Ray Gong, Studio Air 2017 part A

Studio Air Student: Ray Gong 2017 S2 Tutor: M.Khorasgani

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Content - Part A. Conceptualiastion Introduction A-I. Design Futuring A-II. Design Computation A-III. Composition/Generation A-IV. Conclusion A-V. Learning outcomes A-VI Algorithmic Sketches References

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Introduction Birth Place I was born in a small and insignificant city in China in Shijiazhuang, although it is my birthplace I do not consider it as my home time. For the past 17 years of my life I have lived in either Melbourne most of the time and spent one year in Auckland and two years in Canberra. I left Shijiazhuang at the age of 10, during that time the city was very undeveloped and poor. As of recent the town is more developed and my good friend grew up in the same city now working for Nanjing University in China told me there is a running joke in that city “if a foreign power invaded China and air raid was conducted, they would simply skip Shijiazhuang thinking it was bombed already”. He told me this roughly two years ago in 2015, although the joke was very exaggerated, it shows the local attitude toward was a bland and extremely average looking city.

Fig 1. Onenineteen119, 1980-1990’S Chinese Building, 2012 <https://goo.gl/B8gDDf> [accessed 10 August 2017].

When left Shijiazhuang in 2000 moving to Auckland in New Zealand, during this time China was still a lot poorer and undeveloped compared to late now, I grew up in a house looking a lot like the image above (fig 1). I had a clear memory when I arrived in New Zealand, I was awestruck on how wealthy the country was. The idea of living in a townhouse was outlandish to me. I have never saw a building above six story high or have I seen a bridge built out of metal.

The Auckland Sky Tower and the Harbour Bridge was made me felt like I was in a completely different world.

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New World

Fig 2. Ben Williams, Sky Tower Above The CBD, 2017 <https://goo.gl/hH7k6j> [accessed 10 August 2017].

I had a clear memory when I arrived in New Zealand, I was awestruck on how wealthy the country was. The idea of living in a town-house was outlandish to me. I have never saw a building above six story high or have I seen a bridge built out of metal. The Auckland Sky Tower (fig 2) and the Harbour Bridge (fig 3) was made me felt like I was in a completely different world. Although at that time I couldn’t comprehend what I was feeling exactly, it made me realise houses can look different rather than simple replication of modern communist apartment in every part of the city in my hometown. At the time it really spark an interest in architecture as I didn’t even know what it was, I did consider architecture as a career path after I finished high school. Instead I studied Industrial design at Monash University in 2009 and every year I considered in changing degree, however due to family reasons and financial reasons, changing a degree wasn’t an option.

Fig 3. Stephen Witherden, Auckland Harbour Bridge At Sunset, 2008 <https://goo.gl/p8rWUq> [accessed 10 August 2017].

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Studying Architecture

Fig 4. Self Portrait.

Between studying Industrial Design and now, I joined the Royal Australian Airforce for almost 2 years, I eventually discharged due to some massive shift in family situation and realising the job wasn’t where my passion was. I returned to finish studying Industrial Design. However, after studying for 1 more semester, I realised it wasn’t something I wanted to do in long term, and just coming out of job of something I didn’t want to do for long term made me realise I can’t repeat my action again. I applied for University of Melbourne Bachelor of Environment due to having mid-year intake and I was accepted. Now Here I am.

My experience so far studying here have been interesting. Coming from study experience industrial design I didn’t have a strong grasp sense of spatial experience and quality until I complete Studio Earth.

Fig 5. First studio Project.

I’ve decided to put in the first project of first studio class (Designing Environment) and final one of last class I have taken (Studio Earth). The reason I have chosen to showcase these two project is to show how far I have come since my journey in this degree. The first project (shown in fig 5 and fig 6) is more of a sculptural object in an open space.

The final project (shown in fig 7) is a pavilion where the focus shifted more of spatial quality and the experience rather than mostly an object inside of a space, in this project made me understand the importance of sculpture and architecture even a context of an open space.

Although this project is an enclosed space, it made me grasp this concept better.

Fig 6. First studio Project 2.

Fig. 7 First studio Project.

Software My past experience in ID gave me some experiences in software not often used in architecture such as Autodesk alias and Solidworks. My skill in is quite minimal, luckily Autodesk alias have a lot of similarity and so far I find it easy to pick up. Grasshopper is a interesting program, because in Autodesk alias some functions already exist such as having history between curves and surfaces.

But the has the function of algorithmic surfacing is very interesting in design applications.

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A.I

Design Futuring

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Everything we consume is finite and if we consume faster than the resource can replenish it is bound to run out.

This is the direction our world is going toward and there is always a cost when we create something. Tony Fry puts it as “omelette at the cost of the egg… fossil fuel generated energy at the cost of the planet’s atmosphere”. Every one of us creates in our daily routine and as architect as a profession it is not different, but architects are limited to what they can do to reduce consumption. They are defined as “unfixable…. “ such as “values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour” by Dunne & Raby.*

* Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything ([S.l.]: MIT, 2014), pp. 33-45.

Sustainability is a key issue to future designers and architects. Although architects cannot control things such as cultural and economic issues that causes unsustainable.

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A-I

Design Futuring Analysis I “The realization of design intelligence would mean that having the ability to read the qualities of the form and content of the designed environment in which one exists”* -Tony Fry

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La Seine Musicale | Shigeru Ban Architects | Paris, France | 2017 La Seine features an egg-shaped auditorium made of glass and lattice of timber laminate from a woven spruce wood. Part of the exterior also features a sail of photovoltaic cells. Tony Fry states that we are “In increasingly more unsustainable worlds, design intelligence would deliver the means to make crucial judgements”. This piece of architecture uses sustainable materials and have on site energy generation. Most intriguing part of the design for me is the incorporation of photovoltaic cells are part of the design aesthetics of the architecture (see fig 9).** The interior features hexagonal parametric blocks with randomised shapes to simulate the randomness in nature (see fig 8). This building is a good example of how architecture and indeed designers in general can affect the sustainability of our world. It provokes the idea of what kind of future want to achieve which in this case is environmentally friendly in both construction material and energy generation in architecture, not just a photovoltaic as an energy source, but part of the architectural design. Patrik Schumacher’s puts it as “Probable/ Plausible/Possible/Preferable”,*** the existance of this building as a built form shows it is probable/plausible/possible and a preferable way to achieve sustainability.

Erik Olin puts it as “how to get from here to there—how to make viable alternatives achievable”. All these qualities shows the design intelligence. * Tony Fry, Design Futuring (New York, NY: Berg, 2008). ** “La Seine Musicale / Shigeru Ban Architects”, Archdaily, 2017 <https:// goo.gl/zBxZLf> [accessed 11 August 2017] *** Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything ([S.l.]: MIT, 2014), pp. 33-45.

Fig 8. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Interior Hall, 2017 <https://goo.gl/LNatyE> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 9. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Solar Panels, 2017 <https://goo.gl/WaLXHV> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 10. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Interior, 2017 <https://goo.gl/zBxZLf> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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A-I

Design Futuring Analysis II “There are other possibilities for design: one is to use design as a means of speculating how things could be—speculative design.”*

-Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona

Sumida Hokusai Museum| Kazuyo Sejima | Tokyo, Japan | 2016 Although the idea of sustainability is not as obvious as the first precedence, this building is subtler with its design in term of sustainability. It uses angular cuts to bring natural light into the gallery’s interior to minimise lighting required during day time.

Unlike La Seine Musicale building, it rely less on technology such as on site power generation, but rather it uses its built form to reduce the need of less lightning which in turn consumes less energy. It shows that there are more than one way to tackle the problem of sustainability.

Sumida Hokusai is a museum dedicated to the ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai to attract tourism and as a cultural beacon.

Being in high population density in Tokyo this building is not intrusive as it caters to the community around it as well as tourist attraction. The building features playground and provides a naturally shaded area from adjacent buildings for bike area (fig 11) to promote usage of this area by the local community, this shows long term vision of building community.

This building appears to be much simpler in term of form, however it is safe to assume computer aided design played major part of the design especially with sun-path analysis to itself and adjacent building to achieve this efficient use space.

Fig 11

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* Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything ([S.l.]: MIT, 2014), pp. 33-45. ** “Kazuyo Sejima’s Sumida Hokusai Museum”, Archdaily, 2017 <https:// goo.gl/oXVgFr> [accessed 10 August 2017].

Fig 11. Laurian Ghinitoiu, Sumida Hokusai Museum, 2017 <https://goo.gl/kQHgNM> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 12. Vincent Hecht, Sumida Hokusai Museum, 2017 <https://goo.gl/kQHgNM> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 13. Laurian Ghinitoiu, Sumida Hokusai Museum Path, 2017 <https://goo.gl/tnhJ39> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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A-II

Design Computation

Bryan Lawson states ““CAD might conspire against creative thought […]” by encouraging “fake” creativity.

However, computation is simply a tool-kit just like a ruler or T-square. If used incorrectly more primitive toolkits can also conspire against creative thoughts by encouraging “fake” creativity.

CAD can assist architect in various ways such as speeding up and using new form of logic provided by this new tool-kit. For example the analysis of structural performance are more easily accessible and parametric design tools such as grasshopper can help us recreate things we were unable to using traditional means.

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* Ernest Edmonds, Proceedings Of The 3Rd Conference On Creativity & Cognition (New York, NY: ACM, 1999), pp. 174-179.

In the end, it is us (the users) defines the final outcome. If we fall into the trap of â&#x20AC;&#x153;fakeâ&#x20AC;? creativity is due to our fault. The benefit of CAD software highly outweigh the negatives.

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A-II

Design Computation Analysis I “Innovative technologies have become a driving force in the formulation of theories as well as producing a new wave of tectonic and material creativity”*

-RIVKA OXMAN&ROBERT OXMAN

Fig 14. Serge Ferrari, Digital Rendering, 2017 < https://goo.gl/ NKrCq6> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion | Hariri Pontarini Architects| Toronto, Canada | 2015 This pavilion is a temporary exhibition space which uses flexible membrane materials.

Consisting of series of inflatable arches, the design structure is safe in both structural functions and fire performance and adhering to the requirements of the Ontario Building Code (OBC2012) in addition to local codes for fire safety.** The design and fabrication heavily depended on use of CAD software. The asymmetric organic form required many unique patterns which was generated using Techoniks (fabricator) own software. The usage of CAD software allowed this to be achieved in short period of time with specific parameters. The fabrication consisted of 15,000 unique 3d panels making up the pavilion which was converted into a 2D cutting pattern with its own ID number, alignment marks and seam allowances.

The design process heavily relied on CAD software, this process enhanced and helps better understanding technical performance such as structural qualities (fig 17), calculation and generation of tiled modules. Additionally, it help the architects to analyse spatial qualities by using 3D modelling (fig 15) where traditional modelling is more difficult to changes. Modelling modifications can be easily made in digital media and can save in multiple iteration similar to the concept of using grasshopper’s baking function to generate multiple iterations. The use of innovative technology made using new form of material more accessible to architects. * Rivka Oxman and Robert Oxman, Theories Of The Digital In Architecture (London: Routledge, 2014), pp. 1–10. ** “Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/ pZ7NvW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 15. Serge Ferrari, Pavilion Inside View, 2017 < https://goo. gl/za48MK> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 16. Serge Ferrari, Performance Testing, 2017 < https://goo. gl/3GAHpm> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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A-II

Design Computation Analysis II “Parametric design ... new form of the logic of digital design thinking”*

-RIVKA OXMAN&ROBERT OXMAN

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One Bucket at a Time | Factor Eficiencia & 5468796 Architecture | Mexico City, Mexico | 2017 This pavilion is an interactive pavilion built with malleable surface. The pavilion is constructed by connecting grid of ropes with buckets. ** The design process of this project is made easier using digital imagery to show interaction with the user, the space and the pavilion itself (see fig 18). Although the process is possible using traditional means or such as traditional illustration or physical model, it is made much easier with CAD software especially with when it consist of very small modular pieces. The CAD also help calculation and exploration of shapes before constructing the actual model which reduce time spent on construction and more time spent on creation process.

* Rivka Oxman and Robert Oxman, Theories Of The Digital In Architecture (London: Routledge, 2014), pp. 1–10. ** “Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/ pZ7NvW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 17. Jaime Navarro, Pavilion Interactions, 2017 <https:// goo.gl/4VfbNu> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 18. CortesĂ­a de Factor Eficiencia + 5468796 Architecture, 2017 < https://goo.gl/Xet4zU> [accessed 11 August 2017].

A.III

Composition / Generation Computation brings designers many benefits such as speeding up the process and performance testing during design process. Furthermore, the actual design can be done through composition and generation.

This process generally is not possible or very difficult to achieve using traditional means. For example, using the Rhino plug-in grasshopper the designer can generate forms with the usage of set of parameters and algorithms.

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A.III

Composition / Generation

Bahá’í Temple | Hariri Pontarini Architects | Penalolen, Chile | 2016 The design of this temple was designed entirely using CATIA software. The design is inspired by organic natural shapes and required advanced software achieve the final form. The design consist of nine “sails” that twist, bend, and curve as they reach up to the top (fig 23).** The exterior uses parametric design consisting of triangular shapes on each of the “sails’ emulating natural roughness of a stone.

“When architects have a sufficient understanding of algorithmic concepts, when we no longer need to discuss the digital as something different, then computation can become a true method of design for architecture”

-Brady Peters

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The interior also uses parametric design using mix of triangular shapes and square.

However, the interior patterns are less randomised and more organised pattern are apparent (see fig 21&22). Although organised, it is still very organic.

This complexity of this temple is much apparent than the Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion and the use of CAD software is even more crucial for speed, technical and new creative logic.

* Brady Peters and Xavier De Kestelier, Computation Works, pp. 8-15. ** “Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/ h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 19. Daniela Galdames, Exterior, 2017 < https://goo.gl/ h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 20. Daniela Galdames, Interior Hall, 2017 < https://goo.gl/ h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 21. Daniela Galdames, Interior Window, 2017 <https:// goo.gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 22. Daniela Galdames, Interior Ceiling, 2017 < https://goo.

20 gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

A.III

Composition / Generation

XYZ Formula | WGNB | Seoul, South Korea | 2017 The facade of this building was created through the idea of “see-through”. The XYZ Forumla shows the pattern of blocks which is formed by mesh blocked.

This particular design is similar to this weeks’ lesson on grasshopper generation.

The pattern it can be generated using grasshopper or similar program. The gradual change in angle from bottom to top create an illusion of decreasing density as the facade goes higher.

This project is most relevant to what I wish to explore further for this semester as it suits our tutorial synopsis which is responsive patterned skins. In this specific instance, the skin (facade) is not responsive in term of kinetic response, but rather light response. As the light hits the facade during day time it creates the shading for indoor, but also act as aesthetic element which give gradual sense in the patterning and during night time the light is shined through from the inside of building giving similar affect of gradual intensity. This is interesting because the change of day also drastically change the looking the building.

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Non-keintic response is a concept to explore further into the semester, responsive skin which react to light. I believe it suit the theme of studio “air” well too due kinetic architecture tend to be heavy in weight and construction.

Fig 23. Yongjoon Choi, Interior View, 2017 <https://goo.gl/ p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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** “XYZ Formula”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 24. Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Up 2017 <https://goo.gl/ p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 25. Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Day 2017 <https://goo. gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 26. Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Night 2017 <https://goo.

22 gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

1 - Sustainable design; Sumida Hokusai Museum have a spatial design that allow more natural light into the desired areas.

A.IV

Conclusion

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2 - Computation; using the right tool to create the right thing. I believe all tools have the possibility to restraint creativity, for this studio it will be balance of using rhino and grasshopper and when it is appropriate to use which. By doing so I can avoid the idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;fake creativityâ&#x20AC;?.

3 - Composition and generation; so far I have learned this mostly through usage of grasshopper. The process for composition and generation is made much easier by using algorithms. Complexities of patterns are made much easier than traditional model making or traditional sketching, I was able to achieve much higher quality, accuracy and variety of algorithmic sketches.

A.V

Learning Outcomes

I have always believed in the there are immense benefits and the creative skill required in computer aided designs. I have never believed in the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;drawn by handâ&#x20AC;? as digital painting is always done by hand and not by the computer itself. Just like a brush computer is a tool-kit to the artist or designer.

Throughout this course I have remained unchanged with this ideal. However, it gave me some perspective on the critical points of view for the possibility of computer restricts creativity. I believe this is the price we pay as new technologies are introduced to make things easier. As we make things easier, new techniques and styles also emerge and this is where this studio come in. The learning so far in grasshopper gave me new insight on creating patterns and architectural elements that were previously not possible, emulating nature in a chaotic way yet organised.

In later parts of semester, I wish to explore more in sectioning, I like the chaotic element yet feels very ordered at the same time.

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A.III

Algorithmic Sketches WEEK 1&2

W1 The first algorithmic sketch was to create modular tiles. The process involved voronoi in 3 dimensional shapes. It was a simple exercise and I tried to create a 3d shape that can be applied to architectural context, then use grasshopper to generate voronoi space. After this they are baked and modified further by deleting voronoi.

The first weeks exercise gave me good introduction lesson to grasshopper, certain functions such as generation random shapes within a parameter was made much easier and felt a lot more authentic than trying to create illusion of random shapes on 3d program alone such as rhino. The usage of list is also interesting as I have small amount of experience in JavaScript and seeing it apply to visualisation and design is very fascinating.

W2 The second week algorithmic sketch was about sectioning and contouring. The second week work is more complex in both design and algorithm processing. I achieved this by creating 1 Surface on Rhino and use it to generate multiple copies of itself by techniques such as extrude and project.

After that a surface is used as a parameter for trimming the 3 repeated surfaces to create either contouring or sectioning effect. This weeks exercise was challenging and interesting due to the fact I had to do further research outside of online tutorial to achieve these sketches. The results are gratifying.

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Week 1 Sketch

Week 2 Sketch

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A.III

Algorithmic Sketches WEEK 3

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W3 The final algorithmic sketch was to design a pattern out of sampling image. I went a step further to give it a parameter to control the extrude. The parameter was to extrude as per normal, but to reduce the extrude around a curve which was created just outside of the image creating a affect to make it look more like a flower in 3d dimension.

The reason for doing so was to add some more depth to the pattern generated, as for all architecture works, it is applied in 3 dimensional space and in this instance I felt it was more interesting to add another dimension in architectural, especially its a object by itself (not attached to facade of a building or part of building surface).

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References Dunne, Anthony, and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything ([S.l.]: MIT, 2014), pp. 33-45 Edmonds, Ernest, Proceedings Of The 3Rd Conference On Creativity & Cognition (New York, NY: ACM, 1999), pp. 174-179 Fry, Tony, Design Futuring (New York, NY: Berg, 2008) Ghinitoiu, Laurian, Sumida Hokusai Museum, 2017 <https://goo.gl/kQHgNM> [accessed 11 August 2017] “Kazuyo Sejima’s Sumida Hokusai Museum In Tokyo”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/oXVgFr> [accessed 10 August 2017] “La Seine Musicale / Shigeru Ban Architects”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/zBxZLf> [accessed 11 August 2017] “Ontario’s Celebration Zone Pavilion”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://goo.gl/pZ7NvW> [accessed 11 August 2017] Oxman, Rivka, and Robert Oxman, Theories Of The Digital In Architecture (London: Routledge, 2014), pp. 1–10 Peters, Brady, and Xavier De Kestelier, Computation Works, pp. 8-15 Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Interior, 2017 <https://goo.gl/zBxZLf> [accessed 11 August 2017]

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List of Figures.

Fig 1. Witherden, Stephen, Auckland Harbour Bridge At Sunset, 2008 <https://goo.gl/p8rWUq> [accessed 10 August 2017] Fig 2. Williams, Ben, Sky Tower Above The CBD, 2017 <https://goo.gl/hH7k6j> [accessed 10 August 2017] Fig 3. Onenineteen119, 1980-1990’S Chinese Building, 2012 <https://goo.gl/B8gDDf> [accessed 10 August 2017] Fig 4-7. Authors own Fig 8. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Interior Hall, 2017 < https://goo.gl/LNatyE > [accessed 11 August 2017] Fig 9. Fig 10. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Solar Panel, 2017 < https://goo.gl/WaLXHV> [accessed 11 August 2017] Fig 10. Shigeru Ban Architects, La Seine Musicale Interior, 2017 <https://goo.gl/zBxZLf> [accessed 11 August 2017] Fig 11. Laurian Ghinitoiu, Sumida Hokusai Museum, 2017 <https://goo.gl/kQHgNM> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 12.Vincent Hecht, Sumida Hokusai Museum Street View, 2017 < https://goo.gl/TwCFzT> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 13. Laurian Ghinitoiu, Sumida Hokusai Museum Path, 2017 < https://goo.gl/tnhJ39> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 14. Serge Ferrari, Digital Rendering, 2017 < https://goo.gl/NKrCq6> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 15. Serge Ferrari, Pavilion Inside View, 2017 < https://goo.gl/za48MK> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 16. Serge Ferrari, Performance Testing, 2017 < https://goo.gl/3GAHpm> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 17. Jaime Navarro, Performance Testing, 2017 <https://goo.gl/4VfbNu> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 18. Cortesía de Factor Eficiencia + 5468796 Architecture, 2017 < https://goo.gl/Xet4zU> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 19. Daniela Galdames, Exterior, 2017 < https://goo.gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 20. Daniela Galdames, Interior Hall, 2017 < https://goo.gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 21. Daniela Galdames, Interior Window, 2017 < https://goo.gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 22 Daniela Galdames, Interior Ceiling, 2017 < https://goo.gl/h2UV8Q> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 23.Yongjoon Choi, Interior View, 2017 <https://goo.gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 24.Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Up 2017 <https://goo.gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 25.Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Day 2017 <https://goo.gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

Fig 26.Yongjoon Choi, Facade Close Night 2017 <https://goo.gl/p2c2NW> [accessed 11 August 2017].

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