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AirStudioNicholas du Bern 2013

Contents.

Pages.

1 2-3 4-56-78-1112-131415

Content.

Introduction - Personal Tesimonial Knowledge of Digital Design Architecture as DiscourseComputational ArchitectureParametric ModelingAlgorithmic ExplorationConclusion & Learning OutcomesBibliography

Introduction.Personal Testimonial.

My name is Nick du Bern. I am currently studying at The Univer-sity of Melbourne where I am in my third year of a Bachelors of Environments, Majoring in Architecture. I am Australian born but grew up in New Zealand. I returned to Australia to gain higher education. The things I enjoy most in life are art, design, travel and friends.

After finishing secondary school I did not know what kind of a career I could envisage myself enjoying for the rest of my life so I put a tertiary education on hold. I had a ‘gap year’ that lasted seven years. In that time I mainly travelled which encompassed the world and many seasons chasing the snow. I came to the re-alisation that I wanted to study and so I have decided to embark into a career that I thought I would enjoyed. Architecture ticked all the boxes for a career being creative, evolving, engaging and most of all challenging.

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1. Maximillion Scott-Murray, 2012, Photograph.

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Knowledge.Educational and Digital design Experience.

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Since the commencement of my studies in architecture I have used computer programs as a platform to display, layout and construct pre-designed works derived mainly from physical exploration and design.

In 2011 I completed a first year studio based course ‘Virtual Environments’ where I had an introduction into the possibilities of computer-generated designs with the use of Rhinoceros. The studio worked from design development through to the physical construction of a de-sign. This process included the digitisation of a physical modelinto Rhinoceros. After digitisation we explored different design outcomes and modification using the panelling tools in Rhinoceros. Although my design didn’t significantly contribute anything to the field of digital design, personally it shed light on an area of design and architectture I had never encounter before.

I have also had a small amount of engagement with the fabrication of models using computer aided manufacturing (CAM) using the Fab Labs lazer cutters. I found this method for constructing models much faster and much more accurate.

I am looking forward to investigating digital design outcomes further and pushing myself to gain a greater understanding of the theory involved in the hopes to contribute to this interesting field and evi-dently expanding field of architecture.

2. Nicholas du Bern, 2010, Model/Photograph. 3. du Bern, Model/Photograph.

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4. du Bern, Model/Photograph.

Architecture as Discourse.

Architecture as discourse is the theoretical thinking that is exchanged, analysised, critiqued and fol-lowed (or not followed). This is an ever changing set of ideas and principles that govern the direction of architecture in its strive for forward movetment. His-torically this discourse was generally closed to only the people involved with the architecture, engineer-ing and building. Modern architectural discourse has since evolved with the methods of exploration and now includes an immensely wide variety of disci-plines ranging from science, mathematics, and boat builders to name a few.

Anthony Vidler notes that “any serious “rethinking” of architecture at the start of this century cannot be undertaken without upsetting the structure and emphases of the traditional typologies, and of tradi-tional modes of envisaging the architectural subject […]”. What I take from this statement is there is a necessity to rethink architecture no matter what the outcome is as there will always be an adverse reac-tion when one is experimenting but for a truly open discourse we must break tradition and explore all avenues.[5]

Through the tools and information shared in Air Studio, I plan to take proactive steps in exploring the possibilities to extend my knowledge of architecture as discourse. The importance of architecture is argued by Williams to be forms or structures that govern our movement within an urban environment, which even endeavors to moralize and discipline us. This description of the public realm gives a far greater meaning to

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architecture than merely just built forms. This means that there is a connection between the physical, social and political which can be explored through the development of a holistic and organic view into architecture. This restates the need for discourseto be open to more than just architects but to anyone who feels they can contribute.

I strongly agree with the statement made by Schmacher when he said “architecture as a system of communications is neither a mere collection of artifacts, nor a mere form of knowledge, nor merely a particular professional practice. Rather it encom-passes all three categories: artifacts, knowledge and practices.”. This is way of breaking down the histori-cal and ttheoretical boundaries of what can con-tribute to architectural discourse. This means that architectural dialog can be shared and interoperated from many different forms of information, ideas and areas.[6]

The endeavour for innovation in architecture is not a new concept and neither is computational design a radically new concept. Throughout the cold war era, the work by a group of MIT researchers and engi-neering students developed technological design discourses based around computational abstrac-tions. The above image show some of the first abstractions. This new idea addative to architectural discourse altered the view on possible design out-comes and design parameters. This was the basis of what 3D software are based off today and has significantly changed the possibilities of architecture today with the use of Algorithmic exploration. [8]

5. Vidler, Anthony. ‘Review of Rethinking Architecture and The Anaesthetics of Architecture by Neal Leach’, Harvard Design Magazine, no. 11 (2000), pp. 36. Patrik Schumacher. ‘Introduction : Architecture as Autopoietic System’, The Autopoiesis of Architecture (2011), pp. 1.

7. Daniel Llach, ‘Algorithmic Tectonics: How Cold War Era Research Shaped Our Imagina-tion of Design’, Architectural Design, pp 21.8. Llach, ‘Algorithmic Tectonics: How Cold War Era Research Shaped Our Imagination of Design’.

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Architectural discourse can be seen as a way in which we as a global culture can reform the interpretations we have upon the built environment to gain a current yet constantly evolving meaning, function and practise of architecture. “buildings with no capacity to change can only become slums of ancient monuments”[9]. Some of the work by Archigram was really interesting in terms of theory and exploration that added to architectural discourse. The project submitted to the 1967 Paris Biennale des Jeunesses was based around the idea of ones self determination of their own environment where designers and architects are not involved. The structure is reduced to a mere carcass, which the inhabitants control.[10]

Le Corbusiers Villa Savoye (1931) is another project that contrib-uted to a new way of thinking about architecture. This building was designed encompassing these new ideas of Le Corbusier, the five points of architecture. Simplified the five points are as follows, The main structure lifted off the ground on pilotis which links to the next two points, a free façade and an open interior. Ribbon windows for continuous engagement with the external environment and last but not least a rooftop garden to naturally replace the area in which building sits. These five points have been monumental in their influ-ence for future architects and their inhabitants. Although slightly altered these five points are very commonplace in current architec-ture.[12]

Right - Vila Savoye. Architect: Le CorbusierLocation: Poissy, France.Year: 1931

Below - Drawings byArchigram.Architect: ArchigramLocation: Paris Biennale des Jeunesses, France.Year: 1967

9. Archigram, dir., Archigram, bbc Productions, 1966. Lecture 1, Studio Air 2013, Stanislav Roudavski, University of Melbourne. 10. ‘Control and Choice Dwelling’, Archigram, 2010, < http://archigram.westminster.ac.uk/project.php?drwid=291>11. Archigram, ‘Control and Choice Dwelling’.

12. Leupen, Bernard. ‘Design and Analysis’, (New York : Van Nostrad Reinhold, 1997), pp 51.< http://sarahgoldschmidt.com/the-machine-debate-le-corbusier-villa-savoye-and-the-meaning-of-modern/>13.

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Computational Architecture.

Computers have been used in architecture for nearly 50 years. Over the last ten years the use of computers has become a stand-ard tool in the industry. In recent

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This can restrict the function, form and performance of the model.

One of the other changes that comes with Compu-tation is the ability to incorporate a wide variety of information and data within a 3D drawing in a com-puter program. This information can be things such as the analysis of the material performance, struc-tural analysis, and the break down of components for Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM).

With the uses of computers new opportunities are becoming more widely used and explored. The use of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) brings a new level of precise and complex construction. The use of machines and robots mean the ability to cre-ate incredibly intricate and technical structures (or parts of) at a faster rate with higher precision than if a human had constructed it. The use of parametric design is not only about con-trol but is also about exploration. Pre-rationalisation is one method in which one can set out a number of principle rules regarding the feasibility of construc-tion from the start of the design process. With the use of computational parametric design, a shift from the stricter pre-rationalisation may occur. A different approach could be post-rationalisation where an aesthetic design outcome is the main focus and not the physical conditions of a constructed building.

years there has been a change in the way archi-tects are using computers in relation to the design process. There is two ways in which you can talk about computers with architecture. Kostas Terzidis terms “computerisation” as the act where an archi-tect uses a computer program as a platform where drawings are easily and quickly edited, copied and highly precise.[13] This is one benefit of using com-puters in architecture.

In comparison to computerisation, Computation is still a relatively uncommon practise in architecture today. Computation is the use of computer pro-grams to aid in the creation of a structure that is designed through the limitations set by a framework where parameters determine the interaction be-tween different data sets within the set framework. This method is not new but the depth of complexity and its relationship connections possible helps in creating complicated and informed, geometries and structures.[14]

Similarly to the other movements in history such as the inventive industrial age, Computation in architec-ture is changing the way in which the design pro-cess is approached. Instead of a process where a project is pre-designed and then represented within a computer, you can set out information within a computer program and generate designs from the setting out and definitions of data with parameters.

13.Terzidis, Kostas, ‘Algorithmic Architecture’, Oxford: Architectural, 2006.14. Menges, A, & Ahlquist, ‘Computational Design Thinking’, (Chichester, UK : John Wiley & Sons, 2011).

15. Stock Photo - Steel arch golden Fish Frank O Gehry Port Olympic, Barcelona< http://www.123rf.com/photo_17025189_steel-arch-golden-fish-frank-o-gehry-port-olympic-barcelona.html

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The work by firms such as Gehry Partners show a thorough under-standing of post-rationalisation. A design may be physically con-structed with the use of sketch models and then digitally remake the model in a 3D computer program. With the use of math-ematical concepts with a specific material in mind (generally sheet metal), the out comes they can envisage are generally very inter-esting and exploratory yet com-pletely feasible. Physically model-ling their designs from card helps

Peix d’Or.Architect: Gehry + PartnersLocation: Barcelona, Spain.Year: 1992

the production process has changed the roles of architects from just the designer to the designer-builder. actively progressing. The ability to change a model and alter a model in a 3d design format can have the advantage of taking little time and automated correcting of features. A key factor I believe that parametric design offers the new wave of design thinking is change and alter, over the traditional process of scrap it and re-design. Within parametric design another factor in parametric design is the method of design exploration can quite easily lead to unexpected design outcomes. These unexpected outcomes can be a positive design feature that was inconceivable and or unthinkable through the con-ventional design approach.

and refine the model as the card mimics the proper-ties of sheet metal in reality. The use of computers and parametric design is to investigate, refine and capture these innovative geometries. This approach is one that I believe is acutely feasible due to the relationship between materials and geometry.

This is reflected in their project the Peix d’Or or Fish Sculpture at Vila Olimpica in Barcelona, 1989-1992. This design was constructed using a computer software originally designed for aircraft design and manufacture, CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimen-sional Interactive Application). This design was a ‘file to factory’ project where no paper plans were necessary in its manufacture of its components. At the time this was a relatively new idea for architec-ture and this project added to global architectural discourse.[16]

The accessibility of new options of manufacturing. The convergence the representational process and 16. Lazo, Caroline E. ‘Frank Gehry’, (Minneapolis : Twenty-First Century Books, 2006).17. Lazo, ‘Frank Gehry’.

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Parametric Modeling.

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intent in merely a new directional platform that adds a more complex and directive relation through strict algorithms. This has brought about a change in not only in design approach but the total methodical pro-cess the project at hand.

Parametric thinking has emerged out of the field of mathematics. Mathematics in some way or another have been involved in architec-ture from the beginning, over the years extremely complex mathemat-ics have been involved in many pre-computer age buildings. Computa-tion means a new element of mathematics is added to the architectural design process that had not been thoroughly utilized before. The aesthetic final form is not the primary focus at the beginning of explo-ration, it is first the patterns, then details are added which culminate into a final form. Inessential details are left out in this process leaving a certain room for unexpected design outcomes. This is contrasting with traditional design approaches.

This means, if a complex design is planned via the traditional method of design and is incorrect or needs reworking, the amount of time and effort may make the project unfeasible. The design outcomes of a parametric design may not be evident until the final stages of the pro-cess and as there is a more cohesive connection and understanding of the design this mean a change can be more easily altered.

These algorithms within the design must be carefully planned and understood if any value can be taken form it. It is very important to un-derstand what the algorithmic relationships are in the design as com-plexity can be the downfall of computational parametric design.

Parametric modeling from my un-derstanding is not new. The idea of having set number of param-eters that are interrelated comes with practically any design. The notion of a parameter or function that governs a design output is normal. The emergence of com-putation with parametric design

18. Skylar Tibbits, Image, 2011, < http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html>

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Through out the building up of a design, the nodes and algorithms may form extremely complex and daunting groupings, this can be confusing or hard to interoper-ate which will limit the ability to share the information with anyone else or even their creator them-selves. This is where importance of planning, clarity and notation come into play as an algorithm is explained like a recipe, if one ingredient is missing then your dinner is ruined. Some designers like myself find it hard to think in this new world of textual repre-sentation but it is really just like a language that needs to be stud-ied, practiced and learnt.

VoltaDom.Architect: Skylar tibbitsLocation: Massachusetts, USA.Year: 2011

A good example of Tessellation is in the work Volta-Dom by Skylar Tibbits. This installation is positioned in a hallway between two buildings. The structure is made of hundreds of doubly curved vaults with oculi openings. The aim of the project was to create a complex surface with an ease of assembly. This was feasible through the use of computational de-sign. The vaults were made so that each vault was a developable surface that could be flattened into a single flat plane and in turn machine cut straight from information supplied by the 3D computer mod-el. This shows that with the aid of computational design, incredibly complex forms can become easily constructible and visually very captivating.[20]

Once you know the language and understand how dynamic parametric modeling can be, the possibility for exploration are immense. This dynamism means that varied design outcomes are easily and quickly produced. Through a dedicated community of parametric designers, there is a large support base, which is actively engaged in parametric design as a discourse.

A section of parametric design that interests me is the tessellation of extremely complex forms. Tes-sellation at its most basic definition is the possible patterns and forms in which a surface of plane can be broken into. This is not to say that its strictly a aesthetic approach yet is often linked to the underly-ing structure of a design.

19. Skylar Tibbits, Image, 2011, < http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html>20. ‘Voltadom – MIT 2011’, Sjet, Date accessed: 17/3/2013, < http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTA-DOM.html>

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Dragon Skin Pavilion.Architect: Emmi Keskisarja, Pekka Tynkkynen, Kristof Crolla, and Sebastien DelegrangeLocation: Hong Kong, China.Year: 2012

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Another very interesting project was the Dragon Skin Pavilion by Ar-chitects Emmi Keskisarja, Pekka Tynkkynen, Kristof Crolla, and Se-bastien Delegrange. This project was also made with tessellation. Like Gehrys ‘Fish’ this is a file to factory design. the only material used in this project was post-formable Grada Plywood. It is a new material that can be heated and compressed into forms, this is revolutionary in the field of moldable plywood. As well as the use of new materials, CNC machines manufactured the joins that connect each individual board.

This helped in creating very accurate construction method that steered away from conventional methods of communication where plans and drawings are necessary.

The two precedence mentioned previously show a shift in design approach and procedure. They are a new way of designing and con-structing. These projects in my opinion add to the greater architectural discourse.[22]

21. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012, < http://dragonskinproject.com/> 22. ‘Dragon Skin Pavilion’, Labritory for Explorative Architecture and Design, Date Accessed 20/3/2013, <http://www.l-e-a-d.pro/projects/dragon-skin-pavilion/2259>

23. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012. 24. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012.

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Through out the building up of a design, the nodes and algorithms may form extremely complex and daunting groupings, this can be confusing or hard to interoperate which will limit the ability to share the information with anyone else or even their creator themselves. This is where importance of planning, clarity and notation come into play as an algorithm is explained like a recipe, if one ingredient is missing then your dinner is ruined. Some designers like myself find it hard to think in this new world of textual representation but it is really just like a language that needs to be studied, practiced and learnt.

Once you know the language and understand how dynamic para-metric modeling can be, the possi-bility for exploration are immense. This dynamism means that varied design outcomes are easily and quickly produced. Through a ded-icated community of parametric designers, there is a large support base, which is actively engaged in parametric design as a discourse.

A section of parametric design that interests me is the tessellation of extremely complex forms. Tes-sellation at its most basic-

definition is the possible pat-terns and forms in which a sur-face of plane can be broken into. This is not to say that its strictly a aesthetic approach yet is often linked to the underlying struc-ture of a design. A good exam-ple of Tessellation is in the work VoltaDom by Skylar tibbits. This installation is positioned in a hall-way between two buildings. The structure is made of hundreds of doubly curved vaults with oculi openings. The aim of the project was to create a complex surface

with an ease of assembly. This was feasible through the use of computational design. The vaults were made so that each vault was a developable surface that could be flattened into a single flat plane and in turn machine cut straight from information supplied by the 3D computer model. This shows that with the aid of computational design, incredibly complex forms can become easily constructible and visually very captivating. (sjet)

25. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012.

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Algorithmic Explorations.

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When exploring Rhino and Grass-hopper the most interesting Exlab tutorial I followed was Fractal Tetrahedra. I found the possible geometries very interesting. Ex-ploring alternative outcomes with different shapes like hexahedrons however were not very success-ful. I found my limited knowledge a real limiter in the exploration as I had Ideas to add to the design yet didn’t have the knowledge to execute them.

I explored the possibilities for the use of Computer Aided Manu-facture in a similar way to that of the Dragon Skin Project. Planar surfaces could be cut and as-sembled from the model on the lower left. The edges were offset to extend beyond the joins.

The Model images of the mod-els over the page are from the repeated use of the Mirror com-mand in Rhinoceros. This created some very interesting outcome. I think these geometries with some tessellation to explore optimi-zation could be an interesting avenue.

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Conclusion: With the use of parametric design via computation, architects have gained a new approach to designing and constructing. This is totally revolutionary not only in the design process but also in the involvement of a wider array of consultants, which include the user. The aesthetics of a building do not need to be separate when using parametric design, the ability to combine the two into one interrelated model is possible. Through my research in this field, have seen the difference and value that this design approach that can give us as designers. My studio-group and myself plan on using these new methods to explore an architecture response to the Wyndham City Gateway project. The approach we will take is that of a design process where a design out-come is set by the allocation of parameters with explicit relationships to each other that governs the outcome. A focus on tessellation will be a key factor but as our explorations in parametric design unfold other factors are likely to be included such as patterning, materials, and structure. This method will create an in depth and connected response to the brief that will hold a high level of complexity. This level of com-plexity will not be seen as a barrier but will show the scope and feasi-bility of using tools such as computational design. This will be an ex-ample of Australia’s, and more specifically Wyndham’s strive for more advanced involvement with architecture and its current discourse.

Learning Outcomes: Throughout the course so far I have learnt new and interesting theories about architect and the way in which design outcomes may be achieved. Through the engagement with the sup-plied texts and my own research, I have gained an understanding that this field of architecture is under constant discussion and transforma-tion. For any of my previous design projects I could have used para-metric design happily if I had known the language to use it. I think that this is a very valuable and significant area of architecture that I’m sure will become commonplace in future.

Conclusion and Learning Out-comes.

26. Old and New, Nicholas du Bern, Digital Collage, 2013.

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1. Scott-Murray, Maximillion, 2012, Digital Photograph, Personal Source.

2. du Bern, Nicholas, 2010, Model/Digital Photograph, Personal Source. 3. Ibid.4. Ibid.

5. Vidler, Anthony. ‘Review of Rethinking Architecture and The Anaesthetics of Architecture by Neal Leach’, Harvard Design Magazine, no. 11 (2000), pp. 3

6. Patrik Schumacher. ‘Introduction : Architecture as Autopoietic System’, The Autopoiesis of Archi-tecture (2011), pp. 1.

7. Llach, Daniel C, ‘Algorithmic Tectonics: How Cold War Era Research Shaped Our Imagination of Design’, Architectural Design, Volume 83, pages 16–21, March/April 2013,Wiley online library, viewed 10/3/2013

8. Llach, ‘Algorithmic Tectonics: How Cold War Era Research Shaped Our Imagination of Design’.

9. Archigram, dir., Archigram, bbc Productions, 1966. Lecture 1, Studio Air 2013, Stanislav Rou-davski, University of Melbourne.

10. ‘Control and Choice Dwelling’, Archigram, 2010, < http://archigram.westminster.ac.uk/project.php?drwid=291>11. Ibid.

12. Leupen, Bernard. ‘Design and Analysis’, (New York : Van Nostrad Reinhold, 1997), pp 51.< http://sarahgoldschmidt.com/the-machine-debate-le-corbusier-villa-savoye-and-the-meaning-of-modern/>

13.Terzidis, Kostas. 2006. Algorithmic architecture / Kostas Terzidis. n.p.: Oxford : Architectural, 2006., 2006. University Of Melbourne’s Catalogue, EBSCOhost (accessed April 1, 2013).

14. Menges, Achim, and Sean Ahlquist. Computational design thinking / edited by Achim Menges and Sean Ahlquist. n.p.: Chichester, UK : John Wiley & Sons, c2011., 2011. Harvard Library Biblio-graphic Dataset, EBSCOhost (accessed March 25, 2013).

15. Stock Photo - Steel arch golden Fish Frank O Gehry Port Olympic, Barcelona< http://www.123rf.com/photo_17025189_steel-arch-golden-fish-frank-o-gehry-port-olympic-barcelona.html

16. Lazo, Caroline E. ‘Frank Gehry’, (Minneapolis : Twenty-First Century Books, 2006). pp. 139-140.17. Ibid, pp. 362.

18. Skylar Tibbits, Image, 2011, < http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html>19. Ibid

20. ‘Voltadom – MIT 2011’, Sjet, Date accessed: 17/3/2013, < http://sjet.us/MIT_VOLTADOM.html>

21. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012, < http://dragonskinproject.com/>

22. ‘Dragon Skin Pavilion’, Labritory for Explorative Architecture and Design, Date Accessed 20/3/2013, <http://www.l-e-a-d.pro/projects/dragon-skin-pavilion/2259>

23. Dragon Skin Pavilion, Photograph, 2012, < http://dragonskinproject.com/>24. Ibid25. Ibid

26. du Bern, Nicholas, 2013, Old and New, Digital Collage.

Bibliography