OCULAR ENVELOPES

from Portfolio Wojciech Karnowka [2023]

by Wojciech Karnowka

SAXA FRACTIONIS

London, United Kingdom

Institution:

Advisors:

Bartlett School of Architecture

MArch, June 2023, Year II

dr Marjan Colletti, Javier Ruiz

The project navigates through the domains of the body, consciousness, and vision, scrutinising multi-dimensional technological and spatial protocols within the framework of virtual and physical reality. The visual perception data stream facilitates the initial identification of transient spatial perception gaps, and then utilises the experiences of multiple users to form a collective consensus on ideal spaces, objects, and things. This process involves negotiating the known and unknown to create novel, vibrant spatial constructs.

In these new environments, users don’t actively endeavor to create buildings or objects. Instead, by observing, they articulate features and characteristics that are then accentuated by a sequence of algorithms.

In the first semester, the project concentrated on visionthe primary sense. As it traverses space, forms evolve, and when the visual focus is lost, the environment reconfigures itself. These forms consist of instances of familiar elements like columns, slabs, and geometries that resemble facades or structural components. This results in extraordinary assemblies that materialise and dematerialise in the blink of an eye.

During the second semester, developed a new spacesurvey methodology that relies on the metadata derived from the event of visual perception. Ordinary objects and spaces are first surveyed in non-virtual reality before being expanded into VR. The data from collective consensus then cultivates “average” atriums, pavilions, and streets, overtaking the known city.

Oculargrammetry

The process of developing three-dimensional models with visual perception data and metadata I define as Oculargrammetry. The initial tests are performed as my work station – as eye traverses the space, recording the path and sequence accuracies and inaccuracies of the interaction as imprinted in the generated geometry.

Edges, corners, vivid colours and high contrast areas –are what draw gaze and fixations. As a result, I define, the “perceptual void model” geometrical formations excluding areas of low gaze frequencies – to identify these geometries that seem captivate visual perceptions.

The system of “perceptual void detection”, can be transferred to survey large staircases, or tube stations. However the developed methodology limits the research to spaces that can physically be visited. To reach the final conclusions, I re-program the method into virtuality so that the 3D ocular survey can now be performed at new scale, with existing, or create 3D spaces.

The new mode of design, assumes collection of multiple experiences of multiple users as they visually experience spaces the underlying clustering algorithms, extract the key areas of focus, to achieve the visual perception areas of consensus – the algorithm then re-generates the spaces – adding and subtracting volumes, exaggerating colors, and materials. The emergent forms, are directly driven, by users collective experience. The new exuberant forms, are juxtaposed, against, the existing repetitive, “hierarchy-less” spaces, are now augmented by these exuberant forms.

Through the possession of a complex understanding of the regulatory policies, the feasibility and reasonability of a proposal in any given context can be assessed instantly. Those tools are designed as eco-system with simple user interface which allows nontechnical colleagues to utilise the outputs without prior programming knowledge – thereby democratising the hidden power of architectural analysis.

The other tasks undertaken are unique, therein requiring the development of custom tools relevant for that particular project. The

Evolutionary Spatial Hierarchy Optimisation produced for the Francis Crick Institute, details such an example. The Francis Crick Institute is a world-class biomedical discovery institute in Central London. Following an initial 12-month residence in the new building, the Operations

Team sought to improve their working environment and the way through which the building’s users integrated and collaborated with each other. Consequently, we were appointed to develop design options.

Here, I led the development of an experimental methodology to evaluate and compare the indoor workplace qualities identified. Factors such as spatial connectivity, visual perception and desk layout were evaluated in conjunction with environmental parameters (such as quality of lighting, temperature and noise level) to denote what aspects affected the fact-to-face communications witnessed in the office space.

The results were juxtaposed against the results of a survey administered among the building’s users. This combined data was then visualised through various graphical maps to illustrate the inherent spatial potential for programmatic layout distribution. The second generative study aimed to augment the architect’s decisionmaking in the space planning process using Artificial Intelligence algorithms to enable the generation and evaluation of potential layouts in the Institute. have been fortunate to have been able to work in an environment in which gained opportunities and responsibilities through which to directly contribute towards both projects and the office’s general approach. The professional positions held at the beggining of my career have allowed me to focus on the aspect of design practice enjoy - at the intersection of novel technology and their implications as means of dealing with technical, social and spatial challenges. successfully implemented GitHub, a widely adopted version control and collaboration platform, to enhance team communication, knowledge sharing, and efficiency, addressing challenges in Rhino/Grasshopper development.

As we believed in the power of in-sourcing, developing of our own tools and systems gave us an in-depth understanding of the implications of alternative design approaches. Consequently, we worked faster and took advantages from the power gained through the employment of these new analysis and data resources.

During my time at Pibrow&Partners, I initially focused on rapidly evaluating, analyzing, and generating. As the team expanded, I transitioned to strategically bridging the gap between operations and technology. played a key role in driving operational efficiency and promoting a culture of continuous learning, leading software and tools training sessions for colleagues.

For various early-stage projects, developed strategies to automate context evaluation, density map generation, and diagram creation, crucial for project submissions within and outside the UK.

In my next role, seek an organization dedicated to operational excellence, fostering learning, curiosity, and initiative.

In our quality assessment, we formed an attractiveness index, comparing similar height and density schemes across different UK locations. We divided London boroughs and wards into identifiable grid cells, enabling the analysis of extensive spatial data and the creation of a location scoring system. Our datasets encompassed points of interest, nearest neighbor accessibility analysis, and more.

London, United Kingdom

Organisation:

Project Team:

Pilbrow&Partners

July 2022

Proposed mixed-use building in Oxford Street district, featuring M&S flagship store and offices designed to acheive BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum.

My primary role in this project involved integrating the analysis of environmental factors into the day-to-day design process. We devloped the Peak Solar Loads analysis tool to assess different facade options against the LETI 40W/h climate change target. This analysis significantly influenced our facade design approach.

Initially, we examined the current design iteration and identified areas for improvement. In the next step, we created a parametric study of the facade to understand its interaction with the sun’s movement and identify potential design adjustments to reduce solar gain, particularly the Peak Solar Loads (top 1% and 2.5% of annual gain). We simulated various scenarios, adjusting glass dimensions and window U-values to assess their impact on peak internal floor loads and identify areas for improvement. The generative model allowed us to explore how shading element parameters affected the design and analysis results

These thorough analyses provided insights into specific design changes to enhance energy efficiency, minimise environmental impact, and meet energy standards.

The building is rotated very slightly off a North south access but in essence possess façades facing almost due North on Portman Mews South, East on Orchard Street, South on Oxford Street, and West on Granville Place. The established urban block pattern and grain, a legacy of the emergence of large retail based amalgamated blocks in the early 20th century, provided an established building line and orientation façade orientation.