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Studio Air Journal By Yazid Hussein

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Table Of Contents Introduction Part A Conceptuslisation Introduction A1. Design Futuring A2. Design Computation A3. Composition/Generation A4. Conclusion A5. Learning Outcomes A6 Appendix and Algorethmic Skecthes Reference list Part B Criteria Design B1. Research Field B2. Case Study 1.0 B3. Case Study 2.0 B4. Technique: Development B.5. Technique: Prototpes B.6. Technique: Proposal B.7. Learning Objetives and Outcomes B.8. Appendix and Algorethmic Skecthes

Part C Detailed Design C.1. Design Concept C.2. Tectonic Elements C.3. Final Model C.4. Learning Objetives and Outcomes

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Introduction

My name is Yazid Hussein I am a third year undergraduate stu-dent in the Bachelor of Environments majoring in Architecture, at the University of Melbourne. My main field of interest in archi-tecture is pursuing a career in green and sustainable architecture, that can deal with today’s global warming issues.

I enjoy the works of many great Architects such as Norman Fos-ter, Zaha Hadid and many others. I like to think of architecture as an extension of nature and as a result take most of my design in-spirations from the natural environment and try and create a bal-ance and harmony between the built environment and the natural habitat. I believe humans greatly impact the surrounding envi-ronement and natural habitat, so as a result I believe architecture should evolve in the future into a sustainable and green way of designing to help with the everchanging climate.

My experience with digital designing involves the use of Autocad, skecthup and other plan based design software. I have never been exposed to 3D parametric based programs such as Rhino and Grasshopper, which makes this subject all the more interesting as I will learn a new software that is in current demand and may soon be the leading software in the future.

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Architecture has no limits, it pushes the boundries and creates oppurtunites.

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DESIGN FUTURING

“architecture needs to be thought of less as a set of special material products and rather more as range of social and professional practices that sometimes, but by no means always, lead to buildings.” Williams, Richard (2005)

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Design futuring analyses the consequences of design decisions and how they should change to cope with the ever changing world, especially the issue of sustainability. Tony Fry suggests that there should be a change in design theory and process in order for sustainability to be addressed.

Furthermore, Fry raises the issue of ‘Design Democracy’ 1 entitling every-one to come up with ideas and design. I believe that having everyone col-laborate and think together to find a solution and create a new design era is plausible. However, not everyone has the ability to design professionally and effectively like designers.

In the future, many of our current energy sources would be depleted and so there is an over carrying theme of developing sustainable design sooner rather than later. Design should start focusing on meeting the needs of an increasing population, hence designers should think about design from a green perspective in order to meet the needs of the growing planet 2.

Design has a growing importance and is a decisive factor for the future. Fry suggests that there is no relation between creation and destruction if the source is a renewable one and it’s a disaster when it is not, which raises the issue of current construction methods that rely predominantly on con-crete being a great structural material however, is a very large emitter of carbon dioxide; acting as hero and villain at the same time.

Future construction should find renewable or recyclable building materials that do not alter the workability and effectiveness. Designers have a role in creating projects based on the materials at hand and so this shift will impact designers into using sustainable sources, and potentially reducing carbon emissions.

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This Building precedent is regarded as one of a kind in the world of architecture and built form. This building contributed much like what the leaning tower of Pisa did a new incite on curvature in building materials and pushed the envelope on the amount of bending occurring, reaching 350 mm.

This building is the first building in the world to use vertical post tensioning for counter move-ment of the overhang and support the weight of the building with various stresses 3. This kind of architectural design opened doors to this kind of innovation in parametric design in built form.

Shortly after the completion of this project a few developing projects used similar aspects of design; whether the materials, post tensioning rods, or the ability to go further in the field of parametric modelling. The theory behind this project was due to the testing of eggs and the amount of pressure 1000 eggs can withstand before cracking which led to the dome like cov-ering at the top. The main inspiration for this project was the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy. This develops greater possibilities for the future of skyscrapers and architecture in general. This is now a major tourist attraction in Abu Dhabi that is visited by people from all around the world.

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Building: Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Comapny Architect: RMJM

Year: 2011

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This building is the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and was built in 2009, by Asymptote. This was built on the manmade Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and features a wide variety of parametric design mainly in the hotel section of the building with various key influences and inspi-rations ranging from the aesthetics and forms associated with speed, veocity and movement; and the artistry and geometries forming the basis of ancient Islamic art and craft traditions 4.

The curved roof structure is predominantly made of steel and diamond shaped glass panels that form the surface of this strange and encom-passing design. This project clearly took the brief into consideration before the design stage started; this is evident in the race track shape and parametric look that is an analogy for speed in Formula 1 racing competitions. This project was started a revolution in the design of buildings with mathematical and vector like qualities later seen in the Capital Gate building. This hotel is visited many time through the year specifically throughout Grand Prix months, where Formula 1 enthusi-asts gather to watch the races and feast their eyes on one of the modern day architectural wonders.

“The entire jewel-like composition of the project responds visually and tectonically to its environment to create a distinct and powerful sense of place as well as a breathtaking backdrop to the Formula 1 and other events that the building will celebrate”. The grid shell theory engaged dates back to inspiration from nature due to the organic and ornate physical appearance that is transformed by the addition of full colour capable LED’s at each connection point all of which are fully program-able 5. The glass surfaces are designed to transmit the light across each panel independently, displaying a number of different colours for dif-ferent events.

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Building : Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi

Architect: Asymptote Year: 2009

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Design Computation “design computation is still only seen by many as ‘just a tool’ and remote from the real business of creative design [...]”. Frazer, John H. (2006)

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Since the beginning of Architectural practice architects resorted to imagination from nature and their surroundings and translated that into drawn up ideas and plans. This all changed when computational design was introduced into the field of design. Computational design is regarded as the use of computers and mathematics to approach architecture and geometries 6. Computing has had an unprecedented effect on all fields of design, spe-cifically architecture as it enhanced precision and automation of repeti-tive tasks, allowing ease in transformation of patterns and geometries. Design practices have changed over the past 20 years with increased re-liance on digital software and computer aided design rather than hand drawing and drafting which was previously used in practice.

Due to the ever changing and expanding computational software, the future of design and construction will rely mainly on computation and digital fabrication to solve future problems such as climate change 7 and the struggle that designers face with sustainability. These programs allow designers to design shapes, objects and geometries that were not achiev-able in the past through an expanding network of algorithms and func-tions that explore 3 dimensional shapes like never before 8.

Computerized building programs such as Green star resulted in perfor-mance orientated design that allows for feedback and quick generation of source consumption by the design. Both building precedents chosen symbolise material behaviour embedding physical processes through computational design. Computation has enabled freeform complex ge-ometries, having different volumes through new softwares that create algorithms that manipulate form and map different parameters creating many different variations hence, varying design possibilities and out-comes 9.

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Building Precedent 1: ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion, 2011

This project was designed by The Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and The Institute of Building Structures and Structural design (ITKE)and students from the University of Stuttgart. It explores the architectural transfer of biological principals of the sea urchins skeleton morphology, by the use of computational design and simu-lation. This building was generated purely by the use of algorithmic modelling and computational processes as it has a complex morphology that was built with extremely thin sheets of plywood (6.5 mm). The design of this pavilion clearly takes inspiration directly from nature by configur-ing a sea urchins scale morphology.

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This type of complex geometry and engineering could only be available due to the use of computation as it takes into account; Heterogeneity being that the cell sizes are not constant and have to adapt to curvature, Anisotropy cells of the pavilion direct and orient themselves according to the mechanical stresses, Hierarchy the structure has a two level hierarchy 10. First is where the simple finger joints of the plywood sheets are glued together forming a cell. Second, screw connections join the cells together allowing assembling and dissembling of the pavilion. This research pavilion offered the opportunity to investigate methods of modular bionic construction using free-form surfaces representing different geometric characteristics. This type of design and construction brings future possibilities and potential refinement to this area of design which may lead to the future of architecture through the development of computa-tion and digital fabrication, that make these designs possible.

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Building Precedent 2: Bamboo Pavilion, 2010Architect: Esan Rahmani + Mukul Damle

Bamboo is a natural material found in Asia, it is readily available because of its renewable and inexpensive nature, has excellent properties in com-pression. It is commonly used as a roofing material, or for channelling water, for fences and floors. Due to bamboo’s sustainable nature it is often used in ‘green’ projects as it tends to be one of the few or only material used in construction, as a result of its very tough and light nature.

This design was made possible by the use of computational design re-sources; that shaped the central funnel of the building and connected it from the base to the roof. The design allows for natural light to enter through the central funnel, while assuring that water does not enter and is collected through the funnel till the maximum level is reached and either sent to the ablution area or flushed 11.

The building consists of three bedrooms, 3 storage rooms, living room, water storage funnel and toilets. The integration of the roofing system is what makes this house an efficient use of resources. Dissembling the roof by the use of computation allowed the designers to study each aspect of the building before it was even built. First the thin concave bamboo beams are set out, then the funnel also made of thinner bamboo sticks, and finally a interlocking layer of bamboo to direct water inside the fun-nel 12. The use of these digital programs resulted in a sustainable and com-fortable building from with the use of minimal building materials.

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Composition and Generation “Architecture is currently experiencing a shift from the drawing to the algorthim as the method of capturing and communicating designs” Brady Peters, 2013

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In our current generation, the development of digital fabrication, model-ling and computation had come a long way. What used to be drafted by hand, is now drafted by using computerization with greater accuracy and a smaller margin for error. This had an impact on architectural literature and practice mainly through algorithmic thinking that wasn’t available till recent years, parametric modelling which opened doors to the future of design and construction and scripting cultures that changed the view towards automation and enhanced the ability for buildings to take differ-ent geometries or be built by a robotic machine. Contemporary architectural buildings have an increasing complexity in both geometric shapes and structural and material engineering. However, through the use of algorithmic modelling this is made possible. Further-more, the finite element (FE) algorithms allows for a complete rotation in an axes of a building creating a shape never thought possible for con-struction.

Parametric techniques have helped endlessly in the composition and generation of new and unique ideas such as the ones mentioned in the building precedents. Through the use of parametric design models and built forms are seen and visualized in three dimensions before construc-tion stages even begin, with the ability to know the maximum load and stresses these materials can withstand; which is something that could not be achieved before such technology.

Scripting cultures allow for the exploration of different textures, materials , forms and structures. This is achieved by creating scripts that link data together and hence creating a building with predefined elements which increases opportunities for design in the future.

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Building Precedent 1: Al Bahr Towers, Abu Dhabi (2012)Architect: Aedas

The Al Bahr Towers by Aedas, is an excellent demonstration of paramet-ric modelling, as it balances conceptual, contextual and cultural factors as well as the over riding issue of sustainability 13.

The building’s most important feature is its overhanging facades that block out the hot and dry middle eastern sun, while allowing the sun-shine to enter the building by using fiber glass. The use of the culturally significant ‘mashrabiya’ lattice which is a traditional Islamic symbol14 communicates with the public and the audience while maintaining a strong architectural connection to the brief. The use of parametric design in the ‘mashrabiya’ lattice facade generates a mobile facade that opens and closes based on the temperature and amount of sunlight, which was only achievable through parametric modelling.

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Obvious analogy for the building is it’s resemblence with the form of a pineapple, show-ing inspiration from nature

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Building Precedent 2: Esplanade, Singapore, (2002)Architect: DP Architects and Michael Wilford

The skin of the building was inspired by Durian having a triangular louver shape to block direct sunlight and heat but allow light into the building. This precedent shows a strong link from composition to generation and brought new innovations, with the use of an automated responsive facade. By the use of computational design (Rhino and Daylight Illuminance Daylight Simulation also known as DIVA) found the ideal projection of sunlight and the needed angle, degree of opening and number of louvers 15. This building shows computational design as a leading device towards sustainable design, much like the previous building precedent both having win sustainability awards.The use of compuatation here was crucial as it allowed for an exact measurn-ment of the amount of shade and light for an ideal and comfortable viewing environment. This was very helpful for the designers, as it enabled them to easily manipulate and find the most efficient and effective building envelope.

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There is a direct link between the two building precedents, as they both use computationally controlled facades that enable the building to function effi-ciently and sustainably. The main difference between the two is the shape of the external louvers and the process of changing from a fully closed facade to a semi open one. Both buildings show an excellent use of computation and paranteric modelling to achieve remarkable sustainable structures.

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Conclusion

Architecture has always been a way of communi-cating a message through built form. It translates culture, economy, politics, social level through design. Given that we live in the digital age, much more is expected from designers and this can finally be achieved through the use of computa-tion in parametric, algorithmic modelling; which gives designers a faster and more accurate way of designing and creating interesting and unique designs. Computation brought a new way of thinking about forms and geometry like never be-fore, the previous shift in the field of design was from hand drafting to Computer Aided Design (CAD) and that was for faster and more accurate planning, but now parametrics and algorithmic modelling allow for a full scope view of the proj-ect from before launch to after its finished. Per-sonally I believe that the shift into the world of computational design is having a positive impact on architecture and design in general, and it may potentially take us towards a more sustainable fu-ture while maintaining the design’s integrity and aesthetics.

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Learning Outcomes

So far this semester studying algorithmic and parametric design through grasshopper and rhino has been a very interesting approach for design. I have never been exposed to such software be-fore so it really allowed me to widen my design ideas and brainstorm out of the usual way of de-sign. Parametricism, algorithmic scripting is the new approach for architectural design. Although the process of designing and generating ideas was challenging and new to me, I like how it showed me a way of design that I didn’t know was possible. Furthermore, learning about precedent buildings has really helped me explore geometric forms and question how the designers of such buildings came up with these shapes and forms, which is through computational programs. I hope to improve in the field of computational design and gradually master these tools which will help me advance my skills, imagination and direct me into the way of the fu-ture of design.

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Appendix- Algorethmic Sketchbook

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Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, ethics and new practice (oxford: Berg Publishers, 2008, p. 1-7.

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Oxman, Rivka and Oxman, Robert:eds (2014). Theories of the digital in Architecture (Londong; New York: Routledge).

Big Think, “How has Technology changed Architecture?”, 2007, <http://bigthink.com/videos/how-has-technology-changed-architecture>

achimmenges.net, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion, ICD (A.Menges) & ITKE (J.Knippers) Stuttgart University, 2011 <http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=5123%20Computational%20Design%20Bi-onic%20Research%20Pavillon>

esanrahmani.net, Bamboo Pavilion, Esan Rahmani & Mukul Damle, 2010, < http://esanrah-mani.net/2010/bamboo-pavilion/>

ahr-global.com, Al Bahr Towers, Aedas, 2012, < http://www.ahr-global.com/Al-Bahr-Towers>

Karen Cliento, ‘Al Bahr Towers responsive facades/ aedas’ in Arch Daily, <http://www.Archdaily.com/270592/Al-Bahr-Towers-aedas/>

Shahab Din Rahimzadeh, Veronica Garcia, Hansen, Robin Drodgemiller, and Gillicer Isoardi, “Parametric modelling for the efficient design of daylight strategies with complex geometries” in Cutting Edge: The 49th International conference of the Architectural Science Association (ASA), (ASA, 2013)

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