AIR STUDIO JOURNAL

DESIGNING JOURNAL

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIRYI LU 531865

PART A - CASE FOR INNOVATION

A.1. ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSEA.2. COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTUREA.3. PARAMETRIC MODELLINGA.4. ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONA.5. CONCLUSIONA.6. LEARNING OUTCOMES

PART B - DESIGN APPROACH

PART C - PROJECT PROPOSAL

CONTENTS

B.1 DESIGN FOCUSB.2 CASE STUDY 1.0B.3CASE STUDY 2.0B.4 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTB.5 FABRICATIONB.6 TECHNIQUE PROPOSALB.7 LEARNING OUTCOMES

PART A -CASE FOR INNOVATION

My name is Yi Lu, a third year environ-ment student major in architecture. I used to do my architectural design by hand drawings. Because I feel free to use my hand to draw my ideas down and give them colors and shades to show the tones and textures. I think it’s more flexible and changeable. Before this course, I always thought the computer could easily help people translate the hand drawings to a digi-tal edition and become more real and contagious. It cannot help people de-sign or get inspired. But in this subject, I found that computer is not just a tool or a time- saver, it can help people to design something we cannot imagine by our limited imagination ability. So I think the use of computer programs can help us to explore interesting forms in a convenient and fast way. It can make the design controllable, accurate and fast.

Architecture design studio: water is the last studio I did. We learnt a lot of masters’ works, especially Se-jima’s work. The major project is the boathouse design. I paid a lot respect to the site that the boathouse has an organic shape with curves gently around the trees. The design also focuses on people’s experiences in the boathouse. For example, the shape of the house extends in three different directions and each of them can direct peoples’ eyes to different views so that they would have different experiences. In the designing process, I used hand drawing and modeling to express my different thoughts.

A.1.1 INTRODUCTION A.1.2. PREVIOUS WORK

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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 1 - ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

For the Gateway project, architecture would be the best solution. To explain this, we need to firstly understand what architecture is.

With the development of architecture, architecture is no longer ‘a shelter’ or a ‘primitive hut’, which was brought by Laugier’s Essay on Architecture (1755). Just like what Richards (2005) said that ‘architecture is as much a philo-sophical, social or professional realm as it is a material one’. Architecture is not only existing as an independent artwork, it relates to the site it stands, the people experience inside or outside and the time it goes through. All these things can put impact on the system of architecture and make it change and renew. That’s what makes the archi-tecture system generate and develop.

Architecture is different from art. For a piece of artwork, it only expresses the creator’s individual thought and opin-ion, it can be totally meaningless to others. However, architecture is kind of a compromised art. There would be many constrains which will limit archi-

tects’ design, such as the environmen-tal limitations, the social issues and the public aesthetics. However, these fac-tors also make the architecture accept-able and powerful.

In addition, architects are trying to translate their concept to the users by organizing the users’ experiences in the building or outside. It’s similar to the experience that people would have in urban. So there must be approaches that can examine architecture in terms of the urban experience. (Richards, 2005) That’s also what makes the ar-chitecture different from other forms of arts.

So architecture discourse would ben-efit the Gateway project design, which has been asked for intentions of eye catching and landmark. It’s important to think about the urban culture and the users experience around the gate-way. It should be eye catching but at the same time be harmonious with the environment. To achieve this, comput-er programs could help in the design process. Grasshopper would be useful

A.1.3. AECHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

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- Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 - 116.


A.1.4. PRECEDENTS

Hutong bubble is a silver luminescent blob, which is located in Beijing’s oldest neighborhoods. It makes a completely contrast between its amusing shape and the ancient surroundings, which are known as traditional Chinese courtyard residences.This project is included within MAD’s proposal for the future Beijing 2050- a green public park in Ti-ananmen Square, a series of floating islands above the city’s CBD, and the ‘future of Hutongs’.With the fast development in China, the city’s land-scape has been altered in a massive scale. It has caused many urban problems, such as the old buildings, chaotic structures, ever-changing neigh-borhood and the poor standards of hygiene. Hutong has been gradually becoming the local residents’ dumpster. The architect, MAD, has seen this con-dition and designed ‘bubbles’ to change the urban fabric and bettering the urban function.

The first ‘bubble’, called Hutong Bubble 32, was finished in 2009. It includes a bathroom and staircase to a roof garden. In the aged neighborhood of Beijing, the bubble serves hutong communities by improving their ac-cess to sanitary services. The material used for the bubble is luminescent, thus it can re-flect the surrounding wood, brick and green-ery, implying the past and future can coexist. This idea really has a metaphorical and visual link about the tension between modern and traditional China. The architect’s intent is to attract ‘new people, activities, and resources to reactive the entire neighborhoods’. (Ma, 2009)Hutong Bubble is really an exciting design for the big contrast between the aged surround-ing and the modern form. It can give people a totally new experience in the urban life.I like this design not only for the eye-catching outlook, but mostly because these bubbles can really help save the hutong community. Currently, people live in old hutongs have to go to public toilet. If they cannot stand this poor condition one day and move out, rich people would take over and transfer this urban fabric into couple big villas, then com-munity dies. It’s what actually happening now. So these bubbles can vary people’s lifestyle and preserve the community. This can be addressed in the Richard’s reading that ‘architecture is as much a social realm as it’s a material one’.To think about the urban context is what the Gateway project really need. It’s believed that the urban culture and people’s urban experience could help to shape our design. The daring material used could also inspire us to give the project a philosophical mean-ing, which would make the design generative and powerful.

HUTONG BUBBLE 32

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Info from: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/mad-architects-hutong-bubble-32-beijing/


Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Center is designed by Zaha Hadid Ar-chitects, located on the edge of a lake in Changsha, China. The construction is now underway. This project features an 1800-seat theatre, a contemporary art museum and a smaller multi- purpose venue. The form of the building is very fluid and full of tension, which looks like a grouping of petal- shaped volumes. The functional spaces are well organized in the way that the central plaza is generated by the relative position of these separate buildings. This layout makes the flow of visitors that come from all sides of the site intersect and meet. Thus it offers a strong urban experience. The curved balconies, which are parallel to the edge of the petals, are aiming to engage the site’s unique location and surrounding views into some of the gallery spaces. It would give the visitors special experiences.

A.1.4. PRECEDENTS

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CHANGSHA MEIXIHU INTERNATIONAL CULTURE AND ART CENTER

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The inspiration of this design comes from nature. It creates a connection between modern city to natural spaces by the fluid internal spaces and the long curved balconies, which create natural views for visitors. This design is impressive for its modern and creative form. The building lines are no longer straight and the corners are not sharp any more. Parametric design must be a good help to make this curved form possible in real world. In conclusion, this building is a typical parametric design, which brings a new way of thinking architecture. In the future, the elegant and innovative architecture would become the new cultural and civic node for the city of Changsha. The residents’ life would be reshaped in the way to combine city life with nature. That’s what we should think about in the Gate-way project. How could the gateway to be the sign of the city or how can it engage with people’s life? I will keep this in my mind when doing the project.


Digital technologies cannot only benefit the designing process in such ways, but most important that it offers many new possi-bilities for approaching design. Although, computer has been described as ‘lack any creative abilities or intuition’ by Yehuda, it can somehow make designers creativity in the process of testing and trying different programs. It allows complex geometrical exploration, which may be constrained by people’s limited minds, and provides a new way of thinking.

One of the most important innovations of computational design is the generative de-sign method. It was described by Kolarevic () that ‘designers articulate an internal gen-erative logic, which then produces, in an automatic fashion, a range of possibilities from which the designer could choose an appropriate formal proposition for further development’. Generative design method makes the communication from computer back to designer possible.

As people see the potential of computers in the design process, people are trying to de-velop computer programs to become more

controllable and effective. The term, NURB, is introduced, which can ‘construct a broad range of geometric forms, from straight lines and platonic solids to highly complex, sculpted surfaces’ (Kolarevic, 2003). It was widely used for its high controllability and variability.

Furthermore, computer provides possibilt-ies for people to optimize the architectual structures in terms of structural, material and spatial efficiencies. For the information age, it’s challenging not only how we design building, but also how we construct them. (Kolarevic, 2003) The role that computer takes in the range of construction industry is very important, because they can evaluate the structure and develop them to be more resistant, more material efficient and more energy saving by the use of new technolo-gies such as topological geometries, para-metric design and data spaces. This is what makes the computational design distinct and full of power.

The Gateway project aims to approach in-novation by exploring new and bold ideas. Computational design would be a useful

A.2.1. COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Architecture has always been involved with cultural revolutions, which includes the hu-man change, society change and technology change. From century to century, architecture has been gone thorough many different styles due to the changes in our societies. Different styles can show people’s different aesthetics, different understanding towards architecture as well as their different needs. The discov-ery of new materials and new technologies can very our ways of thinking and broaden our horizon to lead to a new architectural style. Computer, as a new media, has been widely used in the architectural design. It’s more than a tool for saving the architects’ work time and make the process easier and quicker, it can also direct people’s thinking and inspire them during the designing pro-cess.

Design process is like the process of search-ing for problem solving methods, which in-

cludes problem analysis, solution synthe-sis, evaluation and further research stages. However, sometimes the designing process is not rational. They must achieve multiple goals or encounter uncertainties. Computer, as a superb engine (Yehuda, 2004), can be used in the rational processes, such as the problem analysis. Computer can be eas-ily used for listing the goals and constraints the design should achieve and searching for precedents. They can organize those results of the analysis and present them to people quickly without any mistakes. Although, solu-tion synthesis step is not a rational process, in which designers finds the arrangement of forms, materials, views and other elements to achieve the design purpose. Computers can benefit this process in the way of pro-viding details of the formal precedents and knowledge of previous styles and composi-tion rules. For the communication, computers can ‘expand access to information and open

1211 - Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided De-sign (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25- Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 2 - COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Guggenheim museum is possibly the most well known example for the computational ar-chitecture. It’s significant not only because of the exaggerate form but also because it’s the icon of the digital technology revolution. It overturns the classical architectural aesthet-ics as well as the modern architectural forms. Guggenheim Museum, which is designed by Frank Owen Gehry in 1997, is one of the re-development projects of Bilbao. The museum covers an area of 24,000 square meters, including 11,000 square meters of exhibition area.

The whole structure was designed by using the revolutionary freeform- program, CATIA, which was usually been used in the aerody-namic field. The materials used for this proj-ect are mainly glass, steel and limestone. Part of the surface is covered with Titan, which is related to the traditional industry of Bilbao, shipbuilding. The titanium sheeting fa-çade can reflect the sunlight as well to give the architecture different light effects. The most prominent feature of the building is the randomly appearing curves on the exterior of the building, which is designed to catch the light to avoid the depressing feeling of the shady side. The curved façade of the exhibition room, which is near the river, also echoes the movement of the river and shows the scale relationship.

A.2.2. PRECEDENTS

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

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Robert Hughes (2005) states that the ‘use of cutting-edge computer-aided design technolo-gy makes the translation from poetic forms into reality possible’. As well as Kolarevic (2003) said in his book that the museum ‘will not stand there without the computation innovation in architectural design, not to mention generating a new era for architecture’. It’s thus clear that the adoption of computational design makes the museum become one of the most important buildings of the 20th century and hailed by people until now.

To think about the Gateway project, the outcome should be daring and innovative as well to stand there and be memorable. The use of computer programs would be a good help to achieve the complex and exaggerate form, which is unachievable by hand.

- Hughes R, Things I Didn’t Know: A Memoir, 2006, Alfred A. Knopf Inc.- Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28Info from: http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=827 http://blogs.artinfo.com/secrethistoryofart/2011/02/11/inside-the-masterpiece-frank-gehrys guggenheim-museum-bilbao/


The Absolute Tower is a 50-story apartment, which is located in Toronto. The construc-tion was completed in 2011. The young architect, Ma Yansong get inspired from the habit of fish that fish’s living space isn’t relate to the external form of fish tank, also they do not active around the corners. Thus the space inside the Absolute Tower is fluid and free. He was trying to find a more natural lifestyle, rather than designing an apartment. Ma said he was against the modernism, because it paid to much attention to technologies but ignored humanity. Absolute Tower is twisted, curved and natural, which has nothing to do with the industry and would make people associate with beauty’s body. So the local residents call the building as ‘Marilyn Monroe Skyscraper’. The towers serve as a gateway to the city beyond. A continuous balcony that wraps the entire building creates the textured band-like facade. These continuous balconies can widen residents viewing angles and promote community at the micro scale of a single floor. It corresponds to Ma’s purpose that he hopes the building can wake up metropoli-tans’ desires towards nature, such as sun and wind. Furthermore, the structural solution is surprisingly simple and inexpensive. They are supported by a grid of concrete load bearing walls. The rotated and twisted exterior is just accessory structure. It not only makes the structure resistant, but also enables the distinctive form.

A.2.2. PRECEDENTSABSOLUTE TOWER

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Absolut Tower is an ex-ample of parametric design. Because parametric design hasn’t been widely used in architecture, there are few precedents could be used. Without the parametric de-sign, the accurate angled rotation of floors, which is the most distinctive feature of the building, would not be achieved. However, the most attractive part of this building is the concept. It makes the building dynamic. It seems like the building can commu-nicate with people by using the space language.Thus linking back to the Gate-way project, design should be honest to our minds. As Perkins states that ‘architec-ture must have an ethical, social and aesthetic compo-nent, otherwise it is just fash-ion’. This attitude was lacking among many of today’s com-putational architects. To think about human themselves, rather than technologies, are the most important to make the architecture vital.

Info from: http://www.dezeen.com/2012/12/12/absolute-towers-by-mad/ http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/absolutetowers/


More than a time-saver, this system pro-vides many different methods for people to exploring. In some extent, the system can inspire people and make their design creative. Just like Burry states that the parametric system provides ‘a significantly deeper engagement between the comput-er and user by automating routine aspects and repetitive activities, thus facilitating a far greater range of potential outcomes for the same investment in time’. Moreover, architecture is more than artwork, so the shape needs lots of exploration to meet the functional demands. The system can be helpful to achieve these and make the form possible in real world.

Furthermore, parametric modeling is not limited for the exterior design, but also allowed to create diverse and meaningful spatial experiences. Berkel (2007) ad-vocates that ‘A parametric model means that you’re not only able to define the position of various points in space, but also the relationship between them. The revolutionary aspect of this paradigm shift in design lies in considering how we can conceive spatial qualities in a new way. It’s a question of how a building responds

to people’s movements.’ Generally, the parametric design is efficient and control-lable, which provides a new architectural design method.

However, parametric modeling has some limitations because of the complicated operating system. Some designers know the whole system well and can program the system unrestrainedly, whilst some designers would be programed by the system. Thus Burry (2011) suggests that people cannot put entire trust in the soft-ware engineers. The improper use of the system would make people get trapped in the mindset and limit people’s creativity in some extent.

Generally, parametric modeling has been widely used in architecture, because of its efficiency and controllability. For the Gate-way project, parametric modeling would paly an important role during the design process. However, be aware of the use of parametric modeling system that people’s mind shouldn’t be narrowed by the pro-grams. Anyway it would be an efficient method for the project to generate a new discourse.

A.3.1. PARAMETRIC MODELING

1817 - Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48- Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 8 - 71- Gesprach, Ein and Ben van Berkel. “Digital Sustainability and Spaces that Follow You.” Detail (Dec 2007): 1424-31.

Parametric modeling has been more and more widely used in the architecture design. It’s surprisingly that it developed so fast in such a short time. This system is differ-ent from the traditional modeling system that ‘parts of design, relate and change together in a coordinated way’ (Woodbury, 2010). The most outstanding feature of paramet-ric modeling is that it’s easily to change the design intent by change the parameters.

Thus this system can make the design pro-cess more efficient and controllable. It can help designers to meet the design intent more accurately and easily. The other im-portant feature of the parametric modeling is formula, which shows the parameters are interrelated and interact on each other. As a result, when changing one of the param-eters, others would be changed accordingly.

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 3 - PARAMETRIC MODELING

The national Aquatics Centre in Beijing, better known as Watercube, finished construction in 2008 for the Beijing Olympic Games. The planning area is 30,000 square me-ters. The soap bubbles shaped façade makes this building outstanding.

The watercube associates water as a structural and conceptual motif with the square, which is the primal shape of the house in Chinese tradition and mythology. Behind the totally random appearance hides a strict geometry that can be found in natural systems, such as crystal and cell. For the structure, unlike traditional stadium structures supported with column and beams, cables and spans, to which a façade system is applied, and the structure of the watercube is integral with the space and the façade. Moreover, 90% of the solar energy falling on the building can be trapped by the highly efficient structural zone. Generally, the building is visually striking, energy-efficient, and ecologically friendly by the use of special technology and materials.

The façade of the watercube is the most striking and impressive part. It simultaneously employs both graphic and sculptural cosmetic strategies. While its aluminum mullions create a striking two-dimensional graphic, the curvature and translucency of the plastic panels gives a three-dimensional sculptural effect. Actually, the first soap- bubble structure was discovered by Lord Kelvin in1887 and was successful. Thus, this fundamental mathematical formula has been documented and this geometrical information was translated to the fabrication program. Now it has become a parametric design method. The success of the watercube could be concluded as the good use of the parametric programs. Furthermore, the bubbles of the watercube are geometrically independent from the internal structure grid. It exemplifies the potential of symbols, released from the confines of the cosmetic field, to become the defining force shaping the building structure and material. Just like Ludger Hoverstadt (2007) said that ‘technical reconstruc-tion of architecture in the information age, parametric software and digital fabrication as liberators of architecture from the constraints of the grid’. Thus ‘between virtual and reality, there is no longer any technical, structural difference’ (Hoverstadt, 2007).Therefore, the parametric design would be helpful to achieve the eye-catching form, which has been asked in the Gateway project. Inspired by the watercube, natural process would be a good point to make the design dynamic and vital.

A.3.2. PRECEDENTS

WATER CUBE

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- Hovestadt, Ludger. “The Technical Reconstruction of Architecture in the Information Age.” Detail (Dec 2007): 1436-8.Info from - www.dezeen.com/2008/02/06/watercube-by-chris-bosse/ - escdesign.net/index.php?/writing/walker/


The use of the parametric modeling is very significant in this building. The forms of the two main structures, which look like stones, are plastic and malleable. They are similar, but different. The parametric modeling method, tessellation, would be helpful to make the free form to be more rational and more achievable. Moreover, the façade is composited by small planes, which are randomly modeled in the parametric software. But without the support from the parametric manufacturing technology, the project would not be achieved because of the non- standard production. The interior design of the opera house is more amazing because of the seamless and fluid space effect, which provides a perfect acoustic effect. To achieve this, Zaha used the new material, GRG, and the parametric modeling system. Because different space has different sound absorption coefficient demand, which reflects in the appearance are the density and size changes of the façade openings. Parametric modeling unifies the functional (acoustic effect), aesthetic and constructional demands together by the flexible and controllable oper-ating system.this building exemplifies the advantages that parametric modeling bring to architecture, es-pecially for the impressive interior design. it helps careate special spatial experiences, which sometimes has been ignored in computational designs. Be inspired, the Gateway project would benefit from the Parametric modeling and provide diverse and meaningful spatial ex-periences.

A.3.2. PRECEDENTS

GUANGZHOU OPERA HOUSE

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Guangzhou Opera House is a structure located at the foot of Zhujiang Boulevard. The planning area is 70,000 square me-ters. The project features an 1800-seat theatre, a 400-seat multi-function room and a smaller multi- purpose venue. Zaha Hadid said the concept of the opera house is from the Chinese garden, which is integral with the natural environment and provide a peaceful feeling. From this point, she integrated the independent ar-chitectural elements together, in order to make the structure coherent and aesthet-ic. Be affected by the topography, which has been eroded by the Zhujiang River, fold lines in this landscape define terri-tories and zones within the opera house and different spaces and light effects are achieved by the line cuttings inside the structure. Thus ‘second nature’ is the core of this project. The use of the parametric modeling is very significant in this building. The forms of the two main structure

Info from: http://www.dezeen.com/2011/02/25/guangzhou-opera-house-by-zaha-hadid-architects/ http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/


ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATION

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As Richards states ‘architecture is as much a philosophical, social or professional realm as it is a material one’. Architecture is not only existing as an independent artwork, it relates to the site it stands, the people experience inside or outside and the time it goes through. Based on the researches of different topics, which includes architecture discourse, computational architecture and parametric modeling, it’s believed that architecture should be an ideal solution for the Gateway project. A gateway is a symbol of the city, which would give the visitors the first impression of the city. So more than an eye catching form, the design should be functional and representative. I would be interested in designing something, which is adapted by the surrounding environ-ment, can represent the urban culture and give people a different urban experience. Furthermore, parametric design would allow us to explore the outcomes more effi-ciently and make the complex forms possible in real world. Just like Ludger (2007) said ‘between virtual and reality, there is no longer any technical, structural differ-ence’.

By the learning of the readings on different archi-tecture topics, I have understood many different ar-chitecture theories and known many different design methods. It can really widen my view of architecture. At the start of this subject, I was in a panic about using the computer programs, because I used to use hand drawing for my previous designs and I thought the computer programs would somehow limit my work. However, after the learning of computational design and parametric modeling, I’m now interested about it. It’s fascinating that a shape could be changed easily by adjusting the parameters. Also, through the learning of many precedents, such as how the archi-tects exploring the forms and the materials to achieve the design purpose and how they played with the parametric modeling to make the forms possible in real world, my knowledge of computational architec-ture has been improved and they make me more believe in this new kind design method. Parametric design allows designers to try different forms and pat-terns quickly and provide non-standard production to achieve the real structure. After the learning of parametric modeling, I think I can improve my Earth Studio design, where I made lots of physical models by hand and it’s still not exactly what I designed. But now I’m confident to refine the design and make the model more elegant, just like my original design.

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A.6. LEARNING OUTCOMESA.5. CONCLUSION

- Hovestadt, Ludger. “The Technical Reconstruction of Architecture in the Information Age.” Detail (Dec 2007): 1436-8.

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR CONCLUSION

PART B - DESIGN APPROACH

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 5 DESIGN FOCUS

We decided to use metaphor to show the city context. Just like Zaha Hadid suggested that city context is not static and historical matter, but is future oriented development. It’s important to summaries and refine the city’s cultural connotation to generate a new city context. Thus, we are going to design something which is dynamic and full of tension. When people passing it in a fast speed, they can get consecutive visual impacts and feel its movement and get emotional affects. The dynamic form can respond to the dynamic change of the Wyndham City and the forward movement of its community. Also, we want the form is ‘fluid’, which has the mucosity and mobility. It can weaken the feeling of solidity and strengthen the soft and floating sensation. So that our design can be adopted by the wide and flat site and respond to the natural and cultural background: the Werribee River and the Heathdale Wetlands.

B.1.1 DESIGN FOCUS

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APPROACHARGUMENT

WYNDHAM CITY

Wyndham city is a place has a rich and wide range of distinctive feature across natural and cultural areas, and is undergoing an incredibly fast period of growth and prosperity. The strategic outcome they wish to achieve is to ‘improve Wyndham’s gateways, open space areas and streetscapes to enhance the aesthetics and amenity for residents, businesses and visitors’. (Wyndham city council, 2013) In this extent, the Gateway Project primarily is to emphasize the momentum behind Wyndham’s development, both during the present and into its future.

During the research, our group found that strips and folding is a method full of variabil-ity. It allows accidental and unknown results for a relatively long period of the design process. The form created by folding is always full of tension. This kind of approach can create linear feelings. Curved line has the dynamic and elastic power, in which people can experience floating and soft sentiment. Whilst straight line has the quality of strict and strong, in which people can get a sense of speed and development. As a result, the strips and folding approach can give people various emotional associations. This can relate to the gateway project in the way that to show the fast development and dynamism of the Wyndham city. Besides, strips and folding approach allows for a fluid and extended archi-tecture. it can relate to the idea of Werribee river. Furthermore, the different arrangement of the strips and folding can transform the space, change the volume, affect the airflow and create light effects, which would give people various experiences near the structure. These are quite important for the gateway project. So it’s believed that strips and folding approach would help our team to achieve our design intention.

LINES INVITE MOTION

Fig.B.1.4 www.wired.com

Fig B.I.1 www.techcentral.co.za

Fig B.1.2. www.wired.com

Fig B.1.3 www.techcentral.co.za

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 5 DESIGN FOCUS

Our group chooses to look at ‘loop 3’, which is designed by the students from Università di Bologna. It can exemplify our argument that strips and folding approach can create dynamic and movement feeling towards viewers. This design is base on the mathematic and computational methods. They used parametric design soft-ware as the tool to merge the science, art, economy, philosophy and other disciplines into the force fields. The highlight of this design is that it explores the rationality of complex shapes joining spatial interaction. The curvature is not only as the structural and expressive strategy, but also as the solution for the internal functional space. The shape of loop 3 is full of resilience, because its edges are pushed towards the center and they seems have momentum to revert to its original form. So it would give audiences a sense of movement. Besides, the form is horizontally extended and is floating towards three directions. So the form looks soft and fluid. When they placed on the flat land, they are not abrupt. The curves in different curvatures can give audiences different sense of movement when they walking around the structure. From these, we can see that strips and folding approach has a big potential to make the design dynamic. Thus for the gateway project, it can be expected that this method can help us to achieve our design purpose to create a dynamic, fluid and powerful architecture.

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B.1.2 PRECEDENT

LOOP 3

Fig. B.1.2.2 www.flickr.comphotosco-de-it8158854032sizeslinphotostream

Fig B.1.2.1. www.techcentral.co.za

Info from: www.flickr.comphotosco-de-it8158854032sizeslinphotostream

MATRIX EXPLORATION

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR WEEK 6 CASE STUDY 1.0

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DYNAMICMOVEMENT

FLUIDSTATIC

PARALLELED LINE

ATTRACTOR POINT

RANDOM EXCURSION

TWISTING STRIPS

WAVED STRIPS

LINE DISTURBED STRIPS

B.2.1 MATRIX EXPLORATION

LOO

P 3ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR week6 CAse study 1.0

We tried to see different possibilities of strips and fold-ing by grasshopper. According to Kalay’s technique of ‘search’, firstly we produce candidate solutions for con-sideration, and then pick up several right ones for further development. In order to get closer to our intention, the basic criteria of our variation is to achieve the dynamism and fluid.This process not only gives us a chance to play with the grasshopper and get more technique solutions, but also shows large potential of strips to create the sense of dy-namic. Several attractors can be used to create interesting visual impacts.-Randomly spaced lines can suggest motion-Twisting strips can suggest motion-Vary between straight and curved lines gives a dynamic perception-Lines towards one direction give sense of speed and direction

RANDOM

STRAIGHT+CURVED

ORIENTING

DYNAMICMOVEMENT

FLUID

STATIC

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Loop 3 is a good example of strips and folding ap-proach. It gives people fluid and dynamic feeling, which is what we are pursuing. So we decided to choose it as our first case study.It’s a parametric design, so we tried to restore the form in grasshopper. Then we change the form into a more dynamic one. We pulled the original curve up and It looks like in the direction of growing. from this exploration, We found that many strips towards one direction would have a strong sense of speed and direction. It’s a way of showing dyna-mism and motion.

B.2.2 MAREIX REFLECTION

B.2.3 CASE STUDY

TWISTING

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR week6 case study 1.0

Liverpool Villahermosa Department is located in Mexico, which is an extreme humidity place. The architect, Echeverria, was asked to design a new façade for the building. Now the new façade gives the building a new life.Due to the humid climate, Echeverria finally chose the precast concrete pieces as the material solution. As concrete has sustainable quality to adapt various climate conditions and.The most interesting and eye catching part is the twisting change of the fa-çade. It’s formed by many parallel twisted strips. These strips rotate 180 degrees on the axis and the twists appear in various points on each strip, so that the different twist heights create a look of movement. Audiences can be impacted by this and feel the space is indefinite and fluid. It shows the big potential of strips to make the architecture as if it’s in motion. It can give people big visual impacts.Besides, the façade also creates a changeable light and shadow effect when the sun’s position varying.

Grasshopper exploration.we divided both the upper and bottom curves and loft each opposite pairs to get the strips. and then rotate the upper curve 180 degree to make the strips twist.

B.2.4 CASE STUDY

LIVERPOOL VILLAHERMOSA DEPARTMENT

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Fig. B.2.4.1 http://inhabitat.com/liverpool-villahermosa-department-store-gets-a-twisting-concrete-double-skin/liverpool-villahermosa-ivan-parra/

Info from: http://inhabitat.com/liverpool-villahermosa-department-store-gets-a-twisting-concrete-double-skin/liverpool-villahermosa-ivan-parra/

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR week7 case study 2.0

Zaha’s design for the Glasgow museum of transportation can exemplify our argument that lines can show the dynamism and movement in the form of speed and direction. It’s also a good example to show the city context in metaphor. The tunnel-like configuration, which connects the city and river, shows the city context. Zaha’s original concept is to make the museum as a mediator between the Glasgow city and the river. So she extruded the section in a curved line shape towards the riverside. Zaha abstracted the natural elements, which are the Kelvin River and the Clyde River in the site and created a fluid line shaped tunnel. It has the floating and soft qualities. This sculpted architecture shows the floating and running power of the rivers by pushing the parallel straight lines into the resilient curved shape. It’s just like the river, when the stream touches the reef, they would rush faster and get more energy of motion. This idea can definitely fit our design purpose.The continuous sharp chine lines inside the museum give audiences a subconscious sense of direction. She thought, streamline is the most dy-namic element in an architecture, which has the strongest design driving force. These paralleled lines are changing between curved and straight shape. This kind of change can give viewers a sense of kinetic power by providing a moving tension followed by a loosen part.

B.3.1 CASE STUDY 2.0

RIVERSIDE MUSEUM

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Fig b.3.1.1fc3arch.wordpress.com www.kaplankkapow.com

Fig b.3.1.2 www.kaplankkapow.com

Fig B.3.1.3 www.kaplankkapow.com

Info from: http://inhabitat.com/liverpool-villahermosa-department-store-gets-a-twisting-concrete-double-skin/liverpool-villahermosa-ivan-parra/

MATRIX 4241

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR week7 tECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

A B C D E GF

5

4

3

2

1

MODU

LE VA

RIAT

ION

SURFACE VARIATION

RANDOM SPACED

RANDOM EXCURTION

EXTRUDE

PATTERN

ROTATE/TWIST

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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR

Then we tried to create the form in grasshopper. We used numeric domains and random commend to cre-ate parallel strips, which are randomly spaced. And then I insert the surface to control the curved form.

After rebuilt the Glasgow museum, we were trying to change the flat form become vertically waved. We found the combination of curved and straight line shape(Form G) is the most dynamic and interesting, which brings sense of kinetic power. We found the strips in randomely spaced and lengths(Tech 1) can create a feeling of infinite extension which can meet our intention which is create a mediator between two spaces. Then we tried to divide the surface into small pieces, randomely and horizontally excurse away from the surface.(Tech 2) This method do give a sudden perception and those pieces seems like to continue moving. However, it’s to wild and can’t give a sense of floating. After this, we tried to extrude those strips to make it like ribs.(Tech 3) It’s too rigid and do not have the sense of ten-sion. Then we tried to applly patterns on the strips.(Tech 4) However, it’s not satisfied as it breake the linear sense which is very important in our design process. Finally we tried to rotate one side of the strips to twist the strips.(Tech 5) It do create a feeling of movement. So finally we deside to fuse these ideas together and the final concept model came up, which is the [form G+ tech 1+ tech 5] This method is controllable and can make the design meet our intention, so we would use this method as the main one in the following design process.

week7 tECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

B.4.1 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR week8 FABRICATION

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B.5.1 FABRICATION EXPLORATION

PAPER STRIPS WIRE MESH

wire mesh can be molded easily, so we cut wire mesh into strips and curved them to see the effect. How-ever, the model is unsatisfied be-cause the curves, which are molded by wire mesh is not smooth. It cannot achieve the effect we are pursuing. it’s not floating and cannot create the sense of speed and direction. com-pared with the paper, paper strips would have much more smooth and fluid effects.

Firstly, we tried the paper strips to make the form in the floating form. we used pins to fix the strips on the foam board. The slightly changed curved do seggest a sense of movement and fluid. The bending strips do have a strong kinetic power.


‘Space’ is the winning completion entry in the ‘AA’ Pavilion project. The struc-ture was erected in Bedford Square in 2008. The whole structure is curved and has a tensile strength, which is similar to our design focus. So we decided to learn the fabrication method of this structure to see if it can be used in our design. The joining system is formed by the Fibre-C using a simple inter locking cross joint which is tightened by slightly bending each element as it’s locked into consecutive cross elements. This exam-ple shows the advantage of parametric design in the construction area.So for our design, we thought the floating and curved form can be achieved without bending. This joining method can make the structure stand rigid.

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AA SPACE PAVILIONAlan Dempsey,Alvin Huang et. alBedford Square2008

B.5.2 PRECEDENT STUDY 1.0

In order to try this fabrication method, we recreate the model in grasshopper and sent it to fablab and used laser cut to cut the boxboard into pieces. Finally we con-structed the model by hand. We found that although, the structure is indurative and the light effect is impresive, the form is running away from our initial idea. There would be no tensile and resil-ient power without bending. So the disad-vantage of this model is obvious that the form is rigid . It’s more static rather than dynamic and fluid. So we would try anoth-er method to achieve the best solution.

BOXBOARD

Fig B.5.1.1www.core.form-ula.com Fig B.5..1www.core.form-ula.com

info from: http://palletvilion.blogspot.


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B.5.2 PRECEDENT STUDY 2.0

The jointing method of TheVeryMany is different from the Space Pavilion. It’s more efficient to develop a 3D structure from a series of surfaces.It’s an assembly of 500 flat panels which are joined with another 500 assembly joints. this complex structure is achieved by parametric modeling. This repetitive system from a series of components that can interlock at specified angles and form a network of structure. It’s more efficient than the Space pavilion, because it can hold pieces in various directions, so that the strips do not have to be vertically to the ground to fit into the grooves. The floating strips can stay as it was. Thus we would use this method for the future development.

We tried to use paper to build our final model. We found it’s hard to control the curvature. So we used sticky tapes in dif-ferent sizes to control the curvatures. This shape is full of tension by the bending of the paper strips. We use pins to fix the paper strips to make it more flexible and easy to change the bending angles. The light and shadow effecte is effective. For the real construction, the sticky tapes can be replaced by the joints used in TheV-eryMany.The use of joints would probably gener-ate a new idea. As Fornes states that ‘like the form finding, all the panels, con-nection pieces and helper coded strings engraved have all been 100 percent the result of a explicit performative explicit protocol entirely coded in ‘vb’. It’s inter-esting to explore this idea in the further gateway project design. (Fornes, 2010)

info from: http://www.meso.net/node08_exhibition

Fig. B. 5.2.1http://www.meso.net/node08_exhibition

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL

After experiencing case study and fabrication, ways to illustrate and embody the sense of speed and direction became increasingly interesting and sophisticated. Together with taking natural and cultural background into consideration, various attractors can be used to adjust the form of future gateway design.

B.6. TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL

RANDOM

STRAIGHT+CURVED

ORIENTING

TWISTING

+

+

+The project is located beside the freeway, which is also the gateway of the Wyndham city. The specificity of the location determines our design purpose, which is to give the audiences the sense of speed and direction as well as provide a dynamic visual per-ception. It can metaphorize the dynamic change of the Wyndham city and the forward movement of its community. We also engage the local natural element, Werribee River, into our design, so that our design would be floating and fluid rather than static. This floating structure would be a mediator between Melbourne City and Wyndham City, which connects them together.

‘The perception of motion is relative; if everything is moving in a same speed, motion is not perceivable.’ Thus, while the straight lines invite speed, there should be a buffer, to give the chance to slowdown and speed up again. Then the motion would be sensed and it also creates dynamism. It can give people various emotional experiences.

Strips heading towards one direction can give audiences a sense of direc-tion. this idea can make the gateway project to be a mediator between Mel-bourne City and Wyndham City, which can connect them together.

Twisting strips gives a sense of move-ment. This is inspired by the facade of Liverpool department. it can achieve our purpose to give people the sense of movement. the dynamism can be brought out.

irregular and free forms can give a fluid and feeling and kinetic power. The ran-domness is always generated in nature. Just like the flow of lava frosted in a sudden, it’s formed randomly. And the form is ful of kinetic power, as they

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ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR learning outcomes

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Prototype material used is simply the paper, which is the best way to show our floating form. The bending parts is full of tension and resilience, which gives the form kinetic power.

B.7. LEARNING OUTCOMES

This process was crucial in the way it helped us bring our conceptual development. It put the users and our design focus in an extreme im-portant position in the exploration, so that we won’t get lost for design purpose. The fabrication process enabled us to experiment with different materials and jointing methods, so that we can pick up the best solu-tion for the design. This process makes the digital model possible in real world.During the exploration in Grasshopper, I experienced the big potential of the parametric designing method. Without a specific outcome in mind, I felt free in the process and was so excited when generating a fresh and unexpected outcome. This is the fascination of the parametric design. Furthermore, the case study enabled us to think about how to use these opportunities to address the project brief and also refined our ideas in the process. Anyway, it’s a good way to move forward from here, with the concept of ‘mediator between spaces’, we could better focus on us-ing the skills we gained to develop a more effective outcome.

AIR STUDIO JOURNAL

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