Tyler Johnson
Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design
2010-2011 Columbia University
2010-2011 . MSAAD . Columbia University
projects
summer 2010: Networked Skyscraper
fall 2010: Safety Net +
fall 2010: Swarm Intelligence
Networked Skyscraper the Sublime and Architecture
studio critic: Florian Idenburg + Jing Liu of SO-IL chosen site: Times Square, New York City chosen program: Office Tower + Data Center software used: 3DS Max, Rhino, Photoshop, AfterEffects, BackBurner, AutoCAD studio brief: Has architecture lost its ability to evoke feelings? Is the world we live in too controlled, too expected? Can the physical environment continue to compete with the vast possibilities and experiences offered by the virtual world? This studio focused on the role of the sublime in architecture, using an understanding of bad weather as the last element to still exist outside of the control of mankind. The project was to design a skyscraper in Manhattan as a way to confront the issue of bad weather by relinquishing its experience to the inhabitants.
2010-2011 . MSADD . Columbia University
My proposal for a tower situated on an underdeveloped
between the physical and virtual worlds. On the internal
lot in Times Square is a means of investigating the issue
side the world of information leaves the screen and in-
of bad weather within virtual information. The project
habits the space within, while on the external side infor-
questions the issue of experientiality within the interface
mation travels through flexible fiber-optic stocks which
between the physical and virtual worlds. How can the in-
have the ability to continuously connect and reconnect.
creasing presence of the virtual environment enrich the
The transfer of information is seen through blips of light,
experience of our physical spaces? This issue is par-
similar to the synapses of the brain.
ticularly complicated when examined with respect to the
While the project is mostly about providing small offices
physical storage and transmission of these complex vir-
the same power held by larger companies by giving
tual networks. My project utilizes its location as a histori-
them the fastest and most direct link to information (ide-
cally significant sight for the emergence of information
ally suited for the financial and technological industries);
and attempts to reconstruct this importance in a world
the notion of leisure is also of most importance. The roof
where virtual information can be received anywhere at
terrace of each office acts a place for physical socializa-
anytime by anyone. The main concept is an office tower
tion and relaxation, not leaving the virtual behind, but
comprised of supercomputer capsules. Every office is
simply experiencing it in a more tactile manner. This
lined with a dense array of communication and storage
place becomes a way of experiencing the life of these
servers. This thickened structure provides an interface
virtual networks in a post-Avatar fashion.
Networked Skyscraper
Initial research into the collection, storage and distribution of information through various network systems.
Section through single office unit. Walls and floors are made of high-density servers that store & transfer information through the flexible fiber-optic stocks. Open roof area allows for leisure.
A cluster of units allows for information to pass from one to another and into the greater networked system
Networked Skyscraper
Building Elevation from Broadway
Building/Site Section
The entire structure is wrapped in a Faraday cage to
The base of the building explores more tangible aspects
shield electromagnetic interference from entering this
of our social networks by providing a leisurely retreat
pure environment. This skin doubles as a way of com-
for the millions of Times Square visitors. The fiber-optic
municating information to both the interior and exterior
stocks provide a place to play or relax while peering up
spaces.
into the depths of this hybrid world.
Networked Skyscraper
Building Plan at 300’
Building Plan at 600’
Networked Skyscraper
A short video was prepared to convey the experiential and atmospheric qualities of the project. The movie takes firstperson perspective of a new employee’s first day at work in this strange new tower.
The building reaches the ground in a sunken plaza, providing a space of leisure adjacent to times square. This space also allows spectators to peer up into the depths of networks connecting physical and virtual spaces.
Site section through sunken plaza. The direct connection to the NRW subway lines allows employees to remain connected to the rest of the city. High-speed data lines are often run along train lines because of their direct cross-country access.
Safety Net + Hurricane Shelters for Haiti’s Tent Cities + Community Seeds for Haiti’s Future
studio critic: Keith Kasemans of KBAS chosen site: Port-au-Prince, Haiti chosen program: Hurrican Shelter, Market Infrastructure, School software used: Rhino, Grasshopper, GIS, Illustrator, V-Ray studio brief: The project consists simply of a hurricane shelter that will also act as a transformational seed for the surrounding community. The shelter might only be needed for a few days out of the year, but the nature of the structurally sound shelter may promote many other opportunities the rest of the time. This idea of permanence and temporality played an important role in the project; allowing some things to adapt or dissolve over time while other items will remain constant. The concept for my project was derived from a conversation with Architecture for Humanity; when asked how Haitians may programmatically utilize a large open shelter I was told that they would have taken over the space before it was even completed. The idea of personal space and common ownership in Haiti allow for informal occupation to attach onto formal structures. This lead to a proposal for a Framework for Haitian Reconstruction. The main idea is to use a minimal amount of high-strength steel components that would require skilled labor to assemble. This minimal skeleton becomes a framework for local Haitian laborers to complete. The shelter and the space around it become a free gift to the local community.
2010-2011 . MSADD . Columbia University
Context: Urgency.
As we watch the Atlantic Ocean
generated at this caliber towards a place plagued with
churn out its seasonal strings of tropical storms and
so many paralyzing factors? What value can we provide
hurricanes, it is impossible not to be concerned by the
as architects operating truly from the outside? What can
potential peril these storms may thrust upon the people
we do?
of Haiti. Displaced by the horrific earthquake of January
Coupling sincerity with design rigor, hyper-practicality
12, 2010, approximately 1.5 million Haitians are cur-
with deep imagination and exploration, the baseline
rently living in tent cities and coping with unimaginably
premise for this studio is that we can develop a cata-
complicated conditions which would only to be exac-
log of highly refined, spatially astute and structurally
erbated if a forceful, even sub-hurricane storm were to
articulate projects, and broadcast an array of strate-
strike. This real threat of widespread calamity is both
gies radically and productively alternative to the status
prolonged and amplified by the fact that even the most
quo. Technically free from the financial and operational
optimistic outlooks predict these tent cities will remain
pressures inherent to all on-the-ground efforts currently
largely occupied for at least several years, as rebuilding
underway in Haiti, the experimental nature of this studio
efforts struggle to gain substantial momentum. While
is to be fully flexed towards all explorations. In other
countless valiant efforts are currently underway in and
words, designers in this studio are tasked to project
for Haiti, there is clearly room for productive ideas and
architectural strategies for Haiti that would otherwise not
positive strategies to be thrown into the mix especially
be imagined or discussed.
during these early stages of the long-term outlook. As such, this studio is a focused experiment, an incubator of ideas. How can we channel the promise of ideas
Safety Net +
Scanning of Port-au-Prince to determine sites that meet programmatic requirements of deployment system. Area in white rectangle (Petion-Ville) selected for full-deployment study.
Selected site in Petion-Ville located at the terminus of a two-mile street market along Route de Freres. This site is also the intersection of several stratified social-economic conditions. Upper-class Neighborhood
Slum Settlement
Slum Settlement
Business District
Upper-class Neighborhood
Exploded axonometric of single hurricane shelter displaying materiality and construction process.
Safety Net +
The shelter has been optimized to connect to other shelters in a less predictable manner. A single shelter may connect to other self-similar shelters through a means of facial recognition. Connection examples below.
C
B
A
A:A
A:B
A:C
B:B
B:C
C:C
Rather than utilize these structures to interrupt the exist-
deployed as a single unit (for rural relief) as well as an
ing life of Haiti by proposing new market typologies or
aggregation of units responding to context and its own
a new structure for education, the shelters act as an in-
facial recognition system. This variety of deployment
frastructure to support Haiti’s existing situation. Specific
possibilities allows for a range of different outcomes. For
sites were chosen based on certain criteria including an
example, some scenarios may support a more dense
existing tent city, an existing street market, and a high
infrastructure for the street market while others may
level of socio-economic diversity. The idea is not to limit
create a courtyard market to relieve congested street
the possibilities of the project, but rather to demonstrate
traffic.
its potential on a variety of sites. The shelters can be
Shelter
Shelter
Permanent
Permanent
Temporary
Temporary
Market
Market
Shelter
Shelter
Permanent
Permanent
Temporary
Temporary
Market
Market
Shelter
Shelter
Permanent
Permanent
Temporary
Temporary
Market
Market
Safety Net +
Safety Net +
With the shelter existing first and foremost as a means of infrastructure, it is important that a variety of programs and materials can use the shelter as an armature for attachment. The informality of such additions contrast the structural rigidity of the shelter
Safety Net +
The modular shelter systems allows for a gradual deployment as infrastructure and open space become available.
Zoning
Current Condition
Deployment Phase 2
Deployment Phase 3
Deployment Phase 1
Full Deployment
Swarm Intelligence Negotiated Behavior of Multi-Agent Systems
Course Instructor: Roland Snooks of Kokkugia Project Team: Tyler Johnson, Brian Buckner, Kurt Rodrigo, Max Orzi Software Used: Processing, Rhinoscript, V-Ray Course Brief: This project examines the role of agency within a generative design process by using computational methodologies grounded in swarm intelligence and casting a simple decision making ability into agents capable of self-organizing into an emergent intelligence. This semester long project focused on the technical code writing required to cast swarm systems and the architectural theory behind these systems. The project developed simulations of vector based swarm systems and then used these systems as a basis for developing an architectural design methodology which operates within a topological substrate. The second half of the project (moving from a two-dimensional environment to a three-dimensional environment) shifted away from simply mapping agents over time and instead became a system capable of negotiating architectural inputs. Computational design is shifting away from heavy systems (like Maya’s MEL scripting language) and into lighter weight object-oriented languages like Processing and Rhinoscript. This entire simulation was written in Processing, subdivided with a Rhinoscript, isosurfaced with Processing, and rendered with V-Ray for Rhino.
2010-2011 . MSADD . Columbia University
People exhibit swarm behavior similar to the flocking
project, we have defined an attractor as an object which
patterns found in nature. For example, a crowd leaving a
possesses desirable/positive qualities which causes
stadium after a sporting event displays flocking behavior
others to attract to itself Typical social situations which
similar to a school of fish. It is interesting to see how
display this type of behavior are celebrities and the so-
people act when something catches their interest, gen-
cial attraction they generate when they appear in public
erating an attraction between that entity and the people
spaces. As a result, when celebrities draw attention to
around it. The interest of this project is how humans
themselves, the crowds they attract tend to exhibit be-
behave in a swarm behavior when another human is
havioral patterns found in swarm intelligence.
the object of interest (attractor). For the purpose of this
Swarm Intelligence
Multi-Agent Types Ornamental agent: Agent (Crowd Agent): Attracted Ornamental Attracted to Paparazzi at value 5to Paparazzi at value 5; Attracted to Celebrity at value 10 Attracted to Celebrity at value 10 Structure Agent (Paparazzi Agent): Primary structure Attracted to celebrity atAttracted value 15 to celebrity at value 15; Ignores Crowd agent agent: Attraction Agent (Celebrity Agent): Avoids other agent types; Celebrity status changes with time (t) Attraction Agent: Attracted to none Celebrity status changes at random every t seconds
Default position involves crowd and eople with an Attractor
paparazzi in an idle manner. There is no particular attraction between each other
Crowd member(s) status transforms into a celebrity. There is an activation of presence of the celebrity agent. Movement begins amongst the paparazzi and crowd
Flocking occurs. There is a stronger attraction between all elements Crowd begins to take note and a following of the paparazzi towards the celebrity. If the paparazzi or crowd is not within the distance to be activated, no activity occurs
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1. Agents attempt to minimize the distance between themselves and the attractor
1. Default position involves crowd and paparazzi in an idle manner. There is no particular attraction between each other
Waiting
2. Agents attempt to move in front of other adjacent agents to minimize the distance between themselves and the attractor
2. Crowd member(s) status transforms into a celebrity. There is an activation of presence of the celebrity agent. Movement begins amongst the paparazzi and crowd
Awareness and Activation
3. Agents attempt to match the average vector of other adjacent agents
3. Flocking occurs. There is a stronger attraction between all elements Crowd begins to take note and a following of the paparazzi towards the celebrity. If the paparazzi or crowd is not within the to be activated, no activity occurs Engageddistance movement and Activity
lay
en es.
s
ey
n 1. Waiting
2. Awareness and Activation
3. Engaged movement and activity
1. Agents attempt to minimize the distance between themselves and the attractor
2. Agents attempt to move in front of other adjacent agents to minimize the distance between themselves and the attractor
3. Agents attempt to match the average vector of other adjacent agents
5. Structure Agents. These agents are attracted to attraction agents.
6. Attraction Agents. These agents attempt to avoid Structure agents and Ornamental agents.
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4. Ornamental Agent. These agents flock together and are attracted to a attraction agents and structure agents.
and and
7. Change of State. When a Structure agent collides with a Attractor agent, the result is the creation of a Void agent.
8.Void Agents. These agents don’t move but their radius of repulsion varies, it causes Ornamental agents, and Structure agents to repulse from them.
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9. Emergent Behavior. Void agents, define variable void space. The original agents navigate between these spaces leaving behind a weaved structure.
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Swarm Intelligence
By controlling the behavior and properties of individual agents we can control the resultant flocking system. Using a matrix of possible outcomes we can quickly test how individual behaviors affect the larger system in a two-dimensional environment.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
More flocking iterations showing emergent behavior over time
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
Swarm Intelligence
After working in a two-dimensional environment to test emergent behavior, I transformed our code to operate in a three-dimensional environment allowing for the creation of space. Below is another matrix possibilities show in full-screen and zoom-in.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
Further iterations based on population size, void size and agent rotational behavior over time
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
Swarm Intelligence
Continued multi-agent testing
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
Continued multi-agent testing
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
t = 120 sec.
t = 260 sec.
t = 400 sec.
t = 700 sec.
t = 850 sec.
t = 1200 sec.
t = 1600 sec.
t = 2100 sec.
Population Void Size Rotation Behavior
Swarm Intelligence
Isosurfacing of Structural Agents
Isosurfacing of Ornamental Agents
Combination of structure and ornament
Swarm Intelligence
Rendered view of resultant geometry
Rendered view of resultant geometry. Darker isosurface represents paparazzi (structural) agents
Rendered view of final geometry. Isosurfaced in Processing; Compiled & smoothed with Rhinoscript; Rendered with V-Ray