Yingli Liu
Studio Air
2015 Semester 1 Tutorial 10 Canhui Chen`
Contents INTRODUCTION PART A. A.0. Design Futuring A.1. Design Computation A.2. Composition A.3. Conclution A.4. Learning Outcomes A.5. Algorithmic Sketches
INTRODUCTION
Hi, this is me standing in front of my favourite architecture in China, Long Museum. My name is Yingli, with the zeal for architecture since I saw pictures of Casa MilĂ on a book ten years ago, now I am a third year undergraduate in the University of Melbourne studying architecture. To me, architecture is a rational art form. Having experienced four architectural design studio in all, I found that art may be the beginning of the design but sometimes not the ending. I have taken virtual environments in my first year, and found rhino did expand the possibility of our design, which can generate things like a piece of art work. So I am looking forward to the project this semester. This is my first time to use grasshopper and know the word parametric modelling. Having experienced its logic and flexibility, I am willing to use grasshopper to generate my design.
004 | INTRODUCTION
PAST WORK
This is the final performance of our project in virtual environments. Our group design an inflatable system to protect personal space. After concept design, we spent the whole semester designing with Rhino, especially panelling tools. We used Rhino to generate flatten surface to cut the plastic. And I have learned a whole process and theories of design, which can be helpful to my further study.
005 | INTRODUCTION
PART A | CONCEPTUALISATION
A.0. DESIGN FUTURING Rokko Shidare Observatory Hiroshi Sambuichi
Located near the summit of Mount Rokko in Japan, the observatory covered with framed dome was designed by Japanese architect Hiroshi Sambuichi. As an eco-conscious architect, Sambuichi expresses the earth’s details through architecture1 by making use of landscape and climate of the site. And the observatory that he aimed to create as a unique ‘energy-scape’2 is also the practice of his idea about earth and nature. Different from his contemporaries in Tokyo, Sambuichi ‘consider[s] the details of earth’3 and his idea of making architecture is about achieving the balance between the architecture and the earth. Although there is an increasingly attention to sustainability currently, environmental affect is still in a relatively marginalized position while being considered in the design of lots of cases. So it is really rare that the consideration of the earth is set as a main purpose for whether residential or public buildings designed by Sambuichi. As the representative work of him, Rokko Shidare’s structure and form are the materialization of the climate, air, water, earth...each element on Mount Rokko. “I pursue an architecture that breathes like an indigenous plant by mapping out all moving materials by various methods, mostly on site observations and experiments but also research of local history and culture and even by computational simulation.”4
008 | Design Futuring
In order to build the observatory following the idea of global concern and involving the whole environment of Rokko Mountain, Sambuichi did a painstaking investigations into site and local climate covering the whole year. Based on the celebration of results, wind and rain can be used to cool down the observatory and recycled, which becomes a whole system with the building. He also examined local culture reflecting on the design of the doom made from hinoki wood, a local material5, thereby the observatory gains deeper relation to local environment. Not only the extensive effort that Sambuichi put in study, but also the idea of achieving sustainability by making architecture be a part of local natural system, should be appreciated and applied in the future. The structure of dome comprised of numerous hexagons enable wind to blow in and cool down the building, at the same time record the flow of natural elements on site. As shown in the figure 1, the structure can attract frost in the winter. Sambuichi created an interconnection between natural phenomenon and architecture, also generated a discourse to relationship between architecture and the earth, which expand the possibilities of involving nature in architectural design. As a unique scenery on Rokko Mountain, Rokko Shidare have been served as a observatory for visitors and recorded the change of since 2010, continuing being part of the local system and showing the change of seasons.
FIG.1: FRAME OF DOME COVERED WITH FROST
‘Thinking about ‘earth’s details‘ is integral to my thinking about architecture. Reading in minute detail a site’s topography, climate, and other environmental factors is among my most pleasurable activities as an architect’
Design Futuring | 009
KAIT Workshop Junya Ishigami
As the new generation of architects in Japan, Ishigami inherited the transparency and simplicity form his employee and teacher, Sejima, and also kept exploring and challenging the idea of constructing architecture. KAIT Workshop, located in the campus of Kanagawa Institute of technology, is the representative work of Ishigami. And it is also the crystallization of his new definition and design approaches to architecture, in which building is seen as environment itself instead of a shelter blocking environment 6 and explored through four concepts of natural phenomenon, cloud, forest, horizon and sky. This one-level square project covered with glass from floor to ceiling and supported by 305 pillars which were set randomly is regarded as a groundbreaking work. This uncommon structure was questioned by some people about its practicability where various activities may interfere with each other. However, the arrangement of pillars is the based on the research of people’s movement and give a sense of walking in forest 7, by which Ishigami created a flexible connection between users and the building. Ishigami examines the architecture ‘in another scale’8, in which architecture is built as the whole environment without boundaries divide them. So the workshop was conceived from the concepts of cloud, forest, horizon and sky, which expand the concept of architecture into the whole environment and enable it to be built in a greater number of scales 9 and provide a new approach to thinking and designing architecture in the future.
010 | Design Futuring
And in 2009, Ishigami won the 61st Architectural institute of Japan Prize, the top award in the field of architecture in Japan, for the design of KAIT Workshop, owing to his unprecedented idea that using ‘density’ to consider and realize the architecture10 . And the idea of ‘density‘ reflects Ishigami’s idea that ‘to conceive a building as if planning a forest‘11. So the design was free from grid, the pillars were set irregularly to alter the space and provide a flexible layout for students’ various activities. And this new approach to planning a buildings is appreciated. The workshop reflects the idea of Ishigami not only in terms of planning and structure, but also aesthetics. Taken architecture as environment, Ishigami made the building melt into the environment 12 . The open plan and the use of glass and white pillars give people the sense of transparency and make the whole building harmonize with the site. The building is design for student of Kanagawa Institute of technology to make projects as well as public usage. Owing to the pillars set irregularly, it can provided appropriate space for student to do different projects. Both Rokko Shidare and KAIT Work generate a discourse of designers about architecture and its environment. No matter Expanding the scale of architecture as large as environment or making building be a part of environmental system, these new design ideas provide a new sight of architecture in the future.
FIG.3: KAIT WORKSHOP
‘A rchitecture thus created will melt into the new environment
now emerging and, simultaneously, give form to a new environment.’ FIG.4: PILLARS INSIDE WORKSHOP
Design Futuring | 011
A.1.
DESIGN COMPUTATION Voussoir Cloud
IwamotoScott Architecture
012 | Design Computation
FIG.5: INSIDE VOUSSOIR CLOUD
With the development of the digital in architecture, the technologies have had a progressive influence on the design process13 . Having experienced a design process mainly based on digital technologies, Voussoir Cloud, a material system comprised of thin wood laminates was displayed in SCIarch Galley, 2008. The origin of the project is the vault shape formed by hanging chains modelled in Rhino. With this initial geometry and structure, designers started to explore the pattern on it. As shown in the figure 6, the final shape of petals were developed from triangular mesh step by step in software. So the analysis of basic vault and the process to get final shape of petal, which are ‘problem analysis’ and ‘solution synthesis’14 in design process separately, all depended on computation. That is because digital software can show the change of each element directly and tend to get a accurate analysis result, and designer only need to type several commands to change that, which can make the analysis of complex geometry easier.
After getting the solution of petals’ shape, designers went back to evaluate the structure and material of laminates and connection. At the stage, the role of computation is more important, since it relates directly to the performance of the project. With various software can test its structure performance and material behaviour can be tested, whose results are relatively accurate. So computation can make each step of design process more simple and accurate. Besides, the development of digital technology of have also challenged the traditional way of construction. Take the project as example, Rhino can make 2300 petals unfold and cut the shape accurately form construction15 , which is very efficient. So computation has enabled complex geometry to be built and expand the possible of the structure. With the influence of computation on the whole process of designing, generation, modification and construction can benefit from the convenience brought by technology. In the long term, computation also can enrich the form and structure of project in future.
FIG.6: FABRICATION PROCESS
Design Computation | 013
FIG.7: CITY HALL, LONDON 014 | Design Computation
City Hall, London Foster + Partners
Located on the River Thames, city hall of London is one of the representative work of Foster + Partner. Like his other works, the city hall has unusual bulbous and the characteristic of energy-efficient reflecting Foster’s idea of achieving sustainability. In order to emphasize the special position and use of the building as a city hall, the building shows transparency. At that stage of design, designers have already got their own idea that they want to express in building, the important information gathered from site analysis and brief, and the basic form of the building has been settled; what they need to do is to find the best solution to satisfy the all the requirements and test them. And digital design especially parametric design played an irreplaceable role in this design step. As shown in the figure below, the building is modelled in 3d, whose shape achieves optimum energy performance by maximising shading and minimising the surface area exposed to direct sunlight. This parametric design a logical rethink of architectural form15 . With the result of evaluation, designer can continue modifying the form or start to arrange space. FIG.8: DEVELOPMENT ON SOFTWARE
FIG.9: FLATTEN PANELS OF CURVED SURFACE
According to Foster, the construction of doublecurved geometry was constrained by technologies. With the evolution of digital design, the curved surfaces can be easily flatted and get the economical production of cladding and gazing elements16 , which shown in figure 9. So Foster’s sustainable architectural idea needs aid of computation to realize. So computation can be regarded as the next step after we get our architectural ideas.
Design Computation | 015
A.2.
/GENERATION
COMPOSITION
MoMA/ P.S.1 Urban Beach Tom Wiscombe
Located in PS1 Art Centre courtyard, New York, the P.S.1 Urban Beach is a project designed to provide various activities for people. This project is composed of two structural systems: the leisure landscape and the Cellular roof with complex geometry form which was designed, manufactured and installed within only two months17. As the outcome of digital fabrication, the design and the construction of the project is significantly different from traditional way, which reveals the change of computation’s role in architecture.
Shown in the picture below, the expanded aluminium skin cladding panel was generated using conoidal and parabolic surfaces which generated by lofting straight line segments with parabolas or rotated line segments19. So the complex form and each components can be easily generated by software. Meanwhile, its structure possibility and site response can be analysed by changing the parameters that put into parabola. With different results, designer can made the design decision.
Different from the large firms like Forster + Partners who have their own modelling team, there is no separation between design intent and computational technique in this design team18 , where computation has been fully integrated in their practice. Computation is no longer an aided tooling for refining design outcome but main way to generate the project. FIG.10: ROOF PANEL MODEL
016 | Composition / Generation
FIG.9: THE ROOF OF PROJECT
As shown in the picture 11, the panels can be unfolded in software. After being water-jet cut, they were ready for economical manufacture5, which is very efficient and enabled the work to complete within two months. Computation has played a most important role from generating form to generating construction units, which was almost impossible forty years ago without digital technology. The process of building the project is the epitome of the current situation of computation’s development in architecture. It can provide analysis and solution for design in terms of structure and environment efficiently, and enable complex geometry to be built in a short time. However, the conceptual design is missed in several projects similar to this, which start directly from exploring geometry. In this case, the project may only be the outcome of technology with newfangled appearance and rigid structure, instead of an integrated art form19.
FIG.11: UNFOLDED PANELS
Composition / Generation | 017
Metropol Parasol
J. MAYER H. Architects
FIG.12: OVERVIEW OF PROJECT IN MEDIEVAL CITY
Metropol Parasol, the world largest wooden structure, located in Seville, designed by J. MAYER H. Architects. Different from most pure digital design which is located in a limited space such as courtyard and gallery, and designed in a small scale, the Parasol is designed at urban scale and in medieval inner city. This special project with other digital projects in small scale can reveal development prospect and conceptual setting of digital design. Like the Unban beach mentioned above, some project generated based on computation do not have a design concept. Different from traditional design process, they tend to start from exploring a geometry and generated a new composition. However, As stated by the architect, he was inspired by the vaults of Seville’s expansive cathedral, and tried to define a unique relationship between the historical and the contemporary city20 . Same as the approach of traditional architect, the designer set the concept best on historical aspect of the site. And that is the way to make the project harmonized with environment since they both express the similar idea. This great work also show the future of digital design, it can generate a much greater structure than traditional way in urban scale. Therefore during the high-speed development of digital design it is also significant to hold the concept of design.
FIG.14: DETAIL OF WOODEN STRUCTURE 018 | Composition / Generation
FIG.13: 3D MODEL
Composition / Generation | 019
A.3. CONCLUSION As the start of the subject, ‘Design futuing‘ provided a new sight to looking into architecture, which is not merely the building itself but a discourse express the thinking of designers. When taken future into consideration, environment, nature and sustainability always the centre of the topic. By studying two precedents, a new idea about what is architecture and its relationship with environment can be gained. With the new idea of architecture, design computation especially parametric modelling provides a way to transfer the idea into each step of design process, in which we can see the benefits of digital design. The study of Forster’s work made me rethink the idea I gained, sustainability should be the direction we pursue in the future, which need to rely on digital technologies. In the final part, the role of digital design is no longer a aided tool to realize the design idea, but can be the origin to generate design. By learning theories and researching the precedents. And it also look into the shortcome of digital design, in which case concept design may be missed. After going through Part A, I have a deep understanding of the development and potential of digital design. And I would like to use it to start the design with the concept inspired by site instead of just a geometry. And I think the digital technologies can benefit my design process and generate a more finished work.
020 | Conclusion
A.4. LEARNING OUTCOME Before I started to do week 1 tasks, I thought the content of lecture is very vogue and hard to understand, and the theories introduced in lecture may not be relevant to the design practice. But after examining the precedents, the ideas and design approach behind the work, I started to understand ‘design as a flow‘, ‘design a system‘, and the new idea generated under the background of future. The generation of the new idea about sustainability, gave the chance for the development of new technology. Digital design, computation and parametric design which I used to be unfamiliar with has become the significant part in study. Owing to the language, it is little bit harder to totally understand theory. But after I went through all the tasks and found the connections between them, I got ‘suddenly enlightened’. And analysis precedent can be really helpful to understand the theory, though it is such a pain to write it each week. As for practice, grasshopper did surprise me. It is not very different to handle, on the contrary, it is like math and quite interesting. Following each week’s task, I can make the forms that seem very complex. And the some projects that are used as precedents are built from the lofting surface or mesh. I have tried to make the model of some interesting projects. And I am considering using grasshopper the rebuild and evaluate the model for Earth tutorial, which has many thin columns.
Learning Outcome | 021
A.5. SKETCHBOOK
Starting Curves
Contour Input multiple curves in sequence into LOFT battery and get curved surfece
Parametric connection within input and output, change the curves can get different surfaces
22
WEEK 1 Lofting ans Trangulation
022 | Conclusion
REFERENCE 1 Hashimoto, Jun. 2011. Hiroshi Sambuichi, (Tokyo: Shinkenchiku-sha, 2011), pp.4 2 Jun, pp.32 3 Jun, pp.35 4 Jun, pp.2 5 Jun, pp.33 6 Ishigami, Jun’ya, and Chinatsu Kuma. Kenchiku no atarashii ōkisa = Another scale of architecture / [chosha/author]: Ishigami Jun’ya ; [kanshū/suppervised by: Toyotashi Bijutsukan/Toyota Municippal Museum of Art ; henshū/edited by: Chinatsu Kuma], (Kyōto : Seigensha, 2010), pp. 270 7 Jun’ya, pp.5 8 Jun’ya, pp.270 9 Jun’ya, pp.2 10 Jun’ya, pp.35 11 Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pppp. 1 12. Jun’Krauel, Jacobo, Jay Noden, and William George. 2010. Contempporary digital architecture : design & techniques, (Barcelona : Links, 2010),pp.100 13 George pp.100 14 George pp.103 15 George pp.100 16 Foster, Norman. 2001. Foster : catalogue 2001,( London : PPrestel, 2001), pp.12 17 Jun’Krauel, Jacobo, Jay Noden, and William George. 2010. Contempporary digital architecture : design & techniques, (Barcelona : Links, 2010),pp.54 18 Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 11 19 Jun’Krauel, Jacobo, Jay Noden, and William George. 2010. Contempporary digital architecture : design & techniques, (Barcelona : Links, 2010),pp.54 20 Spiller, Neil. 2008. Digital architecture now : a global survey of emerging talent, (London : Thames & Hudson, 2008), pp. 187
023 | Reference
CONCEPTUALISATION 23