JOURNAL

DEGUO HOU (JACK)387313

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO AIR

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WEEK 1

“ARCHITECTURE AS A

DISCOURSE”

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What is architecture?Architecture is problem solving, architecture is a design space for human using, and ar-chitecture is culture practices.

“Any serious “rethinking” of architecture at the start of this century cannot be under-taken without upsetting the structure and emphases of the traditional profession, of traditional typologies, and of traditional typologies, and of traditional modes of en-visaging the architectural subject […].”

Architecture can be defined as Art. “The architect is a special kind of artist who works in three dimen-sions, but unlike the sculptor, he – and this is still an overwhelmingly masculine profession – works to enclose space as well as simply making objects in space.” Architecture is considered as art, the build-ing was designed with art pattern, form and color. Thus, generally building is an individual work of art, is the interest of the building designer or the artist.

It is my latest studio work, inspired from Mario Botta. Personally, I think this is an example of the combination of tradition design idea and the new computing design technology. The design was in two phases, first is all about “copy” from Mario Botta’s concept and design ideas and developing a new boathouse which suit in the site. Then, I started to use the SketchUp and CAD to regenerate the building form and building experiences. So that, the design in phases one and two becomes totally different, which in phase two, there is new form, new ramp and openings. It’s more interesting, and creative.

Architecture can also be defined as Sign. Architecture isn’t an art at all. It will change with its envi-ronment, clients, and materials and so on. Thus, architecture can be a sign of age, show the changes of culture, history and human interest. Also architecture like Eiffel tower, is icon architecture of Paris city, it is also a sign in another way, which is a monument.

Personally, architecture is about changing, from traditional to the new technology, computation.

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The upcoming Shanghai tower, the current second world tallest building that is under construction, is going to be at the famous Lujiazui District, Pudong of Shanghai, China. The tower will be 632m high with 128 floors. The design is to be based on modernism, sustainability and appropriateness of the form to the built environment of the city.

This is a new modern architecture, it is an art work, has very complex form and beautiful shape. It is a sign, as the tower is the second tallest architecture in the world. All this is achieved with computer design. Compare this to the 19th skyscraper; the architecture based on computer design contains more interesting idea, form, shape, and function. It is more efficiency and achievable. With computer design, the architec-ture is not just a building anymore; it is about innova-tion of technology, exploration of interests.

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Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloqui-ally as the Bird's Nest, is a stadium in Beijing, China. Again, this is a very different to the perversely design, the curve elements, façade and materials breaks the traditional ideas of architecture.

Architecture as discourse, telling the story about the past and the futher, transferring the design idea and grouping all the elements into one object.

Relate to the Gateway project, in the brief, the clients asked for “Iconic feature”, “Daytime and Nighttime viewing” and so on, Thus. Lighting maybe considered in further development.

WEEK 2

“COMPUTATIONIN

ARCHITECTURE”

"Drawing and scale model allowed architects not only to communicate with the builders and their clients, but also to experiment with alternative design solutions and test them on paper for form and function before they were committed to stone. They allowed more people to become involved in the design process, and allowed the architects to develop more intricate designs."

Drawing and scale model are the communi-cation tools for designer to communicate their ideas with the builders and clients, with compu-tation design, computers allowed designer to draft their ideas in both 2D and 3D presentation, and could easily re-draw and remodeling the ideas, also it provides a good visual presenta-tion to those who are not from the architecture background.

"Computers, by their nature, are superb analytical engines."

By using the computers, the design become logically, computers are never tire and never make mistakes on calculating and simulating. Therefore, it is more efficiency and accurate with computer design. However, in so many years, computer design is just as a tool, a tool to visualize the human ideas, it was not used as the computation design, it was computer-ization. However, computers does provide very interesting concept for designer, so it is im-portant to consider how human communicate with computers, how to transfer the human ideas into computers. Computational design is not only in architecture filed, but also in industry, fashion and others. For the personal interest, I believe that architecture is not just about a building, it is an idea, not an object, so that with computational design, the ideas will effected by other design ideas from different filed which also designed with computer. The ideas then will become more challenge, complex, interesting and efficiency.

This is the school project in Germany, the project itself is an experimental pavilion de-signed and built by using a parametric design skill. The pavilion has the shape of a mini-mal surface and it has been built with more than 2000 beer boxes placed all over the surface form.

As computers are surely the best things in the world for algorithms, thus, parametric design become very interesting as they can allow the designer to reach the level of complexity. Since the computational methods were involved in architecture design process, the new possibilities and challenges were occurs. Digital tools and techniques, such as twisting, lofting, knotting and framing were used systematically to explore spatial, structural and geometrical conditions.

With computational design, designers can form the pat-tern into an object, and this is a very interesting idea for Gateway project, those pat-tern objects are very attrac-tive, and different to an object. So, it is interesting to see a design idea of form the pat-tern into an object in Gateway project.

Computation sounds very interesting and creatively , however, it looks not that easy to get familiar with, especially with grasshopper, it might changes the way people think about architect, it is not just drawing anymore, we are more like a scripting writer or engi-neering- designer. But, it is interesting to experience this technolgy in the Gateway proj-ect desgin, it might will bring us a very different outcome.

Second week, I'm getting clear to the course, but still, find difficult with the software introduced.

Computers, by their na-ture, are superb analytical engines. They are efficient at information gathering and solving design problem.

Computational process innovation consists in the possibility of extending the related performance to range of geometries.

Computer also can do the 3D modeling, it will save people on time and cost. Moreover, people can have visual experi-ence of the design

WEEK 3

“PARAMETRIC DESIGN”

Last week, I mentioned the relationship between computer and human, and talked about the lack of transfer human ideas to computer, but through this week's study, I think that scripting is a way to connect computers and human.

Digital technologies are changing architectural practices in ways that few were able to anticipate just a decade ago. With digital technologies, construction of very complex form, as information can be extracted, exchanged, and utilized with far greater facility and speed. Thus, digital technology has a great impact on construction practice and the building design. The use of digital media is profoundly challenging the traditional processes of design and construction. Parametric design is one of the digital technolo-gies, parametric can provide for powerful conception of architectural form by describing a range of possibilities, replacing in a processing stable with variable, singularity with multiplicity.

It is a new 76-story resi-dential tower, designed with glass and steel facade by Frank Gehry, in New York. This is one of an example that digital design can achieved, that brings technical innovation into the architecture discipline, it takes architecture into a creative and complex form, however, parametric design is still new in architecture field, and the design core is still remains in transitional ideas.

Parametric design appears: Dynamic, Complex, Attractive, Movement and multiple surface.

Thus, complex, attractive, move-ment may be considered in further development in the project. Eg. On the right, the design gives people a visual effect of ‘depth’, feeling like walking into deep.

Movement is a quite interesting thing to experience in the Gateway project, it can be achieved by paramertric design, therefore, in the later development, I’m going to use paramertric design to create some interesting concept for the project, for example movement.

From first three weeks, we developed the idea of computation design step by step, so I have much clear idea now about this new filed and learned some interesting ideas from parametric design, therefore it is really excited to experience this new technology in the later Gateway project.

WEEK 4

“RESEARCH PROJECT:CUT DEVELOP

MATRIX”

Following the CUT definitions, I took some part of input out and combine with others, try to work out a complex and well-look model. What I found interestting is the image sampler, and the rotation and extru-sion. Now, I get better knowledge about Grasshopper, and quite enjoy it. I tried to link to our next project- Gateway, I experimented different thing, include color, movement, honey cone, overlapping surface and create a bunch of small openings on surface, etc.

“Framing task is very important for every computer design.”

Last week, I mentioned I’m interested in the con-cept of “movement”, so that, in this week, I did a lot experiments by using rotation and overlapping, trying to create some interesting concept of motion. The diagram below showing the multiple different layers overlapping, when we look it from the top, it looks like a rain water or something drop into a deep.

As it is a Gateway on the highway, I’m trying to make the project dynamic, relate to its context, so that when people driving through, they can found some interest-ing thing.

WEEK 5

“RESEARCH PROJECT:CUT DEVELOPCASE STUDY”

5.1 Airspace Tokyo

5.2 Dior Ginza

Designer developed a series of digitally- geerated geometric patterns wihch were the overlaid and projcted as avoids which puncture the two layers of the facade.

The facae was developed as a double -layered skin with two different color-balck and white. The second layer pat-tern is scaled down 30% and combined with the literal offset between the two layers which produces a hazy effect.

5.3 BANQ Restaurant

5.4 Gantenbein Vineyard Facade

The design of space is conceptualized around the division, on the z axis, between the ceiling and the ground. To that end, they developed a striated wood-slatted system.

The bricks was laid with an offset that permits indi-rect ligh to penetrate through the masonry wall

As the bricks lay with a different orientation and spaces, the fa-cade appears dynamic and pattern forms.

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Further Study: BANQ Restaurant

From the above CUT example, I picked BANQ restaurant for further development in Grasshop-per, as I think it is a quite different case to others. First, with the tim-ber material, the facade appear more naturally. Second, changing the scale of the layers gradually to create movement, especially, when people driving in a fast speed which has also been men-tioned in the Gateway Project.

Inspired from this, I’m going to play with a similar idea of over-lapping with gradually changing scale of each layer, and try to develop my design concept of dynamic and movement.

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WEEK 6

“RESEARCH PROJECT:CUT DEVELOP

PERSONAL MODELLING”

Overlapping create the depth which provide visual strike

By using overlapping in grasshopper, we developed a 10 layers object with gradually changing circles, we are try-ing to create the visual effect of depth, overlapping and motion.

We also related to the project brief, took the daytime and night time view of the design, and we found it is very interesting of these night time shots, when people driving pass, they could see the flashing lights which caused by the overlapping layers. Moreover, we experi-enced on the natural elements too - water. The water changed the shape, texture and color of the model, which we thought it is interesting about the material chosen.

This is our 2nd sketch model, which we experienced on sturcture, surface, pattern, light, shadow and also we took the video of driving experience in the model.

We found that by using parametric design, the design suddenly become very interesting, as there are lot things we never thought about before. The grasshopper really helped in our design process, and generate many different ideas which is something traditional design methods couldn’t achieved.

WEEK 7

“RESEARCH PROJECT:CUT

FABRICATE”

In seven weeks, we have been developed a lot new staff, the first three weeks, we are learning on the advantages of the computational design, and through the Ex-lab and Quiz, we are getting more familiar with parametric design, Grasshopper. However, it is still a hard filed to study, but in the week 4, the case study and Matrix really helped a lot, and also we learned a lot from our peers, it is a good idea of researching in a group. The EOI helped us to get to the design project step by step, in the week 6, we are started build our physic sketch model and tried to play around with Fablab. With the sketch model, we had an opportunity on experiencing with the different effect, such as structure, shadow, light and color. Also, by photography the model, we could see the different view angles of the project. It is a good structure outline for learning a new thing, however, more time needed.

For the next 4 weeks, we will going to finalize our final design project, so far we haven’t connect to the brief and site much, so we will make sure get that done in the following weeks.

CONCLUSION

WEEK 8

“RESEARCH PROJECT:CUT

REDEVELOPMENT”

With the feedback given in the presentation, first I’m going to combine my two sketch model ideas into one, and let them performance as a one design, and also, I’m going to build closer relationship with the site and the project brief. Second, at this stage, our design concept is still quite wildly, so we need to find some connection between all design ideas, and working on one specific.

+ = ?+ BRIEF/SITE

REFERENCE Archi Daily 2009, Broadcasting Architecture Worldwide, USA viewed 12th April 2012 http://www.archdaily.com/42581/banq-office-da/ Biothing 2007

Biothing Continuum, UK viewed 20th April 2012 http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5 Burry, Mark (2011).

Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 8 - 71. Moussavi, Farshid and Michael Kubo, eds (2006). The Function of Ornament (Barce-lona: Actar), pp. 5-14 Dezeen Magazine 2011, Dezeen Limited 2006-2010, London viewed 19th April 2012 http://www.dezeen.com/2011/10/31/icditke-research-pavilion-at-the-university-of-stutt-gart/ Heatherwick Studio 2010, Thomasd Heatherwick, UK viewed 19th April 2012 http://www.heatherwick.com/uk-pavilion/

Office dA Inc. 2006-2008, BANQ restaurant, structure perspective, viewed 21st April 2012 http://homedecorhousedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Unique-Restau-rant-Interior-concept.jpg

Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Defini-tions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 – 16

Yatzer 2009, Costas Voyatzis, Greece viewed 12th April 2012 http://yatzer.com/BANQ-restaurant-by-Office-dA Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theo-ries, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004)