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1 STUDIO AIR 2014
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STUDIO AIR2014

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

3 About Me

CRITERIA DESIGN

CONCEPTUALISATION

A.1 DESIGN FUTURING 4 PRESEDENTS: LAGI COMPETITION 2012 4 PRESEDENTS: POWER TECHNOLOGIES 8

A.2. DESIGN COMPUTATION 10

PRESEDENTS: COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN 11

A.3 COMPOSITION/GENERATION 14PRESEDENTS: GENERATIVE APPROACHES 15

CONCLUSION 18REFERENCES 19

DETAILED DESIGN INTRODUCTION

Given much of my childhood was spent playing with Lego and in sandpits, it was in some ways inevitable that I would end up studying architecture. My interest in design as a career began in 2008, when I was offered a week-long internship at Hassell Studio and was told ‘You like art and you’re good at maths, so why not?’.

Since then, I have managed to survive to my third year of the Bachelor of Environ-ments (Architecture) at the University of Melbourne.

Given I was also interested in studying Urban Design and Property Development, I only completed the bare minimum of architecture subjects before deciding on my

major mid-2013.

Therefore, I have little experience in computational design, teaching myself Rhino (on Mac) in 2012 to construct barely-acceptable presentation drawings. I found

it difficult to imagine what I was drawing on the computer as a part of a cohesive whole, and found myself often ignoring context or design requirements. Similarly,

my lack of skills meant it was frustrating to alter designs once imported into Rhino, and therefore I rarely made any refinements to my design once it was decided

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a.1. design futuring presedents: Lagi 2012

INEFFICIENCY CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

Bioinspired constellations are created above Freshkills Park using small inde-pendent flying devices in this proposal3. Each device is powered by solar en-

ergy collected by the ‘Tandem Cell’ skin, and is assigned an attractant or repel-lent role in order to create the ‘constellations’.

This design does well to highlight ways solar power can be incorporated into daily life, and has done well to not simplify solar to a panel on a building. Simi-

larly, this could be a highly appealing attraction at all times of day and night, given its highly dynamic nature.

However, this information is not well communicated with the public - it could be difficult to pick the use of solar skins on the devices, and there are questions regarding how long this power would last and what happens if a device goes

flat. It could have also been effective for this design to generate enough power to feed back into the grid, and benefit everyone beyond amusement purposes.

A GREENFIELD AND A CONSTELLATIONAlthough the brief is particularly difficult to navigate1, the premise of this de-sign is highlighting the inefficiency of many ‘green’ technologies used today, and perhaps celebrating rather than ignoring this fact. The loss of 80% of a

solar panel’s power through heat is shown in vibrant colours - the more efficient the panel is, the duller is becomes. Similarly, the designers’ have attempted

to celebrate the site’s landfill history2, by focusing each circularly panel sculp-ture around a now-defunct natural gas cap. The triangular base of each panel is designed to represented lifted earth, revealing the landfill beneath (actually

painted concrete).

In some ways it feels this brief has tried to highlight too many percieved issues, without actually dealing with them or mak-

ing an effective land art piece. There is little else on the site to attract users besides these sculptures, and considering that without intervention they will be-come concrete triangles and faded solar panels, this will soon become a blight

to the community.

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SOLAR BATHS AT FRESHKILLS PARK

a.1. design futuring

This interactive public art installation aims to highlight the energy consumption of the traditional American household, and how this contributes to sites such as Freshkills5.

211 inflatable houses, powered by the natural gas produced on the site, produce enough electricity through PV solar panels to power 211 ‘real’ houses.

With the neighbourhood spatial layhood, visitors are invited to treat the space as they would their own neighbourhood, with play and picnic areas, and a number of recreation-

al vehicles (i.e. bikes, scooters) available to explore the site with. However, this raises the question as to why the public aren’t doing this in their own neighbourhoods.

More than many of the other proposals, this design draws a very clear connection between landfill (and by-products) and consumption behaviours at home. Inflating the houses by natural gas was a clever tactic, however the gas could have been used to

power even more homes. Being inflatable, they also make a strong point of the suburbs ‘going up overnight’. This important comment about construction tactics and land treat-

ment could have been explored further and highlighted to a greater extent to the public.

LITTLE PINK HOUSES (FOR YOU AND ME)

Celebrating the site’s role as a landfill reclaimation project2, this site hosts four salt wa-ter baths (similar to hot springs) powered by the breakdown of landfill4. Additional heat is provided by solar energy - all excess heat is transfered through a solar chimney and

converted to electricity. This project invites New Yorkers to literally bath in the heat of their own trash.

The design is successful in integrating with site, suggesting use of computational de-sign to ensure contextural relations are met. However, its energy effciency and public

message is questionable. It does little to minimise the damage caused by landfill, instead piling concrete on top of the already damaged landscape. SImilarly, by pro-

moting ‘solutions’ to environmental issues, in some ways this design promotes landfill and does not highlight the damage it does. The large solar chimneys may do more to

damage the landscape that invite people into it.

Nonetheless, this design more than the others has found a balance between land art and energy generation and awareness. The design simultaneously promotes its message whilst still being effective and beneficial to the public. Hot springs are also

not something one commonly associates with New York City, and therefore may be a novel attraction for the public.

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a.1. design futuring presedents: power technologiesThe choice of energy production for the LAGI site is vital not only for its success, but the potential of the design as a piece of land art. The following energy supply types have been chosen not only for their efficiency, but their lack of exploration in other design projects. By using an unusual energy type, this hopefully will inmprove the appeal and attraction of the site.

SOLAR POWER

Solar energy supply comes in two forms - Concentrated Solar Power10, which harnesses the sun’s heat to

power a conventional power plant (which in Denmark is primarily oil-based7), or Photovoltaic Cells, which

directly convert light into an electrical current.

These PV Cells are cheaper than nuclear power, have minimal maintenance costs and last 25-40 years,

however this may mean that the infrastructure is in place for a long time to maximise value, impractical for

a changing city. They also come in relatively shapes and designs, meaning it is difficult to disguise the cells

or incorporate them into a landscape without making an attraction.

Simliarly, it is questionable whether Copenhagen has the right climate to maximise solar efficiency11. With

only June and July being the only notable warm months during the Danish year, the maximum temperatures

reached barely go past 30 degrees, and still only achieve 8 hours of sunshine a day.

Above: Solar panels could be attached to some sculptural form; small solar panels could form a giant,

moving curtain

HYDROELECTRICITY (KINETIC)

This method of energy production already consists of 16% of the world’s energy production8, and is a low

cost, highly effective approach. Given the large body of water surrounding the site9, it seems logical to take

advantage of this, as well as creating a method to incorporate it with the site and engage the public with

the waterfront.

This method traditionally requires damming and dredging of the site, something not possible in this

situation. However, the same principles should apply at a smaller scale. Larger hydro plants are already proven

to be capable of running at many scales, meaning the infrastructure could be (in theory) turned off in times

it would be disruptive. It will also be important to keep in mind the shipping yard and transport route the

water provides - this process obviously must remain undisturbed. This technique also assumes that shipping

has somewhat damaged the water’s ecosystems, however this requires further investigation.

Above: Land contours could be altered to generate more water flow; some sort of sculptural sink could be

created to rush tidal waters and generate electricity

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION (BIOGAS)

Aerobic digestion is the natural break down and fermentation of organic compounds, resulting in the

production of methane and carbon dioxide6. This combination is also known as biogas, a source of

energy, fertiliser and compost, whilst minimising landfill.

This process in contained within large tanks, which potentially can contribute to any design. However,

they must be safe and durable, and therefore will not affect the greenfield site, waterway or the public.

Aerobic digestion can be applied to a number of waste products problematic to major cities, including

industrial waste water (important for Copenhagen’s pharmaceutical industry7) as well as organic

waste. Denmark were one of the first countries internationally to approve AD as a hygenic measure

for organic waste management, giving the project potential6. The process also works well on many

scales, meaning infrastructure may not need to run constantly.

Above: Biogas tanks could be incorporated into the site in order to form seating, or some sort of

sculptural element

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A.2 DESIGN COMPUTATION

Computing and computational design has undoubtedly altered the way architecture and design briefs are approached forever.

Computational design can be employed at any stage of the design process, from research to design testing and construction, and often

generates a variety of solutions quickly.

Computational designs, unlike traditional architecture, do not have inherent ideas of beauty or design strength. Therefore, the architect

must have a computational, analytical approach to the direction in which they take the design. There is a tendency for these programs

to encourage radically different and ‘modern’ designs, giving the ease in creating and contorting geometries. However, it would be

interesting to see how relevant computation design can be to more traditional architecture, as this is rarely explored.

“Intelligent engineering [through computation]... can only be truly set apart by the pursuit of the right design strategy” - Wolf Mangelsdorf, Buro

Happold11

Computational design also has the benefit of a number of pre-set algorithms to influence the design. This potentially creates

unconsidered solutions, and will change data inputs to suit. This can in some ways create generic responses, and it is the

architects responsibility to not simply look to computational design as a solution, but rather as a tool. Similarly, these algorithms are

easily and quikcly altered, as seen in the example of the Milan E3 Exhibition Centre. Each strip along the roof line was slightly altered

until it responded suitably to the entire design.

However, these computation design techniques are a double-edge sword of sorts. Whilst they offer a previously-unknown ease in

creating and altering designs, particularly those with more complex geometries, there is a tendency to not only prioritise form, but

ignore function within these programs. It is difficult and not always worthwhile to 3D model an entire building by computer, and even

then this can give a false perspective. Examples are rife with sweeping views and elevations, rather than showing the building at ground or eye level. Similarly, these simulations do not always

highlight or truly explain the feel of the building, or the tactile nature an architect would typically aspire to.

MILAN E3 EXHIBITION CENTRE, MILANGRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS & BURO HAPPOLD

2006

Located on the eastern edge of the Porta Nuova Garibaldi site11, this exhibition centre serves as an urban sculpture of sorts for the Milanese public, drawings users towards the site through a

number of access routes. This design is founded on a central ‘black box’ core, a design require-ment to have an orthogonal interior to allow exhibitors the freedom to construct temporary worlds.

This is accessed by a primarily transparent ground floor, which draws users into the building. However, this has not limited the design, with the second floor and roof being

lined with zinc-clad parallel strips. These were formed using a minimal number of radii, allow openings for light to punctuate the space. To anchor the design, solid caps were placed at either

end, also offering shelter to sunken gathering points.

This design engages with the waterfront in a subtle way, reflecting the ripples of the water. It has used computational design to its advantage, with a strong balance of function and design, without

being overruled.

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a.2. design computation

“[Computational design is] the processing of information and

interactions between elements which constitute a specific

environment...with the capacity to generate complex order, form

and structure” sean ahiquist & achim meges 14

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE FICTION & CINEMATIC

AFFAIRS, RMIT (ADVISOR: ROLAND SNOOKS)

This design aims to explore the possibilities of speculative architecture, whilst embodying

cinematic effects within the Melbourne context13.

Using computational design, the architects believe they have

unlocked a glimpse into the potential future, and are able

to solve present day dilemmas. This takes inspiration from the

‘feedback loop between science fiction and architecture’, and

plays on ideas of utopia/dystopia, metropolis, reality and solitude.

How this is achieved, however, is unclear and frankly illogical.

The building is also said to take inspiration from Stanley

Kubick’s one point perspective technique, potentially explaining

the seeming flow of materials from one point (possibly an

entrance). Whilst this is a nice experiential concept, it is difficult to see why computational design was necessary in this situation. It

seems creating and rendering the complex surface and shape by

computer would have been easily achieved using logical materials,

such as clay.

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a.3. composition/generation The balance, or in some cases disconnect,

between computational design, or composition, and generation/realisation of a design is

increasingly becoming an issue in modern architecture. It allows unseen forms 15 to be

generated, however requires strict monitoring to remain feasible, as the example below

demonstrates.

Taking inspiration from traditional weaving techniques, the Spanish Pavillion, at the

Shanghai Expo 2010, finds balance between structural and free-form16. Admittably having

a series of issues, these “multiple complex curvatures that problematise design as a

traditional structural form” challenged current computational techniques. Starting as a set of NURBS surfaces in Rhino, cut and manipulated by horizontal and vertical planes, software was developed specifically to deal with the complex

geometry of this design.

Upon generation or realisation of the design, it was realised that the software did not operate in real-world circumstances, and that the structure

could not be built. A process was then undertaken to simplify and break down the design in order to

be constructed.

This strenuous process highlights some of the flaws in the computational process, and how vital

it is for the architect to remain aware of real-life constraints throughout the design process.

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a.3. composition/generation

114114

Gramazio & Kohler (Architecture and Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich), The Sequential Wall, Zurich, 2008bottom: Standard wooden battens are cut to length and stacked to form a building shell. Functional requirements of an external timber wall such as insulation and constructive weather protection had to be addressed. The gap between the inner and outer layer can be fi lled with insulation material. Individual protruding battens form a sacrifi cial layer and drain water off the external facade.

below right: The wall combines a shielding exterior surface with a girder-like structure. The rippling at the tip of the battens allows them to be connected to the load-bearing parts.

GRAMAZIO & KOHLER, THE SEQUENTIAL WALLZURICH 2008

This complex composition of cut and stacked wooden blocks is a good example of computational design being used as a tool,

rather than a generator or definition of the entire design process. In order to form a unified wall out of one perforated and one

closed system18 (as required by scale testing to remain resistant to the elements), computational design was able to assess the

data and calculate not only the number, but arrangement of each block. Whilst this is not impossible to do by hand, computational

design removed the possibility of human error and made a far more efficient process. Therefore, computational design has not

dictated, but rather guided the design.

114114

Gramazio & Kohler (Architecture and Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich), The Sequential Wall, Zurich, 2008bottom: Standard wooden battens are cut to length and stacked to form a building shell. Functional requirements of an external timber wall such as insulation and constructive weather protection had to be addressed. The gap between the inner and outer layer can be fi lled with insulation material. Individual protruding battens form a sacrifi cial layer and drain water off the external facade.

below right: The wall combines a shielding exterior surface with a girder-like structure. The rippling at the tip of the battens allows them to be connected to the load-bearing parts.

GEHRY PARTNERS, FOUNDATION LOUIS VUITTON MUSEUM PARIS 2005

This structure was developed entirely through parametric scripting, which in turn was driven by the constraints of system performance17. This has created structural and enclosed systems to form this irregular shape. Whilst this design has been quite successful, and is also in line with other LV buildings (i.e. Louis Vuitton Island, Singapore), it could have very easily been lost to computational design, through a lack of architectural vision by the designers. This careful thought process by Gehry Partners is evident in computational design being used throughout the design process, even to fabricate and install all aspects of the project.

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a.4. conclusion The discussion of computerisation, and more importantly computational design, throughout Part A has suggested more than anything that it is a double-edge sword in the world of architecture and design. It has allowed previously unknown or unimagined forms to take shape with ease and efficiency. It can present a wide variety of design options quickly (such as meshes formed from Grasshopper’s pre-determined algorithms), and alter any design feature without having to alter the entire form. Computational design is undoubtedly going to play a large role in the future of architecture, and carries a distinct look that could define design for many years to come.

However, as shown in many examples, it is easy to get caught up in computational design and the appearance that it offers. All precedents have a ‘futuristic’ look and incorporate complex geometries with ease. In some ways, this suggests that there is a risk of computational design taking over and dictating the form of the structure, without the architect exploring other possibilities. This was certainly an issue when using Delauney or Voronoi mesh inputs during Grasshopper exploration - there was a generic look regardless of the inpur geometry.

This will be important to consider throughout the remainder of Studio Air - the strict timeframe and focus on computation means it will be tempting to find any aesthetically pleasing solution generated, rather than the best solution. This is where precedents such as ‘The Sequential Wall’ are important - regardless of what was generated by computer, a real-world scale model was made to test and meet the design requirements. This also prevents the efforts that have gone into computational design from being undone by limitations in realisation, or production.

a.5. learning outcomes Prior to Studio Air, my experience with computational design was limited - I had only used Rhino in a very basic sense to generate final presentation images of my design (i.e. rendered, clean images), and did little experimentation with the design within the software. I found it difficult to get precise results using computational design, and found it difficult to assess the design as a whole with respect to design requirements and context. Anything I put into Rhino had been previously hand-drawn, roughly modeled and decided upon.

By using Grasshopper and realising how easy it is to test and re-shape small aspects of a design, I realise I could have expanded my previous design explorations much further. I tend to find a solution or design intent and stick with it, purely due to time constraints and the quest for an ‘easy’ solution. Again, this was because I found it so difficult to experiment with my design too much in Rhino, as I often just drew the lines, and rarely created an actual ‘object’ as such.

Whilst I still require a lot more experimentation with computational design, I can understand the appeal it has in all aspects of the design process. As previously mentioned, it will still be important to keep an eye on the realistic side of the design, however the complex geometries and patterns that are easily generated within Grasshopper and Rhino will hopefully add another layer of complexity and appeal to my designs.

PART A REFERENCES

1. “Inefficiency can be beautiful”, Oh Y et al, Land Art Generator Initiative, last accessed 19/3/14, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/tbmyji85/

2. “Freshkills Park”, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, The City of New York, last accessed 19/3/14, http://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/freshkills-park

3 .”A Greenfield & A Constellation”, Carlos Campos & Yamila Zynda Alub, Land Art Generator Initiative, last accessed 19/3/14,http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/EQL7FJ66/

4.”Solar Baths at Freshkills Park”, Ian Mackay & Steve Muza, Land Art Generator Initiative, last accessed 19/3/14, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/LT388DF2/

5.”Pinkhaus”, Andrew Moddrell & Christopher Marcinkoski, Land Art Generator Initiative, last accessed 19/3/14, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/pinkhaus/

6. IEA Bioenergy, Biogas and more! Systems and Markets Overview of Anaerobic Digestions (Oxfordshire: AEA Technology Environment, 2001)

7. “Copenhagen: Overview”, USA Today, published 19/6/09, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/marketplace/ibi/copenhagen.htm8. “Use and Capacity of Global Hydropower Increases”, Worldwatch Institute, published January 2012, http://www.worldwatch.

org/node/95279. Land Art Generator Initiative Homepage, LAGI, last accessed 28/3/14, http://landartgenerator.org/competition.html

10. ‘Solar Power’, Wikipedia Org., last accessed 28/3/14, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power#cite_note-211. Wolf Mangelsdorf, “Structuring Strategies for Complex Geometry”, Architectural Design, July/August 2010, 40-5

12. ‘Decadal Mean Weather’, DMI (Denmark), last accessed 28/3/14, http://www.dmi.dk/en/vejr/arkiver/decadal-mean-weather/decadal-mean-weather/

13. ‘Museum of Science Fiction and Cinematic Affairs’, Michael Ferreyra, SuckerPunch, last accessed 28/3/14, http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2014/03/03/museum-of-science-fiction-and-cinematic-affects/#more-35392

14. Sean Ahiquist & Achim Menges, “Introduction” in Computational Design Thinking, eds. Sean Ahiquist & Achim Menges , (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2011)

15. Michael Hansmeyer, “Building Unimaginable Shapes”, 2012, TED Talk16. Julio Martinez Calzon & Carlos Castanon Jimenez, “Weaving Architecture - Structuring the Spanish Pavillion, Expo 2010,

Shanghai”, Architectural Design, July/August 2010, 52-917. Brady Peters, “Computational Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought”, Architectural Design, 83, 8-15

18. Fabio Gramazio, Matthias Kohler & Silian Ocsterle, “Encoding Material”, Architectural Design, July/August 2010, 108-15

IMAGE REFERENCES

Page 4: Oh Y et al, “Inefficiency can be beautiful”, 2012, CAD, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/tbmyji85/ Page 5: Carlos Campos & Yamila Zynda Alub, “A Greenfield & A Constellation”, 2012, CAD,http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-

2012/EQL7FJ66/Page 6: Ian Mackay & Steve Muza, ‘Solar Baths at Freshkills Park’, 2012, CAD, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/

LT388DF2/ Page 7: Andrew Moddrell & Christopher Marcinkoski, “Pinkhaus”, 2012, CAD, http://landartgenerator.org/LAGI-2012/pinkhaus/

Page 8-9: Student Generated SketchesPage 10-11: Grimshaw Architects & Buro Happold, “Milan E3 Exhibition Centre” 2006, CAD, Architectural Design, July/August

2010, 40-5Page 12: Michael Ferreyra, ‘Museum of Science Fiction and Cinematic Affairs’, 2014, CAD, http://www.suckerpunchdaily.

com/2014/03/03/museum-of-science-fiction-and-cinematic-affects/#more-35392Page 14-15: Julio Martinez Calzon & Carlos Castanon Jimenez,”Spanish Pavillion”, CAD 2010, Architectural Design, July/

August 2010, 52-9Page 16-17: (Top) Gehry Partners, “Foundation Louis Vuitton Museum” 2005, CAD, studios.com/FILE/4195.jpg

(Bottom) Gramazio & Kohler, “The Sequential Wall”, 2008, Photograph, Architectural Design, July/August 2010, 108-15

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part bcriteria design

WHAT IS BIOMIMICRY?Biomimicry is the usage of nature as our largest labratory, an endless source of inspira-

tion to inform design(1). Within architecture, this concept takes the best ideas of nature and intends to recreate them, in order to solve human design problems(2). The intention is that designing in this manner leads to a more harmonous relationship between the natu-

ral and man-made, and will encourage sustainability, responsive design and a mutually beneficial relationship(3). This is understandable, given design concepts present in nature

having evolved and survived over millions of years, and are proven to work.

Group 5 decided biomimicry was a good fit for the LAGI competition, as it drew a logical connection between the natural features of the site (i.e. the harbour, greenfield land), and our choice to explore hydro-electricity. We also felt that this would give us the best oppor-

tunity to design in harmony with the site - given the need to produce energy (and there-fore accomodate all associated technology), we were cautious of simply placing a large

sculpture on the site to hide this fact, and having no site sensitivty whatsoever. Therefore, we hoped that biomimicry would allow us to generate energy in a more subtle way, as it

would occur in nature, and therefore be a more elegant and suitable design response.

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Achim Menges and Steffen Reichert http://www.biomimetic-architecture.com/2012/hygroscope-cen-tre-pompidou-paris/

B.1. Research field

ABOVE: ZA11 PAVILLION, CLJ02 Constructed of plywood sections, the ZA11 Pavilion uses both a natu-ral or biomimetic overall form, but also patterning. The use of extruded

hexagons meet to form a donut-shaped shelter, as well as a small-scale function space. This design is adaptable and flexible, however is

mostly biomimetic in form, rather than function.

ABOVE: DESIGN MIAMI PAVILLION, ARANDA LASCHThis pavillion is reminicent of dense vegetation, with large overhanging

sections, cleared pathways and small gaps to allow sunlight through. This form is created by draping a tent-like cloth over the interior struc-

ture, protecting it and again recalling vegetation. This design has some attempts at replicating natural functions, in its protection and lighting,

however it is unknown how effective this will be.

CANOPY, UNITED VISUAL ARTISTSTaking inspiration from a canopy within a dense jungle, this light sculpture uses form, placement and colour to its advan-tage. Although seemingly a Voronoi pat-tern, somewhat of a biomimicry cliche, this design uses an abstracted geometry of leaves on a mammoth scale to form the sculpture. This sense of genuine design and legitimate inspiration makes this canopy a strong example of good biomi-metic design.

B.3. case study 2.0

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b.2. case study 1.0 aranda lasch - the morning line

TESTING GEOMETRIES Playing around with the polygon inputs produced a number of shapes with up to six sides - creating 7+sides in Rhino and setting as a brep overcame this issue. The more sides often meant the more intricate the design, including the interior, as the last image shows.

CREATING PIPES FROM THE SURFACE PATTERNWhilst the surface pattern was equally as effective on its own as it was on the surface, it was difficult to then take these further, as they rarely fit together without becoming too busy, regardless of definition alteration

MIRRORING SHAPESLayering, mirroring and rearranging shapes is partially how The Morning Line was created, so it was difficult to generate anything that expanded on that. Similarly, it was difficult to get geometries to fit together

ALTERING SURFACE PATTERNS By altering the surface patterns on the unrolled brep, some more simplified results appeared. These often created small sections, similar to a Voronoi, and therefore could be used to manipulate landscape (i.e. trim) or channel water.

USING A 3D VORNOIIt was evident that the geometry created for The Morn-ing Line had very similar properties to a Voronoi - they fit together perfectly and one was generated from an-other. Therefore the shape was recreated using a 3D Voronoi, and the pattern could also be applied.

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b.2. case study 1.0 aranda lasch - the morning line

In assessing Biomimicry as a research field, and studying a number of presedents, a selection crite-ria has been decided upon in order to direct further design work. This will also ensure that the work is suitable for the LAGI Design Competition, and is also capable of producting power.

• Be capable of producing a significant amount of hydroelectricity, and not consume more energy than can be produced

• Produce this energy in a way that is similar to na-ture i.e. the manner in which water is collected, etc

• Maintain a strong connection and sensitivity to the site and its surrounding context - be a site specific response

• Take advantage of the natural environment • present• Be a simple yet elegant response

VORONOI LOOPGiven that Voronoi patterns are derived from nature, they will undoubtedly reappear throughout the design process. Therefore, by creating designs such as this, where they appear in a 3D form, the sculpture is then given the op-portunity to both produce/contain energy, as well as serve the site users. However, as yet this design is not site-specific or sensitive, and this will need to be developed further.

GEOMETRIC PATTERNINGA result of the application of The Morning Line’s pat-terning to a pentagon, this intricate surface pattern produced a number of voids and fills, which could be useful for gathering water for hydroelectricity. It also produces an interesting and engaging sculpture, with-out being overbearing on the site.

REPEATING FORMSWhilst this idea may be too similar to The Morn-ing Line, its simple yet intriguing form produces an almost self-perpetuating design that whilst appropriate for the LAGI site, may also be ap-propriate for any other site. It would be interest-ing to investigate the surface patterning in a manner that would allow capilliary or pipe action.

PATTERNS TO DEFINE SPACEAs previously mentioned, when extracted from the surface geometry, the patterns of this project offer much potential for land manipulation, capilliary action, etc. This extruded forms could both define sections of land (possibly hiding hydroelectricity generation within) or could be lines with which to cut and divide land, to allow water to travel between.

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B.3. case study 2.0

AIRSPACE TOKYO - FAULDERS STUDIO

Located in the Ota-ku district of Tokyo, Japan, this project aims to create a 3000 square foot exterior building skin for a four-story multi-famil dwelling also containing a number of photography studios.

Prior to the expansion of the building to its current size, the site was uniquely bordered by a green strip of dense vegetation. This design pays respect and aims to mimic this, by creating a similar sense of enclosure and protec-

tion. The celled meshwork is an example of the artificial not only replicating, but in some ways replacing the natural - sunlight is refracted along the metallic surfaces, rainwater is channeled through the capilliary-like form away from

the sidewalk, and natural light is filtered through the building in a similar manner to that which would be achieved by foliage. This filtering also provides privacy for the interior of the building.

Whilst this project can be commended for its sensitive site response and in some ways, a making the best of a bad situation, it is as yet unknown whether this intended outcomes have been achieved. For example, it is stated that

the gaps or cells within the meshwork have been strategically placed to achieve the best interior natural light whilst maintaining privacy. However, presuming this design was achieved through computational parametric modelling, and

the percieved lack of logic to the cell placement, it is difficult to imagine how much thought has gone into this distribution. Equally, it is obvious that a very similar facade could have been achieved without any sort of careful

consideration. Much of the interior is also lined with frosted glass, in some ways rendering such a dense network of cells useless.

Whilst this design very successfully achieved biomimicry, it seems that it is in some ways intended to replace the natural vegetation, and therefore all the attached benefits vegetation brings. Many of the ‘environmental’ benefits of

the design seem to be more targeted toward safety and convenience rather than environmental benefit. For example, directing water through capillary-like action ensures the footpath is still safe, however is this water then chanelled into a water tank? Similarly, the mass concrete and steel (?) meshwork provide little to no environmental benefit, certainly

in no similar manner to vegetation.

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B.3. case study 2.0 rebuilding the Airspace Tokyo

1. Create a distribution of points over a 2D surface (Populate2D or manually)2. Create a 2D Voronoi diagram around the points

3. Offset (and Graft) the curves created by the Voronoi - a small value works best.4. Fillet the inner (offset) curves to create a rounded shape, then simplify both sets of curves

5. Input both curves into Boundary to create a surface, then loft slightly to give the facade its depth.6. Repeat three more times to create the layered appearing of the Airspace Tokyo

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B.4. technique development

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B.4. technique development

Whilst the use of a Voronoi is somewhat stock-standard, its project and therefore distortion onto a curve surface diminishes this problem. This design is intended to gather rain on its surface and allow it to fall through into a corresponding pool at the ground plane. This design would be best if built from sort of of semi-transparent perspex, however this may be difficult to maintain and would require some degree of steel framing, diminishing the aesthetic appeal. Whilst this has the potential to be a very beautiful attraction for the site, there would need to be some sort of channeling/capilliary system to prevent water running elsewhere once it hits the roof. This de-sign also does not engage the harbour and its potential tidal energy, and therefore may not maximise its ability to produce hydroelectricity.

This design took inspiration from the way a feather or large leaf would channel water away from its surface - this design would collect rain water and potentially transport it to an underground tank or similar. However, this limits the design to being purely a sculpture, and offers no seating, etc. Whilst the capilliary action of the surface would be very interesting to watch, this may not be enough to attract people to the site and maintain usage. Similar to the design above, there is nothing site specific about this design, and it also fails to engage the surrounding body of water in any way, unless placed where it could absorb water from the rising tide (a potentially expensive and impractical idea). It is intended this would be built out of steel or durable, waterproof plastic.

By truncating the voronoids of the Airspace design, this design revealed a flower-like funnel with which water could be collected, stored and employed to generate hydroelectricity. This design is suitable with both light and heavy rainfall, with overflow being equally as appealing as the sculpture on its own, particularly if multiple iterations were placed across the site, creating an artificial garden of sorts. This form also allows any technology required for hydroelectricity production to be conveniently hid-den. However the impact of rain falling on the funnel surfaces may not be sufficient to generate energy - further research is required.

Rather than hiding the capilliary/channeling action we were trying to replicate/design, we decided to make it the feature of the sculpture itself instead, and chose a pattern inspired by the surface of a leaf. These tubes, potentially made of perspex or in a manner that allows the user to view water travelling through, operate effectively in complex networks to channel water to some sort of hydroelectricity plant. If the structure was high enough, there is also potential for the tubes themselves to generate energy, through the rush of water. There are a number of concerns about simply generating a complex network of these pipes and placing them on the site, as there is little for this design to engage with on the site. SImilarly, there are concerns of the pipes’ durability, practicality, and whether there would be a temptation of climbing, damage, etc.

In researching the site, we were aware of the minimal rainfall Copenhagen recieves, and felt it would be risky to only engage with rainfall as a source of energy. Therefore we sought to employ the tidal movements of the surroudning harbour, and realised that the closer the sculpture is to the ground, the easier this will be to achieve. Similarly, we were concerned with simply placing a sculpture on the site without engaging any context, therefore by litterally using the landscape we are able to not only engage with the site, but also the surrounds. This design collects and channels rain and tidal water (when sufficiently high) and channels it throughout the site between a network of small islands. Beyond earth manipulation, this design only requires some sort of concrete channel system, or, alternatively, could use some sort of the dense but natural material to not entirely drain the site of its water table.

This design builds on the previous one, however uses extruded land islands, rather than the natural landscape, to create a more exagerated and ‘sculpted’ formed. This may also make the generation of hydroelectricity more efficient, as a concrete construction would mean no water loss through the landscape. Any sensors for generating energy could also be hidden in the concrete islands along the channels. However this may be too harsh, and finishings would have to be considered to ensure the design is still appealing. This design also requires further research in order to ensure accessibility for all users.

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Card and Formcore (Concrete) TunnelsBy repeating and lofting basic voronoi forms, a series of pyramid-like geometries were created, able to operate both as a tunnelling/channeling system, or as funnels to gather and direct water. Whilst they are visually most effective when all together, it would be difficult to combine these in a way that a site user can experience without blocking out large amounts of sunlight, views, etc. Nonetheless, their size and form would be effective at generating hydroelectricity both from its surface, and by disguising any technology within.

b.5. techniques: prototypes

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b.5. techniques: prototypes

This prototype, developed as we were approaching a solution, was a combination of our land sculpture concepts, result-ing in an altered landscape, divided by Voronoid islands, allowing water to channel throughout the site. By placing the sculpture so close to the ground (and with some as-yet-undetermined land treatment), this will allow access for not only rain water, but tidal water form the harbour.

This islands, presumably concrete, not only provide important recreation space for the site, but also have the ability to store water, or hide any technology required for hydroelectricity, including sensors in the outer wall of each island to measure water flow. This model also highlights the impact of the land slope in water flow, and therefore the efficiency of the hydroelectricity generation.

However, as shown in the images, we are yet to develop an elegant treatment for the base of the channels - it was easy to assume that they would be unseen, as water rushes over, however there will be at times a lesser flow, and also a number of technological considerations to be included.

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As previously mentioned, extensive research and experimen-tation with form lead us to a more subtle, elegant land-based sculptural solution. As Voronois were a key feature of biomi-metic architecture, they were a basis of our design process,

and have been abstracted to number of forms. This lead to the application of this pattern on a simulated landscape, similar to

the LAGI competition site in Copenhagen. This design is intended to cover the entirety of the site.

By repeatedly offsetting and filleting these curves, the rounded geometric shapes seen below were developed, forming what

appeared to be islands amongst a network of channels.

By extruding these islands and creating a more exagerated landscape (i.e. hills), it was easy to envision a biomimetic,

capilliary action occuring across the entire site - we felt that this was a subtle yet effective solution to generating hydroelectricity

without using any power to run.

However, rainfall in Copenhagen is limited, and not enough to generate a sufficient amount of energy. Therefore, the next step

in our design will be to create an even stronger engagement with the harbour, which will allow a siginificant tidal flow to entire

the site, channel through the islands and generate hydroelectricity.

Nonetheless, we felt this design maintained the site’s integrity, offered sufficient recreation space, as well as creating a

beautiful water sculpture that engaged the entire site.

b.6. proposal

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B.7. feedback Although we had not developed our design to the the level that was expected at the Part B Submission Presentation, we were happy with the feedback provided and that our design idea had been communicated. In order to move forward, we require a more thorough exploration of hydroelectricity as our energy source, and the technology that is required for optimal operation. Until this point, we had purely based our designs on the fundamentals of biomimicry (i.e. a capilliary action) and had assumed the technology would work within this. However, depending on the outcomes of our research, we may need to alter our design to suit this. We hope to still maintain the fundamentals of our current design proposal.

We also need to further consider the experiential and aesthetic qualities of our design. Given that we are covering the entire site, or much of it, the attraction of the site relies solely in the sculpture. Interesting points were made about textured surfaces and water flow, and we intend to explore this with more focused prototyping and testing. Whilst it has an interesting appearance, the current proposal in a sculptural sense is simply a transport system, and we feel that there is a lot we still have not explored.

To foolproof our design, there lastly needs to be a more focused consideration to the practicalities of the site. People must be able to access the site and walk around with ease, in order to fully enjoy the sculpture. This may involved the installation of bridges, or narrowing the gaps between islands. We also need to assess the design with respect of the context - views must be maintained, tidal flows must not affect the site negatively and the surrounding industrial area should frame but not define the site.

B.7. learning objectives and outcomes

B.8. appendix

I feel that in the last few weeks of experimenting, particularly in the search for a design proposal, my Grasshopper skills (and confidence) has improved imensely. I am now designing from my own ideas, then finding any instruction as needed, rather than allowing the demonstrational videos to define my work.

Similarly, having the opportunity to model our designs has allowed me to consider other designs that are also present when experimenting with materiality, design function and the tactile experience of the design. Again, having this to inform design iterations rather than GH inputs has helped me generate more detailed iterations and have a greater consideration for the real-world practicalities of the design. However, I feel it is likely that because we now have a basic parametric model to work from, much of our design process from here on in will be physical modelling, in order to testing water flow, land connections, etc. It will be important to keep transporting these ideas and tests between the physical and GH/Rhino, in order to explore all potential opportunities.

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REFERENCES:(1) “What is Biomimicry?”, Biomimetic Architecture, last accessed 4/5/14, <biomimetic-architecture.com/what-is-biomimicry> (2) “What is Biomimicry?”, The Biomimicry Institute, last accessed 4/5/14, <biomimicryinstiture.org/about-us/what-is-biomimicry.html> (3) Green, K “The ‘Bio-Logic’ of Architecture”, Preceedings for the 2005 ACSA National Confer-ence, Chicago, 520-522, 2005(4) “Airspace Tokyo”, Faulders Studio, last accessed 4/5/14, <http://faulders-studio.com/AIRSPACE-TO-KYO>

IMAGE REFERENCES:Page 22-3: http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/2012/08/16/fallen-star-aa-dlab/Page 24 (Top) http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0309_f3_miami.html (Bottom) http://www.dezeen.com/2011/10/31/icditke-research-pavilion-at-the-university-of-stuttgartPage 25 (Top): http://designplaygrounds.com/deviants/clj02-za11-pavilion/ (Bottom): http://designplaygrounds.com/deviants/canopy-by-by-united-visual-artists/Page 28 http://ecosistemaurbano.org/english/the-morning-line-anti-pavilion-launched-at-3rd-international-bien-nale-of-seville/Page 30-http://faulders-studio.com/AIRSPACE-TOKYOPage 42 http://contestwatchers.com/2014-land-art-generator-initiative-lagi-copenhagen/


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