Studio Air2015 SEMESTER 2,TUTOR SONYA

STUDENT NAME YAFANG LIU

STUDENT NUMBER 639771

INTRODUCTION

I am sibyl, a third year undergraduate Environments Student, Major in Architecture.My interesting in architecture is not only about it’s artistic, also because it’s an area that is very diversified. Architecture is an combination of different art fact and engineering. This makes Architecture very unique and interesting.

The study of architecture is very fascinating for me. Beside the challenge technique English term for me, in my traditional understanding of architecture, building is an fixed subject with beauty and glorious of design, but it is not an reversible subject, and usually the pattern are uniform. Parametric design totally change my impression on the architectural design, by creating the fluidity form or either complex structure unit of modern building or remaining stately classic building, it truly redefine the beauty of new architecture. i want be one of the creator as well.

My actual study experience is start from the second year, when i was study the studio Earth. The first software i learned is Rhinoceros 5. Beside Rhino i also have brief knowledge about 3DsMax , sketchup2014 ,Revit, ArchiCAD, Autocad Architecture. My favourite software is sketchup, i done most of my project using it.

Rhino in terms of plugin it is really good. Grasshopper as a parametric design plugin is working very good. So i use it for my first design in studio Earth. I was using grasshopper to generate stairs and fence inside my fiirst project.it process in a fast way and much more efficiency than do it manually in the Rhino Environments. That is really amazed me.

However, i don’t have much pre-knowledge about parametric design, because i never done any subject teaching relevant skills. So currently i am trying to work out how is grasshopper working in parametric design.

PREVIOUS WORK

Architecture is an very complex Course involve technology, designing, construction , communication and evaluation. It is an inspiring involved in our daily life. Understanding the contextual purpose and the need of people are very important to generate good design. Architecture can be organic, modern, influential to the society, and it is changing with the urban society. Architecture design have the capacity and the potential to change.

PART A A.1. Design Futuring

A.2. Design Computation A.3. Composition/Generation

A.4. Conclusion A.5. Learning outcomes A.6. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

A.1. Design Futuring

A great building must begin with the unmeasurable, must go through measurable means when it is being designed and in the end must be unmeasurable.

-------------Louis Kahn

Lotus Temple

In the cultural aspect lotus are usually considered as the pure spirit and associate with god.it is an elegant flower give people such feeling, so does the lotus temple.its wasn’t only looks like an lotus , also, in terms of computation and engineering, it is an great successful in the modern architecture because it’s computation model only built in 2 years and the building construction also wonderful articular excelling nature.

Lotus Temple stand in the land of New Deli.it is one of the most famous temple in the world, which is constructed in the 1986. Among the beauty and religious reputation ,It can be considered as one of the most successful thin shell structure design as well.Due to the complexity of the shell form, the building geometrical design involved a series of complex calculation because the whole building dose not contain an single straight line in the form. There are 27 petal shells in total,arranged into 3 rows in an circle, overcome the system alone x, y and z axis , the attachment to the segment and the overall loading. To complete an durable curve surface, the determine of form-work and accuracy of thickness of each shell petals are very important. So the shell frame work of lotus temples involves inner frame and an outer frame, reinforce in fixed segment , the whole project are carefully prefabrication and avoid any risk,even the joint and frame steel are strict verified .The lotus petals are made of white concrete, and covered with white Greek marble. The whole structure are very delight and thin. Once the sun rise and sunlight reflect in-between and through the petal , it is an true beauty beauty created by nature and architect.

This project can be considered as an successful engineering design, even today thin-shell structure is not an new elements anymore, however, the most successful part about it is, the symbolic and abstraction meaning of the lotus, and the reality, the architect actually make it into an lotus, which requires more complex engineering and parametric design skills than just using lotus as an symbolic meaning, make architecture is something really great. Also the materiality, and fabrication process are very interesting part of this precedent case, because lots of great building using similar technique, for example the shells fabrication and fixation of Sydney opera house also using similar techniques, and this is an very useful details in the following designs.

sketch of lotus temple, image from google

structural model of lotus temple, clearly showing the arrangement of framed work and the segment,also indicated the fixiation joint image from structural engineering website

watercube-Bejing National Aquatic Center

watercube is well known as Bejing National Aquatic Center, it is developed for 2008 Bejing olympic , and now it is open to the public serve as an giant modern aquatic park. it is an famous facility because it's unique design and it's reputation as an previous olympic occasion, and there are lots of tourist are attracted everyday and it truely help the local economical value.

water cube is an revolutionary design summoned by China State Constrution Australian company PTW and ARUP. it is aimed to be modern,sustainable and advanced. the engineering and materiality application of water cube is an successful.The overall architecture structure of Water cube is in forms of Vierendeel space frame, every frame side is 175M in length, 35M in height. ARUP use Bentley Structural and MicroStation TriForma to generate the 3D Series of Poly-cells, twisting around 2 Axis, and shape the combination of flange , the internal structure will show the wire-frame.the basic construction cells are in forms of pentagon and hexagon, repeated in the 3D shells and there are no unused gap. also,Each cell is filled with ETFE pillows.ETFE material is previously used in the design of Eden project in Cornwall, England. It is an easy maintain semipermeable -membrane building materials, the dirt on the surface can be rain- washed easily. In terms of sustainability and the environmental control it is an very environmental friendly material. As an semipermeable material it help maintain the air exchange. it is transparency, but UV-light can be filtered and do not reflect strong light, so it can redust the illumination need at day time.so the So the application of ETFE membrane is really sustainable design in the water cube.

one of the most important part is the cultural content of the water cube, because it ia very important unmeasureable value in architecture design.Constantin Brancusin had said"Architecture is inhabited sculpture." so architecture is an food represenentation of art. in the design of water cube, water cube is made into an cube for an reason ,not only for the construction, also, in Chinese tradition there is proverb called “circular sky and square earth”.and water is also consider as a symbol of life in various of culture and literature. so symbolism also an important part of designing process. however, instead using the fluidity form, the designer decide to use voronoi soap bubble to pronounce the texture of water cube, it is an new way to define the water elements.

3D Cells of Pentagon and Hexgon inside the Watercube

Sketch study of The Water Cube acting as a greenhouse, showing the vented cavity. image sourced from Architecture Australia website

A.2. Design Computation

Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.----------Coco Chanel

Technology enhance the life in so many ways, and the impact of computing on the architecture is so intense. There is a great contrast of efficiency compare to the traditional craftsmanship.because in today’s society efficiency means higher economical value. In the modern architecture development computing aid makes design process faster. computer works with a huge data base and less mistake in the calculation, so less error occurring during the process. This makes computation became an important part of architecture designing process. it can’t replace human thought by generate idea automatically,but any idea can be generated very quickly into prototype by using parametric designing software. And it can be refined by adjusting data to avoiding repeat complex steps this could not be done in traditional design design.

In the construction process, there is an certainty of the process, which means once the project is settle, it is unable to be reversed or really hard to change. So the proper architecture design and repeated prototype is very important in the construction process, and this requires computation design. It is flexible and easy to adjust. For example, when we working on the parametric design in the grasshopper,we can control data input to predict data outflow, so the incoming and ongoing process are always standardize numerical and easy to control. Once the change is applied the consequence is clearly indicated. Computation design provide more conceivable possibility for the designing. Sometimes the prototype or designing idea is really hard to make into handcraft, especially in the occasion require complex geometries. Refer to the precedent study section, the Prototype of Water cube is generated by computer in the initial phase.Arup use Bentley Structural and MicroStation TriForma to generate the 3D Series of Poly-cells at first, and then refine the prototype into an moderate building format. These process are too complex and costly done by hand, and there will be unavoidable error occurring during the process. Similar to this case, Computation provide more possibility for abstract design and large scale architecture project. Computation 3D modeling give the opportunity to simulate the project in an ideal virtual environments, convert the performance into numerical data, visualizing the project and making changes.Architecture Design process should be organic and performative.Computation design could give the detailed information include section, structural and some contextual information. With rendered visualized information on the computer there are lots of factor can be simulate in a specific environments , by adjust the data flow the design will approach stable and effective, with enough experimental data the design process will approach stable state.so it is an very useful process tool.

Walt Disney Concert Hall by Frank O. Gehry & Partners

Walt Disney Concert Hall is an famous landmark building in downtown Los Angles ,it has very unique abstract geometric form, the whole building is like an paper folding art craft done by metal. The whole building is cladding by metal sheet and have fluidity shape.It have very strong visual impact and the view is certainly different from different direction. Just like it’s looking,The whole structure of the Walt Disney Concert Hall is an real challenge to the engineering and architecture designing. Because at the initial phase of the designing the Concert House was planed to be built by the limestone but then the architect figure out that is technically impossible for the nature of materiality, so in the background of lack of clarity of what technique should be used, they start the discovery process of this designing task.and they decide on the way creating an project with steel and metal cladding which no one actually tested before.

The project has a total floor area of approximately 270,000 sq. Feet including 7 functional areas, it is an very large building . And during the designing process, there are several issues are appear and analysis by the software before they actually make any movement on the task, because the tricky usual shape of the building the joining of the frame are unexpected to be traditional method, the frame were designed into different portions and divide into closed cooperation, and the the definition of beam-column of the structure intersect at non orthogonal angles. So there are are true complexity in the designing process of Walt Disney concert Hall. And due to the function as concert hall, the building shape also increase the designing difficulties. The cladding of the hall are irregular,the masses collide and intersecting with each other at various angles, which also an interesting patterning might require parametric techniques and engineering joint seam.

However in the Filed of computation design, Walt Disney Concert Hall Hall is an great successful, because it is an building system built based on the computation designing, the similar structure never been done before. The model consist very complex curve surface that is generated by software, and the first original work are also done by computer instead of hand drawing due to the spatial complexity.

*1 “The architectural, structural, mechanical, and construction models consisting of very complex curves and surfaces are generated using the CATIA CAD/AM software on a network of Unix workstations. CATIA is a large computer aided design/manufacturing system that is used by Boeing for total design of their airplanes and by Daimler/Chrysler for design and manufacturing of their automobiles.”

The computation process give the relative perfect result to the designer in such project , in the project involve very complex engineering and composition it might be better to use parametric designing as tool, especially for new type of architecture engineering design and this is an very typical case

*1 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF THE WALT DISNEY,

CONCERT HALL, LOS ANGELES ,Farzad Naeim, Ph.D., S.E., John A. Martin , Jr., S.E., Vernon Gong, S.E., George Norton, S.E.,

*1 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF THE WALT DISNEY,

CONCERT HALL, LOS ANGELES ,Farzad Naeim, Ph.D., S.E., John A. Martin , Jr., S.E., Vernon Gong, S.E., George Norton, S.E.,

, A section through the Structure and Architecture of the Concert Hall and Stair Towers, very complex frame work

First drawing by Frank Gehry of the Walt Disney Hall concept. (Frank Gehry) it is hardly to saw the common scence between the actual builduing and this first hand draw. very hard to measure.

Pavillon de la France

Pavillon de la France is an very unique building on expo 2010.the designing team Jacques Ferrier Architects named This project ‘The Sensual City’ , it is a simple rectangular building with a big french style roof style roof top garden. It is Surrounded by water to create an scene appears to be floating in the water,rhombus wave style Mesh frame surrounding the external wall is one elements very alike to the garden fence, combination of mesh and and roof top garden successful create a scene like that is a garden beyond the fence.

Pavillon de la France is, the Mesh in external wall of Pavillon de la France increase the fluidity of building using curved mesh pattern and create peak tide surround building, this enrich the details of the building appearance, while the overall shape maintain the simple. The mesh seems simple, but in such large project there are lots of engineering design process involved. because the concrete mesh wall not only a decorate, it also defence the wind and bearing partial weight of main building.

In terms of computation modeling and parametric design , the mesh is much easier to generated using the parametric method. This mesh is in a grid form , so change in one parameter will lead to the overall change of whole system. Also, the top edges and bottom frame edge are not parallel , so there will be different elements involved in the generating support.

Parametric Model are required to simulate the change of the system, and in the process of mesh developing, the grid information can be obtained, then the angle and method of installing support structure also an be simulated during the virtual test, which require an high accuracy. Hence this is an grid mesh system, the factor of light intensity and solar gain also a part of considerationThis precedent shows why it’s necessary using computation and parametric method to create an complex system, and how it works properly.

Pavilion de la France in construction , with exposure framework and joint.

Crédit images Jacques Ferrier Architectures. Pavillon de la France – Exposition universelle 2010, Shanghai

Digital model of French Pavilion.

A.3. Composition/Generation

All the revision in the world will not save a bad first draft: for the architecture of the thing comes, or fails to come, in the first conception, and revision only affects the detail and ornament, alas!

-------------T. E. Lawrence

Blobwall Pavilion

In the field of architecture, the word architecture usually attached with the terms of “building”, “ concrete”, “glass curtain wall” “steel””frameworks”, it is all about construction terminology. So the idea of Blobwall Pavilion is such a refresh. It is an very small scale work develop by Greg Lynn. It is more alike to a sculpture work, however, it is an very inspiring architecture design.

Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe had said “Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins.”, so architecture can be annotate as an process shifting from elements into an composition. When we look at the Blobwall pavilion,we could briefly know it is an composition of several irregular shape molecules as whole,however If we dissect the Blobwall Pavilion, there are no actual framework nor glue seam are actually detected, so the “bubble” elements are joined are summoned together in an smart way and the self wight and ingenious resistance force in between to maintained the form of the pavilion. This building could to be describes as basic, but it is quite applicable, because the concept of joining the elements together expand the load and evenly distribute is universe,there are 3 different base brick elements to ensure the wall is joining in proper gradient, and the arch need to be designed in the right curve rate so it won’t collapse due to the gravity, all the process require clarify calculations.

To ensure the visual impact, the objective elements with specific colour need to be placed in the specific joint, which also need to be demonstrated by the designer, and the brick molecules are made of low-density, recyclable, impact-resistant polymer, which is sustainable to the environments.

In terms of computation process there are not doubt that Blobwall Pavilion is an successful product of computation design, because the such blob wall is an very typical meta ball elements can be generated in the parametric design software such as grasshopper. the whole designing process can’t stand apart from the computation process, especially for the basic processing of the brick The molecules brick in Blobwall Pavilion are produced, refer to the Greg Lynn form website the producing process are giving: “An interior product designed for Panelite using a reinvented hollow plastic rotomolded brick that is custom cut by Computer Numerically Controlled robot arm, assembled and heat welded into freestanding walls and enclosures.” it is the basic elements,but reflect the precision of the architecture.

Elevation of Blobwall pavilion Drawing from courtesy Blobwall Pavilion Blog

The Son-O-house

When Edwin van der Heide design The Son-O-house , he aimed to design a place“where sound live”. This designing concept comes in abstract way,because sound is ever going and not stable.it obey the principle that traditional architectural design need to be stable. So alike Blobwall Pavilion, it is more like an landscape sculpture people could interact with instead of an building. However, it is an splendid design because it have really strong visual impact of “Motion”,it is connected to sound sensors and the sound from the surrounding environments are detected and there will be an random movement pattern due to the sound, the house became“alive.

The Son-O-house is located in an large industrial park which surround by several IT company and New media companies.so there will be lots of sympathy and support and acceptance form the community. The building is composed of very complex steel structure manufactured by contractor company, there are 1000 pre-fabricated steel stripes cut to 2m long and 17cm wide. the whole building is irregular geometric shape, form by closed and open hexagon steel elements with calculated algorithmic and triangulation manner, the closed hexagon joint join with open hexagon elements give the framework structure a full flexibility. The shell of this design is fabric sheet, and there are 20 speaker installed with so many sensor.

the initial prototype of this design is done using some paper stripes, which provide the brief appearance of idea. In orders to achieve the ideal design result,they make several refined paper strip model while they trying to develop an parametric model in Rhino environment. The parametric model is actively connected with the simulated environments and they track the movement pattern to configure the operating of the system. They got lots of important information from the simulation experiments and finally settle the pattern and create their ideal final design.

The Son-O-house is a project in the lead of technology, an the great thing is the the transorm from abstraction to an actual relevant form, it is very interesting. it is an successful engineering technology and algorithmic design. In the project the parametric modeling play an significantly important role, and it is quite inspiring for the following works.

stripe model of the Son-O-House

the actual building also have very complex interaction of the frame and meshes

A.4.-Conclusion

This is the second time i am doing studio air this year, the study was better than expected compare to the previous semester. The precedent study case chosen are partially studied from previous semester and by doing it again there are more information are gained and the inspiring are also getting clear this time.after done part A my major interest is mainly interest is focus on the field of biomimicry which is associate to the part B. In these precedent studies i done Lotus temple is my favorite, thin shell structure is an design that inspired by nature of egg shell and sea shells, or the field of structure , because the most case study i done above are associate with structuralism, and structural is an important part of architecture and there will be lots of details could be diagnosed by grasshopper

A.5. Learning outcomes

in this Learning outcome section i was mainly focus on the sucscessful case of meshing and waving case i done so far, because mesh is an very basic but generally used technique in the parametric design, in terms of paterning and structure generation, in my case study of french pavilion, the mesh in the external wall is very splendid and it seens a very applicable designing elements , so i tried to recover the shape of that mesh, , and result with the left bottom pipe mesh, the gradient is slightlu adjusted so the who work is not simple diamond shape. based on that several subspecies are generated, which is left above and left bottom, one is changing based on original with some disciplinarian infill, or the pipe nesh been changed into stripes with certain thickness and the arrangement is changed as well. right top is an different species generated to test the function of formulation , the basic mesh and brep are changed to obtain different result. These outcomes are typical in my works and might be used for my following works.

in this Learning outcome section i was mainly focus on the sucscessful case of meshing and waving case i done so far, because mesh is an very basic but generally used technique in the parametric design, in terms of paterning and structure generation, in my case study of french pavilion, the mesh in the external wall is very splendid and it seens a very applicable designing elements , so i tried to recover the shape of that mesh, , and result with the left bottom pipe mesh, the gradient is slightlu adjusted so the who work is not simple diamond shape. based on that several subspecies are generated, which is left above and left bottom, one is changing based on original with some disciplinarian infill, or the pipe nesh been changed into stripes with certain thickness and the arrangement is changed as well. right top is an different species generated to test the function of formulation , the basic mesh and brep are changed to obtain different result. These outcomes are typical in my works and might be used for my following works.

Appendix

Mckay Patricia, Pilbrow Richard, “Walt Disney concert hall the backstage story” 2003 Ent technologypress.Mudford Grant, “Symphony: Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney concert hall” 2004 Harry .N Abrams inc.

Edwin Van der Heide (2000) Son-O-House, a house where sounds live: public artwork for Industrieschap Ekkersrijt in collection with composer Edwin Van der Heide, Son en Breugel, The Netherlands,2000-4

Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design, 83, 2, pp. 08-15

Definition of ‘Algorithm’ in Wilson, Robert A. and Frank C. Keil, eds (1999). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (London: MIT Press), pp. 11, 12

Kamon Jirapong, (2002) Discovering architecture within seashell.Illinois Institute of Technology

Louis I . Kahn, What Will Be Has AlwaysBeen: The Words of Louis I. Kahn, ed. Richard SaulWurman (New York: Access PresslRizzoli, 1986),p.151Engineering complex geometries –Steel ConstructionVolume 8, Issue 1, 2015

http://glform.com/environments/blobwall/ Greg Lynn FORM ,2007

http://classicalvoiceamerica.org/2013/09/26/10th-anniversary-of-walt-disney-concert-hall/ First drawing by Frank Gehry of the Walt Disney Hall concept. (Frank Gehry)

image source refer to the label, unlabled image sourced from google image

PART B CRITERIA DESIGN

B.1. Research Field

B.2. Case Study 1.0

B.3. Case Study 2.0

B.4. Technique: Development

B.5. Technique: Prototypes

B.6. Technique: Proposal

B.7. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

B.1. Research Field-TESSELLATION

Tessellation

DefinitionIn terms of simplified definition tessellation means created a shape which repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps,There are also tessellations made of polygons that do not share common edges and vertices, it is mathematics. but in terms of architecture, that wasn’t limited on the repeated on the single geometrical shape, it could be an repetitive lattice elements or complex surface based on general geocentrically shape. It is common seen in the architecture design, Once the elements convert into 3D elements, the combination will be much more complex, because it requires interlocking of the joint and the structural elements,so there are will be restriction in the rigid motion,Symmetry and Transformations of the single vertice elements.

Advantage of Tessellation

Tessellations in three or more dimensions are called honeycombs. This might remind about the actual honeycomb structure, in terms of repetitive form the actual honeycomb could say to be an form of tessellation in nature, which have maximum material and space efficiency, one of the aim tessellation is intended to using repetitive elements will gain maxim efficiency in prefabrication and seamless result in assembling process, the seamless joint result will also help reduce the yielding waste in the fabrication process due to the accurate mathematical base of tessellation. Also, the different surface peaking and patterning will also increase the stiffness or the thresh-hold limit of the structure especially when the structure is functioning as an weight bearing structure such as dome or shell. This is very applicable.

Computation and Parametric design

Tessellation are easy generated in the computation environments,sometimes in the computer graphics field it called meshes, either lofted with surface or further transformed into lattice polyhedron. This is an relative process in the Rhino grasshopper environments.mesh and Patterning is relative easy part in the parametric design. The technical difficulty is focus on how to make the joint and the single elements joint together, and the scale need to be calculated into correct proposal. Because the Tessellations is in higher dimensions the engineering difficulties is more focus on the mathematical calculation and the joining and stacking method because no overlapping of elements should be occurring technically.engineering play the major role in the tessellation design

MaterialityThere are not much limitation for the tessellation. It is a method of arrangement and joining elements. Technically we can say ceramic tile is a type of tessellation. A broad range of materials can be use to create architecture design or sculpture design, such as board, glass, fabric etc. but most of those parts and elements can be prefabricated in the factory or lab, which makes the construction or assembling process easier.. accuracy is required for the farbication

B.1. Research Field-TESSELLATION

Tessellation

DefinitionIn terms of simplified definition tessellation means created a shape which repeated over and over again covering a plane without any gaps or overlaps,There are also tessellations made of polygons that do not share common edges and vertices, it is mathematics. but in terms of architecture, that wasn’t limited on the repeated on the single geometrical shape, it could be an repetitive lattice elements or complex surface based on general geocentrically shape. It is common seen in the architecture design, Once the elements convert into 3D elements, the combination will be much more complex, because it requires interlocking of the joint and the structural elements,so there are will be restriction in the rigid motion,Symmetry and Transformations of the single vertice elements.

Advantage of Tessellation

Tessellations in three or more dimensions are called honeycombs. This might remind about the actual honeycomb structure, in terms of repetitive form the actual honeycomb could say to be an form of tessellation in nature, which have maximum material and space efficiency, one of the aim tessellation is intended to using repetitive elements will gain maxim efficiency in prefabrication and seamless result in assembling process, the seamless joint result will also help reduce the yielding waste in the fabrication process due to the accurate mathematical base of tessellation. Also, the different surface peaking and patterning will also increase the stiffness or the thresh-hold limit of the structure especially when the structure is functioning as an weight bearing structure such as dome or shell. This is very applicable.

Computation and Parametric design

Tessellation are easy generated in the computation environments,sometimes in the computer graphics field it called meshes, either lofted with surface or further transformed into lattice polyhedron. This is an relative process in the Rhino grasshopper environments.mesh and Patterning is relative easy part in the parametric design. The technical difficulty is focus on how to make the joint and the single elements joint together, and the scale need to be calculated into correct proposal. Because the Tessellations is in higher dimensions the engineering difficulties is more focus on the mathematical calculation and the joining and stacking method because no overlapping of elements should be occurring technically.engineering play the major role in the tessellation design

MaterialityThere are not much limitation for the tessellation. It is a method of arrangement and joining elements. Technically we can say ceramic tile is a type of tessellation. A broad range of materials can be use to create architecture design or sculpture design, such as board, glass, fabric etc. but most of those parts and elements can be prefabricated in the factory or lab, which makes the construction or assembling process easier.. accuracy is required for the farbication

Precedent project

Pyramide du Louvre BY Ieoh Ming Pei

THIS is an large glass pyramid done by chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei, in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace in Paris. in the form of paterning and strecture of steel structure it is an very typical tesellation artcitecture style, with very identical diagrid steel frame and diamond glass, very restrict in the mathemetical and geometical details.

POLY.lux is the latest installation created by SOFTLAB and curated by Nuit Blanche New York as part of Flash:Light 2011 along with the Festival of Ideas for the New City . It is an sculpture light art, a very interesting work showing the transformation of pattern in tessellation, unlike previous work, this 3D transformation is non-uniform, and this is an interesting topic in the reverse engineering of tessellation process.

POLY.lux is the latest installation created by SOFTLAB and curated by Nuit Blanche New York as part of Flash:Light 2011 along with the Festival of Ideas for the New City . It is an sculpture light art, a very interesting work showing the transformation of pattern in tessellation, unlike previous work, this 3D transformation is non-uniform, and this is an interesting topic in the reverse engineering of tessellation process.

B.2. Case Study 1.0voltadom iterationTYPE 1 species based on the original defination, either the elements mesh are redefined or the surface has been remodefied. non of the key elements has been heavily changed

TYPE 2 In THIS TYPE, the universal2D point group has been replaced by uniformed hexagonal grid that set up the basic boundary of the pattern, and the cone and mesh object has been adjusted with several parameter to achieve different cellular structure and been applied in an lofted surface in the final scene.

TYPE 3 NEEDLE FORUM. in this species the parmeter has been adjusted into an very sharp, point form step by step. the grid has been replaced into square form.the most important approach in this species is how to figure out correct dimensional domain and carfully adjusted the concentration of the grid point to achieve the best result.

TYPE 4 this is an species is an complex form, it is an combination of previous 3 species, and more complex pattern and celluar structure pattern are generated, the basic gerid is using square grid to gain an more uniformed uesult, either pattern attach to the mesh or the parameter has been aadjusted to generate reasonable structure.

TYPE In THIS TYPE, the universal2D point group has been replaced by uniformed trangular grid that set up the basic boundary of the pattern, and the cone and mesh object has been adjusted with several parameter to achieve different cellular structure and been applied in an lofted surface in the final scene. certain elements will be bonded by the boundary mesh and appears as particular diamond shape in some variety. this aloso an very applicable species in architecture.

TYPE In THIS TYPE, the universal2D point group has been replaced by uniformed trangular grid that set up the basic boundary of the pattern, and the cone and mesh object has been adjusted with several parameter to achieve different cellular structure and been applied in an lofted surface in the final scene. certain elements will be bonded by the boundary mesh and appears as particular diamond shape in some variety. this aloso an very applicable species in architecture.

Case study 1.0- Seleted iteration

Based on the original object, the mesh on geometry has been made into an wireframe, resorted into bunch, and then thicken by the Elements mesh thicken plug-in and the final product have an very good delicate fabric looking compare to the solid surface before. Due to the shape the mesh might not be even but it is an way to make great difference to make an very different iteration. And the mesh transformation skill is applicable.

The boundary is set up by the hexagonal grid, so the cell is appear in an typical hexagonal shape, hexagonal shape have good stability and geometrical performance.this is an very typical architecture feature.the mesh is thickened into more solid form and attach to the surface and gained the result appear in the image.it is very typical architecture appearance of tessellation. The material of this structure could be several variety that is easy to be prefarbicated with, such as polystyrene, plastic, or concreted. This structure is either good for decoration and produce delight pavilion structure or shell.

This is an combination of multiple types, the boundary is set into square grid to generate uniform arrangement, and there are mesh attachment to the surface of the cells to generated more delicate looking for the final product. The cell is partial solid and partial mesh over-folding. This is choosing because it is an interesting combination and technically more applicable in architecture with this combination, fabrication each piece with solid and mesh frame part will also gain better visual appearance.it is interesting to see in application.

Case study 1.0- Seleted iteration

The boundary is set up by the square grid, intend to generate an very fluid spine surface shape alone the curve gradient of the curve surface. The challenge and applicable skill is adjust the dimensional domain and the concentration of the grid right, while control the direction of the spine flow to the correct direction. it is very good to be applied as an skill to produce fiber or hair on the fabric surface, or as decoration on object or building surface.

This is an combination of multiple types, the boundary is set into square grid to generate uniform arrangement, and there are mesh attachment to the surface of the cells to generated more delicate looking for the final product. The cell is partial solid and partial mesh over-folding. This is choosing because it is an interesting combination and technically more applicable in architecture with this combination, fabrication each piece with solid and mesh frame part will also gain better visual appearance.it is interesting to see in application.

B.3. Case Study 2.0

Reverse Engineering -Vivid Sydney’s LED Cellular

Vivid Sydney’s LED Cellular Tessellation Pavilion by Bond University’s Architecture group. A very typical design of honeycomb tessellation. Small, delight and easy assemble pavilion, This is very common way of tessellation in architecture design, in computation way it’s also a typical heptagonal mesh pavilion that is not very complicated to be modulated and reverse engineering.

the original form of pivvilion is observuied, and find out the approximately shape is easier to be generated by using an varible pipe defination

to obtain the correct shape, the pipe is baked in the rhino environments, and then trimed into an poly surface with the similar shape as the original pavilion.

generate uniform hexagonal grid in the grasshopper environments

offset the grid to thicken the hexagonal

Loft the surface obtained in step 2 with the hexgonal celluar frame, using morph component to make the component into solid and adjust the thickness with the parameter.the gap in the cell is infilled with mesh loft.there are some diadvantage with this method. in case the hexagonal cell lofted on the surface is reletive unifore , but not deversified like the actual building, sothere might be other method to generate the pavilion.

B.4. Technique: Development

Technique-surface morph and relevemt parameter, but adjusting the parameter of morph the smooth hexagal cellular frame been squised towards middle of the freeform surface and squized into an hamburger looking.

subtract the hexagonal cells with the trangular cells, adjusting the cell size and the offset distance of wireframe make many differents in the size and the gradient of the lofted object

subtract the hexagonal cells with the trangular cells, adjusting the cell size and the offset distance of wireframe make many differents in the size and the gradient of the lofted object

complex forum, by meshing different or loft different geometry bast on original defenination result complex sculptuew

successsful iteration examples

again, typical tesssllation 3D honeycomb structure.an well developed hexagonal cellular strucature frame work, the double thicken mesh frame is much moure clearly indicated than other structure generated in the same species, the parameter could be an good referal for the follwoing design,compare to before there are more details in each individual cells and structural member which is helpful.

an good trangular gap waffle structure. trangular structular shape provide good stability, which makes this structure a very good applicable structure. and in this species the join of the cellular structure is seamless in an really good streamline shape,which provide good reference for the parameter

successsful iteration examples

an good trangular gap waffle structure. trangular structular shape provide good stability, which makes this structure a very good applicable structure. and in this species the join of the cellular structure is seamless in an really good streamline shape,which provide good reference for the parameter

similar to the previous one,an good trangular gap waffle structure. trangular structular shape provide good stability, but due to the rising of morph level the surface peak will affect the surface form, so this one appears to be an hyprobola forum, there is an divide boundary of the streamline flow. this one is chosen because this is very applicable and critical because morph over this level will cause the shrinking of the final geometory, this is what need to be awared in the real world designing.

this is an entirely different species, which is an product based on an sphere. this is chosing to compare the difference , the gradient of the sphere cause certain irrigularity of the cellular structure, and some are not proper joined. this indicates the disadvantage of the defination. it seems to be more applicable on open boundary surface insdead of the enclosed geometory, this nned to be improved.

B.5.Technique: Prototypes

After complete part A and Part B 1- B4, i start gaining idea about the tessellation, while i have obtained some idea from the previous understanding about bio-mimicry, i am happy to continue to work on the field of tessellation, focus on the 3D honeycomb structure, which have a good balance in the stability and efficiency in materiel, also a classic theme in the architecture tessellation.

The prototype is inspire by the idea of Vivid Sydney’s LED Cellular, but intend made into a more fluid shape, which , inspire by the exercise 1 done during the semester, while doing the sea sponge model making exercise i find an species called Hyalospongea， which have good tessellation pattern, and, there will be interaction in the mesh if of the Hyalospongea enter the other one while grow. So that inspire me about a partial interaction in twin framework instead of individual one. So the prototype is overall an twin hexagonal cellulars structure pavilion. Some gap will allows sunlight enter the pavilion, and also, the fluid aqua theme with honeycomb tessellation will not be too harmful for the context.

Hyalospongea

Hyalospongea

the overall structure is composed by individual hexgonal assembly unit, each cell is different due to the curvature change of cure surface shape shifting of pavilion , this is an draf only give an approximate find the proper dimension of hexgonal elements to me used proposed to the scale of digital

this is the physical sample elements and expecting connecting method of the structure that intened to be used making the fi al structure. the part summon the hexagonal elements is not uiform. there is an specific angle to the neigbourhood unit. also, the because the expected material might intened to be used in the fabrication for frame work is bamboo, so the ideal join method is glue and nail at the joint becaue it is intend to be a more permenant purpose pavilion

it is an prototype that approximate the basic shape, which contain about 8 different types of hexgonal units. its not very standadized because there are lots of error in the process , the cover and infill is not apart of it yet because the framework is the main technical proposal and the rest is mainly materiality wich will be suggest in the part C detailed design

B.6.Proposal -site analysis

Merri creek certainly a very large area, after i walked alone the merri creek train, i choosing The Rotunda Wetland as my dignity site. Compare to the other area this area is more narrow and lack of circulation. But this area have relative higher concentration of vegetation. In my perspective of view i would like to choosing somewhere close to the nature, to create an peaceful atmosphere for people to rest.

This area is close to the road, which make it easy to access.And the enrich natural vegetation will act as an barrier of noise, and according to the information given by the Merri creek committee, this area have enrich variety of animals, such as eastern blue tongue and golden moth. These could provide great opportunity for animal lover.

When i first visit this area, i feel this area is kind of lack of of circulation, because the enclosed bush and narrow pathway. It will be an good idea provide some open space, but not in an large scale, in the fauna protection concern. Shelter is very necessary for the pedestrian. Delight structure or Natural materials will be the best option working one project here. Small scale building such as kiosk or pavilion will be much more suitable for this zone. i might adopt the idea of vivid sydney LED pavilion and adding theme design,and considering using relative enviromental friendly and less maintain materials,such as bamboo and fabric for the do not ruin the atmosphere much.

B.7.Learning objective

This is an long and hard section, taking and long process to demonstrate the research and grasshopper technique

>.using parametric method to Create interactive 3-D models to reversing engineering process and environments

> and taking an specific study on the technique to analyzing and evaluate different model generating techniques. Certain amount of calculation are involved calculations.

> Clarify the conclusions about the stability of a system of linear equations using determinant and rank of a matrix.

> Solve geometric problems concerning lines and planes using vectors.

> Choose a basis for the plane or the space suitable for a specific project

B.8. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

as i mentionsioned before, i tried to loft the polygon cellular object on the sphaer and ended with un closed mesh and irrigular unwanted gap broken in the frame, so i tried another way to get the grid point evenly dietributed on the sphere surface, and end up with 3 sphere abovw with trangular, hexagonal and square mesh frame and joined perfectly this time.

AppendixEdward Angel, "Interactive Computer Graphics with OpenGL,” Addison WesleyLongman, Inc., 2000.

James D Foley, Steven K Feiner, John F Hughes, "Introduction to Computer Graphics"Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1997.

James Stewart, "Calculus," Wadsworth, Inc, 1991.

Kenneth Hoffman, Ray Kunze, “Linear Algabra”, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1971

Rhinoceros help document, Robert McNeel and Associates, 2009.

Schumacher “The Autopoiesis of Architecture - A New Framework for Architecture 2011” Pages 1-28

Arciszewski, T., & Joanna, C. 2006. Bio-inspiration: Learning Creative DesignPrincipia. George Mason University.. Arciszewski, T., & Kicinger, R. 2006) Structural Design Inspired by nature.George Mason University.

. Arturo Alvarez, P. D. L. 2005. What is biological architecture? Arokaconsultants, 1-14.

S aprykina, N. A. Fundamentals of dynamic shapingthe architecture of Category. Moscow: Architecture, C,

Part C DETAILED DESIGN

Merri Creek

image from Merri Creek Management Committee website

Introduction-about the site

Merri creek is an water way flowing through the northern suburb of Melbourne, about 60km in length, beginning near Heathcote Junction,as an great divide of the Yarra River,it is an important part of local environment, contribute to the local biodiversity and ecosystem.There are lots of vegetation and wild animal to be seen in the surrounding area. there are several open natural parkland organized for local residents and passenger. This area is managing under city council of Yarra City, they paying close attention to the ongoing changing to the land condition and surrounding affection.

The specific zone i had pick in this project is Rotunda Wetland. This wetland is once has been in risk due to exotic invasion species from 1940-1960, later on 1980 the management of local committee the condition had recovering and natural regeneration is ongoing. The local soil is is an combination of sandy soil and small lime stone, the texture of earth is loose , so not much tree more than 5 meters tall away from the water side in the area. and the biodiversity is brittle. The local earth condition is not ideal for the large scale construction on site, so light construction and prefabrication and summon on the site is more ideal.

the soil is sandy and particle form, not ideal for heavy work.- photo taking on site

Vegetation and Animal

The area around Merri creek is the ecological wetland zone, which suppose to enrich in the biodiversity.especially in the Rotunda wetland area. The parklands is well planned and managed to be protect in high conservation valuesincluding ecological, geological, landscape and cultural values since the redesign of 1998. Local Ecosystem is a part that local committee really proud of. There are lots of vegetation are seen .Which are mainly eucalyptus and Bushes. Epacris impressa is seen in the area, which is common in Victoria, there are lots of other local plants are also seen. According to the introduction local council handbook introduced there are lots of animal can be seen in this area during the visit, such as Blue Wrens,golden sun Moth, Frog and blue Tongue lizard. But these are not seen, there are several mandarin duck are seen by the water side and bird around the tree might due to enrich in food and resource habitat. Local people who love these animal and might want to have an space for the view and admire to the wild life, but not too much human and other interruption and disrupt to the environment.

unknow bush or weed on site

Eucalyptus- photo taking on site

About the context

The Merri Creek is the border between Northcote and its southern and western neighbours in Clifton Hill, North Fitzroy and Brunswick, near CBD. Rotunda Wetland is the zone close to the Clifton Hill area, one of the Suburb with most expensive housing price and fastest Urban grown value. Rotunda Wetland is an nature wetland , but it is exclusively close to the local residential area and commercial business area . There are may public facilities in the surround zone of this natural Park, including school, hospital and major road to the CBD, shopping center and the business distinct, the Merri Creek Trail for the, and it is the major way to access this area. There several entrance from the residential area nearby. the pedestrian in this area mainly going in the specific direction, however, the path in this area actually is very not well developed, tree, bushes and shallow weedy trenches block certain areas, so there is an overall lack of circulation alone the The Rotunda Wetland Area. the good thing about this zone is the terrain is not very slopy. The land is slighty getting lower when approach the water way, beside it’s very flat.

Community

The importance of the link between people and land is important. there is a huge residentiall area contain all the major public facility such as school , hospital, police station and shopping center. the community are basically everyone. the client should can be local community and residents,and visitors who loves want to interact in the wetland area. are encouraged to actively participate in the Eco friendly future development and concern about the management of the area will be the center of the designing. social value of community can directly affect the site chosen, materiality in the final design.

Site Analysis

Rotunda Wetland is an relative silent site, with some noise from the neighborhood, but basically silent. Certain chance of cold air blow from the waterway and the temperature is relative low in the area. The sunlight is much more intense in the east part of the wetland.

site

Site plan

Site plan

Revewing of Designing

After all the previous study, i am clear with my design proposal of the project

My Design proposal- a pavilion for the community to enjoy the scenery and observe the animal, interacting with the environments and the other. Provide the function of shelter.

It is an very simple proposal, but the aim i am trying to do here is giving the Rotunda Wetland more circulation in the site. If we read the handbook giving by the local management council we can see the enrichment of the vegetation is fast increasing, but the vegetation also apart of nature barrier, stop certain people access certain area. It is a good part of the ecosystem, but the area could be more lively. so a site is picked in a zone that could minimize the vegetation damage, but also could obtain a more proper view. The land in this area is even. And due to the delight designing, the landmass won’t be damaged, also the damage of vegetation on the ground such as grass or lawn will be minimized.Materiality and technique

My delight design is intend to create a truly lightweight and easy maintain pavilion. And nature material is more ideal in this environments. In terms of both of those advantage, bamboo became the more ideal material in this case. It is more long lasting and lightweight than other panel wood, it have very high threshold and easy to maintain.it is used in the france pavilion of expo milan 2015 in massive scale.The overall structure of my designed pavilion is the 3D honeycomb tessellation, which is non-uniformed hexagonal component,In this case to maintain the stability the joint will be rigid and joind by glue and nail at the seam and joint, and the frame will be double layer hexagonal

Materiality and techniqueMy delight design is intend to create a truly lightweight and easy maintain pavilion. And nature material is more ideal in this environments. In terms of both of those advantage, bamboo became the more ideal material in this case. It is more long lasting and lightweight than other panel wood, it have very high threshold and easy to maintain.it used in Bamboo domes by Vo Trong Nghia in massive scale.The overall structure of my designed pavilion is the 3D honeycomb tessellation, which is non-uniformed hexagonal component,In this case to maintain the stability the joint will be rigid and joind by glue and nail at the seam and joint, and the frame will be double layer hexagonal framework to make it more secure.

In terms of cover, a new fabric is chosen. It is called Crypton Fabric. It looks like usual Fabric but it is totally water and stain resistance, it is very ideal for the outdoor purpose, there are several range of fabric can be choose, the one used in my design is slightly pervious to light. It is like the the usual fabric used in the shed, which can gain certain view behind the fabric but it is more long lasting than the traditional fabric in the shed design.

there are several elements are filled with coloured tranparency Architecture glass, incase to benefit for the visual impact and the illumination and inside the pavilion is not too shade.

Bamboo domes by Vo Trong Nghia

Designed Crypton Fabric texture applied in the final design

Bamboo panel

Connecting with tongue and groove and glue

coloured tranparency Architecture glass

Connecting joint need to be nailed and glued

double layer frame structure, joine by a small vertical elements .it is an rigid joint and find in all elements.

a detaild linework of the framework for the pavilion, showing the major arrangement of the structure-Exploration of fabrication

double Frame structure

connecting part between 2 layers of frame, indicate on the corner of connecting

Arch and the hexgonal arrangement of framework help maintain the overall stability of the pavilion over the whole span

a detaild linework of the framework for the pavilion, showing the major arrangement of the structure-Exploration of fabrication

even contribution of load to the overall structure

Arch and the hexgonal arrangement of framework help maintain the overall stability of the pavilion over the whole span

Outline of an frame joint details -single layer

tongue ang groove, on the flange of the connecting face between each part

Fabrication

Form Finding

this is an digested form of one pavilion frame's digital model, with lots of complex parts. but after the re-arrangement and the measurement there are serveral standised unit can be indicated on the image, which is about 5 different standard hexagonal unit. this part refer to the real life can be set as the part arrangement of prefabrication.

Reverse engineering in the reversing methodin the diagram the red line indicated flange supposed to be infilled face, but instead, the elements is going vertical and there is gap left inbetween, to suggest the actual connection

Prototype elements referto the frame work diagram. this is the base elements used for all the parts in the final design.

Flange are bind together into single elements and functioning together

Elements pattern and form variation

the flange are closed

Final Review

Learning outcome and objective

the overall approach of the digital model and the diagnosis of the structure aspect of the whole design is relative reasonable according to the materiality and context.and the design have beautiful visual appearance.however. The major problem is happened when deal with the development of the physical model. Due to the complexity of the framework the arrangement is hard to be fabricated by flat materials, but requires materials with certain thickness and require strict bind technique. The initial arrangement is settled on the 2D blueprint and result failure unfinished in the final physical model. It will be much better if the parts are made by 3D printing but due to the size limitation of the file is is not achieved. The fabrication should be the priority next time.

Overall the semester the design is achieved ok. There are lots of benefit learning Rhino and grasshopper. And the skill will be the benefit in the future and the study of precedent project can be used as the reference of future design.

Appendix

Edward Angel, "Interactive Computer Graphics with OpenGL,” Addison WesleyLongman, Inc., 2000.James Stewart, "Calculus," Wadsworth, Inc, 1991.Kenneth Hoffman, Ray Kunze, “Linear Algabra”, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1971Rhinoceros help document, Robert McNeel and Associates, 2009.Schumacher “The Autopoiesis of Architecture - A New Framework for Architecture 2011” Pages 1-28Arciszewski, T., & Joanna, C. 2006. Bio-inspiration: Learning Creative DesignPrincipia. George Mason University.. Arciszewski, T., & Kicinger, R. 2006) Structural Design Inspired by nature.George Mason University.S aprykina, N. A. Fundamentals of dynamic shapingthe architecture of Category. Moscow: Architecture, C,2005.Smith, David Lee 2001, Environmental Issues for Archi-tecture, WileyHamzenazhad, Mahdi 2006, Human, Nature, Architecture, University of Science and Technology press, TeharnMerri Creek ConmmittInviting wildlife to Clifton HillEnthusiastic locals maintain momentum Rotunda Wetland Hall Reserve • Clifton Hill 2005Images source from Google and personal photo taking