RE: INVENTION

Academic work_SCI-Arc

2022 Spring

Instructor: Elena Manferdini

Partner: Jinxin Xu

Software: Rhino, Zbrush, Unreal Engine

RE: INVENTION biotech focuses on exploring the advanced biotechnology of Anti-aging and decay of human bodies. As a hub of biotechnology, the design redefines the conventional idea of how people approach laboratory spaces by incorporating nature and landscape into the building.

In the future, humanity will overcome most diseases. In return, more people are becoming immobile due to the aging and decay of their bodies. Human society is faced with the question of aging of organs and natural death. The Global Anti-Aging market report and forecast indicate the market’s growing size due to consciousness among consumers regarding their physical appearance. Behind this are the advancements in technology and huge investments in research and development activities.

Climate change, health crisis, scarcity or excess of resources, luxury and poverty, technology and inventions, reinforce the idea that humans are part of a relational ecosystem with other beings, biospheres and environments. In our globalized and hyper-connected world, we are increasingly exposed to complex phenomena and an expanded network of representation. To understand them and to deal with them, we need to manage large quantities and qualities of data. This project investigate possible futures stemming from the current ecological and health challenges, and to expand the role of agency in our architectural creative process.

Design Approach: A.I. GAN Training

The initial ideas and concepts of the project came from A.I. GAN training. To align the possible futures that we imagine, jellyfish, prothesis, and tree barks have been chosen to undergo the A.I. GAN training. And the mixture images that have metallic shells with bulbing and glowing volumes were generated. These images of living and non-living creatures were then used as the inspiration for the building form.

Form finding inspiration generated from A.I. GAN Training

The mixture images that have metallic shells with bulbing and glowing volumes were generated. These images of living and non-living creatures were then used as the inspiration for the building form.

Building Exterior

The mass of the building is generated from A.I. GAN training with images of jellyfish, trees, and prostheses for the inspiration of the organic form of architecture.

The bulbing volumes with metallic and transparent material are generated and replaced several major spaces of the originally rectangular mass of the building. They create specific qualities that varieties of programs require inside the building.

The pipes attached throughout the whole building connect all the spaces in the building. Collecting wastewater from laboratories, they form a water circulation system that purifies water and reuses them. The panels on the surface of bulbing volumes constantly are water purifiers. They change colors according to the status of water purification.

Closeup view: pipes and purifiers

Programs

The design is specially composed of Jellyfish and Trees laboratories, theater, two major parliaments, and several circulations which connect them all. Each circulation gives people the freedom to explore the space inside the building. The bulbing volumes with metallic and transparent material are generated and replaced several major spaces of the originally rectangular mass of the building.

To let the public be involved, the main entrance of the building is located at the southwest corner of the building, which is more accessible to the public. The other one is a down-digging space underneath the building, which leads to the forestry at the east that connects to the building. Forestry is part of the tree lab, which serves as the eco landscape. By breeding varieties of trees and vegetation, people can experience a natural forest while circulating up to the inside of the building.

As the heart of the building, the parliaments are used for arranging seminars and summits between scientists and the public. The huge hollow spaces introduce light into it and other spaces in the building. It is also the intersection of all the public circulation.

Parliament atrium

The huge hollow spaces introduce light into it and other spaces in the building. It is also the intersection of all the public circulation.

Tree Lab Walkway / Jellyfish Lab

The Jellyfish lab locates at the upper levels of the building. Its primary research is to do cell research and genetic research of jellyfish. In addition, there are also studies on the extraction of ingredients from various plants (seaweed, coral, bark) that can be used as health or nutritional supplements. Depending on the research project, the shape of the lab is different. Each laboratory has its breeding tank. Jellyfish with varying cycles of life were cultured in other laboratories and tanks.

The aquaculture water will be collected through the pipeline to the ecological pool outside the laboratory towards the forestry and to the underground to form an eco cycling. Filtered water will be reused for culturing trees and jellyfish. Depending on the research project, the shape of the lab is different. Each laboratory has its breeding tank. Jellyfish with varying cycles of life were cultured in other laboratories and tanks. Forestry is part of the tree lab, which serves as the eco landscape. By breeding varieties of trees and vegetation, people can experience a natural forest while circulating up to the inside of the building.