Xiaojie Hazel Bian633796

I’m Hazel, currently studying as a third year architecture student in University of Melbourne. Like many others, my first taste of digital modeling was while undertaking the Vir-tual Environment in my first year. We were asked to use Rhino the software to design a lantern that interacts with our hands. I enjoyed the learning process quite a lot as I gradually developing my skill in 3D modeling. Studio Air is a great opportunity for me to further develop my digital design skill. I’m looking forward to it!!

A0 IntroductIon

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A0.1 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH PARAMETRIC DESIGN

I’ve taken the Virtual Environ-ment in my first year of univer-sity. The ultimate goal in this subject is to design a lantern that interacts with user’s hand by using Rhinoceros the soft-ware and paneling tool plug-in. I found this subject strongly relevant with Studio Air, both of them are looking into paramet-ric design using digital software. And the two subject are struc-tured in a very similar way, the design process in Virtual Envi-ronment gives a preview to the Studio Air.

Being inspired from the natural process, Virtual Environment in-vites students to generate ide-as from daily life and gradually develop deep into it. Studio Air is a more sophisticated than Virtu-al. It focuses on abstract forms, which requires more theoretical thinking behind the design pro-cess. As Grasshopper the plug-in being introduced, it allows more freedom in the parametric de-sign.

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Part A ContentA1 Design Futuring 6

A2 Design Computation 17

A3 Composition/Generation 22

A4 Conclusion 28

A5 Learnign Outcome 29

A6 Appendix-Algorithm sketch 30

A.1 Design Futuring

Designing can always been seen as a discourse of hu-man civilization. Materials re-flect the craftsmanship, forms show the aesthetic design, functions represent the activ-ities as so. And the concept behind the design, it’s what we pursue for the society. It has became more and more popular now if the design was labeled with ‘recycle material’, ‘organic’, ‘dona-tion for…’, which all pointing to one ultimate goal, sustain-ability. As we were told by many of the social media, that we human beings have reached a critical moment of our existence, which is very true.

And what can we do to slow down the process? Design-ing seems to be a good ap-proach for us. Sustainable designs could be using recy-clable/recycled materials in the design outcome, apply-ing technologies increasing it strength/ durability, set-ting up well resolved urban planning… We could have various approaches to the sustainable design and only after we noticed, can we start acting to respond de-signing for the future.

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Sendai Mediatheque

Sendai Mediatheque is now be-ing the landmark of the Sendai city in Japan. It is a seven story height mixed program public fa-cility design by architect Toyo Ito in 2001. The architecture attracts me most by its striking outlook. The overall glass façade conveys the idea of ‘fluidity’ in Ito’s de-sign. (Fig 1.1) Ito was deeply influ-enced by Mies van der Rhoe and his work.(Fig1.2s) The fluid spatial effect is interpreted as ‘barri-er free’ floor plan in the Sendai Mediatheque. Ito addresses the issue as removing architectural barriers which how a space must be used, freedom from admin-istrative constraints. This is also how Ito values architecture as a reflection of the society. The us-ers contribute to the building ar-rangement, as they shall decide the organization of each space.

“... Visitors will be able to use such spaces as they use the city streets, for various activ-ities. ... I am hoping that, as such spaces are used, the Mediatheque will become a place for thinking about the city.”—Toyo Ito (2001), [1]Besides from the light and airy glass façade, I appreciate the floating floor and the organic looking seaweed tubes and its design concept. The tubes are the most identifiable char-acter in the Sendai Media-theque knowing by the world. Notice the similarity with Le Corbusier’s slab and column structure; Ito refers the Dom-ino house as precedent for his work.(Fig1.3)These 13 tubes are used not only for aesthet-ic purpose but also address to the structural intention. Fig1.2

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Four tubes at the corner to support the building and also resist the earthquake; the oth-ers are used to withstand the vertical gravitation loads and also being the vertical circu-lation shaft for air, electricity, light and people. (Fig 1.4)I was amazed when watching the YouTube clip of how the tubes react during an earthquake condition; they are more flex-ible when moving up and down, destitute the load to the floor while remaining the struc-ture. And it’s impressing to see how the building is like after the earthquake. No solid wall in the building that could mini-mize the damage done by the earthquake. (fig.xx) The repair of broken floor is much more easily than repairing a bro-ken wall after the earthquake, which bring up to my mind the sustainability of the building can also ben shown in how it react with the earthquake.

The Sendai Mediatheque could be considering as structurally sustainable as it could resist the extreme environmental con-dition. I also appreciate Ito’s idea of integrating with the surrounding environment and the culture context, as well as the revolution in engineer and aesthetic, and will always be my goal in the future studies.

Fig 1.3

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Melbourne school of design

The Melbourne School of De-sign locates at the center of the University of Melbourne cam-pus, and now has been a new landmark of the university. This is a pedagogical building design by John Wardle Architects (Mel-bourne) and NADAAA (Boston) in collaboration. (Fig1.5)The MSD building is well engag-es with the sustainable design issue, it has been awarded a 6 Star Green Star Design v1 rating in Australia. The building well utilized the natural ventilation and lighting, where the magnifi-cent atrium at level one and the huge empty space above allow the air ventilates through the building, and enable the sun-light to penetrate through the panel glass roof. Personally I enjoy the most in the building is the staircases. (Fig1.6)The Y Stair has a mid landing area where it splits to up and down directions that users could get to destination in shortest path.

The beauty in the design not only provides a clear span across the atrium, while it’s also user friendly, approaching from the aesthetic aspect and coherent with the entire build-ing. And now students might have a quick conversation at the mid landing space of the staircase if they bump into each other while not block-ing the traffic. The staircase in the building stands beyond its original purpose of transferring vertical distances, and it also contribute to better user expe-rience, creating active spatial relationship between user and the surrounding environment. Together with innovation of technologies, parametric design was introduced as a method to achieve design goals in more precise manner. However, it is not always the benchmark of architecture in 21 century, more importantly, it requires the ability to connect and respond to the local envi-ronment.

Fig 1.4

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Fig 1.5

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Fig 1.6

A 2Design Computation

As the developing of the technol-ogy, computation has been now commonly used in the design in-dustries. Using computer aided design (CAD) has now became a trend within architectural design, computers performing in superior analytical function and together with human creativity and explo-ration can create desired design outcome. Traditional architecture workflow is kind of a ‘top down’ process of design. The architects, engineers and the consultants are work sep-arately during all stages of design, this may results to huge cost when engineers involve at the very end when architects already finished the drawings can do very little to improve the efficiency of the de-sign. Architects generate an idea base on self-knowledge, previous experience and personal prefer-ence, and utilize computer as a tool to accurately draft out and present the design idea.

In this case, computers are used to produce precise drawing to con-vey the architects’ ideas which ‘still only seen as just a tool’ , as they’re simply used to draft out the design ideas, and dismiss the essential of CAD. Computation however, is using the computer in a different perspec-tive; computers are now taking over the role of ‘designing’ by using algorithm to generate the design possibilities. Computers can ‘calculate’ the desirable design outcome using the database and the input scripts set by architect, which is more effective, and intui-tive for the site as is has discarded political preferences, eliminating personal opinions and only create the suitable outcomes to the brief. It is sort of pushing out of the de-sign boundary. As Terzidis opinion to algorithm is intended to ‘align with neither formalism nor ration-alism but with intelligent form and traceable creativity’ , indicating

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computation is a logical process in response to a particular eager, while collecting and analyzing data relevant to the parametric model and the pursue factor. Computa-tion is a ‘bottom up’ design process, which starting the design by gathering information of topography, population and such envi-ronmental parameters as the basis of de-sign, could better respond building with the surrounding environment and best achieve its potential, while being accurate and con-sistent through out the design process and allowing the designers to achieve sustaina-ble goal and eventually bring out efficient outcome.

Guggenheim MuseumOne of the most famous computerization examples in the world might be the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao design by archi-tect Frank Gehry. The Guggenheim Museum is a futuristic, com-plex form while using selection of captivating materials to make an iconic architecture to the world. (Fig1.8)The entire architecture is generate according to the sketches and handmade model by Frank Gehry, and imported to a 3d design software (CATIA) and take a further step in the develop-ment. In this instant, which is very much a top-down process, the design idea in generate and refine by the architect while the other participants in the design process are fixing up all the de-tails for the building can actually get build. Traditional workflow like this will heavily rely on the architects’ personal preferences on the design, and other parties involving are helping the archi-tect to refine the design ideas till the building gets build.

Fig. 1.8

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Architectural Association Design Research Lab

This is an architectural association design research done by group of students of Shumacher in 2009. (Fig,1.10)He shows the correlation of different subsys-tems in the building, and here exemplified how the façade pattern correlates to the structural system. The example shows the possibility of surface artic-ulation corresponds to structural flow-lines or stress distribution. (Fig 1.9)As Shumacher illustrates ‘the dif-ferentiation of the surface should serves as a medium of articulation, … correlated with the geometric or functional aspects of the space the surface con-structs’. Shumacher emphasizes that correlation will be the second hallmark of parametricism. In this case, the facade pattern could be taken from any relevant subsystem within the building; the shape could be varied in forms as it correlates to different subsystems. The overall form is not as important in the comput-erization as form is not always the first priority in the design process. It allows the architects more freedom in exploring design possibilities, since computation is mainly based on algorithm and parameters, the de-sign language is mostly about the logical process and data analysing, thus, it is considered to be ‘traceable creativity’ .

Fig.1.9

Fig 1.10

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A3Composition/ Generation

The shift from composition to gener-ation has been taken place for few years in the architecture firms. The algorithm plays a crucial role behind the changes, as it became the way that architects address a design issue using computational solution as using pen and paper in the old days. Algorithmic thinking means taking on an interpretive role that compre-hend what result we will get from the code, with the knowledge how to modify the parameters in the code and further explore the design po-tential. Combining human creativity with computers’ information pro-cessing which allow the designers to extend their ability to deal with more complex situation. Algorithmic thinking also change the design process rather draft out the result preconceived by the archi-tects, but the generate the outcome by computer using the specific scripts written by the architects.

‘we are moving from an era where architects use software to one where they create software’---- Brady Peters

It shifts the role of architects from ‘drawing’ to ‘finding’ the result. It’s better for capturing and communicating designs, which augments the intellect of architects to explore the ‘multitude of parameters that instrumental of the building’. Parametric modeling is now being commonly used in the industry for its convenience in trans-ferring information and accuracy in quantifying parameters of the building project. The devel-opment ‘families of components’ allows param-eters distributed in a precise manner generate strong relationships between each other, which result as easy in modifying details, precise and efficient fabrication process. The scripting culture has been hugely innovat-ed in the recent decades that the scripts are no longer written by CAD specialists, but also the designer creating geometry and finding form through sketching with code. David Rutten who creates the Grasshopper has an architec-tural background and encourages Grasshopper as ‘bustling bazaar-type environment’ for ar-chitects, where architects ‘visually link together components that are conceived of, and created by, other architects’.

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The 307 meters height skyscraper Infinity Tower located in Dubai is known as the tallest twist-ed high rise building in the world. The tower rotates 90 degrees from the base to the peak, where the lateral stepping of the perimeter columns for the Infinity Tower became a driver of the building’s exterior architectural expres-sion. The SOM architects work in close collab-oration with the structural engineers in creat-ing the unique outlook. In order to achieve the full 90 degree spiral, each floor is roated by 1.2 degree to chreting the shape of a helix. Finite element algorithm was critical-ly used in collaboration, while computation analysis and visualize the structural forces for the various structural design option that were considered for the building’s twisting form.

Infinity Tower

Fig 1.11

Fig 1.12

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Parametric design might be the most efficient de-sign outcome, however, sometimes what we want is less than that. Human beings desire the design could provoke emotional response in our heart, we would like to live in buildings that appeal to our aes-thetic or stimulate our feeling towards happiness or joy. Or even the ‘beauty for nonsense’ , we are now shift the view from mechanism towards ecology, that buildings are not act as machine for us to live in, more over, it became part of our live. Howev-er, computation could not resolve this problem by any written code, as it could no analysis the human emotion nor social/cultural context of the site. Peo-ple will not appreciate the building just simply ex-tract the building from Grasshopper and put on site

Shan Shui City no matter how efficient it is. The building constructed by Ma Yansong as part of his designing theme ‘Shan Shui City’ in Guangxi, China.(Fig. 1.13) He is used the analogy of the natural landscape for the exterior structure for the building. (Fig. 1.14)Yet I don’t fully accept this is the most desirable outcome that I expect. It’s superficial of just cop-ying the shape of the landscape; the design logic behind seems to be missing.

Fig.1.13

Fig.1.14

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A4Conclusion

Architecture has always been a reflection of human civilization, there is always story to tell of the materials, the design ideas, using of technologies behind a design. It mirrors the current economic conditions, social statues, political issues and cultural influences. Architecture can be read as human history in an-other interpretation. We are now living in 21th century where technologies are the most influential factors to our lives, and so does architecture. Computation has been a trend in the designing process not only in architecture. Parametric design, derive from compu-tation are commonly seen in daily life. It is a new design lan-guage, when algorithm joined in the design process for the first time. It leads to a different perspective of design logic and rethinking the relationship with in the building, forms, geometry, and also environmental context. Human creativity and intuition together with computation, I believe we could generate the designs that allow us living sustain and thrive in the world.

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A5Learning Outcome

I found the Air Studio is different from other studio as it’s a heavily precedents based subject, and where I enjoy most in the learning process is looking for other master pieces. it’s an exciting process as I was deeply impressed by the work of architects around the world. It’s interesting to look at how different other people consider a question from me and how they gonna solve it. And the algorithmic thinking is also new to me, that I’ve never considered before! I’m excited to learn these stuff!

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A6Appendix

surefaces created by using the command loft. Drawing the polysurface in Rhino first and then used Grasshopper to generate chagens.

Reference1. Toyo Ito. Hiroshi Wanatabi, Trans. Lessons of the Sendai Mediatheque. Japan Architect, 41 (2001): 72. Melbourne School of Design, Australia, 3 (2014)3. Frazer, John H. (2006). ‘The Generation of Virtual Prototypes for Perfor-mance Optimization’, in GameSetAndMatch II: The Architecture Co-Lab-oratory on Computer Games, Advanced Geometries and Digital Tech-nologies, ed. by Kas Oosterhuis and Lukas Feireiss (Rotterdam: Episode Publishers), pp. 208-2124. Terzidis, Kostas (2006). Algorithmic Architecture (Boston, MA: Elsevier), p. xi5. Partick Shumacher (2009). Architectural Design, pp 7-146. Terzidis, Kostas (2006). 7. Brady Peters (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83,2,pp 08-158. Peters(2013), pp 159. Peters,( 2013), pp 1410 Daniel Davis and Brady Peters(2013), ‘Design Ecosystems‘, Architecu-tral Design, pp1-811. Daniel et al (2013), pp1-812. Daniel et al (2013), pp1-813. Infinity Tower, http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/04/twisted-sky-scrapers-around-world.html14. Peters( 2013), pp 1415. peters(2013), pp14

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Image Sourceshttp://www.archdaily.com/422470/ad-classics-the-guggenheim-museum-bilbao-frank-gehry/http://www.archdaily.com/331128/in-progress-infinity-tower-som/ http://www.archdaily.com/118627/ad-classics-sendai-medi-atheque-toyo-ito/https://msd.unimelb.edu.auhttp://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2012/12/ma-yansonghttp://www.zhaolv.cn/dest/guilin

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