Design Journalfor Architecture Design Studio: Air

Xiaoyan WANG 371054

Design as a discourse 1: Guangzhou Opera House

by Zaha HadidGuangzhou 2003-2010

Located at the city of Guangzhou, one of the most important finantial and cultural city in the south of China, the Guangzhou Opera House is the first project done by Zaha Hadid in this country. The aim of the project was to generate a new heart of the city’s newly developed district. As a result, Similar to other projects done by Hadid, this project perfectly integrated with the surrounding landscape.

This project advanced architecture dis-course by introducing the new way of de-sign to that specific region. As be mentioned by Schumacher, architecture is a system of communication(2011: 1). And visiting the building is the most direct way of the communication. By present such project to Guangzhou, this project enhance the com-munication of architecture. At the same time, parametric design and related design approaches becomes new legend in the area. Finally, it contributes to the growth of digi-tal design in China. To this extend, it defi-nitely impels architecture discourse.

“The design evolved from the concepts of a natural landscape and the fascinating inter-play between architecture and nature; engag-ing with the principles of erosion, geology and topography.”

On the other hand, this project also rouse the awareness of the immaturity of the building industry in China. During the con-struction of th Guangzhou Opera House, techinical difficulties were caused when the firm cannot find proper factory to produce the panel for the geometrical facade. Ac-cording to this fact, this project actually acclerated the maturity of the Chinese con-struction industry. A good project should contribute to the development of the region which it serve for. In this sense, the Guang-zhou Opera House indeed advances the architecture discourse.

Design as a discourse 2: Ningbo Historic museum

by wang shuningbo 2004-2008

The Ningbo Historic Museum by the newly announced Pritzker prize winner Wang Shu is a great project which successfully applied tradi-tional architectural elements and techniques to a modern context.

The facade of the museum was constructed with the bricks re-mained from the demolished farm-ers houses which used to be on the site. By doing this, Wang Shu tried to collect the remains of the his-tory of the city. As a result, tradi-tional techniques have been used by craftsman to apply those bricks in to the new facade.

This project advances architecture discourse by impelling the mer-gence of traditional and modern element. Good architecture should be act as an estuary, where the streams of past and present merge together and leading to the bright future.

“During the design and construction process, I was ac-cused of creating something that reflects the most outdated appearance of Ningbo in the most modernised district of

the city.”

Personal project: Concrete jungle

The aim of the project is to create a 5D prop-ersal for the new urban development in Beijing,

China. In order to achieve this, digital tool including grasshopper and rhino are used to generated a

autopoietic system.

The original idea was to create series of public gathering space fi rst, then attract agents living surrounding it. While the volume limiatation of the public space is reached, new public centres would generated.

The location of the public space are de-termined by series factors including noise, accessibility to main road, acces-sibility to potential traffi c knots etc.

Inside each public space, agents growing around it and accumulate in a pattern ac-cording to the family structure of occu-pant. Then branches of units connected in the air, and form the giant concrete jun-gle. At the same time, new subset of pub-lic space are created on the roof of units.

The fault of this project is that the digi-tal tools are not fully utilised. Some actions are done manully rather than achieved by digital tool. So how to fully disclose the po-tential of digital tools and transfer them into a reasonable autopoietic system would be an importnat task for next project.

3 People Family

Dominant Family Type

High Density Development due to

High Population IncreasePossible Outcome

C: 80%N: 10%E:10%

C: 60%N: 20%E: 20%

C: 70%N: 15%E: 15%

Innovations OF CON-TEMPORARY COMPU-TATIONAL DESIGN: DRAGON SKIN PAVILION hONG KONG, 2012

The Dragon Skin Pavillion is a architectural installation project presented by Emmi Keskisarja, Pekka Tynkkynen, Kristof Crolla (LEAD) and Sebastien Delagrange (LEAD). It is a 16 square meter pavillion, located at the Kow-loon Park of Hongkong. By using computational design techniques, this project express a new way of construction process where the old communication methoeds are abandoned. A 3D digital generated model carried all the information of each components of the pavillion are send to factory to produce the pieces.’ algorithmic procedures were scripted to give every rectangular component their precisely calcu-lated slots for the sliding joints, all in gradually shifting positions and angles to give the final assembled pavilion its curved form.’ Then 163 plywood components are sucessful-ly manufactured and being instal-lated on site.

“The combination of a new material and contempo-rary digital design and fabrication methods allowed us to execute an accurate construction process with-out the need of conventional on-site communication methods like plans or drawings.”

This project indicates a new way of representation design and a innovative way of conducting construcion process by only use computational tools. In my point of view, this also shows the future direction of architecture and construction, which would be a interesting point that I’d like to included in my gateway design.

Innovations OF CONTEMPORARY COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN: Computering Self-organizationThesis by Michael hensel

The self-organization of living creature is a interesting topic for contemporary conputa-tional design. Pioneering architects around the world are trying to learn lessons from those organic creatures. Their dynamic growing process without any input from the outside world is one of the most magical creation of the world.

Benefits of computaring modelling of plant growth including inhanced understanding of developmental mechanisms; better understanding of the interaction between various aspects of development; the relationship between systems and environments, subsystem interactions in architectural design would be understanded syntheticlly.

According to Hensel, there are two levels of modelling growth process, the first one focus on individual organism, the second one aimed to group of individuals or other words, popu-lation.

Based on the concerns on both level of modelling, the relationship between architecture and their environment, the exterior and the interiror would be better interpreted and the architecture would no longer be a awkard artificial creature, it would be developed into a magical creation with the ability of self-organization.

“Through this investigation it is possible to derive architectural strategies and meth-ods that are informed by environmentally specific conditions and, thus, to achieve advanced levels of functionality and per-formativity.”

Contemporary SCRIPTING CULTURE:FLOWING GARDENSBY PLASMA STUDIO ARCHITECTXi’an International Horticultural Expo 2011

Located in one of the oldest cities in China - Xi’an, the competition winning project is the major com-ponents of the International Horticultural Expo in 2011.

This project consists of a 5000 square meter Cretivity Pavilion, a 4000 square meter Greenhouse and a 3500 square meter Guangyun Entrance Landbridge. And these three major buildings are acting as the node of the designed paths which were fully interacting with the typology of the site. The four concept of water, planting,circulation and architecture are greatly inte-grated to form a so called ‘seamless system’

The International Horticultural Expo has become the instigator and hub for the redevelopment of a large area between the airport and the centre of the ancient city of Xi’an. The city is known as the home of the Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty (210 BC) and is also a major business centre for the vast inte-rior of the Chinese mainland.

After the International Horticultural Expo of 2011, the project is serving as the major landmark and cul-tural hub in the city of Xi’an.

The project itself is a very good and reason-able architecture example which realizing the connection between architecture and the natural environment. Also, this project is a good presenter of contemporary script-ing culture. It shows the ability of scripting to help designers deal with large amount of data. And it indicates the great potential that scripting can offer for designers, which according to Mark Burry is one of the most significant advantages of scripting.

Whereas, this project is still facing critiques. The design generated in computational world did not link to the practical conditions. Some of the design features cannot be fully realized by the construction and manufacturing in-dustry, which indicates a gap between design and practice. This also shows the important role of architect as a controller and connector between the virtual world and the real world.

To summarise, the interest of the proposal would be:- Fully utilise digital tools

- Improve architectural communication- Vibrate local culture

- Merge traditional and modern factors

Reference:

ArchiDaily, ‘Ningbo Historic Museum / Wang Shu, Amateur Ar-chitecture Studio’ , http://www.archdaily.com/14623/ningbo-historic-museum-wang-shu-architect/

ArchiDaily, ‘Dragon Skin Pavilion / Emmi Keskisarja, Pekka Tynkkynen & LEAD ‘http://www.archdaily.com/215249/drag-on-skin-pavilion-emmi-keskisarja-pekka-tynkkynen-lead/

ArchiDaily, ‘Flowing Garden/ Plasma Studio ‘http://www.arch-daily.com/24306/flowing-gardens-plasma-studio/

Michael Hensel, Computing Self-Organisation: Environmentally Sensitive Growth Modelling, www.apomechanes.com/readings/AD_Vol76.pdf

Plasma Studio Architect London, ‘Flowing Garden‘, http://www.plasmastudio.com/

The Architectural Review, ‘Ningbo Museum by Pritzker prize winner Wang Shu’, http://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/ningbo-museum-by-amateur-architecture-studio-yinzhou-ningbo-china/5218020.article

Zaha Hadid Architects, ‘Guangzhou Opera House‘, http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/