Studio Air FINAL

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STUDIO AIRSEMESTER 1, 2015

ANNA PETROU

CONTENTS

5 INTRODUCTION

5 ABOUT ME

7 PART A: CONCEPTUALISATION

8 DESIGN FUTURING

15 DESIGN COMPUTATION

21 COMPOSITION/GENERATION

27 CONCLUSION

27 LEARNING OUTCOMES

29 APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

31 IMAGE SOURCES

31 REFERENCES

33 PART B: CRITERIA DESIGN

34 RESEARCH FIELD: BIOMIMICRY

37 BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE

40 CASE STUDY 1.0: VOLTADOM BY SKYLAR TIBBITS

48 CASE STUDY 2.0: REVERSE ENGINEERING

48 HERZOG AND DE MEURON

79 CONCLUSION

79 LEARNING OUTCOMES

80 APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

83 PART C: DETAILED DESIGN

86 PRECEDENT

113 WOVEN FORM

120 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

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INTRODUCTION

ABOUT ME

My name is Anna Petrou and I am in my final year of my Bachelor of Environments with a major in Architecture. My interests lay primarily in digital design and fabrication as a result of a very enjoyable semester doing Virtual Environments in first year.

I have found in my years at Melbourne University that my most exciting and successful designs result from integrating a strong compositional concept with extensive experimentation. I have always enjoyed translating these formative ideas into digital and analoque images for presentation and the pride you feel when you see your ideas resolved into a coherent presentation.

My most rewarding design experience was in first year when I learnt to use Rhino in Virtual Environments to design and build a dynamic, wearable sculpture intended to express personal space. This particular design got a lot of interest online, garnering over 130 thousand notes since I originally posted it on my personal blog. This experience gave me a lot of confidence in my abilities as a designer and has taught me the importance of designing with confidence and commitment.

fig 1: ViRTUAL ENViRONMENTS DYNAMiC SCULPTURE

“It is necessary to unlearn spacein order to embody space.

It is necessary to unlearn howwe see in order to see with

our bodies.It is necessary to unlearn

knowledge of our body in threedimensions in order to recover

the real dimensionality of our body.”

-Olafur Eliasson

PART A: CONCEPTUALISATION

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up of various immersive spaces and sculptures, a style typical of Eliasson.

Eliasson’s work relies on a similar draw as that of natural phenomena. Eliasson’s Weather Project (2003) was a transformation of a large room in the Tate London into a sunset.

This aspect of biomimicry - although highly abstracted - is reminiscent of the contemporary mood in design. Nature is increasingly referenced by designers of everything from buildings to paper cups. We are realising that

ONE WAY COLOUR TUNNEL BY OLAfUR ELiASSON 2007

Eliasson’s One War Colour Tunnel, an installation designed as part of an exhibition entitled “Take Your Time”, is a formal arrangement of light and space which creates an immersive experience for the viewer which evokes a visceral and emotional response.1 The exhibition was made

1 Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson (2015) <http://www.mca.com.au/collection/exhibition/528-take-your-time-olafur-eliasson/ > [accessed 4 March 2015].

figS3-5. ONE WAY COLOUR TUNNEL BY OLAfUR ELiASSON

DESIGN FUTURING

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into a building.

Eliasson presents us with new possibilities in how we think about architecture. His innovations - although used in the name of art - could be applied to modern buildings and contribute to a new language of architecture.

nature can teach us many thing about how to design practical and environmentally positive object, but we often forget how nature can move and inspire us. Eliasson reminds us of this.

In Eliasson’s projects we see the emotional potential possible in architecture. Eliasson works with many of the elements important in architectural design - space, form, light, structure, composition. I often think that modern architecture lacks an emotional dimension and a sense of fun. One Way Colour Tunnel is an example of how fun can be elegantly incorporated

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LOUiS KAHN’S NATiONAL ASSEMBLY BUiLDiNgLouis Kahn’s National Assembly Building in Dhaka, built 1962-75, is an effortless synthesis of various architectural traditions which forms a completely new vocabulary of architecture.

By the 1960s, Modernism was the prevailing design tradition, but this meant it was being critiqued by leading architects. It seems that Kahn, albeit unwittingly, was one of these critics. The concept of the International Style which was a central tenet of Modernism didn’t allow for patriotism or reference to historic precedent. In many projects Kahn was able to synthesise the Rationalist aspects of Modernism with references to traditional architecture and nationalist sentiment. This can be interpreted as early Post-Modernism.

The National Assembly Building embodies an idealised view of government and institution in a post-colonial Asia where each country is trying to reestablish a national identity. The building is strikingly monumental, conveying a sense of the strength and importance of the new government. The planning reflects Kahn’s concepts of order and rationalism, but also makes reference to eastern spiritualism. The plan is reminiscent of a cosmic diagram but also in its circularity reminds us of Mughal architecture. Kahn draws from the monumentality of Mughal tombs and reinterprets it to convey a certain stability and strength in the form. The relevance of this, of

course, is that Bangladesh is a Muslim nation possinly descended from the Mughal empire.

The structural rationalism of the building adds to its sense of gravity. The play of light adds to its sense of spiritual significance. It is this synthesis which makes this a revolutionary project.

This project is still relevant and will remain relevant not because of these cultural associations but because it inspires an emotional response in its viewers. It does this in an innovative way which is different to most emotive buildings (ie. churches and places of worship) in both form and feeling.

Kahn’s design reflects a world where government is as important to people as spirituality, and proposes an architectural vernacular which can express modern spirituality with restraint and elegance. It acts as an alternative to traditional civic buildings by allowing it to act as a monument rather than a simple administrative centre. This building is still in use today as the parliamentary centre of Bangladesh. The building remains culturally important to the people of Bangladesh as a symbol of national pride which conveys a sense of the nation.

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fig6. NATiONAL ASSEMBLY BUiLDiNg iN DHAKA, LOUiS KAHN, 1962-75

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LEfT TO RigHT:

fig7. iNSiDE THE NATiONAL ASSEMBLY BUiLDiNg

fig8. THE BUiLDiNg ACCROSS THE LAKE

fig9. ViEW TO THE gARDENS

14 CONCEPTUALISATION

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DESIGN COMPUTATION

Computers already play an important role in modern design practice. Computer aided design (CAD) is now standard in the industry and it is continuously presenting designers with new capabilities and possibilities. As these tools become more a more ubiqitous in the industry, design processes are changing.

Recently we are seeing an increase in parametric and algorithmic thinking in architecture. CAD allows us to synthesise increasingly complex and layered information into rational forms as computers become more and more capable of calculating complex data. CAD is therefore allowing us to find forms using complex mathematical algorithms rather than from the traditional sketch. In doing so we are able to create forms which would otherwise be too complex and time consuming to be feasable.1

Computation presents us with a new paradigm in architecture - like the Modernists, today’s architects are rejecting historical precedent and tradition in favour of experimentation and form finding without the constraints imposed by the arbitrary rules of preceding architectural languages.2

1 Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1–102 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003) p. 4

fig10. iCD RESEARCH PAViLiON 2013-14

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iNSTiTUTE fOR COMPUTATiONAL DESigN (iCD) RESEARCH PAViLiON 2013-14This research institute based at the University of Stuttgart annually constructs a pavilion using computational techniques. These pavilions do not simply rely upon computer programs for documentation and representation, but actually use them to generate the form, manufacture the components and build the structure. They tend to use biomimetic research to inspire their designs.1

The 2013-14 pavilion used biomimicry, taking cues from the potato beetle to understand how nature constructs shells and developed this into a building system through digital exploration. The researchers and students then built the pavilion using experimental robotics.2

The researchers were able to ultimately create a visually interesting structure which is innovative not only in its form but also in its mode of design and construction. These designers have used computation to its best advantage by integrating designing with making. We could even connect their design with Kalay’s concept of craftsmanship wherein the builder used to “construct” the building rather than simply “plan” it3, for even if this design was “planned”, it was planned by being “constructed” in the virtual environment provided by the computer.

The use of computational design and fabrication together has given the researchers the opportunity to create new construction methods. In this builing each component was made by taking two frames and rotating them in relation to each other and a string on a spool using robots, thus arriving at these woven units visible in the 1 Institute of Computational Design, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2013-14 (2015) <http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=11187> [accessed 17 March 2015].2 Institute of Computational Design, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2013 -14 (2014) <https://vimeo.com/98783849> [accessed 17 March 2015].3 Kalay, Yehuda E. (2004). Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press)

figS11-13. iCD PAViLiON 2013-14

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drawings. The final form is almost emergent from the form of each component and the rules of how they can interlock.

It is increasingly popular to think about tectonics of materials. ICD has designed their own tectonic in this design rather than working in the frameworks of traditional structural tectonics such as stud frames or mass construction. The material is very interesting - lightweight and tensile but also relatively stiff. In this case, the architect is truly engaged with structure and materiality rather than just form. This indicates a shift in architectural practice which accompanies

fig14. iCD PAViLiON gENERATiVE DiAgRAMS

these developments in computation.4

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

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of innovation as computationally generated ones may be. Perhaps with a computational process MCR could have moved away from traditional building technologies and the house could have been even more complex.

The cave house has an unconventional form. Many rooms and spaces are not orthoganal and the ceiling is fractured into a complex, many faceted geometry. Although it would have been

MCR CAVE HOUSE 2005This house is an example of a design which uses a computerised design process, but not a computational one. I have chosen to show this house in contrast to the pavilions of ICD to distinguish what makes their practice so innovative and exciting. It also indicates that although interesting designs can be acheived using traditional design and construction methods, these designs aren’t at the same level

figS15-18. MCR CAVE HOUSE 2005

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selected from a range of options. This raises the question: if a designer doesn’t draw something with her own hands (or mouse, perhaps), is the design still her own? If it is the product of a computer program she designed to generate it - then perhaps yes.

possible to use parametric techniques to find infinite possibilities for this ceiling, MCR were restricted to maybe only a few, as they designed it and then subsequently computerised it.

Here is where we see the opportunities of computation design. With tools like Grasshopper, we are given far more scope from which to chose. The upshot of this however is that perhaps the final product is less “designed” and more

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fig19. fOSTER + PARTNERS SMiTHSONiAN iNSTiTUTiON

COMPOSITION/GENERATION

Architectural practice has for many years been one of composition - architects assemble various parts to arrive at the final building form. This is particularly visible in classicism - architects would use a Vitruvian toolkit to assemble a building which included all the necessary elements.

For the last 100 years, architects have been increasingly interested in form making. The Soviet Constructivists were the first to prefer pure form over representation. This translated into the Bauhaus. Although architects have been interested in generation for the last hundred years, it has not been a focus or a widespread practice. Most modern architects still worked with Euclidean shapes and did not venture into the plastic realm.1

With computers, architects can use algorithms and scripting to generate forms without knowing for certain what they are trying to create. Drawing limited architects to what they could conceive with their own minds. Now an architect can input a set of parameters into an algorithm and choose a suitable output. Forms are generated before they are even conceived.

Composition is a limited approach to design while generation is boundless. Although using computation to generate form can have its own limitations, it also has its marked advantages.

1 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003)

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SPACE BLOCK HANOi 1999-2003KOJiMA LABORATORY iN CONJUNCTiON WiTH TOKYO UNiVERSiTY Of SCiENCE, MAgARiBUCHi LABORATORY AND MAMBO ARCHiTECTS

In 1994 Kojima Laboratory began development on the Basic Space Block (BSB), these being arrangements of three to five cubes used to find and define arrangements of space three dimensionally. In 1999, the Hanoi government wanted to redevelop an old area of Hanoi with high density, low emission housing.1

Kojima et al. used the BSB units in conjunction with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to find an arrangement of space when designing an experimental project to answer this brief.

The aim of this project was to design a high porosity building with a maximum of airflow but also a maximum of privacy for the building’s inhabitants, the theory being that if people feel they have no privacy, they are likely to keep their windows and curtains closed and not take advantage of the breezes which the high porosity design would give them. The high porosity of the building means that it remains cooler naturally in the Hanoi climate, therefore eliminating the need for air conditioning.2

To acheive these goals, Kojima et al. turned to

1 Kazuhiro Kojima, ‘Crafting Space: Generative Processes of Architectural Configurations’, Architectural Design, 84.5, (2014), 38-45, in <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1806/abstract> [accessed 17 March 2015]2 Ibid.

computational techniques, a method which was very innovative for the time.

CFD is the use of a computer algorithm to analyse problems with fluid flows - in the case of Space Block Hanoi this “fluid” was air. Using BSB, Kojima et al. digitally generated hundreds of configurations and ran these through the CFD program to find the arrangements with optimal airflow but maximum privacy. The program would show a graphic with more red if the airflow was low and less if the airflow was high. The architect sat and looked at these images and was then presented with the best levels of porosity.

The program behaved somewhat morphogenetically, generating and “breeding” solutions to find the optimum result. Kojima is explicit that while the program worked architects had little input, they simply waited for it to output the best possible solution. Using scripting, Kojima linked the form of the building to its performance, making this an example of using performative parameters to create an optimum solution.3

3 Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1–10

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TOP TO BOTTOM:

fig20. POROUS SPACE MODEL

fig21. SPACE BLOCKS

fig22. fiNiSHED APARTMENT fROM THE SPACE BLOCK HANOi PROJECT

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fig23. fOSTER + PARTNERS SMiTHSONiAN iNSTiTUTiON

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fOSTER + PARTNERS SMiTHSONiAN iNSTiTUTiON 2007

Brady Peters, an architect from Foster + Partners’ Specialist Modelling Group, wrote the program which was used to generate the form for this roof. The program was constantly ammended during the design process to respond to different issues the designers encountered.

The program allowed the architects to test various solutions and acoustically and visually. It also allowed them to envision structural solutions allowing them to construct the canopy.1

Here we can see the advantages of using generative software in that it offers an integrated design process where various aspects of the design can be tested in a single model. Using a program to design this canopy would have allowed architects to enter various paradigms (ie. number of divisions in X and Y directions, maximum and minimum roof heights etc.) and look at the different possibilities presented by each. The relative simplicity of the demands in this project (structural stability, water tightness, protection) meant that form could take precedence.

1 Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 08-15

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CONCLUSION

Algorithmic and computational design presents designers with thousands of new opportunities but also considerable challenges. With it we can find new forms and structures but these innovative ideas will often be met with a lot of opposition from clients, contractors and various stakeholders.

It is never easy to convince people to trust new technologies, especially when older ones are as heavily entrenched as the construction industry. People have become accustomed to rectilinear, stud framed buildings over hundreds of years - I am not sure how enthusiastic people will be to move forward from these traditions. Few people want to invest in the unfamiliar.

Part A reminded me of a long standing fascination with the world’s complexity and connectedness. This complexity is evident everywhere in nature, and I would like to reference this in my design. It is important to consider nature for inspiration because all things in nature somehow work together perfectly to acheive a balance - this is important to any functioning system. A building is a system and could benefit from lessons of balance.

It might be interesting to design a material tectonic rather than generating an arbitrary form. I am especially excited to break away from orthogonality and minimalism this semester.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the start of this course my knowledge about what computational design meant was limited. One important distinction I have made is that between composition and generation. Generating forms is, to me, the most original way to design. It creates inflinite possibilities for what a building can be.

Algorithmic and parametric design are tools which can be employed to help architects to generate forms. This course has opened my eyes to this new direction in architecture where designers are also programmers. Our technical expertise needs to be broader than ever.

My new knowledge of Grasshopper is particularly valuable. I have designed things in Rhino which would have been far easier with the help of some of Grasshopper’s scripts. In this way I have learnt the advantage of scripting.

fROM THE AUTHOR’S SKETCHBOOK

SKETCH01: Made in Grasshopper, this sketch was produced by arraying points on a lofted surface and generating pentagons around the points. The pentagons were randomly moved in the Z direction to create this textured form.

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APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHESSKETCH02: A similar technique produced this technique, but with circles instead of pentagons. The circles are also random.

THESE SKETCHES ALLOWED ME TO GENERATE DESIGNS WHICH COULD BE EASILY MANIPULATED AFTER BEING DRAWN. THIS IS EXCITING AFTER PAINSTAKINGLY DRAWING LINE BY LINE, EVEN ON COMPUTER - ONLY TO FIND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO CHANGE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO FIX ONE ELEMENT.

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REFERENCES

Institute of Computational Design, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2013-14 (2015) <http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=11187> [accessed 17 March 2015].

Institute of Computational Design, ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2013 -14 (2014) <https://vimeo.com/98783849> [accessed 17 March 2015].

Kalay, Yehuda E. (2004). Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press)

Kazuhiro Kojima, ‘Crafting Space: Generative Processes of Architectural Configurations’, Architectural Design, 84.5, (2014), 38-45, in <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1806/abstract> [accessed 17 March 2015]

Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003)

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Take Your Time: Olafur Eliasson (2015) <http://www.mca.com.au/collection/exhibition/528-take-your-time-olafur-eliasson/ > [accessed 4 March 2015].

Oxman, Rivka and Robert Oxman, eds (2014). Theories of the Digital in Architecture (London; New York: Routledge), pp. 1–10

Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 08-15

IMAGE SOURCES

FIG1. Virtual Environments 2012

FIG2. https://www.nowness.com/story/elemental

FIG3. http://www.domusweb.it/en/news /2010 /0 3 /0 8 /o la fur- e l i as son - so lo -exhibition-at-mca-sidney.html

FIG4. http://www.mca.com.au/collection/exhibition/528-take-your-time-olafur-eliasson/

FIG5. See fig2

FIG6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatiyo_Sangsad_Bhaban#/media /F i le:Nat ional_Assembly_of_Bangladesh,_Jatiyo_Sangsad_Bhaban,_2008,_5.JPG

FIG7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jatiyo_Sangsad_Bhaban#/media/File:Sangshad_inside.jpg

FIG8. http://www.yatzer.com/louis-kahn-the-power-of-architecture

FIG9. See fig8

FIGS10-14. http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=11187

FIGS15-18. MCR

FIG19. FOSTER + PARTNERS

FIGS20-22. Kazuhiro Kojima, ‘Crafting Space: Generative Processes of Architectural Configurations’, Architectural Design, 84.5, (2014), 38-45, in <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/doi/10.1002/ad.1806/abstract> [accessed 17 March 2015]

FIG23. http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/smithsonian-institution/

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“Nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with”

-The Biomimicry Institute

“But what if works of architecture, rather than looking like plants and animals, behaved like plants and animals?”

-Keith Evan Green

PART B: CRITERIA DESIGN

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BiOMiMiCRY AS A fORCE fOR gOODToday, one of the central problems we face as a global community is the unsustainable way we interact with nature. The processes we have come to rely on as a society drain resources, pollute the air and damage ecosystems every day. Natural processes can generate energy and form without drastically upsetting the delicate balance which allows all things to survive. The architectural field is increasingly adopting biomimetic design, where the goal is to take inspiration from natural processes and structures to design buildings which will have a negligible - or ideally positive - affect on the natural environment as a whole.

In order to reach these goals designers must take a holistic approach to design. We must consider materials in terms of provinance, structural function, performance, lifespan, and ultimately their disposal and recyclability. For my project I want to question the concept of permanence and durability as a mainstay of sustainability. If we can design buildings that are semi-permanent and highly recyclable/biodegradable and use materials with low (or no) embodied energy, could this be a better solution than the extremely permanent structures we have historically relied upon?

According to the Biomimicry Institute, “nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with.” Nature creates nothing

that can’t be repurposed in death. When an animal dies, insects eat it and it decomposes, fertilising a plant which may then be eaten by the a descendent of the dead creature. The cycle is continuous and self sustaining - can our buildings learn from this?

Rather than mimicing natural form in my design, I would like to use this idea of cycles of rebirth - one that is relevant to hundreds of cultures - to inspire my form-finding. Aside from this, I would like my design itself to be only semi-permanent and intended for recycling and rebirth in the future. Rather than being a inert form in the landscape, I would like it to be something that evolves and changes to meet the needs of its users.

Dynamic and adaptable designs are often better at providing comfort at a lower environmental cost. (citation?) I would like my design to teach its users to interact with and occupy the environment rather than fighting it.

RESEARCH FIELD: BIOMIMICRY

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fig2. HYgROSCOPE BY ACHiM MENgES AND STEffEN REiCHERT

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fig3. LiViNg BRiDgES

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THE LiViNg BRiDgES Of MEgHALAYA, iNDiA

This is a project which spans accross lifetimes and embodies the ethos I want behind my own project. In Meghalaya, villages are connected by a network of bridges created by taming the roots of fig trees into structures that can survive the river’s floods.

Creating such a bridge takes 10-15 years and the cooperation of people accross generations. The bridges require frequent maintenance and care, but they are completely natural and safe for the environment. They have no negative impact and instead of rotting in the wet environment, they thrive. The bridges actually gain strength with age rather than weakening - the oldest bridge is believed to be around 500 years old.

In terms of form, this project is not necessarily my inspiration. What I like about this project is that the bridges are an ongoing community investment. This is architecture which is literally alive, literally subject to and part of nature. I would like to foster, in my project, a similarly symbiotic relationship between nature and the project’s stakeholders.

The key aspects of this project which I would aim to mimic are:

1. Materials which have no embodied energy or negative impacts on the landscape.

2. The community is engaged with the creation and maintenance of the bridges.

3. The bridges are responsive to the climate and landscape.

I would also like to identify one more, less acheivable goal which I may be unable to reach: The project improves the environment by fostering life and removing carbon dioxide from the air.

BIOMIMETIC ARCHITECTURE

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of water and anisotropic, which means that it has a physical property which is different when measured in different directions. The anisotropy of wood is acheived by the wood grain, which lends it greater strength top to bottom than side to side. Menges and Reichert could take advantage of this natural condition - when the environment is more dry the wood contracts in one direction - causing the panels in this sculpture to open (or close when humidity is high).

This model is cased within a glass box which

HYgROSCOPE 2012METEOROSENSiTiVE MORPHOLOgY BY ACHiM MENgES AND STEffEN REiCHERTDesigned for Centre Pompidou, this sculpture is the culmination of five years of research into material design. This skin, without any mechanical system or energy source, is able to change in response to the humidity of the environment.

This dynamicism is acheivable through the inherent properites of wood. Wood is absorptive

figS4-7. HYgROSCOPE

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integrated and untraditional. I think that his approach indicates the direction of computational design.

This design, inspired by natural dynamic systems (for example pinecones, which open and close in a similar way), requires no energy and uses materials of relatively low embodied energy.

replicates the humidity levels outside Centre Pompidou - reminding viewers that this project, although in early stages of development, could be applied to architecture.

I don’t have five years to research material systems, but I like the way Menges explores such innovative ideas in his architecture. Instead of being constrained by traditional technology, he forms which rely on entirely different structural principles. The form, structure, contructability and function in his designs is always highly

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fig 8. VOLTADOM BY SKYLAR TiBBETS

CASE STUDY 1.0: VOLTADOM BY SKYLAR TIBBITS


CASE STUDY 1.0: MATRIX OF ITERATIONSH

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CONCEPTUALISATION 43

-3.24, -1.46, 0.94-2.62, -1.92, 0.96 -0.64, -1.03, 0.94

DIFFERENT RANDOMISATION SEED

MORE POINTS HEIGHT INCREASE


CASE STUDY 1.0: MATRIX OF ITERATIONSR

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OPENINGS ENLARGED SEED: 20 REDUCTION: 9 SEED: 20 REDUCTION: 9

POINTS: 15

SEED: 48 REDUCTION: 3

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9 SIDES, INCREASED HEIGHT

6 SIDES, DECREASED HEIGHT

5 SIDES, INCREASED PTS 4 SIDES, SMALLER BOUNDARY, LESS POINTS

This configuration is complex, but a pattern can be seen emerging. I like that pattern is emergent from what appears to be randomness. This solution may be interesting as a textured cladding system.

The box morph function created some very distorted variations on the original project.This outcome look “strained” for lack of a better word. I think it is quite expressive. This could be the basis for some form of abstract ornamentation or sculpture.


OUTCOME 1.0

OVERPOPULATE THE BOUNDARY

OUTCOME 2.0

BOX MORPH

CASE STUDY 1.0: BEST OUTCOMES

SELECTiON CRiTERiA1. Visually engaging configurations

2. Complexity

3. Distinctiveness

This configuration is at a broader scale than the others. I can imagine it forming the basis for a series of roofs or canopies with various openings due to the random reduction. This could be taken further with the removal of randomisation and instead the use of intentional points and removals.

This outcome is a lot more geometric than the others. Because it has more sides than the other polygonal variations each extrusion appears to join to the next more cleanly than similar variations. This outcome may be easy to construct out of stiffer materials than the others because it is panelised.


OUTCOME 3.0

LARGER BOUNDARY AND RANDOM REDUCTION

OUTCOME 4.0

9 SIDE, HEIGHT INCREASE, VOLTS

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fig 9. MESSE BASEL NEW HALL BY HERZOg AND DE MEURON

CASE STUDY 2.0: REVERSE ENGINEERINGHERZOG AND DE MEURON

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MESSE BASEL NEW HALL BY HERZOG AND DE MEURON 2013

Herzog and de Meuron’s digital technology group, headed by Kai Strehlke, are focused on using computational techniques to improve the performance of the firm’s architecture. In this project, Herzog and de Meuron has designed a sun responsive enclosure for this hall which opens out where windows are located and closes where there are none.

The envelope designed by Herzog and de Meuron acts as a sunshade, ostensibly improving the thermal performance of the building in sunny weather. The building is otherwise quite simple and rectilinear in form in order to accomodate its function as an exhibition hall, a building which needs to be highly adaptable and include large, open floor plans. Herzog and de Meuron’s facade modernises the exhibition hall and creates a textured and dynamic facade which distinguishes the building from many others of its kind.

This building lends itself to computational techniques because with parametric modelling hundreds of window configurations - based on everything from sun studies to the surrounding views - can be trialled and tested without a large amount of time being spent on drawing and conceptualising forms.

PERMEABLE FACADE

CASE STUDY 2.0: PROCESS


POINT GRID MOVE EVERY SECOND POINT IN Y DIRECTIONS

DISTANCE BETWEEN POINTS AND LINES

MOVE EVERY SECOND POINT IN RELATION TO LINES

DISTANCE BETWEEN POINT GRID AND CONTROL POINTS

MOVE EVERY SECOND POINT IN RELATION TO CONTROL POINTS


INTERPOLATE POINTS

INTERPOLATE POINTS

EXTRUDE LINES

EXTRUDE LINES

COPY AND ROTATE

THIS RESULT DOES NOT HAVE THE VARIATION OF THE HERZOG AND DE MEURON FACADE SO THE BELOW PROCESS WAS MADE.

INTERPOLATE POINTS EXTRUDE LINES

POINT ATTRACTORS DO NOT PROPERLY RESEMBLE WINDOWS OR MAKE LONG ENOUGH OPENINGS.


iTERATiON 1.0OVERALL AMPLITUDE = -1.650 WITH VARIATIONS AT STRAIGHT ATTRACTOR LINES

iTERATiON 2.0OVERALL AMPLITUDE = -1.650 WITH VARIATIONS AT ANGLED ATTRACTOR LINES

CASE STUDY 2.0: RESULT

Herzog and de Meuron used parametric techniques to design Messe Basel. Their definition allowed them to open and close sections of the facade depending on the location of the windows. The facade is perforated accross its entire surface, and the perforations widen where the windows sit behind them.

My reverse engineered version of Messe Basel does acheive this, but not necessarily in the same manner. Herzog and de Meuron’s perforations appear to open and close vertically as well as horizontally; mine can only open horizontally. This would be a failing in their facade system as the openings would probably block too much light.

The other difference between my result and the building by Herzog and de Meuron is that my definition uses many discrete strips which deform in different directions to open and close. Herzog and de Meuron’s facade appears to be constructed out of sheets rather than strips.

A problem I had with writing my definition which made it impossible to mimic Messe Basel perfectly was that I couldn’t control the height above and below the control lines that my facade changed. This meant that the openings for the windows were generally much wider than Herzog and de Meuron’s.

Overall I think that I was able to make a definition which replicated Herzog and de Meuron’s facade enough to be recognizable as such, but of course had some imperfections. What I like most about this definition is that it has functionality and dynamism; it can change depending on environmental factors. With some development I think it could become more flexible.


iTERATiON 2.0OVERALL AMPLITUDE = -1.650 WITH VARIATIONS AT ANGLED ATTRACTOR LINES

iTERATiON 3.0OVERALL AMPLITUDE = -3.471 WITH VARIATIONS AT CURVED ATTRACTOR LINES

CASE STUDY 2.0: PARAMETRIC DESIGN


2 POINT LINE VERTICAL ARRAY DIVIDE LINE

LENGTH OFFACADE

NO. “STRIPS” NO. DEFORMATIONS

GRID

SELECT ODD COLUMNS

CURVE

MULTIPLY

HEIGHT OFSTRIPS


SELECT ODD COLUMNS

SELECT ODD R0WS

SELECT EVEN R0WS

MOVE Y

MOVE -Y

Y=AMPLITUDE

INTERPOLATE EXTRUDE

E DISTANCECRV-PTS

MULTIPLY DYNAM

IC AMPLITU

DE

MOVEZ UNITS

ROTATEANGLE


CASE STUDY 2.0: TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTARCH FORM

EXTRUDE IN Y DIRECTION EXTRUDE IN Y AND Z DIRECTIONS EXTRUDE IN Z DIRECTION

INCREASED AMPLITUDE AND LARGER CONTROLLERS

EXTRUDE BY FACTOR 5 IN Z DIRECTION

LOFT BETWEEN WIRES

MAKE ARC APPROACH A CIRCLE ARRAY ALONG CURVE MOVE CONTROL POINTS FOR ARRAY CURVE, INCREASE FREQUENCY OF ARCHES, MOVE CONTROL LINES


EXTRUDE IN Z DIRECTION RESIZE ARCH, LESS/LARGER OPENINGS AND STRIPS

ARC APEX HIGHER, THICKER/MORE STRIPS

LOFT BETWEEN WIRES LOFT ALL ARCHES

MOVE CONTROL POINTS FOR ARRAY CURVE, INCREASE FREQUENCY OF ARCHES, MOVE CONTROL LINES

EXTRUDE IN X DIRECTION MOVE CONTROL POINTS OF ARRAY IN Z DIRECTION

INCREASE NUMBER OF BUMPS AND LOWER ARC APEX

CASE STUDY 2.0: TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTARRAY ON PATH

ARCS FORMED BETWEEN REFLECTED CURVES

EXTRUDE Z DIRECTION MOVE CONTROL POINTS

CHANGE FROM NURBS CURVE TO STRAIGHT LINE

MOVE REFLECTED LINE ROTATE CURVE BEHIND

DECREASE SIZE OF EXTRUSION ROTATE INTO NEGATIVES EXTRUDE IN Z DIRECTION

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MOVE CONTROL POINTS ROTATE LINE ROTATE LINE

ROTATE CURVE BEHIND EXTRUDE IN Y DIRECTION CHANGE ROTATION OF GUIDE LINE

EXTRUDE IN Z DIRECTION ROTATE ARC END TO 91 DEG. TWIST LINES

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CASE STUDY 2.0: TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTCIRCLES

POLAR ARRAY POLAR ARRAY WITH MORE CIRCULAR ARCHES

POLAR ARRAY

CHANGE OF CIRCLE PROPORTIONS INTERPOLATE IN HORIZONTAL DIRECTION

EXTRUDE IN Y DIRECTION

DEFORM ONE MATRIX FLIPPED, ONE UNFLIPPED

UNFLIP MATRIX

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POLAR ARRAY ARRAY ALONG LINE (CIRCLE) ENLARGE CIRCLE

EXTRUDE IN Y DIRECTION CHANGE CIRCLE SIZE FLATTEN ARCH

UNFLIP MATRIX REFORM ARC FLATTEN ARCS

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CASE STUDY 2.0: TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTCIRCLES CONT.

CIRCLE AS BASE INCREASE BUMPS ROTATE BASE

DISTORT CIRCLE, ROTATE VAULT ROTATE BASE TILT AND DISTORT BASE

ROTATE CIRCLES SHORTEN ARRAY REDUCE ARRAY TO HALF

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ROTATE BASE ROTATE VAULT ROTATE VAULT, EXTRUDE Y DIRECTION

TILT AND DISTORT BASE ROTATE BASE ROTATE FURTHER, SHORTEN SEGMENTS

REDUCE ARRAY TO HALF TWIST ARRAY INCREASE BACK TO FULL ARRAY

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I like the transparency of this outcome as well as the repetition of the circle as the primary element. It does not maintain the manipulable characteristics of the definition but is nonetheless interesting visually.

This could make a very interesting pavilion if an entryway were made in the surface.

This outcome maintains the element of changeability in the original design thereby preserving its purpose as a sunshade.

I could see this being split and the top section being used as a canopy structure - potentially for a stage or amphitheatre.


OUTCOME 1.0MATRIX FLIPPED AND INTERPOLATED

OUTCOME 2.0CIRCLE USED AS BASE FOR LINEAR ARRAY

CASE STUDY 2.0: BEST OUTCOMES

SELECTiON CRiTERiA1. Visually engaging configurations

2. Complexity

3. Distinctiveness

4. Possibility to be translated into architecture

The asymetry of this variation makes for an interesting form. Again, the changeability of the definition is preserved so this design could be manipulated to reflect site conditions.

This structure is quite a basic shell which could lead to anything from a community garden to a stage or shelter.

This form reminds me of a snake, perhaps bringing this back to biomimetic principles. I really like this tunnel form as I can really make a connection between form and use.

I imagine this to be the basis for a bridge which could vary in height and make the act of crossing the river more than mere convenience. It would make it fun for people to engage with the site.


OUTCOME 3.0LOFT ACCROSS ROTATED LINES

OUTCOME 4.0ARCS NEAR CIRCLES ARRAYED ON DEFORMED CURVE


PROTOTYPE

PROTOTYPES

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When my definition extrudes in the Y direction the extrusions overlap to form a surface. If the path is not straight, obviously this surface is broken up, but I wished to create something which could be manufactured with relative ease. For this reason I made a flat surface of the panels.

I trialled vaulting the surface in two directions. I found the surface I had created to be anisotrophic, like timber. In one direction, it had considerable strength - as is visible in the photo where a load is applied. I found the other direction to bow significantly when a load was applied, even though it was capable of carrying its own weight.

I liked the permeability of the surface, which resulted in really interesting light patterns. If you imagine this surface as a tunnel you can imagine it being very interesting to use, almost like the artwork of Olafur Eliasson referenced in Part A of this project.

What I didn’t like about this surface was that it was inflexible, limiting its capabilities in terms of form. For this reason I started working on my next prototype.

PROTOTYPE 1.0VARIABLE SURFACE


PROTOTYPE

PROTOTYPES

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This technique allowed me to acheive the flexibility I wanted but looked quite rough. I cut the panels I created into strips then stuck them to the ground.

I think this technique may be improved if specialised panels are developed and the connection points are better thought out. I though instead of connecting the strips to the ground and allowing them to act as discrete pieces I could use metal rings to join one panel to the other. This would give them some limited flexibility but still restrict movement.

I also thought that a stiffer material than paper (for example polypropelene) could acheive a more uniform look.

I did not photograph this, but this prototype had as much bearing capacity as the previous iteration.

PROTOTYPE 2.0STRIPS

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SITE ANALYSIS

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Thomas Embling Hospital is a large complex of buildings with many impermeable surfaces. Impermeable surfaces lead to excessive run-off and damage to local hydrological ecosystems. Due to its proximity to Merri Creek, The buildings at Thomas Embling Hospital are likely to be causing considerable damage to the catchment area.

For this reason I have decided on an intervention which improves the site in terms of ecosystem performance. Inspired by a man-made wetland in the same park, I have decided to design a water filtering facility which caters to the runoff from the hospital. The design will be made entirely of natural materials, most likely wood, thereby minimising embodied energy and causing no damage to the site itself.

The specific site of my intervention will be across the river from the Merri Creek Labyrinth, thereby “reflecting” its sculptural nature. Like the Labyrinth, it will not damage the environment due to its construction from natural materials. It

A SCULPTURAL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITY FOR THOMAS EMBLING HOSPITAL

will be a place of interest for visitors to the park, who will be able to see it from accross the water.

In terms of form, the structure still needs considerable development. I will need to further work on my parametric definition and prototyping.

I am not really happy with my design at this point. I think it really needs a lot of development before it is practical in terms of constructablity and meeting its design potential. The variations in the surface are quite arbitrary and there is no logic behind the form.

For this reason I plan to really fine-tune my design in Part C of this project. I hope to make the form of the structure much more visually appealing and come up with a better way to construct it. I also hope to have the form in some way reflecting the site.

PROPOSAL

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PROPOSAL

SITE PLAN

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PLAN

FRONT ELEVATION SIDE ELEVATION

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CATCHMENT HYDROLOGY

At a rough estimate, Thomas Embling hospital has about 100,000m2 of impermeable surfaces on its grounds. It is located between a bend in the Yarra and the Merri Creek. We can safely assume that most of the water from its rooftops and carparks is being collected and pumped directly into one of these.

By providing Thomas Embling Hospital with a wetland inspired stormwater management facility this water will be filtered and enter the creek slowly.

CONCLUSION

At this stage of my design process, my work still need significant development. Formally, I don’t like the design I have come up with and feel that the material system does not meet my expectations. I plan to spend some time in the coming weeks in developing and perfecting my concept so far.

I have used the concept of biomimicry less as to inform my formfinding and more to inspire the way my design will ultimately function. Like the bridges in Meghalaya, it will hopefully have no negative impact on the environment. In fact, its ultimate goal is to improve the ecosystem of the site while becoming an attraction like the Labyrinth of the locals to enjoy.

I found that the process that this studio has assigned has limited me in my design - potentially this is a good thing because if it were any other way the possibilities could be too broad. On the other hand I feel that I could have come up with a better design if I wasn’t limited by my case study. I would like to think more holistically about the design process than I was able to through the use of iterative changes from someone else’s design. What I have arrived at is, at this stage, rather inelegant and needs a lot of work.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

I have learnt a lot about using parametric design tools in this stage of the course. Creating the various iterations from my reverse engineered definitions led me to explore possibilities I may not have tried if not for this element of the course. Although I found this quite limiting to design something which I find meaningful, it did help me to get a grip of Grasshopper and hopefully and basic understanding of how to engage with parametric tools in general.

I have also learnt that even if something can be drawn using a computer, it may be extremely difficult to build. At the moment my design could be built but not in an efficient or elegant way. This is where I need to proceed for the remainder of the course.

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APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

This sketch was a simple experiment in creating sine curves. I wanted a manipulable sine wave to create the facade for Case Study 2.0 but found the method used here was too restrictive.

I played around a bit by rotating it and lofting between various rotations. This definition was quite limited by did allow me to create some sculptural shapes.

A technique I learned in a tutorial to make curved “flow” down a surface. This could be really useful in simulating water. I could use this to do further analysis of my design in Part C.

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This doesn’t look like much but I spent quite a bit of time getting the Kangaroo Physics to work on this definition. It’s an interesting way to “relax”a surface thereby mimicing the behaviour of fabric. I tried to apply this on some of my Case Study 2.0 iterations but struggled to get it to work. Something for me to pursue!

In this tutorial I learned how to use voronois and graphs to create really interesting patterns. These have so much potential to become surface patterns. It would be interesting to experiment with creating these using rules rather than just applying abitrary data in the hopes of creating something that looks cool.

“Material computes. Any material construct can be considered as resulting

from a system of internal and external pressures and constraints. Its physical

form is determined by these pressures.”

-ICD/ITKE

PART C: DETAILED DESIGN

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Encourage biodiversity

Slow the passage of water into the Merri Creek

Improve access to the creek

Bring people closer to the water

Foster “biophilia” to make people feel happier and cherish the natural environment

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

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Encourage biodiversity

Slow the passage of water into the Merri Creek

Improve access to the creek

Bring people closer to the water

Foster “biophilia” to make people feel happier and cherish the natural environment

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

A NEW DiRECTiON

Aesthetically and functionally, I really didn’t like my proposal at the end of Part B. It wasn’t interesting or well thought out, and as such I have decided to take a new direction.

I wanted my design to still focus on hydrology, but this time I wanted it to have a stronger connection to the site and also respond to the needs of the people who use the site.

To meet the objectives laid out on the left, I decided to design a pathway which also has functionality as a planter and water filtration device.

The parameters of my grasshopper definiton somewhat limited me in the sorts of forms I could create, so I started thinking of ways I could connect the contours of the landscape to arrays and lines which defined my definition.

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NEW YORK’S HigH LiNE

In New York, this old raised train line was a disused and dangerous part of the city before its redevelopment into both a park and a walkway for the city’s residents.

This design inspires mine in several ways. Functionally, it is quite similar to my design. It improves the city in “natural” terms by creating habitats for insects, but also improves it for humans by providing

PRECEDENT

them with a place to enjoy nature in an urban setting. New York being such an urban environment, this is a very important function for the highline. It also provides residents with a place to exercise and gather.

It also acts as a great improvement to a dangerous and derelict area of the city which people would have viewed as a hazard. Although there was natural growth occuring on the abandoned railway prior to

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its redevelopment, this cultivated garden is much more valuable to human users - therefore making it something they enjoy and are likely to defend.

Visually, the highline works in a similar way to my design. It provides walkers with flat areas to walk and incorporates beds where plants can be cultivated. This inclusion of plants makes the walkway more appealing to users but also has positive impacts on the environment. In the case of the highline,

plants will help counteract the urban heat island effect and provide cleaner air. In the case of my project the plants will help filter and slow the runoff into Merri Creek.

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POTENTIAL SITES

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PARKLAND

THOMAS EM-BLING HOSPI-TAL

RESIDENTIAL

SPORT

FREEWAY

SITE MAPPING

SAMPLE SITE

This design has potential to be repeated in many locations along the Merri Creek where there is a problem with access to the creek and a lack of safe, beautiful walkways. This could become a way to widen paths and make the creek more accessible for walkers and other users.

It is most useful where there are steep banks, causing fast runoff and therefore potential damage to the creek.

I think that my design is an easily repeated way to reclaim the Merri Creek and therefore to help protect it. By making it a space which locals love to visit, it is more likely they will respect and care for it.

There are many potential users if you consider the medium density residential areas surrounding the creek. This also leads to a greater runoff volume which the path may help to treat to some extent before it reaches the water.

CONTOURS RUNOFF ANALYSIS

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RUNOFF ANALYSIS

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LANDSCAPE ANALYSISInitially I thought of designing a bridge when I looked at the site on google maps; there is a distinct lack of bridges along the Merri Creek, making it somewhat difficult to cross for pedestrians.

After visiting the site, however, I realised why there are so few bridges on the creek - the banks are so steep that any bridge would require major siteworks which would end up very expensive.

For this reason, after visiting the site I thought I would do something to counter the problem with steep banks, allowing people to actuallly gain acess to the creek. In this popular park particularly, it is very difficult to get close to the creek. I thought this was a shame, as closeness to nature makes people feel happier and also leads them to value and protect it.

I also noticed that this particular site was once a quarry, explaining the rocky cliffs on the banks of the creek. These cliffs would not facilitate any water filtration, leading to high volumes of polluted water running into the creek from the neighbouring urban landscape. In keeping with my idea of “biomimicry” - which is to build something which helps nature rather than hinders it - I wanted to design something which would improve these conditions on site.

To find the places with the highest runoff volume on the site, I used a grasshopper definition which maps the direction in which a landscape slopes. It finds the fastest paths which water may take by mapping the steepest areas. This is visible in the longer lines on the adjacent map.

Initially I was going to use this map to visually pick out the steepest areas of the site as places to improve water filtration. I wanted, however, to link the data I found using this technique to the final form of the building. Although I lacked the ability and knowledge to create a link which significantly improved water filtration, I thought a superficial connection would still give a good rationale to the design outcome.

This approach is not scientifically rigorous but since I’m a designer, not a scientist, I think this is acceptable. I think that it is important to show a logic behind designs but not necessarily important for that logic to always be scientific and practical.

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RUNOFF ANALYSIS

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MAP RUNOFF USING GRASSHOPPER FIND LONGEST CURVES IN MAP

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RUNOFF ANALYSIS TO FORM FINDING

FIND ENDPOINTS AND SORT ALONG CURVE

INTERPOLATE CLUSTERS FOR USE AS CONTROL CURVES

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EXTRACT CONTOUR TO GUIDE FORM

ARRAY USING GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION

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ATTRACTOR LINES CONTROL OPENINGS

FORM FINDING

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2 POINT LINE VERTICAL ARRAY DIVIDE LINE

LENGTH OFFACADE

NO. “STRIPS” NO. DEFORMATIONS

GRID

SELECT ODD COLUMNS

CURVE

MULTIPLY

HEIGHT OFSTRIPS

INSTEAD OF A 2 POINT LINE THE ARRAY IS ALONG THE CONTOUR

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SELECT ODD COLUMNS

SELECT ODD R0WS

SELECT EVEN R0WS

MOVE Y

MOVE -Y

Y=AMPLITUDE

INTERPOLATE EXTRUDE

E DISTANCECRV-PTS

MULTIPLY DYNAM

IC AMPLITU

DE

MOVEZ UNITS

ROTATEANGLE

DEFINITION

DYNAMIC AMPLITUDE IS CONTROLLED BY THE CURVES DERIVED FROM RUNOFF ANALYSIS

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RUNOFF

PLANTERS

PERFORATED PATHWAY

MERRI CREEK

PROPOSAL

BASIC WATER MANAGEMENT

My design is a pathway which includes planter space for native river grasses which will help filter the water before it enters Merri Creek. This design could be repeated elsewhere where the banks of the creek are too steep for pedestrian access. The system of the wall and path means this can be cut into steep embankments and make more effective use of that area.

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SITINGThis is a sample site showing how the pathway can be implemented along the creek. Because it acts as a rainwater filtration device, it is beneficial to have it near large areas of impermeable surfaces such as Thomas Embling hospital, which cause polluted runoff to go directly into the creek.

This particular site had many paths but none which took people in close proximity to the creek. My design connects up with these existing paths so that people can enjoy the creek to the greatest extent. The site is also exceedingly steep where I have sited my intervention, meaning that it is making use of a site which otherwise could not be accessed.

LEGEND

Existing pathways

New pathways

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PLAN

ELEVATION

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TECTONIC DESIGN:TIMBER PANELS

NOTCHiNgTo build a structure which curves regularly as this design requires there are several possible ways to acheive that effect. One way is to use many individually curved “tiles”. This is how Herzog and de Meuron acheived the rippling effect in the facade of Messe Basel.

Another way is to exploit the properties of timber. Some types of timber in the correct profiles have a good degree of elasticity. This means that wood can bend without snapping, but it always wants to return to its original shape. We can, therefore, bend wood - but if we want to bend it it needs to be restrained in some way.

Using different notches for different degrees of bending would brace the wood to some extent.

It also gives us some degree of control over the curvature of each bend. If each joint can be restrained enough then it will be possible to acheive various curvatures that are needed for the design to acheive its visual and functional aims.

I originally designed five degrees of curvature but upon further experimentation with wood products I found that the most extensive curves may not be acheiveable with wood.

I propose small segments of wood to be used rather than continuous ones for ease of assembly and transportation to site. It could even be possible to prefabricate segments of this in a factory and transport it in large parts to site.

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‘MAKiNg WiLLOW BASKETS’ fROM WOODLAND TV YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=PA50Ag_BV6W

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CONSTRUCTABILITYIn order to come up with ideas on how wood can be bent and woven, the first thing I researched was basket weaving. Although much of the technique would not be feasible for a building or would compromise the intent of my design, I still picked up some useful ideas.

To make willow baskets, it is necessary to soak the willow in water so that it becomes pliable. When I tried to bend balsa wood it kept snapping as this is a very brittle type of wood. I tried soaking it overnight and was able to acheive significant bending in the wood without snapping.

In building and cabinet-making it is common to bend wood using steam. I thought that this could be a basis for my tectonic; panels could be prefabricated and brought to site with the

bends already made, and simply fixed into place on site.

In order to trial the notching technique on the previous slide, I used 3D printing to print out the various curvatures and notch-types I had developed. the scale I used to test this was off, and I didn’t get as much information as I wanted from the experiment. It was, however, a useful trial of the visual effect of the bending and the units were a useful tool for thinking about how the system could be put together.

The 3D printed elements can be taken as scale representations of what may make up a single unit in the construction of my design.

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PROTOTYPE

TRiALiNg THE METHOD

I wanted to see if my ideas were actually feasible with a wood type which had some stiffness and thickness. Working with balsa wood is not that different to working with paper - it is too thin and doesn’t really reflect the properties of wood which is used in construction.

This wood is “bass wood” or “tilia”, a softwood used for building model ships and aeroplanes. It has far more strength and ductility than balsa wood, making it more similar to pine and other woods used in construction. I decided not to use plywood as the lamination makes it more rigid than strips of wood like this.

I trialed various ways of notching the wood. I tried notching both sides and tried notching just one side. I found the notches to be weakening the wood, some of them cracking when I curved the wood into them. I also found that the notches weren’t sufficient to hold the wood rigidly in place. I wondered if this would work better with larger piece of wood at greater curvatures.

Although this trial worked well, it may have been useful (if a bit unrealistic, considering my resources) to make a full scale trial. If each curve was larger, I would be able to acheive greater variation and the wood wouldn’t have to curve so much to show its ductility.

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fig3. LiViNg BRiDgES

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iCD RESEARCH PAViLiON 2010

During my presentation, the guest crit suggested I look at this as a precedent. ICD has rigorously tested the abilities of wood for this pavilion and applied the data using computation to a much more refined extent than I have.

What I really found useful for my design was their tectonic and the way they have used wood. Instead of curving a single strip many times, they make each strip “arch” once before joining the next strip. The places where the strips meet are braced with small angled blocks of wood to help it to stay at the correct angle. They have also designed a very rigid base to restrain the arches.

This design is useful as a basis for my canopy and also to refine the wooden panels. The only problem for me, with the canopy, is that this design requires it to be restrained on each side. Where the pavilion opens it is restrained by the rest of the pavilion. It would not be possible to have half of one of thes arches simply floating like a wave.

This design is useful to me because it shows how elastic and rigid structures can be integrated to acheive a weaving effect.

WOVEN FORM

PRECEDENT

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POTENTIAL CHANGES TO JOINTING TECHNIQUE

After my crit and looking at ICD’s 2010 pavilion, I realised that I needed something to help strengthen the joints in my curving wall.

I initially thought of a complex steel jig which would hold the two pieces of wood at the correct angles. After looking at ICD’s pavilion though, I realised that these angled blocks of wood could easily acheive the structural needs without making the process too complex. I also thought they were visually more discrete than a large metal restraint would be.

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CANOPY

Where it came to the canopy I had the problem that the canopy had to cantilever. Clearly it is not possible to simply stack panels like for the wall as this method has no tensile strength when cantilevered.

My initial attempt to create a tectonic for a cantilevered “woven” form was very literal. I decided to use steel pre-fabricated ribs which could have thin plywood sheet woven over and under them. This maintained the horizontality of the design which had run through thus far.

On seeing this rather sloppy solution the guest crit suggested I look at ICD’s pavilion. Their method was far more elegant, though it does somewhat lose the horizontal nature of the design.

I included the wooden wedges to increase the stability of the structure.

These pieces could be prefabricated using steam bending techniques then transported to site. They would need to be rigid spanning elements, unlike the ICD pavilion, because they are not restrained on both sides but only on one.

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CONCRETE PAVERS

This method means that there would be six standard types of pavers to manufacture plus five transitional paver types. This limits the variation to just eleven types of pavers rather than potentially infinite variation. The amounts of each type could be calculated and then the pavers could be mapped for laying. The suitable amount of each paver could then be cast in a factory and transported to site.

This method would make the process of building the path less confusing than it could be.

PATH AND PLANTERSI really wanted these pavers to be simple and to transition smoothly from open to closed. I wanted to make them so that several repeated shapes could be used rather than each paver needing to be different to the next.

To do this I made a grasshopper definition which cut away at regularly sized rectangles. The amplitude of the cutting curve could easily be changed. I selected six different amplitudes - from closed (for the path) to maximum opening - for the planters. I wanted it to be possible to make a smooth transition from one paver type to the next, so developed the transitional pavers shown below.

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I think that my design was somewhat limited by my knowledge of computation. I tried to learn to use the tools effectively but found this difficult to do in the timeframe given. Therefore I think my use of computational tools has definitely driven my design but also limited me in what I could create. I felt that the tools were the creators of the design rather than me. The pieces of parametric design that I made, I did have good control over, but I found it difficult to make a well resolved design using these tools.

In this design studio, the goal was to learn how to apply computational design techniques to architectural design. We were required to use parametric tools such as grasshopper to find form. Ideally, we would have used these tools to test and refine the structures we designed.

I think that I have used parametric design tools effectively this semester to find form and drive my design. I did some detailing using these tools also, allowing me to easily vary my design and create these variations in response to site conditions and basic underlying principles of my design.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

Studio Air FINAL

Documents

Transcript of Studio Air FINAL