In recent years, myriad computational technologies and theories has been applied to work with creative ideas to open a new chapter in the design field. Through explorations, they further branch into many unprecedented realms that produced innovative design solutions.

Yet beyond this, a computational approach to architecture enables the genera-tion of the previously unseen. Forms that can longer be conceived of through traditional methods become possible. New realms open up. ————Michael Hansmeyer

The New Realm

This semester, we were asked to incorporate some avant-garde digital technolo-gies to our design. Progresses in exploitation of these amazing computer gener-ated design will be recorded in this journal and followed by exercises on utiliz-ing latest design tools such as Rhino and its grasshopper plug-in. Furthermore, a design task of a gateway for Wyndham City was set out so that we can embrace the revolutionary design ideas better through actual practice.

The objectives will be to keep improving our design skills based on previous 2 studios while coming to realization that architecture, as many of other areas in the design field, has came to the age of pioneering dominated by digital tech-nologies.

1. Wyndham City Gateway Project Major Concerns interpreted from brief.

Case for Innovation 2. Architecture as discourse - The Tower of Nests - Driftwood Pavilion - Land of Giants Reflection + Preliminary Expression of Interest Computational Architecture - Innovation in system - Innovation in process Scripting and Programming - Hyposurface

Content

3. CUT. Experiments Matrix. Input/Association/Output Further explorations Case Study - Spanish Pavilion Reflection on Case Study Developing ideas through model making

Preliminary Narrative 4. Preliminary Narrative Refining after Feedback More experiments

5. Gateway Project

Conclusion 6.

As the Wyndham City Gateway Project will be the ma-jor project for this studio, the design brief, as a crucial key to a successful design, need to be understood well and analysized first. Therefore, the journal will start with the brief, requirements and expectations from the client will be extracted to gain a general under-standing of the design and to set goals.

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According to the brief, Wyndham city needs better living condition and aes-thetic streetscapes, more open spaces and parks.

A harmony between natural environ-ment and human activity need to be maintained while applying modern concept.

The design needs to work with local his-tory and culture, creating a sense of pride to express Wyndham City’s value seen in the past and future.

With the emerging parametric tide pushing design into the new era, advanced technology and ways of thinking will be incroporated into the project for Wyndham City, aiming to add highlights to local community upon meeting its requirements from given brief.

Wyndham City Gateway ProjectRequirements, Concerns and Goals

Location and raised concerns- On urban growth boundary where residential and commercial meets undeveloped plain- Sense of arrival, fresh experience

Design Concerns and Requirements:- Exciting and eye-catching- Inspiring and enriches the manicipality- Longerity, survive the first glance- Need significant impact, iconic feature- Dialogue between the design and its landscape- Work with speed, passing motorists

Architecture is after all a form of art that speaks a language, to communicate and to serve its targeted audiences. To understand the high appreciation of architecture as discourse, research of successful prec-edents will be conducted. By looking into how they deliver ideas through design method, hopefully, some of their clever ideologies could give inspiration and be further developed in the Gateway Project.

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The Tower of NestsTowards the Future Metropolis.

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The Tower of Nests is a conceptual future project of a high-rise structure designed as a habitat for human, birds, insects and wildlife in Shanghai. Regarding environmental issues, this project contributes a new vision in urban architecture to achieve the balance between industrial development and the nature. In order to build a better society, the designers promote sustainability and harmony with nature.

http://www.kjellgrenkaminsky.se/projects/127-a-tower-of-nests.html

‘We need to learn how to coexist with nature. We propose a building that aims to become a symbol; not of power nor wealth, but of a new era of harmony and interplay between nature and mankind.’ In this sense, the tower is not only a built environmental factor but also a language call on the responsibility in maintaining the natural environment as human and animals are brought closer and the contact becomes richer than ever. In this sense, this tower contains a greater value in rooting a sustainable future.

The Driftwood PavilionThe impending digital tide.

Driftwood Pavilion is a project that used para-metric technology to create a piece of archi-tectural language to make connection with the audiences, to communicate. Through a computer-generated script, the movement of lines was generated in a continuous parallel fashion, creating line drawings which formed the basis of a plan. Designer’s interests re-volved around carving, eroding and layering. By such manipulation, a sense of movement is celebrated which gives the structure a liv-ing atmosphere. According to William’s article again, such design is becoming a form of art which everyone has their own intepretation. Placed in a public square, while some might find it out of place, some others like me, might perceive the beauty of flowing lines, some can feel sentimental connections to its conceptual links to driftwood and the sea and people who is interested in structures ans spatial arrangement might praise its deeply sculpted form.

http://www.dezeen.com/2009/07/03/driftwood-pavil-ion-by-aa-unit-2-opens/

Also, thinking about its construction, such smooth lines and complex structure are at-tained thanks to digital technology. Therefore, the scultural pavilion also spell a new future of fabrication. Referring to Architecture and Visual Culture, communication are needed not only for stakeholders but also for the builders. And through the exploration of innovation on construction, robots are designed to take script of the design and then produce the structure. Such advanced technology used is also to com-municate the idea of a digital future.

Land Of GiantsIntelligent Monuments.

The Land of Giants is an award-winning unbuilt project located in Iceland. It is a very smart design, making only minor alterations to existing steel-framed electricity tow-ers, the pylons are then tunred into a humanoid shaped sculpture soaring into the sky. Symbolizing a cultural and humanist value, the pylons are again signs express-ing mankind creativity and intellegence. The designers sucessfully elaborated the brilliant idea of turning infra-structure on modern landscape perceived intrusive to art pieces that are functional and at the mean time, aestheti-cally pleasing.

More than that, the pylons can configure to respond to their environment with appropriate gestures. When the carried electrical lines ascend a hill, the pylon-figures change posture, imitating a climbing person which clev-erly in a way project moods fitting with their surround-ing. The dialogue between the design and its landscape is, in this project, very well stretched out.

‘These iconic pylon-figures will become monuments in the landscape. Seeing the pylon-figures will become an unforgettable experience, elevating the towers to some-thing more than merely a functional design of necessity.’

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/11155/choi-shine-architects-the-land-of-giants.html

The Tower of Nests

REFLECTION

Setting aside the question on whether the tower can be built and will it actually work or not, this concept is very innovative as a architectural project and even more profound as a dis-course. And the promoted idea of interplay with nature is exactly what I was looking forward to do in the Wyndham City Gateway project. Since Wyndham city has such a rich history and territories of natural attractions. In this sense, I am looking for a integration or compromise between the new-borned digital star in the thriving industrial world and our Mother Nature’s warm embraces. Moreover, The Tower of Nests was proposed with a skin constructed with natural materials such as wicker, straw clay and stone. Tracing back to early life on earth before human was even born, birds and insects were natural’s architects, therefore, the use of earth material and the concept of imitating structure from nature may be very appealing.

Driftwood Pavilion

Sense of movement, celebrated in the Driftwood Pavilion, is one of the key concepts that digital design brings by introducing the smooth flowing lines and surfaces. (Kolarevic) These continuous flowing lines together with the sense of movement are highly appreciated by the audiences, in this case, as they deliver an emotional impact. Evoking emotions is an im-portant connection to make for a successful design with its audience, such approach will be very much effective in the Gateway Project since it needs to be a iconic feature that delivers significant impacts. Also, the sense of movement is very appealing for the motorists moving

Land of Giants

Similiar smart design method used in Land of Gianta that alters existing element on site into an affective visual feature was also applied on the ‘House in the Sky‘ project in Werribee re-gion. Inspection on possible resources for alteration located on Gateway site will be included during further design process. As quoted earlier, driving past such design as Land of Giants will be a unforgettable experience, a fun and vibrant experiencial atmosphere will be an es-sential core in my Gateway design in order to enrich local community and its manicipality.

To briefly conclude, general goals set in this phase is to create a fun and experiencial struc-ture that is able to interact and make connections with audiences; to bring laughters, a good mood or even a minor smile that add to its social value; to bring closer nature and promote the harmony; to celebrate the sense of movement.

The rising revolutionary digital forces brought amaz-ing innovations in both design system and process. These innovative thinking and methods will be dis-covered that might direct some influences on how we approach the Gateway Project design.

Following that, the Hyposurface project that express-es contenporary scripting and computer program-ming culture will be looked into details. Again, it aims to reflect how modern techonologies enable numer-ous possibilities and brilliant creativities.

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ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMINNOVATION IN

In general, enabled by the use of computa-tional programming, the design process are much more flexible than drafting by hand, simply by pulling some control bars, adjust-ment can always be made also following a very logical order that computer generates. Also during the design process, information can be easily extract or exchange according to designer’s needs. (Kolarevic)

New perception towards architecture has been pointed out by architects such as Manuel de Landa, similiar to Michael Hansmeyer’s idea taken from nature, architecture aid by com-putational technology is now conceptualized as an open living system which has its bones and skins, which grows to adapt to the envi-ronment. Like the growth of a child, the bones develop together with the skin to make sure it functions the best. Then it comes to my per-sonal interpretation, with the powerful com-putational technology, parametric architecture is shifting the idea of each design into a living cell.

Computational, digital architectures are defined by computationally-based processes of form origination and transformations, i.e. processes that emphasize log-ics of the underlying computational concepts such as isomorphic polysurfaces and motion kinematics. —— Kolarevic

As a living organism, motion is highlighted in many modern projects such as Greg Lynn’s roof for a bus ter-minal with its form imitating its surrounding traffic and pedestrians’ movement through a series of data gener-ated to therefore respond to its environment.

Fermid Breathing LightAs another mean of applying kine-matic movements, Fermid light was designed mimicking the breathing movement of a living organism. Natural inhaling and exhaling move-ment is controlled by a device under-neath, applying external forces to the curled white skin.

With no bloby shape and compli-cated geometry, a skeleton with advanced technology is decorated with texture produced through parametric thinking. The light, how-ever, seems to lack a sense of rich-ness comparing to similiar stunning kinematic designs. But after all, the approach of bring closer the animal kingdom is, as always, fascinating. This can be utilized into the design for the Gateway as a highlight.

ARCHITECTURAL PROCESSINNOVATION IN

‘The design information is the construction information.’The digital application may further lead to a transfor-mation of the professions and even building industry. A digital continuum from design to production.

Architects had never made buildings. In the past, architects were only meant to produce drawings and drafts. However, nowdays modelling on computers becomes the major focus as another big innova-tion during an architectural process. By modeling not only the form but the relationships of various factors within a building, these models go beyond static representations and are able to change dy-namically to accommodate ongoing changes in the design. Also challenging the role of engineers and builders, design and buildings now can be eas-ily produced following fabrication instructions. In this sense, a digital model provided by design-ers can lead straight to the actual production.

The Collaborative Cloud Project

Furthermore, in projects such as the Collaborative Cloud, located in Colorado where houses some highest activity wind corridors. Such information were suppose to be taken by architects as constraints during the developing pro-cess. However, with the computational technology, wind data were measured and programmed to be one of the design forces through stimulation. There-fore, wind became the medium for the project which drives design decisions. The process of developing a design to respond to its specific context can now work backwards which makes it work better within that environment. Chal-lenging Kalay’s idea of design are to solve problems, in this case, given context is to solve design problems. Whereas in our Gateway Project, possibility and potential solutions given by the context should be taken into the design pro-cess as the Wyndham City has abundant natural resources for innovation.

The structure is a computer generated form with detailed information such as joints, angles, spaces. Designers then literally become the engineer and the builder.

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Hyposurface is a scripted display screen with an elastic architectural surface made up of small metal plates that are controlled by the digital device behind. Enabled by the radical media technology, the plates can move following certain electronic stimuli programmed from inputs such as sound, light and other external forces. R eacting to these inputs, the surface then produce dynamic outputs, similiar to the grasshopper scripting logic we are experiencing. Governed by informa-tion, hyposurface is somewhat like a precisely controlled liquid, being able to produce pliable surfaces such as moving waves patterns and even text emerge,

The design intend was to create an eye-catching display system. I believe what makes Hyposurface stand out is the interactivity it offers with its audience. Unique experience of ‘playing with‘ the screen is then a valuable outcome of creator’s free will of designing attained by scripting as discussed in Mark Burry’s article. I person-ally think the sense of freedom emerged in this project for both designer and user is the future for contemporary architecture. Also, as a project that can physically alter the environment, this interac-tive surface offers new possibilities for creating responsive environ-ments.

Imagine myself playing with this living surface, I perceive its general success in providing a fun experience triggering both audiences’ visual and tactile sense, together with the atmosphere enriched by the play of colour and light.

Regarding the complex machi-nary device behind the surface, most of the audiences appreci-ate it due to curiosity. Especially when the device is programmed to allow customerized move-ment appealing to individual in-terest. In this sense, hyposurface is alble to deliver advanced tech-nology to the public by making engagement and interactions.

On the other hand, I find the surface a bit ‘cold’ in terms of its material. The cold metal always gives less of the emotions and more of a distance together with the sharp edged geometries. But it somewhat depends on its context, as stated by the design-ers, this project is expected to be used in commercial purposed occasions which is very appropri-ate. However, in the Wyndham City Gateway Project, modern but cold materials and mass machinary governed design is less of my interest as it will not connect to the natural landscape.

http://hyposurface.org/

After being overwhelmed by all the fascinating prec-edents, certain inputs, associations and outputs were given for us to make our own combinations of matrix by using the Grasshopper plug-in on Rhino.Knowing it works as you provide an input and connect it with a particular association and then it generates a consequential output, our task was to play with the components and understand how they work in order to get faimilar with the system. By cross matching components, some lead to nothing or even failure whereas some lead to interesting discoveries. And out of the ones that turned out well, patterns are to be identified and further, to be modified incorporating knowledge gained in online tutorials in order to

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By rotating, soft textures can be ach-ieved with a trend of motion. Poetic effect, like the surface of a lake wri-

Morie Pattern, visual effects

Waves, tide, cloud. Romantic, natural and soft texture.

Explicit Grid + Image Sampler + RotateSense of moving away.

INPUT Explicit Grids Surface Grids

ASSOCIATION Image Sampler Curve Attractor Attractor Point

OUTPUT Rotate

By extruding, three dimensional p-atterns and effects are made pos-sible. Play on the angle, when au-diences moving, different view ondifferent angle till reach to a cer-tain point where a clear bulged i-

Play with patterns as apertures onthe surface, hollow, elevated(extr-ude), levels, sizes, shapes, layout.

INPUT Explicit Grids Surface Grids Arbitrary Points

ASSOCIATION Image Sample Attractor Point

OUTPUT Rotate/Extrude

Sound waves, wind, natural forces.

Patterns as apertures, play with light and shadow.

INPUT Surface Normals Explicit Grids

ASSOCIATION Image Sample Random

OUTPUT Rotate/Extrude

Textures and patterns at-tached on the surface, which gives more variety since the NURBS surface can be altered with countless possibilities. With surface normal, twisted shapes with smooth surface can better convey the idea of motion. Concept of skeleton and skin.

Motions in natural world. Tornado, wings of birds, etc.

How parametric tools such as Grasshopper are used in actual architectural project, and how matrix patterms are applied to add excite-ment to designs will be ex-plored in the Case study of the Spanish Pavilion. Also, other aspects that make the pavilion successful will be analysized.

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Case Study:

Spanish Pavilion

The Spanish Pavilion in 2005 Japan World Expo was de-signed by Foreign Office Architects, linking Spanish historical legacy with a vision of the future. The pavilion was enveloped with decora-tive lattices and traceries. The lattice consisted of six differ-ent tiles, based in a hexago-nal grid, coded with a colour. The specificity of these pieces is that when they are assembled, they never repeat themselves, thus producing a continuously varying pattern of geometry and colour.

The blocks are made of glazed ceramic, a customary tech-nique common on the Medi-terranean Spanish coast, but also in traditional Japanese ce-ramics. The idea of creating a ceramic facade symbolizes the spanish approach to Japan. Recovery of the traditional ceramic lattice from Meditter-anean architecture in order to acheive traditional spaces and shadow in the building perim-ter help in regulating the solar gains and spread of thermal load over the pavilion.

Solid ceramic

Hollowed aperture

To reproduce the facade, simply by starting with a hexagonal grid, place number sliders to set the desired number of columns and rows, then noticed on one facade shown in the picture, some of the hexagons are solid tile and some are hollowed, by offseting the hexagons, smaller hexagons will appear to make the hollowed effect. But the offseting command applied to all the hexagons in the grid, in order to only make certain hexagons get that effect, i used list item command learned from EX-LAB tutorials to find specific hexagons that i want to offset. I didn’t really find a pattern in placing the hollowed ones, nor was anything mentioned in its docu-ments, so I just picked random ones to offset.

The method of creating apertures on the pattern grid is interesting. It gives more visual variation by contrasting with surrounding solid tiles and it adds a special texture to the surface. Besides, they also have practical uses letting sunshine and lights in, basically func-tions as small windows. Also the use of light colours and its expression of culture values are inspirational for the Gateway Project when choosing materials.

Based on the key words collected earlier for the Gateway Design, namely nature, sense of move-ment, fresh experience etc. Fol-lowing are the three models made out of the three ideas stood out in the brainstrom stage of my deign, aimed to produce a structure that interact with natrual surrounding and emphasize the sense of move-ment to be fun and engage with its users

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Model 01Birds’ Windows

Apertures opened up to different degrees that create variations, also decorate the surface as patterns.

Model 02 Bloom

A lively metaphor of the blooming pro-cess of flowers, apertures applied to play with light.

Model 03 Breathe

Three dimensional surface that folds in and bulge out, move as eyes follow its pattern and texture.

Phase 1: Architecture As Discourse

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Key Points: HARMONY WITH NATURE, MAKING MOVEMENT, EMOTIONS, EXPERIENCIAL VALUES, SOCIAL VALUES.

Phase 2: Computational Architecture

Key Points: KINETIC STRUCTURE, EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL MOVEMENT,FLOWING LINES, DIALOGUE WITH LANDSCAPE, NATURAL FORCES: WIND.

Phase 3: Scripting Architecture

Key Points: LIGHTING EFFECTS, INTERACTIVITY, SENSE OF ‘PLAY‘, CONTEXT.

Phase 4: CUT Matrix

Key Points: PATTERNS, DECORATION, SKELETON AND SKIN, DIMENSIONS. ROMANTIC VISION, MOTIONS

Phase 3: Case

Key Points: APERTURES, MATERIALS, COLOURS, VIBRANCY

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IVEAs I perceived, achieving both environmental and social values will be the core

to the Gateway Project. The environmental values will be embodied in the idea of bring closer nature by incroporating natural elements or even natural wildlife into the design. The social value will be reflected upon aims to provide playful fun experience when driving past, to light up the mood and a vibrant environment. Then parametric thinking will be applied to develop the major design theme——Motion. A structure that responds to wind force on site with unique effects will be explored further.

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Taken a good lesson from tutors’ feedback, I realized the interest in producing a kinetic structure that interacts with wind forces may involve sophisticated data analysis and calculation. Technical dif-ficulties and complexity were underestimated by mistake, while busy getting overwhelmed by all those avant-garde precedents, producing a practical and buildable design for Wyndham City should be top priority. Therefore, preliminary concept will be re-fined and more practical approach will be explored in further de-veloping process.

After discussion with my group members, the exploration of sense of motion will still go on, but we will focus on expressing it through shapes or surface textures. Ideas from precedents such as Greg Lynn’s roof design for the bus terminal in New York which embrac-es motion in its curvilinear steel frame and the case study which cleverly provides viriation and mode of change through its pattern layout will be taken further.

The focus of producing a sense of movement will be shifted from a three dimensional fashion to a two dimensional one by creating visual illusion and impact. So the structure can be simple and a static one but decorated with patterns or spatially arranged in a way to produce a visual impact. The following will be explora-tion on visually effective patterns.

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Pattern overlaySo I go back to the case study to seek for more inspirations and potentials that I neglected before. When moving the hexagonal grid in photoshop that I exported from Rhino, I accidently moved the grid on one layer that create a series of overlaid pattern change with the grid on the layer below which is very interesting, similar to the Moire Pattern effect that tutor mentioned in feedback.

Effect of pulling the hexagonal grid horizontally.

Effect of rotating the hexagonal grid above which is more interesting. However, it might not be seen by motorists on the highway since they are moving in a horizontal direction.

Moire Pattern

Then taking ideas explored from CUT pat-tern experiments, a hexagonal grid layer was combined with a circle matrix grid and circles near the center of hexagons are set bigger than the others so when view in front it has a spherical effect. Therefore, again, applying Kalay’s searching approach, effect of over-laying various geometries will be examined later. When two similar, repetitive, grid-like patterns of lines,

circles, or arrays of dots overlap with imperfect align-ment on a screen, a pattern of light and dark lines appears. This is called a moiré pattern. In some cases, moiré patterns can also be created when two or more different geometrically regular patterns are superim-posed. It can be composed of multiple colours and be either continually changing or still. It is, however not a physical pattern etched in the original structures but rather an optical illusion created in the vision of the viewer. From Amidror’s “Preface” in The Theroy of the Moire Phenomenon.

http://www.core.form-ula.com/2009/02/26/moire-organizations/

Precedent 1

During research, I found Moire Pattern a challenging but interesting one, then I started to look for relative precedents. Brisbane Girl’s Grammar School was one of them. The Façade of this building is an series of ar-ranged aluminum slats overlay-ing a wall painted with a series of black and white stripes, arranged to create a Moire ef-fect. In this case, Moire pattern was created as a coating for the building to produce an expres-sive and interactive outlook which respondes and changes when people walk past. In the Gateway Project, similar perfor-mative approach can be taken to interact with the motorists driving past.

Brisbane Girl’s Grammar School

Precedent 2

This is a lighting device project that used moire pattern as a interesting highlight. The particualr pattern, as most of the moire effect, was comprised of two same compo-nents (mirrored pattern could achieve the same result). By rotating the pattern, it turns out to have a dizzy and 3D illusion. In my earlier design ideas, I thought about mak-ing a structure that performs like a windmill react to wind force. However, in this case, the light is supported by electricity and a photo-resistor that

respond to lights. As illustrated above, the top layer spins around under the forces, cre-ating a swirling effect with the bottom layer. Due to our Gateway project is on a much larger scale, such approach will be inappro-priate. But the swirling effect and the delu-sion are very interesting, and our group took it further into the Gateway design inspira-tion.

http://pandalabccc.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/moire-pattern-techlowlighttest-arduino.html

We found the swirling effect fascinat-ing, it was able to create a mysterious, exciting and dynamic atmosphere and most importantly, it has a spatial delusion producing a three dimen-sional experience out of a two dimen-sional image.

Through early research and photos and drawings on LMS, information about the site was generally well understood. The following will be a general con-clusion of information that are relative to our design. Also, by listing out useful links, we wish to seek more ideas that could add highlights to our design.

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Wyndham Marine Harbour,Sensory Gardens, Werribee Zoo,Wyndham Art Gallery.

KEY POINTS: nature, culture, freedom

According to the statistics, the Average Annual Daily Traffic vol-ume on the part of Princes Hwy where our site sits amount to approximately 42,000, including approx. 10% heavy vehicles and 90% light traffic. Since most of the light traffic are local residents and visitors, we aim to make our design simple and easy to appreciate for the public. http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/

Conceptual Illustrastion

KEY POINT: TRANSITIONSince the site is located at where developed city meets intact natural land, we want to emphasize the idea of transi-tion.

As illustrated above, our design aims to play a role that transit people coming from the busy city to the arms of nature. Combing with the magical swirling effect mentioned earlier, we came up with an idea that went dramatic: like the magical 9 3/4 train platform in Harry Potter and more like the idea of how Alice fell into the rabbit hole and traveled to wonderland, we want to create a experiential tunnel that gives the transition of place and mood. This sense of changes could also emphasize Wyndham’s growth and development. And the mysterious quality of the tunnel will also be a metaphor of opening up towards the future, towards the prosperity of Wyndham City. To meet the aesthetic requirement, the shape of the tunnel will be developed into an interesting and outstanding one. Moire pattern will be utilized as the skin of the tunnel to create illusional effect to add more excitement and magical charm to the tunnel. Also, in order to respond to the motor-ists, the pattern will perform a speedy effect. moving with the people drive by.

KEY POINTS: TRANSITION, ILLUSION, TUNNEL, TIME TRAVEL, EXPERIENCE, FUN. GROWTH, PROSPERITY, SPEED, MOVEMENT

In this sense, our design will be comprised of two main focuses, one is to develop a form for the tunnel and the other one is to play with its skin——Moire Pat-tern and see what visual effect can we achieve. In our design process, these two tasks were carried out at the sam time. The following will be the develop-ment of form and pattern.

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Physical Experiment

MATERIA

LSSoft Material:Stocking, Fruit Net, Ribbon,Hard Material:Plastic Grid, Iron Wire GridRubbish Bin Made Out Of Metal Net

The grid-like materials are in different density and quality, the soft materials are in different thickness and texture in order to test out their ability of produc-ing moire pattern.

Meanwhile, taking on the flow lines used in Wyndham City’s logo, and Borrowing the brilliant ideas of twisting and rotat-ing effect that was used a lot in the Ma-trix exploration, we aim to let the shape express the sense of change and move-ment. At the other end, the grid material from physical experiment gave inspira-tion of making expressive pieces out of squares. And then, when the former idea met the latter, we came up with a twist-ing square framing structure. Grid Frame Window

Form Description

FRAME

MIRRORED AND EXTENDED WHOLE FRAME

FRAME WITH MOIRE SKIN ATTACHED

DRIVE WAY COVERED

ADDITIONAL LAYER, OVERLAY

‘FRAME’ was the first model we made in Rhino, however, it turns out to be too short since after calculation, under Princes Hwy’s speed limit, motorists will be in-side the tunnel for less than 1 second. Since Moire can give dizzy feelings, we aim to keep the time in the tunnel around 3 seconds due to safety concerns. 3 seconds might seem a bit too short but it is long enough to undertake a shock of the exciting moire effect. In order to produce moire pattern, an outer layer was added to work with the inner one.

We decided to place the tunnel near the intersection between Princes Highway and Geelong Road Exit, so that it plays its magic transiting people coming from the Melbourne city to the Wyndham City and then if they return to Mel-bourne, they could view the out-look. Also, Caltex Service Center is not far away and from this angle, the tunnel can be seen there but not a clear whole version which might set off their curiosity.

Site Plan

Material

In one of the case stud-ies——De Young Museum, copper was cleverly used as the skin of the building that changes through time due to weathering. We found the approach very subtle and bril-liant, we have been looking forward to borrow this idea to our design. The change of colour not only can empha-size the theme of growth but also motion and movement. In addition, since our client re-quires a piece that survive the first glance, this change can then give a different experi-ence once in a while. Then we decided to use copper on the outer layer so that motorists on the adjacent lane will also be able to see it, and stainless steel on the inner one.

Spatial pattern as ornament for buildings is becoming a popular trend in the deisgn field led by OMA, Zaha Hadid etc precursors. Enabled by digital technology, patterns and ornamentation are reorienting towards a more conceptual , dynamic, intangible effects and types to enhance culture, social, environmental performance in a signle pattern design system. The ultimate goal might be hard to reach now, but in this Gateway Design, the moire pattern, as an ornamental element, aims to perform also as an expression. The following will be the development of the moire pattern skin.

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Experiment

By folding the grid and opening it up into dif-ferent angles to see how was the moire pattern affected. The bigger the angle, the denser the grid-like pattern

By folding the grid and moving the top layer against the bottom one to see how was the moire pattern affected. The bigger the angle it rotates, the denser the grids.

EFFECT: GRID, ARRAYS, CURVES

By rotating one square over anoth-er or having a smaller square inside another, both of them can produce grid-like pattern, curves occur at where lines intersect

We surprisingly found when we leave a single layer of grid on the table, itself can produce a moire effect.

By folding the grid and ap-plying forces on different points, we found that gen-erally, curve patterns cen-ter around the point where force is applied.(where two layers are the closest on the tunnel)

Stocking

Ribbon

Soft Net

Stocking obtain pretty good quality producing moire pat-tern, there is a possibility of choosing soft membrane as the skin of the tunnel, but it might be more appropriate for art piece at a smaller scale.

It was found that the ribbon performs bet-ter under lights, but it has extremely dense woven texture

Fruit net and such soft and loose materials performs the worst out of all, no evidence of moire pattern can be observed, not even under light.

Materials in different colours were also prepared for the experiment, however, we have already decided to use copper, and its colour will change through time. At the other end, our group member discovered a straight line moire effect out of unexpected projection modeling on computer program as below:

Wyndham City, located in the state of Victoria, is looking for a successful design solution to be applied to the Western Interchange. A fast-growing municipality, Wyndham is in need of a display that will reflect this as well as their ideal of change, progress and prosperity. Our proposal successfully envelops all these concepts of movement in space and time in a provocative playfulness where light and form combine to illustrate the city’s intention. Two geometric overlapping elements are placed on the street to create a tunnel, which when crossed, will bring as a result a fantastic change of perspective. As the cars enter the city, the tunnel works as a vortex that will create the illusion of fast-paced change and the patterns created by the perforated surfaces and light will further accentuate the city’s view of the future. Wyndham is addressing the issue of their image by insisting on installations that will be ground-breaking and representative of what they ultimately aspire to become: a city that lives in the latest, most innovative ways. Our proposal creates and reflects this investment in tomorrow’s city, enhancing the surrounding environment and turning a regular freeway into an eye-catching monument, a symbol of the city and its progressive identity. The ‘tunnel name’ will indeed become a part of Wyndham, conveying its desire of moving forward in time and becoming a new and pioneering entity.

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EAST ELEVATION

WEST ELEVATION

On the top surface of the tunnel, the Moire Effect will be a expanding grid which emphasize the expansion of space; the experience of escaping and seeking free-dom; transition from narrow city streets to wild natural land; opening up arms to embrace beautiful nature.

KEY POINTS:nature, relief, embrace, opening upexpanding, transition

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On the side surface of the tunnel, the two layers will produce a rotating straight line effect. Like in Mario’s Racing Game, the rotation of the straight line will be like pulling the gear stick that send you to the acceleration zone. This can create a sense of movement and speed as if the tunnel is magical and in motion. The illusion could further enhance the motion and speed theme in concept.

KEY POINTS: speed, magic, movement, fun, illusion

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SOUTH ELEVATION

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MODEL The Magical Tunnel

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Approximate Panel Division

Panels:- Measurements: 2.5x2.5x.1 m but can vary de-pending on tunnel necessities- Installation: they will be held together by a clasp system set up on the frames where nails perforate the panel and will be hung from hori-zontal frames.- Panels will be cut to adapt to tunnel structure

Frames:- Material: stainless steel- Installation: each individual frame will be con-nected to the others by a long horizontal frame on top, from which panels will be able to hang as well.- Frames will be anchored to the ground by means of a foundation held on a concrete footing.

FEEDBACK FROM FINAL PRESENTATION

LACK OF EXPERIMENT AND CONFIRMATION

From tutors’ feedback, we realized our experiment method needs to be improved. Photos taken on the day when we did the physical experiment on Moire Pattern shown a single piece of plastic grid could produce Moire effect by itself. However, we did not consider the possibility that this can be a off-chance result influenced by external factors such as lights. Experi-ment on such intricate design element need to be done repititively to then come to a reliable conclusion.

PRACTICALITY

As the tutors pointed out, some aspects about our design might not be practical in real life. Details we left out might not seem to be such big a deal in simulative design project, but in ones in real life, there will be much more to consider and improve.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

To be honest, I was not a big fan of any digital technology at all and I swore I’d withdraw the subject if it isn’t compulsory, but now I’m glad that it is and I learned so much. I am truly grateful for the enlightenment from tutors and lecturers. Digital technologies weren’t introduced, not even mentioned much in the previous two studios. To look back now, it was like walking on rough ground till Studio Air, we started climbing moutains. Through weeks of struggling, I gained skills in building model in Rhino and creating simple design piece in grasshopper. To me, the best part is to be finally educated by amazing pieces and numerous possibilities that were achieved and could only be achieved by digital technology.

During the research on parametric precedents, many of the avant-garde concepts and ideas completely changed my understanding of archi-tecture. The scientific and logical approach seems challenging but very exciting at the same time; revolutionary concept of architecture as living organism brings both buildings and fantasies to live; some unexpected and unprecedented design achieved by new technology seems to say with creativity and wisdom, anything can turn magical.

WAY OF THINKING

GATEWAYPROJECT

Given the chance of marrying all these fresh knowledge to our own design, I was actually a bit lost in the beginning, busy getting all so over-whelmed, leaving basic things I learned from the other two studios be-hind. Then it came to realization that the essence of design still remain the same, more advanced tools are to assist better designs. So later in the Gateway project, me and my group member were able to put a positive circle between these new knowledge and the actual project, that is to let a good proposal lead the digital charm and then use it to push the design onto another level.

Also during the design process, I found the unexpected results brought by computation generated design intrigging. It’s like a huge cosmos, full of uncertainty that you need to keep digging and exploring, and that is a very good spirit to have. Last but not least, the fabricating section where I used lacer cutting machine for the first time was an excellent experience, learned handling a model in a very different way.

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MORE TO GO

REFERENCE:

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/moire/moire.html

http://www.dezeen.com/2009/07/03/driftwood-pavilion-by-aa-unit-2-opens/

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/11155/choi-shine-architects-the-land-of-giants.html

http://hyposurface.org/

http://www.core.form-ula.com/2009/02/26/moire-organizations/

Department of Infrastructure (DoI) 2002, Assessment of the Victorian Freight Task, prepared by Maunsell Australia in association with National Institute for Economic and Industry Research, DOI, Victoria.

http://pandalabccc.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/moire-pattern-techlowlighttest-ardu-ino.html

http://www.kjellgrenkaminsky.se/projects/127-a-tower-of-nests.htmlDavidson, Michael W. and Kirill I. Tchourioukanov. “Moire Patterns.”

THANK YOU

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