ARCHITECTURALDESIGN STUDIO:AIR

Contents01. Case for Innovation -About Me -My Experience with Digitial Architecture -Previous Studio Work -Favourite Architectural Projects

02. Computing in Architecture

Case For Innovation

About Me.....Hello, my name is Alexis, this is my second semester here at Melbourne Uni. I completed 3 semesters of a Bachelor of Architecture in Christchurch in New Zealand before moving to Melbourne last year. I am now planning on finishing my degree here in Melbourne. Previously while studying in NZ I learnt how to use design packages ArchiCAD and Sketch up and I took Virtual environments last semester so have learnt the basics of Rhino, all though I would still class myself as a beginner!! I can see why Rhino and Grasshopper are important to learn and although frustrating at the moment as I’m still unable to realise the ideas in my head, I looking forward to learning more and hopefully being able to achieve some more complex designs. I think parametric design seem to be the direction architecture is currently taking and having the ability to use these packages is something that future employers will be looking for.

Previous Works...The design project I’m introducing on the left was a project from Virtual Environments were we were asked to design a lantern inspired by a natural form. I choose coral as my natural form and the aspects of coral I wanted to include in my model were the interesting patterning of coral and the fluidity and movement that I observed when looking at certain varieties of coral underwater. I also wanted to make sure the lantern produced an interesting light which is another important aspect of coral which I really want this to be an important feature of my lantern. We used Rhino to produced the the drawings for the model and then used panelling tools to produce panels that would be ready to roll out and be sent to the card cutter for fabrication.

MY FAVORITE BUILDING 1...The images on the left are concept models for a replacement temporary church for Christchurch after the cathedral was destroyed in an earthquake. It was designed by Shigeru Ban one of my favorite architects. Bans works experiments with nontraditional building materials with the main discourse being in sustainability and recyclability. Ban is an innovator in low cost and recyclable materials. This design has been made with cardboard tubes a material that ban often works with as it is light weight, cheap, and able to be recycled. His use of paper could possibly be influence by traditional Japanese architecture. His work is simple and minimalist which could also be influenced by modernist ideals with his materials often left in their raw natural form.Ban seems to me, like a socially conscious architect. He has worked to provide low cost easy to assemble buildings for disaster victims and refugees. I find his work, although often understated, to have a beauty in its simplicity and honesty.

MY FAVORITE BUILDING 2...My next favorite building is the Nakagin Capsule Tower designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa. Kurokawa was a member of the metabolists. The group’s ideals were said to be in response to a new period of living. The name is ment to represent this new age of living where buildings act like living organisms which are able to grow, reproduce and transform in response to their environment. The Nakagin Capsule Tower encompasses many of these ideals and like my previous favorite building also fits in the bracket of being ‘sustainable’ and ‘recyclable’ with the capsules being able to be individually replaced when needed. I am really interested in the concept architecture which is able to change, grow, and evolve rather than building that are static and become outdated. The idea of being able to recycle and reuse parts of the building just makes sense and with the world resources depleting I really think we need to be considering aspect of design such as these more often.

Computing in Architecture