air Studio air air air air air journal Vien Nguyen 699430
contents.
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PART A A.1 design futuring .................... 10 A.2 design computation ............. 16 A.3 composition/generation........ 22 A.4 conclusion .......................... 28 A.5 learning outcomes ............... 29 A.6 appendix ............................. 32
PART b B.1 research fields ..................... 38 B.2 design computation ............. 41 B.3 case study 2.0 .................... 50 B.4 technique development ........ 58 B.5 prototyping ......................... 74 B.6 proposal ............................. 84 B.7 learning outcomes ............... 92 B.8 appendix ............................. 94
PART c C.1 design concepts .................. 100 C.2 tectonics + protypes ............ 108 C.3 final detail model ................. 124 C.4 learning outcomes ............... 144
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VIEN
My name is Vien Nguyen, I am a third year undergraduate architecture student at The University of Melbourne. I have always had a curiosity towards built world, beginning from playing with duplo and lego as a child, my interest grew into a fascination towards architecture, a grey area where art meets engineering, where creativity can become a tangible object that exists in the real world and not on canvas. Through my studies, I have developed an interest in parametric design,
emergent construction systems and designing for humans. Alongside utilising digital design tools, I wish to use studios in university to push the envelope and challenge my own ideas, developing concepts and ways of thinking that I am able to bring forward into my professional career. While I believe that architecture needs to be informed by building methods, I feel that as technologies develop, architects need to facilitate innovation to create new methods that are able to reflect forward thinking ideas.
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And through this design studio and exploration of Grasshopper, I wish to better my understanding of parametric design and challenge myself to create what was previously intangible. Activities I partake outside of architecture include pressing buttons on a camera, shifting gears, bouncing a ball and upsetting my wallet with unnecessary shoe purchases.
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Part a: conceptualisation
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a.1 Design futuring
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CASE STUDY 1
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ierichs’ project explores forward thinking design and construction systems, establishing a relationship between the two that is rarely seen in traditional architectural projects. The design utilises granular modules that are able to stick to one another, allowing them to be aggregated to create self standing structures. The modules develop are able to “act both with the stability of solid material”[1] as well as have “fast reconfigurability of liquid on the other”[1], thus venturing into the realm of where structural materials are able to have the freedom to move and provide structural support at the same time. This method of
Karola Dierichs, Aggregate Architectures, Institute for Computational Design (ICD), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2011
construction where individual modules are reliant on one another to maintain structural integrity, was tried and tested through computational physics modelling. In terms of design futuring Dierichs’, project moves in the right direction by pushing to incorporate physics modelling directly into the design process, in turn exploring new possibilities and opening new doors for future construction optimised design. This first step towards physics informed designed may also have the power to be a redirectional design process [3], addressing sustainability and resource extraction issues through optimising structural
Figure 1: Interior space and diffusion of light through the aggregate structure [2]
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components and essentially minimising what is required to complete a project. Dierichs’ project also touches upon the possibility of reconfiguring a space with the existing granular modules, exhibiting strong notions of reusing existing materials to respond to external factors. Furthermore, the arrangements of these modules are able to be assembled both by hand or autonomously, hinting that the system is relevant to both the future and present of construction. It is also important to note that the project is built, highlighting that these new construction techniques are able to work in the real world.
Figure 2: Scale of the project and close up of a granular module [2]
1. Dierichs, Karola and Menges, Achim (2012). Aggregate Structures: Material and Machine Computation of Design Granular Substances (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.), pp. 76 2. Universitat Stuttgart ICD Research Project (n.d.). Image retrieved from http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=10339 3. Fry, Tony (2008). Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg), pp. 1–16
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CASE STUDY 2
FR-EE, Museo Soumaya, Mexico City, Mexico, 2011
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R-EE’s museum in Mexico City aims to reinvigorate and strengthen the culture not only to its surrounding context, but also through the design process. This project was undertaken without local expertise[4] thus, clear communication and collaborative culture was vital to undertaking such a radical project in Mexico. While on the surface, the parametrically designed facade and interior seems to be the most radical aspect of the project, a closer inspection uncovers that it was the process and workflow that was more forward thinking. Throughout the project, architects and consultants worked off of a central model
of the building, moving further towards direct collaboration with multiple people and disciplines working together with live changes - speeding up the workflow and maintaining clarity to all parties involved. This ties in closely with Tony Fry’s concept of design futuring, mainly ideas behind design intelligence and redirection. With FR-EE and Arup working closely together to develop the structure and facade nodes, the collaborative effort behind this project highlights the possibilities that multiple disciples may be able to create when working alongside one another. This in turn may be able to bring forward new solutions
Figure 4: Hexagonal nodes cladding the facade [6]
4. Romero, Fernando and Ramos, Armando (2013). Bridging a Culture: The Design of Museo Soumaya (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.) 5. Soumaya museum by fernando romero architects (2010, October). Image retrieved from http://www.designboom.com/cms/images/00andy/museo10.jpg 6. Museo Soumaya / FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise (2013, November) . Image retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/452226/ museo-soumaya-fr-ee-fernando-romero-enterprise
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to humanitarian issues and empowering those in the industry to redirect society down a more sustainable path.
Figure 3: Structural diagram [5]
Figure 5: View from approaching the building [6]
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a.2 design computation
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CASE STUDY 1
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he 2015 ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion at the University of Stuttgart explores the realms of computational design through integrating digital design methods into the overall design process. This allows for new methods of thinking and analysing how materials are able to be utilised in non-traditional ways - creating a direct correlation between a material and final design outcome. By integrating material research
Achim Megnes, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion, Institute for Computational Design (ICD), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2015
into computational design, this allows for the exploration of more optimised construction methods to decrease resource usage and building time. The 2015 ICD pavilion in particular explores digital construction in a way where computerised fabrication methods step beyond the boundaries of human programming and fixed inputs, but instead responds to the environment it is within and is able to adjust accordingly. This
Figure 6: External view of the pavilion [8]
7. Menges, Achim (2016). Computational Material Culture (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.), pp. 76-83 8. ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2014-15 (n.d.). Image retrieved from http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=12965
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presents the possibility of an exceptionally radical way to build, one where manufacturing may not necessarily have to overlooked or control by humans. This synthesis of material properties and fabrication methods allowed for a structurally stable state to be found for an inflated envelope and thus a shell like structure being able to be created through digital optimisation [7].
Figure 7: Internal space of the pavilion [8]
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CASE STUDY 2
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imilar to the research pavilion at the University of Stuttgart, Fornes’ pop-up store for Louis Vuitton marks a significant step in what can be achieved through computational design. Utilising carbon fibre, a lightweight and extremely strong material often found in supercars, the project at the time of completion marked the largest scale application of the material [9] as well as the first self supporting carbon fibre shell applied to architecture [10]. The workflow used for this goes
Marc Fornes/THEVERYMANY, Louis Vuitton Pop-up Shop, Selfridges, London, 2012
beyond utilising digital tools to panel double curved surfaces. Looking into the logistical complications of creating and assembling these panels, Fornes and THEVERYMANY looked to use digital tools in order to create and then recombine these panels into larger one that would assist with construction efficiency and management. So in this sense, the use of computation not only informs the design outcome, but also influences the workflow and overall management of a project.
Figure 8: Internal space of the store [12] 9. Fornes, Mark (2016). The Art of the Prototypical (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.), pp. 60-67 10. 12 Louis Vuitton (n.d.). http://theverymany.com/12-louis-vuitton-yayoi-kusama/ last accessed 15/03/16 11. Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1–10 12. 12 Louis Vuitton (n.d.). Image retrieved from http://theverymany.com/12-louis-vuitton-yayoi-kusama/
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This process follows Oxman, Rivka & Oxman’s statement on the shift of architecture towards more research-design based outcomes [11]. Both of these projects indicate the strong push towards integrating computation into the design process to form new correlations between material, structure and design - allowing designers to explore more innovative and possibly sustainable solutions to current and impending social and environmental issues.
Figure 9: Long carbon fibre strips to form the facade [12]
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a.3 composition / generATION
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CASE STUDY 1
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he 2012 ICD pavilion provides an example of both a generative approach towards design as well as the integration of performative analysis to a design workflow. As opposed being a computerised project, the pavilion began by delving into material research and drawing inspiration from the exoskeletons of arthropods and their fibrous structure, the project developed
Achim Megnes, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion, Institute for Computational Design (ICD), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, 2012
a foundation in a structural concept where the rest of the design would spawn from. This in conjunction with structural and robotic simulation follows the idea that integrating performance analysis into the design process would allow for more responsive and complex designs to be formulated [13]. The in-depth analysis of a fibrous structure resulted in a final outcome
Figure 10: Close up of the fibre structure [15]
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that was able to be constructed autonomously as well as being resource and weight efficient (5.6kg per square metre) [14]. Such a structure would not have been able to be composed without the bottom up performative and materials analysis approach that the project was taken within, highlighting how from analytics, a design outcome was able to be generated.
Figure 11: The pavilion in context and use [15] 13. Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 08-15 14. Knippers, Jan, La Magna, Riccardo, Menges, Achim, Reichert, Steffen, Schwinn, Tobias and Waimer, Frédéric (2015). ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2012L Coreless Filament Winding Based on the Morphological Principles of an Arthropod Exoskeleton (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.), pp.60-67 15. ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion (n.d.). Image retrieved from http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=8807
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CASE STUDY 2
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his project takes on a slightly more radical approach to generative design and performative analysis. Similar to the previous project, research into materials system was the major driving force when developing an outcome. In this case the overall form was generated from the self forming capabilities of elastically bent plywood plates [16], reinforcing Peters [13]
Achim Megnes Architect, Oliver David Krieg & Steffen Reichert, HygroSkin-Meteorosensitive Pavilion, OrlĂŠans-la-Source, France, 2013
observation that performative analysis is increasingly become a significant driver for computational architecture. Furthering this point, the pavilion explored the material properties of wood further and established a meaningful connection between certain areas of the panels and the surround weather conditions. Wooden apertures respond to air humidity by being programmed
to open or close, thus changing the interior qualities in terms of light, transparency and ventilation. This highlights that generative architecture has the power to move beyond being utilised as an aesthetic generational tool, but rather one that has the capabilities to draw lines and connections between factors that would not be readily linked.
Figure 12: The wooden aperatures the respond to air humidity [17]
16. Megnes, Achim and Reichert, Steffen (2015). Performative Wood: Physically Programming the Responsive Architecture of HygroScope and HygroSkin Projects 17. HygroSkin-Meteorosensitive Pavilion / Achim Menges Architect + Oliver David Krieg + Steffen Reichert (2013, September). Image retrieved from http:// www.archdaily.com/424911/hygroskin-meteorosensitive-pavilion-achim-menges-architect-in-collaboration-with-oliver-david-krieg-and-steffen-reichert
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Figure 13: Modular panels on the facade and aperatures [17]
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a.4 conclusion a.5 learning outcomes
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a.4 conclusion
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o conclude Part A of this journal, I feel it has become more apparent to me how powerful parametric design and algorithmic thinking can be. By applying these two concepts together, the vastness in which complex issues can be explored is endless, and as a result of this exploration, the solution may be radical and able to address these issues in ways that have previously not thought plausible. New thinking methods and integrating aspects such as performative analysis directly into the design process alongside developing algorithms to create relationships, allows for a level of
control, flexibility and complexity that is not able to be achieved through only analog methods. This complexity and radical shift towards computation is essential for designers to address current and impending global issues. Through this new digital avenue, designers are empowered to redirect humanity down a more sustainable path. Thus, through the remainder of this studio I shall attempt to adapt a more algorithmic approach whereby parameters and relationships are able to be established between different components of the project.
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a.5 learning outcomes
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verall I found the topic of architectural computing in theory and practice to be an extremely interesting one. I began the semester by thinking that parametric design was essentially creating mathematical equations to create free flowing and double curved surfaces. However over the course of the first couple of weeks, I have come to realise that it involves much more than joining grasshopper modules together, but rather, it is an entirely new way of thinking and analysing not only a physical outcome, but also the process to reach it. This type of thinking could have assisted in improving my past projects through thinking
more about creating relationships between certain aspects of the project, and also considering parameters and boundaries. A sort of more bottom up form finding methods as opposed to top-down thinking. This also ties in closely with the debate between computerisation versus computation, and in hindsight, almost all of my projects have been simply a digitalise model that was developed on paper, instead of utilising the digital realm to assist in creating a design outcome. This discrepancy is something I will try to address in Studio Air, implementing a new way of thinking and working.
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a.6 appendix
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a.6 appendix
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found the box morph to the left the most interesting result thus far through my algorithmic tasks. This selection was not made from a purely aesthetic perspective, but rather, how the form was created and how it begins to develop notions of computation and parametric design explored in the lectures and readings. The panels along the surface was created entirely in Grasshopper, and thus it is able to accurately
adjusted, allowing for the model to maintain a degree of flexibility. This ties into concepts of control, flexibility and responsiveness. While the panels are parametric, the lofted surface itself was unfortunately referenced in, and I believe that this aspect could be improved upon in future exercises, a push towards creating things more parametrically in order to maintain control over all aspects of the design outcome.
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Part b: criteria design
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b.1 research fields
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research fields
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he chosen research field for our particular studio is patterning. In terms of the opportunities that patterning provides, I believe that it is able to quite strongly convey messages both explicitly and implicitly, and through this it has the potential to forge strong relationships between a design and the context that it is placed within. Furthering this, the aesthetic qualities of patterning itself has the power to control perception through light play, illusion and obstruction, making it quite a powerful design technique which may not necessarily require such an abstract form to achieve maximum impact.
Patterning
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rom a fabrication perspective however, there are some areas of concern. Patterning is often associated with many repeating elements, which means that the indexing and organisation of these elements is critical to maintain an efficient workflow. Additionally, if perforations are used in conjunction with laser cutting and digital fabrication, tolerances and extra attention to things such as limiting the size of holes, will minimise the potential for mistakes to be made.
18. Zahner Factory Expansion / Crawford Architects (2011, September). Image retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/169206/zahner-factory-expansioncrawford-architects
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Figure 14. Parametric facade on the Zahner Factory Expansion [18]
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b.2 case study 1.0
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CASE STUDY 1.0
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hrough analysing and attempting to push the definition for the Spanish Pavilion by Foreign Office Architects, interesting results and limitations were discovered. Overall, while the definition provided had a great degree of flexibility and control, I found it to be somewhat limiting in terms of it’s potential to be significantly altered without advance data knowledge that I lacked at the time of the attempting exercise. Through the exercise however, I attempted to extract new design languages and ideas through
Foreign Office Architects, Spanish Pavilion, Aichi Expo, Japan, 2005
pushing the definition. This was somewhat successful with interesting results being able to be observed, however the scope of these results is still relatively limited in my eyes. The patterns and such that came out were interesting, but architecturally it’s application may not be as diverse, it could be mapped onto another surface as a pattern or extruded to form a wall not dissimilar from the original pavilion, but advance nature of the script in conjunction with my lack of date knowledge proved to be a limitation in these explorations.
Selection criteria: - Potential for further development - Overall aesthetic consistency - Clarity - Controllability - Coherency - Manufacturability
19. Spanish Pavilion at the 2005 World Expo in Aichi (2015, July). Image retrieved from http://www.archilovers.com/projects/155810/spanish-pavilion-at-the2005-world-expo-in-aichi.html
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Figure 15. the spanish pavilion [19]
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CASE STUDY 1.0
Foreign Office Architects, Spanish Pavilion, Aichi Expo, Japan, 2005
species 01: grid types
species 02: grid adjustment
species 03: offset adjusment + image map overlay
species 04: graph mapper
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Rectangular grid - I felt that this particular iteration was quite an interesting one as while as a whole, it differs from the starting point quite significantly, the design language is able to be maintained and conveyed at a similar strength. The strong sense of order throughout the iteration enhances the deviations in the individual cells, and thus the pattern is read quite clearly
Polar grid - This was a somewhat unexpected iteration, as I thought using a polar grid may have resulted in circles or something resembling quadrants. However, the result was a grid of triangles with the cells offset in a slightly strange manner. This is likely to be because the expressions used to generate the offset cells do not suit the grid shape
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Positive offset - While quite a simple adjustment to make to the initial definition, I think that offsetting some of the cells outwardly results in an iteration that aesthetically deviates quite significantly away from its original form. Whilst a sense of coherency is maintained through the grid, the overlapping lines blur the cells in that area, creating an ambiguity that is not present in it’s initial state
Double image map - Also a simple adjustment to the definition, adding another image sampler slightly rotated the offset cells, leading to a more diverse and dynamic result than the initial, but one that does not deviate so far from it’s design language
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b.3 case study 2.0
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CASE STUDY 2.0
Renginneering the Aqua Tower (Studio Gang Architects, Chicago, USA, 2009)
Figure 16: Aqua Tower Facade in Chicago [20]
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CASE STUDY 2.0
box
Definition diagram
list item
divide surface
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perlin/image map
Interpolate
make surface
connect sides
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extrude
CASE STUDY 2.0
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ith the reverse engineering of the Aqua Tower, at first it seemed relatively straight forward, however, as process went on it became increasingly difficult. Analysing the individual faces of my outcome and the actual tower, the language and form is extremely similar. But, when looking at the building as a whole, an important aspect to notice is that the aqua tower has the waves wrapping around the entire box, whereas my outcome
Reflection + moving forward
had each face individually mapped. I attempted to unroll and remap an image onto the whole box but the desired outcome was unable to be achieved.
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n terms of furthering this definition, I feel that because it is so refined to begin with, in the sense that it is already an entire building, the scope for pushing further on this is relatively limited. So to break
from this, I think it would be more appropriate to construct a new definition an apply some of the language discovered in this re-engineering exercise. Furthermore, I am not necessarily sure that this is the design language I wish to carry forward. So I may attempt to merge the Aqua Tower and the perforation and patterning found on the Dior Ginza Building by Office of Kumiko Inui.
Figure 17a-c: Dior Ginza facade [21]
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Figure 18: Dior Ginza facade [22] 20. Aqua Tower / Studio Gang Architects (2009, December). Image retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/42694/aqua-tower-studio-gang-architects 21. Dior Ginza | Office of Kumiko Inui (2004, October). Images retrieved from http://www.inuiuni.com/projects/234/ 22. Browning, R. (2013, April), Photograph. The Christian Dior building in Ginza district of Tokyo, Japan. Image retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/rognbrow/10801276806/in/photostream/
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b.4 technique development
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technique development parametric 3 line loft
parametric 3 line loft + graph mapper
parametric loft + panelling tools differing grid attractors on surface
grid types + mirror + 3d morph
3d morph + fractal
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Iterations
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technique development
parametric loft + panelling tools + lunchbox panel offsets + panel types
panel types + mathematical geometry morph
grid offest +loft
grid offest +loft
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Iterations
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technique development
general iterations
various
mesh +mesh smooth
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Iterations
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technique development
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Successful outcome 1.0 Lunchbox + Panelling Tools
rame offset - utilising both panelling tools and lunchbox plugins for grasshopper, I was able to generate planar triangular frames. In terms of aesthetic qualities it may not seem so extravagant, however, its potential to be manufactured makes this one of the more successful iterations. As the
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original panels are planar, as long as indexing is done properly, the printing of individual parts and assembly should be fairly straight forward. While this aspect of manufacturing could inhibit design potential, it is critical to consider if the digital design was intended to be brought into the physical world
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technique development
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Successful outcome 2.0 Hyperbolic paraboloid morph
yperbolic paraboloid morph - this iteration acts as almost the other side of the coin to the frame iteration. This particular approach resulted in an interesting and quite elegant formal outcome, one where the repeated elements in conjunction with their curvature adds more depth to the wall like form. However, in terms of manufacturing, this iteration will be far harder to create as each
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paraboloid is unique, requiring a great amount of effort to create each of these individual aggregates. Furthermore, connection details between each module is not as straight forward as the frame. But, when considering design potential, the aggregated language of this iteration could be taken forward to create an intricate but simple and beautiful aesthetic outcome
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technique development
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Successful outcome 3.0 Grid offset + loft
rid offset and loft - a relatively simple idea that leads to quite an elegant and refined result. Once again aggregation comes into play to create a wall that morphs light and perception. As seen in the birds eye render, this iteration creates quite an interesting shadow form, transitioning
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between light and dark. In addition, the repeated strips also create a moray effect, making the patterning on the wall change as one moves alongside it. These strips also mean that manufacturing should be quite viable as they can be produced as a single piece and arranged in the correct order
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technique development
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Successful outcome 4.0 Mesh brep + smooth mesh
esh smooth - once again, this is one of the more abstract iterations, with the result being almost unreadable. However, despite it seeming somewhat messy, as the elements the compose it are planar, manufacturing should be viable.
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Though indexing is critical to achieving the overall form. In terms of design potential, the jagged elements could be mapped onto another surface or have some sort of relationship with an image sampler or point attractor
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b.5 prototyping
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prototyping
Panelling
Figure 19: One of the panelled iterations created
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rototyping was a somewhat interesting process, as I had a lofted wall, in order to fabricate a portion of it, rationalising the surface into planar elements was essential. Thus, I used panelling tools in order to triangulate and planarise my form. Once ready, the panels were indexed and exploded in rhino ready to be printed and put together. An important point to note is that I cut the panels out individually by
hand and found that half of the tabs needed to be folded upside down, this would have rendered utilising a laser cutter for etching quite inconvenient as half of the panels would not be able to be folded in the correct way unless identified and flipped in rhino before being sent through.
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hile the planar design language is able to be seen, the model itself was quite 74
a crude, held together by tabs and glue. Thus, attention to construction elements and details would need to be refined following this initial prototype. The prototype acts as quite a good starting point for the project - a canvas that is able to be manufactured and for a pattern to be applied onto.
Figure 20: Iteration used for prototype
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prototyping
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ndexing in rhino shown above. This step is essential to fabricating the prototype as each panel is unique and must be arranged in a specific
Indexing + fabrication
pattern. The right page shows the exploded panels for fabrication, these panels are numbered (not shown here) to match the indexing in rhino. These panels
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were then cut by hand and glued together to created the prototype shown on the following pages
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b.6 proposal
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b.6.1
Reflection on Interim Submission
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or my interim I proposed a perforated wall to be situated in between the community garden and chicken pen, as I believe that this area’s linearity did not fit in with the rest of CERES and had potential to be a space that could become much more interesting. The perforations themselves alter in size according to attractor points, allowing for certain areas to open more than other, bringing in the potential for certain views through to be emphasised. The whole design was also
parametric with the aim being for the definition to maintain a high degree of control, and example of this is being able to set individual radiuses for the perforations.
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eflecting back onto the proposal. It provided a good starting point but was far from refined. Structural and construction details were yet to be considered. Also, the pattern itself was possibly too simple and did not quite have the depth that
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I was looking for. If this proposal were to be taken forward, it may need to become a hybrid between the perforations/patterning and the panelling iterations. The perforations themselves may not be necessary, as possibly rotating or offsetting the panels may be a better solution to creating a pattern. Furthermore, the functionality of the space should be further explored, with possible inhabitable zones that be looking towards a particular view.
b.6.1
Reflection on Interim Submission
point charges
loft
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extrusions
circle sizes
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b.6.2
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Moving forward as a group
ollowing the interim, I have now aligned forces with Jeanette Phan and Winnie Chiu. We have decided that moving forward, we would like to create a design that is able highlight the power of an individual and impact that they can have on a community. This could be done through a design in which all components have a relationship with one another and one where a small input can make a larger change. Responsive materials that could possible respond to moisture and temperature could be a viable and interesting
avenue to head down, however manufacturing may be complicated. Overall however, we would like to keep the general form to be quite simple and devote the rest of our time to flesh out the construction details to create a much more refined and possible functional model. In saying this, I do not intend to throw my work thus far away, but bring the skills and languages I may have developed and apply them into a slightly different context.
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b.7 learning outcomes b.8 appendix
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b.7 learning outcomes
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hrough part B of this journal, I believe that my ability to generate iterations and design possibilities out of grasshopper has increased immensely since the end of Part A as well as the start of semester. Grasshopper is no longer about simply creating whacky forms but the importance of understanding data and controlling it has become gradually more apparent. While I would not consider myself to be proficient nor have a great
understanding of this, I believe I have gotten to the point where I am able to begin to understand and manipulate the data to do what I want, as opposed to me doing what grasshopper wants. I still find much of this extremely difficult to do, but this stage is a long way from where I was a couple of weeks ago. This growth may be have been fuelled by my stubbornness to create only parametric definitions, as I believe that the control it gives is critical. Whilst most of my
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efforts over the past couple of weeks have been wrapping my head around the data intricacies of grasshopper, from here on forward it may be useful to bridge the gap between the design brief and what goes into the definition. Inputting real world data and relationships into the program may be able to create quite a deep and intriguing connection between the final outcome and its desired context.
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b.8 appendix
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eodesic + shift list - I found this gridshell exercise to be quite interesting in terms of the forms that it creates. On quite a simple loft (left) the language is able to be very easily read, whilst complicating it a tad more (right) results in something that looks otherworldly.
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ath Mapper - With the path mapper, while the results seem relatively simple and straight forward, the driving concepts behind it made it a more significant for me. The ability to manual alter and manipulate data at any given point is an extremely powerful tool when understood and used correctly. While I am not yet proficient with it, as I have difficulties applying it to certain circumstances, it is something that I would like to master over the coming weeks as I believe that it adds a new dimension of control and flexibility to a definition.
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Part c: Detailed Design
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c.1 design concept
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design concept
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s our group continued to discuss what direction we would like to head towards in terms of our project, and it became increasingly apparent that responsive materials was still the front running interest for the group. And as a result of this, we decided that this was the direction we would head in for our project. Again, following what was discussed in section B.6.2, manufacturing may prove to be difficult, and given the limited amount of time we have, we would like to prioritise
Reactive materials
fabricating a refined physical model over trying to create an abstract form.
W
hilst our primary focus was on constructing a model, we still wanted our proposal to have some sort of conceptual and meaning that would be appropriate to be placed within CERES. As the underlying driving force of our project was reactive materials, we wanted to create something that was able to respond to a changing environment without the need
for mechanical intervention - a natural and organic response so to speak. A powerful and somewhat abundant relationship we were able to discover was the community gardens and watering, we thought that there was something in this that may be able to translate into our project. Looking into precedents such as Achim Menges’ Hygroscope and Hygroskin that have elements that react to moisture, further strengthened our belief that creating a water reactive design was viable.
23. achim menges develops hygroskin and hygroscope: biomimetic meterosensistive pavilions (2013, April). Image retrieved from http://www.designboom. com/architecture/achim-menges-developes-hygroskin-and-hygroscope-biomimetic-meteorosensitive-pavilions-4-14-2014/
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Figure 19: Achim Menges Hygroscope Project reacting to humidity changes [23]
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design concept
Proposal
Figure 20: Site diagrams highlighting position of chosen site & views out [24]
A
s a result of this research, we proposed a wall set in amongst vegetation with the intention that when the plants are watered or when it rains, the wall is able to react and open up views through it. This follows the notion that the wall becomes part of the environment, integrating with its surroundings and responding in a similar
natural manner. It also has the potential to highlight how a small change can make a larger difference (harking back to what was mentioned in B.6.2), with the small act of watering plants able to open the entire wall. Our chosen site is the small courtyard in front of the community market as it is has a high level of activity as well as providing clear views
24. Diagram courtesy of Jeanette Phan 25. Photo courtesy of Winnie Chiu
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out over the community gardens and the Eastern side of CERES, we felt that this area would be appropriate for our wall, as it allows us to show and hide the view, emphasising the opening responsive nature of it as well as strengthening the idea of how a small action can result in a larger reaction.
Figure 21: Diagram indicating activity levels at CERES [24]
Figure 22: Site panorama [25]
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design concept
polygon (x number of sides)
Technicals
find centre point(CP)
Mirror cp along polygon edges
frame
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connect po to form pa
x number of panels
oints nels
Aggregate panels to form wall
create modules
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he wall itself would be formed of an aggregation of modules that have panels wrapping when exposed to water - this means that a single module consists of a number of panels and a frame with ‘x’ number of sides. From a technical perspective, the creation of these modules would have to be created in grasshopper, preferably parametrically so form finding and analysis could be done easily.
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Bend Panels Around Frames
These modules would then have to be aggregated to form a wall, and finally the panels to be somehow bent around the frame (possibly with kangaroo or a similar physic simulator). For the chosen frame, a certain depth of construction detailing may have to be achieved in order to create a refined outcome as simply laser cutting an entire frame may not work at the scale of which is required for the final model.
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c.2 tectonic elements & prototypes
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tectonics
Differential expansion
Exposed Veneer Sealed face
direction of expansion
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U
tilising the Achim Menges projects as inspiration for our project, we found by using the correct material and techniques, it is possible to create a system that would react naturally when exposed to water. This is done through the principle of differential expansion, whereby one side of a piece of timber veneer is sealed and the other left exposed, meaning that when the exposed side is exposed to water, it will expand at a different rate to the sealed side, resulting in a bending motion.
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tectonics
Material Testing
ROMANO CUBAN CHALKWOOD chocolate metro silkwood
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e found that the rate and extent of expansion (wrapping) was determined by the characteristics of the grain within the timber veneer. Through testing various types of veneer
kindly provided by Eveneer, we found that those with a smaller grains that were closer together would wrap faster than those that were further apart. Ultimately, we selected the Chalkwood as
26. Table courtesy of Jeanette Phan
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it was the quickest reacting and wrapped to the greatest extent out of the tested materials.
wood type order of fastest
romano 6
Cuban 4
chalkwood 1
Chocolate 2
Metro 5
Silkwood 3
MINUTES
0
1
5
10
15
Figure 23: Material testing results [26]
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tectonics
Material Testing
0 mins
15 MINS
2 MINS
6 MINS
20 MINS
10 MINS
30 MINS
Figure 24: Perforation test [27]
Selection As our design seemed relatively simple we considered the use of perforations to add more depth to the proposal. However, as a result of our testing we noticed that the
perforations effected the bending of the panel. The holes created reduced the surface area and effected the grain, meaning less veneer exposed to water which
27. Diagram courtesy of Jeanette Phan
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resulted in uneven bending as well as an extremely lengthy time to achieve any sort of bending.
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Prototypes
Overall form
triangular frame
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hrough using the grasshopper definition shown in part C.1, we were able to quickly create different modules (through varying the number of sides of the frame) and thus providing different iterations of what the wall could be like aggregated.
square frame
hexagonal frame
s seen on the right, these iterations produced as prototypes laser cut from card and perspex. We found that as the number of sides of the frame increased, the larger the hole formed would be when the panels bent. This deterred us from using the hexagonal module as while
it looked aesthetically sound when the panels are closed, when they are bent the hole produced looked far too big and lacked cohesion. As a result of this, we opted for the triangular frame we felt it maintained aesthetic merit both opened and closed.
A
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square frame
triangular frame
hexagonal frame
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Prototypes
Connection detailing
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pon determining the panel material and which module to use, we established two connections that needed to be resolved. Firstly, the intersection of the frames between the modules, and secondly the fixing between the panel and the frame itself. The prototypes to right and following pages highlight explorations for the frame intersection [28, 29]. Initially we experimented with rectangular pieces of wood as it was easy to fabricate and construct quick prototypes. However, for our actual proposal we wanted to use circular dowels because they allowed the panels to bend without obstruction as well as provide a warm, gentle aesthetic that we felt would suit the site quite well.
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
- Looks cleaner than the other joints - Would look even better if done with more precision
- Working with a flat panel easier to control than circular
Cons
- Tedious in labour work - Hammering nail would push one side away from the other, which is difficult to control. Resulted in an uneven shape
PROS
PROS
- Tedious in labour work - Can only be joined with glue, as nailing on an angle would be difficult
28. Prototyping courtesy of Winnie Chiu 29. Diagrams courtesy of Jeanette Phan
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Cons
Prototype 3
Prototype 4
Prototype 5
- Angle and shape didn’t shift too much
- This joint allowed for the frame to be kept in place, also concealing its edges to create better visual impact - Can be nailed down for extra support
- Joints are hidden allowing for a clean finish - Stronger due to its singular component
Cons
Cons
- The angles and frame length need to be calculate with precision or else it would result in a deformed shape - Difficult to nail through a round dowel with precision
- Difficult to fabricate and labour intensive as the holes need to be manually drilled in on all six sides.
PROS
Cons - Tedious in labour work - Can only be joined with glue, as nailing on an angle would be difficult
PROS
PROS
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Prototype 6 PROS
- This joint looks more cohesive - Stronger, more sturdy structure due to its singular component
Cons - Time consuming, it took 6 hours to print - Due to its hollow interior suports were created in order for it to be constructed. To remove the supports was very tedious, difficult and time consuming. - Numerous issues arose when 3D printing in terms of heating the plate and setting up the file. It require four tries for it to work.
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Panel Connection
Nail Washer
Spacer Dowel End plate
Node
Frame Connection
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final joint PROS
- Components (Node, Cap, Spacer, washer)can be laser cut thus it was a much faster and efficient to fabricate - Allows for higher level of detail in the joint
Cons - The connection between the dowel and cap is a point of weakness - The dowel and must be cut to precision to not effect the pattern - The connection of the cap to the dowel must be parallel and at the right angle for it to be acurate
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F
or our final joint, we opted for a nodal system. Through the process of our prototyping, we found that circular dowels were extremely difficult to intersect each other, as a result of this, the node provides allows for the circular node to attach to each other in a planar way. However, because this means that the dowel itself is segmented, it’s structural integrity reduces dramatically, relying on the smaller components within the system to hold the structure together. Additionally, our panel to frame connection became a sort of sandwich, layered from top to bottom. This was necessary as to find nails that were easily workable meant that they were slightly too long for the thickness of the panel and node. Therefore, a spacer and washer had to be used in order to take up the length of nail.
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c.3 final detail model
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Final
Section
Node
Panel
dowel
State 01: closed 126
Node
Panel
State 02: open 127
Outline of the perspex laser cut and 1:1 construction guide for aligning elements
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End plates to connect dowel and node
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A makeshift device to ensure the end caps are are aligned on both ends of the dowel
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Completed frame
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Aligning panels
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More aligning
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Final alignment
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Nails set in place
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Final connection detail, nail with washer
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Close up of panel to frame connection
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Final wall
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Panel to frame connection
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Frame node
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Frame node
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c.4 learning outcomes + objectives
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Learning outcomes
F
ollowing our presentation, various aspects of our project were pointed out by the jury to have the potential to be developed further. The model itself, while being able to leaned up against something, was still quite fragile and was yet to be able to stay upright by itself. This is most likely due to the perspex being used used within the joint system - nodes and end plates, meaning it is not the most rigid material. If funds and time permitted, then materials with more strength could have been used such as a thicker
Final presentation feedback
plastic or metal. Another point of criticism was how durable the panels would be in the context of the real world. As it was quite thin the veneer was fragile and probably would not be able to endure wind loads or heavy rain - improvements on this material choice could also have been made.
F
urthermore, from our own experience with building the model, we found that there were also a couple of things that could have been further refined. We forgot to take into account the
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tolerance of building in the real world as opposed to the digital realm, this became obvious when we realised that our dowels could not be cut exactly to size. Fortunately we found a solution through having double end plates on some dowels to make up for lost length when getting them sawn. For next time, these tolerances should be incorporated into the digital workflow to prevent unexpected issues to arise during construction.
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Learning objectives
Objective 1. “interrogat[ing] a brief ” by considering the process of brief formation in the age of optioneering enabled by digital technologies. This subject has allowed me to look a design brief in a way that was not previously done in other design studios. Constraints and important elements on site could be viewed as parameters, directly feeding into the computational design do create something that was truly particular to its context. This kind of connection between site and design was one that I had yet to explore nor think about. I find that this kind of thinking is quite powerful and often forced me to think about the context of a design more than I would have in past studios.
Final remarks
semester I was able to create entirely parametric definitions that more importantly, had a great amount of control, making iterations easier to find.
surrounding context. I feel that our design proposal exhibits quite a strong and respectful connection to CERES. Being somewhat unobtrusive in that it does not seek to hinder Objective 3. developing qualities of the site nor make “skills in various threeany grand gestures, but rather dimensional media” and subtly enhance the physical specifically in computational properties of the area as well geometry, parametric as strengthening the ethos of modelling, analytic CERES - blending with the diagramming and digital landscape and providing an fabrication. invisible spark of interest that Upon developing these definitions floats calmly like air. for creating a design, came the task of attempting to prepare components for construction in Objective 5. developing “the the real world. While the 3D ability to make a case for printed joint was able to be done proposals” by developing in grasshopper, for the most critical thinking and part I had difficulty trying to encouraging construction create these joints and details of rigorous and persuasive parametrically. As a result of this, arguments informed by the the majority of our construction contemporary architectural Objective 2. developing “an detailing was done in Rhino. discourse. ability to generate a variety This could be an area of This objective furthers the above of design possibilities development in future, spending reflection, challenging the deeper for a given situation” time to formulate these details concepts exhibited in a design. by introducing visual parametrically and with a high In the case of our proposal, we programming, algorithmic degree of control. did not want something that design and parametric was simply on site for the sake modelling with their intrinsic of being there, by setting it capacities for extensive Objective 4. developing within trees and drive it with design-space exploration. “an understanding of the inherent property of natural Following on from the Objective relationships between material response, we wanted to 1, this parametric thinking architecture and air” through create an abstraction of nature, translated into creating these interrogation of design within nature and working with parameters in the digital space proposal as physical models nature. Metaphorically and in order to produce a feasible in atmosphere. literally living and breathing design. While this process This objective I believe, within its context. was difficult and it took me explores the connection between awhile to wrap my head around a proposed design and its Grasshopper, by the end of 146
Objective 6. develop capabilities for conceptual, technical and design analyses of contemporary architectural projects. This closely links in with the reverse engineering exercise in Part B.2, whereby I began to read certain projects in terms of how it could have been created digitally. I think this represented an important shift within my thinking, being able to analyse projects through a parametric lens and being able to realise what type of methodology and level of control has gone into contemporary project. Objective 7. develop foundational understandings of computational geometry, data structures and types of programming. Harking back to the response for objective 3, through this semester I have been able to go from having very little knowledge of any sort of parametric workflow to being able to manage data structures within a more complex definition to create the greatest amount of control. While this area is still one that needs much more development as I do not consider myself to be proficient or strong in this. My module definition for the final proposal represented a large and important step into jumping into
the ocean of data structures and management. Objective 8. begin developing a personalised repertoire of computational techniques substantiated by the understanding of their advantages, disadvantages and areas of application. Ultimately, this studio has been the most challenging but also most rewarding one at uni thus far, the skill set I have gained from this subject has been far greater than any other previous studio. It has made me realise that parametric design can be an extremely powerful tool for form finding, advance and bespoke construction optimisation as well as creating contextual responses. It has also shown me that like a pen, parametric design is just a tool, and should not be the defining driver within a project. It is extremely powerful when used correctly, but can also lead to undesirable outcomes that are often more difficult to make feasible than they are worth.
thank you to Caitlyn for being a brilliant tutor and Jeanette and Winnie for being awesome group members until next time.... 147
winnie chiu
jeanette phan vien nguyen
Studio air