Parametric Design Approach In Architecture Between Concept and Reality, Theory and Practice

Parametric Design Approach In Architecture Between Concept and Reality, Theory and Practice: Evaluating Parametric-based Architecture and the Impact on its Users and the Existing Setting

Wissam Elmawi

Parametric Design Approach

in Architecture Between Concept and Reality, Theory and Practice: Evaluating Parametric based Architecture and the Impact on its Users and the Existing Setting

Stephan Pinkau Jordi Truco

Wissam Elmawi

Author: Wissam Elmawi

Topic: Parametric Design Approach in Architecture, Between Concept and Reality, Theory and Practice.

MSc. Coop Design Research 2021 2022 Hochschule Anhalt & Bauhaus Foundation

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to my primary advisor and the program director, Prof. Dr. Stephan Pinkau, whose expertise, sincerity, and encouragement will always be appreciated. My deepest thanks to my secondary advisor, Prof. Jordi Truco, for his assistance, guidance, and feedback on this research. I would also like to express my deepest sincere appreciation to Prof. Dr. Regina Bittner, head of the Academy of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, for her expertise and vast knowledge in guidance, and to Lilo for her unique positivity, support, and encouragement among the whole batch I am thankful for the extraordinary experiences that Hochschule Anhalt and the Bauhaus Foundation have provided, full of proficiency and remarkable knowledge from the whole faculty and the non teaching staff for their efforts and patience. It is an honour to learn from the iconic Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.

My sincere gratefulness to my colleagues, primarily Kim, Thiemo, and Martin, for their moral support, stimulating discussions, and the sleepless nights we spent working on projects before deadlines, as well as for all the fun we had during this program. The diversity in experiences, thoughts, and professional backgrounds that we shared was very beneficial and valuable. Furthermore, yet importantly, a sense of respect, my warm and heartfelt thanks to my family for their unfailing support, continuous encouragement, and for their inspiration in every step to get me to this present stage. I extend a special greeting to my brother Jad, who has been supportive of me during the entire journey.

Finally, I would like to thank myself for having the patience and for the sacrifices I have made to reach this position and for the tough long journey that I will always be grateful for.

Certainly, in the field of architecture, focusing only on a building's initially stunning appearance is nothing new, but it is now more than ever the ignorance of how architecture connects with its users and the surrounding environment after it is achieved. Unawareness of how to evaluate parametric based architecture after it has been occupied for a while is a significant problem that many architects encounter, since these buildings represent a milestone in our built environment. Over and above, architects should have the responsibility to ensure that these structures function as intended and verify that the quality of the designated spaces is satisfactory to the users. True successes can be discovered and replicated in the future by analysing these complex structures, and it will be clear if any innovations or parts of a building fall short of expectations. Therefore, the more frequently these assessments are made, the more solid thisdistributed knowledge will become. This makes it possible to draw lessons from the discovery and evaluation of successes and failures in order to enhance the state of our current built environment and offer suggestions for future designs that could respond to the users and the existing setting. Further, the primary emphasis of this research revolves around and explores the application of parametric based architecture on its users and the present environment.

This research investigation is stationed in a parametrically designed building: The Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg, one of Germany’s most famous planned cities, located between Berlin and Hanover in the south eastern region of Lower Saxony. The research case study is a new addition to the city of Wolfsburg, which was built as an identity statement in front of the already existing institutions of the city. It raises the question of how well the Phaeno Science Centre, which features a star architectural project, has been fitted with Wolfsburg's local setting and the users. The case study alone is not a comprehensive summary of my studies in the field of parametric architecture and understanding of the parametric design approach in architecture, but rather serves as a starting point for future research.

In relation to what has already been stated, this research adopts a qualitative and quantitative methodology called Post Occupancy Evaluation, which focuses on the perspective and requirements of the building’s occupants. It is appropriate for this study because it incorporates feedback from both building users and architects, through questionnaires and interviews. In addition, the research evaluation of parametrically built structures is based on the assessment of

numerous sources and viewpoints, such as: users and locals, architects and professionals, journals, local newspapers and libraries, interviews and surveys, in addition to site visits and personal reflections. This approach was taken into consideration for this study since it is crucial to understand the many perceptions of parametric architecture.

This research demonstrates that in order to evaluate parametric based structures, it is essential to distinguish between the behaviour of these complex systems on their users and the existing setting. It clarifies that parametric architecture must be evaluated as a totality rather than just a single structure and through the whole context. This research questions whether architects should embrace the connectivity between such built structures and their users rather than ignore it. Additionally, by focusing on the actual purpose and performance of parametric architecture rather than having an obsession with the official birth of buildings, its factual function is often left out of the picture. Analysing parametric architecture requires an understanding of the gaps between users’ needs and the existing setting, as well as the reality of the inhabited spatial context. This study highlights the importance of evaluating architecture in general and parametric architecture in particular since it has been applied on different scales in our built environment In addition, it suggests and urges that the Post Construction Evaluation phase be included in the five conventional core phases of the Architectural Design Process where architectural evaluations must be carried out and should be just as important as the other stages.

Keywords: Parametric Design, Parametric Architecture, Post Occupancy Evaluation, Spatial and Social Integration, Built Environment Efficiency, Behavioural Complexity of Parametric Architecture, Users’ Needs

Thesis Structure

Acknowledgements

Abstract Table of Contents

Chapter

One: Introduction to Research

1.1 Interplay Between the Built Environment and Human Psyche

1.2 The Relation Between Spatial Cognition and Social Cognition

1.3 Aim and Research Questions

Chapter

Two: Introduction to Parametric Design in Architecture

2.1 Defining Parametric Design

2.2 History of Parametric Design in Architecture

2.3 Is it a Style or a Set of Techniques? The Question of Style

2.4 Advantages and Drawbacks of Parametric Design

Chapter Three: Research Methodology

3.1 Defining Post Occupancy Evaluation

3.2 The Importance of Building Evaluation for our Future Built Environment

3.3 Strategy of Data Analysis

Chapter Four: Perspectives on Parametric Architecture

4.1 Expert Interviews

4.2 Survey among Architects and Designers

Chapter Five: Case Study: Phaeno Science Centre by Zaha Hadid, Wolfsburg, Germany

5.1 The Story Behind Wolfsburg

5.2 Phaeno Science Centre In Wolfsburg

5.3 Post Occupancy Evaluation: Findings and Critical Reflection

5.4 Research Limitations

Conclusion and Recommendations

Bibliography and References

Chapter 01 Introduction to Research

Chapter 01 focuses on the interplay between the built environment and the human psyche, in addition to the relationship between spatial and social cognition. It was important to start with this approach since we cannot predict human behaviour and measure the effectiveness of the built environment prior to its design and construction. It is crucial, in my opinion, that we at the very least be able to understand how the current built environment impacts its users. This approach supported the development of a solid foundation and a comprehension of how to assess buildings with parametric design. The spatial social relationship discussion is addressed to Parametric Architecture in the next chapters. At the end of this chapter, the aim and research questions are stated.

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

1.1 Interplay Between the Built Environment and Human Psyche

It is a persistent challenge in psychology, philosophy, and behavioural biology to comprehend the nature of spatial knowledge. For architects, it is a fundamental problem when it comes to designing effective structures. Regarding how humans see themselves in the universe, German philosopher Martin Heidegger proposed that we are always spatial creatures, with our environment being altered by the activities we engage in (Heidegger 1962). Knowing who we are and where we are plays a role in both our physical and mental experiences. Although the areas of spatial and social cognition are frequently studied separately, some recent studies have looked at the connections between place and self. How we move through space may be influenced by who we are in relation to where we are (Proulx, Todorov, Aiken and A. de Sousa 2016).

The ability of their designs to satisfy the needs and comfort of the intended users is a significant issue that most architects encounter. These can occasionally become more challenging because it is necessary to take into account the psychology, attitudes, and behaviours of the end users. Environments, according to psychology of human behavior, can influence how people think, react, and adapt to their surroundings because people are influenced by their actions and feelings (Skinner 2014). There are some spaces that evoke strong emotional responses in users, despite the fact that, obviously, not everyone is likely to react in the same way to a given space.

The psychological impact that buildings have on people has led architects to place a high value on the needs and preferences of the people who will use the spaces they are tasked with creating. But is this really how the world of architecture is right now? An architect must balance form and function when creating the ideal space, which is subjective. Due to the complexity of building design, it is nearly impossible to anticipate how a space will impact its users before it is constructed. It is crucial for architectural designs to be both appealing and practical. Although architects create our buildings, it has long been thought that, over time, it will be the structures themselves that will affect how we live, behave, and work within them. Therefore, even though buildings can be designed to be exceptional, they must never have an adverse impact on their

users (Welch 2021).

A person's experience can be moved and enhanced by the use of architecture that engages all of their senses. Architectural space is about integrating all of the senses; similar to how musical notes combine, spatial elements come together to create a symphony for users to enjoy. By involving all the senses, form and function can be expressed more fully, allowing for more meaningful interactions, moments, and experiences among users within the designed space (Ragavendira 2017, 2).

Denise Scott Brown An American architect and writer once said: "Architecture can’t force people to connect; it can only plan the crossing points, remove barriers, and make the meeting places useful and attractive" (Cutieru 2020). Even though it cannot influence the outcome, architecture has the ability to foster chance encounters and social interactions. This might encourage community development and have an effect on the social fabric of our society (ibid.). Furthermore, it's frequently asserted that architecture unifies form and space. "Space" includes not only the areas we travel through and encounter, but also the entire volume of the building. Space, on the other hand, can only be created through the use of form. The mass or group of materials that gives a structure its shape is referred to as its form. Where form and space meet, architecture emerges. Enclosed space is the primary focus of architecture, even though there is technically space outside the walls of a building. However, how a building interacts with its surroundings is a crucial component of design. In relation to nearby buildings or outdoor areas, a building serves as a spatial definition in its context (D.K. Ching 2019).

Space is an element of daily life. Therefore, before designing any space for a client, the architect's most crucial task is to understand that client, his behaviour, and his way of life. Architecture must also be functional; it cannot just be for show. Both the user and the indented use must gain from it (Devale 2020).

1.2 The Relation Between Spatial and Social Cognition

With a focus on how the social environment influences one's spatial behavior and how various people's representations combine to create collective spatial behavior, the term "social spatial cognition" describes the interaction between oneself, one's environment, and one's social

environment (Dorfman, Weiss, Hagbi, Levi, Eilam, 2021). Not only is the nature of spatial knowledge a well known issue in psychology, philosophy, and behavioral biology, but it is also a significant issue for architects when it comes to creating efficient structures. Heidegger (1962) asserted that when discussing how humans find themselves in the world, a space that is shaped by the activities we engage in, humans are always spatial beings. Best practices in architecture and urban planning call for an understanding of these skills in order to create environments that are practical, safe, effective, and accessible (Klatzky 1998; Burgess, 2006; Mou et al., 2007). The characteristics of spatial cognition have attracted a lot of attention in recent years (Klatzky 1998; Mou et al., 2007), (Marquardt and Schmieg 2009 and Marquardt, 2011), (2016's Proulx, Todorov, Aiken, and de Sousa).

The term "human spatial behaviour" in the context of architectural design refers to how people interact with the built environment (Winter 2004). Steinfeld (1992) argued that "good" spatial behaviour is a sign of successful architectural design, while "bad" spatial behaviour could be a sign of resource waste and the cause of occupant dissatisfaction. Because human needs are so varied and ever changing, behavioural sciences are now absolutely necessary. The way that people interact with their built environment must be taken into account by designers and architects. The primary goal of behavioural sciences is to understand the relationship that exists between individuals and their environments (Mahmoud 2018, 1). The term "environmental psychology" is defined by Tony Cassidy, a senior lecturer in psychology at Coventry University, as "the study of interactions between people and their physical environments" (Cassidy 1997, 2). "The study of the interactions between the physical environment and human behaviour" is another definition (Burroughs 1989). What connection does this have to my research study? I would like to take this important concept into consideration before I analyse parametric based architecture. I need to understand the psychology behind how behaviour interacts with the physical world. The main goal of this is to comprehend how individuals view, experience, sense, and engage with their surroundings.

Designing a built environment that meets people's needs is made easier by environmental psychology. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, architects took into account the needs of the populace (Mahmoud 2018, 2). But the question I ask and which I will try to answer accordingly through this research is, do architects nowadays still operate in that manner while designing their buildings? Or, to put it another way, should users adapt to the architectural modifications that have been made? Or should architecture be made to suit our needs? Since we cannot predict human behaviour and

cannot measure the effectiveness of the built environment prior to its design and construction, it is crucial, in my opinion, that we at the very least be able to understand how the current built environment impacts its users. This will help me create a strong framework and understanding of how to evaluate parametric based spaces at the outset and later how to create more effective and functional architecture in the future. And specifically, I would like to focus on the spatial social relationship addressed in Parametric Architecture, since my research’s aim and approach is to focus on evaluating Parametric based Architecture and its impact on its users and the existing environment.

1.3 Aim and Research Questions

For greater clarity and in light of what has already been said, I intend to associate the topic of the Parametric Design Approach in Architecture and the correlation with its users for the long term with the various definitions in relation to the widespread use of these creations in the twenty first century. This research attempts to examine how parametrically planned buildings work, how their occupants interact with them, and how they interact with the urban setting, with a focus on the relationship between such complex spatial environments and social behaviour. Modern architects are quite self assured about their work and aesthetics. As a result of this confidence, architecture has become indifferent to users, site conditions, and significant considerations like social and cultural characteristics.

Moreover, the research focuses on post construction evaluation, meaning the evaluation of parametric architecture in real conditions of use once these buildings are being inhabited for a certain period of time. To critically assess them, the buildings need to be analysed as a whole and in detail, for instance, the functionality of the design solution, form, structure, relationship to the existing setting, building performance, environmental considerations, and spatial integration.

Parametric Architecture is based on the theoretical potential of improving human life and the environment. Therefore, I ask several questions to be answered accordingly through this research, such as: Does parametric architecture have the ability to connect with its users and the existing environment in practice during its actual use? In other words, is it relevant to the everyday lives of its users? Or is it only aesthetically pleasing but not functional? These high profile structures must be human centered, but should they?

Ignorance among different architects regarding the evaluation of parametric architecture after it has been inhabited for a set amount of time is the main flaw that I would like to highlight in my research. Moreover, I will be arguing whether these iconic buildings act as sculptures in space without having any function or purpose, and whether they advance the needs of their users and the existing setting. In architecture, the idea of a building's official completion often takes priority over consideration of how long it will survive by tracking its performance. The official birth of a building is marked by the opening day, which unites all aspects of architectural production, including conception, design, materialization, and promotion. However, it is now simply ignored more than ever that a building will continue to function after the opening day (Boer 2018).

This research emphasizes the significance of assessing parametric based buildings after habitation, without only being fixated on their appealing aesthetics but also highlighting their performance and implementation in the direction of their users and the current tissue as a key factor to be taken into consideration in this research.

Chapter 02 Introduction to Parametric Design in Architecture

Parametric design is defined in this chapter and the various ways that it has been described in the twenty first century. By offering a history of the subject as well as the past and present growth, the enormous amount of debate and difference over the concept of parametric architecture is highlighted: "What's old is new again." The question of whether parametric design is an architectural style or a set of methods and techniques is discussed in this chapter. The benefits and disadvantages of parametric design in architecture are discussed at the conclusion of this chapter, and the research methodology is used to establish a transition to the following chapter.

INTRODUCTION TO PARAMETRIC DESIGN

2.1 Defining Parametric Design

There is a place in architecture for the phrase "what's old is new again" or "A Not So New Concept" (Suzuki 2020). Although parametric architecture, or parametric design, is not a recent development, over the past 20 years there has been a notable increase in the number of architectural designs that employ this design aesthetic. However, there is a lot of debate and disagreement regarding the definition of parametric architecture. This can be resolved by outlining the topic's history as well as recent advancements. Architects are familiar with parametric design. From prehistoric pyramids to modern institutions, buildings have been designed and built in response to a wide range of changing factors, including climates, technology, use, character, setting, culture, and mood. Nevertheless, the computer did provide architects with an efficient tool that has since allowed them to design and construct cutting edge structures with more exciting qualitative and quantitative conditions. Computers did not create parametric design, and it did not change the field of architecture or the role of architects (Phillips 2010).

Understanding this design approach requires an understanding of the word "parameter". The definition of a parameter in mathematics is a variable for which a set of unique cases in a problem are identified by the possible values for that variable. This definition can serve as the foundation for the word "parameter" in this design sense. Any equation that is expressed in terms of parameters is referred to as a parametric equation. If you are a math expert or supporter, this definition may make perfect sense to you, but it may not make sense to others. This is essentially defining a curved line or form. Essentially, it consists of a collection of parameters, or numbers, whose shapes can be described by equations (Britannica 2010)

The most recent architectural technological development is parametric design. It can be characterized as an opposition to uniform and conventional building techniques and a fusion of complexity and diversity (Prisha, "n.d."). Parametric architecture uses urbanism, interior design, and even fashion to create architectural wonder. All design components should interact with one another, be flexible, and occasionally even be the opposite of their surroundings. Parametric architecture refers to a skew toward algorithmic, automated design processes that have aided in the execution of innovative designs. Many architects and designers have used it to create

incredible designs that weren't previously possible. It has developed into more than just a new aspect of this profession; it now has a personality all its own.

Furthermore, parametric architecture is frequently referred to as a subset of parametric design, despite the fact that the definitions of the two terms are nearly identical. In reality, there is no single definition for the term "Parametric Design" It first became a concept or theoretical idea in the field of architecture around the year 2008, at the same time as the emergence of new communication technologies and the development of digital design tools, which have recently become extremely popular thanks to the digital revolution. Numerous research initiatives have been made to investigate parametric design in order to categorize it as both a philosophical and theoretical idea in modern architecture as well as a brand new architectural style with specific traits. It could also be viewed as a style of architecture or a set of methods for producing form at the design and execution levels (Al Azzawi and T, Al Majidi, Z 2021). Although the new paradigm is based on the Systems Thinking school of thought, it has given rise to a wide variety of assumptions in the design fields, including Parametric Design, Parametricism, Computational Design, Generative Design, Blobbism, Coding Culture, Digital Design, Systems Theory, Emergent Design, and Algorithmic Architecture (Thor Erlendsson 2021). They are principally talking about the same concept.

An algorithmic approach called parametric design expresses parameters and rules that, when combined, can define, encode, and make explicit the relationship between the designer's intent and the design response (Caetano et al., 2020; Touloupaki and Theodosiou 2017). In simpler words, parametric design refers to shapes and forms with a curved quality, frequently resembling flowing forms in the form of arcs. These forms can be arches at entrances or even the overall shape of the building as flowing curves (Punchat 2022). This method gives you the flexibility to define and describe your geometry primarily by creating scripts, associating decision variables and constraints with your geometry, creating dependencies between objects, and defining the transformation behaviour of these objects. It consists of an efficient way to create. This approach gives designers dynamic control over geometry and components, allowing designers to evaluate multiple variants simultaneously and find the right solution to a complex problem

When did it begin? The impact of the electronic age on architectural design was already clear when the Boston Architectural Centre held a conference in 1964. The aircraft industry computed animated flight path models and complex distorted surfaces, which intrigued architects. Antonio

Gaudi, Erich Mendelsohn, Frei Otto, Frederick Kiesler, and Kiyonori Kikutake are only a few of the artists and architects who have imagined and modelled complex structures and forms. There is a wide range in their technical ability. In the 1960s, Raphael Roing, a Puerto Rican born architect and visual artist, anticipated and realized that modern computer technology might aid in their design and construction. But parametric design innovations didn't start to help architects until the 1980s (Phillips 2010).

2.2 History of Parametric Design in Architecture

The first known applications of parametric architecture can be found in Antonio Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia, which is an upside down model of a church. The "Hanging Model" is a great example of parametric architecture that was achieved manually back in the 1880’s. In fact, Gaudi hand built models using parametric design principles, algorithms, and other materials like strings. He then connected strings and bags to form an inverted model of the main axes and columns while hanging the bags backwards and taking pictures of it (Digital school, "n.d."). By building a model in this way, Gaudi was able to assess and verify the interdependencies between each component of the geometric design. As the materials were changed, he would be able to observe how the entire shape changed (Fig. 1).

In the 1960s, Luigi Moretti (Fig. 2) developed a set of mathematical equations with parameters for the analysis of spatial relationships. In 1962, he created the Rome urban plan using these

Fig 1: An upside down force model of the Colònia Güell by Antonio Gaudi, Image by Canaan (GFDL)

equations. Moretti investigated the relationship between parametric equations and architectural design between 1940 and 1942 under the name "Architettura Parametrica," initially without the aid of computers. He himself coined the term “Parametric Architecture”.

Luigi Moretti developed a set of mathematical equations with parameters to examine spatial relationships. He used these equations to produce the Rome urban plan in 1962. He coined the phrase "parametric architecture".

Moretti came to the conclusion that the modern architectural culture has evolved through experiments and computational methods, understanding how form and structure relate to one another differently (Gallo and Pellitteri 2018).

Displayed at the 1960 Twelfth Milan Triennial's Parametric Architecture exhibition was stadium N, modeled by Luigi Moretti (Fig. 3). A parametric model with 19 parameters is used to create the stadium (Bucci and Mulazzani 2002, 114).

It goes without saying that when discussing parametric architecture, Frei Otto, who used bubbles to create parameters for minimal surface tensile structures, must be mentioned. An outstanding

Fig 2: Italian Architect, Luigi Moretti

Fig 3: Parametric Architecture of Luigi Moretti, uploaded by Massimiliano Lo Truco

example of architectural optimization.

To organize cities and create building shapes, architects and designers have long used complex structural systems created by nature. Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, Lazlo Moholy Nagy, Sir Patrick Geddes, and other authors were influenced by the morphological writings of Goethe (Metamorphosis of Plants 1790), E.S. Russell (Form and Function 1916), and R.H. Francé (Plants as Inventors 1920). However, morphology had become dormant by the middle of the 20th century, despite significant analytical advances made in D'Arcy Thompson's On Growth and Form of 1917 (revised 1942), as well as later mathematical models for influencing biological patterns developed by Alan Turing in 1952 and Aristid Lindenmayer in 1968. The mutating structures and intricate patterns of organic life have proven to be too challenging to precisely measure and represent, much like Kiesler's flowing forms. But between K. J. Falconer's fractal theory advancements in 1990 and Benoit Mandelbrot's research in The Fractal Geometry of Nature from 1982, the computer emerged as a tool for simulating the evolution of biological forms. (morphogenesis). Computerized parametric design models could be used to analyze and reconstruct coral, sponges, and other simple marine and plant life that grows and functions in response to a small number of measurable criteria such as light, ocean current, nutrition, and so on. Designers began to "animate form" in the late 1980s and early 1990s, working with computers, software created for the aerospace and film industries, as well as related morphological simulations (Stephan and Philips 2010, in arcCA 10.1).

Building facades and plans with freeform shapes are frequently associated with parametric design thanks to the work of renowned architects such as Greg Lynn, Jean Novel, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Foster & Partners, Satiago Calatrava, and more architects who applied parametric design in their projects. Few examples of Parametric Design in Architecture according to a blog published in

Fig 4: Frei Otto Experimenting with Soap Bubbles

One of the many parametric structures Frank Gehry has created is "Fish," or Peix Olmpic, in Barcelona, Spain (Fig. 5). In fact, Gehry even designed a building that represents a crumpled paper bag. Gehry is known for pushing the limits of organic shapes.

An iconic example of a piece of architecture that constructs enormous structures that were parametrically designed is Zaha Hadid Architects. There are hardly any discernible corners or sharp edges in the commercial, retail, and entertainment complex known as the Galaxy SOHO Mall in Beijing, China (Fig. 6). Its design creates the impression of one continuous space.

The bizarre World Trade Centre Transportation Hub design by Santiago Calatrava, also referred to as the Oculus, in New York City is another illustration of parametric architecture (Fig. 7). In terms of both exterior and interior design, its architecture extends the boundaries.

2020 by Emily Suzuki on the Autodesk database are:

Fig 5: Peix Olimpic by Frank Gehry

Fig 6: Galaxy SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects

Fig. 7: One World Trade Centre Transportation Hub/Oculus by Santiago Calatrava

2.3 Is it a Style or Set of Techniques? The Question of Style

Similar to pen and paper, modern architectural design processes increasingly make use of digital design tools like CAD and 3D design software. Parametric design, which emerged from digital design, changed architecture in terms of design processes, resources, and construction techniques. Modern digital technology, on the other hand, has an impact on and changes architecture. It is predicted that a new architectural style may emerge as a result of this process. One could argue that modern architectural doctrines don't do a good enough job of illuminating the outcomes of parametric design. New theoretical ideas related to parametric design should be developed in architecture. Patrik Schumacher, a partner at Zaha Hadid Architects, first used the term "parametricism" in his 2008 book, "Parametricism Manifesto." According to this presentation, "parametricism" would follow Modernism as the upcoming major fashion trend. This Schumacher analysis seeks to clarify whether parametric design is a design methodology or a passing fad (Oktan and Vural 2017). According to Schumacher, "The style finally closes the transitional period of uncertainty that was engendered by the crisis of modernism and that was marked by a series of short lived episodes including post modernism, deconstructivism, and minimalism. "Parametricism is the great new style after modernism" (Schumacher 2008).

However, some architects claim that parametric design is better understood as a method and design tool for creating high quality, cutting edge structures for modern society. They believe that style is ever evolving and follows trends and fashion, so they disagree with Schumacher's description (Erlendsson 2019). Hassell senior researcher Daneil Davies criticizes parametricism, a paradoxical new aesthetic. According to Davies, terms like orthogonality and parallelism are also frequently used in mathematics, and the term "parametric" is no different. The term parametric does not refer to a significant movement or style that came after Modernism. The development of digital technology in architecture can also be seen as reflected in parametric design. It changes the formal spatial structural relationships, design processes; tools; and fabrication methods used in architecture (Oktan and Vural 2017).

I tend to agree more with the premise that parametric design is a collection of guidelines and methods used in architecture to manage the complexity that is being generated. Furthermore, I believe Schumacher's classification of parametric design as a style restricts the field as a whole, because a style, to me, is a certain approach by which something is carried out in a particular way. The intricacy of the parametric buildings we see, with their curving and dynamic structures,

prevents my idea of parametric design in architecture from being summed up by the results of the generative design process alone. Because parametric design is capable of producing more than just complex systems and curvilinear architecture, it may be utilized as a tool to address traditional design issues. Therefore, by describing Parametric Design as a style in architecture as described by Schumacher, we are constraining its role. How far and widely spread is this new phenomenon if the general origins of parametric design may be located in the digital turn in architecture to qualify as a style? Even the digital paradigm is a topic of discussion among experts, who wonder which paradigm is moving if one is truly occurring. Since neither parametric design's current position nor its antecedents are sufficiently evident for acceptance by the architectural world, coining it as a style also seems debatable. The idea of "parametricism," as defined by Patrik Schumacher, is widely accepted in architectural education and academia, which may account for why recent architecture graduates are more knowledgeable about it than their peers in the field. However, Schumacher's use of parametricism raises some concerns that are worth considering and that demand further explanation (Zarei 2012).

The definition of style varies depending on who you ask. Perhaps well known architects or large corporations place a lot more emphasis on "style" than do other architects or businesses. Additionally, because there has long been a conflict between theory and practice, some believe it is dangerous to refer to parametric design as a style. Despite their emphasis on how it has become a style in academia, the truth is very different. In contrast to this, Schumacher defines parametricism as crossing the boundary between theory and practice (Zarei 2012). I believe that it will take some time before we find the proper definition of what parametric design is and whether it is a style, a set of rules and techniques, or a new paradigm in architecture. My understanding would be that parametric design is a mirror of digital technical advancements in architecture. It alters architecture in terms of design methodology, tools, fabrication techniques, and formal, spatial, and structural relationships. There is no doubt that parametric design, with any definition, has made an enormous difference, transformation, and had an impact on architecture and the profession as well, and it has proven that this conceptual tool or method has its place academically and professionally and has been expanding rapidly in the past two decades.

A style serves to preserve the aesthetic memories of a time (Bayard 2012). They could be compared to the building names. Architectural style is a classification of design products with similar qualities, such as similarity in general appearance and in composition of design components, that were produced in a particular time and place, according to the "Dictionary of

Architecture and Construction" (Harris 2006). Another dictionary describes styles as evolving over time, including materials, building technology, and theoretical frameworks (Ambrose et al., 2007). I think parametric design has to be discussed in parallel with these definitions and their architectural environment.

2.4 Advantages and Drawbacks of Parametric Design

Architects are showing a strong interest in utilizing such technology, which enables them to create magnificent structures more efficiently. Parametric architectural designs, with their game changing features, are unquestionably the start of a bright future. According to Tycoon organization who published a blog in April 2021, some of the most important advantages of parametric design in architecture are:

•

Efficient with aesthetics intact

The laws and rules of nature have always placed restrictions on an architect's ability to create magnificent structures. Despite always being able to swim against the flow, having a significant impact has never been a reality. Over these years, a lot of effort, time, and mistakes were needed to translate structures from the visualization into reality. Thanks to parametric design, it is now possible to create architectural designs with no restrictions on shapes, symmetry, or designs. The inventiveness of architects should not be disregarded. That would be a combination of functionality and beauty.

•

Boosts up the ideas

The structure is built after entering the inputs into the tool in accordance with the constraints. This makes creating the potential structure exactly easier. The parametric architectural design, which helps maintain shapes and finds solutions, addresses all of the structure's corners. For instance, you can design any room in accordance with the shape of the structure by specifying the necessary parameters. It generates a variety of viable options for the structure's construction. This makes moving from one area of the structure to another simpler.

• Making Room for Complexity Management

When combined with computation, parametric design improves how complex problems are handled by designers. Each of these processes is incorporated into the architects' work. A wide

range of parameters, such as those pertaining to software, the environment, material technologies, and manufacturing, are used by parametric architects. Technology is constantly pushing the envelope of what is conceivable. As a result, architecture also develops (Archistar, n.d.).

• Bringing the Third Industrial Revolution into Architecture

The advent of parametric design has altered architecture alike theoretically and practically. The third industrial revolution is ushering in the age of computing, mass customization, and robotics. A career in architecture that has observable effects requires constant adaptation to new technologies, programming languages, digital processes, and other factors. The rise of parametric design directly depends on how architecture responded to the third industrial revolution.

• Helps Adapt Architecture to Building Smart Cities

The focus of architectural teams can now be shifted from particular structures or neighbourhoods to entire cities. The success of this can be attributed to computation and parametrics. As technology advances, cities can be constructed as automated systems.

• Advantages of Parametric Design for Industries:

Client consultations, design development, and performance testing with a variety of software programs are all parts of the traditional architectural design process. The process of sending the drawings to structural engineers, electrical engineers, plumbers, quantity surveyors, and other experts is laborious and slow after a certain point. The architect is then responsible for making the necessary adjustments to the initial drawings and restarting the cycle if a change is necessary as a result of a request from one of the other industries or a client. Additionally, this necessitates a lot of drawings for each industry, which is a poor method of data transmission and can make the process drawn out and slow. This process can be accelerated, greatly improving how quickly and easily a design can be developed and assessed both within and across industries, by using parametric tools for design.

This systematized process is demonstrated by a system that brings together all necessary industries and enables them to work together. This is one way that a tool called BIM (Building Information Modeling) can be put to use (Fig. 8). managing digitally generated models that are used to develop fabricable physical forms (such as buildings or other structures), as in the case of parametric computational tools like BIM. Construction documents can be produced using BIM,

which can also be used to cut costs, plan construction, and predict building performance. To aid in decision making throughout a project, it employs parametric data (Harmens 2014, 22 23).

• Advantages of Parametric Design for Analysis:

Using parametric design, an architect has complete control over every element of a design, from the form to the materials used to construct it. The field of parametric technology is ever evolving. To bridge the gap between the digitally generated model and the final physical design, more and more plugins (additional software that links into the existing software and provides an additional tool that can be used within the program) are being created. The evaluation of these models is made possible by parametric modeling, which enables the development of designs and the assurance that they will work as intended. For instance, generative algorithms, such as generative art, are primarily created using the grasshopper plugin for the Rhinoceros modeling software. 3D shapes are created by a number of grasshopper parts (Fig. 9). At higher levels, parametric modeling is used for fabrication, lighting performance analysis, structural engineering, and other purposes. It is rapidly growing among architects because of its intuitive capacity to experiment with novel design approaches and intuitively address design challenges. Without any programming knowledge, these tools enable architects to experiment with parametric modeling concepts, allowing them to focus on the key designs (Harmens 2014, 25).

Fig 8: Advantages of Hiring Building Information Modeling Services by Staff Writer, 2010

• Drawbacks and Limitations of Parametric Design in Architecture:

The use of parametric design, according to architects, has disadvantages for their line of work because it alters how they approach design. There are some drawbacks as a result of the newness of the computer programs used in parametric design. However, some are a direct result of the parametric approach, which transforms not only how architects design but also significantly alters the role of an architect in a design studio. In general, "parametrics" perform better in domains where the focus is on engineered form itself, claims Malcolm McCullough, a professor of architecture at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan. In areas like product design, where parameterization only requires taking a small number of factors into account, this kind of engineering is quite practical. On the other hand, it becomes a significant challenge in architecture. (Zarei 2012, 85).

Some of the drawbacks of Parametric Design in Architecture according to AJ under the title of ‘Let’s get ideas about how parametric design change architecture practice in future’ blog published in Kadvacorp in 2018:

• Manufacturing Infrastructure is not present is most places.

• Most Engineers and technology alike need to be invited/imported.

• Longer Gestation period.

• Higher cost.

• Skilled Workers and Contractors required.

Fig 9: Grasshopper Programming Tool

The processes used for parametric design, whether they are done manually or digitally, are more complex than those used for other types of designing, according to a Pardis Helmy article titled "Challenges Architects Faced While Developing Parametric Architecture" that appeared in Rethinking the Future. It necessitates taking into account mathematical operations, data analysis, computer science, and design tactics all at once. Consequently, learning parametric software is more difficult for architects than learning any other 3D modelling software. The Grasshopper 3D plug in for Rhinoceros 3D is one illustration of this, as it offers users a visual programming language interface to create and edit geometry using condensed nodes or components (Fig. 10).

Parametric architects design the entire process rather than just the final form. In contrast to other design methods, architects must choose the appropriate commands and parameters after having a firm grasp of the final form. Otherwise, experimenting with the final form with various parameters and selecting one will take a lot of time during the modelling process. Due to the fact that the designer is not bound to a specific form or result, this can be both a benefit and a disadvantage. It takes a lot of time and effort to get the best outcome between what the tool generates and what the architect has in mind. A façade's panelling or the form's fluidity are two examples of the diverse design elements created by parametric architecture. Producing these various profiles is therefore costly, and the assembly procedure is also challenging (Fig. 11).

Two of the main issues with parametric design in architecture are fabrication and construction. The construction phase is regarded as a complex phase in parametric architecture because the

Fig 10: Rhino, Grasshopper 3D Canvas

Fig 11: Al Bahr Towers Exterior Sunscreens System, Abu Dhabi

majority of conventional construction methods are unable to adapt to the new digital construction technologies. CNC machines, casting molds, 3D printing, and robotic arms are mainly used for the fabrication of the majority of parametric designs. However, digital fabrication is not always accessible and can be very expensive. In some countries, the adoption of some of these technologies is still pending. Furthermore, the construction on the site is very different from that carried out using traditional methods. It's more difficult because it requires highly developed technology and a skilled workforce.

Some architects claim that the parametric approach has always prioritized aesthetic appeal. The truth is that a proper solution must take into account all design constraints in addition to the project's visual appearance. As a result, the architect's definition of aesthetics will determine the design priorities, and some elements might take precedence over the building's appearance (Sardy 2018). Currently, architects don't comment on how buildings are using their resources. The work of an architect doesn't end with the completion of a new building. Architects should be in charge of ensuring that the structure performs as intended and that its occupants are happy with the standard of the designated space (HMC Architects 2020). As architects, we should care as much about our buildings after delivery as we do before." Hannelore Christianes. Many architects consider their involvement in a project to be over once a building is finished. But architects shouldn't stop caring about their buildings after delivery. Ironically, the most crucial lessons in architecture and design can be discovered immediately after this. Thus, it is crucial to think honestly. Are those who use the building content with it? Does the building work as it should? A collection of quantitative and qualitative research methods used to answer these questions is referred to as post occupancy evaluation (Christianes 2014).

Chapter 03 Research Methodology

The Post Occupancy Evaluation, along with the tools and techniques used to gather data, is explained in the third chapter's section on research methodology. The significance of building appraisal for the built environment of the future is explored. Additionally, a diagram of the data collection and analysis strategy is presented and explained, outlining the justification for choosing this strategy for this research

RESEARCH METHODOLODY

3.1 Defining Post Occupancy Evaluation

Post Occupancy Evaluation of buildings in actual use is the efficient analysis of buildings with the aim of determining how well they function when occupied. It was developed in the 1960s to assess the performance of the building and identify significant issues (Preiser 1995, 2002). It is a technique for evaluating structures that have been constructed and occupied for a predetermined period of time (Preiser 2002). POE is used to evaluate how satisfied building occupants are with their surroundings and provide information to improve the building's performance in future projects (Preiser and Vischer 2005). Building users are included in the POE measurement process to determine the strengths and weaknesses that must be addressed in order to close the gap (Watson 2003). The evaluation of a building's behaviour during its use phase is a process that aims to collect information with the goal of a feedback process in which objective and subjective variables should be combined, because, as stated by Joseph Muntaola, a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi and the author of Poética y Arquitectura, "You cannot avoid linking physical aspects of the environment short, large, heavy, light, etc. with social aspects of the same environment pleasant, unpleasant, repressive, habitable, significant or insignificant, etc.

for the most objective (what is more objective than a building?) and the most subjective (what is more subjective than the assessment of a building?) of any culture is that they must necessarily have contact" (Vásquez Hernández, Restrepo Álvarez, 2017), (Abdul Wahab and Kamaruzzaman 2011). The table below shows the benefits of POE according to Preiser and Watson (Fig. 12).

12: Benefits of POE (Preiser,1995, Watson, 2003)

3.2 The Importance of Building Evaluation for our Future Built Environment

It is thought that post occupancy evaluation is a crucial tool for enhancing the built environment. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has been promoting the use of this methodology since the early 1960s when the first RIBA plan of work was published (RIBA 2020). Building evaluation is very crucial in the context of increasing user satisfaction. It could provide actionable insight into whether the building meets the desired requirements for the people who inhabit it.

The New Art Exchange, a cultural hub in Nottingham, underwent a series of POEs to better understand how the structure was functioning from the perspective of its users (Fig. 13). The POEs assisted in identifying the necessary steps to address the issues raised, such as the need for more comprehensible instruction manuals and a longer handover period to address management and building service issues. The POE process has allowed the gallery to be used to its full capacity because the gallery staff was not aware that heavy duty plasterboards had been installed specially to support heavy exhibits. Staff education on the best window usage practices, particularly for nighttime cooling, helped to solve the problem of summertime overheating. The changes that followed have enhanced space management and increased user satisfaction (MacDonald 2020).

Research on human needs and built asset performance serves as the POE process' guiding principle (Riley et al., 2010). There are two prominent lines of inquiry included in it: technical performance and functional performance. Technical performance measurement assesses the conditions that a structure provides for the accomplishment of the tasks for which it was built (Preiser et al., 1988). It evaluates comfort, acoustical performance, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and safety from fires (McGrath and Horton, 2011; Hassanian et al., 2017). The suitability of a building for use in light of user activities is evaluated instead by functional performance

Fig 13: New Art Exchange in Nottingham

measurements. It evaluates the impact of people, the distance from other facilities, the quality of the interior and exterior finishes, and space management (Zhang and Barrett, 2010). Although there are numerous ways to conduct a POE, the two main research areas are functional and technical performance measurement (Roberts, Edwards, Hosseini, and Mateo Garcia 2019, 8). Though post occupancy evaluations are very useful in architecture, not all firms employ them. Some architectural firms typically steer clear of these assessments because they are pricy, time consuming, and resource intensive. Furthermore, some architects refuse to conduct project evaluations out of fear of liability or unfavorable findings (HMC Architects 2020).

It is essential to heavily involve the client or user in the design process before construction begins, and the designer, rather than architects, who are frequently left out of this process after construction, should be involved in the user experience phase (Fig. 14). Making relatively simple changes to the building to improve user satisfaction in the short term may be the lesson to be learned from this, while avoiding issues that cannot be resolved in the current building in future projects for long term success (Christiaens 2014).

3.3 Strategy of Data Analysis

In relation to what has already been stated, I intend to adopt post occupancy evaluation (POE) in my research, a qualitative and analytical methodology that focuses on the perspective and requirements of the building's occupants. This methodology helps in revising and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a building. In addition, POE analyses how comfortable and functional a building is after users have been occupying it for some time, and how to improve the building’s performance in the future.

Furthermore, I believe that this methodology is appropriate for my research because it incorporates feedback from both building users and architects, offering reflections from several angles through

Fig 14: Hannelcore Christians, The Importance of Post Occupancy Evaluation for our future built environment, 2014

questionaries and interviews, in addition to site visits and more objective measures such as environmental monitoring and space measurement. My research evaluation of parametrically built structures is based on the assessment of numerous sources and viewpoints (Fig. 15).

Parametric Based Architecture

Site Visits, Personal Assessment Journals, Newspaper, Magazines, Local Libraries

Users, Local Reflection and References Architects, Professionals Interviews, Survey

Fig 15: Diagram showing the Data Collection according to different sources

The data is collected from different valid sources: users and locals, architects and professionals, journals, local newspapers and libraries, interviews and surveys, in addition to site visits and personal reflections. This approach is taken into consideration for this study since it is crucial to understand the many viewpoints and perceptions of parametric architecture. In addition, a survey under the title "Parametric Design Approach In Architecture" was established. It seeks to comprehend the transition in architecture from conventional design to parametric design. The poll encourages both designers and architects to consider parametric design and its effects on the modern world as well as their own personal impressions of it. The objective is to comprehend how individuals with various professional backgrounds view the parametric design methodology in architecture. The figure below shows the 4 stages to be taken into consideration while collecting data: Data collection from different sources, Data reduction and selection are what is useful for this research. Data display and translation into valuable records, and conclusion drawing (Fig. 16).

Data Collection Data Reduction Data Display Conclusion Drawing

Fig 16: Diagram showing 4 phases in Collecting Data for this Research

The vast amount of data collected leads me to feel that this data collection approach is essential for this research and should be considerable. Not all of the material gathered was pertinent and was mentioned in this research. Literature, interviews, survey, and site visits were used to gather information on effective practices. Data is gathered, reduced, filtered, transcribed, and then analysed.

Chapter 04 Perspectives on Parametric Architecture

In chapter 04, and before diving into the research case study in the next chapter, I have presented the different perspectives on parametric architecture by conducting 6 interviews of experts and professionals in the field of parametric design and architecture. In addition, a survey was conducted under the title "Parametric Approach in Architecture" that addressed 97 architects as well as designers. The goal behind the interviews and survey is to ask the audience to think about parametric design in architecture and the impact it has on today’s world and the subjective impression it has on them. Understanding how people with various professional backgrounds perceive the parametric design approach in architecture has been made easier thanks to this chapter. A discussion is included to provide personal commentary and insight on the results at the end of this chapter.

PERSPECTIVES ON PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE

In this chapter and before diving into the research case study in the next chapter, I was interested in figuring out the different perspectives on parametric architecture through experts and professionals in the field of parametric design and architecture. In addition, a survey was conducted that addresses architects and designers. The goal behind this survey is to ask the audience to think about parametric design in architecture and the impact it has on today’s world, in addition to the subjective impression it has on them. The goal behind the interviews and the survey is to understand how people from different professional backgrounds perceive the parametric design approach in architecture. This chapter is divided into two parts: Expert Interviews and Survey among architects and designers.

4.1 Expert Interviews

Since this research is using a qualitative methodology in addition to a quantitative approach as well, the interviews were very beneficial in helping me explain, better understand, and explore my respondents' opinions, behaviour, experiences, and reflections on this research topic. The research interview methods were carried out through video calls supported by conferencing platforms such as Zoom, while other interviews were held in person. The interviews are indirect, meaning that the questions are asked in a way that the interviewees are unaware of the purpose of the questions or the intended response. The questions weren’t sent prior to the respondents, and the interviews were not prepared before the actual meeting. Based on their inquiries, the interviewees' names were omitted. Only the information necessary for this research was covered in the first part of this chapter's discussion with the interviewees; the second part of the chapter contains a brief discussion of my personal evaluation and opinion. These questions are only a few of the other questions that came up in the interview context.

The same list of questions was asked to the interviewees, I will mention some of the questions:

1. Since we already know about the debate for defining parametric design, how would you define parametric design and what is your understanding of parametric architecture?

2. What’s wrong with architecture in the past? Why do we need parametric architecture?

3. Is Parametric Architecture visually appealing with no functionality?

4. Does it connect with the existing environment?

5. Could parametric design help in solving traditional design challenges? Such as: Construction processes and costs, materials, labour.

6. How would you evaluate the performance of the most world famous architects in relation to the projects using parametric design that we have seen in recent years?

The first interview was held in person during my visit to Barcelona, Spain. Interviewee (1) is a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Architecture and an associate professor at Universität Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC). She believes that parametric design is trying to express architecture in a different sense and in a way that gives us the chance to study new forms and that is because of the new tools and computation, which make the results more interesting and unique. Interviewee (1) illustrates parametric design as fashion. She thinks it is all about individuality and that because parametric design is trying to be aligned with the huge technological shift that happened in the past 20 or 30 years. I asked whether we are in the phase of experimentation by the architects. She answered: "No, I think we live in an era of mass production. It is about "individuality", creating something unique and now we have the tools to achieve that, in order to be different" (Interviewee 1).

Furthermore, why do we need parametric architecture? I asked. What is wrong with the architecture we had before (traditional architecture)? Are you saying that parametric architecture was simply developed because of the tools we have now that allow us to execute these designs? And not because there would be a human centred approach or a necessity for the user’s needs? Interviewee (1) pointed out that it’s not that we need parametric architecture and that we cannot survive with traditional architecture. She states that she’s actually more of a fan of traditional architecture because it has been there for ages, and it is based on experience, user experience, and it is more human centred. She adds: "Nowadays there are new necessities with the shift after modernism, for example, Dubai. They are transforming the desert into New York because they are capable of doing so. They have the tools and without computational design, this would not be possible to achieve "(Interviewee 1). We discussed the fact that architects nowadays are considering social and cultural aspects in their projects. Interviewee (1) gave an example in this context of a project for Zaha Hadid Architects in her homeland in Cyprus: The Elftheria Square. "The project is impressive; it is really nice; people visit that area just to see Zaha’s architecture; but the problem is that the building isn’t functional in the summer" (Interviewee 1), she mentions. In

addition, the materials used are white concrete, and in summer the temperature rises to be very warm, so the sun gets reflected by this material. She adds: "Being in that square in summer feels like going to ski and getting tanned by the sun’s reflection on the snow" (Interviewee 1).

During our discussion, I asked about the importance of the scale factor in parametric architecture. I gave an example of the cathedrals in the Middle Ages. It represents a huge monument. It was designed out of human scale because it had a purpose. It was supposed to make people feel something. So, my question was: Is parametric architecture, with its out of scale monuments, trying to make us feel the same as the cathedrals back in the Middle Ages? Does it have the same purpose? She emphasized that the scale consideration in parametric architecture is for uniqueness only. Finally, Interviewee (1) ends her discussion by saying: "I really think that parametric design could be really useful and has a lot of potential if we use it in the right way and in the right places, we can make a difference. I think parametric design can solve the problems occurring in traditional architecture. In addition, I think we are in an era of experimentation, with a lot of new machinery, tools, and materials, and I think we are in a transition phase "(Interviewee 1).

My second interview was with the director of the Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction at Iaac University in Barcelona, Spain, and the CEO of Noumena. The meeting with Interviewee (2) had different perspectives. He defines parametric design as the need to manage the complexity in architecture. In any architectural design process, I am aware that a project's generating process, construction phase, and post construction phase are all interrelated and cannot be separated from one another. Although I tried to comprehend and inquire about how such complex buildings function in the current environment, I felt that Interviewee (2) and I were caught in a single stage of the conversation, which was the process of how this system or structure was generated or defined. The debate was centred on the computational and numerical methodologies used in buildings with parametric designs. I am aware of how difficult the generative design phase in parametric architecture is to complete. Defining architectural spaces using parametric design logic is a challenging process, from the form finding stage to conceptualization, and later from parametrization and computation stages to materialization and execution. Despite all of that, I was curious to ask him about how these buildings function in the existing environment. But I understand Interviewee’s (2) point of view because he is not a designer and he is using these parametric computational tools for data and technical reasons. That is why he was focusing on explaining the generative design process and the algorithmic numerical approach. Because architects frequently focus on creating architecture while ignoring the post construction phase,

this is one of the main research gaps I am seeking to highlight in my thesis.

On the other hand, interviewee (3) had a different way of perceiving parametric design in architecture. She is an architectural designer who worked at Zaha Hadid Architects formerly and is currently a vertiport design architect at Lilium in Munich, Germany. She has a master’s degree in Integrative Technologies and Architectural Design Research from the University of Stuttgart. She states that there is no such thing as parametric architecture. Interviewee (3) defines parametric design as more like a set of techniques that are used to approach a certain type of architecture. This is the most suitable definition, in her opinion. Further said, "When we look at all these tools, plugins, used in parametric design, the goal is to digitize the way we are designing nowadays or even to analyse specific design concepts that we are probably pursuing for a site location, for example. And using parametric tools has all the benefits and the advantage of reaching the most optimal solution for what you are proposing "(Interviewee 3). Interviewee (3) believes that those tools could be super handy because instead of sketching all day and exploring, and maybe not visualizing a 3D geometry, this parametric tool, or the computational tool, to be more specific, is way better than doing it manually.

Interviewee (3) doesn’t describe parametric design as fashion, as described by others, or even a type of architecture, or a new paradigm, because in her opinion, when we do something parametrically, we do it for a certain reason: to simplify the design and to control it in a freer way. She contends that parametric design is a tool, a translator, and a bridge between what we envision. So instead of using a pen, we have a computer and some tools that are scripted to make the design process easier. After that, I ask how architects nowadays are using this tool. Interviewee (3) states that architects are missing the core and value of what these computational tools have, which is the data approach. She gives an example: "Who would have known that we could see the topography in 3D? I think, in my opinion, it is wrong to use the terminology "parametric architecture" (Interviewee 3). She adds: "In the past I have used this terminology, and I was wrong, and I admit it. It’s not architecture; it’s not a style; it’s not a fashion; it is just a tool to help you, for a certain purpose, control complexity (Interviewee 3).

From her experience, she believes that what Zaha Hadid Architects is doing is not considered to be parametric architecture; it’s organic or fluid architecture. Interviewee (3) explained to me the design process they follow at ZHA, from design development to rationalising the design using different software, such as Maya, Rhinoceros, and Revit. She adds: "After everything we have

discussed so far, we haven’t even talked about anything that is called parametric architecture" (Interviewee 3). Architecture, to her, is subjective. It is art. We could like it or not. I told her how fascinated I was by the aesthetics of these buildings, but also by the relationship between us, the users, and these complex spaces; how we perceive, walk, and behave in these spaces and locations; and, as a result, to be able to evaluate parametric architecture, or what she calls fluid or organic architecture. She answers: "To be honest, I agree with you, I would never be able to work eight hours in one of these complex spaces" (Interviewee 3). Interviewee (3) points out that her brain is programmed and used to design and build boxes and that she would never be able to work or live in such buildings; she would go crazy. On the other hand, she says it’s an art form, and there are people who like it. Again, it is subjective. "The way you build art and architecture, it could be used for fluid complex geometries and it could be used for simple geometries" (Interviewee 3). Moreover, I ask whether parametric design helps in solving traditional design problems. Interviewee (3) believes that nowadays, with the move to the digitized world, we are moving into this new dimension. In her opinion, parametric design has a good approach and it helps a lot. But is it going to be practical forever? I do not know, she states, "if parametric design is going to take the place of traditional techniques" (Interviewee 3 continues).

And finally, we discussed the aesthetics vs. function debate, and whether parametric architecture is visually appealing with no functionality. She believes that architecture consists of art and function. Sometimes art beats function and vice versa. Several architects prefer to work with functionality, while others focus more on the aesthetic part of the project. She ends the discussion by saying: "I don’t think digital tools are related to the debate about whether these buildings are comfortable or not, or if we like them or not" (Interviewee 3).

The last interview I managed to arrange was with an Editorial Board member at Urban Next. Interviewee (4) pursued his master’s degree in advanced architecture at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalunya. He has experience in neuroscience and data architecture. Interviewee (4) defines parametric architecture the same as it says, which is developing architecture based on parameters. How complex the parameters are is the main topic for him, because if we have a million parameters, it is going to be more complex than having five parameters only. He continues, "When we say parameters, we are quantifying qualities. For example, we can set parameters on how big the opening is, what the colour of the floor is, or how big the slab is. But once we finish all the physical parameters, we start going to the second layer, which is more qualitative aspects of the space and how we can parameterize it, such as thermal comfort in the space and how to

quantify that because it is a parameter in the building space "(Interviewee 4).

Interviewee (4) understands parameters as elements, meaning that if we are designing our building based on parameters, it means we have it as an element, and the building becomes an assemblage of those elements. Jumping into Patrick Schumacher’s definition of parametric design, he believes it is very social political. He states: "It has a whole kind of paradigm definition to it, which is cool, but I don’t really buy it. It doesn’t explain much, but it’s very important to have this debate" (Interviewee 4). He believes that understanding the interface between humans and buildings is especially important when describing the relationship between the user and the built environment. He explains: "We are in a position where if we want to interact with the building, it is possible where the interface is the technology; therefore, the technology becomes the interface between us and the building" (Interviewee 4). That is the way he believes we could change how the buildings function based on tweaking parameters. From his perspective, we could go one step ahead and say that technology as well can be the interface where the building can change us, the users. That is, the building can change some parameters in us, the users, such as our stress levels, engagement, excitement, anxiety, and so on. This could be achieved visually, or it could be done by the lights, but what interests him more is that we can achieve it by newer technology. Interviewee (4) adds: "Whenever we enter a space and start perceiving it, we are actually reconstructing that space in our brains every time" (Interviewee 4).

Moreover, I ask whether parametric architecture is a necessity or not. He answers: "Technically, you just need a roof. You don’t need more than that to stay alive" (Interviewee 4). He perceives architecture differently than buildings. To him, buildings are the buildings that we look at everywhere around us. On the other hand, architecture is the cultural discourse that plays around with the idea of space, buildings, and how to create them. According to interviewee (4), he hasn't seen any architects who have actually built anything in recent years. He states: "All they do is just drawings, and other companies spend millions of dollars trying to develop a technology that could help in executing their designs. So, there is a huge gap, and I do not think that architects should claim that they build buildings (Interviewee 4). Interviewee (4) thinks that the big architectural firms, such as OMA, Foster and Partners, and Zaha Hadid Architects, are not interested in doing parametrics for design. Further said, "They know what they want; they use parametrics to do what they call "Form Rationalisation," which is to take any form and then create something that is actually buildable from it" (Interviewee 4). And lastly, when asked whether parametric architecture disrespects the social and cultural aspects of the environment, he answers: "Well, when the

airplanes started, people used to vomit the whole time, but not anymore. We are the same people, and we got used to it" (Interviewee 4). He thinks one of the main roles of architecture is to create friction and a different dimension because if we want all architecture to be comfortable, we can only build boxes. Interviewee (4) ends the discussion by stating: "We are at a point in time where we should be over the idea that we are designing only for humans. For me, human centred design is old and outdated. Buildings should be designed for people, plants, machines, wind, and sun, and all of these are users, just like us "(Interviewee 4).

The variety of viewpoints expressed in the earlier interviews provided a wealth of excellent information and data for my research. The discussions not only examined parametric architecture as structures and spaces, but also started by defining parametric design and its interconnectedness with architecture. Each interviewee's perception of parametric design and comprehension of parametric architecture varied. We can recognize that the four interviewees are not united around one definition of parametric architecture. This argument clarifies the mismatch between defining parametric architecture and, as a result, the purpose of such buildings in our built environment.

4.2 Survey among Architects and Designers

A survey is a key component of the research approach and a valuable method to gather data. An online survey was conducted over the internet where the target audience completed a structured questionnaire by filling out a form. The survey targeted ninety eight surveyors from different professional backgrounds and countries. It seeks to comprehend the transition in architectural design from conventional to parametric and comprises fifteen questions. Questions are clearly asked in a simplified way Both designers and architects are asked to consider parametric design and its effects on the modern world. The aim behind this survey is to understand how people with different professional backgrounds perceive the parametric design approach in architecture.

• Survey Interpretation

The survey starts by questioning the audience whether they have been trained in the field of architecture or not. 64% of the respondents are architects while 33% are not, in addition to sustainability and interior design majors. The majority have not practiced parametric design with 80.4%, while only 19.6% of the respondents have been practicing parametric design in their design profession. I asked after that if they had any thoughts of what parametric design would be. 62.9% did, while 30.9% did not have any idea of what parametric design is. I was quite surprised by the number of responses that do not have any clue about what parametric design is, although this survey addresses designers from different fields and professional backgrounds, not only architects. I think the reason that a considerable number of people practicing design profession do not have any clue about what parametric design means is that the majority nowadays associate parametric design directly with architecture. Parametric design is being displayed and presented on a bigger scale, such as in buildings designed by star architects and well known design consultancies. But the fact is that parametric design is related and very actively applied in different fields and disciplines, such as: engineering, product design, fashion, jewellery modelling, and interior design. 73.2% state that they have witnessed a shift in their (design) profession based on technology, while 18.6% have not, in addition to 8.2% of the audience state that their profession is unrelated to design. My goal behind asking whether their design profession has shifted based on technology is that the field of parametric design is currently associated precisely and in a direct way with the technological shift in the past two decades. 86.6% think that there has been a significant shift in architecture throughout the past twenty years. From the design and form development phases to the execution and construction phases, In other words, the shift could be translated into computation and software, digital fabrication, and tools, in addition to developing advanced

materials. I think that technological evolution has been a solid foundation that helped parametric design rise quickly in the way that we have seen in the past two decades.

In the next section of the survey, I questioned their understanding of parametric architecture (Fig. 17). More than one response was available to the audience. 66% think that it makes use of what is technologically and technically possible in today’s world. On the other hand, 60.8% believe that parametric architecture brings forth aesthetically intriguing buildings, and 36.1% find it interesting in terms of form and structure, but because it is complex in understanding, it repels them from learning it. The majority, as we can see, believes that parametric architecture represents fascinating structures, aesthetically pleasing, making use of whatever technology may be available at the time, as was previously stated, and is crucial in today's society.

Fig. 17: Screenshot shows question 6 in the conducted survey

I find it intriguing that a small minority of people believe parametric architecture feels more like unhabitable sculptures than actual buildings, as if the computer is not taking other factors such as user needs into account. They believe it creates more undesirable and useless spaces. This, in my opinion, is crucial to note because it reignites the discussion about whether these structures are merely attractive on the outside, serving no practical use. In addition, 68% believe that parametric architecture is complex in terms of understanding, while 29% do not. The rest assume that the generative process of defining such buildings is more complex than the building design itself.

Regarding sociability and culture, I then go to parametric architecture and enquire of the audience whether they think parametric architecture conflicts with architectural traditions. In comparison to the 38.1 percent who disagree, 56.7 percent believe that parametric architecture disrespects and causes conflicts with social and cultural factors. Other responses contend that it depends on the setting and environment; in some, traditions should be upheld; in others, parametric architecture is beneficial and healthy in terms of enhancing the reputation of specific cities In relation to the

previous question, I have included a picture of the Galaxy SOHO project for Zaha Hadid Architects in Beijing, China (Fig. 18), and I ask the audience how it makes them feel and if they would have approved the construction of this building if they were the decision maker.

37.1% of the respondents state that they would approve of such construction shown in figure 18, while 54.6% would not approve of it in their opinion. The responses were so varied, some people do not see any disparity between the Galaxy Soho project and the neighbourhood, claiming there is no connection between the two. In addition, they think that parametric architecture is used as a forced aesthetic and out of context in this case. They consider that gigantic structures kill liveliness, describing this building as an alien concept. According to one source, it was depicted as Pharaoh looking down on slaves.

On the other hand, some of the respondents think that this building is nostalgic; it represents modernity and futuristic vision in architecture; and that it seems very advanced. Moreover, they believe the Soho project is an incredible and confident development. It was also described as a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing space, created through parametric design. In conclusion to this question, 36.7% voted that if they had been the primary decision makers, they would’ve approved the construction of the Soho building shown in the picture above, while 54.1% didn’t approve of the construction of this parametric building, while the rest of the respondents answered that they don’t know if they would’ve approved or not.

Furthermore, 79.4 percent of respondents believe that parametric architecture has the potential to create a relaxing environment for both living and working. In terms of materialization and construction, 72.2% believe parametric architecture is more expensive than traditional architecture, while 20.6 do not. In addition, others say that it depends specifically on the design of the buildings (Fig. 19). My opinion on this question is that it is not always that parametric architecture is more costly than traditional ones, although it looks more dynamic and futuristic in terms of its external

Fig. 18: Screenshot shows questions 13 & 14 in the conducted survey

appearance, but the question I ask is, what makes a building expensive to build? Is it the materials? in the building phase? Is it the generative conceptual phase? Or the program that the building is offering?

Fig 19: Pie diagram shows the results of question 8 in the conducted survey

In terms of materialization and construction, sometimes it depends where the building is being executed in the world. In developed countries, labour is more expensive than materials; therefore, labour saving construction materials and methods are common. The cost of labour is frequently quite low in developing countries, making labour intensive processes more economical than imported "labour saving" materials. In general, the "conceptual," or design of the building, affects cost primarily through material selection and construction methods, but design can also increase expense due to complexity. Curved or uneven surfaces, for instance, need substantially more time and effort to construct. Complexity can also be demonstrated by irregular details, such as each window being slightly different, or by details that need components to be made to order.

Finally, I ask the audience to select one of two buildings that most appeals to them and explain why (Fig. 20). The buildings are the Heyder Aliyeh Centre in the Azerbaijan Republic for Zaha Hadid Architects and the Bauhaus building in Dessau Roßlau, Germany. The two buildings represent two different shifts and eras in the fields of architecture, art, and design. Both buildings differ from concept to function. The Bauhaus building, in my opinion, represents a neat clean linear line within its design. It focuses on simple geometries forms such as triangle, square, and circle. It is clear that when it comes to form and function, it represents modernity. In contrast, the Heyder Aliyeh Centre represents a different approach in architecture, from its concept to the function of the building. It symbolizes the parametric design approach in architecture with its curvy,

smooth, dynamic façade. Parametric architecture is characterized by breaking rigidity with non symmetry in its design logic and a departure from linear and straight lines. I was curious to know which of these two examples would appeal more to the audience, representing two different logics in architecture and two different eras.

Fig 20: Screenshot of question 15 in the conducted survey 73.5% of the respondents chose the Heyder Aliyeh Centre, while 26.5% chose the Bauhaus Dessau (Fig. 21). Some respondents believe that Heyder Centre is easier on the eyes because of its curved design and is more in keeping with nature in terms of aesthetics. Compared to the Bauhaus, which has a more rigid form, it is more organic and flexible. The interest in the construction technology utilized to build the Heyder Centre, which few describe as artistic and aesthetic, is another claim that flowing forms trigger more happy emotions. We can infer that a portion of the audience prefers the Heyder Centre because they find it to be more aesthetically pleasing and because it represents a modernized, polished, and futuristic perspective in architecture.

Fig 21: Diagram shows the results of question 15 in the conducted survey

In contrast, several state that they prefer the Bauhaus Dessau building because it is easier to replace, repair, and maintain the building if it is more traditional and because custom built buildings have their own problems. Also, it is always easy to convert traditional buildings for other purposes in the future, while on the other hand, parametric based buildings are only built for specific functions in their understanding. Moreover, the Bauhaus is simple in design; it looks clean, modern, and warm, someone states. It is better in terms of space and long term maintenance. The Bauhaus was described as a more symmetrical, original, and compatible design, which fits more into the current world. Some of the respondents say it has been built using perfect geometry and we can mathematically prove its significance and the reasoning behind it being what it is. They continue, "Each and every line in the Bauhaus building can be defined with a perfect reason, which is not possible in parametric architecture."

Although it is difficult to limit the choice between parametric and traditional architecture to only the two preceding examples, and it may not completely summarize our understanding of parametric and traditional architecture, the various reflections and points of view were very valuable input in this research and have given me a strong forward launch in understanding how architects and designers observe the impact of parametric architecture on our daily lives and how the results, in my opinion, show that the parametric design approach in architecture has not yet been accepted by architects and designers, and it may still be difficult for certain architects to use parametric design in architecture because it is difficult to understand, as the survey features. The argument to me is that the audience has linked parametric architecture to buildings that are aesthetically pleasing only, which in my opinion is an important gap that should be covered in further research, especially that parametric design in architecture is more than generating complexity in spaces and buildings; it has huge potential in different disciplines such as material engineering, digital fabrication, and computational tooling, which can be invested in helping and resolving traditional design problems. We need to comprehend whether something is being created, why it is being created, and how we might improve through it. Parametric design has made its path in architecture and the profession, and I think our understanding of architecture should be expanded. As a result, I believe that parametric design should be as essential to architecture as it is necessary. However, everyone needs to be informed of what, when, and how we might benefit from it.

Chapter 05 Case Study: Phaeno Science Centre by Zaha

Wolfsburg, Germany

Hadid,

In chapter 05, the interesting story of Wolfsburg is introduced, and the reason why the Phaeno Science Centre was selected as the research case study in particular is given. This parametric based building was argued in detail, regarding the concept behind it, its relationship with the existing setting, the different programs it provides, spaces generated, structure, and the solutions it has provided to the city of Wolfsburg. In addition, I have included my own assessment and first impressions of my first site visit to Phaeno, as well as the interviews I conducted there. Finally, a thorough presentation and discussion of all the findings is given, along with a notice of the chapter's concluding study limitations.

CASE STUDY: PHAENO SCIENCE CENTRE, WOLFSBURG, GERMANY

5.1 The Story Behind Wolfsburg

In an effort to adapt to a changing industry, a city tries to reinvent itself. The Volkswagen plant was surrounded by a planned community called Wolfsburg in 1938, and it has thrived ever since (Fig. 22). Even though more car manufacturing is leaving Germany, the city is trying to wean itself off of its reliance on automobiles. The town of Wolfsburg was erected by Volkswagen. Its origins can be found in an industrial designation for the car that would later become known as the Volkswagen Beetle, "City of the Strength Through Joy Car." Even though it had a reputation for being founded by Nazis and had been largely reduced to rubble after World War Two, the town, which had been renamed Wolfsburg after a castle there that dates back to the 14th century, began to thrive once the VW conveyor belts started turning again. That happy circumstance persisted for a long time. Because of the good pay, workers from all over Germany flocked to this artificial town on the plains between Berlin and Hanover. They got yearly raises, stable jobs, and car discounts. Thanks to the cordial relationship between VW management, labour representatives, and the state government, labour unrest was essentially unheard of (James 2006).

Wolfsburg lacks both a long history and a historic city center. Although it is less than 100 years old, it is close to Braunschweig and Hannover and is well known for its auto factories and football team at the moment. Long before Wolfsburg as we know it today was established, people lived in small

Fig 22: Wolfsburg located between Berlin and Hannover, South Eastern region of Lower Saxony

villages in the southeast of lower Saxony. Due to its advantageous location in lower Saxony's southeast, which is essentially in the middle of the country and is both central and accessible, the city was chosen as Volkswagen's capital. Customers who would need to pick up their new Volkswagen themselves would need the location to be convenient. Thousands of workers would be needed to complete the ambitious project's objectives. Building a planned community exclusively for those who worked at the Volkswagen plant was Hitler's ambitious yet simple plan to achieve this (Fig. 23).

Peter Koller, a German Austrian architect, was chosen to design the city, and Albert Speer was chosen to supervise urban development (Fig. 24). The housing complexes would be located directly across from the factories. Hitler's instructions were unequivocal: there would be only one program or function in the city, and there would be no churches or other buildings connected to any particular religion. In a circle around the city's center, the various housing areas were planned to be built lower (Regt 2016).

1:30,000, created in 1938

Fig 23: The power plant of the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Fig 24: Overall development plan "The city of the KdF wagon designed by architect Peter Koller"; Scale

The city wouldn't grow any further until the Second World War was over. Just before the Second World War came to an end, in May 1945, the city was given its original name once more: Wolfsburg. Plans for a new city expansion to accommodate a population increase of 30.000 were already developed in 1948. Immigrants from other countries, mostly from Italy, who came to work at the expanding Volkswagen factory plants can be partly blamed for Wolfsburg's steady population growth (Regt 2016). The population of the city, which had immigrated from all directions as mentioned, soon developed a sense of home, because citizens were facing a new beginning that presented them with similar challenges. As new citizens, they created a new network of contacts through family, friends, and associations. Today, the majority of Wolfsburg’s population lives outside the core city in the surrounding communities.

Even though Volkswagen was selling more cars than ever at the start of the 1990s, the company experienced an economic crisis that endangered its survival and, as a result, Wolfsburg's future. We can only pray, the newsmagazine Der Spiegel said after it was revealed that Volkswagen had experienced significant operational results losses at the end of 1992. VW's debt had reached risky heights and manufacturing costs had skyrocketed. By this time, the Berlin Wall had fallen, and automakers, including VW, had realized that production could be done more affordably in eastern Europe than it could in Germany, a nation known for its high wages. More than 41,000 people are employed there, where it started producing in eastern Europe in 1991. According to the Gelsenkirchen Center for Automotive Research (CAR), by 2010, more than half of German auto parts will be produced abroad (James 2006).

"Germany as a production facility for cars is losing its importance," said CAR's report. The city of Wolfsburg sensed the danger coming fast and realized that they had to do something and take actions fast. The Wolfsburg’s mayor, Wolf Schnellecke stated, “It's becoming harder and harder to have industrial jobs in Germany, and because of this industrial change, we need to create new jobs”. In order to combat the automotive industry's rapid changes, the city launched a campaign to implement structural changes in Wolfsburg in 1998. The city of Wolfsburg had a new objective: it wanted to be more than just a supplier of automotive components for Volkswagen cars; it wanted to be a tourist attraction and a center for entertainment. The city, founded 70 years ago as a result of a particular economic situation in Germany, is about to undergo a new experience, a second foundation, and enter a new phase of development. The city saw the opening of a brand new art museum in 1994.

The Autostadt, the city of the car, was a new idea introduced by Volkswagen in 2000. (Fig. 25, 26). The plan was to turn the ceremony of purchasing a new car into a pleasant outing for the family. The Autostadt complex has a variety of attractions, including pavilions for the Volkswagen Group's car brands, museums, shopping areas with a customer center where people can pick up new cars and take factory tours, as well as kid friendly games. Every year, this location receives one million, five hundred thousand visitors (Khandelwal, "n.d."). With the adoption of a new vision, Wolfsburg was transformed from a small, industrial city into a center of services with a range of outlying consumer and leisure activities. Wolfsburg Castle is a well liked destination as a result of the presence of cultural institutions there. This city's dynamic development as a business location has been sparked and supported by the growth of Volkswagen AG and the expansion of the service sector, creating and supporting an unprecedented increase in jobs. There are roughly the same number of open positions as there are people living in the city.

Moreover, Wolfsburg has many important attractions that played a huge role in putting the city on the map again, such as:

1. Alvar-Aalto-Kulturhaus: The small town wanted to improve its image, so it chose Alvar Aalto as the designer. Aalto was given the freedom to create a "total work of art" of a plan for a client without being constrained by time or financial restrictions. The furniture models, door handles, lighting fixtures, and other intricate details were created by Aalto. Plans for the building included spaces for the neighborhood youth center, adult education center, and library. The building currently houses the city library in addition to the offices of various companies. The city cultural council is also housed there (Fig. 27, 28).

Fig 25 & 26: Autostadt connecting the zones in Wolfsburg

2. Wolfsburg Church (Heilig-Geist-Kirche): The main ideas of Aalto's entry in the Danish international church competition of 1958 were incorporated into this complex, on which he began working in January 1960. The complex includes a bell tower, a parish building, a vicarage, a kindergarten, and the Heilig Geist Kirche (Church of the Holy Ghost). The bell tower consists of two vertical, parallel concrete planks separated by four shelves for bells. The center is a one story, fan shaped building that includes a large assembly hall, two rooms for confirmation classes, a meeting room, a club room, a kitchen, and all these areas are arranged around an entrance. The church hall, a long, rectangular building that is one and a half stories high, houses the offices of the vicar, the chaplain, the precentor, and the parish nurse, as well as four apartments (Fig. 29, 30).

Fig 27: The sculpture façade of the cultural centre, Fig 28: Perspective sketch of the building, Drawing: Alvar Aalto Foundation Photo: Maija Holma

Fig 29: Wolfsburg church (Church of the Holy Ghost) Fig 30: Ground Plan. Drawing: Alvar Aalto Foundation

3. The Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg: Between 1992 and 1994, the Hamburg architectural firm Peter Schweger and Partners built the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg as an open air urban loggia. With its large overhanging glass roof, the building, which faces Hollerplatz, designates the southern entrance to the town center. Architecturally speaking, the lone structure clashes with Wolfsburg's Hans Scharoun designed theater and Alvar Aalto designed cultural center. The project was able to get off the ground thanks to the start up money given by Volkswagen, the city of Wolfsburg, and private donors. The Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg has been collecting contemporary artwork from all over the world since 1994. Key works from the arte povera, conceptual, and minimal movements laid a solid foundation (Fig. 31, 32).

4. The Wolfsburg Theatre: The Wolfsburg Theater is among the city's most well known landmarks. Hans Scharoun (1893 1972), a Berlin based architect known for his innovative expressionist designs, created it. He promoted organic construction in his designs, which ran counter to the dominant rationalism of the 1920s. The structures were created to blend in seamlessly with the surroundings. This concept also gained the support of Wolfsburg's citizens for the architect of the Berliner Philharmonie, who beat out illustrious contemporaries like Alvar Aalto and Jrn Utzon to implement his design in 1965. To provide views of the city and the Volkswagen factory to the front, he wanted his building to extend parallel to Klieversberg Hill. Even the forest in the location, which the architect had incorporated into the design, was there. Every seat has a pleasant view because of the auditorium's central location within the building. Therefore, everything is arranged according to its purpose; however, there are no right angles. The theatre is one of the most popular and successful venues in Germany, operating at about 90% of capacity, which may be why the public likes it so much (Fig. 33, 34).

Fig. 31: An open, vital and dynamic place for art and culture: Fig. 32: The exhibition hall is 16 meters high Kunstmuseum

• Introduction

The Phaeno Science Centre for Zaha Hadid Architects was the latest addition to the city of Wolfsburg in 2005, and which I will be discussing as my case study for this research. I have chosen this as my research case study because I have always been fascinated by the shift that Zaha Hadid has made in architecture in the last two decades. Moreover, this project was accessible, which was a primary factor in me choosing a case study where I could go on site investigation, a participatory investigation specifically, react and interact with people towards the building, be part of the group and take part in, and have a dialogue with users of the

Fig 33: City view (north) with foyer, stage house and administration Fig 34: Auditorium, Lars Landmann, City of

5.2 Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg

Fig 35: Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany. Photography by Nick Mafi

Phaeno and the locals of Wolfsburg. What is more, the story behind Wolfsburg city, which appeared remarkably interesting to me, was a city that wanted to revive and reorient itself after the shock of the early 1990s. I pursued my previous master’s degree in Parametric Studies, and I was inspecting closely the path Parametric Architecture has taken in the past few years through the executed projects by the most well known architectural firms and star architects. Nevertheless, I had some concerns, questions, and doubts, which made me choose to evaluate Parametric Architecture and its impact on the users and the existing environment.

The experimental landscape behind the name "Phaeno" is an experimental world on the subjects of natural sciences and technology. The desire to try things out and the fascination with the real phenomenon should open up a new approach for people of all ages that clearly differs from the classic museum. The close connection between the content and a spectacular, topographical architecture is emphasized by the term "experimental landscape". The educational and cultural facility Phaeno belongs to the international category of science centres. The city of Wolfsburg, as the initiator and client, invested 79 million euros in the overall project (Borgelt, Jost, Froberg, Nägeli, 2008). In 1999, the city of Wolfsburg held an international architecture competition to develop a vacant building that was wisely situated along a major axis, next to the city's main train station and across from VW's factory and its Autostadt (Fig. 36). In its initial few years of operation, the Autostadt, which opened in the year 2000, brought in 2.2 million tourists yearly. The desire to build a practical public addition on this contentious and strategically important plot of land in Wolfsburg served as the inspiration for the Phaeno. In January 2000, Zaha Hadid, a designer of buildings, won a competition. The construction of the building, which cost 99 million euros, took a long five years. The Phaeno is visited annually by about 250,000 people, most of whom are local schoolchildren (Springer 2020).

Fig. 36: Location of the Phaeno Science Centre, Building as Landscape

In front of the city's already established institutions, the Phaeno Science Center was constructed as a statement of identity. It was also intended to highlight the significance of the Volkswagen HQ to the growth of the city. A network of structures designed by Schweiger Architekten, Hans Scharoun, and Alvar Aalto can be found on the site, which was selected by the local government. Zaha Hadid Architects won the contest with a design that had the potential to seamlessly integrate structural systems with urban processes (Passas, Schumacher, Lynn, 2005, 2014). The factory and the Autostadt, where Wolfsburg decided to place its symbolic building, are divided by a canal and a rail track leading to the city's main train station. It is situated in the city's center, between the business district and the office area. It is situated in a crucial area between the station entrance, through which the majority of visitors to the Autostadt pass, and the new footbridge that connects the north bank of the Mittelland Kanal (Khandelwal, "n.d.").

The Phaeno stands for the city's image. The main goal was to increase Wolfsburg's regional competitiveness. The Phaeno's supporters hoped to improve Wolfsburg's internal reputation by addressing its negative connotation as a purely factory town of the Volkswagen group. The establishment of the Phaeno as a science centre is related to the city's search for new tourist destinations to add to its roster of attractions. It was a component of the Auto Vision strategy, which aimed to enhance available culture and tourism, especially for more educated citizens. The discussion of the tense relationship between the city and VW was the promoters' main objective. To compete with VW on an equal footing in this situation, it was imperative to raise the bar. The Phaeno project, an important architectural undertaking, was addressing both an external and an internal audience. It was not just about being an industrial settlement; it was also about claiming one's identity as a city (Springer 2020). The architecture of the Phaeno was intended to function as a symbolic link between the city's perception of its architectural heritage projects created in Wolfsburg during the latter half of the 20th century by Hans Scharoun and Alvar Aalto and that of the Phaeno, which is a relatively new city. In fact, Phaeno will be included in the list of projects that are specifically mentioned as belonging to architectural heritage in the competition brief (Wolfsburg 1999).

• Concept

Without any monumental concrete facades or other concrete cracks, it is a single, triangular, parallel to the railroad track concrete structure. What draws attention are the bases of the

rounded concrete and glass forms rising from the ground. It is inconceivable what it contains. They are frequently referred to as "cones" by Zaha Hadid. Cones with their points buried in the ground, grow larger as they rise, teetering precariously close to collapsing (Khandelwal, "n.d.").

Accessibility for the general public and structural soundness were considered during the design of the Phaeno building. The artificial topography that is created at the base of the structure as a result of raising the exhibition space makes it possible for both foot and vehicle traffic to pass through it. The building is raised off the ground by ten funnel shaped conical supports that protrude from and extend into the space above it (Fig. 37 39). These funnels frame the exterior plaza and offer space for internal circulation, light wells, and other necessary features. The Phaeno Science Centre proposes an urban porosity in which the structure internalizes public space and creates public rooms within the city (Passas, Schumacher, Lynn, 2008).

Zaha Hadid claims that the idea of the magic box, a thing that can inspire curiosity and a desire for discovery in anyone who opens or enters it, served as the inspiration for the building's concepts and designs (Nothingam 2013). By establishing a distinct link between two urban areas on the landscape, the building creates a connection to the city and moves the crossing. Numerous paths for vehicular and pedestrian movement are issued, creating a network of connected travel routes in place of the artificial field and inside the building (WikiArquitectura, "n.d.").

Fig 37: Cones unique by shape and curvature

In addition to acting as structural supports, the cones that are lifting the entire structure also house functional areas like the bookstore, conference room, 250 seat theater, and the museum entrance. Stepping into the largest cone allows visitors to ascend an escalator to the science center's main exhibition floor (Ouroussoff 2005). The city's pedestrian and vehicular connections were maintained by raising the Phaeno's exhibition hall on the cones, and a new, street level covered public plaza was also created. The exhibition hall now features 250 interactive "experimental stations" that clarify scientific principles and phenomena. Additionally, it gave Hadid the creative freedom to construct a self contained world inside the exhibition hall's volume (Fig. 40 43). It never feels like one continuous room, even though it is. It is also impossible to get a clear view of the entire area. As the terrain winds, descends, and curves, there are angled views of various levels. In the end, an alien landscape with craters, caverns, and uplands is created. Complex interactions

Fig 38: Phaeno Science Centre, Ground Floor

Fig 39: Phaeno Science Centre, Ground Floor Pedestrian Paths

exist between the building's structure, purpose, and aesthetic form. "There is no secondary structure," Hadid says. "Each piece of the building has to multi task, if you like. So, a cone has to have the right incline for an escalator or a staircase, but it also has to support the structure above. "Everything has to come together, like focusing a camera" (Rose 2007). The most advanced building technology is represented by Phaeno. Its intricate design was only made possible by sophisticated computer programming, and its plastic forms were made possible by a novel substance called "self compacting concrete" (ibit).

Though Zaha Hadid's sketches are exceptional and recognizable, they rarely depict a project's finished form. She actually draws with a lot of inspiration from her love of artistic abstraction (Fig. 44). The formal libertarian approach Hadid uses to design the buildings that will eventually house her artwork is what gives the structure its elegant appearance. Drawings include formal exercises as well as compositions, construction systems, structures, and contextual relationships (among other things). They serve as inspiration to take advantage of the freedom that drawing has granted us (Santibanez 2017).

Fig 40 & 41: Phaeno in Wolfsburg a science centre for all generations

Fig 42 & 43: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Interior of the Phaeno Science Centre, First Site Visit

• Structure

The construction site itself was considered the first experiment of the Phaeno project: hardly a right angle and complex technical requirements everywhere, which are on the limit of what is possible today, already made the mission a special challenge. The avant garde architecture called for a structural implementation that did not think in the conventional categories of columns, beams, and ceilings but demanded a sculptural, three dimensional design in one piece. In contrast to the widespread, standardized concrete construction method, mostly using level formwork systems, Phaeno is characterized by a production process that largely uses individually manufactured formwork elements and special on site concrete. Phaeno is considered the largest building in Europe to date, made of "Self compacting Concrete." As a pioneering work, the project has written a technological history. So far, mainly SVB (Self consolidating Concrete), which due to its good flow properties does not require compacting the poured concrete in the formwork, has so far mainly been used for the factory production of precast concrete parts or in civil engineering. In the case of Phaeno, it was used for the first time in Germany on a large scale for a building construction task directly on the construction site (Borgelt, Jost, Froberg, Nägeli, 2008, 12 13). Ten cones are present, each of which is distinct due to its shape, inclination, or curvature. Due to careful shuttering of concrete, which shapes and marks the cones during pouring and emphasizes the geometry and tension of the volumes, these shapes are possible (Fig. 45 48).

Fig 44: Phaeno Science Centre Sketch 2005. Sketch by Zaha Hadid

Fig 45: The concrete cones of the Phaeno Science Centre

Fig 46 & 47: Sumit Singhal, Phaeno Science Centre under construction, Germany by Zaha Hadid Architects, 2012

Fig 48: Phaeno Science Centre under construction.

According to Zaha Hadid, The Phaeno is "the most ambitious and comprehensive statement of our search for complex, dynamic, and fluid spaces" (Singhal 2012). She continued, "This project combines formal and geometric complexity with structural audacity and material authenticity. Its avant garde design required methods and materials unattainable through conventional construction techniques. This outcome was the focus of a lot of time and effort (ibit).

• Spaces

The interior is distinguished by irregular space articulation, where there is a distinct division of planes and spaces but sudden openings between a wall and the other empty and references from unexpected angles. A wide ranging view of the surroundings is provided by large glass surfaces. The science centre of the structure is 12000 m2. The centre’s 15,000 square meters of underground parking, which spans a larger area and surrounds the entire building (ZHA 2005). There are 350 interactive exhibits and experiment stations in the permanent exhibition area, which is devoted to the natural, physical, and earth sciences. It offers a wide range of activities, such as workshops, open door labs, a science centre, a bistro, and a shop (Fig. 49 51). The asymmetrical interiors are clearly divided into planes and spaces with unexpected openings between walls, which keeps the user interested and gives the journey a sense of surprise (Mathur, "n.d.").

Fig 49: Phaeno Science Centre, Floor Plan

Fig 50: Phaeno Science Centre, Cross Section

51: Phaeno Science Centre, Side Elevation

As a result of the interiors' open, cast concrete framed spaces that give them an otherworldly appearance (Fig. 52). Concrete rhombus shaped skylights provide views of the surrounding area, and substantial glazed curtain walls provide a full panorama. The inner structure, which is composed of steel decks and is made of 3500 beams, 27 thousand cubic meters of cement, and steel in total (ibit).

Even though they are scientifically accurate, the exhibits are particularly geared toward kids and families. Temporary exhibitions and special events are part of the extensive schedule of events (Fig. 53).

Fig

Fig 52: Phaeno Science Centre, Main Exhibition Space

Fig 53: The installation “Fire tornado”; Photo Lars Landmann

The project's exhibition space is an interiorized landscape, and the workshop program is generated by crater like spaces created by conceptual studies' surfaces that simultaneously deformed under a field of forces (Fig. 54, 55). Because all exhibits are simultaneously available for viewing, the open flow arrangement promotes learning by suggesting a particular pedagogical paradigm that is free of dogmatism and encourages a research based approach to learning (Architectuul "n.d.").

Fig 54 & 55: Study of interiorised landscape, Phaeno Science Centre

5.3 Post Occupancy Evaluation: Findings and Critical Reflection

In relation to what has been said in the previous chapter, this sub chapter discusses the data findings and outcomes of the case study: Phaeno Science Centre. The data is collected from various valid sources as mentioned in Chapter 3: users and locals, architects and professionals, journals, local newspapers, and libraries, in addition to site visits and personal reflections (Fig. 56). Therefore, I am presenting the data collection from each of these sources and the different perspectives regarding the Phaeno Science Centre in particular.

Site Visits, Personal Assessment

Users and Local Reflection

Phaeno Science Centre

Journals, Newspaper, Magazines, Local Libraries

Architects, Professionals

Fig 56: Diagram showing diverse sources for Data Gathering

Site Visit and First Impressions (Personal Assessment)

Prior to talking about my initial thoughts on the Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg, I would want to first share my experience with the site: the city of Wolfsburg. Even though I knew Wolfsburg was not an old city, I was nonetheless startled by how modern it seemed. New sidewalks and roads, as well as contemporary residential and office buildings On arrival in the city and while driving to the Phaeno Science Centre, the Volkswagen Plant factory was the first thing I noticed. Featuring two distinct periods of Wolfsburg's history, the Volkswagen plant and its surroundings provide an intriguing contrast (Fig. 57, 58).

"Out of scale." Upon arriving in Wolfsburg for the first time, I had this initial impression of the Phaeno Science Centre. Even after I began learning more about the structure by reading scholarly articles and viewing videos of Wolfsburg and the Phaeno Science Centre, I was awestruck by its scale. The Phaeno's underlying concept took me a short while to understand. It's just landed in space, a huge ship made of concrete. My impression was that Zaha Hadid intended to communicate her vision, ideas, and thoughts to the users and visitors through a game of scale. It's possible that Hadid didn't have that in mind when she started this project, but that's how the building immediately caught my attention. I remember I had a similar impression the first time I visited "La Sagrada Familia" by Antoine Gaudi in Barcelona, Spain, in 2012. Of course, there are plenty of differences between the two buildings, but I associated the two with the scale factor. I knew back then the importance of the "scale" factor and proportion, and how scale in architecture makes buildings comprehensible to people and gives a sense of how people relate to buildings. The Phaeno had a certain aura described by its scale and the amount of concrete material used, which I felt was incredibly heavy on the eye.

Fig 57 & 58: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Volkswagen Plant and Wolfsburg Hauptbahnhof, First Site Visit

I also paid attention to how the enormous cones seemed to raise the building off the ground, making it appear to be floating (Fig. 60 63). The building fits in seamlessly with the city centre of Wolfsburg, and the underpass that connects the main train station to the centre makes a strong case for the thoughtful urban design of the building. Phaeno can be summarized as an urban "micro centrality" for the city of Wolfsburg; that is, an area that is accommodating central uses and public amenities, thus generating a small scale neighbourhood center

Fig. 59: Written by Wissam Elmawi, Notes/First Impressions taken during the first Site Visit to the Phaeno

Fig. 60 61: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Ground Floor Landscape, Phaeno Science Centre, First Site Visit

The site's location seemed highly strategically important. The building defines the new city centre as the hub of the city and a keystone between the VW factory, Autostadt, and the city, starting from the place where Phaeno is constructed. It also unites the diverse urban districts across the former Mittelland Canal dividing line through a bridge (Fig. 64, 65). The previously ill defined space is not only preserved, but also generated and experienced in this manner Similarly, the view of the power plant and Autostadt is not blocked, but rather filtered, carefully regulated, and highlighted.

Heading inside the Phaeno, the building has a huge open space. There is no particular path, leaving the circulation free for the users to check different interactive experimental stations. Once I entered the building, it felt very chaotic, not only with the children’s noise, but also with the roof structure by the ceiling of the inner space. It was very loud and heavy on the ears and eyes. It had a different feeling from all the other museums and exhibitions that I have been to. I noticed that the majority of the Phaeno’s users/targets were children and the young, allowing them to experiment with the scientific stations. The building is more like a playground, and it felt like several activities were happening at once (Fig. 66, 67).

Fig. 62 63: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Ground Floor Landscape, Phaeno Science Centre, First Site Visit

Fig. 64 & 65: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Connection Bridge from Phaeno Science Centre to AutoStadt

The experience inside the Phaeno was very pleasant Curiosity reigned supreme, and I was drawn to many of the experimental scientific stations. The fact of how knowledge is transferred in such complex spaces was a remarkable fact to me. The user's experience of absorbing information was altered by the dynamic interior. The Phaeno shows the main train station of Wolfsburg, the canal, and the Volkswagen plant from one side and the commercial zone (office buildings and a shopping mall) from the other side, which explains much of the importance of the building’s location and orientation (Fig. 68, 69).

During my visit to the Phaeno, I was trying to conduct some interviews since I had many questions regarding this building and the city of Wolfsburg. I wanted to understand how the people of Wolfsburg perceive the Phaeno and this type of architecture. I went inside to the main reception/counter and asked to speak with someone who works here who could assist me in English. I must say that the language barrier was a real problem. Two nice employees approached, Isabella and Patrick. Isabella took me for a short tour inside the building while I was introducing myself and the reason why I asked for this interview. I asked if I could record the short talk just for documentation afterwards, but she preferred not to, so I respected her

Fig. 66 & 67: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Phaeno Science Centre, Interactive Experimental Stations

Fig. 68 & 69: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Different Views from the inside of Phaeno Science Centre

choice. She sounded very excited and proud that she was part of the Phaeno experience. Trying to use simple words and terminology, I started explaining to her what Parametric Architecture is, relating it to the concept of the Phaeno Science Centre. I started by asking her about how the people of Wolfsburg perceive the Phaeno. Do they feel connected to the building? In simple words, do they like it or not? Surprisingly, she answers with: "The people of Wolfsburg do not like the building because of the lack of greenery and landscaping," she added, and because of the huge amount of concrete material used in this project." In addition, she says, "The people of Wolfsburg felt it didn’t relate to the history of the city." We continued our tour, and she was explaining the role of the cones in this building, and that they are not only for support but have different functions as well (Fig. 70, 71). Unfortunately, we couldn’t talk for much; the Phaeno was packed with children because there was a school trip back that day.

After my talk with Isabella, I did a second tour of the Phaeno by myself, captured many pictures, and sat down in the middle of the main exhibition, wondering about the inner space of the building. I was stunned by the flexibility of the cones. They are huge in scale and made of concrete. They are rigid yet very dynamic and organic, like the building itself. You would get a sense of heaviness because of the amount of concrete used, yet it is very lively and smooth. The details in the space of the Phaeno are remarkable; nothing is ordinary, which describes the identity of the whole building. The unusual window openings, the messy

Fig. 70 & 71: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, First Interview with employee at the Phaeno Science Centre

structure of the ceiling, curved walls and partitions, the different levels within the one open space, and the handrails of the stairs; everything is wavy, strange, and unexpected (Fig. 72 75).

Following the tour and my initial views of the Phaeno main display area, I spoke with Patrick, another employee who had been there for over 6 years. It was quite intriguing to see how everyone views space differently. Patrick and I went on a third tour within two or three hours of my visit, and each time I observed something new about this intricate structure. Because Patrick had been there for an impressive six years, I told him, “You are the true user or occupant of the building," and I asked him the same questions I had asked his coworker Isabella about local and visitor reflections, as well as his own impression of the building. How has the Phaeno benefited the city of Wolfsburg, I inquired in the beginning? "The building has

Fig. 72 75: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, different spaces at the Phaeno Science Centre

brought many tourists from nearby cities to Wolfsburg, and the city has gained economically from this initiative," Patrick retorted. He concurred with Isabella that the Phaeno's scale and construction materials have a negative impact on Wolfsburg residents' sense of community. In addition, the bottom level was left open for public access, and there were pedestrian routes connecting one space to the next, making the building's position unique, he continued.

I questioned him personally about what he disliked about the building. He responded, "We have more than 30 staff working in the Phaeno and there is not enough space for the workers," which surprised me a little given the building's enormous expanse and scale. Patrick also mentioned during our conversation that the Phaeno Science Centre is difficult to maintain and clean due to its size and expansive spaces. In addition, he notes that due to the door inclinations (Fig. 76), it was rather challenging to transport the experimental stations and equipment after the construction phase and because there are no elevators, with only one for emergency use on the other side of the Phaeno.

The Phaeno Science Centre project was in the same phase when Zaha Hadid received the Pritzker Prize in 2004, giving it more significance in terms of value and making it the centre of attention. This project was the talk of the architectural community and was covered by the media, publications, and renowned international newspapers. As with every new architectural project, especially on a scale like the Phaeno project, there were some who praised it and some who criticized it. On November 28, 2005, The New York Times published

Fig. 76: Taken by Wissam Elmawi, Site Visit, Door’s Inclination, Phaeno Science Centre

an article in the architecture review section with the headline "Science Centre Celebrates an Industrial Cityscape" (Fig. 77). The author Nicolai Ouroussoff compares the city of Wolfsburg with Seattle, Cincinnati, Porto, or Basel more than with New York or Paris. According to Ouroussoff, the Phaeno is a mesmerizing piece of architecture the kind of structure that completely alters our perception of the future. The science centre, he continues, defines the industrial landscapes and contemporary housing developments that characterize the 20th century. Its sensual forms, supported by svelte cone shaped columns, draw power from the vibrant cityscape around them (Ouroussoff 2005).

Zaha Hadid's architecture was directly influenced by Wolfsburg's past. The facility, which has exhibits on physics, biology, and chemistry, is situated on a plot of land to the north of a cluster of typical office and retail developments from the 1990s, just east of the city's train station. Just past the tracks where fast trains rumble, are the canal and the factory towers. The author adds: "Architects may see a dreamy parallel to Le Corbusier's concrete 1950's apartment block housing in Marseille, raised up on rows of streamlined columns. Yet Ms. Hadid's design draws as much on the serpentine freeways of Los Angeles and post war Europe's industrial landscape as it does on such High Modernist precedents. Its imposing, muscular forms celebrate the heroic large scale urban infrastructure of an earlier era, allowing us to see it with "fresh eyes" (Ouroussoff 2005). As said by Ouroussoff, the Phaeno's cones serve as both structural support and a home for practical spaces like a bookstore,

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Fig. 77: Nicolai Ouroussoff, Science Centre Celebrates an Industrial Cityscape The New York Times , November 28th, 2005

conference room, 250 seat theater, and the museum entrance. The exhibition space's design was likened by Zaha Hadid to a series of marble like exploded particles. It encourages freedom, arbitrary decision making, and openness in order to inspire the audience to develop their own story. Your attention is constantly drawn over curved surfaces and around corners to surprising views, resulting in unexpected mental connections (Ouroussoff 2005). He describes the Phaeno centre as "the most thrilling manifestation of Hadid's vision to date and a revivingly humane example of the future" as he wraps up his article (ibit).

According to the British daily newspaper “The Guardian” , it described the Phaeno as “one of the twelve most important modern buildings in the world”. The science Museum in Wolfsburg not only houses a “world of phenomena” but is itself a kind of phenomenon due to its special architecture (Ortmeyer, “n.d.”). In fact, there was more than one article that featured the Phaeno project in Wolfsburg. Deyan Sudjic titled her article in “The Observer”, a British newspaper published under “The Guardian” as well, with a headline: “Zaha meets the Beetles” on November 27th, 2005 (Fig. 78). According to Deyan Sudjic, the first building designed by Zaha Hadid to bear her name was built in the city where Volkswagen was founded. She calls the new science center in Wolfsburg "one of those very few constructions that fully justifies its use," describing it as "an astonishing, exhilarating concrete and steel vortex of a building" (Sudjic 2005). A new understanding of space that had previously only existed in the architect's mind is suggested by Hadid's building, which does indeed turn architecture on its head. She thinks the city council of Wolfsburg made the decision to erect it because they wanted to develop a fresh attraction that would draw tourists and life to the community. The Phaeno Science Center is primarily a place where you can experience the sensation of empty space engulfing you and hurling you downward in dizzying spirals. It is a location where you can go to experience space's operatic power (Sudjic 2005).

Fig. 78: Deyan Sudjic, Zaha meets the Beetles The Observer, November 27th, 2005

The Phaeno, according to Sudjic, is a remarkable being that is raised above the ground and has two halves of the town connected by its enormous, concrete legs. The author adds, “But here, at last, it all is: the distilled essence of everything Hadid has conceived, apparently weightless but really a massive, workable structure” (Sudjic 2005). Another article in “The Guardian” British newspaper under the Great modern buildings Architecture section, “Architectural Adventure”, written by Alice Rawsthorn, the design critic of the International Herald Tribune, on October 17th , 2007 (Fig. 79) The Guardian selected the Phaeno as “one of the twelve most significant modern works of architecture in the world” (Glancy 2007). The author started her article by asking multiple questions: “What do you get from a modernist masterpiece? Elegance? Order? Logic? Grace? Dignity?” Then she answers: “You'll get all of those; at least, you will if it is a building designed by one of the architectural masters of 20th century modernism, like Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, or Louis Kahn” (Rawsthorn 2007) The author states that the Science Centre has no sign of the straight lines and right angles that dominated modernist architecture; the Phaeno ripples and flows in curves. She adds: “Being there is so exhilarating that you happily lose all sense of direction and recalibrate conventional notions of space. And that's just as well, because there's no "correct" way to walk around the science centre. You choose your own way of navigating the space and its content” (ibit). Rawsthorn asks of how Hadid came to create a building like that Then she answers, “How” is simple: it’s because she could (ibit).

Because the technology couldn't have been created earlier and wasn't available, the Phaeno is unquestionably of its time. The structure's more than 40,000 components were all painstakingly modelled using state of the art software. By praising Zaha Hadid's extraordinary visions for architecture and space and the fact that we have grown accustomed to seeing things with curved and fluid shapes, she ends her article.

th of 2007

Fig. 79: Alice Rawsthorn, Architectural adventure, The Guardian, October 17

Over and above, a very interesting article in the “monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben” (Monopoly magazine for art and life), headlined: “15 years of Phaeno in Wolfsburg, without curiosity we would be vegetables” by Silke Hohmann (Fig. 80, 81). The author states that the Phaeno has changed the face of the city of Wolfsburg. For 15 years, the adventure museum has influenced our view of an increasingly inscrutable world with simple means.

Hohmann describes the Phaeno as sleek, like a high speed train. A building that looks like it was made for the wind tunnel It looked like a spaceship when it landed in Wolfsburg in 2005. It changed the view of the city. She adds: "As a landmark that marks the Wolfsburg location as it passes by on the ICE route, it formed the alternative to the vertical brick chimney of the VW plants; this picture book factory on the other side of the tracks from the other side of the turn of the millennium. "The Phaeno was a dynamic statement from the future and transformed what was once the Autostadt into a centre for art and science" (Hohmann 2020). But how can you complement this statement, which Zaha Hadid's museum building is unquestionably ("I'm loud, I'm new, I'm actually not possible")? How can this architecture, which wants to be admired, be filled with other astonishing things? She asks. The current director, Michel Junge, describes a love hate relationship with the Phaeno building. He expresses that Zaha Hadid’s creativity demands compromises. The entrance area is narrow, then the interior opens up via a ramp, which can hardly be understood or grasped. Ramps, egg shaped fixtures, niches walking itself is an experience that sharpens attention (ibit).

Likewise, a cultural scientist and a publisher on topics of architectural history, Peter Struck, writes: "Phaeno a science centre in Wolfsburg, Eccentric experiment." This article was

Fig. 80 & 81: Silke Hohmann, monopol Magazine für Kunst und Leben in German and English languages, September 15th of 2020

published in the Deutsche Bauzeitung in 2006 (Fig. 82, 83). Struck describes the Phaeno as a new landmark and attraction that dwarfs the dominant power plant of the Volkswagen factory and the Autostadt. It is a symbol of the transformation from an industrial city to a city of experience. He pictures the Phaeno as a landed UFO that fell on Wolfsburg. It is an enigmatic object, a surreal structure full of contrasts, which he adds with an interesting description: "equally sluggish colossus and dynamic gestures, archaic and artificial, primitive and futuristic. A shy being from an alien world, from another star.

A weightless monster, a spaceship carved out of stone "(Struck 2006). The mighty monolith is an architectural exclamation point. Not as intrusive as Gehry's surface gesture, but no less dramatic. The Phaeno is also a solitaire, but introverted and determined by its inner world. Radical in form, uncompromising in construction, at the limit of what is just feasible, only possible through self compacting concrete, which was used on the construction site for the first time on this scale throughout Europe. Only its improved flow properties allowed the complicated formwork shapes of over seven meters in height and the inclination of the walls up to forty degrees. Hardly any wall in the house is perpendicular; only the doors are perpendicular (Struck 2006).

A further valuable source that discusses the generative design process of the Phaeno Science Centre in Wolfsburg is the "Phaeno Science Centre" book, published by the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), for Christos Passas, Patrik Schumacher, and Greg Lynn (Fig. 84, 85). They describe the Phaeno as an interactive museum, and it is a winning project with a design proposal that was capable of affiliating urban processes with structural systems, resulting in a seamless entity. In their opinion, achieving this seamlessness in the

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Fig. 82 & 83: Peter Struck, Deutsche Bauzeitung in German and English languages, January 3rd, 2006

Phaeno project was the combination of the public’s logic with the logic of structure. The lifting space of the Phaeno creates an artificial topography at the ground level that allows for pedestrian and vehicular circulation. The Phaeno Science Centre suggests an urban porosity in which the building internalizes public space and makes public rooms within the city (Passas, Schumacher, Lynn, 2005). This book features the technical phase of the Phaeno project. It highlights the dialogue between Christos Passas, Patrik Schumacher, and Greg Lynn. The book discusses the computation and the analysis process behind achieving the best design solution, in addition to technical drawings and the different possible design proposals for the Phaeno’s main exhibition space, roof structure, and concrete landscaping (Fig. 86 89).

Fig. 84 & 85: Phaeno Science Centre, Archaeology of the Digital 24, CCA, 2005

Fig. 86: Site Diagram (competition stage), 1999, Adobe Illustrator file adapted for Publication, CCA

Fig. 87: Painting by Zaha Hadid over wireframe view, 2001, CCA Fig. 88: Screen capture of render viewpoint of 3ds Max digital model, 2005, CCA

Fig. 89: View of cones 1 and 2 under construction, 2002, CCA

"Architektur In Wolfsburg von Alvar Aalto Bis Zaha Hadid" was one of the first few sources when I started collecting some data about Wolfsburg city and the Phaeno Science Centre (Fig. 90). It is a small booklet by Christiane Borgelt, Regina Jost, Nicole Froberg, and Walter Nägeli. The booklet is in German and presents the main architectural attractions in Wolfsburg city (Fig. 91). The authors describe the Phaeno as an impressive structure designed by the London architect that towers high above the streets. They add, "The Phaeno architect is undisputedly one of the great masters of contemporary architecture. With each building, she pushes the boundaries of architectural design and thinking a little further, in technical, spatial, and functional areas "(Borgelt, Jost, Froberg, Nägeli, 2008). The authors believe that the Phaeno experiment led to a new and unusual solution in the urban environment.

Fig. 90: Architektur In Wolfsburg von Alvar Aalto bis Zaha Hadid Booklet Cover Page

Fig. 91: Wolfsburg Site Plan, Main architectural attractions, Architektur in Wolfsburg von Alvar Aalto bis Zaha Hadid, 2008

Users and Local Reflection

The Phaeno was selected by the public as one of Wolfsburg's most alluring features, which is evidenced by the fact that it is the largest professional organization for management accountants in the world, CIMA. According to conversations with regional experts, the Phaeno is a building that is admired by most people and fosters a sense of community (Dreher, Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2021, 11). Wolfsburg, which was established in 1938 and has 125,000 residents as of 2019, is the youngest major city in central Europe. It features a theatre designed by Hans Scharoun and two buildings created by Alvar Aalto. Nevertheless, as opposed to other cities with comparable structures that support identity, as a result, the Phaeno's iconic architecture makes a significant contribution to encouraging a sense of community and patriotism among its inhabitants. One of the key elements that contributed to Wolfsburg residents' pride was the fact that Zaha Hadid won the Pritzker Prize, one of the highest accolades for architectural achievements, the same year the Phaeno project was unveiled. It shows how the distinctive benefits of star architecture namely spectacle, media content, icon, and signature produce civic pride. The residents have also adopted this pride since it is the largest publicly financed project in the city (ibit).

Since tourism increased between the Phaeno's opening in November 2005 and 2015, it has helped Wolfsburg's residents by promoting the city. The Phaeno is now Wolfsburg's second most frequented cultural venue, receiving an average of about 260,000 visitors annually (Flamme Jasper and Van Laak 2015, 27). 91% of visitors are from outside Wolfsburg, highlighting the importance of the Phaeno beyond the local level (Phaeno gGmbH 2015, 27). The hotel industry made €2.1 million, primarily from visitors who stayed at the Phaeno (Kissling 2012). The large number of tourists has not only increased the number of overnight stays in Wolfsburg between 2006 and 2015, but the Phaeno has played a role in supporting the hotel industry as well as contributing to hotel accommodation in Wolfsburg (Flamme Jasper, Van Laak, 2015, 27). But the growing number of overnight stays doesn’t abbreviate on the Phaeno only, because there are even larger projects, such as the Autostadt, which also contribute to an increase in overnight stays in Wolfsburg.

In other words, the Phaeno, a piece of the puzzle project, has benefited Wolfsburg's tourism in some ways (Dreher, Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2021, 9). Urban renewal was impacted by the Phaeno building itself as well. It defines a city center for the first time by uniting urban

structures that previously divided people, such as the shopping street, railroad station, city center, and Volkswagen plant (Alaily Mattar 2018). The Phaeno has served as the hub for additional projects and has helped with the establishment of ventures like the Designer Outlet Centre (DOC) and a hotel. Important arguments for these project initiators included the Phaeno's proximity as a landmark and its role as a purported tourist attraction (Dreher, Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2021, 13).

However, a different viewpoint claims that the Volkswagen community objected to the Phaeno being positioned in front of the Autostadt, even though this opposition was not made known to the public. VW believed that the Phaeno's star architecture would reduce the prominence of its newly constructed Autostadt (ibit). The primary intended impacts are identified as economic repositioning, increased tourism, place and city marketing, social repositioning (citizen pride, courage, and collective representation), and physical urban restructuring. These results speak to the unique characteristics of the Phaeno (Fig. 93).

Fig. 92: Adapted impact model of the hypothetical roles of the Phaeno in repositioning Wolfsburg, Urban transformations through exceptional architecture, Nadia Alaily Mattar, Alain Thierstein, Journal of Urban Design, 2018

The adapted conceptual impact diagram above demonstrates how the Phaeno building's unique offerings, including spectacle, signature, icon, pictures, talks, and experience, have been used in city marketing to improve the city's reputation. It also explains how and why these efforts have been directed toward repositioning Wolfsburg, in fact, as a city. Instead of simply being a quest for the expression of a collective identity, the Phaeno can be seen as "a mechanism through which this collective identity comes into being in the first place" (Dreher, Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2021, 187). These results also show that the Phaeno has not been a major factor in Wolfsburg's economic repositioning (ibit).

• Discussion

The Phaeno Science Centre case study was taken into account in this research to comprehend the idea that architecturally exceptional signature buildings (Parametric Architecture) can significantly contribute to re orienting and re positioning Wolfsburg city and to ascertain whether the Phaeno building adjusts and integrates with the current environment and its users. After exploring this case study and gathering information from numerous reliable sources, I developed a key insight for the Phaeno in Wolfsburg. I believe that the Phaeno, as a star architectural project, was conceptually designed to claim, prove, and help Wolfsburg in gaining its position as a city that offers different programs and roles rather than just as an industrial settlement. I myself think that, regardless of whether Phaeno has successfully achieved its goal or not yet, utilising Parametric Architecture was the right decision that has been taken in order to help save Wolfsburg. The Phaeno Science Centre was established to cope with the accelerating pace of change in response to the shock and crisis that hit Wolfsburg in the early 1990s. Simply put, Wolfsburg tried to reposition itself with the aid of "Star Architecture," which is "Parametric Architecture" in the context of this research. I came to this conclusion through my research: there is no such thing as a typical architectural project with typical outcomes and corresponding effects. The built environment functions in various ways depending on its regional context.

The question of whether Phaeno helped Wolfsburg alter its regional profile was investigated using the archives of the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. Articles about culture, art, and entertainment were included in the search. The growth of these Wolfsburg related stories in the Süddeutsche Zeitung indicates a definite rise beginning in 1992. The height of

this boom, which continued but showed a dramatic decline in 2014, was the establishment of the Phaeno Science Centre in 2005. However, the Phaeno can only be held partially responsible for the development of this curve. Given that it did not receive as much coverage in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, it was unable to increase this exposure (Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2020, 110). The larger AutoVision strategy, which saw the emergence of numerous projects and activities relating to culture and entertainment in Wolfsburg, must have been connected to this increased exposure.

The impact of Phaeno as a single institution is still quite low for the entire city and can only be assessed in the context of other AutoVision projects, despite the fact that it was a successful science center that had positive effects on a variety of fronts, including tourism, socio cultural effects, and urban renewal in Wolfsburg (Dreher, Alaily Mattar, and Thierstein 2018, 186). The emergence of the Phaeno as a significant architectural project instead highlights the tense relationship between Wolfsburg and VW. The former mayor of Wolfsburg, Rolf Schnellecke, states that "after VW decided to build its huge Autostadt, the city needed to give an answer to the Autostadt" (Schnellcke 2016); "it needed to react" (Thomas 2015). In other words, the member of the architecture competition jury of Phaeno said: "It was a battle of symbols, a battle of attention, and a battle of fame" (Wang 2016).

The Phaeno can be viewed as "a mechanism through which this collective identity comes into being in the first place," rather than simply as a quest for collective identity expression (Dreher, Alaily Mattar and Thierstein 2018, 187). In simple words, just because the Phaeno is considered to be a "Star Architectural Building’ designed by a star architect like Zaha Hadid, it makes a huge contribution to the city of Wolfsburg. Even if the Phaeno itself is contributing slightly to the city, just having its place in Wolfsburg will continuously make the city benefit from its presence through new investments, leading to direct or indirect economic impacts and further numbers of tourists and visitors. New businesses are being developed just because of what we call "Iconic Architecture" is present. It attracts investments and induces economic and social considerations. In addition, the application of parametric architecture in Wolfsburg city, in particular, was to present the city as a cultural district that fuels one’s imagination, as well as use Parametric Architecture as an instrument to expand tourism, positive economic effects, growth, and cultural programs. We can infer that even though the Phaeno Science Centre project had a marginally positive impact on Wolfsburg, it did not result in a glaring repositioning in the city's economy, tourism industry, or cultural landscape.

As a project manager and research associate at the TUM Chair for Urban Development, Dr. Nadia Alaily Mattar adds, "Not all economic effects are immediately apparent." The realization of Phaeno "led to an increase in the confidence of the political and local administrative authorities in Wolfsburg." Additionally, to having a positive social impact, this one could also have long term economic benefits for the city (Technical University Munich 2018).

I believe that the Phaeno has aided Wolfsburg in developing a new brand or image, and when looking at the city's image, it is evident that many cities nowadays, like Wolfsburg, promote themselves through iconic buildings like the Phaeno Science Centre. With the VW's dominance in the city for the past 70 years, I believe the Phaeno project has succeeded in being one of the few buildings that can make a difference by displaying Wolfsburg as more than just an industrial settlement run by the Volkswagen. It has created attention over the past 15 years and has given Wolfsburg a different reputation and a unique city character. Furthermore, based on my research over the past few months, which included reading academic literature, conducting interviews and surveys, and site visits to Wolfsburg, in my opinion, this city has played a winning long term strategy, and I will state the reasons for my belief. In the case of Wolfsburg, I believe that this city differs from others in a number of circumstances, including its history, political climate, and economic situation, all of which have had a significant impact on its socio cultural qualities. We might argue that Phaeno as a stand alone project wasn't sufficient to boost Wolfsburg's economy, which makes sense because boosting an economy is based on numerous factors, but on the other hand, I can say that Phaeno was a decent introduction to do so. Consequently, the Phaeno Science Centre may have disappointed and did not fulfill the desires for the short term, but it did provide the widespread attention that this city had long sought, and I think we should trace the long term effects. Not only should we look for economic consequences, but also at the morphological effects. Citizens and city leaders may be impacted indirectly by parametric architecture. Most people claimed that the appearance of new structures altered how they thought of their city (Stinson 2018). This results in experiencing increased pride and self assurance, which have emerging impacts on subsequent growth. Economic success is not the only consideration; a city's perception of itself can also play a role in its success and development.

Aiming to analyse Parametric Based Architecture was the motivation behind using this case study. I have come to understand that any parametric architectural project must be evaluated as a whole rather than just a single structure in its context. After my initial site visit to Wolfsburg, I thought the Phaeno Science Centre was pointless, but that was before I knew that the city was experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history and needed long term solutions to recover. I believe that the building was there as an aesthetically pleasing monument, just to showcase the architect's signature and to draw tourists and attention, but it was at this point during my investigation that I realised that Parametric Architecture was playing a crucial role in helping the city of Wolfsburg re position itself in a variety of aspects and sectors. Wolfsburg, with its background and history, is a prime illustration of how parametric architecture can be used to benefit society, not only as aesthetically pleasing buildings and structures, but also as a tool to help struggling environments regain and re establish their prominence. Finally, what I have learnt from this case study is that understanding the motivations behind taking a decision to use this extraordinary built environment (Parametric Architecture) is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these complex structures on their users and the existing environment.

Summary Map for Data Sources

5.4 Research Limitations

It is important to keep in mind that this study has some restrictions, one of which is the restricted access to the data. This initial restriction demonstrates how difficult it was to gather information on parametric architecture. Finding sufficient literature on parametric based architecture was at first a little difficult. In addition to the conceptualization and construction phases, the literature mostly covers the generative process of such buildings; how these structures are defined and generated. Finding analyses, evaluations, and reviews for this type of architecture proved challenging. In addition, it was difficult to find references and books that discuss evaluations and assessments rather than illustrating parametric architecture as fascinating buildings only. Instead, I obtained data from papers, architectural websites, blogs, theses, and some of the architects' criticisms. The history of parametric architecture is covered in a large number of publications and references, but the performance of such structures toward their surroundings and occupants is rarely discussed, making this gap the primary area of focus of this study.

Also, the major difficulty in accessing data was the difference in language, as the main goal was to conduct some interviews with residents of Wolfsburg city, which is a main target in investigating parametric architecture in the city, and to examine how they felt about the Phaeno Science Centre, which serves as the city's representative of parametric architecture. Because most of the locals speak German and very few can speak English, I was unable to communicate with them. As a result, the research's scope was broadened in order to get the local reflection from other reliable sources stated in chapter three's subchapter on data analysis strategy.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

This research’s approach of examining parametric architecture in real conditions of use has shown a broad range of insights into how parametric based buildings behave with respect to their users and the existing environment. A thorough analysis of the research case study, the Phaeno Science Centre, which is a parametric architecture demonstration in Wolfsburg, has revealed that although impacts can be traced back to certain direct causes, they frequently also depend on a number of indirect influences. The investigation shows that parametric based architecture has aided Wolfsburg in reorienting and repositioning itself as a city on many levels and in various efficient experiences First, the Phaeno Science Centre has put a spotlight on this gloomy city that was experiencing the biggest economic crisis in its history, in addition to the dominance of the Volkswagen Plant. Through Economic Repositioning, rising tourism and accommodation, reviving the city's urban area, and playing a significant marketing role in portraying Wolfsburg as a modern city, parametric architecture has improved the city's conditions.

The incredible significance that parametric architecture has played in Social Repositioning is the second, and what matters to me the most. We could reveal from this perspective that Phaeno, as a parametric building, has given the locals of Wolfsburg courage and pride, representing a vision and a unique experience for the locals, considering it as one of the icons of the city, main attraction, new micro centrality, and signature building. Responding to the matter of whether parametric architecture, with its complexity, connects with users during its actual use, the inhabitants' faith has been restored thanks to the Phaeno Science Centre, and they now feel proud and confident about their city once more. In my opinion, the relationship between users and the built environment should be sacred and unbreakable Architecture should meet our physical and psychological demands on a daily basis, and users should adjust to the changes that the built environment undergoes through time.

Some architects have argued that parametric architecture acts like a static monument, aesthetically pleasing with no function. As regards to this research’s case study, I came to understand that the Phaeno Science Centre was an interesting, aesthetically appealing building that accomplished its purpose, and the existing setting has been improved by its presence. Good architecture makes cities comfortable and accessible, and in this instance,

the Phaeno has succeeded in achieving the goal. Furthermore, to respond to the question of whether parametric architecture should be human centred, I believe that yes, parametric architecture should be human centred first and foremost However, we must recognize that we are not the only users of our built environment. Therefore, we should consider other users while designing parametric based buildings, such as living beings and environmental aspects, as they are just like us.

Concerning the success that has been mentioned previously, a crucial fact I have learnt and concluded from this study is that even if the Phaeno building shows remarkable success, its influence as a single formation is still quite minimal. Without the users' support, appreciation, and satisfaction, this success would have failed since it didn't interact with the city of Wolfsburg's residents and the environment that was already there. In other words, even if iconic and symbolic buildings are featured in parametric design, this does not necessarily imply that it will be successful in all cases. It does not necessarily mean that something is successful only because star architects who represent star architecture in space developed it, and if a building is parametrically designed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better than conventional ones. While generating curious parametric structures is important, it is not enough by itself to create a good architectural experience. The effectiveness and success of parametric based architecture is dependent on how well it satisfies user requirements, integrates with the current built environment, and adapts to its surroundings. It is not an isolated element but rather part of the users’ experience, complex of streets, infrastructure, public spaces, and other existing buildings that can work together, creating a successful model and driving change. It has no chance of surviving in space as a solitary structure; otherwise, it will have both long term and short term negative effects on its environment.

During the course of my research, I came to understand that we, as users, have missed a crucial aspect, which is Time, as a factor in architecture I believe that time is an aspect of our lives that should be comprehended and taken into consideration above all else, particularly in relation to the built environment that surrounds us. Given that our built environment is created through testing, selecting, evaluating, and making decisions over time, time, in my opinion, should be regarded as one of the most important elements in architecture. Moreover, I truly suppose that time should be taken into account as an immovable component and significant factor in architectural creation. People in centuries past went through a similar change with the advent of modernism in the late 19th century, where it took

them some time to witness and adapt to the changes in the built environment. At present, we are witnessing a new technological digitized shift that is influencing our built environment. The application of parametric design in constructed and designed environments will require some time for user adjustment and adaptation so that these complex systems can be examined and evaluated as a result.

Furthermore, through this research, I would like to highlight the importance of evaluating architecture in general and parametric architecture in particular, since it has been applied greatly recently in our built environment at different scales. Architectural evaluations must be carried out and should be just as important as the other stages of any designed built project.

Instead of focusing just on a building's official birth and having an obsession with a building’s official completion, architects should embrace its ongoing development Assessing the performance of a building after it has been occupied for a particular period of time is a necessary phase as well, just as the pre design, design development, and execution stages of an architectural project are essential. As a result of my research, I would want to suggest and urge that the Post Construction Evaluation phase be included in the five conventional core phases of the Architectural Design Process. Architectural accomplishments could not be achieved without gaining feedback from the users of the built environment and tracking the performance of our built structures With this approach, we could identify the building’s strengths and weaknesses at early stages, saving time, energy, and money This will result in improvements to the adaptation process from both perspectives; those of users to their built environment and the built environment to its users and the existing setting.

Last of all, in my estimation, parametric architecture should not be described as the representative of superficiality, mass production, and structures with empty soullessness, but instead, it should have a metaphor. It needs a backstory and a clear purpose from the architects. Therefore, I ask questions that may be useful in further research: Will the perception stating that parametric architecture is just considered to be an addition or a luxury to be enjoyed in our built environment change anytime soon? Will it instead be an understanding of the reflection shaping our society? And what might be the intended impacts that guide and justify the development of such buildings?

If invested in and used properly, the parametric design approach in architecture may be tremendously useful to our built environment. Although our aesthetic preferences have always been purely personal and subjective, it is unarguable that parametric design has

brought useful tools and methodologies to the field of architecture. I believe social equality and quality of life should be considered when designing parametric architecture. We will have made considerable progress when we realize that our built environment is greater than the sum of its components.

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List of Figures:

Figure 1: An upside down force model of the Colònia Güell, image by Canaan (GFDL), image by Canaan (GFDL), Source: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/la sagrada familia 2/

Figure 2: Italian Architect, Luigi Moretti, Source: https://SiteBits.com

Figure 3: Parametric Architecture of Luigi Moretti, uploaded by Massimiliano Lo Truco, Source: https://howtorhino.com/blog/parametric architecture/

Figure 4: Frei Otto Experimenting with Soap Bubbles, Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318103333

Figure 5: Peix Olimpic by Frank Gehry, Source: https://laptrinhx.com/what is parametric design in architecture and how is it shaping the industry 1505346311/

Figure 6: Galaxy SOHO by Zaha Hadid Architects, Source: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion 360/blog/parametric design architecture shaping industry/

Figure 7: One World Trade Centre Transportation Hub/Oculus by Santiago Calatrava, Source: https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion 360/blog/parametric design architecture shaping industry/

Figure 8: Advantages of Hiring Building Information Modeling Services by Staff Writer, 2010, Source: https://www.Constructionweekonline.com

Figure 9: Grasshopper Programming Tool, Source: https://www.arch2o.com/5 reasons architects learn to code programming/

Figure 10: Rhino, Grasshopper 3D Canvas, Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

Figure 11: Al Bahr Towers Exterior Sunscreens, https://www.modlar.com

Figure 12: Benefits of POE (Preiser,1995, Watson, 2003), Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282073549_BUILDING_PERFORMANCE _AND_EVALUATION_METHODS_A_PRELIMINARY_REVIEW

Figure 13: New Art Exchange, Source: https://www.beinculturalonline.it

Figure 14: Hannelcore Christians, The Importance of Post Occupancy Evaluation for our future built environment, 2014, Source: https://www.makearchitects.com/thinking/importance post occupancy evaluation future built environment/

Figure 15: Diagram showing the Data Collection according to different sources.

Figure 16: Diagram showing 4 phases in Collecting Data for this Research.

Figure 17: Screenshot of question 6 in the conducted survey, Source: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S6DUaBCs4WB41ZIe4VQNEIeaklGLdDNFwKfPsp7W7C Q/edit

Figure 18: Screenshot of questions 13 & 14 in the conducted survey, Source: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S6DUaBCs4WB41ZIe4VQNEIeaklGLdDNFwKfPsp7W7C Q/edit

Figure 19: Pie diagram showing the results of question 8 in the conducted survey, Source: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S6DUaBCs4WB41ZIe4VQNEIeaklGLdDNFwKfPsp7W7C Q/edit

Figure 20: Screenshot of question 15 in the conducted survey, Source: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S6DUaBCs4WB41ZIe4VQNEIeaklGLdDNFwKfPsp7W7C Q/edit

Figure 21: Diagram showing the results of question 15 in the conducted survey, Source: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S6DUaBCs4WB41ZIe4VQNEIeaklGLdDNFwKfPsp7W7C Q/edit

Figure 22: Wolfsburg located between Berlin and Hannover, South Eastern region of Lower Saxony, Source: https://www.worldmap1.com/map/germany/wolfsburg map.asp

Figure 23: The power plant of the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber), https://www.timesofisrael.com/built by volkswagen put on the map by the nazis town of wolfsburg drives into trouble/

Figure 24: Overall development plan "The city of the KdF wagon designed by architect Peter Koller"; Scale 1:30,000, created in 1938, Source: https://www.eckart gueldenberg.de/ Figures 25 & 26: Autostadt | Wolfsburg, Source: https://www.wes la.de

Figure 27: The sculpture façade of the cultural centre, Photo: Maija Holma, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg cultural centre/

Figure 28: Perspective sketch of the building, Drawing: Alvar Aalto Foundation, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg cultural centre/ Figure 29: Wolfsburg church (Church of the Holy Ghost), Photo: Heinrich Heidersberger, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg church and parish centre/ Figure 30: Ground Plan. Drawing: Alvar Aalto Foundation, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg church and parish centre/

Figure 31: An open, vital and dynamic place for art and culture: Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, Photo: Marek Kruszewski, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg church and parish centre/

Figure 32: The exhibition hall is 16 meters high and offers flexible architecture, Photo: Marek Kruszewski, Source: https://www.alvaraalto.fi/en/architecture/wolfsburg church and parish centre/

Figure 33: City view (north) with foyer, stage house and administration, Source: https://www.brenne architekten.de/scharoun theater wolfsburg

Figure 34: Auditorium, Lars Landmann, City of Wolfsburg, Source: https://www.brenne architekten.de/scharoun theater wolfsburg

Figure 35: Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany, Photography by Werner Huthmacher, by Nick Mafi, Source: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/buildings

beauty deconstructed architecture

Figure 36: Location of the science centre, Source: https://www.re thinkingthefuture.com/case studies/a4021 phaeno science centre by zaha hadid complex fluidity/

Figure 37: Cones unique by shape and curvature, Source: https://www.re thinkingthefuture.com/case studies/a4021 phaeno science centre by zaha hadid complex fluidity/

Figure 38: Phaeno Science Centre, Source: https://www.zahahadidarchitects.com

Figure 39: Phaeno Science Centre, Ground Floor Pedestrian Paths, Source: https://www.thearchinsider.com

Figures 40 & 41: Phaeno in Wolfsburg a science centre for all generations, Source: https://www vonortzuort.reisen

Figures 42 & 43: Wissam Elmawi, Interior of the Phaeno Science Centre, First Site Visit, Wolfsburg, Germany

Figure 44: Phaeno Science Centre Sketch 2005. Sketch by Zaha Hadid, Source: https://www.zahahadidarchitects.com

Figure 45: The concrete cones of the Phaeno Science Centre, Source: https://www.re thinkingthefuture.com/case studies/a4021 phaeno science centre by zaha hadid complex fluidity/

Figures 46 & 47: Phaeno Science Centre under construction, by Sumit Singhal, Source: https://www.zahahadidarchitects.com

Figure 48: Phaeno Science Centre, Data, Photos & Plans, Source: https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/phaeno science center/

Figure 49: Phaeno Science Centre, Floor Plan, Source: https://www.inexhibit.com

Figure 50: Phaeno Science Centre, Cross Section, Source: https://www.inexhibit.com

Figure 51: Phaeno Science Centre, Side Elevation, Source: https://www.inexhibit.com

Figure 52: Phaeno Science Centre, Main Exhibition Space, Source: https://www.miesarch.com

Figure 53: The installation “Fire tornado”, Photo Lars Landmann, Source: https://www.baunetz.de/meldungen/Meldungen Science Center_von_Zaha_Hadid_in_Wolfsburg

Figures 54 & 55: Study of interiorised landscape, Phaeno Science Centre, Source https://architectuul.com/architecture/phaeno science center

Figure 56: Diagram showing different sources for Data Gathering.

Figures 57 & 58: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Volkswagen Plant and Wolfsburg Hauptbahnhof, First Site Visit, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figure 59: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Notes/First Impressions taken during the first Site Visit to the Phaeno in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figures 60 63: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Ground Floor, Phaeno Science Centre, First Site Visit, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figures 64 & 65: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Phaeno Science Centre, Bridge to AutoStadt, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figures 66 & 67: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Phaeno Science Centre, Interactive Experimental Stations.

Figures 68 & 69: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, Different Views from the inside of Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figures 70 & 71: Wissam Elmawi, First Interview at the Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figures 72 75: Pictures by Wissam Elmawi, different spaces created at the Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figure 76: Picture by Wissam Elmawi, Door’s Inclination, Phaeno Science Centre, Wolfsburg, Germany.

Figure 77: Nicolai Ouroussoff, Science Centre Celebrates an Industrial Cityscape The New York Times , November 28th, 2005, Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/28/arts/design/science center celebrates an industrial cityscape

Figure 78: Deyan Sudjic, Zaha meets the Beetles The Observer, November 27th, 2005, Source: https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2005/nov/27/1

Figure 79: Alice Rawsthorn, Architectural adventure, The Guardian, October 17th of 2007, Source: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2007/oct/17/architecture

Figures 80 & 81: Silke Hohmann, monopol Magazine für Kunst und Leben in German and English language, September 15th of 2020, Source: https://www.monopol magazin.de/architektur wolfsburg phaeno zaha hadid weltblick

Figures 82 & 83: Peter Struck, Deutsche Bauzeitung in German and English language, January 3rd, 2006, Source: https://www.db bauzeitung.de/diskurs/exzentrisches experiment/

Figures 84 & 85: Phaeno Science Centre, Archaeology of the Digital 24, CCA, 2005.

Figure 86: Site Diagram (competition stage), 1999, Adobe Illustrator file adapted for Publication, CCA, page 11.

Figure 87: Painting by Zaha Hadid over wireframe view, 2001, CCA, page 25.

Figure 88: Screen capture of render viewpoint of 3ds Max digital model, 2005, CCA, page 23.

Figure 89: View of cones 1 and 2 under construction, 2002, CCA, page 26.

Figure 90: Picture by Wissam Elmawi, Architektur In Wolfsburg von Alvar Aalto bis Zaha Hadid Booklet Cover Page.

Figure 91: Wolfsburg Site Plan, Main architectural attractions, Architektur In Wolfsburg von Alvar Aalto bis Zaha Hadid, 2008.

Figure 92: Adapted impact model of the hypothetical roles of the Phaeno in repositioning Wolfsburg, Urban transformations through exceptional architecture, Nadia Alaily Mattar, Alain Thierstein, Journal of Urban Design, 2018, page 187.

Figure 93: Summary Map for Data Sources.

Appendix A: Survey Conducted

This survey is part of my master studies in Design Research at the Bauhaus foundation in Dessau, Germany. It aims to understand the transition in architecture from conventional design to parametric design. The survey addresses architects as well as designers and asks them to think about parametric design and the impact it has in today's world, in addition to the subjective impression it has on them. The goal is to understand how people with different professional backgrounds perceive the parametric design approach in architecture.

Yes No

My profession is unrelated to design

Yes No Yes No Yes No

It brings forth aesthetically intriguing buildings

It makes use of what is technologically/technically possible in today´s architecture It´s important in today´s world

It's interesting in terms of form and structure, but its complex understanding does repel me from learning it

Not my area of interest

Yes No Yes No

A) Heyder Aliyeh Center B) Bauhaus Dessau

Author: Wissam Elmawi

Topic: Parametric Design Approach in Architecture Between Concept and Reality, Theory and Practice Coop Design Research 2021-2022 Hochschule Anhalt Bauhaus Foundation