A I R_ D E S I G NA P P R O A C H

N I C H O L A S M C R O B E R T S_ 5 3 9 1 6 3

B.1_Design Focus

B.2_PrecedentsB.2.1_Bio-ThingB.2.2_Morning Line

B.3_Seed Cathedral

B.4_Development

B.5_Prototype

B.6_Proposal

B.8_Objectives & Outcomes

_ W O R D S & IMAGES

The process of design requires us to draw on var-ied sources of inspiration and technical knowledge to solve design problems. For our proposal we are exploring the inspiration and knowledge within the natural world; a technique known as biomimicry.

The natural world has systematically improved its component systems over millions of years and bil-lions of mutations. Evolutionary masterpieces of engineering and design surround us, invisible in their commonality.

We propose examining these natural masterworks as a way of widening the design space for the Wyndham City Gateway Project. We want to create a dynamic piece of highway sculpture that challeng-es the traditional, static typology of highway art the public expect. Using the principles of biomimicry we are able to overcome the challenges inherent in creating a dynamic sculpture on a site that discour-ages active mechanical systems.

DESIGN FOCUS

B . 1 _

B . 2 _B I O - T H I N G

Bio-Thing is a cross-disciplinary laboratory that focuses on the generative potential of computational systems for design01. Their 2007 Seroussi Pavillion finds form through self-modifying algorithms of vectors pro-duced by electro-magnetic fields02.

We experimented with this form by altering a pre-made definition for the pavilion. Our ex-plicit design space was limited to the various, but similar, iterations of the form produced by alternating vector and definition values. To expand the scope of the design space our team increased the range of forms procur-able by manipulating the definition in various ways.

The result was an expanded design space that required the constraint of fitness testing in order to decide its most valuable species and mutations. The criteria for our project sought definitions that produced the most eye-catching species and those that we thought would react strongest to wind on site.

03 Seroussi Pavillion

04 Seroussi Pavillion

MORNINGL I N E

Architecture practice Aranda/Lasch used a mul-tidisciplinary approach to create their striking Morning Line pavilion. The pavilion embodies a collision between art, science and technology based on the shape of a truncated tetrahedron05. The form is derived from mathematical relation-ships found in natural systems and appropriated to the constructability and project constraints.

We experimented with this form by manipulat-ing the grasshopper definition, changing tetrahe-dron scalars and expressing form with pipping over massing.

06 Morning Line Pavillion

Architect Thomas Heatherwicks iconic de-sign for the UK pavilion at the 2010 Shang-hai world expo is an unconventional build-ing in form, materiality and performance. The building is covered in optic “hairs” that are free to sway in the wind whilst draw-ing light into the interior. The projects in-tention was to “do one thing and only one thing”01. Referring of course to leveraging one highly unique architectural effect to produce a strong and lasting affect02 the cathedral achieves this with its striking, gradated and active structure.

For our project the Seed Cathedral is a particularly good precedent as it cap-tures many of the performative elements we wanted to produce in our own design. We had set out with the intent of making a moving sculpture, composed of hairs that could bend in the wind. Thus we modeled the seed cathedral in Rhino and Grass-hopper creating a definition that produced this hairy architectural effect.

B . 3 _S E E D CATHEDRAL

02 Constructed Seed Cathedral.

B . 4 _ D E V E L O P M E N TRotation Field Applied Radial Field Applied Curve Division Minimised

B . 4 _ D E V E L O P M E N TCurve Division Minimised Increased Vector length

and populationalteration of field rotation shape to rectangle

Vector length increased and z values increased

B . 5 _PROTOT Y P E

01

Moving into prototyping we constructed three models. Our first, 01, was a simple grid struc-ture formed from a once curved surface. The rigidity of this structure did not fit our desire for a flowing form. Altering our Grasshopper defi-nition we produced a doubly curved sculpture and rib structure pictured as model 02.

We arrived at this new form through repeated wind simulations that allowed us to choose a form that would channel wind into the sculp-tures hairs, amplifying the intended effect.

02

Our objective for the Wyndham City Gateway has been to create an iconic piece of kinetic sculpture, a work that invites questions and public options. Our proposal does this through its unique “hairy” effect. The form we have arrived at is kinetic and dynamic both in moment by moment interactions with the site and on a larger temporal scale as the site con-ditions change seasonally. The complex patterns and morphing shape of the sculpture over time is as indeterminable as the conditions that form it. In our opinion this indeterminacy constitutes a break from traditional built architecture in which forms are static and their temporal trajectories accurately pre-dictable.

Using the principles of biomimicry we have studied natural systems to inform our projects underlying shape, improved our sculptures performance and visual effect. This work has culminated in what we believe will be an eye catching and distinct local landmark for Wynham City and bring public options to the pres-ently professional-only conversation over “hairy” architecture.

B . 6 _P R O PO S A L

Biomimicry has been an interesteing field of study and i have enjoyed learning about it. One of the the problems i think we are facing is being stuck be-tween biomimicry and bio-resemblance with one disecting the underlying systems or principles wihin nature whilst the the other is merely representation-nal.

coming out of midsemester presentations we know that this is our main task for the rest of the project. for our final sumbission we need to draw concrete links between a well formulated argument, biomim-icry and our design.To do this we have bagan re-searching more about hair and its functions. hope-fully this will help us make clearer connections.

overall i have enjoyed this studio thus far. it has been challenging of course (i find much of the tech-nical side of it quite dry) however learning about Air has been genuinly eyeopening and a great intoduc-tion to digital architecture.

B . 8 _OBJECTIVES & OUTCOMES

8.2.1_About Biothing, webpage, <http://www.biothing.org/?page_id=2>, (accessed 05.05.13)

8.2.2_Seroussi Pavillion, webpage, <http://www.biothing.org/?cat=2>, (accessed 05.05.13)

8.2.3_Seroussi Pavillion, digital image, <http://processing-matter.tumblr.com/post/37735790442/diagram-by-biothing>, (accessed 08.05.2013)

8.2.4_Seroussi Pavillion, digital image, <http://www.christian-meinke.com/cm_com_v5/2011/04/>, (accessed 08.05.2013)

8.2.5_Nick Clarke, Aranda/Lasch (2008), < http://www.ico-neye.com/read-previous-issues/icon-066-%7C-decem-ber-2008/aranda/lasch>, (accessed 05.05.13)8.2.6_Morning Line, digital images, <http://isatrends.at/friends/francesca-von-habsburg/22753/the-morning-line-am-schwarzenbergplatz/>, (accessed 08.05.2013)

8.3.1_T. Heatherwick, Thomas Heatherwick: Building the Seed Cathedral, TedTalksDirector (2011), <http://www.you-tube.com/watch?v=oXbhTHaMwTw>, (accessed 09.05.13)

8.3.2_Seed Cathedral, digital images, <http://www.archdaily.com/58591/uk-pavilion-for-shanghai-world-expo-2010-heath-erwick-studio/>, (accessed 09.05.2013)

_ R e f e r e n c e s