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STUDIO AIR

Univeristy of Melbourne March 2015

Yichao Andy Li 584879

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Contents

Introduction Part A -Design Futuring -A.1 Design Computation -A.2 Composition/Generation -A.3 Conclusion -A.4 Learning outcomes -A.5 Appendix

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Part A Conceptualisation

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No Experience With Indesign No Experience With Rhinoceros No Experience With Grasshopper No Experience With Parametric Design Current Level of Study: 3rd Year Undergraduate (Architecture) Parametric design was a new word to me until March of 2015. I have been admiring the architecture of many masters from the ancient world to the 21st century, but never was I inspired from the digital designing spectrum. Every so often I do become astonished and hyponotised by the unique aesthetics and patterns generated through digital designing; nevertheless, I could not truely appreciate or understand the objectives and concepts behind digital designing. In the past, I understood digital designing as a method of design where a complex set of codes were inputted to a computer software, directing the software to generate a pattern to certain specifications. The RMIT building 80 on Swanstons Street, which completed in 2012 is one of my occasional encounters. Its scaly surface is definately impactive to perceive, what interested me more was the digital patternings of colors employed on the building surfaces externally and internally. There I became more affected by digital designing.

I have never used Rhino or any other forms of digital designing. I did not take virtual environments previously hence experienced quite little in this field of designing. I know a bit about 3D modelling in Archicad and have done a few projects based on using Archicad. Despite the fact I have not previously used any digital designing tool, but I do believe that I have been inspired by the effects of digital designed forms, patterning and layouts. I say this because in my study of Designing Environments, my project was a design that consisted many replicated triangular forms in specific sizes tessellated as a structure (top next page). I believe there is a certain type of beauty that is embedded to digital designed projects. I have no current understanding of how to describe and articulate this unique fashion of design that is presently trending so quickly and competitively in the world. I hope to gain the abilities to comprehend, express and articulate with digital designing in the coming months.

Introduction

Experience with Designing

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Previous

Design

Projects...

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Part A

Design Futuring

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Centre For Ideas - MVS

The Centre for Ideas project is based on algorithmic process of using voronois. Voronois creates volumns of space based on geometric parameters. In early 20st century modernist architects such as Le Corbusier also experimented with form and spatial arrangements through the use of simple geometric shapes. Parametric algorithms can create more sophisticated formal spaces using computation. This project is a demonstration of how architecture has evolved from the past by digital utilities and tools that allowed for a next generation of creativity. Beyond the spatial forms, services such as lighting and ductwork can also be laid out through algorthimic designs.

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BanQ Restaurant -dA Office

The wooden surfaces contouring the spaces of the restaurant is a contemporary aesthetics created under parametric design. The surfaces follow specified algorithms as parameters forming various dips from the ceiling to columns generating a continous smooth natural environment.

The algorithems are not just set to provide a generous environment but also accommodate the various mechanical and electrical services installed above ceilings. The sizes of these service units and duct works differentiate, but these variations also provided an opportunity for algorithms to set and explored with for generative results.

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Algorithmic or parametric designs can modulate the ways which the built environment can react with its users in a form where factors can be preset to determine the outcome of design. Algorithms can be set to modify mechanical needs such as lightings needed per area to the intensity of spatial perception provided by the structural surfaces.

Projects such as this can be explored and be manipulated endlessly. Similar parametric rules can apply to larger or smaller scale projects. It is important for projects like this to be built because it can influence people to engage parametric thinking, to be able to apply a good algorithmic approach to other complete different projects.

A.1 Design Computation

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Computing currently affects design processes in two major ways. One is computerized design and the other is computation design. Computerized design describes the use of computers to store, process, draft, manipulate and communicate design information that have usually been pre-conceptualized by architects. Computational design is the process of digitally generating outcomes through all stages of design with an integration of performative design, digital materiality and tectonic models.

Computerized design facilitates the design process by enabling architects to efficiently develop and present their designs. The design information are digitally manipulated which reduces the designer’s efforts to explore and develop on their concepts through some common software such as Revit, Archicad and Rhino. Although ideas may be conceptualized through means that do not involve computerization but the design is ultimately demonstrated through the aids of computer software. This process does not only affect designers, but as well as enabling other responsible parties such as engineers, builders, developers and users to visually perceive understand and communicate the project before it begins construction.

Computational design is a different way of designing compared to traditional practices. The design solution is produced through digital morphogenesis incorporating tectonics of material and performance simulation in a script enabled algorithmic environment. The design solution is formed from experimentation under parametric constraints (algorithms) modeling the performance, tectonics and materiality of various geometrics. Computation frees the design from formalism, changing design into a more knowledge based process under collaborations of variant modeled simulations; resulting in a design solution of generative form1.

Understanding Computation

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Computation and computational collaboration is increasingly becoming a default method of practice in many firms due its abilities to empower designers to engage and response to complex problems with sophisticated outcomes. The environment provided by computation composes complex sets of interrelating data information to generate formal and structural results. AS These sets of data or parametric models can simulate sophisticated performances (building itself and interactive with public) it enables designers to make adjustments and experiment with inestimable possible variations under set conditions, which can produce unexpected complex design solutions.

Computation Design Changing Practice

Computation has been driving the shift of current architectural practices. Many Architectural firms have applied the Computational design to their practices in various ways. There are four types of approaches being undertaken by firms: internal specialists where a firm has their own group of computational experts to influence and contribute to the design process in various depth desired; external employment of specialist engineers or software experts to engage with the design process; fully integrated firms where computational techniques and parametric designs are utilized to characterize the design intent; hybrid firms of software engineers and architects to generate advanced interfaces and knowledge of computing programming as design software2.

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‘The exposure of the primary structure can be very effective in giving an identifiable character and atomosphere to the different spaces within a building.’3

1000 Museums Residential Tower Zaha Hadid Architects

Comtemporary architecture is transforming from a visual representation based practice to more performative concerned such that ‘Structural, constructional economic, environmental and other parameters that were once secondary concerns have become primary’4.

The form seeking process of computational designing can result in a structural exposure. This structural appearance can be articulated to satisfy other architectural purposes such as an indication of space, usage and movement of buildings.

The 1000 Museum Residential tower in Miami by Zaha Hadid Architects demonstrates the benefits of articulating the structural skeleton of the project to indicate the aparment types within. The lower section consists of three bays; the middle section which the exo-skeleton weaves through have two bays; and the top section ends with one bay.

Parameters can be set in to engage with the population distribution, functionality, commercial needs as well as the building itself’s perfomative efficiency in such projects through computational designing. Furthermore, different exo-skeleton systems can be explored within desired parametric frames to discovery aesthetics of the project. In other words, the visual representation of the 1000 Museum is a resultant of rule-based parametric design simultaneously composing sophisticated inputs, but constantly adjustable at every stage of the design seeking for best desirable solution

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CHANGI AIRPORT COMPLEX PROPOSAL Singapore, 2012

UNStudio

‘...... the new complex presents a high-performance building targeting low consumption energy levels and high standards of comfort.’ -UNStudio

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UNStudio seeks out to ‘a more intense architecture’ with the aid of computational techniques through focus on details of architecture. By details, Ben van Berkel of UNStudio defines it as ‘a way of thinking differently about the subject, as an instrument you use when focus into space.......where scale, theory and the material understanding of architecture come together’.

The Changi airport complex uses computational techniques to generate a facade system that maximises passive design benefits. The facade consists a singular hexagonal base module, tessellated with different rotations of the module to create a complex design response to sun impact. Moreover, a colored back wall system has also been employed to compliment the tessellated facade system. The colored back wall is computed not only to provide infinite spatial aesthetics but also a responsive system to the heat impact and maintenance of the complex.

‘......computation as pure and beautiful knowledge.’5 - Mark Gracia

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The complex is an enironment comprising entertainment, shopping and vast natural and high-end areas to accommodate the users. Like many other UNStudio projects the complex intergrates a so called ‘twist’, which are computationally morphed structures to create a void space with spatio-psychological impacts. A continuous twist of sublime spaces.

A.2 Composition/ Generation

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Water Cube Beijing PTW Architects, Arup, CSCEC, CCDI, 2008

The water cube was inspired by soap bubble forms. The form of soap bubbles were modified by algorithms to generate a building system that ultimately formed the building itself. This is an example of imitating a natural form of bubbles, then using it as a base module to be coded and experimented with.

Generating in this approach allows constantly modifying parameters to improve the design. However, when using a base module it is difficult to come across some of the limitations and problems with a base module. Sometimes it may be more effective in using different types of forms to overcome different problems rather than adjusting one base module to encounter with different problems.

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Zayed National Museum Foster + Partners, 2007

The Zayaed National Musm aims to create a highly efficient contemporary formal element with traditional Arabic design and hospitality. Generative design is used not only to accommodate performative issues, but also intergration of culture representation and monumentality. Therefore this project demonstrates a level of control generative approaches can conserve. Contemporary generative forms can also sustain traditional cultures and purposes.

Generative approaches are not a complete discard of traditional qualities. It can be utilised as a more knowledge based and complex way of conjuring science, nature and human culture expressed by generative forms. Sometimes the forms may be a variation of singularities but the overall outcome is an integration of sophisticated complexity.

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Designing should be a knowledge intense process to create a better environment. In contemporary practices and resources, computational designing allows the opportunity to condense different aspect of knowledge to a design solution in a complex and flexible manner. Computational design should be integrated into every design to enhance its performance. Despite the area of expertise that each design choose to utilise computation, such powerful tool should bring more value to a design outcome whenever possible. Parametric design is innovative not only in the way that it can generate complex forms under desirable performance and aesthetics which is almost impossible to be mannual composed. Moreover, it is an approach that enables designers to experiment and discovery results which could not be predicted or expected. When designing in this approach, handful of unforeseen problems could be avoided. As all parameters are set based on knowledge it would continuously add value to the design solution; whislt minimising the possibility of some design intents consequentailly jeopardising other aspects a building system. For my own designs I would hope to experiment with shell structures. Using shell systems create an energy efficient, comfortable and natural environment. I would like to engage with shells because shells are usually the exo-structure of a building, it greately impacts performativity of a building. Furthermore, shell structures have the ability to smoothly and freely define internal volumn spaces, allowing the opportunity for great innovations in spaces hence influencing users. I consider the performance and user comfort the two keys to a successful project.

A.3 Conclusion

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Prior to this subject I had no engagement with computational architecture. I could not understand the concepts that underlaid in the visually thrusting algorithmic aided design structures. After three weeks of researching and learning, I have essential understandings of what computational design is and how powerful it could be. It was to my surprise that all those building forms I have encountered before, are not just artistic fabrications but they are generated performatively. I love the idea of passive designs. It is amazing to design spaces in ways that are constantly creating value for itself at no on-going cost. Parametric design can generate passive systems that are more accurate, innovative and not composable in conventionally ways. I look forward discovering how computation can improve passive designing.

A.4 Learning outcomes

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A.5 Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

Using a referenced curve from rhino as a base, scaled into different sized curves by a scale tool. A graph map input as a parameter is used to modify the scaled curves under different graph types. The curves are also scaled along the x-axis to create a 3 dimensional volumn after been lofted. Above are attemps to create different curve structures that would create a shell as shelter or resting structure.

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References

1 Oxman, Rivka, and Robert Oxman, Theories Of The Digital In Architecture, pp. 2-8

2 Peters, Brady, ‘Computation Works: The Building Of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83 (2013), 8-15

3 Schumacher, Patrik, ‘Tectonic Articulation: Making Engineering Logics Speak’, Architectural Design, 84 (2014), 44-51

4 Leach, Neil, ‘Digital Morphogenesis’, Architectural Design, 79 (2009), 32-37 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ad.806>

5 Garcia, Mark, ‘Future Details Of Unstudio Architectures: An Interview With Ben Van Berkel’, Architectural Design, 84 (2014), 52-61 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ad.1781>

Image References

MVS Architects, VCA Centre For Ideas <http://www.mvsarchitects.com.au/lib/exe/fetch.php?w=930&h=&cache=cache&media=projects:0011vca:interior-join-the-dots.jpg> [accessed 20 March 2015] Office dA, Banq Restaurant, 2015 <http://www.archdaily.com/42581/banq-office-da/bnq_cp_006/> [accessed 20 March 2015] Zaha Hadid Architects, 1000 Museum Residential Tower, 2015 <http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/1000-museum/> [accessed 20 March 2015] UNStudio, Changi Airport Complex <http://www.unstudio.com/projects/changi-airport-complex> [accessed 20 March 2015] Architecture Admirers, Water Cube Beijing, 2014 <http://www.architectureadmirers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/20130423_5e5824947e932cfbe462ZYZctjpe8hAT.jpg> [accessed 20 March 2015] Foster + Partner, Zayed National Museum <http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/zayed-national-museum/gallery/> [accessed 20 March 2015]

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