STUDIO AIR Ng Hann Clive_594870 Semester 2_Studio 5_ Philip Belesky
Contents INTRODUCTION PART A_Conceptualisation Design Futuring A1_1.1 The Wind Fountain A1_1.2 Maple Leaf
INTRODUCTION
Hey there, my name is Clive Ng. Made in Kuala Lumpur in 1993, I am just like most of the city-living Malaysian Chinese who heavily committed to truancy during my secondary school. Academics performance is always the top priority for most of the Asian families, but definitely the last thing that I would do. Why architecture? To be perfectly honest, it is my parents’ decision for me to enroll in this course. It is never something that I would dedicate my lifetime to pursue. Sooner that I realized I’m totally wrong, In the realm of architecture, not only that I found that it is a canvass where my imagination can be expressed into real, but it is also an intimidating beast that forced me to become stronger and better in person. Although there are tough times that pushed me to edge of mental breakdown, it is the precisely the blood, sweat and tears that make me addicted into architecture. Thanks to the amazing course provided by The University of Melbourne as it is so challenging that I’m still struggling to adapt even though it is already my third year battling architecture. Being aware that I have almost no knowledge to most of the architectural software, I am expecting that this course would really be challenging for me. However, I know I will strive as hard as possible to learn as much as I can in this course even without any prior knowledge. To quote Bruce Lee, ‘Do not pray for an easy life, Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.’ After all, Architecture Studio: Air would definitely be a stepping-stone leading me towards a clearer perspective of parametric design. I’m looking forward and excited to explore the unknown lying ahead of me.
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CONCEPTUALISATION
PREVIOUS PROJECT
INSPIRED BY MICHELANGELO’S SISTINE CHAPEL: CREATION OF ADAM, A LOVE PAVILION S DESIGNED FOR LOVEBIRDS IN ARGYLE SQUARE, MELBOURNE. SCULPTURE-LIKE FORM IS GREATLY APPRECIATED IN ORDER TO CREATE A STREAMLINED DESIGN. IT IS CALLED NICOLÉ MOMENTÓ AS A NAME TO REMINISCE EVERY MOMENT BEING WITH LOVE.
CONCEPTUALISATION 5
A.1 THE WIND FOUNTAIN
FIG.2
The Wind Fountain portrays a strong ambition of revolutionary design that blends both artificial and nature together to achieve a futuristic idealization. Renewable energy is harvested in the form of wind.
From the reading, Fry’s emphasize heavily on the complex phenomenon where relatively more people are ‘designing’ in present days but that design becomes increasingly trivialized and reduced to appearance and ‘style’. People have forgotten what is initially important for architecture. Many have neglected the most fundamental aspect of architecture, which is creating a livable space for people. It is simple as that. The most primitive and sustainable architecture origins from nature, thus it is always a wise decision to get inspiration from there. In the case study, with the aid of parametric software, the case study is produced heavily based on real trees. In this case, the team has successful avoid an abstruse design form which is inappropriate to the context and users.
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CONCEPTUALISATION
In futuring design, it is not only desired to allocate scarce resources efficiently to the welfare of human being, but also avoiding the scarification of benefits by any circumstances of the future generation. Hence, a giant visually appealing sculpture cannot be mistaken as architecture as many factors has to be put into consideration particularly we are now on the cusp of one of the most dramatic changes in our mode of earthly habitation. In order to position The Wind Foundation on the architectural standard significant to the philosophy of futuring design, revolutionary constructing materials are incorporated. By using carbon fibre reinforced resin pole as main construction materials, complimenting with the introduction of piezoelectric effect- a well known property of certain materials to produce electrical power when they undergo strain and stress. The realization of design intelligence possesses the ability to comprehend the qualities of the form and content of the designed environment in which one exists. With high flexibility, this design embodies the movement of real trees in which they sway and move depending on the wind direction. Vibration can create enough stress and strain on piezoelectric crystals to generate electric current.
By incorporating parametric design with inspiration from nature, this design changes the perception of people towards digital generated architecture. The idea of combining the best of both worlds (parametrics and nature) is promoted through creating a space where both aesthetics and sustainability is expressed. Without having artificial technology to an extreme nor nature influence at superlative, the continuity of a balance relationship between human beings and nature is preserved.
CONCEPTUALISATION 7
A.2 MAPLE LEAF DESIGN
FIG.2 MAPLE LEAF DESIGN AERIAL VIEW
Maple Leaf Design is inspired by the natural phenomena of photosynthesis, the most crucial biological process on earth that can never stop its cycle unless without sunlight. Hence, becoming the core of futuring design to create an eternal space that generate infinite amount of renewable energy. As a leaf generates indispensable energy and oxygen from sunlight and useless carbon dioxide to mankind, the Maple Leaf Design structures generate electrical energy from sunlight and utilize methane gas obtained from buried waste.
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CONCEPTUALISATION
The two questions, ‘How is the future being understood?’ ‘And what is meant by design?’ are mentioned by Fry to stress on the importance of creating a design that would allow us to foresee a bright future. Architecture is a critical factor to determine the living standard and pattern around the world throughout human history. Instead of aggregating on a futuristic design, Maple Leaf Design is a project designed for the benefits of future generation. By transforming a wasteland into a recreational park which not only promotes interaction between urban community but also creating awareness centering the topic of energy allows people to foresee a better quality of living in future generation.
It is important for a designer to measure his own understanding against what follows and the fact of design’s continually growing importance as a decisive factor in our future having a future. Nature alone cannot sustain us: we are too many, we have done too much ecological damage. In the case study. decomposing waste with high toxic level on site was initially a design challenge. However, this site disadvantage factor is transformed into a good source of renewable energy by installing 600 gas-extraction wells in the park area resulting in a significant amount of methane gas can be extracted and put into use. Apart from harvesting renewable energy, this project successfully dismantles the harm of toxic waste to the community. This project positively convey the message that energy can be generated simply from the waste we have created when nature can no longer satisfy our demand. This resource is less cost and proportionally meets the energy demand of human population at any time.
As the age of ‘design democracy’ rises, many designs are produced with form and aesthetics that have never been achieved before. Many are celebrating the fascinating outcome that computer software could produce. Gradually, instead of using them as a stepping-stone to achieve a higher level of architecture, designers become blinded with these software. In Fry’s reading, it is mentioned that a design has to have an aim or goal rather than pure aesthetics. In this case study, the organic shape of Maple Leaf emerged by creating a linear mapping of the gas-extraction wells in the North Park area. By combining a lattice structure with refined linear design and connecting the pillars of covered gas-extraction wells, the Maple Leaf Design became a stable structure inspired by nature and the infrastructure of Fresh Kills Park. Furthermore, the lattice structure allows electricity to be generated by solar panels and to travel through the vein structure to distribute energy into the electrical grid as if a plant produces glucose using sunlight and sends it to the root and other parts of the body. Aligning with the Fry’s philosophy of futuring design, Maple Leaf Design is a parametric architecture which produce positive outcome to both present and future inhabitants. CONCEPTUALISATION 9