STUDIO AIR Yanxing Zhang 778635 Semester 1, 2018 Tutor: David Wegman
CON INTRODUCTION PART A A.1 DESIGN FUTURING case study
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case study
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A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION case study
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case study
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case study
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A.3 COMPOSITION/ GENERATION case study
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case study
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A.4 CONCLUSION A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES A.6 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES A.6 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES REFERENCE LIST
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NTENT 1 2 -29 2 4 7 8 11 12 15 16 19 20 23 24 27 29 30
001
INTRODUCTION
DESIGNI
I’m Yanxing and my friends call me Viya. I’m from China and this is my third year studying architecture. Before I came to Melbourne, I studied one year architecture in a Chinese University. In Unimelb, I have done Designing Environments, Studio Earth and Water. As the previous projects show, I’m good at hand drawing, but not very familiar with digital software. Before Air, to be honest, I only have the basic skills for Sketchup, AutoCAD, Photoshop and Rhino and I have touched Grasshopper before. I hope I can explore more about digital design through this studio and establish a deeper understanding about computational design.
STUDIO E
STUDIO W
ING ENVIRONMENTS
EARTH
WATER
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PAR
CONCEPTU
A.1 DESIGN
Design and sustainment are tools that we environment. As architects, we need to jum future and try to offer possibilities for ever tive, we should not be restrained by the n but try to communicate with all kinds of d of design and sustainment. Not only to ma need to re-establish the relationships betwe offer us infitive possibilities and also simpli redefines design for everyone. The limitati and design threshold has been open to ev understand the potential of new technolog tribute to future as individual in a collectiv computation will help us solve problems an it is also important that we need to keep ou digital. That’s how we can establish a healt
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RT A
UALISATION
N FUTURING
e can use to improve our life, society and mp out of the box to speculate about the ryone. Facing the serious futuring destrucnarrow and superficial definition of design disciplines and embrace a new recognition ake our life style more sustainable, we also een design and digital. Digital technologies ify various complex problems, moreover it tion has been broken out by computation veryone. Thus, we should make efforts to gies and try to figure out how can we conve society. To maximise the advantages of nd at the same time sketch the future. But ur independency from being over-relied on thy relationship with digital.
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CASE STUDY 1 “What lies in the future of our cities? How should one grasp the concept of emerging high-density cities? How can city dwellers be immersed with an enriching experience of nature when its presence steadily diminishes in the face of the ever intensifying concrete inundation? Faced with these challenges, future high-rise buildings need to catalyze a higher level of complexity in our cities for the sake of harmonious civilization...” 1 --- MAD Architects The Absolute Towers, designed by MAD architects in 2012, are also well known as the building of ‘Marilyn Monroe’. The last two blocks of the buildings are featured by its human body-like shapes and a strong sense of fluidity. This twisting form is achieved by rotating each floor’s oval plan at a certain angle with displacement. Noticeably, this kind of torsional high rise is popular today, and one of the most famous projects is the Dynamic Tower in Dubai. In a sense, this project from MAD leads a trend to design the skyscrapers in a more organic way. As quoted above, the architects show a great passion to persuade a possible and sustainable future for architecture and to draw public’s attention to nature, to future, to sustainability. In the
current circumstances I won’t say this project has successfully connected people to the nature, but there’s no doubt that the idea of designing future is sufficiently expressed through creating a new form of building and bringing the speculation of future into public discussion. The more awareness people raise to their relationships to nature and the higher possibilities that architect can bridge public to nature. Nonetheless digital tools can extend the forms of sustainable architecture and efficiently influence or even change the way people live. As a consequent, this will bring chance to architects to alternate the public life style in to a healthier and more sustainable condition.
MAD Architects, Absolute Tower, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/306566/absolute-towers-mad-architects> [accessed 4 March 2018]
1 Arch Daily, ‘Absolute Towers / MAD Architects’, 2012 <https://www.archdaily.com/306566/absolute-towers-mad-architects> [accessed 4 March 4 2018]
Project: Absolute Towers Architect: MAD Architects Date: 2012 MAD Architects, Absolute Tower, 2012<http://www.i-mad.com/work/absolute-towers/?cid=4> [accessed 4 March 2018]
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Project: Echoviren Architect: Smith | Allen Date: 2013
Simen| Allen, Echoviren, 2013<https://www.archdaily.com/419306/echovirensmith-allen> [accessed 4 March 2018]
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CASE STUDY 2 “Design can give experts permission to let their imaginations flow freely, give material expression to the insights generated, ground these imaginings in everyday situations, and provide platforms for further collaborative speculation.”1 --- Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona Echoriven is the first large 3D-printed architectural installation and it took a desktop 3D printer two months to finish. In 2013, this was the very cutting edge design and functioned as a catalyst for discussions about 3D technology in architecture and other disciplines. This program merges art, architecture, technology and nature and it stresses the relationship between artificiality and nature. For me, the project is rough and requires many further developments. However, what I find most interesting is, this project raises the debate about the possibilities of applying 3D in design. At the same time, the other technologies are mentioned to join in the big party of design. In this way, design futuring becomes probable and it allows people to speculate and dream about futuring. By creating an open atmosphere which embraces all kinds of new technology to improve our situations, more chances to a sustainment have emerged. After raising this openness among public, the group of designing will also be extended to everyone, that is, everyone has the chance to speculate and design the future.
Simen| Allen, Echoviren, 2013<https://www.archdaily. com/419306/echoviren-smith-allen> [accessed 4 March 2018]
1 Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona, ‘Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming’, (MIT Press, 2013), pp.6
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PART A
CONCEPTUALISATION
A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION
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When discus pare it with c od, compute as a designi algorithmic design. That physical rest ties to think entirely. Unl flow of com versed. Anyt design: a sim required per putational d collaborative
ssing about computation, it is inevitable to comcomputerisation. Like the reverse-hanging metherisation helps solve problems and realise ideas ing method, while computation is more about thinking and use the computational power to t is, computerisation allows us to design with less trictions, though computation offer opportunik algorithmically and change the mode of design like the procedure of computerisation, the work mputation can be restructured or completely rething has the possibility to trigger computational mple shape, a specific function, urban context, rformance or just a collection of data. And comdesign always associates with multi-disciplinarily e works. Neverthenless, the end of the computa-
tion design is always unpredictable and the unexpected outcomes always surprise us. In a sense, the process of computation blurs the demarcation of design and construction by not only producing the form and structure, but also research, fabrication and construction. Due to computation, the fabrication and construction can be tested and finished during the deisgn process and this shifts design and construction industries into more interactive system. As computation challenges the existing architectural forms and actualise digital, it also gives designers a new freedom to create with less limits. With the algorithmic design thinking, the whole process will be more logical and trackable and new meaning of the design has come to the production.
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ICD-ITKE University of Stuttgart, ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2015-16, 2016<https://www.archdaily.com/786874/icd-itke-research-pavilion2015-16-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart> [accessed 11 March 2018]
Project: ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2015-16 Architect: ICD-ITKE University of Stuttgart Date: 2016
â&#x20AC;&#x153;In synthesizing material culture and technologies within the expanding relationship between the computer and architecture, this phenomenon defines a digital continuum from design to production, from form generation to fabrication design.â&#x20AC;? 1 --- Rivka Oxman and Robert Oxman
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1 Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds . Theories of the Digital in Architecture, (London; New York: Routledge, 2014), pp. 1
CASE STUDY 3 The ICD, as the leading figure in computational design, built up this projects in 2016, which applies robotic textile fabrication techniques for segmented timber shells. The project starts with researching fabrication techniques and morphological methods at the same with supports from a multi-disciplinary team. The workflow is totally different from the usual ways we are familiar with. It commences researching at different aspects and areas at the same time and these research stages are individually ongoing but they are also relevant to ech other. As a typical computational design, not only the form and morphogenesis are considered and design, but also the
fabrication and construction. Moreover, this is one the most important things that computation can contribute to future: an integral design. with computational power Research, basic formation, tectonics of materiality, fabrication method and performance are happening at the same time in a collective behaviour. In another word, this project indicates that the computation design changes the design process from a linear flow to a more interlinked structure. In response to this shift, working mode of industry will also become more collective and integrated.
ICD-ITKE University of Stuttgart, ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2015-16, 2016<https://www.archdaily.com/786874/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2015-16-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart> [accessed 11 March 2018] 11
CASE STUDY 4 Project: CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM Architect: Synthesis Design + Architecture Date: 2016
Synthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily. com/870095/big-data-becomes-architecture-in-this-cnc-milled-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018]
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Synthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily.com/870095/big-data-becomes-architecture-in-this-cncmilled-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018] 13
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Synthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily.com/870095/big-data-becomesarchitecture-in-this-cnc-milled-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018]
1 Syn milled
CASE STUDY 4
While the project is driven by data, the legibility of that data is abstract rather than literal.”1 --- Synthesis Design + Architecture
s screen wall is a great example of grabbing ormation from a set of data and can data inence and associate with architecture form. The a is from the influence of mobile phones on nthly consumer spending and which perfectcharacterise the project as a show space of a a centre. By abstracting data and reforming, s process demonstrates new form of displayinformation and introduces possibility to proce design with power of computation. Another eresting part of this project is the parametric ttern. With the parameters, the previous ‘irular’, ‘non-standard’ or even ‘unrealisable’ enomenon and form can be analysed and rep-
resented. Computer can produce thousands or millions of solutions to achieve this sophisticated tectonic, while this is impossible for human being. The final product works really well and successfully converts the feeling of the data, but I also find that can be more innovative and bald. Why cannot the show space be a unitary structure instead of vertically standing walls? With the fantastic patterning, the whole space can be translated into digital language with a more expressive form. With the infinitive possibilities of computation, we can be more innovative and brave to redefine architecture, instead of restricting ourselves with the established concepts.
Synthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily.com/870095/big-data-becomes-architecture-in-this-cnc-milled-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018]
nthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily.com/870095/big-data-becomes-architecture-in-this-cncd-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018]
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PART A
CONCEPTUALISATION
A.3 COMPOSITION/ GENERATION
The shift from using computer to realise ideas to creating and generating form computationally is actually an inevitable process of design development. ‘Form-finding’ was an earlier version of algorithmic generation and it is also generative design. Without using the digital techniques, the design process of form-finding is similar to the computation design. Both are trying to generate new forms from algorithm. Computerisation can be considered as the phase before shifting to generation. I will not refer Gehry’s works as outcomes of Computational design, as the forms has been predefined and we still can find the trace of compositiona design inside it. Computer helps designers to realise their ideas and solve the complex problems, naturally there will be intentions to explore the capability and potential of computing. Then here comes computation, which changes the mode from using computer to sketch design algorithmically. As the algorithm, computation describes ‘how’ instead of ‘what’.1 Computation redefines design and enables it to have unlimited possibilities. Compared to ‘evolution’, I prefer to describe the computational designs process as mutation. With the finite input, there can be millions of possibilities to have infinitive forms. It is not saying that everyone has to do design with computing or to follow the trend of computation, but I feel there’s urgency to realise and understand the possibilities that computation can bring us. Otherwise, the loss will be our own.
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1 Peters, Brady. ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design (2013), 83, 2, pp. 14.
y n s n f al y , d
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Zaha Hadid Architects, Venice Biennale 2012: Arum, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/269061/venice-biennale-2012-arum-zaha-hadid> [accessed 13 March 2018]
This architectural installation called ‘Arum’ is a metal plated structure completely generated from alg terestingly, the designer Zaha Hadid Architects pays homage to the leading figures of ‘form-finding’, e Inspired by the earlier algorithmic design process of Frei Otto, they moved from the material-structura putational basis1. Designers not only simply shifted from the composition to the generational, but also pioneers like Frei Otto create form through rational method and algorithmic thinking. Starting from a s puter generates all single forms with parametric scripting and continuously simulates and testes the new the process ceases, and an art form of algorithm is born. At this project, we can clearly see architects atti algorithmic-based form generation and rejection to be ambiguous about following compositional desig But for this entirely algorithmic-based process, the role or influence of architect is easy to be neglected making during the process, how can designers reflect their own thinking and distinguish from just a s essential. A tendency of over-reliance on computation can be detected already, and I found that’s what with when we try to apply this new way of design.
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1 Basulto, David, ‘Venice Biennale 2012: Arum’, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/269061/venice-biennale-2012-arum-zaha-hadid> [accessed 13 March 201
CASE STUDY 5 Project: Venice Biennale 2012: Arum Architect: Zaha Hadid Architectsecture Date: 2012
h
gorithmic base. Inespecially Frei Otto. al basis to the como appreciated how single pin, the comw forms. Eventually ttitude of embracing gn or computation. d. Besides decisionscript coder is also t we need to tackle
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Zaha Hadid Architects, Venice Biennale 2012: Arum, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/269061/venice-biennale-2012-arum-zaha-hadid> [accessed 13 March 2018]
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CASE STUDY 6 Project: Kuwait international airport Architect: Foster + PartnersDate: 2020 (completion)
As most common and representative compositional element, symmetry is achieved in this program through mathematic and algorithmic computation. As symmetry is associated with the Euclidean geometry, limitation emerges when the scales are too small or too big1. Thus a non-Euclidean symmetry is needed to break out the limitation. Specialist Modelling Group at Foster + Partners encode the symmetric form of Kuwait International Airport based on mathematic and algorithmic computation. The airport is featured by its triple rotational symmetry around the centre, and each wing is mirror symmetric. This form is based on the non-Euclidean symmetry derived from research of SMG and generated with digital tools2. Although designers can directly make the form to symmetry, in this program, they shift the rigid way of thinking to a computational mode. By incorporating with the computing and algorithm, they generate the a new ‘symmetry’ instead of only consider it as a simple composition. At the first glance, the form looks quite simple and seems achievable through traditional designing method. While the real fascination comes from the depth of thinking of algorithm and mathematic and efforts on generating new forms with new technologies.
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1 De Kestelier, Xavier, ‘Symmetry aS Geometry Kuwait international airport’, Architectural Design, 83, 2 (2013), Pages. 28 2 De Kestelier, Xavier, ‘Symmetry aS Geometry Kuwait international airport’, Architectural Design, 83, 2 (2013), Pages. 31
Foster + Partners, Kuwait international airport, 2011<https://www.archdaily.com/175164/kuwait-international-airport-foster-partners> [accessed 13 March 2018]
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A.4 CONCLUSION Throughout part A, possibilities and potential of computational design has been discussed and explored. As designers, we are responsible to collaborate with all disciplines to solve problems and improve environmental circumstance and design a sustainable future. Computation enables us to embrace the future with a new definition of design. With algorithmic thinking and parametric modelling, there are more chances of new form generation and rethinking of design. Computational design also encourages us to work with multi-disciplinaries and form an integral system which design the form, fabrication and construction as a whole. As the current trend, digital design will play a significant role in designing environment. When we accept the possibilities this way of design can bring us, it is necessary to rethink our character as designers and figure out how can express the true self. I intend to use research on a specific natural system as a precedent and translate the variation of the process into script language. Innovatively, it is the action and transformation will be learned about and articulated in an architectural form instead of the morphogenesis of the system. By this approach, I will have the chance to shift the way I think to a real algorithmic thinking. This process enables me to design with less limitation and stimulate my desire to explore and create new form in my own language.
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A.5 LEARNING OUTCOMES
I will say what I knew before was computerisation, instead of computation. I use digital tool to assist realising ideas and I have always underrated it with ignoring after learning only a small part of the computational world, I have completely a it. During the exercise, I experienced the ‘happy surprise’ for several times, wh tered before. I’m surprised that I am starting to release myself from all kinds of doing my previous design I always restricted myself with various rules, but with and knowledge of computation I have the chance to change the rigidness of only about the form of design, there is an opportunity to rethink about design novative ways. For instance, for the design of water studio, I may put Kahn’s t design in a parametric represeantation instead of the direct forms from him. more about the materiality with the possibilities brought by computing.
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ed to consider it as only a g its great potential. Now abandoned my bias about hich I have never encounf restrictions. When I was h this new understanding my previous works. Not n in a more logic and inthinking or ideas into the I will also try to discover
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A.6 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES This model is based on research on the bone growth system. As a very first try to grab information from a natural system and translate them into an algorthimic language, I found I successfully convey process and represent it in a very strong form. The thinking process behind this model is different from any of my previous design and I feel a big potential to design through this appraoch. As my chakra is Sacral representing creativity, computational design offers me a chance to release the creativity inside me and break out the restrcition I put on myself. The complexity of these models is beyond any of my earlier works, while the algorithmic is relatively simple. Just like discussed in the previous session, the computational tools simplify the process and entirely changed the workflow.
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A.6 ALGORITH
aa driftingwo
Sacral collage 28
HMIC SKETCHES
ood variation exercise
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REFERENCE LIST Arch Daily, ‘Absolute Towers / MAD Architects’, 2012 <https://www.archdaily.com/306566/absolutetowers-mad-architects> [accessed 4 March 2018] Basulto, David, ‘Venice Biennale 2012: Arum’, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/269061/venice-biennale-2012-arum-zaha-hadid> [accessed 13 March 2018] De Kestelier, Xavier, ‘Symmetry aS Geometry Kuwait international airport’, Architectural Design, 83, 2 (2013) Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona, ‘Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming’, (MIT Press, 2013) Foster + Partners, Kuwait international airport, 2011<https://www.archdaily.com/175164/kuwaitinternational-airport-foster-partners> [accessed 13 March 2018] ICD-ITKE University of Stuttgart, ICD-ITKE Research Pavilion 2015-16, 2016<https://www.archdaily.com/786874/icd-itke-research-pavilion-2015-16-icd-itke-university-of-stuttgart> [accessed 11 March 2018] MAD Architects, Absolute Tower, 2012<http://www.i-mad.com/work/absolute-towers/?cid=4> [accessed 4 March 2018] MAD Architects, Absolute Tower, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/306566/absolute-towers-madarchitects> [accessed 4 March 2018] Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds . Theories of the Digital in Architecture, (London; New York: Routledge, 2014) Peters, Brady. ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2(2013) Simen| Allen, Echoviren, 2013<https://www.archdaily.com/419306/echoviren-smith-allen> [accessed 4 March 2018] Synthesis Design + Architecture, CNC-Milled Screenwall for IBM, 2017<https://www.archdaily. com/870095/big-data-becomes-architecture-in-this-cnc-milled-screen-wall-for-ibm> [accessed 11 March 2018] Zaha Hadid Architects, Venice Biennale 2012: Arum, 2012<https://www.archdaily.com/269061/venice-biennale-2012-arum-zaha-hadid> [accessed 13 March 2018] 30