Nava Yazdi Nejad
Architecture Portfolio
Selected Works 2020 - 2023
Hi, It’s Nava, a computational architect raised in Iran, a historical country with magical architecture. My main passion is for exploring innovative design solutions. I have developed a deep understanding of the complexities of architectural design throughout these years. Recently, I’ve decided to develop my skills by furthering my studies through a challenging graduate program. This unique experience will contribute to advancing my career.
Architectural Engineering
BSc, Shahid Beheshti University
Nava_yz@yahoo.com
+98 912 8866316
Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Machine Learning in Building Science
Graduate Certification, Minor Shahid Beheshti University
Architect & Detail Designer
“H & Manoosh Mahmoudi Architects and Associates” Architectural firm, Tehran, Iran
Internship
Shahid Beheshti University
Advisor: Ali Alai
Architect & Detail Designer
“Yellow cube” interior design firm, Tehran, Iran
Tutor
Simulation and Building Modeling with Autodesk Revit
Tutor
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
2023
Teacher Assistant
Supervisor: Ali Andaji Garmaroudi
Pars University of Art and Architecture, Tehran, Iran
1Abandoned Skyscraper
Evolo 2022
Keywords
Self-Build Architecture, Growing Architecture, Flexible Architecture
Teammates
Hosna Salehi, Alireza Sadeghi, Sarah
Mousavi Nasab, Mahshid Emami
Instructors
Dr. Ali Andaji Garmaroodi, Iman Sheikh
Ansari
My Role
Doing Research on the Feasibilty of the Idea
The design proposes the multi-layer main core as a place for facilities. Unlimited slabs are designed to be responsive to the required performance. These slabs are mediums for people to create their own space based on their needs, perceptions, and thoughts. The function of the slabs- home, playground, farm, store, etc.- can be varied according to the user design. This freedom of action allows users to expand their structure based on their needs.
There are two groups of printing robots in the project. The first group is located in the core and prints the main structure from the ground and other sub-cores. The second group is mobile ones. They are drones that can fly from other islands and cities for bringing materials or just simply printing the details and moving among the floors.
Each slab is left as an empty land that is available to users and they can form towers with different uses.
Special agricultural and crop production spaces are considered in certain parts of the towers so that they can be self-sufficient in this section according to the location of the site which is on the island and between the water
Slabs are attached to the structural layer of the core along with structural arms that are optimized by topology optimization algorithms. Topology optimization is a mathematical method that optimizes material layout within a given design space, for a given set of loads, boundary conditions, and constraints to maximize the performance of the system-both for lightening the structure and decreasing the number of used materials.
2Tensile Stadiums
March 2021 - June 2021
Keywords
Minimal Surface, Form Finding
Teammates
Sarah Mousavi Nasab, Mahshid Emami, Alireza Sadeghi, Amirhossein Mohammadi
Instructor
Dr. Morteza Rahbar
My Role
Developing Form Creation Codes
This project is kind of a form-finding study. The concept of the minimal surface was what we focused on to develop our GH codes and to produce our 7 alternatives. Form number 7 was selected for further studies about digital fabrication techniques.
Alternative No. 01
Metal / Wood Strips
Creating a
Alternative No. 02 Elastic
Creating
Strips
Alternative No. 03
Tube Installation
Creating
We also did comprehensive research on the techniques by which the selected form could be fabricated. Finally, we ended up with technique number 5 which is explained further.
Alternative No. 04
Mesh & Air Blower
Shaping a metal mesh to shape it as we want by heating it
Alternative No. 05
Fabric
3Virtual Interactive Handicrafts
September 2021 - February 2022
Keywords
Virtual Reality, Interactive Design
Teammates
Alireza Sadeghi, Sarah Mousavi Nasab, Mahshid Emami
Instructors
Dr. Ali Andaji Garmaroodi, Dr. Iman Sheikh
Ansari
My Role
Developing Hand Detection Code
This project is proposing an interactive installation reacting to motion and heartbeat. The audience will experience creating handicrafts without being concerned about techniques. By evaluating the user’s emotional state through heartbeat rate, a specific color is assigned to the drawing. Since the more excited a user gets, the more the heartbeat rate will be, the color of volumes will change into a warmer spectrum like red.
How can we invite people to create art without being concerned about technics?
Pleasure of Creating Art Advantage of Digital Modeling Digital Handicraft +
The technical part of this installation consists of a heartbeat sensor, a camera, and an Arduino board. The sensor is located on a ring for heartbeat measurement. Thus, users have the choice of wearing it before starting their virtual journey. The camera will capture real-time hand movements for processing.
Part A
Python Code
OpenCV Library (Python): AI for Image Processing
MediaPipe Library (Python): ML for Hand Detection
Socket (Python): for Transferring Data from Python to Grasshopper
UDP_Client (GH): for Receiving Data from the Python Code
Part B
4Wet Wool Thread Facade
September 2021 - February 2022
Keywords
Form Finding, Optimization, Evolutionary
Structure Design
Teammates
Fateme Molavifard
Instructor
Dr. Mohammadreza Matini
My Role
Developing Facade Code, Detail Design
This project is a form-finding one based on the natural way that shapes form. This natural-based technique of form finding is called Wet Wool Thread Algorithm. The process can be divided into three main phases. First, we physically experienced this technique with wet wools. This phase helped us to deeply understand the mechanism. This understanding was crucial for us to develop our code in further phases.
Scaling Floors + Rotating them
Creating
Lines
Presentation of the Final Simulation
In the next step, we tried to develop a code based on what we saw and read about the forces in this process. So, we simulate the forces with the Kangaroo plugin in Grasshopper.
Flexible Joints
5Multifunctional High Rise
September 2020 - February 2021
Keywords
Safety in Tower Design, Thermal Comfort in Towers, Evacuation in Towers, Accessibility in Towers, Space Syntax for Official Complexes
Teammate
Mahshid Emami
Instructors
Prof. Mahmood Golabchi, Dr. Matin Alaghmandan, Dr. Farzad Barazandeh, Dr. Amirreza Ardekani
My Role
Developing Structural Code, Creating Form Alternatives, Energy Analysis
In this project we were supposed to design a 70-storey commercial and official tower. We began our pre-design Stage by analyzing the site plan. Its accessibility, sun path, the direction of the dominant wind, and the place of existing trees were our subjects of comprehensive studies.
Location: Khovardin Blvd, Tehran, Iran
Building Type: Commercial and Official Tower
Height: 318 m (64 Floors: Offices, 7 Floors: Parking, 3 Floors: Commercials, 2 Floors: Mechanical Rooms)
Wind-Rose
Tehran Mehrabad-IRN
1 JAN 1:00 - 31 DEC 24:00
Hourly Data: Wind Speed (m/s) Calm for 22.9% of the time = 2007 hours.
Each closed polyline shows frequency of 1.1% = 99 hours.
Optimum Orientation
Location: Tehran, Iran radiation based on average daily incident radiation on a vertical surface.
Underheated Stress: 974.0
Overheated Stress: 634.0
Compromise: 175.0
Critical Criteria for Designing a Safe, Sustainable Tower
Natural Ventilation
Providing Interior Atriums
Sky-Bridge
For more convenient evacuation
Structure
Diagrid Facade
Each of these alternatives was mainly focused on one criterion. Most of them, therefore, could not be the best choice since they only had one or two positive aspects while having obvious deficiencies in other crucial aspects. For completing our conceptual design phase, we chose the 4 best forms through a multi-objective selection process which consisted of sun analyzes, the minimum number of resisting facades before prevailing winds, and the number of cut-down trees by placing them in various possible locations in the site plan.
The selected conceptual form, then, was developed in order to reach a more dynamic form. Next, we produced various volumes, and on the advice of instructors, we ended up with the straight form as the best choice for structural reasons.
Ladybug Radiation Analysis that we did on our tower, showed that this high-rise is capable of producing sufficient energy for the official sector. We, therefore, suggested Building Integrated Photovoltaics which can be fitted into our digraid structure.
Grasshopper Code - Solar Radiation Analysis with Ladybug
Space Syntax
Space Syntax exploring various alternatives with Space Syntax Plugin in Grasshopper
6Artificial Evolutionary Design
September 2020 - February 2021
Keywords
Evolutionary Design, Generative Design, Optimization
Teammate
Mahshid Emami, Alireza Sadeghi, Amirhossein Mohammadi
Instructors
Dr. Mohammad Reza Matini, Dr. Mohammad Zare
My Role
Developing Generative and Optimization Codes
Process Generating Variations in Grasshopper Evaluating Variations Selection
Dividung the target tower into nine tubes
Sorting alternatives by desired parameters
By simulating evolution and natural selection
Main variable: Heights of each tower (30 m, 60 m, 90 m)
Floor area
Neighbour shadow area
Park shadow area
52,488 alternative variations
Total shadow area
The middle tube (Core) which provides vertical circulation: always equals the highest one
Sorting variations numerically on a scale of 0 to 1
7Bending Wood July 2022
Keywords
Kurfing Pattern, Wood Properties
This project is a research on the impact of patterns on the properties of wood. Wood is an unflexible material, and because of its inherent properties, it is a common material in industrial design and construction. Exploring ways of bending this material to reach more dynamic forms has always been an interesting topic. One technique is the kerfing pattern which is chosen here. Various patterns have been computationally explored and finally, one was selected. It was implemented on the wood panel by a laser cut machine, and you can see the result of the pannels’ ability for being curved below.
