studio air subject name student number tutor semester year
dax paolo acuna 585190 geoff kimm one 2015
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contents
section c: detailed design c.1 design concept c.2 tectonic elements and prototypes c.3 final detail model c.4 learning objectives and outcomes c.5 references
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introduction
My name is Paolo. I’m currently undertaking the Bachelor of Environments at The University of Melbourne. My major is Architecture. A focus on independent design projects in a separate curriculum stream in my high school years, and my personal interest in drawing since early childhood, an interest that has since expanded to other mediums including painting and sculpture, and having grown up within urban built environments in a number of countries across the world, has ambiguously (but likely inevitably) lead me to consider architecture as a profession. Having not undertaken Virtual Environments in my first year of the course, these first few weeks of Design Studio: Air have been my induction into Rhino 3D and Grasshopper, and digital design techniques in general. I had thus far utilised AutoCAD (having taken a short course at RMIT to further expand my profiency in second year) and Adobe Design Suite to engage with the assignments in my subjects. My interest primarily lies in large-scale skyscrapers, and ambitious multifunctional projects and spaces that engage its users with a visual and sensory experience outside of the norm such as Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI in Rome, OMA’s PRADA Transformer in Seoul and, closer to home, LAB Architecture Studio’s Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD.
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a1 design futuring
Architecture is a collective enterprise and is at once a selfsufficient system with its own means of internal communications, in the form of treatises and architectural theory such as those published within architectural journals and educational textbooks, and an integral cog within the cultural, philosophical, social and political conversation of its day. Since the publication of Vitruvious’ De Architectura in the 1st century which saw architectural theory encompass not only building practise but also town planning, water supply and materiality, architectural theory and architecture as a practise is not limited to questions of construction but also to the ongoing cultural dialectic of the day, cf. Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon: a design concept that responds not only to the nature of penitenciary design but also functions as a societal critique (that also provides a solution) and a response to 18th century issues of human welfare and psychology. This dialogue between culture and architectural practise and theory is extant because architecture is a response to the cultural dialogue of its time and ideas developed within architural practise in turn influence culture and disciplinary discourse. e.g. discovery of Vitruvious’ work saw a return to classical style within architectural discourse influencing the work of Brunelleschi and Niccoli whose work in turn influenced the culture of their day and the writings of their contemporaries. It is also the case that within the architectural community, historically, architects were enlightened members of society who functioned not only within their professional capacity as architects but also as members of academic societies and the cultural conversation of their day, cf. William Morris, a designer, who, along with the writer John Ruskin, and the architect Philip Webb in their rejection of industrial revolution lead the Arts and Crafts movement: an architectural style derived as a response to social criticism that proposed answers to questions of moral and social health. The role of architecture and architectural theory as a response to problems raised by the society of its time is entirely relevant within the contemporary world with the increasingly pressing need for social practises including manufacturing, waste disposal, energy production, , housing and construction to address the issue of global warming and unsustainable practises. Design, and in particular, the architect’s role is integral in guiding towards and formulating a solution to this question.
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a1.1
rmit design hub, melbourne, australia, 2007-2012, sean godsell architects
The purpose a building and its potential users/occupants should be reflected in its design: for RMIT’s design Hub by Sean Godsell Architects, with its potential users/occupants being two hundred and fifty academics and researchers across multiple design disciplines including architecture, industrial design, creative media and engineering; and its purpose as a design laboratory, design archive and exhibtion space, this criterion finds a heightened level of impetus. RMIT Design Hub, as a design proposal whose occupants are active participants of the current architectural and design discourse, and researchers and students, has a greater responsibility in its contribution to the current discourse. Within its function as a gathering space for design research and education, the building proposes an internal flow that deliberately suggests collaboration to the inhabitants of the space: with its circuitous passages and use of open space and internal windows. Collaboration that may lead to incidental cross-polination werein, given the breadth of research within the facility, teams and individuals might encounter, solutions within the scope of the research of another team. Further, there is the sense of the finite and of open possibility in the design with the inclusion of the ‘warehouses’ – open plan rooms that are catered towards short-term to long-term occupancy (six months to three years) whose usage is determined by the teams of collaborators who inhabit the space at the time and the (arguably) iconic removable circular cells that collect solar energy through-out the day on the building’s facade: designed to be easily replaced, almost explicitly inviting further developments in the field of solar energy. Importantly, the building resides comfortably at the forefront of the currenct discouse in response to global warming and sustainable practise: it is a Greenstar Certified Project (5 green stars) and incorporates internal recycling management (water and waste), automated sunshading in the outerskin of the design, lighting is sensor controlled in order to make the most of its internal natural lighting and air comfort is managed through the intake through the double-glazed inner skin. Perhaps the most interesting contribution the building makes to the current discourse the Design Hub makes is the future proofing aspects of the design: the possibility that with future developments the facade of the building might one day allow the building to generate its own energy. spaces that engage its users with a visual and sensory experience outside of the norm such as Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI in Rome, OMA’s PRADA Transformer in Seoul and, closer to home, LAB Architecture Studio’s Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD.
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a1.2
redhouse, bexleyheath, london, england, 1859, phillip webb, william morris
If we are to look towards examples of architecture leading a cultural discussion and also as a response to a cultural question, William Morris’ Red House in Bexleyheath is a prime example of such an edifice. While the industrial age saw the increase of buildings that highlighted the social disparity between the working classes and the new middle class: high density dwellings often shoddily constructed, with narrow walkways and shared toilet facilities to house the influx of a new working class within urban manufacturing hubs and highly ornamental and ambitious housing projects such as Cliffe Castle, Keighley, to respond to the demands of a nouveau riche middle class. The critique and rejection of the industrial revolution’s introduction of mass-manufacturing practises was led by John Ruskin, and his contempories including the Pre-Raphaelites, designer William Morris, and the architect Philip Webb. This rejection led to the founding of the Arts and Crafts movement that saw a rise in a return to an ethos of craftsmanship and artisinal production. The Red House is an early and primary example of the building style influenced by this movement, characterised by its return to medieval inspiration and drawing on neo-gothic styles. It is a response to what Morris saw as ‘the spreading sore’ of pollution and squalor of the shoddily and hastily constructed residences of the working class that was a response to the demand for workers who were moving into manufacturing cities to work in the factories. The Red House is a radical design that at once is a critique of what the architect and designer saw as a problem in the society of their day and a proposed solution to it: that is, a return to crafstmanship that emphasised the human element of creation: nearly every aspect of the house’s ornamentation and furnishing was made by Morris himself (aside from the persian carpets and the china) – including the oak kitchen furnishings, the candlesticks and glass tableware. Evidently, this approach to construction is a proposed solution to the problems Morris saw in his day, and the rejection of mass-manufacturing practises and the return to indivudual and crafstmanship-lead design and production is a political statement that is relevant in contemporary culture as we face a similar problem in this century with massmanufacturing and consumption hurtling forward at a gargantuanly unsustainable rate it would be beneficial to reexamine the ideas puported by the Arts and Crafts movement of the 18th century.
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a2 design computation
The process of creating built environments has moved far away from the notion of constructed (by craftsmen and their apprentices), as opposed to planned and designed sctructures, of the pre-medieaval era. In the modern day, the design process involves the consideration and consolidation of a minutae of factors: digital tools provide assistance in both the analytic and conceptual aspects of design and programs, such as Rhino, provide the possibility to give actuality to previously only conceptual structures (such as those designed by Zaha Hadid) by allowing for the creation of complex geometries. Within the last two decades, advancements in compututational technology have lead to the development of new approaches towards design within the architectural community. Design computation within architecture has improved productvitiy by easing communications between collaborators within architecture and related professional spheres, synthesising information for analysis in the design process, allowing for the conceptualisation of complex geometries and structures and, as a whole, bridging conceptual possibilities with physical realities of design. At a basic level, computational tools have provided architects with tools that synthesise and simplify elements of the the design process: such as those that draw lines, to analytical systems to analytical systems ‘with enough “understanding” of the data to be able to provide rational appraisal of hum an designers’ solutions (e.g., energy, cost, fire egress, acoustics, and so forth); to knowledgebased, “intelligent” design systems that can actually propose design solutions for appraisal and further development by hum an designers.’
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a2.1
shellstar pavilion, wai chai, hong kong, china, 2012, matsys, hku, art lab, hk
MATSYS’ Shellstar Pavilion in Hong Kong is an exemplar representation of the benefits of digitally aided design. The temporary design was an exercise in maximising shelter and and spatial capacity with a minimum of structure and material was designed and fabricated within a six-week timeframe with the aid of digital modelling, specfically Rhino, Grasshopper, Kangaroo, Python, Lunchbox, Rhinoscript for Detour, 2012. The individual curvature 1500 cells of the structure were renderred using a custom Python script with ‘each cell is optimized so as to eliminate any interior seams and make them as planar as possible, greatly simplifying fabrication.’ While the form is a continuation of techniques first proposed by Antonio Gaudi and Frei Otto the use of Grasshopper, Python, Kangaroo and Rhinoscript ‘the form selforganizes into the catenary-like thrust surfaces that are aligned with the structural vectors and allow for minimal structural depths.’1 Both these processes, as well as the challenge to optomise the suface of the structure with a minimum of material, would have been near impossible to conceive and would certainly have required a much longer time-frame than the six-weeks taken to fabricate this pavilion. As aforementioned, digital programs have made it easier for architects to render complex geometries and synthesis the analytical process in design, and the real-world effect of this is a significant decrease in the timeframe of projects. Shellstar Pavilion’s six-week construction and fabrication timeframe is an example of the concrete benefits of computation.
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a2.2
serpentine pavilion, kensington gardens, london, uk, 2013, sou fujimoto, arup agu
Occupying the 350sqm of lawn at the front of Kensington Garden’s Serpentine Pavilion in London for four months in 2013, Sou Fujimoto’s pavilion is a 3d grid constructed for white steel tubing and clear polycarbonate discs (for rain protection) that blurs the line between internal and exterior structure, creating an architectural landscape of transulscent volume that explores the ambigious space between nature and architecture. Visitors are encouraged to participate with the site, they may linger, work, sunbathe, or take coffee or tea within the structure and the gardens overall. In essence, Sou Fujimoto’s design is a visual representation of the possibilities of 3D modelling software: it is a matrix of 80cm (some bisected to 40cm) cubes created from the gridlike pattern of intersected white steel tubes that also function as seating, stair and guiderails. Without digital modelling, the matrix of tubes would have been labour-intensive and almost impossible to represent using traditional draughting techniques and, it could be argued, that it is only through digital modelling software that such a structure would have been concieved. Certainly, its two-month design and fabrication timeline would have been unlikely were it not for this software in terms of both the design development and fabrication: the pavilion’s fabrication illustrates well the valuable impact of computational software on the construction side of the process: allowing the architect to direct prefabrication fo steel tubing sections the structure was preassmbled by Stage One in units, transported to the Kensington Gardens site and bolted together by engineers from Aecom: this fluidity of this process was facilitated by computational software and would have been difficult to communicate otherwise, exemplifying the impact software has had in streamlining the fabrication process.
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a3 composition/generation
In the last decade, architecture as a practise has been greatly influenced by the advent of computational based technilogies. The utilisation of these these technologies in order to process information through an algorithmic approach both expands on the intellect of the architect as the design-leader and allows for the generation of solutions to more complex design problems: further from this, computational designers are able to utilise design tools and construct 3D models that generate design potentials that can both point to a new direction in the design and, in the unexpected results these programs are able to generate, allow for the creation of a design that goes beyond what the architect initially intended and could have imagined. This approach can be likened to puzzle-building, where there end result is unknown from the onset, as opposed to the traditional approach of architectural practise which could be likened to puzzle solving. A limitation of this process of design is the ultimate feasibility and buildability of the form: while a designer might be able to render a complex geometry within the program, he might lose track of its relationship with the site, feasable materiality and the fact that they as the architect are the main driving force behind the design. A combination of traditional, architect intellect compositional design approach and compututation based generative design could possibly lead to a rationalisation of the use of parametric generated design in order to create forms that are functional and responsive to both context and brief.
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a3.1
yeosou oceanic pavilion, yeosu, south korea, 2010, emergent, kokkugia
The Yeosou pavilion is the centrepiece of the Yeosou 2010 expo, exploring the notion of the ocean as living organism and the symbioses between human ecologies and ocean ecologies. The structure is highly evocative of a living creature from the nature, but one that exists beyond the realm of even imagined: it is a structure that was suggested and part-way derivative of scripting computational technology. It is the result of a relationship between computation and the possibilities of scripting technologies and the traditional role of design in the process. It is a prime example of the possibilities of a functional relationship between these modes of generating form and design. In the design of the structure there is a strong emphasis in the use of colour, in terms of both visually demarcating parts of the structure (mega-armatures are of a purple/pink hue whilst Mohawks orange/ yellow hues): this colour gradient is the result of both the utilisation of computation technologies as well as the design intent of the architect.
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a4 conclusion
a5 learning outcomes
The impact of parametric design and computational thinking to architectural as a practise and the world of design in general is incontrivertible. Architecture contributes vastly to the cultural discourse and is both reflective and responsive to its time and the questions posed by contemporary society and culture: in the present day, the primary question posed by society is the response to global warming and globally unsustainable practices. Design can play an integral role in society’s response to this, and architecture has a role in informing this response as well as reaction to it in terms of inhabitating sustainable practise within its own culture and generating design that respond to the needs of society and future proofing design responses. Parametric modelling and digital algorithmic approaches can help lead the discourse in this regard in suggesting new forms, synthesising the process of analysis, suggesting new approaches to working with materials and aiding in simplifying the flow construction practices. It is the architect’s role in this age to integrate digital programs with design-lead processes in order to answer the questions put forward by our rapibly shifting society. The direction I wish to take with my design will be towards a pavilion-style construction, experimenting with Grasshopper on tube-like forms reminiscent of Sou Fujimoto’s phenominal design for his Serpentine Pavilion in an attempt to recreate on the Merri Creek site a structure that blurs the line between the current natural elements on the site and nearby structures as well proposing a future-orientated vision for the space and for the Melbourne architectural landscape in general. I intend to explore ways of creating a structure that echo the MATSYS Shellstar Pavilion in terms of smart usage of material, using digital programs, in order to explore the inherently sustainably-minded possibilities of a structure that attempts to maximise structural and spatial form and minimise material usage.
These first few weeks fo Design Studio: Air was my first time using digital programs such as Rhino and Grasshopper. The course was essentially an Initition by fire into the practical side of learning how to grapple with the usage of Rhino and Grasshopper within a small window of time (two weeks). However the online tutorials were very informative and functioned as ample guiderails into the process of designing using these tools. Part A was also a good introduction into a more design-minded presentation of work with the requirement of using Adobe Indesign, which I was not entirely familiar with prior to this semester, and also a good intoduction to ISSUU to publish work and blurb.com. In terms of theory, the course has been an interesting introduction into architectural theory proper, particularly in terms of design futuring, the role of design and architecture in informing the cultural discourse and the role of new innovations with regards to the digital world and its impact on architecture and the design in general.
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a6 algorithmic sketches
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a7 references text Dutton, Thomas A. and Lian Hurst Mann, eds (1996). Reconstructing Architecture: Critical Discourses and Social Practices (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press), pp. 1-6 Fry, Tony (2008). Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg), pp. 1-15 Issa, R (2010), Essential Mathematics for Computational Design, Second Edition, Robert McNeel and associates, pp 1-42 Oxman, Rivka and Robert, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1-10 Terzidis, Kostas (2006), Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), pp i-xi Peters, Brady (2013). Computational Works: The Building of Altorithmic Thought Architectural Design, 83 (2), pp. 8-15 Kalay, Y.E. (2004). Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of ComputerAided Design. MIT Press, pp. 1-25 Schumacher, P. (2012). The Autopeoiosis of Architecture, Vol. II: A New Agenda for Architecture (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons, pp. 1-28
online Balmond Studio (2010), Serpentine Pavilion 2002, accessed at [http://www.balmondstudio.com/work/serpentine-pavilion-2002/] Architecture AU (2014), RMIT Design Hub, accessed at [http://architectureau.com/articles/rmit-design-hub-1/] Detail Das Architekturportal (2013), Interactive Art: Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Sou Fujimoto, accessed at [http:// www.detail-online.com/architecture/topics/interactive-artserpentine-gallery-pavilion-by-sou-fujimoto-021712.html] Architecture News Plus (2012), Yeosu Oceanic Pavilion, accessed at [http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/projects/726] Wikipedia (2015), Red House, London, accessed at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_House,_London] Bexley (2013), The Story of Williiam Morris and the Red House, accessed at [http://www.bexley. gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=10725] Matsys Design (2012), Shellstar Pavilion, accessed at [http:// matsysdesign.com/2013/02/27/shellstar-pavilion/] 15
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b1 research field biomimicry
The advent of computer aided design has led to an increasing number of buildings with complicated external and internal geometries whose design can address and offer solutions towards the pressing modern day issue of sustainbility and sustainble devleopment. Biomimicry is an approach to design that emulates time-developed patterns and strategies found in nature. Currently we face the overwhelming pressing issue of unsustainable global development. Through biomimicry, and the inclusion in our design solutions, the solutions that nature has developed over time. Accoding to the Biomimicry institute, Biomicmicry is ‘an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies.The goal is to create products, processes, and policies—new ways of living—that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul. The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with. Animals, plants, and microbes are the consummate engineers. After billions of years of research and development, failures are fossils, and what surrounds us is the secret to survival.’
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b1 research field
biomimicry eden project, crownwall, england, 2003, nicholas grimshaw A prime example of biomimicry influencing design is the Eden project. The Eden project is a greenhouse complex developed by Grimshaw Architects. It is a multi-use complex that utilises mimics various natural systems that has lead towards efficient water conservation, the utilisation of geothermal energy and a nature inspired design that vastly improves the natural systems of the site. What began as a clay crater in Cornwall, England is now a structure that covers 2.2 hectares is generated from a series of eight geodesic domes constructed of the transparent material ETFE. The design was inspired by soap bubbles and the patterns these bubbles formed naturally. These hexagonal shapes allowed for the design to function despite varying ground elevations. The geodesic domes create a temperate and tropical biome that mimics the climate of a rainforest. The biome structures are constructed from steel supported panels of ETFE which are lightweight and multilayered and expanded into a cushion-like structure that provides a thermal blanket effect. The individual panels composed primarily of hexagons and pentagons vary in size across the biomes. The largest of which, located at the top of the domes, have a diameter of approximately 9 metres. There are two ‘biomes’. One is the tropical biome that is maintained at a tropical climate and houses such plants as bananas, bamboo and coffee and the Mediterranean biome that is maintained at a temperate climate akin to those in the Mediterranean and house plant species such as grapes and olives. The outdoor biome which is an uncovered area as indicated by its name is an outdoor biome that reflects the temperate climate of various regions across the globe and houses plant species such as hemp and sunflowers. The Eden Project is a visitor attraction. It hosts community events such as art exhibitions, musical events, and sustainability and agriculture education events. The project, since its inception in 2000, has garnered a global following as a result of its efficient, nature inspired design and the ingenuity of its strutural and material construction. It is a exemplary example of biomimicry influencing design and result in a sustainable and thoughtful building. In my own design for Merri Creek I seek to incorporate the idea of natural systems operating at optimal levels that can be recreated in design to generate something that can address the issues of sustainability and result in an environmentally efficient structure for the site.
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b2 case study 1
the morning line, Seville, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; Vienna, Austria; Karlsruhe, Germany, 2008-2013, aranda\lasch Aranda Lasch, The Morning LineAranda Lasch’s project The Morning Line is based on recursive fractal growth systems. It is a collaborative project between Lasch and Matthew Ritchie, an artist and Aranda/Lasch architects. It is an 8 meter high, 20 metre long, 17 ton structure composed of coated aluminium. It represents an amalgam of different creative disciplines including art, music, architecture, engineering, mathematics, physics, cosmology and technology. The structure is representative of the anti-thesis of the usual ‘design’ pavilion exhibited at Bienals. It is described as ‘is both ruin and monument, the blackened frame of a cathedral-like structure; a drawing in and of space; an ‘anti-pavilion’. Unlike traditional architectural pavilions, it takes the form of an open cellular structure rather than an enclosure, basing its eloquent visual language on a radical cosmological theory developed by Paul Steinhardt and Neil Turok.’ The structure utilises parametric design technology in order to represent cyclical fractal patterns that represent the ‘the evolution of the universe as a story without beginning or end, only movement around multiple centers.’ It isn excellent example of parametric design being incorporated into a real life. It is an interactive structure that engages the user and also functions as a multi-spatial music performance system with the design of the integrated speakers on the structure developed by Matthew Ritchie in conjunction with the York University Music Research Centre. The parametric design of the structure allows it to be modular and able to be reconfigured to suit alternative venues and performance use: allowing it to adapt with a shifting program of music performance. This dynamic nature is a potential exploration pathway for the design of the structure at Merri Creek. Allowing the eventual built object to react to different users and uses over time.
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b2 case study 1 species matrix
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b2 case study 1
selection criteria and design potentials Adherence to brief Ability to provide an interactive space for general public/visitors. Construction feasibility Consideration in the design is given to fabrication and construction and the feasibility of it being constructed. Potential for further development Design allows for further itirations and ongoing development. Incorporate biomimicry Design reflects a pattern or solution found in nature. Considering this criteria, I chose these four itirations as they seemed to most closely adhere to the specifications of the brief in that they resemble structures that might feasibly be constructed, and reflect the potential for ongoing development. The first figure is interesting as it could possibly function as a structure on its own or be incorporated onto an existing structure on the site, for instance the graffiti wall along the bike track. It also could function as an interactive structure on a hillside and provide shelter from sun or rain for passers by. Further, its shape is one that will not overtly stand out within Merri Creek. The second figure is of interest as its system of repeating layers can potentially lead to a dynamic structure that changes shape depending on its use, like The Morning Light. The final two itirations are of interest as the grid network of lines might be further developed into a similarly shifting structure that could be incoroporated beneath a shelter providing canopy or integrated into the site itself, for instance, as a latticed shelter beneath a tree.
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b3 case study 2
japan pavilion for expo 2000, hanover, germany, 2000, shigeru ban architects and atelier frei otto and reverse engineering process Japan Pavilion for EXPO 2000 in Hanover designed by Shigeru Ban and Otto Frei is an interesting early example of parametric design. It is a paper construction made of recycled paper tubes. The concept behind the EXPO was ‘environment’, particularly the protection and conservation of the environment and so it is apt that the main design for the exhibiton is a structure that is made from recyclable materials and can be fully recycled at its disassembly. I’m interested in exploring a more formal and simplified structural angle in my design and thus moving my explorations towards the Structures from Biomimicry. The pavilion is a grid-like structure that resembles a rib cage. The paper tubes that are utilised in the design were chosen because of their qualities such as ready availability, recyclability, relative inexpensiveness, and structural strength. They can also be made into long-tubes of great length, thus allowing for the absence of structural joints such as those made of steel common in buildings that resemble the pavilion. The long tubes that the grid is composed of are not arched and instead are latticed along a plane of 3d curve. The plane was designed to be erected from ground level in order to form the undulating 3d arched surface of the final structure. Until that time paper had not been utilised in a design of this scale. And the final paper tube structure, despite Shigeru Ban’s insistence that they were not needed, was further supported by a pre-curved timber support system. The wooden lattice structure allowed for the recyclable paper membrance that provided shelter for the system to be attached. As the foundations of the structure were only minorly composed of concrete and primarily composed of wooden boxes weighted with sand, and the structure itself is constructed from paper and wood, the structure was recycled by a paper tube company in Germany. The pavilion represents the ability for a structure to be light, recyclable and uncomplex yet functional and of this scale through the integration of computational technology and thoughtful materials. The main considerations of recreating the pavilion were the base arched form of the internal structure, the layered elements resembling the supporting wood structure, the vaulted paper tubes and the weather protective membrane and the intersecting grid form. Phase 1. Sin curve geometry is employed to create the basic shape of the pavilion through two intersecting curves that were arched on connecting points to form the vaulted undulating surface of the internal structure of the pavilion. Phrase 2. Recreate the grid-like second layered element by intersecting two curves and using the U V values on the base grid to increase the density of intersections. Phase 3. The recycled paper membrane of the original pavilion is recreated through vaulting the base grid.
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b4 technique development
japan pavilion for expo 2000, hanover, germany, 2000, shigeru ban architects and atelier frei otto
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b5 technique prototypes For my prototype explorations I considered using balsa and perspex but eventually settled on boxboard and foam board and card as it would allow for more flexibility during the process itself. For the prototype model I continued with the grid pattern from the technique developments in B4 and the narrowing tube-like shape also explored. In terms of structural elements I found that a three-panel structure of grid panels that would be constructed from either lightweight steel that had rectangular panels cut-out or from a coated hard wearing plastic material such as PVC, coated in weather protective cladding. The initial prototype was three panels without the grid cut outs and I found that this construction would likely be considered unwelcoming and appear monumental rather than a community space to site users as it would obstruct the view to the other side and also the users inside the tunnel would be caught in a wind tunnel and also not be engaging with the surroundings while they walk through. The second itiration of the prototype that utilised the grid-like cut outs is a more welcoming structure as its appearances encourages a sense of participation and play - users are able to walk through and still appreciate the Merri Creek surroundings, they will be able to climb the frames or climb through the frames and I think that it has the potential to attract users from around the site to congregate in this area to interact with the structure or to be in the vicinity, having a picnic or a rest from their run, in the same way that park benches encourages this sort of watering hole mentality.
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b6 technique proposal The aim of the proposed structure is to offer a communal gathering space for users of the site that encourages a sense of play and engagement with Merri Creek as a natural reserve. It is innovative functions as both a sculpture and as a playground and shelter for the users of the site. It is a parametric structure as the sizes and placement of the apertures will be determined by an algorithm. The design follows from the exploration of biomimicry and of structure, particularly drawing inspiraton from the Japan Pavilion. The structure will be fabricated from a lightweight material as aforementioned – steel that has been painted with weather repellant paint or, durable PVC (similar to what playground slides are composed of), and the three panels will be individually fabricated according to the design and welded together, simplifying the process of fabrication as there are no joint members. In Part C I will be looking to explore more into the technical side of fabrication and working to refine the cut grid panels in order to better reflect the site and the interaction of potential.
b7 learning outcomes
objectives
and
Part B was more complex and offered more oppurtunities for refining techniques with grasshopper and attempting to realise solutions to design questions that were raised with the context analysis and introductory material in Part A. The Case Studies were a challenging part of the project, Case Study 1 where I explored Biomimicry and what it means and how Aranda\Lasch incorporated elements of it in the physical and conceptual aspects of their design for The Morning Line were very informative and provided a good base point for considering how my proposed structure will interact with the Merri Creek site. The technique explorations in Part 1 broadened my knowledge of what Grasshopper offers (beyond Rhino!). Case Study 2 informed more practically my proposed structure design in that through reverse engineering the Japan Pavilion I was drawn to its structural framework and its physical qualities. In broadening my skills with computation aiding with design I am beginning to understand how architects and designers might reconcile utilising computation whilst also responding to the issues of the brief and the site and bridging the two design considerations together. The complex geometries that programs like Grasshopper offer have to work within your overall design for the structure and not be defined by it.
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b8 references text Terzidis, Kostas (2006), Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), pp i-xi Peters, Brady (2013). Computational Works: The Building of Altorithmic Thought Architectural Design, 83 (2), pp. 8-15
online ArchDaily (2014), A Selection of Shigeru Ban’s Best Work, accessed at [http://www.archdaily.com/489222/a-selection-ofshigeru-ban-s-best-work/] Detail Inspiration (2000), Japanese Pavilion at the EXPO in Hanover, accessed at [http://www.detail-online.com/inspiration/ japanese-pavilion-at-the-expo-in-hanover-106867.html] The Journal of the American Institute of Architects (2014), Japan Pavilion, Hannover (sic) Expo 2000, accessed at [http://www. architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/japan-pavilion-hannoverexpo-2000] designboom (2009), the morning line by matthew ritchie with aranda\lasch and arup, accessed at [http://www.designboom.com/ art/the-morning-line-by-matthew-ritchie-with-aranda-lasch-andarup/] ARANDA\LASCH (2013), The Morning Line, accessed at [http:// arandalasch.com/works/the-morning-line/]
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c1 design concept Working from feedback I received from the interim presentation I have decided to explore a less arbitrary form to my structure and return more closely to the waffle-grid that I worked with in Part B. I have decided to retain the idea of situating my structure adjacent to the existing Merri Creek Labyrinth and my original fuction of the structure. Agenda: In keeping with numerous public art structures/sculptures that dot the city of melbourne and neighbouring urban areas and park lands that also function as community meeting places and attractions in their own right, the project seeks to propose a structure that [1] intergrates with existing elements of the site [2] is an architectural intervention encouring arts-related community involvement [3] to create new reasons for community interaction and reaction to the site. The structure I propose is a public art sculpture that will also functin as a community gathering space which is situated within a nexus of existing community gathering spaces and beside the Merri Creek Labyrinth which was recently reinvograted by interested members of the community who organise events around the site. The waffle-grid shape of the structure is reminiscent of the stone formation of the merri creek labyrinth and the absence of roofing or membrane will mean that it is a recognisable shape in the area whilst not obstructing views of the site for users or pedestrians and cyclists along the trail. The structure will hopefully attract a new brief of users from the current users of merri creek and the community spaces near the site including the merri creek trail/cycling track, the quarries park, adventure playground, and merri creek labyrinth. as the structure is an interactive sculpture, it will hopefully serve different roles to different users: potentially as an interactive community playground for young people, an space for exhibitions and performances for local artists and performers, as a parkour obstacle, and as a gathering place for visitors. the form of the interactive sculpture is condusive to reappropriation by different users as it is ambigious and also visually inviting, particularly from a distance. as the interactive sculpture is a waffle-grid, it would be best constructed as a 3d print-out from the definition in a polymer material.
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c1 design concept
site analysis and user groups
user diagram
site analysis
section
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c2 tectonic prototypes
elements
and
proposed materials: fabrication method: 3d printing structure material: polyboard [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]
excellent scratch resistance easy to clean great impact and stiffness Weatherability (UV Stabilized) will not delaminate, chip, rot or swell easy to machine with standard tooling no moisture absorption easy to commision fabrication
[x] can be produced in a variety of colors surface material: polysoft surface bed [x] safety consideration in case of climbing falls soft surface to sit [x] contrast colour to highlight the site c2 tectonic elements and prototypes
[protoype 1 - 1.1] exploring the lattice structure similar to the ban’s japan pavilion considerations: [1] less structurally stable than the joined panel structures [2] would require a hooking system directly onto the surface of the ground at merri-creek [prototype 2 - 2.1] prototype of the joined panel structure considerations: [1] three panels joined together [2] truncated tunnel-like structure remains [prototype 3 - 3.1] considerations: [1] three panel structure remains [2] irregular grids cut out of panels [3] increased ambiguity with regards to use as relatively little shelter is provided [4] parametric designed form
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c3 final detail model My final design is an interactive sculpture along the Merri Creek trail beside the Merri Creek Labyrinth. Based on the feedback from the two presentations, I have adjusted the shape of the structure and in order to improve the safety of the structure lowered the sides and removed the panel form in favour of a tunnel structure. The structure will also find more use as an interactive space as it will be more amenable to climbing. Further, the structure is more stable with parallel sides running along the entire structure as opposed to the panel format.
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c4 learning outcomes
objectives
and
This semester has been particularly challenging in terms of my lack of experience with computational modelling and with architectural programs in general. As such, working with Rhino, and Grasshopper were a steep learning curve. I found the subject content, lecture series, readings of great interest and enjoyed the research undertaken for Part A. I also enjoyed the studio and design experimentation and development aspect of the course, where in addition to the design development process of studio subjects I have undertaken in the past the design possibilities were greatly broadened by the focus on digital design tools. Learning to use 3D modelling programs has undoubtedly allowed me to further my design abilities and allowed me to think more laterally, broadening my idea of the design process overall. The ability to work with programs that allow you to accurately detail your design as well as conceptualise designs that would be impossible otherwise to draw or fabricate is something that I know will be very useful as I continue with my degree in working within design in the future. Computational modelling and digital design tools allow design professionals and architects to realise a greater number of solutions to design problems and are of great practical utility: I will no doubt continue to experiment with the digital design tools covered this semester into the future.
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c5 references text Peters, Brady (2013). Computational Works: The Building of Altorithmic Thought Architectural Design, 83 (2), pp. 8-15
online Merri Creek (2010), About Merri Creek, accessed at [ ht t p: // w w w.mc mc.org.au / index.php?opti on= c om _ content&view=article&id=36:about-merri-creek&Itemid=188] Merri Creek (2014), Friends of Merri Creek, accessed at [http:// www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au/] Public Art Program and City Collection (2014), City of Melbourne, accessed at [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/aboutmelbourne/ artsandevents/publicart/Pages/PublicArt.aspx]
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