Yuebing xiao 751795

STUDIO AIR

2017, SEMESTER 1- PART A FINN #8 YUEBING XIAO / 751795

Part A Conceptualisation

Contents A.0 INTRODUCTION A.1 DESIGN FUTURING case 1 case 2

A.2 DESIGN COMPUTSTION case 1 case 2

A.3 COMPOSITION/GENERATION case 1 case 2

A.4 CONCLUSION A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES A.6 APPENDIX A.7 REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION I am Yuebing and my friends always call me Taylor. Now I am already a third year student majoring in Architecture in University of Melbourne.

Originally a science student in middle school and everybody thought I was going to study the field of engineering in China. However, at the end I went overseas to study realm of architectural design. Fortunately, till now I never regret to make this decision. Being an architect or designer is really excited to me.

I began to know digital design since last year I took the subject called Digital Design & Fabrication. From that design project, I learned a lot in terms of how our design concept develops with the help of digital method, but the most difficult part for me is the process of fabrication. It might because of limited knowledge on using computer or material systems that we can not actually build our idea. This semester, hope I can deeply develop my skills on digital fabrication.

FIG.0: THE OPPOSITE SECTIONS OF MY DESIGN IN EARTH STUDIO-A PLACE FOR KEEPING SECRET.

DESIGN FUTURE

Iwith n the current world, human is confronted a tough living environment and the future tends to be unsustainable, which is caused by a few past design practices. The question of “how can a future be secured by design?” is posed by Fry to challenge us as designers starting to think about what we can do to fix the defuturing situation [3].

According to Dunne, it is important to be aware of that design is not just about solving problems, but “as a means of speculating how things could be speculative design”.[8] Conventional methods of designing do not always work well in the present or even future, so critical design and thinking becomes necessary, which offers opportunities to find alternative perspectives on existing weakness and move forward positive impacts.

Specifically, it is unavoidable to generate a lot of wastes and destroy natural environment in the process of architectural replacement and construction year by year. To achieve the target of sustainability, two precedents are going to be discussed, which gives us examples of what future will look like.

CASE STUDY A.1.1 MUNICH OLYMPICS STADIUM Architect : Frei Otto & Gunther Behnisch Location : Munich, Germany Date : 1972 “every man doing in architecture is to go against nature. This idea is to be aprt of natureis a brand new idea of last century.”[6]

Munich Olympics Stadium b Behnisch is seen as a beginn structure with membrane co beginning, this idea was not ac at the end, he engaged and model approach, specifica mathematical procedures to d form and behaviour. Otto and from natural environment, co of natural form and fina continuous sweeping roof wit that flows over the “organic-

by Frei Otto and Gunther ning of lightweight tensile onstruction. In fact, at the cceptable by Frei Otto, but d started from a technical ally, using computerised define the final architectural d Behnisch took inspiration onsidered the opportunity ally conceptualised the th a tensile cable structure -shaped� park landscape.

The large canopies membrane is stabilised through a network of smaller cables that attach to a larger steel cable extending over the entire span into concrete footings at either end and the flowing curve is generated by connecting with vertical masts. The spaces created by huge membrane are flexible for people standing and also avoid the problems of congestion during the period of Olympics games. As designers, we have to understand and well explore the relationship between human and nature. In this case, using light and less materials is a more environmental solution to the future.

FIG.1: THE OVERVIEW OF CONNECTION BETWEEN STADIUM AND SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE

CASE STUDY A.1.2 THE GRAWLING GARDENS OF WABERN Architect : Buchner Bründler Location : Bern, Switzerland Date : 2007

Buchner Bründler redefines the urban high-rise for a more natural environment.

This building gives us another approach to explore the relationship between human and nature in the future. Under the background of increasingly crowded living environment ,especially in urban area, it becomes more difficult for everyone to live with nature. Even though it is located in edge of city, a place with more natural landscape, it still provides a possibility to design high-rise buildings with gardens in crowd area.

The idea of how it looks is got from an green rock, gardens with verticle plants surround the building core. The upturned slabs with arms, which are intended as seats, and the plant troughs sunken into the floor, which is made of stone.

The edge of building is installed by Filigree metal mesh in place of compact balustrades to access closely natural landscapes. The distribution of balconies is as random as it seems, however, there is a logic to the randomness, that each apartment has two openinngs created by arms and a regular number of prefabricated troughs which were in this position before concrete slab was poured.

So many countries have implemented vertical gardens, which is inspitated by this building. Furthermore, the vegetative layer with its climate plays a significant role in the living atmosphere over the course of seasons. For example, in summer, shade can be provided for human’s inhabitation. The concept of constructing gardens in high-rise building seems all the more important to us in face of more and more crowded city.

FIG.2 : GARDEN-TOWER GREEN RESIDENTIAL TOWER WABERN

DESIGN COMPUTATION

A

ccording to Oxman, with the appearance and evolution of the digital technologies in architecture during the last decades, the digital design now becomes possible and being applied to architecture[9].

With the aid of computational methods in architecture, designers are able to deal with complex situations, while we have to understand the logical thinking in digital design a nd, at the same time, learn to know the digital tools like softwares and robot.

Nowadays, the digital theory and technology being applied to our natural environment and used to explore natural organic forms in relation to our living environment. For example, the students in University of Stuttgart are experimenting natural form of Pavilion with the help of robot. However, computation is not only used in a static construction but experimented with dynamic designs.

FIG.3: THE ROBOT PAVILION

CASE STUDY A.2.1 ROBOTICALLY FABRICATED PAVILION BY UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART STUDENTS IS BASED ON SEA-URCHIN SHELLS This example specifically show the potential of computational design, simulation and fabrication processes in architecture.

Oxman mentions that the expending relationship between computer and architecture defines a digital process from design to production and from generation to fabrication [9]. I will explain how the digital theory and process are applied to it.

Generation: The concept is based on sea-urchin shells, so at the begining, students did a lot researches to explore the prototype of the design element. Besides, computer is generally utilised to investigate how the natural structure could be applied to construction, like how the sheets actually join with each other in physical model.

Digital design process

Biological Rule Models (plates) Biological Principles - plate growth - fibre & finger connection - double layer - material differences Biological Transfers - plate growth - fibre & finger connection

- double layer

- material differences Global design - computer

Fabrication: In terms of fabrication process, this case tended to use robot to bend sheets made of custom-laminated beech plywood to create double-layered segments.

Material Design - preparation

And then an industrial sewing machine was passed through by them to connect both the pieces tightly and to prevent the layers of laminated wood from separating. The stitched joints transfer tensile forces between the segments, playing a similar role to the fibrous connections found between the plates of a sea urchin’s shell. The robot and the sewing machine are both controlled through custom software.

Fabrication Setup Robot Sewing (sewing optimization)

Conclusion : The pavilion reveals how the computational tool uses to deal with the complixity among material, form and robot fabrication and at the same time, they gain an innovative approach of timber constructure.

This multidisciplinary research approach does not only lead to performative and material efficient lightweight structure, but also explores novel spatial qualities and expands the tectonic possibilities of wood architecture.

- vacuum laminated - CNC milling

On Site Assembly

CASE STUDY A.2.2 “KINETIC WALL” BY BARKOW LEIBINGER (2014) “Utopia Dream of moving architecture” Apart from using computation and robert ,specifically, to constructe static pavilions, the skill of computation can also apply to create dynamic forms in architecture. Here is an example I found to show how it works on a dynamic form and how it make an impact to human ‘s world.

The concept is “revisiting the utopian dream of an architecture that can move”. The design mainly consists of a light timber frame behind the movable surface and a series of motoried points which extend and retract to activate an elastric translusent synthetic fabric move in and out periodically to produce “peaks and valleys“.Digital controlled kinetic wall with partition wall next to it creates a passage and the changing width of the passage generates an inmediate, intimate and coproral relationship with the viewer experientially.

“Kinetic Wall offers an alternative future, an architecture that is materially and spatially dynamic of both natural and synthetic/recycled materials.”

Figure 3 below reveals different shapes of surface as a result of digital control.

FIG.4: DIAGRAM ON MOVEMENT OF “KINETIC WALL“

FIG.5 : FABROCATED “KINTIC WALL“

COMPOSITION/GENERATION

C

omputational tool development in architecture provides potential possibilities and opportunities for us in design process, fabrication and construction, which is increasing efficency and allowing for better communication, as well as for conceptual sketching of algorithmic concepts. Not only it is a tool to help process design through an existing understanding model but also has potential inspiration that goes beyond our intelligence.

According to Peters, architectures nowadays is in face of a change from the drawing to the algorithm as the metod of capturing and communicating designs, which requires designers not only to capture complexity of how to build a project but also the multitude of parameters.[2]

CASE STUDY A.3.1 MORNING LINE Architect : Matthew Richie Location : Seville, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; Vienna, Austria; Karlsruhe, Germany

Date : 2008-2013 GENERATION This project is conceived by an artist Richie ranther than an architect. It is an attempt to represent the entire universe and the structure of knowledge, which is seen as a collaborative platform to explore the multiple interplay of art, architecture, cosology and music. Imagined as a ruin from the future, the Morning Line is a drawing in space (to the environment), where ach line connects to other lines to form a network of intertwining figures and narratives with no single beginning or end, entrance or exit, only movements around multiple centers that together trace out a dense web of ideas concerning the history and structure of the universe and our place in it.

Even though it is a art work and derived from drawing, its construction was following the generation from single element (triangle).Unlike architecture, it is not a static fix structure, but dynamic with random different scale of elements, which represents random universe. It is a really cool concept and technology to change the form with changing environment and world and also a changeable rule to generate.

FIG.5: CONCEPT OF MORNING LINE

CASE STUDY A.3.2 NATIONAL AQUATICS CENTRE Architect : Chris Bosse Location : Beijing, China Date : 2008

FIG.6: MODEL OF WATER CUBE

COMPOSITION WATER tube is inspired by the natural formation of soap bubbles and its parametric algorithm design mainly represents on its structure. The whole frame is based on the WeairePhelan structure with cubo-octahedron and icosahedron shown on figure (), derived from the natural pattern of soap bubbles. And the final outlook of water cube is slicing through complex Weaire-Phelan pattern at a certain angle and then the facade becomes more irregular as we see now.

Finally, the exterior claddings are made of ETFE bubbles.

According to the reading “the building of algorithmic thought“, computation tools are really helpful for creating and representing such a comlex form like water cube and it is really efficient with help of algorithmic methods. However, it also has limitation because of poor knowledge in using computational tools. [2]

FIG.7: PROCESS OF FORMATION OF WATER CUBE

CONCLUSION

T

he part A is based on the conceptualised thinkings like design future, design computation and generation & composition. Through the readings and analysis of precedents, it really inspired me a lot and enhanced my understanding towards the future studies.

In terms of design future, even though our future is not good as imagined and we are till in face of random complex situations, we always need to find ways to deal with problems to improve our relationship with natural environment. As designers, we have responsibility to help human live better in the earth. By exploring the precedents, in fact, so many examples give us good views to be sustainable.

Besides, the increasing development of digital technologies offers us opportunities to deal with more complex problems in the process of designing future. It is going to be efficent, economic and sustainable concerning design works.

In Conclusion, the first part of study concerntrates on conceptualisation, which is really helpful for us to understand the fundamental start of this subject. For next part B, I am really interested in the field of sectioning and patterning.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

A

fter the first three weeks, I think I start to understand what we are going to do in this subject. Through the study of part A, the precedents I explored really helpful for me to understand conceptualisation, specifically, the digital theory applied to architecture. Besides, at the begining, it might be difficult to think logically in grasshopper because it is not always working as you expect. Therefore, I need to study harder in grasshopper to enhancemy skills in designing process.

For me, I believe that the digital in architecture is a tendency to lead the road in future and create more efficient world. Furthermore, the computation also has the potential to provide inspiration and go beyond the intellect of the designer, in other words, it gives us more opportunitites to think about the new aesthetics. The sketchbook is useful to develop your own ability to deal with complex problems. For example, last year when I took DDF (Digital design and Fabrication), I met really a lot of problems that I cannot move forward our design because of poor skill on digital technologies and at the end, the design is not successful as we expect. By studying the example of Robort Pavilion, I learned how to start from generation to fabrication, how we can use the digital to build project step by step, which is really clear for me now.

Finally, I hope I can always be aware of using this new approach to deal with problems and trying to think more about how the relationship between we human and the nature get better by means of digital studies. I am really looking forward to Part B & C, to get more practice with digital technologies.

APPENDIX

attraction point

box morphing

REFERENCES

[1] Amy Frearson, ‘Kinetic Wall by Barkow Leibinger explores “utopian dream of moving architecture” ‘, Dezeen, (2014), < https://www.dezeen.com/2014/06/18/kinetic-wallbarkow-leibinger-elements-venice-biennale-2014/>, [access 17 March 2017] [2]‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, by Peters, Brady, Architectural Design, 2013, 83, 2, pp. 08-15 [3] Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice, by Fry. Tony, (New York, NY: Berg Publishers, 2008), pp 1-16.

[4] ‘Garden Tower’, Swiss-Architects, (2016), <http://www.swiss-architects. com/en/projects/view/54475>,[access 17 March 2017] [5] Jessica Mairs, ‘Robotically fabricated pavilion by University of Stuttgart students is based on sea-urchin shells’,Dezeen, (2016), <https://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/05/roboticallyfabricated-pavilion-university-of-stuttgart-students-plywood-icd-itke/>,[ access 17 March 2017] [6] Martin Filler, ‘Frei Otto’s Airborne Architecture’,NYR Daily, (2015), <http://www.nybooks. com/daily/2015/05/06/pritzker-prize-frei-otto-airborne/>,[ access 17 March 2017] [7] Rose Etherington, ‘Watercube by PTW Architects’,Dezeen, (2008), <https://www. dezeen.com/2008/02/06/watercube-by-chris-bosse/>,[ access 17 March 2017] [8]Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming, by Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona (MIT Press, 2013) pp. 1-9, 33-45 [9] Theories of The Digital In Architecture, by River Oxman and Robert Oxman, (London; New York: Routledge), pp 1-10.

[10] ‘The Morning Line’, <http://arandalasch.com/works/the-morningline/ Aranda/Lasch>, (2017), [access 17 March 2017]