ADS | AIR JOURNAL NADIAH ABDUL GAFAR | 376 192
JOURNAL CONTENT
PART 1 - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST ( CASE FOR
PART 2 - EXPRESSION OF INTEREST ( RESEARC
PART 3 - PROJECT PROPOSAL ( WORK PLANNIN
PART 4 - PROJECT PROPOSAL ( IDEA DEVELOPM
PA RT 5 - P R O J E C T P R O P O S A L ( FA B R I C AT I N G )
PART 6 - LEARNING OUTCOMES
R I N N O VAT I O N )
H PROJECT )
NG )
MENT )
)
PART 1
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST | CASE FOR INNOVATION |
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
01
Chosen Themes for Explorations Architectural Discourse Computing in Architecture Parametric Modelling Conclusion
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 1 . 1 C H O S E N T H E M E S F O R E X P L O R AT I O N S
“Architecture is a collection of opportunities for events to unfold before an inhabitant. They depend on the experiential quality of a space.” - James F. Ackler -
‘Experience’: Practical contact with and observation of facts or events. Experience is something that is something very subjective and abstract and cannot be illustrated. One need to be in contact with a space to attain the experience. A space may be very pleasing to the eyes, but it may or may not have an experiential quality which is very important for architecture as what had been mentioned in the above quote by James F. Ackler, an author for an architectural book.
The problem in architectural disciplinary today is that buildings were no longer built to acquire this quality. In fact, what had been prioritised nowadays is merely aesthetic value which seems to be too common and redundant. Therefore, this EOI will explore how to regain this experiential quality so that it could be implemented in the Wyndham Gateway Project.
02
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 1.2 ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE Personal Project |Studley Park Boathouse|
| PROJECT BACKGROUND | Our second year studio was about learning from a professional and well-known architects. In this syllabus of the studio, each class were assigned to study an architect, which in my case was Alvar Aalto. Upon completing the studio, we were asked to design a boathouse at Studley Park using the design language used by the assigned architect.
03
“... form is the symbol of organic content of human activity. Where the form is good, there the activity will usually also be good.� - Alvar Aalto, 8August 1968 -
| UNDERSTANDING | Following this idea of Aalto, I decided that a building should function in a way that the structure of a building should be more than just building up space. And a space either opened or enclosed, should be able to perform its function well through the manipulation of many aspects such as the lighting, acoustics, texture, and if needed, the ability to get rid of distractions. Hence, a building, rather than just being an assembled structural elements, should also be a place that promotes a blend of activities and promotes an experience to the user of the building. | APPLICATIONS | The application of the idea in my boathouse design can be seen in figure 2, in which, a wall, instead of just dividing the interior from the exterior, should also be able to interact with the building users in order to create an active mood in the space. Meanwhile, the manipulation of light can be seen in the cafe area (figure 3), where light enters through small holes punctured on the wall, creating a relatively darker and cosier space, as compared to the bright and active space just outside the cafe.
04
BLUR BUILDING by Diller Scofidio + Renfro
The Blur Building was a media pavilion built for Swiss Expo 2002 at the base of Lake Neuchatel in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. From piles in the water, a system of rectilinear struts and diagonal rods cantilevers out over the lake. Ramps and walkways weave through the system, some of them providing a counterweight for the structure. “It was an exhibition pavilion with nothing on display, except for our cultural dependency on vision� - Diller -
05
The function of this expo is to let the people experience the ‘mist wall’. Eventhough it looks like a merely unfunctional structure, it was actually successful in giving the visitors a whole new and exciting experience.
Blur Building was definitely a huge leap in architectural desciplinary as it reconstruct the usage of space, and the experiential quality of a building.
A wall, which is almost often understood as being solid, is now unnecessarily solid, heavy and impermeable. Blur building had created a whole new idea of wall. This concept is certainly an innovation that could be an example for the Wyndham Gateway Project as it gives a very different experience to the people.
06
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 1.3 COMPUTING IN ARCHITECTURE
“If we could find a way to take advantage of the abilities of computers where ours fall short, and use our own abilities where computers’ fall short, we would create a very powerful symbiotic design system: computers will contribute their superb rational and search abilities, and we humans will contribute all the creativity and intuition needed to solve design problems” - Kalay Kolarevic -
Lecture week 2 delivered by Stainslav pushes us to ponder upon how computer system impacted architecture. One of the most interesting examples given in the lecture was situation in a bar. Imagine that in the future, if bars were using chips implanted within the body of the customers rather than having identification cards in order to allow people to enter, no more guard will be needed. So does paying machine, as items could probably be paid automatically by using the implanted chips. By having such situation, architecture of that bar would also be changed. No more paying counter would be needed. Entrance will be much simpler because it does not need to accommodate long waiting ques. This gives an idea on how architecture could be impacted by computation.
07
Not only that, computer system nowadays also enables new design idea to be propagated. However, to achieve this, a designer or an architect needs to really know how to get around the design software being used, or else, there will be no difference between an architect and an engineer. This is because, the possibility for a design to be repeated by many different people from different course (let’s say people from architectural discipline and engineering discipline) is very high as the tools being used by this two different people are the same. As what had been said by the author of a book titled Algorithmic Architecture; “Architectural might be aligned with neither formalism nor rationalism, but intelligent form and traceable creativity” T e r z i d i s , K o s t a s .
P_WALL by Andrew Kudless
08
| PROJECT BACKGROUND | This project investigates the self-organization of two materials, plaster and elastic fabric, to produce evocative visual and acoustic effects. Inspired by the work of the Spanish architect Miguel Fisac and his experiments with flexible concrete formwork in the 1960-70s, p_wall attempts to continue this line of research and add to it the ability to generate larger and more differentiated patterns. Starting from an image, a cloud of points is generated based on the image’s grayscale values. These points are then used to mark the positions of dowels which constrain the elasticity in the fabric formwork. Plaster is then poured into the mould and the fabric expands under the weight of the plaster. The resultant plaster tile has a certain resonance with the body as it sags, expands, and stretches in its own relationship with gravity and structure. Assembled into a larger surface, a pattern emerges between the initial image’s grayscale tones and the shadows produced by the wall.
From the exhibition text written by Henry Urbach: Andrew Kudless’s P_Wall, commissioned by SFMOMA for this exhibition and its permanent collection, marks a radical reinvention of the gallery wall. Typically smooth, firm, regular and, by convention, “neutral,” the gallery wall has shed its secondary status to become a protagonist in the space it lines. Made of one hundred fifty cast plaster tiles — individually formed by pouring plaster over nylon stretched atop wooden dowels — the new wall possesses an unmistakable corporeal quality. Bulges and crevices; love handles and cleavage; folds, pockmarks, and creases: these are among the characteristics of human skin that come to the fore. Contemporary in its effort to capture dynamic forces in static form, P_Wall nonetheless has its origins in the experiments of earlier, 20th century architects including Antoní Gaudí and Miguel Fisác, both of whom investigated the potential of cast material to yield unique, sensual and, at times, bizarre shapes. P_Wall replaces the modern gallery wall with an unwieldy skin that can only approximate the fleshy enclosure that we, as human beings, inhabit throughout the course of our lives. - Henry Urbach -
09
The usage of computer programming in designing the voronoi-shaped formwork is the core aspect in this project. The computational method enable the designing process to be more systematic, easier and time-effective. The plaster pieces which was moulded using the computer-produced formwork appear to be smoother compared to the product of a manualy shaped formwork. This is due to the ability of the computer to manufacture perfectly according to the shape we wanted.
Therefore, usage of computer undeniably helps to broaden the exploration of design in architecture, producing new range of design products, and hence, the experiential qualities of the product itself. This method of using computational programming as the main device will be applied in the Wyndham Gateway Project in order to have a more systematic product, and hence, enable people to experience something more complex from what they often get on the road, which were merely sculptures, plain, dark tunnels and signboards.
10
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 1.4 PARAMETRIC MODELLING
“ Parametric modelling may require additional effort, may increase complexity of local design decisions and increases the number of items to which attention must be paid in task completion.” - Robert Aish and Robert Woodbury -
The text entitled Architecture and Visual Culture by Richard Williams explains about how most people perceived architecture and the misconception that revolves around the discourse. Architecture often being criticised as merely another branch of art, where in fact, architecture is much more than just that. The text also emphasise on the need for architecture to be seen as a discourse that can be freely participated by any group, meaning, the public who have no knowledge in architecture. And thus, one of the approach suggested by the author was to have what being called as ‘visual culture’.
11
Therefore this week’s journal entry will be discussing about how architectural discourse could be expanded further by taking three projects as an example. Each of these examples give distinct way of advancing the discourse. Beside that, explanations on how each examples could contribute to the Gateway Project will also be provided .
ABU DHABI PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE by Zaha Hadid
| PROJECT BACKGROUND | Situated in Abu Dhabi, the Performing Arts Centre rise 62metre above the ground, occupying 62,770 metre square of the area. Inside are five theatres, music hall, concert hall and opera house. This building is conceived as a sculptural form, emerging naturally from the intersection of pedestrian pathways within a new cultural district – a growing organism that spreads through successive branches which form the structure like ‘fruits on the vine’.
Zaha Hadid is very well known as the ‘queen’ of parametric design. Her usage of parametric modelling softwares can be seen not only on her building, but also on other products like garments, and also furnitures. However, despite the fact that many people adore her, I personally disagree with her technique because to several reasons that will be further explained later on.
12
Zaha Hadid’s designs are often made to be ‘alien’ in its context. Often, the design is too bold and does not seem to be inviting. This is certainly the thing that should be avoided in designing the gateway project because the purpose of a gateway itself is to welcome the people into Wyndham City.
To add to that, Zaha Hadid’d design is also unfavourable because of the space redundancy that always took place in the interior of her building. As you can see in the figure on the left, there is just too much negative space that might not even been necessary. This will only add to the cost of construction which is absolutely need to be avoided in the Wyndham Gateway Project. Her design is also quite confusing. as if, the organisation of the plan was made randomly instead of going through meticulous planning and designing process.
13
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 1.5 CONCLUSION
Important points achieved from all of the precedents are: 1) Maximising experiential qualities by creating different ‘spatial mood’ at each sections of structure. This is to avoid dullness and boredome when using the structure. People should be able to be in awe with the structure as long as possible, and this is achieved through good composition of forms. 2) A design should always be experimenting with new techniques. It should not be limited by the existing language of architecture. For example, a wall is not necessarily solid and impermeable. Therefore our design will create something different, it will not be common, in fact, it will be a unique, eye-catching, and timeless piece of art. 3) With the help of computer, a more complex, yet pleasing design could be produced. By using computer in designing process, cost could be reduced, duration to complete the project will also be shorten, and the work flow will absolutely be smoother. In short, computational design promises an efficient, yet high quality product. 4) Usage of parametric design is almost unescapable when computer is used in the process. Parametric is often involved in designing the ‘skin’ of the building rather than the whole scheme of the building, which means, the skin as well as the space organisation. Therefore, learning from Zaha Hadid weakness’s in spatial planning, this project will be a stage for this improvement.
14
PART 2
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST | RESEARCH PROJECT |
2.1 Matrix Exploration 2.2 Case Study : Banq Restaurant 2.3 Reverse Engineering 2.4 Conclusion : Learning Objectives and Outcomes
15
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 2 . 1 M AT R I X E X P L O R AT I O N
Since we are very ameture in using Grasshopper plug-ins, it is important for us to first explore the potential of this programming - what can and could not be achieved by using it. However, we did not do this randomly. We had picked several criteria that we wanted to explore so that the study would be more specific and more intensive compared to doing it randomly.
Therefore, below is the set of criteria that we are looking for in our matrices. Note that all of these qualities we are looking for are to be implemented in the Wyndham Gateway Project.
Dynamic Complex Interesting Organised
16
input
surface grids
output
extrusion
image sampler
boolean patterning
components
attractor point
surface normal
curve attractor
17
extrusion
association
surface normal
components
maths function
overlapping patterns
components
image sampler
surface normal
extrusion
maths function
18
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 2 . 2 C A S E S T U DY : B A N Q R E S TA U R A N T
| Project Background | Located in the old Penny Savings Bank, Banq is a new restaurant located at the base of the old banking hall.
The ceiling contains fixed programs that are part of the building’s infrastructure-- the structure, drainage, mechanical equipment, sprinkler system, lighting, and other the acoustic systems. To that end, the designer had developed a striated wood-slatted system that conceals the view of the mechanical, plumbing, and lighting systems on the longitudinal axis, while offering a virtual canopy under which to dine.
19
The geometry of the wood slats conform to each equipment above, but are also radiused in order to smoothen the relationship between other adjoining equipment, creating a seamless landscape.
The wavy wood panels that adorns the ceiling of the restaurant definitely gives the customers a very different experience compared to the ordinary flat, plain ceiling. The designer is smart enough to use a lightweight support system which cannot be seen from the outside. This somehhow helps to make the space to look seamless.
We were very interested with banq Restaurant because of its experiential quality that is not too much and not too less. This is what we are trying to achieve in our design, to have something unique, yet not weird or ‘alien’ on the eyes of the users.
20
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 2.3 REVERSE ENGINEERING
The purpose to actually try to configure how the case study was made using Grasshopper is an important process because this is how we actually get an idea on how to implement the technique we had explored earlier during matrix exploration into the real model of design.
21
CONTOURING + FILE STREAMING
MANIPULATING EXTRUSION LENTGHS USING ATTRACTOR POINTS
FRAME CONSTRUCTION
THE OUTPUT
22
From the reverse engineering that we did, we had figured out several limitations that should be noted for future design process.
A
D
V
A
N
T
A
G
E
S
:
- Easen the process of changing and manipulating variables (example: radius of circles, length of lines, etc) -
Time-
efficient
- No limitations on experimenting and changing elements of the design
L
I
M
I
T
A
T
I
O
N
S
:
- Some of the free-form is hard to control, it did not shaped as what is intended - The materiality of the object could not be experimented in the software - Some complicated ideas that may seem easy to be drawn manually on paper might not be easy to be translated onto the Grasshopper canvas because it need to be scripted using words and fomulaes. - The tendency to be random in designing is very high because there is no limitations for changing and experimenting any elements.
23
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST 2 . 4 conclusion
Overall, what can be concluded from the research we had done within this past few weeks is that we now get a bit of an insight of Grasshopper as a parametric designing tool. We are also aware that it is vital for us to acquire this knowledge in digital modelling because this is what the architectural disciplinary is going towards to. Besides learning about Grasshopper, we are also aware that parametric design has a very high potential to be the ‘style of the futute’. But, what can be seen today is that the focus was too much drawn on the ‘skin’ of the building rather than the building as a whole. Therefore, we decided to grab this challenge and prove that parametric design does not necessarily only about the skin and physical appearance of the building or structure. In fact, it is a technique which could be implemented in and out of an architecture. We believe that an architecture should not only be seen, but also to be felt, to be experienced. Certainly, our project should be chosen for the Wyndham Gateway Project because we could assure a timeless icon for Wyndham city.
24
PART 3
PROJECT PROPOSAL | WORK PLANNING |
3.1 Work-flow Map
25
PROJECT PROPOSAL 3.1 WORK - FLOW MAP
CONTEXT ANALYSIS
Site Consideration - Total area of site - VicRoad rules and regulations - Infrastructure nearby - Landscapes Site history
DESIGN CONCEPT
- Population - Attraction spots - History of development
Revising themes intended to be used Finding connections - Connecting the themes with the site - Finding suitable forms Getting feedbacks
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Improving forms - Adding, Subtracting, etc. Exploring other possibilities that could add to the experiential quality of the project Getting feedbacks Improve further
FINAL DESIGN
26
PART 4
PROJECT PROPOSAL | IDEA DEVELOPMENT |
4.1 Design Concept / Idea 4.2 Concept Idea Development 4.3 Final Design
27
PROJECT PROPOSAL 4.1 DESIGN CONCEPT / IDEA
As what had been informed from the beginning, our theme of project is to have a gateway that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but as well as experiantially pleasing. But, the main question is, how are we able to have this experiential quality by taking advantage of the Grasshopper programming? Therefore we achieved this by having multiple design concepts being combined together. While having a hard time intergrating these five design concepts into the design, we found that the Grasshopper programming helped a lot in our designing process. In ing
the used
next for the
page, the final project
design will be
concepts befurther explained.
28
T U N N E L - In order to effectively let the drivers experience the structure rather than just pass by it, we decided to have a tunnel instead of having just a sculpture that people could not experience.
GAPS BETWEEN PANELS - The gaps between the bars frame the view of the natural landscape at the side of the highway. In this way, the drivers could receive enough sunlight eventhough being ‘enclosed’ within a ‘tunnel’.
29
H E L I X - Apart from our interest on experience and views, we were also very interested in dynamicity and geometry. Therefore, in order to adopt these in our design, we decide to have a structure with helix geometry because helix best represent the idea of dynamicity and movement compared to other geometry.
BANQ RESTAURANT - We use back our earlier case study in order to achieve this project. We acquire the technique of having multiple planes arranged with gaps in between, so that the view of the landscape at the side of the highway is not blocked.
WIRE MESH - Hanging rods will be hanged through the wire mesh installed together with the truss bars. Not only that, it also emphasise the shape of the helix structure. Meanwhile, truss panels were used instead of solid panels to ensure the structure to be lightweight.
HANGING RODS - These hanging rods are meant to be made out of opaque and also transparent materials. These different transparency enable different amount of sunlight to be refl ected and thus, gives beautiful shiny effect at the tip of the rods. It also increase the experential impact to the drivers.
30
PROJECT PROPOSAL 4.2 CONCEPT IDEA DEVELOPMENT
1.
2.
3.
Our design idea started with a rectangular plane with wavy curve in its internal perimeter. We then rotate numbers of similar planes to form a helix form.
In order to solve the disintergration between the curvey inner perimeter with the straight outer perimeter of the previous plane, we decided to use a simpler form which is made up of all straight lines.
We tried another shape of plane. This time, it is quite similar to the second shape, but we vary the shape as what can be seen above.
However, this form does not look dynamic enough. Its wavy internal perimeter also does not compose well with straight line on its outer perimeter.
31
But, when this plane is rotated to form a helix, it became crooked and does not have a smooth shape.
Now, we had the form that we intended. It’s dynamic, not entirely enclosed, and it have the helix shape that we wanted.
4.
4.
After getting feedbacks from the tutors, we were asked to think about the structural support, materiality and to explore the possiblity of using cables instead of solid panels to in order to make it look more lightweight. Therefore, we came out with this form.
After revising our design intent again, and rethinking the ideas suggested by the tutors, we decided to have a trussed panels instead of cables in order to make it more lightweight. Lightweightness of the structure is important because it reaffirms the idea of dynamicity that we are trying to create in the design.
However, we figured out that this form does not meet our design intent at all. It looks too plain, ordinary and does not have the experiential quality that we are priotising in this project.
Hence, we came out with the above form which then went through some refinements.
32
PROJECT PROPOSAL 4.3 FINAL DESIGN SIDE VIEW
TOP VIEW
FRONT VIEW
33
The structure rises gradually out of the site to form a dynamic steel helix, using the familiarity of a steel truss system in an unconventional and unique model of technological ability based on experiential design, rather than objectifi ed art, and establishes the entrance to Wyndham City in spectacularly dramatic fashion. Though highways are an inescapable aspect of the urban form, they are largely negative spaces, undesirable and unusable. In the loss of ‘usable’ space, this concept informed the development of the design to alter the perception of this negative space though an unexpected and positive approach, focused on the movement of the driver.
Moving through the site, the structure folds over the driver and gradually dissapears again, with the momentum of traffi c driving the dynamics of the structure. At the speed of traffi c, the rotation of the structure stimulates the twisting motion over the highway, and the intermittent spacing of the framing providing a continously shifting perspective of the environment. The idea is combined with the dynamism of the bars moving in response to the traffi c to create a continuosly changing structure driven by its context on the highway and the patterns of road use, and also exposed to the effects of the natural environments.
It is intended at night that the structure is highlighted by selected spotlights to accent the transparency of the structure of the structure and the intricacy of the shadows produced by the rotating elements. Though minimal, lighting from traffi c travelling through the site produces an opportunity to showcase the structure through dynamic lighting only possible through its constant usage as a through way, further demonstrating the intention of it becoming dynamically driven through its site and context.
34
TRUSSED FRAMES Material : Steel The panels or frames were made to be trusses to achieve lightweightness. It is also to make the structure more open rather than being enclosed. WIRE NET Material : Wire mesh This wire mesh is used to hold the rods and give a visual effact as if the rods were floating just above the drivers head. RODS Material : Glass and Opaque Plastic Some of the rods were intended to be made of two different materials to get different transparency. This in return gives different level of light reflection, producing interesting glimmers and shadows.
35
DAY VIEW
NIGHT VIEW
36
PART 5
PROJECT PROPOSAL | FABRICATING |
5.1 Physical Model 5.2 Stop-Motion Photos
37
PROJECT PROPOSAL 5.1 PHYSICAL MODEL
38
39
40
41
42
43
PROJECT PROPOSAL 5.2 STOP-MOTION PHOTOS
44
PART 6
LEARNING OUTCOMES | OVERALL CONCLUSION |
6.1 Commentary
45
LEARNING OUTCOMES 6 . 1 commentary We started of the design studio by being totally clueless about parametric architecture. We don’t even know the meaning of ‘parametric’. However, as we went through the lectures and classes, the idea of parametric become clearer. We were also asked to find examples of arts that make use of parametric design and from there, we could see the advantages and disadvantages of using parametric design. From what I had studied about parametric design, I personally find this type of design is not favourable all the time. Looking at the design that Zaha Hadid made using parametric, I was taken aback with its ‘randomness’. It seems like she uses it without planning and without understanding the site.That is why, most of the time, her buildings look ‘alien’ in its context. - unappropriately placed. However, as I used the Grasshopper modelling tools, I found out that parametric design does actually have a big potential to be further developed so that the design process could be more structured and organised.
When we were asked to experiments with Grasshopper tool, we produced numbers of matrices which does not seem applicable to a structure other than just for the skin of the structure. But, as we go through the next task, which is to explore a case study and try to figure out the way the case study was able to achieve a parametric structure , our vision is clearer. This is because, by having this task, we were given the chance to learn how to implement the Grasshopper technique that we get before on a real building structure.
Moving on to the next part of the subject, which is the PROJECT PROPOSAL, everything went smoother as we had already acquire the Grasshopper technique. Therefore, at this section, we just had to deal with translating our ideas into Grasshopper and dealing with the exploration of forms. However, it is also challenging to work within groups. Disagreement and collision of ideas always happend, but this is very good for the development of ideas.
As a conclusion, I had learned a lot from this studio as it deals Overall, the EOI task did help with a new software which might us to grasp the core technique come in handy in our career. of Grasshopper that is needed to design the gateway for the Wyndham Gateway Project.
46