AIR:ARCHITECTURALDESIGN STUDIO

Contents01. Case for Innovation -About Me -My Experience with Digitial Architecture -Previous Studio Work -Architecture as a Discourse

02. Computing in Architecture

Case For Innovation

About Me...Hello, my name is Alexis, this is my second semester here at Melbourne Uni. I completed 3 semesters of a Bachelor of Architecture in Christchurch in New Zealand before moving to Melbourne last year. I am now planning on finishing my degree here in Melbourne. Previously while studying in NZ I learnt how to use design packages ArchiCAD and Sketch up and I took Virtual environments last semester so have learnt the basics of Rhino, all though I would still class myself as a beginner!!

I can see why Rhino and Grasshopper are important to learn and although frustrating at the moment as I’m still unable to realise the ideas in my head, I looking forward to learning more and hopefully being able to achieve some more complex designs. I think parametric design seem to be the direction architecture is currently taking and having the ability to use these packages is something that future employers will be looking for.

Previous Works...The design project I’m introducing on the left was a project from Virtual Environments were we were asked to design a lantern inspired by a natural form. I choose coral as my natural form. the aspects of coral I wanted to include in my model were the interesting patterning of coral and the fluidity and movement that I observed when looking at certain varieties of coral underwater. I also wanted to make sure the lantern produced an interesting light which is another important aspect of coral which I really want this to be an important feature of my lantern. We used Rhino to produced the the drawings for the model and then used panelling tools to produce panels that would be ready to roll out and be sent to the card cutter for fabrication.

SHIGERU BANCHRISTCHURCH CATHEDRALThe images on the left are concept models for a replacement temporary church for Christchurch after the cathedral was destroyed in an earthquake. It was designed by Shigeru Ban one of my favorite architects. Bans works experiments with nontraditional building materials with the main discourse being in sustainability and recyclability. Ban is an innovator in low cost and recyclable materials. This design has been made with cardboard tubes a material that ban often works with as it is light weight, cheap, and able to be recycled. His use of paper could possibly be influence by traditional Japanese architecture. His work is simple and minimalist which could also be influenced by modernist ideals with his materials often left in their raw natural form.Ban seems to me, like a socially conscious architect. He has worked to provide low cost easy to assemble buildings for disaster victims and refugees. I find his work,

My next favorite building is the Nakagin Capsule Tower designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa. Kurokawa was a member of the metabolists. The group’s ideals were said to be in response to a new period of living. The name is ment to represent this new age of living where buildings act like living organisms which are able to grow, reproduce and transform in response to their environment. The Nakagin Capsule Tower encompasses many of these ideals and like sense and with the world resources depleting I really think we need to be considering

aspect of design such as these more often. my previous favorite building also fits in the bracket of being ‘sustainable’ and ‘recyclable’ with the capsules being able to be individually replaced when needed. I am really interested in the concept architecture which is able to change, grow, and evolve rather than building that are static and become outdated. The idea of being able to recycle and reuse parts of the building just makes

KISHO KUROKAWANakagin Capsule Tower

Computing in Architecture

Design is stated in “Architecture’s New Media” to be the most important ability humans have that separate them from animals. We humans are able to assess complex problems and come up with different means of solutions. It is this problem solving which is said to assist’s human in the design process but is not the only tool needed. Design unlike some other problems often does not contain enough information to be solved rationally. There will always be compromises or trade-offs that need to be met and the outcome of many design decisions cannot always be predicted. Architectural design is different to art where the artists creativity is the main driver on getting the intended result. With architectural design you need to deal with “externally imposed constrains” which means that both sides of your brain will be needed to come up with a solution. Computers are programmed to work within certain constraint and boundaries and are made to follow certain rules which they have been programmed to do. Computers are not able to make

human error and there for excellent to use to help with the analytical aspects of your design. although as they are not capable of creating we will always need to programme the computer first to be able to get it to produce a design it will never be able to design by itself. That why it is helpful for us to use the tools the computer possesses to assist us with the rational and sometime monotonous aspects of the design process. Computers are excellent at assisting with aspects of the project such as drafting, but humans still often like to be in control of the final outcome so they can assess whether or not they like the result and weather they find it aesthetically pleasing etc. One of the major advantages of using computer is their ability to perform calculations for things such as quantity and cost of materials. You are also able to use computers to calculate factors of the building design such as heat gain, ventilation and energy efficacy.

COMPUTERS IN THE ARCHITECHTURAL DESIGN PROCESS

This building Utilizes some of the benefits of using computers to assist is the design process. A building Information Modeling (BIM) software has been used which lets the designer examine different elements of the building, such as the heating and cooling, the cost, the building materials. The design is able to be digitally modeled in a way that allows you to be able to view how specific changes to the model will impact on energy efficacy, structural loads as well as other variables. BIM can be used to help assist the designer in a more sustainable outcome for the design by allowing you to analysis thing such as solar gain, ventilation and energy efficiency.

THE MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUMBIM creates a 3d model of the design which can be layered with additional information such as ‘time and cost.’ You are able to simulate aspects of you design such as wind flow around the building and how this could alter the shape or surface of the building. The main difference between BIM and CAD is CAD shows how the building looks and is constructed while BIM allows you to see how the building is going to function. Because of this it is able to save costs in thing like calculation of materials and will also save time in the building design process. It is also said to be very effective in assisting to provide ways to design sustainably.

With the design of the science museum solar strategies, water systems, and the shape of the building impact ventilation through the space, were assesed using BIM software to asses how these elements could be maximized to not only reduce their energy and external resource needs, but how they could fill these voids on site, independent of the grid or other parties. New advancing in digital technology is changing the way we design today. Architecture in the digital age looks at the new realm of computer design which is ever-changing and evolving. It suggests that this new era of design is the digital equivalent of the industrial revolution. I find this to be an interesting suggestion but

one in which I am inclined to agree with. Looking back to the 80’s and 90’s growing up computers where such a foreign concept one day and before you know it they are appearing everywhere. Today you feel like you relay on a computer for work and study as well as communication. This is the digital age and using computers to assist in architectural design will just expand and advance the way we work to allow for faster and more accurate planning as well as allowing us to create complex form that were previously to difficult or expensive to design. Three dimensional modeling has been evolving rapidly in other area of design such as ship and plane building software. It makes sense to look to other processes

Karl Chu is said to be a leading figure in the ‘genetic architecture’ feild. Chu considers architecture as ‘an extension of the human and post-human being’, he thinks about a new future of architecture where buildings are able to evolve along with its inhabitants. Chu has worked on several ‘genetic architecture’ projects or what he likes to call “architecture of possible worlds.” This new form of architecture can act live a living organism by self-assessing, self-healing and self-modifying. This would therefore help in minimizing their need to be repaired or maintained by external sources by allowing them to morph, process, and react. These buildings could even meet the needs of its inhabitants by sensing the moods or health of its occupants and act accordingly.

GENETIC ARCHITECTUREChu states that genetic architects are not trying to imitate or copy biology but thinks of it more of looking to gain ideas and knoledge through the integration of artificial intelligence and biological processes. Some of Chus statement sound pretty far fetched but i dont think this means we should dismiss them. i consider his ideas to be thought provoking and interesting although prehaps not buildable yet with todays technology. maybe we wont have a “a massive computational and self-aware system in which all its components, inhabitants and systems are endowed with intelligence.” but prehaps we will have a new architecture which can adapt and change to suit the needs of its inhabitents.

PARAMETRIC MODELLING

The use of computers in the design processes has been changing from their previous use as a computerised drafting tool or ‘computerisation’ where basically you used the computer to produce technical drawing from a 3D model. Today though this software has evolved to what they are now calling ‘computation’ where the software is now capable of making decision. The software is programmed so that it will find solutions to your design within in set parameters. For example if these parameters where related to a sustainable design, aspects such as wind, glazing and orientation could be worked

PARAMETRIC MODELLING IN THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROCESS

out so that you where able to maximize the benefit based on your set parameters. The software is designed so that when you change one component of your design it will automatically update the rest of your model, whilst staying within the set parameters. This helps to save time and minimises material wastage and cost which are all positive aspects of the software. Some of the negatives associated with designs built are there expensive cost which is in result of the unconventional forms which are produced. Some people have also criticised as being ‘blobs without any design value.

BAO’AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTTerminal 3This is a design by Studio Fuksas for an extension of the Shenzhen airport with Knippers Helbig taking responsibility for the facade. The building has a 200,000- m2 double-layered facade and roof construction with spans up to 80 m. Knippers Helbig developed a parametric design tool for the facade, which consists of 60,000 panels attached to a free-form shell with windows

of different sizes. Besides providing specific dimensional data for each panel and each design iteration and executing the definitive design the engineers came up with a geometrical solution for the building’s 450,000 member frame. This form of parametric design has been used in assisting the design fuction and process.

BMW Welt

GROUP RESEARCH, ARGUMENT + CASE STUDY

I have been enjoying learning more about digital and parametric theory. I am discovering more about the definitions of what parametric architecture is and about the differences between computerisation and computation. Learning about other forms of digital architecture such as genetic and kinetic. This has all been fairly interesting to me. It seems that there are a lot of people out there at the moment pushing boundary’s and really trying to open up to a world of new possibilities… who knows what the architecture of the future will be… will it be a building which is able to adapt and change itself to suit its environment, who knows. I can see that parametric software is a valuable tool and if used to help building be more sustainable and minimised material wastage

LEARNING DIGITAL / PARAMETRIC THEORY

then it is an important design tool for the future. Whether or not it will become the new ‘style’ of the future is to me erelavent. But will it be used to create a new interesting style of architecture and help us to create more sustainable buildings? I think the answer is yes. Learning how to use the grasshopper software has been really challenging.I have found that the tutorial are easy enough to follow but I find that I am not always understanding, what exactly the components I am plugging in to each other are, and what are they actually doing and how does this actually make it work??. Hopefully thought these are thing I will have an understanding of when I reach the end of the subject.

The area of parametrics our group wants to pursue is panalisation. Panalisation involves the breakingup of complex surfaces by repeating elements. Panalisation is an interesting technique which allowsyou to construct a complex form from multiple panels and simple geometric shapes. This approach iswell suited to the site in Wyndham as because it will be easy to transport and then can be constructed on site. Having multiple panels also makes maintenance work easy and cost effective as the panelscould be replace individually. The panels will be easy to install and construct. These benefit will also result in a cost effective design. Panalisation can be used to create various forms and surfaces and isnot restrictive which will mean we will not be limiting our design. We are able to adapt the design to avariety of scales and sites and the sculpture could be change and adapted to move to a different site. With simple regular panel there is the possibility to create complex irregularly

PANALISATIONin forms by having thepanels follow different curves or surfaces or you can have the panels attached so that they can bemade self-supportive. It will be easy to create a visually exciting sculpture via retain of panels orchanging position to allow different effect with lighting and shadows. The panalisation method isadaptable to different materials. The flexibility in materials can allow for cost effective and sustainablematerials to be used. The components are adaptable and can be recycled. The sculpture can evolve andchange to remain exciting to visitors or local residents.

The ‘Voussoir Cloud’ by Iwamoto Scott with Buro Happold shown on the left shows an example of panalisation that our group found interesting. They have used a delaunay triangle and repeated the pattern to create a complex and exciting sculpture. The material chosen and spaces between have been positioned so that they create interesting lighting effects and shadows.