STUDIO AIR 2013, SEMESTER 1

The University of Melbourne Ying Karen Chow

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION Previous Work

PART A. EO1 I: CASE FOR INNOVATION

A.1. Architecture as a Discourse A.2. Computational Architecture A.3. Parametric Modelling A.4. Alogorithmic Explorations A.5. Conclusion A.6. Learning Outcomes Reference

PART B. EO1 II: DESIGN APPROACH

B.1. Design Focus B.2. Case study 1.0 B.3. Case study 2.0 B.4. Technique: Development B.5. Technique: Prototypes B.6. Technique Proposal B.7. Alogorithmic Sketches B.8. Learning objectives and outcomes Reference

My name is Ying Karen Chow and I am from Hong Kong. I started studying in Australia at the age of 15 and right now I am a third year architecture student at the University of Melbourne. This is my third design studio so far throughout my degree of Bachelor of Environments.

I have learnt Rhino in my first year of University through the subject Virtual En-vironments but I have not really used it since mainly because I am used to work-ing with AutoCAD. I am excited to get a chance to learn about this software again and this time with Grasshopper and parametric design. Hopefully by the end of this course I will be more comfortable working with Rhino and become better in utilizing computation and digital modelling in the future.

INTRODUCTION

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PREVIOUS WORK

Through out my study I was enrolled in the subjects Virtual Environments and design stu-dio Earth in the University of Melbourne. The photos on the left show the previous work I have done in Virtual Environments using Rhino. That was the first experience I have with simple digital fabrication. In this subject I have adopted the idea of Erosion to create this piece of model that could be wear around the body.

For the Unearthing project in the design studio Earth, the main project involved was to design a discovery centre for cultural exchange located on Herring Island. Though this project I have not used any digital software to help with my design as the studio recommend hand drawn sections and plans.

Sketch design of discovery centre for Herring Island

Project for Virtual Environments

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PART A.EO1 1: CASE FOR

INNOVATION

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We live in a world surrounded by architecture and for most people, architecture is a public work of art.1 How-ever, when just viewing architecture as art, we have neglected a lot of different areas that architecture is actually involved in. This is where architecture as a discourse comes into place as it is more effective and clear if we were to exammine architecture in a more specific way. What I am interested in architecture as a discourse is to view architecture as something that is able to allow viewers to observe and interact with the natural environment; architecture that is responsive and allows interactions and changes to happen according to the natural phenom-ena.

An example of natural process-responsive architecture is the temporary structure, the Blur Building, built for the Swiss Expo 2002 on Lake Neuchatel, in Swizerland. This blur pavillion is an architecture of atmosphere. It is a lightweight tensegrity structure using filtered lake water shot as a fine mist through 13,000 fog nozzles to create an artificial cloud. The center of the structure is the weather station where they created this weather system that controls the fog output in response to shifting the climactic conditions of temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and process the data in a central computer that regulates the water pressure in order to produce this mist of fog.2

This deisgn was something new and innovative, incorporating technology into architecture, setting out a new experience for users to experience a complete ‘white-out’ when entering this fog, erasing other senses such as visual and acoustic references.

RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE-INTERACTS WITH NATURAL PHENOMENA

The Blur Building (2002), Lake Neuchatel, Yverdon-les-bains, Switzerland, ar-chitect Diller Scofidio + Renfro (http://www.arcspace.com/features/diller--scofidio--renfro/blur-building/)

A.1 ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

51 Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), p. 1022 Open Buildings , <http://openbuildings.com/buildings/blur-building-profile-2257>

with fiberglass and are programmed to respond to the movement of the sun to mediate daylight and reduces glare. It has largely reduced the building’s need for air-conditioning by more than 50%!4 And by this 50% it shows that it is highly promoting the idea of being environmentally sustainable. The tinted glass that are used has also allow more natural light and less artificial light. The screen will close in evening and people would be able to see the facade a little bit more. From this precedent it shows that architecture nowadays has made use of the natural phenomena: instead of mak-ing something to keep the environment out, it embraces this by incorporating it into the design idea.

Another interesting architecture that encounters the interaction between natural environment into the design is the Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is known for its extreme weather conditions. In order to cope with the in-ternse heat and glare, Aedas Architects have designed a responsive facade as a shading device, which has taken cultur-al cues from the ‘mashrabiya’.3 The design has utilize parametric mod-elling for the geometry of the actuated facade panels. These panels acting as a screen, operates as a curtain walls to simulate their operation in response to sun exposure and changing incidence angles during the different days of the year. The triangle panels are coated

Responsive facade

Photo on Left: Close up of the facade responsive panels. Photo below: Al Bahar Towers (2012),

Abu Dhabi, architect Aedas Architects(http://www.archdaily.com/270592/al-bahar-

towers-responsive-facade-aedas/)

3 Arch Daily, <http://www.archdaily.com/270592/al-bahar-towers-responsive-facade-aedas/>4 Arch Science, <http://www.archiscene.net/firms/aedas/al-bahar-towers/>

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Panels for Turbulent Line(2011), Brisbane Austral-ia, architect Ned Kahn<http://nedkahn.com/> 7

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTUREA.2

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Computing has largely affect the architecture industry. Computation, different to computerisation, allows designers to go beyond their abili-ties to deal with highly complex conditions when it comes to designing a building. It does not simply allow architects to use the computer as a virtual drafting board for just simply copy and paste. Instead, it pro-vides a platform for architect where they chose to put the conventional style and aesthetic of what architecture should be aside, to negotiate and influence the interrelation of datasets of information, as well as the capacity to experiment and generate much more complex order, and both static and dynamic transformation of form and structure that go beyond the intellect of the designer.5

Computational tools has largely increase the effiency of design process. It has provide the ability to construct complex models of buildings and give performance feedback on these models.6

The Peix (1992), Barcelona, architect Frank Gehry< http://www.aviewoncities.com/barcelona/fish.htm>

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An example of this new kind of computational digital technology would be the watershed project by Gehry’s office; the large fish-shaped pavillion at the entrance of a retail complex on Bacelona’s waterfront designed in 1992. This project was largely rely on computer-aided de-sign and manufacturing. A physical design model was first generated then translated into corresponding digital surface model to be further refined. Then a wire frame model was extracted and used by structural engineers in order to develop the supporting structural frame. They did not produce construction drawings to erect this building, as what they did was to print out a physical digital scale model, then it was used directly to control the production and the assembly of the components in the full-scale construction on site. So overall this pavillion was mod-eled entirely in 3D and delivered to the fabricators as a 3D model. This 3D fish, or we could say a public art piece in Barcelona, has become one of the most-loved iconic landmark in the Olympic village.

5 Computation Works- The Building of Alogorithmic Thought: Volume 83, Issue 2, P. 116 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 7 Barcelona Fish, < http://www.aviewoncities.com/barcelona/fish.htm>

The Peix (1992), Barcelona, architect Frank Gehry< http://www.aviewoncities.com/barcelona/fish.htm>

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sign methods and output. There is this sud-den interest and fascination with ‘blooby’ forms created by a three-dimensional digital modeling software based on NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines). These are para-metric curves and surfaces that could allows even more complex forms to exist using only a minimum amount of data and relatively few steps for shape computation. So nowa-days most digital modeling programs rely on NURBS to construct complex surface mod-els. And this new form of undulating, sinuous skins has become buildable within a reason-able budgets.

One of the important things about comput-ing architecture is that both the architects and the use of computational design have to be flexible in order to adapt and accommodate the constantly changing industry and the pa-rameters of architectural design.10 Combing with the new approach in the use of materials like steel and glass, this invention of comput-er-aided design has given architects the op-portunity to design out of the scoop, out of the traditional ways, to make their endless imagination become possible and appreciate by the public.

Computing in Architecture

8 Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media : Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2004), P.59 Computation Works- The Building of Alogorithmic Thought: Volume 83, Issue 2 P. 1110 Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), p. 15

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Computational tools can now apply realistic constraints to computer generated models. Computers are logical and rational. They are correctly programmed and follow a set of rules and guidelines and come up with the most logical conclusion. And this is where the designers come into place, where the ar-chitect have to use of their imagination and utilize these computer softwares to realise their design and ideas. Moreover, it has also allowed better communication in conceptual sketching of algorithmic concepts.8 Online platform such as the grasshopper community provided a forum for designers to share and gain knowledge of digital tools and other al-gorithm which can then be adapted into their own design. Computation does not just sim-ply provide the making of digital tools for de-signers, it also generate and explore architec-tural spaces and concepts through the writing and modifying of algorithms that relate to el-ement placement, element configuration and the relationships between elements.9 Now the designs that were once being considered as unrealistic could possibly be conceived and developed into functional realities.

According to Kolarevic’s article Architecture in the Digital Age, Advances in representa-tional technology have largely affected de-

alise the space and here, this fluid structure and the roof canopy has allowed the public to engage with the natural environments, bathing the area with warmth through day-light.

in the image, it also provided ad-ditional information to analyse the structural and acoustic per-formance of the building, as well as creating fabrication data for physical models for them to visu-

The Smithsonian Insti-tution in Washington DC is another example of using computer pro-gram for generation. It was designed by Foster + Partners in 2007. The geometry of the roof was generated by a sin-gle computer program written by Brady Peters, who was one of the ar-chitects in the Foster and Partner’s Group. As explained by Gregg Lynn, the design of this fully glazed roof cano-py has utilized digital computering and spe-cifically parametric de-sign in optimizing the structural ability to hold the roof plus providing natural lighting to the courtyard at the same tie. The computer code was being used efficent-ly to explore design op-tions, modify and assist the progress.11 With the help of the computer program, it does not only generate the final geometry as we can see

Detail of the roof over the courtyard of the Smithsoni-an Institution Patent Office

Building (2007), Washing DC, architect Nigel Young/

Foster + Partners< http://www.bradypeters.

com/smithsonian.html>

11 Computation Works- The Building of Alogorithmic Thought: Volume 83, Issue 2 P. 11-1212

PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE

Parametric modeling is essentially a generative tool that allows designers and architects to approach design with a more efficient way. What makes parametric de-sign unique is that it is the parameters of a particular design that are declared, not its shape. So instead of the traditional way of designing the shape of the building, now architects are designing a set of principles encod-ed as parametric equations with specific instances how the design could be generated.12 The set of parametric equations describe the relationships between objects and thus defining an associative geometry and by simply as-signing and changing different values to the parameters equations can create different objects, geometry or con-figurations. This way interdependency between objects are established and the object behavior can be trans-formed easily.13

12 Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-4813 Computation Works- The Building of Alogorithmic Thought: Volume 83, Issue 2 P. 11

A.3

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The International Terminal at Waterloo Station in London designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners is a clear ex-ample of conceptual and developmental benefits through us-ing a parametric approach to design. The architects has made use of parametric model which allowed easy adjustment and interactive refinement to the size of the roof span and the curvature of each individual arches that are related. Hence by assigning different values to the span parameter, 36 di-mensionally different yet topologically identical arches were generated and were inserted into the final geometric model, which successfully fit well with the asymmetrical geometry of the platforms.14

As shown through this project, it is clear that parametric modeling allows for rapid design development and modifica-tions. It allows information and instruction that was set early in the design development to be automatically updated over design changes.

International Terminal, Waterloo Station (1993), London, UK, architect Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners.Both image: <http://grimshaw-architects.com/project/interna-tional-terminal-waterloo/>

Parametric defini-tion of the scaling factor for truss geometry of the truss span for the waterloo station.

14 Grimshaw Architects, <http://grimshaw-architects.com/project/international-terminal-waterloo/>13 14

Imagine the complexity of the calculations! Parametric design has allowded the web of the twisting steel sections to fit perfectly together and to bend to follow the surface accurately. The design was also considered to be sustainable as all the facilities such as restaurants and suites are self- contained units, which makes it possible to do largely without a solid and enclosed facade which allows natural ventilation of the space.16

What I love about this structure is the enormous saddle-shaped elliptic steel structure that form the roof of the buiilding. It appears not only as an architecture but as well as a work of art. This modern architecture has movement, brings in fluidity and is definitely avant-garde in my opin-ion.

15 Inside Herzog & de Meuron Bird’s Nest, < http://www.archdaily.com/6059/inside-herzog-de-meuron-beijing-birds-nest/>16 Inside Herzog & de Meuron Bird’s Nest, < http://www.archdaily.com/6059/inside-herzog-de-meuron-beijing-birds-nest/>17 Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), P. 818 Burry, Mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), P. 13.

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I would also like to talk about the recently built Beijing National Stadium, The Bird’s Nest, in China. It was built to host the 2008 Olympc Games. The huge stadium has a gross volume of three million cubic meters. It is consisted of 26km of unwrapped steel and was considered to be the world’s largest steel structure and largest enclosed space. The stadium was designed by ar-chitect Herzog & De ture Design and Research Group.15

In order to achieve the optimum design to appeal all the users for this stadium, the team has relied heavily on parametric design software to work out the sightlines of the audience, the complex bowl geometry of the structure, as well as air-flow to keep the grass in good condition seismic studies and the design of the external envelope.

Beijing National Museum (2008), Beijing, China architect Herzog & de Meuron.Both image: <http://www.archdaily.com/6059/inside-herzog-de-meuron-beijing-birds-nest/>

In the article written by Burry, he proposed architects to get familiar with scripting, a me-dium that ‘allows the user to adapt, customize or completely reconfigure software around their own predilections and models of work-ing.’17 He believes that it is through scripting that architects or designers will be able to take full control in his design process through de-signing its own rules and constrains to gener-ate his own design.18 This brings architecture design to a whole new level where instead of creating forms that are provided by the soft-ware, you generate your own design process and forms through a bottom-up approach.

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This architecture has become an iconic struc-ture in the city of Beijing and what I am in-terested to develop further in this project for designing a Gateway Entrance for the city of Wyndham is to create something that is would become iconic and something that would es-sentially representing Wyndham itself.

One of the biggest benefits of using parametric modeling is that it has introduce a whole new set of opportunities which allows the design-ers to further explore and develop. However, a limited in creativity is shown as the 3D mod-eling programs are not capable for developing architectural thinking and design creativity as they are just working in precise dimensions and pure forms.16

ALOGORITHMIC EXPLORATION

A.4

Using grasshopper for this purpose is convienent as if we were to update all the curves, all the arch created will up-dates automatically as well. Dividing curve is useful as if we were to work with real dimensions with real materials.

I have also explore a bit of sectioning after watching the tutorial on AA Driftwood surfaces, as many designers and architects out there has also used this similar kind of way to design and build. I went on and try out to cre-ate a simple surface using curves and circles and used it as a input to test out some of the inputs in grasshopper. Sectioning is different to lofting or extruding with only one solution, instead it seperates the whole into various of

Throughout the start of the semester I have followed the tutorials and done some alo-gorithmic exploration with grasshopper plugin in Rhino. Firstly I have done a trial for using simple curve. I believe that the curve function is very important in desiging a geometry as curves provides a sense of fluidity and flow. The goemetry can be smooth and give people a sense of harmonious. I have used the input Arcs to create some arcs between the two curves.

Grasshopper plugin for sectioning

Grasshopper plugin for generating arc

trials on creating arcs

trial on sectioning

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layers but still can be combine as a whole. I found this very interesting and useful as the resulting outcome could create a strong visual impact.

I have also try to create a gridshell by using some tree explode compo-nents to create a definition to loft some of the curves I have drawn and using the shift list component to create a pattern of points to fit the geodesic curves through.

I believe that these explorations would be able to apply to the desgin for the gateway project as I am in-terested in designing something that is eye catching which stands out and symbolise an welcome en-trance for the visitors.

Trials on pattern manipulation

Explorations on creating a gridshell

Grasshopper plugin for pattern manipulation

Grasshopper plugin for creating a gridshell

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A.5 CONCLUSION

mental sustainability by promoting the use of natural resources instead of power. Para-metric modeling allows us to manipulate and explore the outcomes in a more convienent and accurate way thus widening the possible outcomes that could be generate with differ-ent shapes and geometry. I believe that the generated outcome will benefit both the us-ers and the city by providing more functions such as allowing connection between places more efficiently. Overall the design should fit in within the landscape so as to minimize the damange to the natural environments as well as creating a nice and harmonious scenary for the public.

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A gateway is a symbolic door opening to the visitors and welcoming them into the city or area. A deisgn with a strong visual impact is no doubt important, but I also believe that a good designed structure should also be performative and functionable. I am inter-ested in designing something that is able to adapt to the surrounding environmental and weather changes and respond to the effect caused by them to make the design more in-teresting and innovative and through using computational tools and the studying of the previous precedents has inspired me to gen-erate something that is new and innovation as well as being environmentally responsive.

By utilizing the natural environment as the driving force of the movement of the struc-ture, this could raise awareness to environ-

Through various readings and online tutorials provided, they have raised my interest and widen my view of computing in the architectural industry. I am fasinated by how quickly a simple shape could be changed by simply adjusting the ex-perimental data through my explorations with Grasshopper in Rhino. My understanding of architecutral computing has developed greatly by studying some of the precedents on how the architects have made use of the benefits through parametric modeling such as the efficiency of designing and to make changes and adjustment to the design by manipu-lating the equations that are written and set in the software. It allows architects and designers to quickly try out different materials and provide easier interaction with industrial ma-chines such as laser cutters, thus models that have organic shapes could be produced in a more accurate way. After learning more about parametric design, I believe that I could definitely improve the design that I did for the body lantern project in Virtual Environments, where at that time I had no experience on how to utilize the computer software to generate the design into something more complicated and beautiful. I am now more confident to refine the simple triangle-pattern model and to produce a much more inno-vative and delicate structure in manipulating the shapes, ge-ometry and patterning through parametric modeling.

LEARNING OUTCOMESA.6

making progress of the project of body lantern in Virtual Environments

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Reference:

Al Bahar Towers, Arch Daily, <http://www.archdaily.com/270592/al-bahar-towers-responsive-facade-ae-das/>, [accessed 10 March 2013]

Arch Science, <http://www.archiscene.net/firms/aedas/al-bahar-towers/>, [accessed 10 March 2013]

Barcelona Fish, A View of Cities (2013), < http://www.aviewoncities.com/barcelona/fish.htm>, [accessed 17 March 2013]

Brady Peters, <http://www.bradypeters.com/smithsonian.html>, [accessed 18 March 2013]

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

Computation Works- The Building of Alogorithmic Thought: Volume 83, Issue 2 < http://app.lms.unimelb.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-416194-dt-announcement-rid-12019919_2/courses/ABPL30048_2013_SM1/Com-putation%20Works%20-%20The%20Building%20of%20Algorithmic%20Thought.pdf>Woodbury, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48

Grimshaw Architects, <http://grimshaw-architects.com/project/international-terminal-waterloo/>,[accessed 25 March 2013]

Inside Herzog & de Meuron Bird’s Nest, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily.com/6059/inside-herzog-de-meuron-beijing-birds-nest/>, [accessed 25 March 2013]

Kolarevic, Branko, Architecture in the Digital Age: Design and Manufacturing (New York; London: Spon Press, 2003), pp. 3 - 28.

Open Buildings , <http://openbuildings.com/buildings/blur-building-profile-2257>, [accessed 21 March 2013]

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

UAP, <http://www.uap.com.au/art/infrastructure/brisbane-domestic-terminal-car-park/>, [accessed 21 March 2013]

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

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PART B.EO1 II: DESIGN

APPROACH

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B.1 DESIGN INTEREST & FOCUS

STRIPS / FOLDING

Strips and folding is a generative process in architectural design. Similar to japanese or-agami, this technique allows the creation of different forms and shapes.19 It is more about the development of method to arrive at a new architecture, which fits in with compu-tational architecture as as I have mentioned previously parametric modelling where the form of a structure comes through explor-ing rather than immediately we have a set form and shape of a building that we have to followed.

19 Folding architecture, <https://evrosoriou.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/folding_architecture1.pdf>24

Through discussing with group members about computational architecture and to find a line of discourse to fit all three of our original discourse, we noticed that there is always a lack of engagement with the site in computational architecture. Those architec-ture are preoccupied in achieving different requirements, and they seem to have suc-cessfully done that, but yet they are not al-ways neccessary specific to the site. So we are interested in creating something that would have a real engagement with the site by following the field of interest in Strips and Folding.

This has inspired us to design something that would express these ideals of local distinctiveness that the city of Wyndham values. We are looking to do this through the engagement of the design with the landscape of the site, in particular we aim to create an experience for the user that could only experience through site specificity.

As the council has also mentioned that landscape could be thought of as an aesthetic term, the direction of our design would be focusing on the inter-relation and the engagement that the design could have with the landscape of the site.

20 Wyndham City Council, <www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/generic/file-widget/download/id/8951>

‘...the ordinary and everyday places that communities value, such as particular viewing points, favourite fishing spots, or places that offer that rare experience of ‘quiet still awarenss’.20

Reading through the Landscape Context Guideline of Wyndham City that was published in March 2013, one of the most important thing that the local city and people value is the ‘local distinctiveness’ of Wynd-ham, where it mentioned:

Design Intent &

Argument

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20 Dezeen, <http://www.dezeen.com/2010/01/08/urban-adapter-by-rocker-lange-architects/>21 Designboom, <http://www.designboom.com/design/rocker-lange-architects-urban-adapter/>

URBAN ADAPTERThe Urban Adapter is a piece of site specific street furniture that is created through a computer model using parametric design. This bench can be used to adjusted to different forms as at its core the model utilizes explicit site information and programmatic data to react and interact with its environment.20 This allows the genera-tion of an endless family of new urban unique bench furniture. Additional programmatic values are also added such as recycling containers, flower buckets, as well as billboards to allow different purposes on the specific site, so it is not just an ordinary seating element.21 So instead of one single static design, this proposal and design has created multiple varying solutions that meet specific fitness criteria. The photos below show examples of how the form is adapted to the different site.

Precedents...

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vide efficiency to the design as designer is not capable of designing each bus stop indiviually due to a large amount of infor-mation that would be required to process. So in order to allow the bus stop to be site specific, the designer has done research and analysis of the site including its con-figuration, size, sun direction, its context, as well as the usage of each bus stop.22 The bus stop were organized and designed under four main conditions: the physical

22 Park Hyoung-June, A Parametric Design Strategy for 4000 Bus Stops, University of Hawaii, Manoa Honolulu, US

As ‘The Bus’ is a main public transporta-tion system in Hawaii, the designers have used a parametric design strategy to mass customize the creation of 4000 bus stop at different places to create similar but unique bus stop to be a ‘landmark & gateway’ with highlighting the identity of each given site. Using parametric design does not only provide a high level of geometric flexibil-ity but can also maximise the quality of the design at an affordable cost. This has pro-

Types of existing bus stops (2012), Honolulu, Hawaii, US,< http://www1.honolulu.gov/dts/bsrp.htm >

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SITE SPECFIC BUS STOPS

site conditions, the contextual conditions, the climatic conditions, and lastly the existing amenities. They came up with five different types of bus stop types such as wooden-post beam structure, masonry foundation and wooden roof, steel structure and skylight, seating with-out shelter, and bus stop signs. To do this, designer has made prototypes according to different parametric vari-ations to allow the adaptation of the bus stop to its site. It is under this integrated parametric design strategy in-cluding method of creating a definition of a prototype, different parametric variation, manual deformation to create the design and simulation based deformation to test the sun direction; 4000 bus stop with individual de-sign quality were produced.

(both pictures) A prototype of the design of bus stop and its basic component groups (2012), Honolulu, Hawaii, US,< http://www1.honolulu.gov/dts/bsrp.htm >

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B.2 CASE STUDY 1.0

Seroussi Pavilion

Seroussi Pavilion (2007), Paris, Principle designer: Alisa Andrasek < http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5 >

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Alisa Andrasek is an American architect that is interested in the analysis of self organising and adaptive systems through the generative poten-tial of computational systems for design.23 One of the work that she has done with Biothing is the 'Seroussi Pavilion'.'

For this pavilion, Andrasek has looked into self-modifying patterns of vectors fields that are based on electro-magnetic fields (EMF). The logics of attraction and repulsion were com-puted in the plan and than lifted via series of structural microarching sections through dif-ferent frequencies of sine function.24 The pavil-ion was ipmlanted into a steep hill and so using the additional feature built into script allows adaptation and flexibility to the site. It took a lot of imbedded alogorithmic and patametric relationships to create this dynamic shape of the pavilion and to allow materialization proce-dures and adaption to the site conditions.25

It is interesting to see the lighting and shading effect that could be achieved through the shape of the pavilion created from sine-wave func-tions driving parametric differentiation of an-gle, orientation and the size of the aperture, as well as the relationship between the materials of metal and glass within each cell.

23 Daily Tonic, <http://www.dailytonic.com/biothing-a-transdisciplinary-lobratory-founded-by-alisa-andrasek/>24 Biothing-Repository of Computation Design, < http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5 >25 Biothing-Repository of Computation Design, < http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5 >

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sine summation and the result we got was similar to the original one but the lines are in zig zag form which was quite interest-ing. In technique 3 we have offset the lines and loft them in order to start to explore the idea of strips.

Below are four outcome which I personally found most interesting, it is obvious that the structure makes a great visual impact when it is offset and loft and formed into lines of strips. This is the type of form that our group is interested in taking onto the next level. Through constantly baking and experimenting diferent geometries that could be created, my knowledge and skills in grasshopper has no doubt increased and improved.

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From the definition of Seroussi Pavilion, the main component used in this project was the field lines based on electromag-netic fields. We have further explored and created something different by play-ing around in grasshopper. Below are four chosen ones that I thought are the most interesting shapes that could be create. The other modified section of the defini-tion of the Pavilion are shown in the ma-trix on the next page.

Firstly I would like to talk about the dif-ferent technique we used in the matrix. In technique 1, we have adjusted the amount of lines and tried to simplified the struc-ture. In technique 2 and 4, the component of the graph mapper has been explored and in 2, the graph mapper was changed to

Exploring with the CHARGE component by altering the decay of the charge that influence the field lines.

This form is achieved by altering the radius and the degree of the component of FORCE FIELD.

Experimenting with the GRAPHMAPPER component by alteringthe X- Y relationships of the lines to create an inverse form of the original model.

This is achieved by lofting the field lines. It has a more aesthetic appeal and fits in with our interest in the technique of strips and folding. The strips could further be explored in order to respond to a particular aspect of the site which would be developed later on through creating our own algorithmic definition.

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TECHNIQUE

1

TECHNIQUE

2

TECHNIQUE

3

TECHNIQUE

4

TECHNIQUE

5

VARIATION

1VARIATION

2VARIATION

3VARIATION

4

MATRIX

VARIATION

4VARIATION

5VARIATION

6VARIATION

7VARIATION

8

MATRIX

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B.3 CASE STUDY 2.0

Pavilion for New Architecture

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Pavilion for New Architecture (2005), Monash University Museum of Art, BKK Architects &Rory Hyde,

<http://architectureau.com/articles/exhibition-47/>

Pavilion for New Architecture

This project designed by Rory Hyde and BKK Architects is a pavilion that is in the form of a cube with its ‘walls’ composed of planes forming irregu-lar-sized hexagonal cells. The form of the pavilion was generated by a net-work of a geoesic sphere projected to a centre point which is then trimmed against an inner and outer cube. Different variables such as the position of the center point or the size of the cubes could be modified efficiently due to the use of parametric software.26 The design changes according to the amount of gaps the viewer could see through. While the viewer stands in the middle, the cells would face parallel to the viewer, which we could call the attractor point. This pavilion is a great example of what we are inter-ested in, which is to create a visual aesthetic through strips and folding for the users of the highway.

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26 Architecture AU, <http://architectureau.com/articles/exhibition-47/>

BKK PAVILION

Development of Technique

Instead of replicating the same design from Case Study 2.0, we were more interested in incorporating this idea of cre-ating a changing visual perspective through a set attractor point as well as being site specific to the site. In order to de-velop our technique, we have decided to use the sun as an el-ement of the site that we wanted to address. The lofted planes show on the in technique 6 to 10 in the matrix on page 37-38 are different variations of the model through changing them from parallel to perpendicular to the direction of the sun. Technique 6 shows the strips following the light source in a perpendicular way while 7 shows the parallel strips. We then explore the changes that could be created through changing the width of the strips and the direction of the strips. In tech-nique 9 and 10 perpendicular strips and parallel strips and combined to generate more outcomes.

The way to test the relationship between the surface and the

Exploration of geometries generated OFFSET and LOFTing to create strips and folding 37

direction of the sunlight was done by two steps: creating a geometry and an attractor point, in this case, the light source. We created an arc geometry and the light source was represent by a point that marks the start of the vector direction. Using the plane component in grasshopper we were able to generate a lofted surface orientated by the direction of the light source. After setting the plane perpendicular to the model, we re-ori-ented it and produced it on the plane. A line is then produced perpendicular to the plane by using two points: the origin and a slider defined Z value to allow length alteration. The geom-etries can also be subtracted using the scale component.

We changed the geometries from lofted surfaces to square as we found it a better geometry to test and experiment its differ-ent possibility of relationships to the light source. The size of the panels are also scaled by distance in order to demonstrate this relationship in a more obvious way.

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Development of Technique

ing the panel sizes but as well as rep-resenting it by a color change. We did this through applying the grasshop-per component ‘gradient’ so the color of the panel changes according to the distance from the light source.

The first two images on the left are examples of what I mentioned pre-viously. These are the square panels geometries created from the lofted curves. The panel sizes and its distance alter according to the direction of the source of light and therefore by adjust-ing the position of the light source, the form of the strucutre changes to adapt. We are then interested in exploring the idea of a gradient change of the the geometries not only shown by chang-

Technique Exploration

material propoerties in fabrication thus creating a more dramatic visual impact.

However, we believe that this idea of architecture responding to the direc-tion of the sunlight does not quite seem to be specific to the site enough so the next step we thought is crucial for our design development is to get a further understanding of the topog-raphy of the site.

In this article Manufacturing Ma-terial effects, it was mentioned that performative dimensions of mate-riality in arhitecture are primarily physical and perceptual. It is noticia-ble that nowadays, how the material looks actually matters just as much as how the material could perform structurally and thermally etc.27 We thought that by applying COLOR GRADIENT into the geometry could be a useful method to define

27 Kolarevic, Branko and Kevin R. Klinger, eds (2008). Manufacturing Material Effects: Rethinking Design and Making in Architecture (New York; London: Routledge), P. 11

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Technique Exploration

PERPENDICULAR

PARALLEL

PARALLEL STRIP WWITH WIDTH CHANGE

COMBINATION OF PARALLEL & PERPENDICULAR STRIPS

FURTHER EXPLO-RATIONS

This is a matrix showing the exploration of different strips responding to the point of light source in either parallel or perpendicular way where the width of the strips are also altered throughout the experiment to see if we could get a form with the most aesthetics appeal.

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The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe- the Holocaust Memorial, designed by architect Peter Eisenman and engineer Buro Happold is a memorial in Berlin to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The site consists of 19,000 sqm covered with 2711 concrete slabs, or ‘stelae’, arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae has a width of 0.95m and a length of 2.38m but vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8m. This was designed through the utilization of a satellite image of the site itself resulting in the blocks having the ability to respond to the site information through the input of an algorithm.27 What we are interested in is to use this mapping technique to gener-ate geometries that specific to our site.

B.4 TECHNIQUE: DEVELOPMENT

27 Holocaust Memorial, < http://www.war-memorial.net/Holocaust-Memorial--Architect-Peter-Eisenman,-Berlin-2005-2.66>

Holocaust Memorial, (2005,), Berlin, Germany, architect Peter Eisenman, <http://www.war-memorial.net/Holocaust-Memo-

rial--Architect-Peter-Eisenman,-Berlin-2005-2.66>

To continue with our design intent, we started analysing the atual topography of the site. Matrix 2 shows our attempt to explore the possibility of the relationship between the structure and the topography of the site by creating strips that are in respond to the tonal gradient of the site. It was cerated through plugging the above cropped map of the site into the component of ‘image sampler’ in grasshopper. The height of the points of these strips below are created in respond to the tonal gradient directly below the geometry. We started using rectan-gles to recreate the general site boundary then lofting it to create a surface. To further explore the surface and to follow our design interest of strips and folding, the surface was broken down to strips then being plugged into the original algorithm which respond to the point of the sun we had previously to come up with the ge-ometry at the bottom which that we are all satisfied with. So essentially, the direction of these lofted surface points are perpendicular to the point of the sun at one spot during a particular time of the day and the contour of thse strips are responding to the tonal variation of the site from the plane view directly below the geometry.

Topography of the highway, <googlemap.com>

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A POINT GRID was used to generate to allow the algorithm to take place.

COLOR GRDIENT is applied. Started off using color but then gray scale has more visual impact in the Rhino interface.

Instead of using rectangular extrusion, lines were substi-tuted to fit in with our design interest of strips and folding.

Using the SURFACE GRID al-lowed the lofting of the curves to create strips.

DEVELOPMENT

Points representing the textual quality of the high and low spots of the site.

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the points were extruted using EXTRUSION in a rectangular form similar to the Holocaust Memorial.

COLOR GRDIENT is applied. Started off using color but then gray scale has more visual impact in the Rhino interface.

Instead of using rectangular extrusion, lines were substi-tuted to fit in with our design interest of strips and folding.

DEVELOPMENT

This model is chosen to used to fabricate using the ORIENT and GRID components.

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ZOETROPEAnother element that we want to incorporate into our design in order to further express the specificity and to create an experi-ence for the users that would could only be received on site is through zoetrope.

A zoetrope is a device that produces an illusion of a motion or animation from a rapid succession of static pictures. The term ‘zoe’ means active and alive; where as ‘trope’ means turn.28 We thought this idea would further enhance our design of site spe-cific by using the strips that we created as slids to generate this effect of zoetrope on the highway. We are interested in incorpo-rating an element that represents Wyndham and to create this changing time lapse sequence that could attract locals or visitors to come at a specific time of the day to experience this effect.

We thought this idea could is site specific as the users could only experience it when they go through a high speed which in this case, the highway where drivers are driving at a 100km/ hr, could strengthen the interrelation between the stie and the designed form. Below is a photo showing what we are interested in achieving.

28 Zoetrope, <http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collections/toys/html/exhibit10.htm>

Masstransiscope in the subway < http://www.bboptics.com/masstransiscope.html >

Examples of zoetropes <http://courses.ncssm.edu/gallery/collec-

tions/toys/html/exhibit10.htm>

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The photos show the prototype outcome after being fabricated through a laser cut-ter in the fab lab in University. However, it is not a perfect model as while we were al-ternating the exploded strips to fit onto the page to send to fab lab, some of the strips has been changed unintentionally. So in-stead of having a neatly lined up edge on the left side of the model, the right side did not end up aligning with each strips. How-ever, we are still quite happy with the result. Through this experiment we are now more experienced and learnt to be more careful in the placing of the design on the file.

B.5 TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPE

For our prototype we made a simple curved struture testing the use of plywood and another model of that is generated through the mapping of the topography of a section of the site. The form still need further refinement but for the moment we have it being cantilevered over the site just for the testing of the outcome of this process of analysis of the geography. The technique has addressed the tonal variance of the site which has achieved our idea of site specific-ity, where this form could only be genearated on this site and no other site. The next step would be find a better fitting form to fit for the highway situation of the site and we thought through incorporating the idea of a zoetrope could further enhance and create an experience that would only be made available for the users on the highway.

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B.6 TECHNIQUE: PROPOSAL

Our technique has demonstrate the way we are interested in designing a structure that is site specific. The current form of our design could only be generated on our site and no other places. We have learnt to develop a visual perspective technique in grasshopper where we have focused on the relationship between the structure and the attractor point and through addressing the topography of the site, we have further emphasized the achievement of our design is site specificity and at the same time truely defining Wyndham city’s local distinctiveness. Our design is in-novative and is not suitable for other places in the world. We are aiming to create an experience for the users that could only be experienced on site but this process is still in development.

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B.7 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

Steps outlining the progression technique development of the al-gorithmic definition of attractor point.

This definition shows the development for the generation of the idea of incorporating textural quality into our design.

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Early Development & ExplorationAfter watching a tutorial on the technique ‘weaving’, I further ex-plored the possibility of ‘weaving’ with our existed definition for the geometries which changes color and sizes of panel according to the light source. As our interest is on the process of strips and folding, I thought this weaving pattern could be easily applied to the geometry. Below are some of the screen cap-tures and sketches we did. Howev-er, we decided not to further with this development as it just forms a pattern but not really a form.

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B.8 LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOME

refine it in a way that could be really specific to the site rather than just generating a texture that is unique to the site. They also believe that the idea of incorporating zoetrop seems a little unneccessary unless we could incorporate it in a more refine way to allow it to be embedded into the design as a whole.

Other comments that we have re-ceive is that our design is not inti-mate enough to be site- specific and

We have received a lot of helpful feedback on the issues of our design at teh moment and how we should approach and continue with the de-sign.

The panel was interested in our de-sign argument and the way we are really trying to focus our design and the direction of creating something that is site specific. As the form of our model is still in the process of de-velopment, the panel suggested us to

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Presentation Feedback

with the texture coming through the light generated to create this kind of quiet textural quality to have a better connection with the statement that we initially presented.

Overall, I believe that my knowl-edge in grasshopper in Rhino has improved through these few weeks by constantly exploring and devel-oping different variations for a range of possibly design.

B.8 LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOME

there seems to be a slight discon-nection from our design to the brief as the brief mentioned a quiet still place that Wyndham values where as our design seems too active.

The other important thing to con-sider is how localise could we design this structure so as to allow it to per-form better on our specific site than other places to make our argument more convincing. Other things to take note of is whether we could play

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Reference:

‘Biothing’, Daily Tonic (2013), <http://www.dailytonic.com/biothing-a-transdisciplinary-lobratory-founded-by-alisa-andrasek/>, [accessed 25 Apr 2013]

Biothing, Repository of Computation Design (2013), < http://www.biothing.org/?cat=5 >, [accessed 30 Apr 2013]

Department of transportation services, City and County of Honolulu (2013), <http://www1.honolulu.gov/dts/bsrp.htm>, [accessed 25 Apr 2013]

Holocaust Memorial, < http://www.war-memorial.net/Holocaust-Memorial--Architect-Peter-Eisenman,-Berlin-2005-2.66>, [accessed 3 May 2013]

Kolarevic, Branko and Kevin R. Klinger, eds (2008). Manufacturing Material Effects: Rethinking De-sign and Making in Architecture (New York; London: Routledge), pp. 6-24

Park Hyoung-June, A Parametric Design Strategy for 4000 Bus Stops, University of Hawaii, Manoa Honolulu (2012), US

Pavilion for New Architecture, Architecture AU (2013), <http://architectureau.com/articles/exhibi-tion-47/>, [accessed 27 Apr 2013]

Sophia Vyzoviti, Folding Architecture: Spatial, Structural and Organization Diagrams, BIS Publishers, the Netherlands, 2004

Urban Adapter, Designboom (2013), <http://www.designboom.com/design/rocker-lange-architects-urban-adapter/>, [accessed 25 Apr 2013]

Urban Adapter, Dezeen (2013), <http://www.dezeen.com/2010/01/08/urban-adapter-by-rocker-lange-architects/>, [accessed 26 Apr 2013]

Wyndham City Council, <www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/generic/file-widget/download/id/8951>, [ac-cessed 26 Apr 2013]

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