal. Rather, it serves to be more as the main compositional feature of the project. However with such a large scale design and such a significant degree of reliance over generative design, the architects have risked creating structurally unrealistic proposals that may have overlooked crucial details. As with automation of any kind, the software written for it is only as good as the individuals who wrote it and undoubtedly there will be flaws contained within it.
Compared to Zaha Hadid’s work, this design seems to use generative
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Overview detail view BOTTOM
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Plaza level detail view RIGHT Overview detail view
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29. MAD Architects, 2014, Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center.
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PART A.4+5 THOUGHTS/ /CONCLUSIONS “ GOOD DESIGN IS AS LITTLE DESIGN AS POSSIBLE. LESS, BUT BETTER – BECAUSE IT CONCENTRATES ON THE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS, AND THE PRODUCTS ARE NOT BURDENED WITH NON-ESSENTIALS. BACK TO PURITY, BACK TO SIMPLICITY.. “ - DIETER RAMS
In Part A, we have seen how design can be used as an agent for good in the world. In Design Futuring we have seen how design cannot only be just about turning resources from one form to another and call it design. Rather we know that we are a turning point wherein design needs to be considered in a holistic manner from cradle to grave as well as being sensitive to context of its environment and/or use.
parameter and achieve geometries that were not as easily possible to recreate before. For once we are able to take advantage of performative design without speculation and assumptions, and actually know in good faith what the outcomes will be in a design’s overall performance.
In the Bras Basah Station, the design was all about designing in a highly contextual manner that respects the local urban environment. On the other hand, the New York High Line was about adaptive reuse and how demolishing an old structure does not always constitute as progress in itself.
With the Beijing National Stadium, computational design was used to create a frame that was not only structurally sound, but also to fit a certain aesthetic look and form that was predetermined. In the Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project, we see how computational design was used to create a form that was evocative of old Victorian style train stations in a more contemporary context.
For design computation, the benefits of computational design allow us to o p t i m i z e s t r u c t u re s t o a c e r t a i n
In Part A.3, generative design has raised a number of issues both positive and controversial. The issue that we may be
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handing over too much control of the creative process and the true nature of IP rights in terms of generative design and algorithms are yet to be addressed but it also opens a range of possibilities. It is interesting to note that rather than taking months to achieve a design that is refined and resolved, it is possible to do this in a matter of days and weeks through rapid iterations on a computer. This aids in accelerating the design process and is creating a profound change in how we approach design as a practice. In Zaha Hadid’s Haydar Aliyev Center, the natural topography that once existed on the site was used as points of data to create an extrapolated form that was exaggerated in form to create a dramatic structure. For the Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center, the same process was applied but in a more explicit form and on a larger scale. To
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some extent, this is a very contextual approach by obtaining data from the natural environment and generating them into a form, creating sinuous but useful geometries to build a structure. Going ahead in this studio, my own personal design approach is to see what in Merri Creek is lacking in social amenity and how we can leave the site in a better place than we left it. However the nature of this approach is yet to be decided between one of permanence or an ephemeral existence. However as discussed earlier, it is not just about designing with the goal of creating a final for m, but also considering the social impact for the local residents of Merri Creek as well as environmental impact we would be making given that the creek is such a sensitive biome next to an urban area.
In terms of learning outcomes, I found algorithmic computation to be challenging as it was a large shift from how I approach design. No longer did I have something tangible to manipulate, but rather just a screen in front of me. The definitions of Grasshopper really forced me to consider the process in which a form came into being compared , much like a mathematical equation where there are strict orders of operations.
simple and instantaneous as adjusting a slider. In many ways this reflects not only the tangible limits of the human brain mentioned in Part A.2, but also the possibilities available with algorithmic computation.
In mentioning these challenges, I also found it convenient that it is possible to use large quantities of data with such ease compared to manual calculations. For example, calculating all the catenary curves in the Week Two sketchbook task would have been possible, but incredibly tedious and time consuming. On the other hand, using Grasshopper accelerated this process with changing the variables in the definitions being as
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PART A.6 APPENDIX The Algorithmic Sketchbook provided a number of interesting outcomes for me and a particular few caught my attention.
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In the Week Two task, the pavilion’s options for turning it into a fully fledged solid provided interesting insights in to the mechanics of Grasshopper. It was of notable interest that many of the experimented outcomes all relied on similar process initially and only deviated later on strongly towards just before the baking process. In particular, the pipe extrusion that followed a mesh generated along the surface of the pavilion produced an aesthetically pleasing outcome that reflected the way in which curves are generated to some extent in generative design.
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The Week Three tasks piqued my interest the most in terms of what I learnt the most from the sketchbook. In the pattern above, we relied on lists to create a pattern. Generating a cohesive, tessellating and repeating pattern was rather challenging as it required a deeper understanding of the nature of how we use lists and how their series and sets can vastly influence the pattern generated. It would be interesting to explore how this pattern could be influenced to some degree in a 3D space given its tessellating nature the possible geometric faces that could be generated through further experimentation.
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The second pattern that caught my interest was where an image was used as a base to generate data based on what was essentially a scale between 0 to 1. Grasshopper read the greyscale intensity in the image with these values and used them to determine the radii of circles along corresponding points on a grid overlay on top of the image. I would be curious to see how this same process could be used to analyze and visualize data from an environment and reinterpret it into a tangible form much like the use of topological data in Zaha Hadid’s Haydar Aliyev Center.
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REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY ‘HASSELL + HERZOG & DE MEURON, Flinders Street Station Design Competition Winner’, Projects Victoria, 2014, <http:// vote.majorprojects.vic.gov.au/entrant/hassell-herzog-demeuron> [accessed 18th March 2015] Kalay, Yehuda, Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer Aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5-25 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (Spon Press, New York; London, 2003), pp. 3-62 ‘MAD presents nanjing zendai himalayas center at venice biennale’, Designboom, 2013, <http://www.designboom.com: 8080/architecture/mad-architects-nanjing-zendai-himalayascenter-venice-biennale-06-05-2014/> [accessed 19th March 2015] Peters, Brady, Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought, in Architectural Design, 83 vols, 2, (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd) pp. 8-15 ‘Out of the Blocks’, The New Yorker, 2008, <http:// www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/02/out-of-the-blocks/> [accessed 19th March 2015] ‘Take a Walk on the High Line with Iwan Baan’, ArchDaily, 2014, <http://www.archdaily.com/550810/take-a-walk-on-the-high-linewith-iwan-baan/> [accessed 16th March 2015] ‘WOHA, Bras Basah MRT Station’, ArchDaily, 2009, <http:// www.archdaily.com/40802/bras-basah-rapid-transit-station-woha/ > [accessed 16th March 2015] ‘Zaha Hadid, Heydar Aliyev Center’, ArchDaily, 2013, <http:// www.archdaily.com/448774/heydar-aliyev-center-zaha-hadidarchitects/> [accessed 19th March 2015]
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REFERENCES FIGURES 1. ‘UoM Water Studio - Final Product’, Authors private image, 2014. 2. ‘UQ Architectural Design Studio - Final Product’, Authors private image, 2013. 3. ‘UQ Architectural Design Studio - Final Product’, Authors private image, 2013. 4. ‘UoM Earth Studio - Final Product’, Authors private image, 2014. 5. ‘UoM Virtual Environments Studio - Final Product’, Authors private image, 2013. 1. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http://www.woha.net/images/ project_images/136299329497/gallery/brasbasah-01.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 2. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http://www.woha.net/images/ project_images/136299329497/gallery/brasbasah-06.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 3. ‘New York High Line’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/ 2014/10/543299f3c07a80548f000620_viewing-a-city-inmotion-from-the-high-line-s-thirdphase_542194d8c07a80a9910000a4_take-a-walk-on-the-highline-with-iwan-baan.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 4. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http:// ad009cdnb.archdaily.net.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2009/11/1258122411-083-pbh-09-bwsmall-1000x719.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 5. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http:// ad009cdnb.archdaily.net.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2009/11/1258122564-site-plan-1000x706.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 6. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http://www.woha.net/images/ project_images/136299329497/gallery/brasbasah-02.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015]
7. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http://www.woha.net/images/ project_images/136299329497/gallery/brasbasah-08.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 8. ‘Bras Basah MRT Station’, <http://www.woha.net/images/ project_images/136299329497/gallery/brasbasah-01.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 9. ‘New York High Line’, <http:// ad009cdnb.archdaily.net.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2014/09/54219451c07a800de50000dc_take-a-walkon-the-high-line-with-iwanbaan_1418_high_line_at_the_rail_yards___photo_by_iwan_baa n-1000x666.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 10.‘http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/ 2014/09/5421a726c07a800de50000f6_take-a-walk-on-thehigh-line-with-iwan-baan_west_chelsea-530x795.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 11.‘New York High Line’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/2014/09/5421a8bfc07a800de50000fc_take-awalk-on-the-high-line-with-iwanbaan_gansevoort_end__plaza__and_stairs-530x353.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 12.‘New York High Line’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/2014/09/54219439c07a80a9910000a0_takea-walk-on-the-high-line-with-iwanbaan_aerial_view-530x795.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 13.‘Beijing National Stadium’, <http://www.newyorker.com/wpcontent/uploads/2008/06/080602_r17406_p646-290-150.jpg> [accessed 18th March 2015] 14.‘Beijing National Stadium’, Authors private image, 2011. 15.‘Beijing National Stadium’, <http://cdn.homesthetics.net/wpcontent/uploads/2013/10/The-Chinese-National-Stadium-inBeijing-–-The-Bird’s-Nest-Stadium-homesthetics-7.jpg> [accessed 18th March 2015] 16.‘Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project’, HASSELL and Herzog & de Meuron Arkitecten, 2014.
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REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY 17.‘Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project’, HASSELL and Herzog & de Meuron Arkitecten, 2014. 18.‘Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project’, HASSELL and Herzog & de Meuron Arkitecten, 2014. 19.‘Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project’, HASSELL and Herzog & de Meuron Arkitecten, 2014. 20.‘Flinders Street Station Redevelopment Project’, HASSELL and Herzog & de Meuron Arkitecten, 2014. 21.‘Haydar Aliyev Center’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/ 2013/11/52852292e8e44e8e72000162_heydar-aliyev-centerzaha-hadidarchitects_hac_photo_by_iwan_baan_-7--530x795.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 22.‘Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center’, <http:// www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MADNanjing-Zendai-Himalayas-Center-designboom08.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 23.‘Haydar Aliyev Center’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/ 2013/11/5285244ae8e44e8e72000166_heydar-aliyev-centerzaha-hadidarchitects_hac_interior_photo_by_hufton_crow_-3--530x884.jp g> [accessed 19th March 2015] 24.‘Haydar Aliyev Center’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/ 2013/11/52852152e8e44e8e7200015f_heydar-aliyev-centerzaha-hadidarchitects_hac_exterior_photo_by_hufton_crow_-1--530x267.jp g> [accessed 19th March 2015] 25.‘Haydar Aliyev Center’, <http:// ad009cdnb.archdaily.net.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/11/5285236fe8e44e8e72000164_heydar-aliyevcenter-zaha-hadidarchitects_hac_photo_by_helene_binet_09-791x1000.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015]
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26.‘Haydar Aliyev Center’, <http:// ad009cdnb.archdaily.net.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/ uploads/2013/11/528524b4e8e44e524b0001b7_heydar-aliyevcenter-zaha-hadidarchitects_hac_interior_photo_by_hufton_crow_-1--1000x666.j pg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 27.‘Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center’, <http:// www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MADNanjing-Zendai-Himalayas-Center-designboom04.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 28.‘Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center’, <http:// www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MADNanjing-Zendai-Himalayas-Center-designboom06.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 29.‘Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center’, <http:// www.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/MADNanjing-Zendai-Himalayas-Center-designboom01.jpg> [accessed 19th March 2015] 30.‘New York High Line’, <http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wpcontent/uploads/2014/09/5421a728c07a8086fc0000f6_take-awalk-on-the-high-line-with-iwanbaan_falcone_flyover-530x353.jpg> [accessed 16th March 2015] 31.‘UoM Air Studio - Vase 1 Closeup’, Authors private image, 2015. 32.‘UoM Air Studio - Pavilion 1 Closeup’, Authors private image, 2015. 33.‘UoM Air Studio - Pattern 1’, Authors private image, 2015. 34.‘UoM Air Studio - Pattern 4’, Authors private image, 2015.
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MITCHELL SU . 660192 ABPL30048 . STUDIO AIR . 2015/1
291066 . US LLEHCTIM OIDUTS . 84003LPBA 1/5102 . RIA