frank pryor, architecture design studio: air, semester 2, 2013

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO: AIR FRANK PRYOR - 538081

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION PART A: THE CASE FOR INNOVATION ARCHITECTURE AS DISCOURSE COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE PARAMETRIC MODELLING CONCLUSION LEARNING OUTCOMES ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES PART B: DESIGN APPROACH DESIGN FOCUS CASE STUDY 1.0 CASE STUDY 2.0 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPING TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL LEARNING OUTCOMES ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES PART C: PROJECT PROPOSAL DESIGN CONCEPT TECTONIC ELEMENTS FINAL MODEL OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONS

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5 15 23 31 32 35

45 53 59 67 79 87 91 93

99 109 123 131 133

1 INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is Frank Pryor. I’m 20 years old and in my third year of an architecture major. I’m from Canberra, the nation’s much-maligned capital, and made my way down south at the end of school because ANU didn’t (and doesn’t) offer an architectural degree.

I am less absorbed in artistic expression and more interested in the science of human attraction - why do we choose certain aesthetics over others? Colour, shape, space, pattern? I’m keen to harness some universal truths in this sense, and believe that fundamentally buildings are environments rather than spectacles.

Digital design is somewhat of an unexplored interest of mine - that is, I don’t know all that much about it, yet feel an affinity towards it.

My experience specific to digital architecture extends as far as having completed Virtual Environments in semester one of 2011. Virtual has been my favourite subject at university thus far. It was my first experience with Rhino and being able to readily experiment with complex patterning felt like a luxury.

Through school I took web design and game design subjects, involving coding for graphics while thinking about things mathematically. The skill set gained from these ventures ought to hold me in good stead for this subject.

2INTRODUCTION

“I AM LESS ABSORBED IN ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND MORE INTERESTED IN THE SCIENCE OF

HUMAN ATTRACTION”

PART A: THE CASE FOR INNOVATION

1: The Wright Brothers in the process of designing the first airplane.

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1. Williams, Richard (2005). ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), pp. 103, 105.2. Hill, Jonathan (2006). ‘Drawing Forth Immaterial Architecture’, Architectural Research Quarterly, 10, 1, pp. 51.

ARCHITECTURE AS DISCOURSE

Architecture as a profession concerns itself with a number of disciplines and requires a broad understanding of design parameters. Any architect, architect to-be or even keen observer would know that the process of creating an environment is a collaborative exercise in problem solving. Yet the perception that is perpetuated is that architecture is an artform akin to painting, sculpting, music, poetry and can be consumed in a similar fashion.1

Critical architecture is a relatively new phenomenon, born in the Italian Renaissance in unison with the advent of drawing.2 Given its youth, it’s not altogether surprising that it has since been recognised as a profession associated with keen artistic minds. Modernism took hold in the twentieth century and wiped the slate clean in this respect, but the war continues - the most important quarrell in architecture: artistry versus function.

In this great debate, my position is that first and foremost, buildings exist as environmental filters; for protection and comfort. The secondary requirement of a building is for it to appeal to its users in a non-functional manner. That is to say, in a manner which encompasses: colour, form, material, texture, detail, perspective, light, shade, space and everything in between - the aesthetics. In this respect, there is no doubt that a building can draw emotion from people in much the same way that a song or a painting might. Some would say this is more pronounced in a building, which is imposing, real and immersive.

But here is the important distinction: emotion does not necessarily promote thinking. Certainly, it does not usually promote critical thinking and more certainly still, it does not promote critical thinking in the shape intended by the architect. This is where the likening of an architect to an artist is exposed, because although architects frame the subconscious mind of their building’s user, they have very little influence on their conscious mind. The intellectual presence of any given building is less than that of a painting by an anonymous artist. Less because a painting has the ability to explicitly or implicitly express ideas in itself. Invariably, architecture does not have this ability.

A1: ARCHITECTURE AS DISCOURSE

2: Street artist ‘Banksy’ commentates on the state of the city scape.

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3. Hill, Jonathan (2006). ‘Drawing Forth Immaterial Architecture’, p. 54.4. Hill, Jonathan (2006). ‘Drawing Forth Immaterial Architecture’, p. 54.


The challenge of framing the subconscious mind of users is enormous when speaking in terms of large scale projects. A building will regularly either facilitate or hinder positive activity, something which should not be underestimated. Moreover, it should not be entirely associated with the function side of the argument, it is a skill which deserves escape from the banality of the term ‘function’. The words aesthetics and art are too often used in tandem. Jonathan Hill identifies immaterial architecture as important in understanding the architect’s job:

‘For the user, binding immaterial architecture to perception focuses attention on the ‘capacity to perceive one perceiving’ and encourages critical awareness of thespaces we inhabit.’ 3

Increasingly, we see immaterial architecture presented in books, in architectural competitions and the like. At the same time, the common person’s interest in the topic grows, often to the point where they begin to contemplate what they themselves enjoy in the built environment.

Hill also outlines another way that discourse might be created - this time directly via the building:

‘...shock is often the agent of the critical, and the artist its author. Shock may help to promote new architectural ideas and spaces. But it wears off quickly and is comparatively ineffective as most buildings are experienced not once but many times when they are not the focus of attention.’ 4

Whilst generally I agree with Hill on the longevity of ‘shock’, I question whether shock is not in fact a thought but an emotion which triggers thought, as implied by the term ‘agent’. If this is true then there is no reason why shock cannot be the instigator for the more ambiguous, complex propositions of the building. The problem here is in not letting the effect of shock override the rest of the building’s credibility.

With respect to aesthetics, innovation goes hand in hand with shock.

3: Southern Cross Station incites shock, but is pleasant beyond the first impression.

4: ‘Logorama’, an animation, makes satire of the passive stimuli ever-present through modern cities.

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5. Williams, Richard (2005). ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, pp. 114.6. Williams, Richard (2005). ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, pp. 102.


As Richard Williams observes, the metropolitan environment is so full of stimuli that inhabitants develop to numb themselves from it. Buildings, and the context in which they stand, have a growing psychological effect on inhabitants that transcends conscious analysis of the buildings. The impression a building imparts on the majority of people is just in passing. 5

This is particularly relevant to the Wyndham City Gateway project we are being asked to design for. The project asks specifically to create a talking point, an icon, for Wyndham City. Moreover, the Gateway will be consumed almost wholly in passing (and at high speeds).

Where the project might differ from any given city roadside project is in the immediate landscape, where it will stand alone, prominent. Undoubtedly, this is the logic behind the choice of location. Where the project is similar however, is in its promotion of something. Buildings are commanded by the amount of money which is backing them. By the same token, public structures do not receive funding beyond what is required for the interests of some population of people. In the case of many large-scale design projects, this is the population of a city, or country. As Williams states:

‘‘An immense amount of spectacular new architecture has been built in the past two decades, a product of the desire on the part of social and political authorities to update the public realm in the context of unprecedented prosperity.’6

This is not the only desire - of course there are other purposes for a public building to satisfy aside from the projection of wealth and pride, otherwise one might suppose that these exhibits of superfluous government spending might be shut down by a democratic population fairly quickly. Crucially though, the Wyndham City Gateway will not have to compete for attention with other structures to achieve its display of prosperity. There is therefore a level of ethical responsibility which comes with the design to create something which is more pleasant than the creation of nothing at all.

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7. Varriano, John (1986). ‘Italian Baroque and Rococo Architecture’, (Oxford: Oxford University Press), p. 51.

ARCHITECTURE AS DISCOURSE: S. CARLO ALLE QUATTRO FONTANE

Borromini’s S. Carlo Alle Quattro Fontane might not be a contemporary example of provocative architecture, but it exemplifies the discourse which shock can create and the beauty which can be sustained thereafter via use of complex geometries.

This building, in addition to some of Borromini’s other works, is notable for how he aims to deceive the perceptions of the users of the building. At the central dome, he decreases the size of the coffering towards the top so that the dome appears to have greater vertical depth. 6

To tie in with a previous quote from Hill, this indicates the ability of the architect to ‘perceive one perceiving’ and therefore creates critical architecture and discourse.

In addition to bringing this theater to the building, the deception means that less weight might be added to the dome, increasing the structural integrity and buildability.

Also significant is the curvilinear facade, a marvel at the time of building for its concave-convex nature, using material properties to imply movement.

5: The interior dome of S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.

6: The facade.

7: Interior.

8: Street view of the Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health.

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8. Giovannini, Joseph (2011) ‘Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health’. Architect, 100, 4, pp. 84-92.9. Giovannini, Joseph (2011) ‘Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health’ pp. 84-92.

ARCHITECTURE AS DISCOURSE: LOU RUVO CENTRE FOR BRAIN HEALTH

Frank Gehry’s Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health is not unusual, shocking and innovative for where the building differs from the norm, it’s unusual for where it embraces some aspects of the norm.

Gehry aimed to explore the feasibility of a non-vertical curtain wall. In doing this, he departs from his previously used technique of separating the visisble draping of the facade from the structure, this time combining the two. Steel panels were pre-fabricated off site then brought together in a careful process of GPS monitoring and checking with structural engineers in Germany. 8 What is achieved is a structure which is innovative in its technology but also, more importantly, in its form.

The appearance is of a regular office building melting in the summer heat. It actively plays on one’s perception of the office window facade whilst being something completely different.

This is significant because it shows an awareness, like Borromini, for the user and their expectations. The building plays on one’s subconscious, which then promotes discourse and the opportunity for users to make the logical connection between the building’s function (as a centre for brain health) and what Gehry has achieved with the form.

As stated by the comissioner, Larry Ruvo,

“For me, architecture was a necessary marketing tool. We wanted a statement that would show we were serious about curing a disease and would let the doctors know we were not underfunded.” 9

Translated into the language of this design project: discourse was not just a bi-product of the design, but a requirement. A discourse which facilitates interdisciplinary relations. This is the power of architecture.

A2: COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

9: Art by Stanley Donwood for Radiohead’s album ‘OK Computer’, musing on the dissolution between the digital age and the human condition.

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10. Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 5.11. Kolarevic, Branko (2003), ‘Architecture in the Digital Age’, pp. 4-5.12. Kolarevic, Branko (2003), ‘Architecture in the Digital Age’, pp. 7.

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

The design benefits of computation seeped fairly quickly into most industries once the technology was to the right standard. In architecture, this was less pronounced. Perceived perhaps as a threat to design integrity, digital solutions have been put on the back-burner until recently.

This reaction is easily perpetuated because digital architecture, like with any new stream of technology in architecture, has been quick to display its muscle without any thought for its responsibility and true potential.

Increases in technology post-war eventually resulted in the imaginings of the architectural theorists ‘Archigram’. Kolarevic describes their work as having explored:

“...the continuity of change and choice afforded by new materials, going beyond the superficial appearance of novel forms.” 10

This balance between exploiting the difference in aesthetics whilst not forgetting to invest energy in the more lasting advantages of digital, iterative design is very important. It is something which will oontinue to arise so long as the digital design landscape continues to change as quickly and without notice as it has in the last two decades.

The showing of alternative forms which play on shape and proportion has drawn comparisons with Baroque architecture of Italy in the seventeenth century, as evidenced in the aforementioned precedents from Francesco Borromini and Frank Gehry. Indeed, despite design methods having changed, precedents from the past few centuries are no less relevant to the arrangement of form, and parallels might be shown in the many fleeting fashions of architecture in the nineteenth century. 11

The single most important benefit of computation in architecture, instead of being a new, varied complexity in form, is the development of design technique. More particularly, the seamless connection between fabrication and design, between structure and process. 12

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13. Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 14-15.14. Kalay, Yehuda (2004). ‘Architecture’s New Media’. p. 20.15. Brady, Peter (2013) Computation Works: The building of algorithmic thought. Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 8-10.16. Brady, Peter (2013) Realising the Architectural Intent: Computation at Herzog & De Meuron. Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 56 - 61.

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

If there has been a change in the design process as a result of computation, and it is permanent, we must dissect what the tangible quality of this change is. Kalay argues that there are a number of ways to go about solving a design problem. He makes a few clear distinctions in approach, the most poignant of which is problem solving versus puzzle making, arguing that puzzle making (ie. multiple solutions) is the primary process by which designers come to designs. 13

Whilst I agree, there is an argument for problem solving which Kalay himself outlines, stating that by placing constraints on the design problem, one can easily come across a range of solutions and that design problems are often under-constrained. 14

If design problems are given the appropriate constraints, there is no reason why problem solving can’t emerge as the first step in puzzle making (and possibly feature later in the process also). I believe this is what we see in parametric modelling. The trial and error process of puzzle making is being helped by the refinement of the problem’s conditions. Whereas before one might make some puzzles which are not solutions, now it is presumed that the computational algorithm (the constraints) will ensure that the puzzle variant is a solution.

Architecture firms are widely adopting the new way of design, with varying levels of integration with the core design team. 15 Some firms, such as Herzog & de Meuron, prefer to keep their technical team separate from the generation of ideas, feeling that they would be inhibited in taking an integrated approach. 16 There’s no set up which is universally ideal, but it is becoming the case that most architects must have a basic understanding of programming and modelling in order to succeed.

Parametric modelling becomes important in the process of puzzle making for the Wyndham City Gateway given the open nature of the brief. The self-enforced constraints will be plentiful and must therefore have an impact.

PROBLEM SOLVING

PUZZLE MAKING

SOLUTION SOLUTION SOLUTION

PROBLEM SOLVING

FABRICATE

CONSTRAINTS

CONSTRAINTS

CONSTRAINTS

} COMPUTATION, ALGORITHMIC THINKING

- DESIGN INTUITION, LATERAL THINKING

10 - background: Archigram’s (Ron Herron’s) ‘Walking City’ concept, imagining a city which solves its own problems as they arise.

INTRODUCTION

11: Greg Lynn’s modular experiment.

12: Close up of Lynn’s new-age bricks.

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17. Lynn, Greg (1998) “Why Tectonics is Square and Topology is Groovy”, in Fold, Bodies and Blobs: Collected Essays ed. by Greg Lynn (Bruxelles: La Lettre volée), pp. 169-182.18. Arcspace (2008) “Blobwall Pavillion”, Artspace, <http://www.arcspace.com/exhibitions/unsorted/greg-lynn-blobwall-pavilion/>. accessed 14th Aug, 2013.

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE: BLOB WALL PAVILLION

In Greg Lynn’s rather eccentric piece on “Why Tectonics is Square and Topology is Groovy” in 1998, he introduced us to ‘the blob’. This is the next phase in his modular obsession, clearly demonstrating the variability of the blob in creating forms which he described in his article as combining the particular and the general. 17

It’s literally an exercise in puzzle making, clearly with very few constraints/conditions. It might even be said that the individual blobs are the constraints themselves. Despite being a bit gimmicky, this precedent highlights the potential simplicity in making the building components small and uniform, as seen in many complex geometrical structures - although perhaps not with the same flexibility at the joints as in this example. 18

The material used by Lynn is strong, lightweight and recyclable. Inspired, no doubt, by archigram’s work.

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19. Jahn, Gwyllim, 2.08 AA Driftwood Surfaces, University of Melbourne (ex-lab.org, 2013)

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE: AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILLION

This precedent example, designed by Denecia Sibingo of the AA school, is the result of intersecting a 3D model with vertical, curvilinear extrusions. 19

It differs greatly from the method of computational architecture shown with Greg Lynn’s ‘Blob Wall’, where he confined the computational design process to the design of an adaptive building block. In this example, the form is achieved before thinking about the method of fabrication. As a result, every piece of the structure is unique.

Adding to this, but also integral to the design itself, is the choice in material. The timber gives a difference in textures from piece to piece. This reintroduces the viewer to the particular, whereas if it was another, more uniform material they might too readily accept this as a visual whole. The eye lingers because there’s that intricacy innate to the material.

Also showcased is the strength of wood whilst flexed, showing how plywood, if thin enough, can be bent whilst maintaining its integrity.

13: The ability to break the structure into thin ‘slices’ of timber allows for the curvilinear form.

14: Close up of the plywood and timber frame system.

Parametric Modelling is becoming the norm in architectural design. It will be interesting, however, to see if design deviates from what Mark Burry describes as:

‘...superficial and skin-deep...’ 20

Burry seems to echoe the sentiments of Kolarevic in this respect, whose views were mentioned earlier when talking of the naivity amidst new and dazzling technology. It seems that with many new technologies, design is steered towards what is possible rather than what is right. There is a honeymoon period where the capabilities of the material or technology are tested and, for the most part, during that technology’s stint, are applauded.

One particular example comes to mind: the green blob attached to the front of RMIT. Whilst clearly eye-catching, and perhaps impressive in its fabrication, it is ultimately an ugly, green blob. It lacks texture, it doesn’t fit the cityscape in the slightest. It’s a classic example of new technology over-staying its welcome.

The phrase ‘parametric modelling’, when interpretted from the designs of twentieth century architect Luigi Moretti, means the use of design limitations as parameters which then dictate the form of the design. 21 For mine, this is absolutely the correct approach.

Pictured as the background to this page is Antoni Gaudi’s experimentation with hanging chains to approximate the form of the arches for his ‘Colonia Guell’. This is a different approach to Moretti, whereby Gaudi simply wishes to ensure that he finds the most efficient structural form for an existing design concept. Gaudi’s ingenious array of alternative design methods are well documented, and this is indeed an early example of responsible parametric architecture, albeit confined to one part of the design.

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20. Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 21.21. Davis, Daniel (2013) “A History of Parametric”, danieldavis.com, <http://www.danieldavis.com/a-history-of-parametric/>.

PARAMETRIC MODELLING

A3: PARAMETRIC MODELLING

15: Antoni Gaudi inverted the form of hanging chains to create parabolic arches.

16: Scripting generated this design off the back of research into swarm intelligence.

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22. Burry, Mark (2011). ‘Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming’ pp. 8-71.

PARAMETRIC MODELLING

The approach which I do not accept is that which gratuitously creates parameters or otherwise neglects to incorporate critical design limitations as parameters, instead relying on a process of trial and error to arrive at an acceptable design.

Trial and error in itself is not the problem, but as outlined in ‘Computational Architecture’, once at the stage of intuitive selection and rejection, one should be looking over a set of solutions instead of a set of forms which have no connection to the design brief.

It would seem that to properly ensure a responsible progression in parametric architecture, a more explicit understanding of the geometry being generated is required; scripting.

Mark Burry suggests that scripting is the logical next step in computational design, but that it has stalled in the last decade in comparison to other industries. 22

I tend to agree, given that parametric design has shown the same trend and has only become mainstream in the last five to six years. With scripting comes a whole new way of thinking about design. I anticipate that this skill and technology will no longer be just a tool to assist in the design of the architect/designer, but will breed true mathematicians in the field who will think about parametric problems in a more well-rounded sense, perhaps harking back to Moretti’s idea of parametric modelling.

There might yet be a future in which each architect carries with them just one script. This script will respond to site, direction, space... all of the parameters imaginable. It will be inclusive of material selection, patterning and colour with each of these judged partially by the architect in the intuitive stage of the design but also partially by the script - according to the architect’s predispositions towards such aesthetics.

2 INTRODUCTION

17: The pAlice Installation, in a single room with four openings.

23. McKnelly, Carrie (2010). http://carriemcknelly.com/post/2171419726/palice-installation-softlab-brooklyn-ny-2009.

28PARAMETRIC MODELLING: P-ALICE INSTALLATION

This design by Carrie McKnelly uses timber as a lightweight and readily available/cuttable material to create a very complex geometry known as an ‘Alice Universe’. 23

The description as a very precise geometry intimates the use of scripting in its derivation. Critically, the installation uses the dimensions and openings of the room as parameters to define the form, displaying the true potential of parametric architecture.

Mirrors are attached to the exterior of the continuous surface, inheriting some material quality from the room. This contrasts with the ‘AA Driftwood Pavillion’ in some respects (the Pavillion seeks to exploit the materiality of timber, whereas this project appears to disguise the timber used) but similarly, it creates a unique series of components.

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24. “fractal.” Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 06 Sep. 2013. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fractal>.25. Garousi, M. & Kowsari, M (2011) Fractal Art and Postmodern Society. Journal of Visual Art Practise, 10, 3, pp. 215-227.

PARAMETRIC MODELLING: FRACTALS

Already in art, mathematicians are peeking through an open door. Fractals are defined as,

‘a figure or surface generated by successive subdivisions of a simpler polygon or polyhedron, according to some iterative process’ 24

Fractals can be simplified back down into equations and are therefore quite simple (read: short) scripts. The geometry produced links chaos and order effortlessly, with patterning that is balanced like a symmetrical pattern might be, whilst having an asymmetry which keeps ones attention on the particular. 25

18: Fractal art entitled, “Inside the Sun” by Merhdad Garousi.

31 CONCLUSION

Using computational methods allows for a complete rethink of the design process and with it our preconceptions on what architecture is.

Important in the case of the Wyndham City Gateway is the element of shock, and how it might shape the future experience of the viewer. As an agent of critical architecture, it can be an interchangeable phrase, I feel, with innovation.

Parametric design becomes a great tool for innovative architecture provided that the parameters are found responsibly; provided that they have genuine consequence to the design problem.

Timber, as a lightweight, cheap and flexible material should provide a sound cultural connection to Wyndham City, whilst satisfying the requirements of most parametric models given the right adjustments and allowances.

A4: PART A CONCLUSION

32CONCLUSION

Through the research in the early part of this subject, I have learnt much on contemporary architectural discourse, on how this discourse influences the built environment and most importantly on why it is important to have knowledge of popular theory before encountering modern design problems.

At the beginning of the journal I stated my fondness for designing for the universal truths of human attraction - a simple statement which provokes complex questions. It’s fair to say that my interpretation of responsible design has been complicated by the foray of theory and precedent which I have encountered in the early part of this studio.

A5: LEARNING OUTCOMES

33 REFERENCES

Arcspace (2008) “Blobwall Pavillion”, Artspace, <http://www.arcspace.com/exhibitions/unsorted/greg-lynn-blobwall-pavilion/>. accessed 14th Aug, 2013.

Brady, Peter (2013) Realising the Architectural Intent: Computation at Herzog & De Meuron. Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 56 - 61.

Brady, Peter (2013) Computation Works: The building of algorithmic thought. Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 8-10.

Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 8 - 71.

Davis, Daniel (2013) “A History of Parametric”, danieldavis.com, <http://www.danieldavis.com/a-history-of-parametric/>. accessed 14th Aug 2013.

“fractal.” Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 06 Sep. 2013. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fractal>.

Garousi, M. & Kowsari, M (2011) Fractal Art and Postmodern Society. Journal of Visual Art Practise, 10, 3, pp. 215-227.

Giovannini, Joseph (2011) ‘Lou Ruvo Centre for Brain Health’. Architect, 100, 4, pp. 84-92.

Hill, Jonathan (2006). ‘Drawing Forth Immaterial Architecture’, Architectural Research Quarterly, 10, 1, pp. 51-55

Jahn, Gwyllim, 2.08 AA Driftwood Surfaces, University of Melbourne (ex-lab.org, 2013)

Lynn, Greg (1998) “Why Tectonics is Square and Topology is Groovy”, in Fold, Bodies and Blobs: Collected Essays ed. by Greg Lynn (Bruxelles: La Lettre volée), pp. 169-182.

McKnelly, Carrie (2010). <http://carriemcknelly.com/post/2171419726/palice-installation-softlab-brooklyn-ny-2009>

Varriano, John (1986). ‘Italian Baroque and Rococo Architecture’, (Oxford: Oxford University Press), p. 51.

Williams, Richard. ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 - 116.

Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 - 25

34IMAGES

1. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Wright_1901_glider_landing.jpg

2. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_U6Vi74C6OHQ/S8zC5WfGO8I/AAAAAAAAAAU/_dU9ttBhxB4/s1600/banksy_acb_1680x1050.jpg

3. http://theredandblackarchitect.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/img_2634.jpg

4. http://www.promotionalitemsbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Logorama-Oscar.jpg

5. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Cupola_di_san_Carlo_alle_quattro_fontane,_del_Borromini_(Roma)._Foto_Giovanni_Dall’Orto.JPG

6. http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8305/7992697121_a8dbf0f21a_b.jpg

7. http://www.francisandfrancis.com/data/photos/71_1int_06_ruvo_int.jpg

8. http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/nevada/lasvegas/gehry/5932.jpg

9. https://archive.nyafuu.org/foolfuuka/boards/wg/image/1368/92/1368921419881.jpg

10. http://archipressone.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/archigramw.gif 11. http://sites.moca.org/ans/files/2013/06/blob_wall_22.jpg

12. http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4121/4753945436_67dfc189e0_b.jpg

13. http://www.arch2o.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Arch2O-2009-Summer-Pavilion-The-Architectural-Association-9.jpg

14. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3455/3715827117_297485ef7e_o.jpg

15. http://b-processor.dk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/tragwerkslehre082_Page_3.jpg 16. http://www.neolexia.net/files/gimgs/22_1080magnetswarm0.jpg 17. http://carriemcknelly.com/post/2171419726/palice-installation-softlab-brooklyn-ny-2009

18. http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs19/f/2007/277/0/4/Inside_the_sun_by_mehrdadart.jpg

35 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (LOFTING BETWEEN CURVES)

36ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (DIVIDING A CUBE AND SPLITTING THE LIST OF SEGMENTS)

37 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (POPULATION A SURFACE WITH RECTANGULAR PRISMS)

38ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (EXPERIMENTING WITH PATTERNING TOOLS)

39 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (SPANNING GEODESIC CURVES ACROSS A SURFACE)

40ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (PATTERNING A SURFACE)

41 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (CONTOURING)

42ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (CREATING A GRID OF CYLINDERS WHICH REACT TO A VARIABLE)

PART B: DESIGN APPROACH

1: Cell photography under a microscope by Sarah Matwiejew.

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1. Wyndham City (2011). ‘Western Gateway Design Project’. p. 5.

DESIGN FOCUS

The Western Gateway Design Project offered by Wyndham City presents as an ideal design opportunity. Consulting the design brief, it is clear that what is required is a project which doesn’t just simply enrich the aesthetic of the motorway, as many road side installations might, but also actively broadcasts Wyndham’s intentions for a clean and vibrant community.1 This desire forms the first of our four design rules:

1. The project must act as publicity for Wyndham.

We feel that this project is advertising as much as it is public art and that there must be an explicit connection between the project and Wyndham City. Furthermore, we don’t think this will be achieved by exhibiting a form which is just connotative with Wyndham or at all abstract/representational.

2. The project must function at multiple scales.

The placement of the large service station behind the site means that there will inevitably be interest in the project from pedestrians. The challenge will be to design a structure which will offer as much to the motorist traveling at 100km/hr as it will to the pedestrian observing the project from an arm’s length away. This is a significant opportunity to enhance the scope of the design.

3. The project must ‘trick’ people, provoking thought.

This is our design kernel. When a design deceives its viewers with an effect, thought is provoked thereafter. We want to draw attention to the project with such an effect, then guide that attention towards Wyndham and its embodiment within the design.

4. The project must respond to the immediate site.

The design brief details the significance of designing for the surrounding environment and we intend to address these issues with a parametric model.

B1: DESIGN FOCUS

2: Wyndham City’s icon: Werribee Open Range Zoo.

3: Frei Otto’s Olympic Stadium in Munich.

48

2. Oxman, Rivka. (2010). Digital Tectonics as a Morphogenetic Process. Journal of the IASS, 51 (3) pp. 940.3. Oxman, Rivka. (2010). Digital Tectonics as a Morphogenetic Process. pp. 940.4. Oxman, Rivka. (2010). Digital Tectonics as a Morphogenetic Process. pp. 943.

DESIGN FOCUS

But where to start? Before satisfying any of these design rules we must look into the materiality of our design.

Oxman identifies an interesting progression in the relationship between material, structure and form which dates back to the definition of ‘tectonics’ in an architectural sense as an holistic view of structure in architecture to incorporate form. 2

The increased consideration of structure, and optimisation of form in response, became the defining and lasting impression of modernism. 3

But never have structure, material and form been able to be so cohesively contained as in the virtual, digital models of our time.

It is of no surprise then that so much of the emerging architecture builds on this ability, experiments with the process of one structural technique or material quality being replicated and extended through a design to arrive at the form. Oxman describes this process as ‘form-finding’ rather than ‘form-making’. 4

Significantly, it’s not that form-finding is a new design approach. As shown previously in this journal, Gaudi’s architecture is an exponent of his explorations into finding form rather than making it. The difference is that digital architecture makes the process easier - that just as with how the advent of representational drawings in the Italian Renaissance promoted two dimensional buildings, the advent of high-performance integrated modeling promotes the creation of buildings which have an iterative logic.

Our challenge is to explore the material properties of timber in order to arrive at something which we can extend to be the one ‘rule’; to guide our design in its form-finding.

49 DESIGN FOCUS

Timber differentiates itself from most other materials used in construction because it is organic. Its strength, both in compression and tension, is a result of it having to withstand forces as part of a living organism. It’s an example of form-finding, as much as it is a tool. The very structure of the material is acquired via iteration at the biological level.

What I find interesting is that this process of iteration presumably isn’t just about the optimisation of structure, it’s also about how the tree responds to the external environment, how it distributes nutrition and how the micro-processes of the tree are able to operate with each other. Structure is one part of the iterative system when the tree is alive, yet the only part of it when it is dead (ie. when it is timber).

I think it is important in our design to attempt to model something which deviates a little from structural integrity, because although architects might often refer to designs as ‘structures’, tectonics seems just one piece of the puzzle.

But back to the visually evident properties of timber. Many contemporary architectural projects utilise the ability of timber to be ‘bent’. This can be done via steam bending, laminate bending and also simply held in place.

Timber is also readily available and can be adapted using digital fabrication techniques quite easily. It’s cheap, lightweight and strong. It is strongest across the grain.

The most impressive part of timber though, in my opinion, remains that it has a texture, no two pieces are the same and it provides an aesthetic which relatively few other materials might.

4: Designer Matthias Pliessnig uses steam bending to achieve his inter-woven forms.

51 DESIGN FOCUS

0 hours

5 hours

10 hours

0 hours

5 hours

10 hours

TWISTING

COMPRESSION

52DESIGN FOCUS

Our experiments with timber involved testing the bending, compressive strength and twisting capabilities of a thin sheet of plywood. This was done firstly under regular conditions, then after 5 hours submerged in water and after 10 hours submerged. The effect of water on the material generally served to make it more flexible in each test.

After bending, the timber would bounce back to be more or less its original form. When the timber dried again after being wet, it became particularly fragile and likely to splinter.

The timber was 4mm thick, 40mm wide and 800mm long.

0 hours

5 hours

10 hours

BENDING

53 CASE STUDY 1.0 - AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

The Driftwood Pavilion was highlighted earlier in this journal for bringing the attention to the particular as well as the general. Translated into our design rules, it works at multiple scales.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of this design is its ability to trick the eye into interpreting the overlapping timber veneer as solid timber. This is an effect which we’re quite excited about pursuing. The more general rule of timber to take from this precedent is that the thinner the better for bending timber. In this case, the veneer offers incredible flexibility.

The form is produced by placing a series of solid timber frames inside the design, upon which the veneer can be nailed. So whilst this may have been a form-finding design, it probably wasn’t a result of structural analysis.

Our task is to breakdown the algorithm for this case study and reproduce it using different parameters.

B2: CASE STUDY 1.0

5: Architectural Association Driftwood Pavilion 2009, designed by Danecia Sibingo.


Sequence 1 Sequence 2 Sequence 3 Sequence 4 Sequence 5

In the highlighted examples of sequence 1 and 2, the form is cut away and the remaining design gains some dynamism via the eye being forced to complete the form.

Similarly in the remaining sequences, the highlighted examples show an ability to manipulate the base form, introducing something new purely through the patterning of the surface. We’re interested in pursuing this concept.

56CASE STUDY 1.0 - AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION


This set of sequences focuses on the idea of guiding curves through points on a grid or in space, then projecting them onto the surface.

Sequences 7 and 9 seem to get closest to what we’re looking for - to have form altered by the surface pattern of the veneer.


We think that whilst the veneer effect in the Driftwood Pavilion is primarily (and effectively) employed to imply a weighty design, there are some interesting explorations to be had with the way in which the veneer is patterned over the surface.

At this stage, the timber veneer is very much used to approximate the original form. If we approach the cladding of the original form with a bit more scope for difference though, we feel that the process could be form finding rather than form making. This might then offer even more opportunity to satisfy our third design rule - to trick/shock the viewer.

Another interesting finding from the matrix explorations with the Driftwood design was the ability to imply a form rather than explicitly showing it. This might be an effect we look to for guidance later in the design project.

58CASE STUDY 1.0 - AA DRIFTWOOD PAVILION

CASE STUDY 2.0 - GRIDSHELL PAVILION

5. Kudless, Andrew, ‘sg2012 cluster: gridshell digital tectonics’ (smartgeometry.org, 2012)

59

The Gridshell Pavilion, designed by the MATSYS Studio (run by Andrew Kudless), looks at bending straight wooden ‘laths’ over a doubly-curved surface.

This is a different approach to many other works with timber which look to engineer a steam bend, laminate bend or opt to fabricate a series of straight members to less closely approximate the desired form. The appeal with this approach is that a series of control points can dictate the bend of the timber, more lending to precision in fabrication.

In making this pavilion, Kudless revealed that they had intended for CNC-milled supports to guide the curvature of the laths, but ran out of time and decided to try their luck with just the interwoven laths.5 The result is not only more beautiful without the supports but also pushes the material to its limit.

B3: CASE STUDY 2.0

6: The Gridshell Pavilion.

CASE STUDY 2.0 - GRIDSHELL PAVILION61

The Gridshell Project when not having to worry about structural modeling turns out to be a very easy parametric definition to create.

Key to our matrix explorations on the next couple of pages was the ability to create enough parameters to make the explorations diverse. Each control point is connected to three number sliders which determine their location in space, while the number of laths (divisions in the curves) and the overlap between the laths (offset of the list of division points) are the most significant parameters.

Also utilised in the latter half of the matrix on the following two pages are some different ways to connect the curve divisions.

62CASE STUDY 2.0 - GRIDSHELL PAVILION

63 CASE STUDY 2.0 - GRIDSHELL PAVILION


What has been explored here is the visual effect of both more/less laths and more/less overlap between laths on a variety of gridshell forms. What is found is that generally the overlap occurring in the original gridshell, shown in the first example of each sequence, is the best for a tightly controlled form. This is true except for when there are too few laths and the remaining laths must span too far, through curves too severe.



In the latter half of the matrix, instead of using a loft to gain the form, a series of curves are formed with an inclination in the x, y or z direction. Some forms would therefore appear less volatile in fabrication requirements, whilst others seem very unrealistic.

65 CASE STUDY 2.0 - GRIDSHELL PAVILION

The main point which we take from the Gridshell project is that bending flat strands of timber by means of control points is probably the most precise way to come about forms whilst keeping with the quality of the material - something which we intend to do.

As evidenced by the production of the project, material can be put under a lot of duress with this approach and so it could be beneficial for us to look to incorporate bending rules into our model.

We hope to build on these precedent examples and on the preferred outcomes of the matrices to arrive at some starting point designs for the Western Gateway Project.

B4: DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

67 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

1 2

3 4

65

68DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

The earliest design attempt is essentially what we like about the materiality of each of the case studies manifested quite harshly into a wall and roof system.


Despite our awareness that the first design is not a form-finding solution, we opted to test, on a very basic level, some of the techniques/effects at play.

Top left: basic example of ‘kerfing’ whereby the material thickness is lessened and bending is made easier. Another way to think about it is that the interior edge is being shortened, or the exterior edge lengthened, depending on where the cuts are placed. We see this as something we could potentially use in tandem with the veneer.

Top right: basic lattice with pin joints. Crucially, the pin joints allow for the lengthening and widening of the lattice.

Bottom left: a fixed grid, opposite to the pin joint lattice in that it is unyielding in its lateral movement, but fares quite well when bent.

Bottom right: a node and veneer system similar to that which we had imagined for the ‘roof’ and similar to the Driftwood Pavilion. The effect here is nice, given the right angle we’re confident that the timber veneer equivalent would invoke false perceptions on the weight of the material. As it is displayed here, the concentric forms are interesting because that are determined by the control points on either ‘stick’ being brought closer together.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

6. Davis, Daniel (2013) “Chapter 6 - Structured Programming”, danieldavis.com, <http://www.danieldavis.com/thesis-ch6/>. accessed 18th Sep 2013.

71

We thought we were probably looking at the design problem the wrong way - we felt that we had to invent the brick before building a brick wall.

We’ve looked at the Dermoid Installation which is innovative for its double curvature of a reciprocal frame, achieved by defining the rules of construction before the form. 6

What this seems to do is account for most possible parameters, making the visual script which produces the form very difficult to break. This is an increasingly popular approach, with many benefits - most especially that when one does start to look for the form of the project, there’s a good idea of exactly what can and can’t be done.

In pursuit of a similar approach, we plotted some small ideas into sketches

7: The Dermoid Installation, spanning a reciprocal frame over a doubly curved surface.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT73


In these sketches we imagined a harmony between the structure of the design and the veneer, which would weave itself through the structural system.

In the first instance, curvilinear compartments connect themselves to five surrounding compartments. Our idea was to find the form by imagining a completely limp series of compartments and modeling them in Kangaroo. We were foiled by our lack of knowledge in Kangaroo.

The conclusion we came to though, was that in projects such as the Dermoid, where the method of construction is outlined before the design, there is a bond between structure and form which is quite difficult to get around, and a bond which our whole design mentality (to trick the viewer’s eye) was intent on breaking.

In our design kernel - the ability to trick the viewer - we imagine this done by use of the timber veneer. What we now think is that we can find form by defining rules to guide the timber veneer through a series of points in space, and the structure of the design could potentially be completely separate; only relevant in that it must be hidden.

This is more what we see in the below example, where the structure is imagined as a triangulated frame of equilateral triangles and the veneer weaves through the centres of the triangles to create the form. In a genuine attempt at a design there would of course be more veneer strips, but this particular esquisse is interesting because it makes the curvature of the veneer between frame edges always 60 degrees. Given the appropriate testing of the veneer’s integrity over a certain span, we could come up with a minimum length for the veneer to be able to turn and program that into the model.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT75


On the back of some renewed clarity in our direction, we’ve experimented with using a number of different structural grids to generate points on a form, and then in turn a number of different rules to guide the veneer through these points on the surface.

There are forseeable issues with the intersection of two veneer strips. In the last example, the points on the surface are divided into groups and the veneer is contained within its group. This is one solution but ideally we would have an iterative logic which knows where in space there already exists veneer strip and makes a ‘decision’ on where to go from its current node based on the existing veneer.

In saying this, it is possible, and probably more feasible in the long term, to think up a method for the intersection of veneer.

Either way, we’re confident now that we’re on the road towards producing something innovative both for the eye and for the architectural landscape.

77 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

In this design sequence, we proposed a form in preparation for the mid-semester presentation. We are under no illusions - this is a temporary form, we are yet to engage in the parametric design of the form in response to the site. Thus, this form is simply a place holder, but with some key early ideas on how we might engage pedestrians.

The aim is to facilitate an indoor exhibition area, maybe for public announcements or maybe for display of a history of Wyndham - even a communal art gallery.

In regards to its construction, it deviates from a triangular frame towards a series of ribs - more like what is seen with the Driftwood Pavilion. Notches on these ribs are a good set of points for tactical manipulation to then have the timber veneer slotted through them.

We are interested in how we might bring back ‘kerfing’ to inform the bends of our ‘ribs’ rather than just have them cnc milled or something similarly detrimental to the materiality of the design.

The design we have elected to prototype is the iteration pictured last in the series on the right.

B5: PROTOTYPING

80PROTOTYPING

For the prototyped model, the ribs would be supported by small walls inside the design.

We used super glue at the joints but presumably a plate and bolt system would be best for the real thing.

81 PROTOTYPING

Whilst the ribs came together relatively simply, the strips were always going to be the difficult task. Instead of slotting through in a streamlined manner they would curve between the ribs, the effect of which wasn’t unpleasant, but meant that many of the strips fell short of spanning the whole way around the ribs.

We hypothesise that this curvature between the notches was caused by the strips being forced to rotate in addition to curving and that this was a limitation. Also suspected is that if the next notch is not level with the current notch then the strip, if originally cut straight, cannot possibly keep a linear trajectory. This might be solved in the real design by either cutting the veneer in a non-linear fashion when fabricating or using multiple strips of veneer which join in between nothces so that they might adjust at a pin joint.

The intersections between the veneer was solved painstakingly by making precise cuts at the point where they met. I’d imagine this wouldn’t be too far from the mark for the system present in the real deal also.

85 PROTOTYPING

The end result shows enough encouragement with the effect to pursue it further, although fabrication methods must be more thoroughly considered.

87 PROPOSAL

We think that at our current phase of design we are moving towards something which satisfies each of two and three in our original design philosophy, that is if we were to pursue an interior space it would be accomodating for people at multiple scales and our effect of ‘trickery’ whilst not fully developed is beginning to take its form or at least show its potential.

An interior space dedicated to Wyndham would go a long way to also satisfying the literal connection between the Gateway and Wyndham City.

As for number four in our design direction, to respond to the immediate site, we see it as the next phase in our design and we’re looking forward to tackling the placement of the design on the site as well as the manipulation of form according to parameters describing the lay of the land, sun patterns, traffic patterns and more.

Our concept of weaving veneer we feel has all the makings of an innovative and achievable design.

B6: PROPOSAL

89 PROPOSAL

90PROPOSAL

The feedback we received at the mid-semester presentation seemed to indicate that we were roughly on the right track but that we needed to either perfect our veneer system to hide the structural members or come up with new solutions to the structural system - including the possibility of ditching the ‘structure’ altogether and attempting to create an all-veneer, interlocking design.

Such suggestions are more than welcome and certainly the all-veneer design is something which we look forward to exploring in depth.

Another key suggestion was to refine our philosophy to be less ‘dense’ and really build on one or two ideas.

Whilst we believe that some of our philosophy is just a non-negotiable part of the design brief, the ability to deceive perception is certainly the original, core idea which should guide our design from here on in.

91 LEARNING OUTCOMES

These integral, early stages of the design process have drawn the connection between the opening discourse and the real world, bringing clarity to some pieces of theory.

We are now heading in the right direction with our design and are excited about what we can produce to add to the architectural discourse whilst also adding to the theoretical discourse of Wydnham City.

Modeling techniques learned in this part of the project include:

- Basic understanding of Kangaroo plugin.

- Vastly improved understanding of data structure in grasshopper.

- Manipulation of a complex definition to achieve geometry which can be fabricated.

- Further material understanding of our design and what is required at the joints.

B7: LEARNING OUTCOMES

92REFERENCES

Davis, Daniel (2013) “Chapter 6 - Structured Programming”, danieldavis.com, <http://www.danieldavis.com/thesis-ch6/>. accessed 18th Sep 2013.

Kudless, Andrew, ‘sg2012 cluster: gridshell digital tectonics’ (smartgeometry.org, 2012)

Oxman, Rivka. (2010). Digital Tectonics as a Morphogenetic Process. Journal of the IASS, 51 (3) pp. 195 - 207

Wyndham City (2011). ‘Western Gateway Design Project’.

Images:1. http://sarahmatwiejewportfolio.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/plant-cell-4.jpg 2. http://media.simonhampel.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/2003_12_18b_-_werribee_open_range_zoo_-_124_2419.jpg 3. http://suzson.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/img_6836.jpg4. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5NB24TAI6Ss/Ts28Lc8EZZI/AAAAAAAAA8s/f_LdaRutnCE/s1600/111111+Matthias+Pliessnig+1.JPG 5. http://www.arch2o.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Arch2O-2009-Summer-Pavilion-The-Architectural-Association-9.jpg6. http://matsysdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/IMG_7999.jpg7. http://www.danieldavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uncompressed_Page_131_Image_0001.jpg

B8: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

93 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (altering cylinders on a grid according to their distance from a point)

94ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (using image sampling to generate a grid of circles)

95 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (triangulating a surface from scratch)

96ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES (basic fractal)

PART C: PROJECT PROPOSAL

1: Timber veneer.

99 GATEWAY: DESIGN CONCEPT

The final stages of design involved addressing three primary challenges to progress the integrity of the structure and its buildability:

1. How the ribbons intersect.

There was not enough thought given to this critical element at mid-semester and it would prove critical to the resolution of the design.

2. Removing the ‘structural’ elements

The advice given was to remove what were coined ‘structural’ elements (the ribbon supports) in order to achieve a more free-form and self-reliant design.

3. Further developing rules for fabrication

As it stood, although the design looked neat, any attempt at fabricating it would inevitably be clumsy because such things as accidental intersections between ribbons were not as yet addressed.

It was also imperitive that the ‘intelligence’ of each strip was progressed and a connection to the site was found.

C1: GATEWAY - DESIGN CONCEPT

100GATEWAY: DESIGN CONCEPT


The process began with an analysis of the site.

Aware of the potential for pedestrian interaction from people stopping at the service station, and still carrying a desire for some kind of internal space, the design was to be relocated from a natural roadside position at the point where the roads diverge to be further back towards the service station.

There were fears however that being so far back from the road might mean that the design would lose its appeal as a roadside structure and gateway.

To solve this, a visual connection between the divergent roads and the design was sought. By creating a 2D mesh which was roughly the size the design was thought to be best suited, and then dropping that mesh with a physics plug-in into a bounding box the shape of the surrounding roads, a series of points may be extracted which have been moulded to the roads and from afar might still apear connected.


From the points created in the xy plane, some were elevated by varying degrees depending on where they sat within the mesh.

The number of points was reduced, and a further connection to the roadside introduced: two sets of vectors, belonging to each point. The first vector set were normals to the line of sight from the road, whilst the second ran parallel to the tangent at the closest point of road.

These vectors were created as a means for the veneer to pass through whilst appearing to ‘push out’ towards the road, meeting onlookers with its full face and establishing yet another visual connection.

To further ensure this, points were created for the veneer to pass through either side of each main point. These decided the veneer height and ensured that each veneer piece travelled in the desired vector direction when passing through the main point.


To respond to the potential user: the pedestrian, a pre-automation element was added to the design. Three mobius strips were placed closest to the service station. Mobius strips were implemented instead of just veneer circles because they are capable of carrying weight with far more rigidity.

The strips were seen as a neat answer to a desire to make available a space for community notices - if the council so desired. It was and is intended that these strips be somewhat, but not entirely, disjointed from the remaining design because of the potential for internal alterations and how this might visually segregate them from the remainder.

Additionally, the strips give an invitation to those stopped at the service station - the design goes from being an art piece to a walkway.


Seen above is a very basic outline of the design definition.


In regards to fabrication, the veneer if laminated could be bent over on itself and all taken in one truckload. Once at the site, the location is far enough back from the roadside to avoid issues with traffic. The joints, to be discussed in the following chapter, can be prepared at an earlier date, making assembly on site quite simple - only aided by the fact that the design intentionally does not exceed the reach of the average male. This reduces the need for machinery on site.

109 GATEWAY: TECTONIC ELEMENTS

C2: GATEWAY - TECTONIC ELEMENTS

For the joints, a perpendicular intersection was engineerd in the design definition, which allows for a great number of variations of bracing systems. What was proposed was a series of eight perpendicular timber stud-bits. These would align, keep the veneer rigid and perpendicular, with bolts placed through the timber and timber veneer.

110GATEWAY: TECTONIC ELEMENTS


Also significant as a tectonic element was the derivation of each curve for the veneer.

In the programming of the curve between points, we needed to ensure that the veneer strip did not bend too far. The way we went about this was predicated upon the idea that any given length between points falls into one of two categories: a curve which is part of a larger circle, or a curve which is essentially two curves part of larger circles and connected by a tangent. By designing upon this premise, we may identify when a circle is too small for the curve to be made without the veneer breaking, and tell the veneer to not go to a given point if this is the case.


This part of the algorithm becomes more complex when one considers that the veneer may not sit upright at all points. This is overcome by supposing that if the veneer sits at 45 degrees, that the capacity for it to turn in the xy plane is half of what it might be if it were to sit perpendicular to said plane. If it sits at 60 degrees, it has a third of the bending capacity, and so on. If the change in this angle from point A to point B is linear along the length of the veneer between the two points, then we can find an average angle, from which we derive a minimum turning circle.

It should also be noted that this is all enabled by the strip of veneer itself having the ‘z’ direction be already evident in the strip - the strip is fabricated to have the up-down curves already there. This allows the focus on the plane xy bending.

Beyond this, the algorithm for the veneer to guide itself is as follows: the path it takes must be the longest path possible whilst getting as far away from its origin as possible before returning there and whilst also avoiding accidental or unintended collisions

C3: GATEWAY - FINAL MODEL

Construction of the final model occurred in these steps, which might be similar to how the life-size design would also be implemented:

1. Ribbons unrolled.

2. Perpendicular balsa wood bracing prepared.

3. Ribbons cut from timber laminate paper, with juts to allow for bracing and slits to intersect with other strips.

4. Mobius strips erected, pinned down.

5. Strips placed through each other one at a time.

6. Intersections stabilised by balsa bracing.

124GATEWAY: FINAL MODEL

127 GATEWAY: FINAL MODEL

129 GATEWAY: FINAL MODEL

C4: OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

Feedback received at final presentation suggests that the design is well-founded but that it could be let down by the potential for veneer to crack at a larger scale. The logical answer to this seems to be to laminate the timber so that it might not do this.

Also of concern was the size of the design on site and that given the benefits in fabrication and construction that potentially a larger design might be implemented. We are conscious, though, of the view lines around the site and of the difficulty in accepting longer and longer strips of veneer or veneer connected at several points.

131 OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

The learning outcomes from this subject are great and varied. The most critical learning outcome in my view is that relationship between the idea and philosophy of design and what can be then created with digital tools. This seems a relationship which is not always present or only vaguely important in many other design settings.

Also obvious is the prolonged exposure to digital tools and methods for design. Whilst these may be outdated at some point, they are nonetheless important to an understanding of the direction of architecture and how these tools might actively shape the way that designers design.

Not least of the learning outcomes is the ability to analyse a brief and come back with a design which is of literal rather than abstract relation to that brief, whilst developing the skill set to present a professional application for an architectural competition.

132OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

C5: ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONS

This exploration varies its geometry based on each individual cylinder’s distance to a point. I borrowed this concept to establish the site-responsive elements of the final design.

133 ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONS

This algorithmic exploration had me exploring iterative logic, which would later prove the cornerstone of the veneer design, whereby the ribbon geometry is appended to according to the repetition of selecting successive paths and points.

134ALGORITHMIC EXPLORATIONS

Part C References:

Images:

1. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3265/3193135219_15b6bf8ffc_o.jpg

frank pryor, architecture design studio: air, semester 2, 2013

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