1

Yr. 2013

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO

STUDENT:CHLOE ZHU TUTOR:GWYLL

ANGELA

AIR

2

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO:

AIR

STUDENT: CHLOE ZHU TUTORS: GWYLL ANGELA YEAR: 2013

3

C O N T E N T S

PART A. EOI I: CASE FOR INNOVATION

PART B. EOI II: DESIGN APPROACH

ME

PART C. PROJECT PROPOSAL

A.1 ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSEA.2 COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTUREA.3 PARAMETRIC MODELLINGA.4 ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONSA.5 CONCLUSIONS AND LEARNING OUTCOMESIMAGESREFERENCES

B.1 DESIGN FOCUSB.2 CASE STUDY 1.0B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0B.4 TECHNIQUE: DEVELOPMENTB.5 TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPEB.6 TECHNIQUE: PROPOSALB.7 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHESB.8 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMESIMAGES

5

C.1 GATEWAY PROJECT: DESIGN CONCEPTC.2 GATEWAY PROJECT: TECHTONIC ELEMENTSC.3 GATEWAY PROJECT: FINAL MODELC.4 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHESC.5 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMESIMAGESREFERENCES

7162636384041

434652626874777880

839296102103104105

4

“A great architect is not made by way of a brain nearly

so much as he is made by way of a cultivated, enriched heart.”1

----Frank Lloyd Wright

5

Dear everyone, I am Chloe from the 3rd year Architecture faculty. I came to Melbourne when I was in high school, and now I have fallen in love with this city completely. I started to probe the Architecture world when I was in year 11, and then I was drunk inside this amazing world and never come out.

I used to know barely anything of digital design. However since my comprehension of Design and my knowledge of Architecture are getting more, I started to be a friend to those digital little things. I am now very interested in all sorts of digital software as they truly make my life much easier than the time without them. I’ve tried Rhino, Sketch up, Illustrator, Photoshop, Auto CAD and In Design in my past years, but I am more familiar with Sketch up, Photoshop, Auto CAD and In Design rather than the rest. Now I am working as an assistant for my friend- who is an architect in Melbourne. I went to sites to get measurements and I did 2D drawings for him by using Auto CAD.

ME

6

PART A. CASE FOR

INNOVATION

7

A.1 ArchitectureAs A Discourse

Architecture, as a discourse, is given by lots of people as different definitions. Dutton states that “Architecture, then, as discourse, discipline, and form, operates at the intersection of power, relations of production, culture, and representation and is instrumental to the construction of our identities and our differences, to shaping how we know the world.”1It is a dominant part of various idea of its content. For me, Architecture is not only a three dimensional building that is eye pleasing or as a shelter to human beings, but also is an outcome of multiple factors that combines the sundry of disciplines and aspects like aesthetic, psychology, political science, humanities, etc. While it is influenced by the surrounding society and human beings, it brings effects back to them as well. As it fills in our daily lives, it will definitely change the way we live, the way we think, and also the way we value. Furthermore, what we think and value will be transferred to our design intents and concepts, which will impact on the

upcoming ideological architecture trends. This is how architecture and humans connect; this is what we can call infinity. order to achieve the well-defined goal, which is to balance the society and human needs, designers then analyze problems, set goals, devise actions and evaluate the efficacy of these actions. Hereafter comes the computational design. It is an efficient way to achieve the architectural goal with algorithmic explorations and parametric modeling. It has brought up new concepts, new forms, new ideas as well as the new experimenting life. After it’s born, architecture has become a more three-dimensional art. It frames a freer, a more stereoscopic, and a more humane architecture world.

“ it is not about the pieces; it’s how the pices work together.”2

-- Ice T has an opinion

8

GUANGZHOU OPERA HOUSEArchitect: Zaha Hadid Location: Guangzhou, ChinaClient: Guangzhou Municipal GovernmentProject Year: 2003-2010

9FIGURE 1

10

Guangzhou Opera House

Guangzhou is one of the Asia’s cultural centers. Since both of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, which are the two China’s gateways, are lacks in culture, Guangzhou then makes up for with its proud sense of the past1. The Guangzhou Opera House, which was built by Zaha Hadid in the year 2005, has become the icon of this fabulous city. The opera house is an attempt to regain some of its cultural dominance in southern China. As one of the first parametric buildings to be built in reality, the Guangzhou Opera House not only represents a new era in cultural development for Guangzhou and China, but also stands as a milestone in computational design history.

FIGURE 2

11

Because of the transcendental computational design of the Guangzhou Opera House, people now still use it as what it was originally designed to be--a performance space. When they step into the opera, it is designed that they feel like escaping the realities of daily life for at least a couple of hours5. It was drawn inspiration from the adjacent Pearl River, the project is conceived as ‘pebbles in a stream smoothed by erosion’6. The Opera House has done an excellent job of facilitating the intent. The façade is constructed with irregular polylines steel frame, which indicates the sharpness of rocks; while it is also filled with streamlines inside the building, signifying the softness of the Pearl River. Inhabitants enjoy the perfect blend of sharpness and softness when they are inside the Opera House, also fancy the balance between urbanism and nature.

The Guangzhou Opera House is significant because it is one of the first parametric buildings to be realized in built reality3. Patrik Schumacher, who played a key role in the opera house’s design and also is a director at Zaha Hadid Architects, dubbed the Opera House parametricism, which is the new style seeks to ‘fight stylistic pluralism’4. Because globalization has reduced architecture’s role as a communicative device, architects and their clients are free to explore whimsical forms detached from time and place.

FIGURE

534

12

THE SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUMArchitect: Foster + PartnersLocation: KuwaitClient: Kuwait GovernmentProject Year: 2012

13FIGURE 6

14

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a local museum storing non-objective paintings. It used to be a private gallery and now it is a public museum that people are desirous to visit. In the year of 1990, The museum was closed for three years because it went through a short-term restoration, which then opened the entire Wright building to the public for the first time, converting spaces that had been used for storage and offices into galleries, with the re-stored restaurant and retrofitted support7.

His innovative idea that has been appreciated is that he created a new method to lead visitors travel through his building without using the conventional approach to museum design. The accustomed way of a museum was always letting people walk through a series of interconnected rooms and make them to leave retracing their steps. Instead of following the inherence, Wright granted visitors to the top of the building via elevator, proceeding downward at a leisurely pace on the slope of a continuous ramp, enjoying the art on display, until returning to the entrance in rotunda.

FIGURE 78

15

As Frank Lloyd Wright was always interested in the relationship between buildings and their surrounded environments, this museum was made to complement its environment so as to create a single, unified space that appears to “grow naturally” out of the ground8.

As a monument to modernism, the unique architecture of the space, with its spiral ramp riding to a domed skylight, contin¬ues to thrill visitors and provide a unique forum for the presentation of contemporary art9.

This building made it socially and culturally acceptable for an architect to design a highly expressive, intensive museum. It has become a cultural icon in New York City and can be seen widely throughout popular culture. And most importantly, compare to the other normal stairway or pathway design, Wright’s idea of new route to walk through has brought people to a brand new experience and given us a new idea of how we could experience with space in a more efficiently way.

FIGURE 9

16FIGURE 10

17

A.2. Computational ArchitectureAs we mentioned in the previous section, designers are expected to solve difficulties in the most efficient way. More specifically, architects therefore should be familiar with methods that have proved effective in accomplishing any or all of these actions. In order to maximize the benefits, architects are no doubt making their efforts toward successful solutions rather than waste their time searching for unsuccessful ones; find and use shortcuts; understand the affordances of the situations they face; and understand the implications of their actions beyond the immediate solution of the problem at hand.

As time goes on, computers, by their nature, are superb analytical engines. The nowadays computer technology is not only transferring all hand drafts into a neat and comprehensive digital format, they are obliged

to satisfy the rapidly growing demands from human beings. If correctly programmed, they can follow a line of reasoning to its logical conclusion. They never get tired, never make silly arithmetical mistakes, and will gladly search through and correlate facts buried in the endless heaps of information they can store. They will do all that quickly and repeatedly, by following a set of instructions called a program, which tells them in minutes how to manipulate the electrical impulses in their circuits. Moreover they can present the results of these manipulations in the form most suitable for human comprehension: in textual reports, tables of numbers, charts, graphical constructions— even in dynamically changing images and sounds.

In another word, they are the magic to make those impossible to totally possible.

FIGURE 10

18FIGURE 11

19

VOUSSOIR CLOUD Architect: Architecture IwamotoScott -

Lisa Iwamoto, Craig ScottLocation: Los Angeles, California, USA

Project Year: 2008

20

Voussoir Cloud

The Voussoir Cloud is a site specific installation created by IwamotoScott Architecture and Buro Happold in 2008 for the Southern California Institute of Architecture gallery. It explores the structural paradigm of pure compression paired with an ultra-light timber material system. The design fills the gallery with a system of vaults to be experienced both from within and from above.

“Architecture continually informs and is informed by its modes of representation

and construction, perhaps never more so than now, when digital media and emerging technologies are rapidly expanding what we conceive to be formally, spatially, and materially possible”10

- Lisa Iwamoto

FIGURE 12

21

Since computer, as we known, is a grand analytical machine. It can easily follow the rules without making some silly calculation mistakes. It is reasonable, efficient, and has great abil¬ities to search specific information and deal with arithmetic counting as well as repeating the fussy instructions endlessly. This project explores Voussoir Cloud compression structural paradigm mixed with computer based digital systems. The convenience and ability of contemporary computer technology is well verified by this project. Designers used both computational hanging chain models to refine and adjust the profile lines as pure catenaries, and form finding programs to determine the purely compressive vault shapes11 [. At this step, Rhino was used as initial modeling software to hang chains to refine and adjust lines profiles.

FIGURE 1314

22

Structurally, the gallery installation features a series of complex, digitally-derived vaults created out of a featherweight paper-like material less than 1mm thick. The vaults accurately depend on each other and the walls to hold its shape compression. The fourteen segmented pieces also generate a series of five columns which hold the inner edge of the frame and back12. Buro Happold used form-finding software to optimise the geometry and to reconsider the age-old construction technique of the vault using new materials. The resulting

design process was highly mathematical incorporating geometry to understand how folding along a curve affected each petal and in turn the overall form13. All those irritating calculations and assemblies are now able to be solved within a much shorter time.

FIGURE 15

23

All in all, computer in design process gives a hand to analyze problems, clarify aims and distribute movements and make them all logically in working system14, which will definitely make design process innovative and design results much more precise.

FIGURE 16

24

Cardboard Columns with 16 Million Face“Regardless of their complexity, the tasks and decisions involved can be formalized as an algorithm. As such, algorithms provide a framework for articulating and defining both input data and procedures. This formalization can promote structure and coherency, while systemically maintaining full traceability of all input.”15

– Michael Hansmeyer

Hansmeyer’s computational columns were considered as the most complex columns in the world, which computational design contributed a lot to achieve this big award16. These columns are at the same height with their shape and texture differentiated from each other. Obviously, it is impossible to make out such a complex outcome without involving computational design.

As Hansmeyer one claimed that the power of computation could do big scale process and complex calculations instead of doing them manually. He also declared that in computational design, the calculations could be infinity, a quickly adaption could easily put out when a small adjustment was made17 . Because of these advantages that computation provides, designing and even building such complex columns become a real action in daily life.

Hansmeyer’s designing process can be clearly observed. Firstly, he came out with his first idea that may achieve by computation, and then he made his design layer by layer. When producing these extremely sophisticated models, data base computational technique would help him rethink and regenerate ideas. Finally the columns were produced by cardboard layer by layer, there is no doubt that only computational techniques can offer as accurate calculation as in this project, which makes these pieces fold together as a whole form like a sculpture.

The splendid work not only indicates that computation can help producing complex outcomes more than we can imagine, but also shows that computation leads architecture to a new page for complex design and appearing a new sense of aesthetic value.

25

Squid-like Canopy Proposal, Catwalk Design

Architect: AyarchitectureLocation: Paris, France

Project Year: 2012FIGURE 17

26

A.3. Parametric Modelling

Scripting and computer programming have now become integral to the digital design process, because it provides unique for innovation, enabling designers to customize the software around their own predilections and modes of working. In which, the most famous technology is parametric modeling. The definition of parametric is still an open question now: whether it is design, change, parametricism or mathematics. For instance, Weisstein once stated in 2003, that “parametric is a set of equations that express a set of quantities as explicit functions of a number of independent variables, known as ‘parameters’”;

Yessios indicated that parametric definition was “simply a mathematical formula that required values to be substituted for a few parameters in order to generate variations from within a family of entities. Today it is used to imply that the entity once generated can easily be changed”19; parametric modeling is also defined as “a style…marked by its aims, ambitions, methodological principles, and evaluative criteria, as well as by its characteristic formal repertoire” by Patrik Schumacher20.

As we discussed in the last part, computer science is no doubt a must-have technology tantamount to a sine qua non in nowadays architecture world. It is powerful owing to its ability to capture a high degree of variation in a few numerical values. However, parametric modeling, as the most popular technology in the 21st century, is a discourse as it brings out advantages as well as the shortcomings.

“ Post modernism and deconstructivism were mere transitional episodes and parametricism will be the

great new style after modernism. “18

---- Schumacher 2010

27FIGURE 18

28FIGURE 19

29

SWOOSH PAVILLION Architect: Second and third year architecture

students at the London Architectural Association school

Location: LondonProject Year: 2008

30

Swoosh Pavilion

Swooth Pavilion has been one of the most representative examples of small scale architectures designs that made using parametric systems. Starting with inten¬tionally chosen values, and under certain rules that we have imposed on the system when setting it up, designers are able to instantly obtain very sophisticated results, which also, can be immediately recalculated by simply tweak¬ing the original parameters21 . Compare to non-computational process, it increases feasibility of those abstract ideas and inspiration,

while it also could be considered as a huge leap in the quality of process. Since designers are no longer bounded by general tools anymore, now it is will be designers to design their own tools.

FIGURE 20

31

Swooth Pavilion is one of the complex outcomes that designer chose to bring it into reality after parametric testing with bunch of possibilities. Therefore, parametric modeling helps to enhance the efficiency of design process. In another word, parametric design is fundamental when minimizing the effort needed to create and test design variants. It generates an automated process that can eliminate tedious repetitive tasks, the need of complicated calculations, the possibility of human error, and the possibilities with huge shifts in the outcomes when the original parameters are slightly changed.

FIGURE 21

32

33

CHANEL MOBILE ART PAVILION(worldwide)

Architect: Zaha Hadid with Patrik SchumacherLocation: Tokyo, Hong Kong, New York,

London, Moscow, ParisClient: Chanel; Chanel Mobile Art

Project Year: 2008-2011

FIGURE 22

34

Chanel mobile art pavilion

“There are 360 degrees, so why stick to one?”22 divulges Zaha Hadid, one of the most acclaimed architects in the world. Through her theory, the innovative thought and power can easily be seen. Among the huge amount of fabulous architectures in nowadays, the travelling Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion is one of the architectural icons during 2008-2011. It is a 700-sqm spaceship-like sculpture-building, both an exhibition site and a mobile pavilion designed and built by Hadid.

Unlike the traditional white cube exhibition space composed of lines and symmetry, the Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion instead proposes an organic logic – curves, spirals and unevenness abound. Changing the perception of space, it becomes an entire landscape to wander around in a completely unexpected way.The whole design of the Mobile Art Pavilion delivers a fluid and dynamic form, which Hadid remarks it as “…rooted in a global context…an international travelling…and much more urban or cosmopolitan.”23 Inside the Pavilion, one of the exhibition areas stand out from the others.A network of curved guides is fixed to the ceiling and the floor of the hall in some places, and provides

FIGURE 23 24

35

The Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion is not only a turning point of Zaha Hadid’s career, but also an innovative start in architecture world. It proved that it is more than helpful to use a set of parametric tools to develop a conceptual framework for design, and it may be applied to different condition24 . “The fascination of the Mobile Art Pavilion is the challenge of translating the intellectual and physical into the sensual – experimenting with completely unexpected and totally immersive environments for this global celebration of the iconic work of Chanel.”25 says Karl Lagerfeld, who is the head designer and creative director for Chanel.

However, it does cause pay. Due to the high logic that parametric modeling produce, it is very hard (or almost impossible) to make any change at the late stage of design process as all the parameters are connected, and there are usually a huge

FIGURE 2526

36

A.4. Algorithmic Explorations

It was not easy to get familiar with the whole Grasshopper system as it requires a solid logical thought and mathematical skills. However the experience and workflow are very fun for me. I have found how the Grasshopper can provide users to modify different forms and patterns, while it is also able to create interesting forms and patterns.

I have chosen these two algorithmic explorations as I think the methods used on those shapes/forms could be applicable when I am looking into my design for the gateway. The first image is about subtracting partials within a whole. This technique is very useful as I can use it to modify different forms to get the one that suits my brief and idea. The second image is shown because it represents that I can try different interesting patterns easily while I am doing the Gateway design.

With my extended research I started to combine techniques from different tutorials to make shapes and patterns. It is very efficient for trying different designs and it is very convenient for users to use once they get familiar with it. These images shown will provide me with a base for further research in the design space within Rhino and Grasshopper to develop a parametric model for the Wyndam City gateway design project.

37

38

A.5.Conclusion

Parametric design is an exciting field in architecture that has provided architects a chance to explore design mathematically through a new medium. It allows for a development of free form unrigged sculptural spaces that inspire and challenge the audience’s perspective and opinion of architecture.

To sum up, architecture as a discourse could be more achievable via computational design rather than non-computation-aided design. Non-com¬putation-aided design could assume long period of time, and hard to document it up which will lead to the difficulty to refine or repeat the former record. Computation design short down the time using on process, provides much more possibilities and allow designer to choose and manipulate in a very convenient controlling way. It is possible to choose one

as the final outcome, as well as the basic foundation for further development.

Throughout the research and thinking about computational sys¬tem approach to design process, I realized that computer-aided technique is not only just used for adding artistic visualization on a work, but more significant, it helps us to be compensated in the effort of adding this layer of intelligence to our design with the reward of exploring the possibilities our parameters can bring us, and the possible surprise in the discovery of unimagined outcomes generated by our creation. In the case of Western Gateway Design Project, I think it is a really good opportunity to practise with parametric system. This is good for us to maximize our cre¬ativities and innovations to produce brain-storm works.

My design approach will definitely be used with computation systems and parametric modeling technique. I think my design will be focusing on intimation of nature, soft but vital/wild geometry form. I like how the Grasshopper can provide any form of imagination, I like how it can transfer my thought into real models. Therefore, has a knowledge that already know parametric is really creative tool of making and manipulating object into amazing forms, I would really like to have a try on designing something that relates to futurism, as well as bring it down to reality to consider the design as a combination of different aspects influence such as adjacent traffic flow, culture or even society. To make it as a real discourse of architecture.

39

A.6.Learning

Outcomes

At first, I really knew barely about the digital world. I don’t even understand what is parametric or algorithmic. However, I learnt a lot throughout these few weeks. Honestly I like the journal exercise very much. It really helped with gaining new knowledge and techniques and skills. In order to make a good journal, I did a lot of research on every single topic. It is hard but it is also very fun. During the research and modification, I comprehend much more architectural ideas from famous architects and from other students; I also have a new habit, which is browsing architecture magazines and websites frequently. I am sure this will help with my future study and career a lot. Since my understanding of algorithmic architecture and parametric modeling has been improved a lot throughout the past few weeks, I start to know that the trends of the nowadays architecture are humanity, high tech/digitalization, individuation. I also know the advantages and shortcomings of parametric modeling. I think

I will keep the passion of digital architecture world, and I will keep adding the “breath” and “depth” of my knowledge and skills to it.

At past, the most common tools for me to design is pencil/pen and eraser, plus a few digital softwares like AutoCAD and Sketchup. However, sometimes they are just way too lack of efficiency. I am very happy with my new technique, which is the Grasshopper. I will probably use it onto my past projects which are too boring or plain. I can also modify the forms as Grasshopper provides very high convenience.

40

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4.5.6.FIGURE 7.

FIGURE.8.FIGURE 9.FIGURE10.

FIGURE11.

FIGURE12.FIGURE13.14.FIGURE15.FIGURE16.

FIGURE17.FIGURE18.

FIGURE19.

FIGURE20.FIGURE21.

FIGURE22.FIGURE23.

FIGURE24.

FIGURE25.

Images

http://www.archdaily.com/286381/beton-hala-waterfront-center-sou-fujimoto-architects/http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-showcase/2011/03/03/guangzhou-opera-house-in-china-by-zaha-hadid-architects/SAME AS FIGURE 3.http://www.geolocation.ws/v/P/34121000/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum/enhttp://www.nycgo.com/venues/solomon-r-guggenheim-museumhttp://en.urbarama.com/project/solomon-r-guggenheim-museumhttp://www.architectmagazine.com/design/automatic-architecture_2.aspxhttp://www.pleatfarm.com/2009/10/14/voussoir-cloud-by-iwamotoscott-architecture/http://www.triangulationblog.com/2011/06/voussoir-cloud.htmlhttp://www.demagazine.co.uk/architecture/voussoir-cloudhttp://www.demagazine.co.uk/architecture/voussoir-cloudhttp://www.pleatfarm.com/2009/10/14/voussoir-cloud-by-iwamotoscott-architecture/http://www.ayarchitecture.com/architeuthisaspxhttp://www.archello.com/en/project/kartal-pendik-masterplan/image-15http://www.dezeen.com/2008/07/15/swoosh-pavilion-at-the-architectural-association/http://designandmake.aaschool.ac.uk/?page_id=300http://www.arch2o.com/swoosh-pavilion-architectural-association/arch2o-swoosh-pavilion-06/http://www.erratica.us/991.htmlhttp://www.archdaily.com/144378/chanel-mobile-art-pavilion-zaha-hadid-architects/http://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/2011/05/11/zaha-hadid-s-mobile-art-for-chanel.htmlhttp://www.archdaily.com/144378/chanel-mobile-art-pavilion-zaha-hadid-architects/

41

References

1. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_architecture.html2. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play_bedded&v=PPFcZ-Ux4Lg3. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play_bedded&v=PPFcZ-Ux4Lg4. http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/5. http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/archi-showcase/2011/03/03/guangzhou-opera-house-in-china-by-zaha-hadid-architects/6. http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house.com/architecture/guangzhou-opera-house/7. National Historic Landmark Nomination (2008), ‘Exterior‘, New York, P5.]. 8. Quinan, Jack (1993), ¡®¡®Frank Lloyd Wright¡¯s Guggenheim: A Historian¡¯s Report.¡¯ Journal of the Society of Archi¬tecture Historians 52, P446-4829. Twomby, Robert C (1979), Frank Lloyd Wright: His life and His Architecture, New York: John Wiley & Sons.10. http://www.iwamotoscott.com/ 11. http://www.dezeen.com/2008/08/08/voussoir-cloud-by-iwamotoscott/12. http://www.triangulationblog.com/2011/06/voussoir-cloud.html13. http://www.burohappold.com/projects/project/voussoir-cloud-142/)14. Benjamin Jotham Fry (2004)¡®Computational Information Design¡¯, Process, Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, P1815. http://www.michael-hansmeyer.com/16. John Pavlus, The World’s Most Complex Architecture: Cardboard Columns With 16 Million Facets, Fast Company17. Cilento, Karen. “Subdivision / Michael Hansmeyer” 26 May 2011. ArchiDaily18. http://www.fschumacher.com/19. Yessios, 2003, 26320. http://archinect.com/ibrahimrajah/status21. Rethinking-Architecture (2010), ‘Introduction: Parametric Design’, http://www.rethinking-architecture.com/introduction-parametric-design,354/ last access 4th April 201322. http://www.luxury-insider.com/features/2011/review-chanel-mobile-art-pavilion?page=423. http://www.luxury-insider.com/features/2011/review-chanel-mobile-art-pavilion?page=524. http://www.evolo.us/architecture/mobile-art-pavilion-zaha-hadid/25. http://www.luxury-insider.com/features/2011/review-chanel-mobile-art-pavilion?page=1

42

PART B. DESIGN APPROACH

43

B.1 Design Focus

In order to create an “exciting and eye catching installation”, we need something innovative, something that will stand out. The given sites are unique for a public sculpture as the road users will pass at the speed of 100km/h for approximately 40 seconds. In another word, there is no time for viewers to get up close and inspect the work itself. The aim of this project is to prevail a lasting impression so that it promotes viewers to consider the work after they have viewed it and driven past it. This will encourage “ongoing interest in the Western Interchange by encouraging further reflection about the

installation beyond first glance” (as stated in brief). To do this we wish to produce something that can be appreciated on face value yet is complex enough to provoke further thought and consideration. Considering this, and also the unique idea that the majority of the audience will only view it while driving past at fast speeds, our starting points of the Wyndham City Project will be COMPLEXITY and BLUR, along with notions such as MOTION, EXPERIMENTIAL, REPETITION and ASYMMETRICAL GEOMETRY.

FIGURE 1

44

Strips& Folding

The reason why we chose strips and folding as our parametric approach is because it has a variety of opportunities to realise these intentions in our project comparing to others. The idea of complexity can be increased by folding, provoking viewers to be encouraged to investigate and think about the different layers; by repeating strips we can enhance the idea of ‘blur’, as viewers pass so quick. We can also explore positioning, heights, shapes and so on to

motivate different responses from viewers and create and change the experience while passing. Strips and Folding have the ability to fold and intertwine with each other, increasing complexity within its own form. Besides, as Gaggart argued in Australian Design Review, gateway “sustains a massive scale but is open and dynamic”, which can be achieved by strips and folding according to its fluidity and movement.

FIGURE 23

45

Take the Loop 3 as an instance, it well-demonstrates that complexity folding can offer with unique forms and dynamic shapes. The project evokes a sense of fluidity and movement, enhanced by the multiple folds and ripples, creating a smooth three-dimensional palette leading the eye to move across. It also explores a use of rationality in complex shapes that “merges user spatial interaction, curvature as a structural and expressive strategy…the voluptuous ripples also strengthen the overall shape”.

FIGURE 4 5

6 7

46

B.2Case Study 1Biothing -- Seroussi Pavilion

FIGURE 8

47

By looking at the precedent of ‘Seroussi Pavilion’ design by the Biothing, we found very interesting techniques as well as the ideas. The Pavilion is formed by a bunch of thin strips, which rise above the ground cast notable patterned shadows that can add in another dynamic and alter with the light direction. The hard material has a very strong contrast with the flow form, they catch eyes and attract people to come closer at the same time.

FIGURE 910

48

49

Develope curve in relation to concept

Divide points on these curves

Creating geometrical circles

at these points

Further division of points on circles

Protruding lines at points

By understanding the design focus and the process in computation of the Pavilion, we have modified it in different ways.

From the original definition we can see the strips are divided into points following by protruding new strips from those points. It also shows that the curved lines are used to create the feeling of soft and flowing. Therefore we would like to experience using either harder/more straight lines or the other way round, even softer/more curvy lines.

Row 1: Loft the strips to create different forms. Row 2: Elongate the strips vertically, select specific ones and loft.Row 3: Connect strips on surface and strips on 3D, loft them and make them polyline.Row 4: Change the sliders of the original file.Row 5: Use rectangular instead of circle at the centre.

50

51

Furthering the exploration of Biothing, we became interested in patterning the strips as it can form and wanted to explore this idea further. We have also experienced other techniques, such as patterns and voronois. Matrix on the left page: Strips forming patterns. Repeating hexagon grids to form shapes. Voronoi patterns were experienced to meet various prosibilities. The vector on this page shows the outcome of combining voronoi patterns and explorations from Row 6.

These practices have helped us build up a sense of contrasting, as well as the effect of different lineworks. For the final selections, we decided to pick those highlighted four because we thought that the repetition of the various strips can very well demonstrate our design ideas, such as blur and motion. They can be developed to a very distorted sculpture on a fairly large scale, with interesting hollow-out patterns on surface. The hollow-outs can also be in different sizes laying irregularly on surface. We think that this will give a strong structual feeling, along with the innovative very-twisted form. In Grasshopper, we will need to base on the curvy forms to develop our ideas, with patterns embedded on it.

52

B.3Case Study 2

Marc Fornes/TheVeryMany - Double Agent White

The Double Agent White, designed by Marc Fornes / Theverymany, is the first of a new series of fabricated projects to investigate a double agent system. It is a continuous irregular surface possessed of an intersection of 9 unique spheres.

FIGURE 11

53

As a prototypical architectural form, it has been successful in what it set out to achieve. Because it is interesting as well as innovative. What we found it is interesting is it achieves a maximum degree of morphological freedom with a minimum amount of components. This forms as part of a series of prototypical architectures and uses Object Oriented computing to generate developable parts for fabrication of double curved surfaces. Continuous double curvature is defined around the Double Agent White surface for material rigidity and optimal use of nesting storage for larger decomposable units. In this way, the piece achieves structural continuity, visual interplay, and logistical efficiency.

FIGURE 1213

54

In order to re-create the Double Agent White and re-engineer it, we decided to break the project into three steps. Patterns, sphere, and embedding patterns onto the surface of sphere.

First of all, we created sphere of ribs, then exploring other possibilities based on the original. we ended up choosing the sphere with more ribs on for investigation beacuase the facade that we are trying to morph onto it is light in nature.

The reason why we made these matrix is because we would like to create a simple structure so that a pattern can be morphed onto it just like the Double Agent White. We used circular geometry - obviously becuase we are trying to re-create something similar to the case study project. There are two different versions of circle to show the difference in scale by modifying the sliders.

This highly complex definition allows more flexibility in the spaces between ribs. It also allows better or worse stability over the structure.

This outcome has the experintation of making notches on grasshopper, and morphing our suface onto it.

55

56

Considering of the holes of the Double Agent White, we thought it is appropriate to create voronoi patterns and morph them onto facades, the negative space will be the resulting holes.

Create voronoi pattern

Filited the edges

Move sliders to vary the roundess

of filited edges and size of negative

space

57

Exploring further with the idea of voronois, we have additional exploration on vertical and horizontal directions.

The first row is showing the options on the horizontal direction, as we want to learn

the basic function of creating the 3D voronoi patterns, and try to see the various effects of how different voronoi ribs join together.

The second row is indicating the expeditions on the vertical

direction, because as what is shown in the Double Agent White, it uses minimum contact with facade, meaning minimum support is used to load bearings. We explore this idea in multiple ways, in order to explore our design space.

When moving to the combination of patterns and structure, we had problems getting our expectations.

We used “Map to Surface” and “Project” to get the result. As the outcome shown on the left hand side, we end up with this messy strips on sphere. We are still confused on what had gone wrong with our definition, as we connect the pattern (the three “Curves”) onto “Map to Surface”, as well as the “Surface” (which indicate the facade that we want to morph the pattern on), however the result is not what we were expecting.

58

Set Pattern as Curve

Area Command Finding Center of

Each Loop

Jitter (Randomly Shuffle List of

Value)

Scale Selected Elements

Set Two Groups of Curves

Adding Bounding box onto initial

pattern

Decompose the Box Into Its

Component Parts

Map Chosen Pattern onto

Prepared Surface

Based on the previous failure, we did have a bit of change in our Grasshopper definition. Our goal is then possible to reach. Now having the ability to embed patterns onto a surface, we will be able to explore our idea more in this area in the future design.

59

When we steped into the develpment of our design ideas, we started to go further based on our initial ideas. In order to enhance the idea of BLUR and MOTION, we then came up with our notion of the design --- ABSENCE AND ACTION. We have looked up some precedent works by artists, including Anish Kapoor, Nick Van Woert and Jason Payne.

Anish Kapoor’s work is another precedent for our design. His work with the spherical shape and other curved shapes has been a great inspiration for our design. We think his works are really interesting is not just because the physical thing that is there but how it interacts in the environment. Most of his work is interactive in a way that, the materials are reflective and the way the geometry is shaped, the images you see change, whether it be the sky, the surrounding landscape or you (the viewer) yourself.

Our idea is also reinforced by his work with

hemisphere shape. It is a perfect geometry, symmetrical and balanced which is sort of the 'familiar' and 'safe' thing that the viewers can connect, yet you can actually do quite a lot of things with this 'familiar' shape, as seen in the way Kapoor treats the surface, smooth or rough, reflects the surroundings or distorting what you see from different angles and positions it. We wish to add into this hemisphere shape by pushing geometry through it so it appears the velocity and movement is going through.

Development Of Design Brief

FIGURE 14

15 16

60

By taking classical buts, turning them horizontal, dripping melted plastic on them, then standing the product back up right, Nick van Woert has put a huge twist on something so well known and classical. With gravity, the dripping plastic all moves naturally in one direction and creates this sense of movement and dynamism in the work and with the bust standing up right, the direction of the movement

has shifted from a gravitational pull to a horizontal plane. It is this effect, especially seen in the *first two images* of movement, speed, something pushed through and moving in force in one direction, that we want to achieve. Even the resultant of the plastic blobs in the last image has a feel of movement in one direction.

Nick Van Woert

FIGURE 17 18 19

61

In a similar vein, Jason Payne’s disco balls have taken something so familiar and well-known and altered and distorted them. The work questions ideas such as, how much change do you need to make until it is not a copy? What are those changes? Scale? Materials? The changes are subtle but the result can be almost uncomfortable with having something that at first is so familiar but then seeming that little bit…different and distorted until it is actually something else. Payne’s mirror balls can be seen to touch on the idea of asteroids, with their organic geometry and edges. We wish to capture a similar sentiment with our ‘alien’ landscape, make the viewers take a double take and keep them on edge.

Jason Payne

Revolving around this notion of “ABSENCE AND ACTION”, what we want to evoke is the image of: something was there and crashed into the areas, leaving some “craters” behind. Prompting further, if not conscious then subconscious. We hope to

prompt questions in viewers head, leaving impressions in their minds. Questions of, What was here? What was moving at such force? The idea is: that you cannot see the actual object, only the affect of it.

FIGURE 20 21

2223

62

B.4Technique:Development

To tranfer our ideas into actual model, we first think of draging the "table cloth" over an object to create a geometry that looks like something has just hit into it and left only the effect behind (refer to the photo shown on the right page). Yet it did not work proporly. It is possible to create a very gental and natural geometry showing an after-touched surface, but our goal is to reach a harsh and intense effect. Attempting to solve this in Grasshopper

by changing the stiffness of the Springs, we moved the number slider but then the mesh became too stretchy and it no longer looked like a ‘drape’. The resulting geometry is more like a soft force slamming into an invisible plane, which is way too gentle comparing to our “Absence and Action” notion.

63

Extrude all vertical and horizontal

structures intercept each other.

Select any of the intersections as reference point

Extrude and thicken all horizontal strips that has intersections

Do the same to vertical stips

Create a cube in the ribs intersection

Spinning through the cube on both sides of original

cube

Trim edges of ribsDelete the original cube, keep both the ones at bottom and

top.

Set sliders to intersect the new generated cubes

Delete original cube and one of

the protruded ones

64

65

Grasshopper- points on MeshSphere

MeshGeometry in Grasshopper

(sets shape of holes or additions)

Set a MeshSphere in Rhino

Addition/Subtraction

from original shape

Join additional shapes with

original

CustomPreview

The second method that we tried was using the "meshsphere" command (refer to left page). We create the "crater" straight away instead of making the actual object first then drag things over it. This gives a even more mysterious feeling to our project -- as we don't even know what the actual object is! "Something has just rammed into this place." or "What exactly are they?", these become the questions for not only viewers, but also us. After we set the meshsphere, we create points onto the surface, following by additions and subtractions of surfaces. After we have done the sphere, use "Meshsplit" to cut it in pieces. At the same time, it does have some disabilities in this method too. For instance we could only create unified shape with the same size on the sphere, this has reduced the curiosity of the project.

We end up choosing this definition as it is more suitable for the Wyndham City Gateway Project. In the further design, we will focus on techniques which are able to create different apophysis, in order to get a more "alien-like" project (matrix shown on the next page).

66

67

68

B.5Techinique: Prototype

In order to get the fairly smooth surface, we decided to go with 3D print. Furthering our design, we developed the initial approach, which was strips and folding, to the idea of casting. As we wish to develop our structure out of metal, we believe this will give us our ideal form as well as be able to reflect light and the surroundings to a degree. Thereby we have looked up some casting methods. For example the normal casting, vacuum forming, and explosive forming.

The model making sequence is pretty simple. Exporting the model as a STL mesh file, then send to the Fablab for 3D printing. As our model will be position upright to a degree, it is a problem how to make it stable on ground.

69

This is the Vein Structure designed by a student in 2012. The root of this structure is very inspiring. Instead of having those “pipes“ insect into the ground, we thought that it will be more appropriate for our model to embed into the ground. Because these “craters” are meant to be smashed by something huge and the “invisible plane” will be deform and intersect with the ground.

FIGURE 2425

70

71

72

73

Experimental Site

Placement

At the stage of experimental site placement, we used dough as our site, then randomly throw the golf balls into the dough to create an “unexpected crashed” view (the dough and golf balls are not on scale, we only need a rough scene). The “craters” are mainly concentrated at the area near the Wyndham City, as they are in No-Man’s Land area, which is the gradient zone between Melbourne and Wyndham in our design concept.

We also placed chains at the center of “craters” in order to experience the view of connecting those craters. In the later design, we will try more chains/lines with different thickness to explore our idea.

74

B.6Technique:Proposal

Thinking about the gateway approach, We wish to create something that jolts the viewers into remembering their surroundings, into being aware and appreciating their surroundings, and asking questions, considering the past and recent history, and encourage them to look around and observe all landscapes they pass through, be it a large city or a smaller town. As we all know, Melbourne City is a place that is completely different from the Wyndham City. The best option to emphasis the wonderfulness of the space between them is to exagerate

its mystery, which is exactly what our idea approaching.

In order to enable the curiosity or viewers even when they are still from a far distancemaximum, we wish to maximise the expression of negative and possive space. Therefore, we finally decided to have the “craters-like” objects as our preliminary model of the final design.

75

We think that the innovation of our design is its “INVISIBLE VISIBILITY”. To emphasise the idea of a border crossing, rather than literally having a gate and booth, we want to create a no-mans land which is different to both city and suburban areas, to emphasise that there is a difference/border between these two places yet reminding the viewers they are in unity when viewed at a different scale. The object that so obviously crashed into this (invisible) plane and left such an impression (the craters) can be seen as the gateway, the first initial that occurs. The ‘no-man’s land’ between the two territories on either side of the border, is this alien-like cratered landscape. Finally, as you pass through, the resolution you feel as you exit this ‘alien’ landscape and feeling that you have passed through a different landscape into a new one, is the resultant object of the experience. Our idea of creating craters that are upright

and vertical is thereby reinforced. We want to create an idea of an invisible, vertical plane that has been smacked into by and object and what is left is what will be our physical design that shown on the left page.

We have designed to spread these crater like objects at specific locations of Site A and Site B, because our main idea is more of the direction towards to the Wyndham City, therefore Site A and Site B would be more suitable. We hope that the positions of the craters are what really make this alien landscape and arouse curiosity, as the actual object and force that created this things isn’t on site and is no where to be seen but instead what viewers get is this aftermath and makes them question and talk about after -- what happened here?

76

77

During the Grasshopper exploration processes, I have learnt a lot of techniques in terms of model making. Among them all, I picked up this as my best algorithmic sketch because I found this is the most excited and the most helpful one according to our design.

First of all set up a “Meshsphere” as I was attempting to create a semi-sphere “crater”. After that, note in “Populate Geometry” to add points on mesh; “Mesh Difference” and “Mesh Intersection” to select specific area that I want to work on later; following by “Weaver Bird’s Join Mesh and Weld“ to join all the selected area

to create the form that I want; view-off those area that I don’t want; add “Mesh Smooth” to the parts that I am going to achieve a smoother surface. Then I have the all done “after-smashed ball”. At last, I create a plane cutting through the ball and use command “Meshsplit” in Rhino to split the “ball“ to “craters”.

Our design thinking is reinforced by this definition. Later on we changed some of the notes based on this, creating a “pop-out” effect instead of this “digged out” effect.

B.7Algorithmic

Sketches

78

During the Expression of Interest Presentation, we had a lot of very helpful feedbacks from crits.

Some advantages that we should keep ----1) The way Nick van Woert and Jason Payne’s work resembles qualities of a reference object.2) Ideas are innovative and attractive, keep it and explore more on it.3) The front and the back of craters has been considered.

Some drawbacks that we should reconsider ----1) We should not only operating using the sphere geometry, but can also experiment looking at other geometries such as triangles, hexagons, etc. This will let us explore new angles and space for our design.2) Look at more precedents, don’t limited on art but also have a look at natural (or unnatural) processes such as asteroids, lunar maps and so on, focusing on how and why they do so.3) Explore more possibilities of patterns on “craters”, try different sizes and the degree it pop-out, or even try different patterns (don’t restrict on only spheres)$) Site and scale --- what are the affects of different locations?5) Other possibilies of how the landscape itself is being destroyed by one object -- or even by smaller ones after.6) Create artefacts of multiple scales and distribute them around Wyndham. Load a series of images as if it is something that did happen - infiltrate social media etc with story.

B.8LearningObjectives And Outcomes

79

In the future design, our group will firstly be researching more precedents not only in art work but also in other areas. After it we will be experimenting different geometries as well as various combinations by using Grasshopper. In larger scale, we will also consider the locations of the craters on site, thinking critically why they will be placed at specific place rather than others. Besides we can further thinking that can the site be “smashed” twice to create a more complex outcome? These will be part of the questions prompting in our mind at the later designing stage.

The theoretical research tasks have really affected my knowledge of architecture and the roles of computation in the design process. Through the researches in this EOI part, I have noticed more about the algorithmic world. As we have looked at a lot of art work and parametric architectural work, we are more familiar with what algorithmic softwares can bring or can create. It is also very inspiring reading the intents of the theoretical researches, as we are shown the linear designing thinking through the whole process.

Finishing the Expression of Interest, I think I am now able to create, manipulate and design using the parametric modeling. I am able to transfer design into actual models like what I did during the previous matrix. However there is still difficulties occuring when using Grasshopper, but I think that is the thing that will push me forward in the future study.

80

Images

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2.3.

FIGURE 4.5.6.7.

FIGURE.8.9.10.

FIGURE11.12.13.

FIGURE14.15.16.

FIGURE17.18.19.

FIGURE20.21.22.23.

http://viata-in-isus.ro/architecture-parametric

http://www.arch2o.com/loop_3-co-de-it/#prettyPhoto

http://mauro-fuke.blogspot.com.au/2008/03/exhibitions.htmlhttp://theverymany.com/

http://www.mca.com.au/exhibition/anish-kapoor/

http://work.fourteensquarefeet.com/

http://www.aud.ucla.edu/news/assistant_professor_jason_payne_50.html

81

82

PART C. PROJECT PROPOSAL

83

C.1 Gateway Project:Design Concept

According to the feedback from crit jury in the preliminary presentation, our further development was decided to focus on the area of further researching information of Wyndham City to achieve our story behind the design intent; continuing experiment of the Absence and Action theme; exploring the idea of smash, collide, assemble, remove, etc.; choosing the specific locations of project on sites… In order to improve our design on these areas while deeper matching the brief of the Wyndham City Gateway Project at the same time, we have done some modifications from our design concept to the final outcomes.

Same as initial, we are still interested in creating an “exciting, eye catching” freeway installation and a ‘border crossing’ that is able to “enhance the physical environment” and “inspire and enrich the municipality” of Wyndham city. In order to make a ‘significant impact’, it is then necessary to consider the nature of the site and the relationship with viewers. As the

brief states, the majority of the viewers will pass the freeway at about 100 km/hr for about only 40 seconds. Thereby instead of giving a huge shock to viewers in their first glance, we want to create something with a sense of complexity and confusion, that can leave a lasting impression in this time frame and even afterwards; something is intriguing enough that people will know, remember and discuss beyond the 40 seconds that they are viewing it. For further research, we looked at Wyndham as a place, at its characteristics and history.

Wyndham sits on the edge of Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary and, as all places, was originally largely rural in character. Being further out from Melbourne city, it stayed rural for longer. However, as often happens, suburban development encroached. Nowadays, driving through the outskirts of Melbourne, instead of just seeing farm, stretches of grass and the occasional paddock of animals, one usually passes entire communities and

housing estates, pushed right up to the freeway.

FIGURE 123

84

We took house as an inspiration as house is one of the most familiar things to everyone and is always a standardised and repeated design, which can provoke a lot of different thoughts, ideas and discourse. The City of Wyndham itself is home to numerous new housing estates in suburbs such as Williams Landing, Wyndham Vale and Tarneit1. Based on the precedents that we researched before, which are the art works by Nick Ven Woert, the disco balls by Jason Payne and the art works by Anish kapoor, we further explored the House In The Sky, which was designed by Brearley Middleton Pty Ltd Architects & Urban Designers. It is an artwork that makes a comment on suburban Melbourne and the typical Australian home. This, and its position on a freeway, the way it is viewed differently from different vantage points and how it intrigues people in this way, encourages discourse from viewers, which is exactly what we are aiming for.

FIGURE 4

85

The final idea of our design centres around several ideas. The tumultuous sprawl of houses, falling into each other evokes questions of where the houses came from, what phenomena caused them to sprawl and tumble out like this. There is a number of different ways one can interpret this. There is a fun tumbling of houses from a higher tower. There’s sense of turbulence not unlike the scene from the Wizard of Oz. And like the well-known movie, there’s a sense of a different place and bizarre situation- unlike the upright houses sitting on a grid, as houses are in real life in our world, just like Dorothy opens the door of her house and finds the technicolour Land of Oz. The design offers the idea of- what is on the other side? What kind of new place are you going to pass into? There are so many avenues in the imagination to explore. There is no other information but what is here on site and the incorporation of these houses, no knowing what came before or what caused this, and this allows the viewers to use their imagination, question it and discuss it.

FIGURE 5 6 7

86

In furtherance of this idea, we operated parametric design techniques and computational techniques as it facilitated this intrigue of manipulating and distorting geometries, helping us achieve our design ideas. Using simple commands as move, scale and rotate in Grasshopper, we can easily build up our house assembly.

Insert house mesh

Subtract one group from the

other

Export to 3D Coat

Rotate

Scale

Repeat for Multiple House Meshes (Houses

Overlap at Random)

Move

Select Some House Meshes +

Save in Groups

87

We then found that we couldn’t boolean irregular geometry like our house in Grasshopper. Thereby 3D Coat is needed to further develop – subtracting a group of house mesh from the other group -- to obtain a bizarre and crazy outcome contain positive and negative parts. Initially there is a complexity, ambiguity of geometry and form that forces people to take notice and question the design. What is it? What is this mass of objects? There is an element of confusion on first approach. Our design aims to prompt questions from the viewers passing by. A strong idea in our design is this idea of objects meeting and being pushed into each other (Absence and Action). There is a peculiar and irrational mass of transformation, joined together in different ways and the idea of regular objects being distorted and transformed slightly so that the viewers take a double take and are kept on edge. viewers take a double take and are kept on edge.

THE MAIN GROUP

THE SUBTRACT GROUP

THE FINAL OUTCOME

88

A possible avenue of construction of our design would involve creation of steel frames of the basic house shapes with aluminium sheets then clipped onto these frames. To do this we would need to divide the computational model into strips to fabricate the skin of the houses.

After research, we consider that sandwich panel is feasible for our construction (specifically Aluminum Composite Panel will be used in our case). Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) is a type of flat panel that consists of two thin aluminium sheets bonded to a non-aluminium core2. For our design, the non-aluminum core will be steel frames. While we are considering aluminum as

a good material because it is lightweight compare to the other possible materials. And it also benefits in budget because it is used only on all surfaces, while the load-bearing structure is steel frames. We decided to keep all aluminum sheets with its natural colour because we want to maintain the whole design unified and reflect the way the suburban estate houes are all the same.

FIGURE 8 9

89

It is also very helpful to involve parametric design techniques and computational techniques when designing the locations of the house assembly. Using the Firefly and Grasshopper plugins for Rhino, we distributed the differentiated forms across the site. We aligned the geometry with images of turbulence as well as the direction of wind and velocity; this is so the final positioning of our house geometries would be able to accurately evoke the preset sense.

90

Apart from these, we also used this method to dictate the random heights of the houses, and to create the highest point to be at the centre of the turbulence so the other ones could sprawl out from this. With the levels the points fell at, and with the subtraction of houses from one another, some interesting shapes were created such as arches underneath sections of houses that will be interesting for the viewers to look through and catch glimpses while driving past.

Surface Points on Surface Apply Force Alter Smoke Pattern

Choose Desired Points Pattern

Fewer Points3D Tolerence of Height

Selection of Points

Site Restrictions

Tolerence of Smoke

91

The force, or turbulence or outside object that forced these houses to tumble into these positions can be seen as the gateway, the first thing to occur. The ‘no-man’s land’ between the two territories on either side of the border, is this bizarre landscape. As you pass through this ‘land’, the viewers achieve as sense of ‘crossing over’ and ‘passing into’ a new land, like Dorothy opened the door into the world of technicolour, the viewers drive off into Wyndham.

With all of this we wish to create something that jolts the viewers into remembering their surroundings, into being aware and appreciating their surroundings, and asking questions, considering the actions that occur on the landscapes around them, and encourage them to look around and observe all landscapes they pass through, be it a large city or a smaller town.

92

C.2 Gateway Project:Techtonic Elements

For the construction in real life, we have considered it to be steel framed structure covered by aluminum sheets. After our testing on the prototype, it is proved that the construction of steel frames with aluminum sheets covered is feasible. If the aluminum sheet is thick enough (we used 1mm thickness here, which is ample

for the prototype), it will show a flat and smooth surface.

The first coming up idea of construction is constructing the whole model with aluminum claddings clipped on outside surface. However this doesn’t work because our design is a bunch of houses pushed together without standing on

the same grid, neither standing up on a right angle. Besides the model in real life is huge and complex thereby it will be too difficult to be built on a regular uniformed grid frames using this method.

METHOD 1

93

Unroll Surfaces in Strips on

Digital Model

Aluminum Material is Cut

into Strips

Steel Frame is Constructed in

parts of Xm x Xm of model

Bring Sections of Installation onto

Site via Transport

Electricity Cables for Lighting to Run to Certain Areas

Connect Sections of Installation

by Joining Steel Frames Together

Install Lights on Ground for Up-Lighting at Night

Clip Aluminum strips onto

Steel Frames

METHOD 2

Instead of constructing the whole model and then put on aluminum claddings, we have thought of another method, which is building frames of individual house followed by connecting all the individuals together. It will cost a bit more materials of steel frames yet it is totally feasible. Because the construction is relatively small for individual house, it will be much easier

to transport from factory to site and also to connect parts to join the whole. Another advantage of this method is if there is modification occurring, it will be possible or even easy to reconstruct as they won’t be joined together until every single house is done. Based on the above, we end up choosing this alternative.

94

1. Using thick wires to create structure (representing steel bars in real life).

2. We tried both glue and thin wire wraping techniques to secure steel bars together, however only wraping technique is working because glue is not strong enough to hold wires together. In real life it will be the steel sandwich panel with screws clipped on.

Prototype of Construction

95

Team Work! Hands Time!

3. Idea of how it is constructed is shown on the first left photo. After testing, it is confirmed that this structure can stand very stable.

4. Aluminum sheet is cut of to a certain shape, then sticked onto the steel frames. Because the prototype is on a very small scale, glue is therefore used instead of actual

96

C.3 Gateway Project:Final ModelAs our model is very hard to be unrolled and clipped onto steel frames, thereby we decided to 3D print our model, because it will very well anticipate the effect of our design.

The houses are perceived differently from different vantage points as drivers navigate the freeway and turn off into Wyndham. Driving past our installation, you will see this unusual place, different to all the landscapes of Melbourne and surrounding areas. This pile and chaotic mass is repetition of a very familiar object -- a house. As you pass, the houses become larger and piled up higher (view from driving to Wyndham) or smaller and scattered (view from driving away from Wyndham). The houses are not positioned regularly or as one would expect. They are not sitting upright or on a grid, as would usually be seen in a suburban development or housing estate. These houses sit on all sorts

of angles, tumbling into each other, piling up. The way they are tumbled about can question the nature of urban growth, especially in the context and in areas such as the one where this installation is situated. It is a comment on the contradictions that this particular cultural condition entails, as well as commenting on the changing and developing landscape from rural to suburban.

Questions arise; What is going on? Why are these different sized houses all thrown around in this way? Not only this, but as driving past, you will realise that chunks of the outside of the houses have been extracted with the shape of other houses. There is a sense of addition and subtraction, houses partially growing out of others, houses removed from others. More questions arise: Why are these buildings distorted in this way?

As Melbourne evolves and

continues to develop and the idea of urban growth being questioned, the installation will continue question relevant topics. Not only this but, there will continue to be different senses evoked from different people- fun tumbling houses, questions of a different place and sense of passing through to a different world.

The installation has been designed to invite many potential readings. It raises the banal and ordinary to the level of extraordinary and recognises the suburbs as a source of fun and as a source of aspects such as artistic and cultural inspiration. We hope the installation can posit more questions than it can answer and we believe it will be an ongoing source of conversation, discourse and encouragement of interest in the area of Wyndham.

97

98

99

100

101

102

C.4 Algorithmic Sketches

After this period of studying the algorithmic design, I chose this as my best algorithmic sketch among all skills that i learnt because for me it is the most excited and the most helpful one according to our design.

As shown in the previous sections, this definition is for us to pick up specific locations on site, so that our houses can fall at point accurately. I used firefly in order to reach the goal. I input a smoke image as sampler to lead points spread all over the

site surface, by changing sliders, points on site various and spread unevenly, which is exactly what our design is aiming for.

Our site locations are determined by this definition. Later on we changed some of the notes and sliders based on this, created a more randomly spread points pattern on site for houses to sit on.

103

C.5 Learning Objectives

& Outcomes

The central goal of this course is to “introduce students to the approaches of digital architectural design understood as a significant driver of change in architectural profession”. We, students are expected to have an obvious development of both “design thinking and dexterity with tools” by the end of semester. To reach the goal, I have been working very hard to gain knowledge as well as the skills of digital architecture throughout these 12 weeks. I am an English-as-second-language student, therefore I put in much more effort in my study than those who was born here. It is no doubt very tough and stressed, however I believe that no pain no gain, and I believe that my effort will bring me harvest for sure.

During the whole process of designing the Wyndham City Gateway Project, I have learnt a lot through not only theories but also

techniques. My recognition of architecture was used to be very narrow. However throughout this semester, I have opened up my eyes to the much wider and larger architecture world. The power and effect of computational design and parametric modeling are way greater than I can ever imagine. They not only opens up the design space and save time, but also make lots of very hard and abstract ideas to actual solid models.

Because of the very fun design experience in group work for the past few months, I am now able to create, manipulate and design using parametric modeling. For example, in case study 1 and 2: I know how to embed patterns onto surface; create strips/surfaces that have a floating effect; how to design lots of interesting patterns, etc.; at project design stage, I learnt how to create patterns based on

a sampler (could be image, sound, etc.)in Grasshopper; subtract groups from groups to create negative parts in 3D Coat and Rhino; put installations on specific points… From a macro view, I am now able to interrogate a brief, generate a variety of design possibilities for a given situation; develop skills in 3D medias specifically in computational geometry, parametric modelling, analytic diagramming and digital fabrication and make a case for proposals…

It is so great to see my own knowledge and skills grow rapidly, and I know that the parametric modeling and algorithmic design techniques will definitely help with my future design, as well as giving me a lot more fun in life. Although there still will be difficulties occuring when using algorithmic systems, but I think that it is the thing that will push me forward in the future study.

104

Images

FIGURE 1.2.3

FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 5.6.7.

FIGURE 8.9.

Site photos from LMS

http://stickysugarysurfaces.com/?p=833

Movie “Wizard of Oz”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Wyndham

105

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Wyndham

2. http://www.aluminumcompositepanel.com.au/

References

106