VOL.01 STATEMENT OF INTENT AND ITINERARY

2014 -2015 BRANNER TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP APPLICANT

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

SELF FORMATION IN NATURE, ART AND ARCHITECTURE

SELF FORMATION IN NATURE, ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Statement of Intent

Self formation

Self-formation is a process that an object or phenomenon is transformed by

itself to adapt its shape or character from the external forces. The transition

when the nature changes or is changed by the natural impacts such as weath-

ering, erosion, sedimentation, earthquake or volcano effect, can be also called

as a self-formation. Not only the natural phenomenon, but also arts and archi-

tecture can be also self-formed, which means that the form of arts and architec-

ture is produced unintentionally from the natural phenomenon including gravity

or user’s change, although the designer did not purpose the outcome. Interest-

ingly, the external factors and the system how Nature or man-made structure

has influenced on is very similar and its impact brings similar results on both,

even though the intent, scale, life and material of form from Nature and artificial

constructions are totally different each other. So, from the Branner Traveling

Fellowship, I would like to explore the all the results of self-formation in both

Nature, arts and architecture, and understand its process, reasons, controlling

factors and external forces. Through these adventures, I would be able to learn

the new methodology how design can affect and be affected in the environment.

Self formation through natural force

First of all, to learn the self-formation of design in architecture, I believe that I

should understand the natural environment, because Nature is a foundation of

all formation in the world and can inspire the design process. For example, in

Le Maire channel at the Antarctic[1], the iceberg had been weathered through

thousand years of erosion and sedimentation, and became colonnades of col-

umn shape of iceberg. These natural ice columns show how a structural column

support the mass and how the gravity force impact through the vertical connec-

tion, which teach the fundamental structure system in architecture. In addition,

a basalt rock mountain[2] that had been formed in a short time by the sudden

volcano eruption, consists of numerous hexagonal shapes of volume, which in-

dicates the most stable structure, honeycomb frame. This brings to the idea that

different period of processing in material can be utilized for a different pattern

and design in arts. So, exploring these nature environments would inspire the

way that architecture can be formed and self-formation methods.

Self formation in Art

There are also art movements that emphasized the accidental result of art

forms, which is not created by author’s purpose. The “Arte Povera” movement

that was originated throughout Italy in 1960s, shows artists’ exploration in a

range of unconventional processes and non-traditional ‘everyday’ materials. [3]

[1] Iceberg column at AntarcticSource - http://vi.sualize.us/

[2] Basalt rock mountain at ArmeniaSource - http://lolscream.com/

[3] Reference - http://www.wikipedia.org/

So, artists uses other controlling factors to let the art be formed as it is influ-

enced. For instance, Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka is one of artists who is

affected by the “Arte Povera”. His project, “Natural Crystal Chair, 2008”[4] was

made by the natural crystal that keeps naturally growing, and the result form

after icing crystal became his art. He said, “The relationship between natural

power and human beings is a very important theme in my creation. I would be

pleased if Crystalized Project became an opportunity to increase awareness of

the essence of nature; its beauty, strength, and the fearful side with its astound-

ing power, and for us to come back to the concept of living within this nature;

the Earth.”[5] By experiencing these art works during the travel, I am sure that I

can acquire knowledge and understanding of self-formation process in different

scale from macro to micro.

Self formation to Architecture

In addition, there are precedents that some architects already utilized the

self-formation process into design. In 1950s, Frei Otto and Felix Candela have

experimented the building mass formation by the gravity force, the simulation

result represented the basic form of buildings, that means the gravity force

itself could create a shape of building, but architects expressed the outcome

as an architecture using tensile and membrane structures.[6] As visiting there

structural buildings, I would see both how the natural forces impact and create

on the form of building and, on the other hand, how the building can overcome

the external forces. These days, the range of utilizing self-formation has broad-

ened through many current architects. For example, the temporal exhibition,

“The blur building”, that was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro Architects

in 2011 created building’s perimeter by a fog mass resulting from natural and

manmade forces.[7] The atmosphere of the building was self-formed and con-

stantly changed. Also, “The Pole Dance”, winning project of MoMA PS1 Young

Architect Program in 2010 by SO-IL, offered several poles on grids connected

by bungee cords whose elasticity causes the poles to gently sway, which creates

a steady ripple throughout the space.[8] So, as a user moves the pole, the space

volume is also changed. These precedents show and teach how to coordinate

anonymous’ factors to the architecture design. By traveling these Nature, arts

and architecture that are transformed or created as a natural phenomenon, I

believe to figure out what is the relationship between controlling factors and

external forces, how the scale of form changes material, and how the natural

system can be operated in architecture.

[4] Natural Crystal Chair, 2008Source - Tokujin Yoshioka Webpage

[7] The Blur BuildingSource - Diller Scofidio + Renfro Webpage

[8] PS1 Young Architect Program 2010Source - http://moma.org/

[6] Frei Otto’s Gravity Simulation, Source - Tensile Structure Book

[5] Quote - http://www.tate.org.uk/

Statement of Intent

Itinerary

PREPARATION & ANALYSIS METHODOLOGIES

1. Preliminary studies in thesis preparation 2014 fall semester - Preparation of travel and update itinerary

1.1. Precedent studies

1.2. Simulation in physical & digital environment

1.3. Update reference and redefine Itinerary

1.4. Contact artists and keep tracking the schedule of exhibition

2. Collecting and Analyzing data in 2015 travel year - Speculate the real world with scale, external factor & forces

2.1 Abstract drawing and sketch, and record video and sound (If necessary)

2.2 Collect and categorize data (If necessary) - by material, external factor and fundamental forces

2.3 Update factor Charts and brief self report every month

2.4 Visit the living classroom “the HOOKE PARK” directed by Frei Otto

2.5. Interview artists in Japan (Tokujin Yashioka and Cyoko Tamai)

2.6 Collect materials on site (If possible)

3. Expecting future research & design works in 2015 thesis semester - How to apply the knowledge and data into design process

3.1 Reorganize data collections

3.2 Apply the collected date into different scale, material and external forces - As a cross pollination of data collection 3.3 Experiment and simulate physical model and data

3.4 Digital design model simulation through Kangaroo & Grasshopper (Computational modeling tool for physic)

3.5 Install simulation models through comparison of precedent references

3.6 Publish travel thesis broacher or book

Before travel

On going Gravity digital Simulation

On going Factor Chart

During travel

After travel

Itinerary

Itinerary

SELF FORMATION SITE SELECTION STRATEGIES

1. Natural process as self formation - How to impact the natural forces to natural-scape

1.1. Water Erosion

1.2. Chemical Reaction

1.3. Volcano Eruption

1.4. Human Intervention

1.5 Friction Force

1.6 Wave Force

2. Generative form finding process as self formation - How to utilize the different minerals and forces in the art process

2.1 Crystallizing

2.2 Air movements

2.3 Piling

2.4 Sagging

2.5 Concentrating

3. Early studies of fundamental forces - Speculating the use of forces in early human history

3.1 Gravity

3.2 Tension

3.3 Compression 4. Contemporary use of external factors in design process - Diverse usages of external factors in design such as fire and air pressure

3.1 Air pressure and pneumatics

3.2 Gravity

3.3 Lateral force

3.4 Tensegrity

3.5 Fire and bubble

Nature

Art

Architecture

Itinerary

Self Formation through WATER & EROSION

Natural environment keeps changing and adopting as time goes, and this self-forming process can inspire the ar-

chitecture as well. There are essential adaptation process in nature such as erosion, weathering and sedimentation.

Although same external process is affected, each site is changed differently according to its location, scale, tempera-

ture and duration.

City

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Force

Name

Name

Name

Name

Antelope Canyon

Horseshoe Bend

Cedar ceremonial park

Etretat Cliffs

Arizona

Arizona

Utah

Etretat

USA

USA

USA

France

Stone

Stone

Stone

Stone

Erosion, Sedimentation

Erosion, Weathering

Sedimentation, Weathering

Wave Erosion, Weathering

Source - http://flickr.com/fabienshab

Source - http://flickr.com/fabienshab

Source - http://flickr.com/oldmantravels

Source - http://flickr.com/Moyanbrenn

Itinerary

Self Formation through MINERAL & CHEMICAL REACTION

Nature is also changed by the chemical reaction. High concentrate of sodium mineral has impacted on the desert,

which changes to vast prairie at Uyuni desert in Bolivia. The mountain Pamukkale got a lot of bathtubs due to the

chemical reaction of carbonate minerals. Rainbow mountain in China has been colored because of the numerous

mineral deposits for a long time.

Uyuni Desert

Rainbow mountain

Pamukkale

Carrera Lake

Potosi Departments

Zhangye

Denizli Province

Patagonia

Bolivia

China

Turkey

Chile

Sodium Mineral

Red Sandstone, Mineral Deposit

Carbonate Minerals, Hot Springs

Marvel Stone, Mineral Water

Mineral Sedimentation

Tectonic Plate force, Sedimentation

Sedimentary deposited by water

Erosion, Weathering

City

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Force

Name

Name

Name

Name

Source - http://flickr.com/richardsilver

Source - http://flickr.com/jkaseller

Source - http://flickr.com/ladymarianna

Source - http://flickr.com/smush12

Itinerary

Self Formation through VOLCANO & HUMAN INTERVENTION

There are sometimes unexpected scene in nature because of humam intervention. Accident explosion by military

test had created huge hole on rock forest, which became a hidden beach in Mexico. Efficient water supply system of

agriculture made colorful circle shape of crops on ground. Or, significant volcano eruption also suddenly transforms

the land, for example, all the byproducts from volcano cover the whole mountain like basalt columns.

Hidden Beach

Basalt Columns

Crop Circles

Cappadocia Mountain

Marieta Island

Los Organos

Nevada

Nevsehir Province

Mexico

Peru

USA

Turkey

Rock

Basalt stone

Crops

Stone

Accident Explosion by Military Test

Volcano eruption

Flattening of a crop

Volcano eruption

City

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Force

Name

Name

Name

Name

Source - http://flickr.com/stefanogambassi

Source - http://hugefloods.com/

Source - http://flickr.com/ineurosis

Source - http://flickr.com/rose

Itinerary

Self Formation through BOOLEAN SUBTRACTION

The solid form is manipulated by many different ways. The Gothic and Baroque era vault system has shown a funda-

mental form base on power which has similar spatial trait in natural phenomenon such as rainbow bridge in Grand

Canyon National Park and Glacial Columns in Le Maire channel at the Antarctic. Many different material size and joint

system allow diverse of shape in space and atmosphere.

- - -

La Trompe De Chateau de Blois Capilla de los Reyes Hagia Sophia

Blois Valencia Istanbul

France Spain Turkey

Stone Stone Stone

Gravity Gravity Gravity

Man-made structure Man-made structure Man-made structure

City

Country

Material

Force

Natural/ Man-made

Name

Architect

All images source - ‘Volume’, 2012 by Brandon Clifford

Itinerary

Self Formation through COLLECTIVE RIB

Compare to the boolean vault, the rib vault is the most essential way of self form making. The minimal element is

naturally bended and leaning each other to create high ceiling space. The gravity, tension and compression work to-

gether to keep the space volume.

-

Antoni Gaudi

-

Basilica Vierzehnheiligen

La Sagrada Familia

Abbor’s Chapel

Bavaria

Barcelona

Musee De Cluny

Germany

Spain

France

Stone

Stone

Stone

Gravity

Gravity

Gravity

Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

All images source - ‘Volume’, 2012 by Brandon Clifford

Itinerary

Self Formation through PNEUMATIC

The idea of air pressure as a form making in architecture has been one of the very few fundamental innovations

in building technology during the last 100 years. This type of form making has been developed with inner back up

structure. It started from wood frame simulation and now it is widely used with steel frame work. The Eden project

by Grimshaw Architects is an advanced model of this works. In addition, Kunsthaus by Peter Cook introduced rigid

glass type of pneumatic forms.

Peter cook, Colin Fournier

Smiljan Radic

Grimshaw Architects

The kunsthaus Graz

Serpentine Pavilion

Eden Project

Graz

London

St Blazey, Cornwall

Austria

United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Glass

Transparent Concrete

ETFE(GAS+Steel frame)

Pneumatics

Pneumatics

Pneumatics

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

Source - http://flickr.com/giuliasilvia

Source - http://flickr.com/andreanatt

Source - http://archdaily.com/petercook

Itinerary

Self Formation through CONVERTED GRAVITY

The Gravity is a fundamental force in architecture. Frei Otto and Felix Candela have conducted diverse experiment s

and simulations with the gravity force as a form finding process. The controlled holding points and gravity is a perfect

combination for building’s self formation with a thin structure in rigid format. The elegance curvature becomes orig-

inated from natural force.

Felix Candela

Heinz Isler

Felix Candela

Oceanográfico Valencia

Gartencenter Wyss Zuchwil

Restaurante Los Manantiales

Valencia

Zuchwil

Xochimilco

Spain

Switzerland

Mexico

Concrete

Concrete

Concrete

Tension, Gravity

Tension, Gravity

Tension, Gravity

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

Source - http://flickr.com/stefanogambassi

Source - http://flickr.com/stefanogambassi

Source - http://flickr.com/wyssgarten

Itinerary

Self Formation through RIGID & TENSION

In this section, the forms are originated from capturing the moment with rigid structure. Pier Luigi Nerbi is the one

of seminal person to develop the self formation with concrete as a notion of structuralism. The St. Mary’s Cathedral

in San Francisco represents the movement of the form with rigid object instead of the use of tension fabric and cable.

Pier Luigi Nervi

Felix Candela

Eero Saarinen

St. Mary’s Cathedral

Our Lady of Miraculous Medals

TWA Flight Center

San Francisco

Mexico City

New York

USA

Mexico

USA

Concrete

Concrete

Concrete

Tension, Gravity

Tension, Gravity

Tension, Gravity

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

Source - http://flickr.com/ximo

Source - http://archdaily.com/fwaterminal

Photograph in hand

Itinerary

Self Formation through SOFT & TENSION

In terms of tension forms, many artists and architects have used as one of design methods, Bodo Rasch and Frei

Otto are early users of this system with tension cable and stretched fabric. In last decade, the methodology has been

widely re-introduced through an advanced level with different material. As one of seminal example is SO-IL’s Kukje

Gallery in Korea which uses aluminum mesh surface, like knit fabric on the facade of the gallery through same logic.

The Centre Pompidou-Metz by Shigeru Ban, also used the system with wooden knit back-up structure and high per-

formance coated fabric on the top by capturing the moment of tension form.

Bodo Rasch

Shigeru Ban

SO-IL

Stuttgart university campus at vaihingen

The Centre Pompidou-Metz

Kuk-je Gallery

Vaihingen

Metz

Seoul

Germany

France

Korea

Tension Wire Cable, Stretched Fabric

Wooden neat frame, Coated fabric

Concrete Backup Volume, Alumium mesh

Tension, Compression, Gravity

Tension, Compression, Gravity

Tension, Gravity

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

Source - http://flickr.com/sjlee

Source - http://flickr.com/materialisegroup

Source - http://flickr.com/materialisegroup

Itinerary

Self Formation through VARIOUS MATERIALS

There are many attempts that architects try to apply other materials or experiments into the architecture. Peter

Zumthor fired the tree trunks that have covered the interior space from the concrete chunk. After all trees are burned,

the hole inside concrete became an inside space. The interior wall of Prada store Beverly hills is made by the leftover

of Polyurethane after the ballons, that used to be filled in the silicon mat, got blown out.

Peter Zumthor

OMA

Zaha Hadid

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel

Prada Store Beverly Hiills

Serpentine Sakler Gallery

Mechernich

Los Angeles

London

Germany

USA

United Kingdom

Concrete, Tree Trunks

Polyurethane, silicon mat

Glass Fiber

Fire Burned

Bubble Pressure

Tension

Natural of Man-made structure

Natural of Man-made structure

Simulation of Man-made structure

City

City

City

Country

Country

Country

Material

Material

Material

Force

Force

Force

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Natural & Man-made

Name

Name

Name

Architect

Architect

Architect

Source - http://archdaily.com/

Source - http://archdaily.com/

Source - ‘El Croques, OMA’ by El Croques

Itinerary

CONVERSATION with Artists about Self Formation

As one of research tools, the interview with artists, who use the self-formation methodology in their design process,

can be a great research background. One artist is Tokujin Yoshioka. His work is a ramification of natural process

such as crystallizing the mineral, forming the fog in space in many different ways. Cyoko Tamai is an another artist.

Her interest and focus are the relationship between the concentration of water and ink in traditional Calligraphy. In

the process, her paintings show different outcome because of different ratio of ink and water. As a different jean-re,

researching such work processes and ethics can be one of answer of question “Self formation”.

Artist

Artist

City

City

Country

Country

Material

Material

Force

Force

Tokujin Yoshioka

Cyoko Tamai

Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Japan

Crystal

Dip Pen, Fiber

Freezing

Infusing

Source - http://www.tokujin.com/

Source - http://flickr.com/robertsaba

Itinerary

EXHIBITION about Self Formation

HOOKE PARK in AA School as real education of Self Formation

As the statement of intent mentioned, the Arte Povera has analogous background of self formation. Kunstmuseum

in Liechtenstein and Tate modern in London are important places to research works of the Atre Povera. During the

travel fellowship period, visiting of the seminal projects will be part of research works.

Frei Otto, who is a seminal person in development of the notion of self formation, has led the architecture program,

DESIGN & BUILD in AA. The HOOKE PARK is the living class room for experiment of self formation and real building

construction process. Visiting the Hooke Park and engaging the environment will provide more sensible idea for my

future research and works.

Architect

Architect

City

City

Country

Country

Name

Name

Frei Otto

Christian Kerez

The Hooke Park

Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein

Hooke

Vaduz

United Kingdom

Liechtenstein Source - http://archdaily.com/

Source - http://flickr.com/jmarch

Art

Arc

hit

ectu

re

Nat

ure

No

rth

Am

eric

a

Sou

th A

mer

ica

Euro

pe

Asi

a

San

Fra

nci

sco

Los

An

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evad

aU

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Max

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Bel

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New

Yo

rk

Un

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Kin

gd

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Fran

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ain

Port

ug

alA

ust

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Ger

man

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Swit

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Lin

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