Yan Zhang 657337

STUDIO AIR 2015, SEMESTER 2 Arthur Zhang

Table of Contents

A.1 Design Futuring

Design of Robotic Fabricated High Rises (2012–13)

by Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler

A.1 Design Futuring

YAN ZHANG I was kind of born in to a more or less geeky family, with my father being a radar engineer and mother being a doctor.

Natually, growing up i am inevitabley familiarised with computation and rendered with the view that techonlogies are constantly opeing up exciting scopes of opportunities, that is also prabably the reason i choose architecutre as my major and keep coding as a hobby.

Under Tomorrow’s Sky is a fictional future city, Liam Youn.

A.2 Design Computation FRAMEWORKS FOR COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN OF TEXTILE MICRO-ARCHITECTURES AND MATERIAL BEHAVIOR IN FORMING COMPLEX FORCE-ACTIVE STRUCTURES

A.2 Design Computation Reserch Pavillion 2010, ICD/ITKE

A.3 Composition and Generation

ActionScript simulation of flocking and steering 2014

A.3 Composition and Generation Minimaforms, Archigram Revisited, ‘Mega-Structures Reloaded’, Berlin, 2008

A.4 Conclusion + A.5 Learning Outcomes A.6 Appendix

A.1 Design Futuring

A

s the reading this week Design Futuring[1] is concerned, we humans, whether individually or collectively are at ‘a critical moment in our existence’ that we are confronted with the unsustainable status quo, and that defuturing trend is going to continue even if we do survive with current conditions. And that essential in solving this issue is the question that we need to ask our self, how can a future be improved, and secured by the practice of designs, how can we improve the underlying methodology of design which has been labeled problematic because of its predominantly professional and academic orientation tendency of being territorial and reductive

I think the point is valid, as we have long assumed that architecture should just be ‘for the clients’ sake ’ rather than ’for the architect himself’s sake’, becauase it is the clients/ the mass’s needs that our design is centred around, and our minds preoccupied with. In that way we are inclined to view the world in a human-centric position which compromises sustainability and inhibits creativity. And i also believe architecture in the first place is supposed to consider a bit beyond just coming up with solutions, and the practice itself should be regard as part of the course of evolution of architecture, that should not be achieved by following conclusions and conventions made by previous generations but in a more adaptive manner that takes current conditions into account.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

Therefore while the traditional approach to create and alter built environment is to transform elements into collectively into other forms, i envision a future that is less definite and full of possibilities with the aid of new advancements of technology, and this should be encompassing all stages and aspects of architectural practice.

A.1 Design Futuring

Design of Robotic Fabricated High Rises (2012–13)

by Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler

T

his is an experimental research project exploring high-rise buidling typology for the possiblity of vertical cities, seeking to liberate high-rise buildings from massve serial production. The project revolves around the revolutionary potentials of robotic construction process with an presumption that robotics can, in conjuction with computational technologies , empancipate the high-rise building construction form the limitations of massive and serial production, as that would likely significatly accelerate the workflow and facilitate construction as well.[2] The experiment was succesful but the project was not built mass application of the technology are yet to be seen and if it could architects will be brought ever closer to the construction process.

The thesis of the design research studio is to reposition the physical model as a critical explorative tool in conjunction with computational design, whereby robotic technology is used for its fabrication.

1. Generation of outer volume and inner voids

2. Creation of primary wall system

3. Generation of secondary wall system CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.1 Design Futuring

Under Tomorrow’s Sky is a fictional future city, Liam Youn.

T

he project is completely fictional one but has its metaphorical association with the reality with Liam Young working with his team of speculative design which consists of scientists, technologists, futurists, illustrators and sciencefiction authors to imagine collectively and develop an alternative world in the future, and the things that inhabit in the imagined place, the terrains, climate and even the plots going to unfold. [3] The city then, becomes essentially a stage for possible plots of fictions, and imaginary design proposals.

Although it is probably never going to be built but the multidisciplinary speculative method it uses will encourage designers to creative confront with social and environmental issues that we are tackling with nowadays.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

A.2 Design Computation

A

s is maintained by Jacob Bronowski , ‘Design is the epitome of intelligent behaviour, it is also the single most important ability that distinguished humans from other animals’, [2] designers utilise both rationality and creativity as well to aid the practice.

Traditionally, architecture in it self span across rational and creative approaches as designers are trained and equiped with techniques to use and conventions to follow, however occasionally we have to fall back on imagination which is an ability arguably limited to humans.

I

n this age, what we imagine and simulate in digital world can be easily translated to reality.

Also we are now emancipated from the limited scope of applicable Euclidean geometries and enabled to operate with much more complicated forms thanks to tools like editable NUBRBS CURVES. A spillover of this development is that, the machine-user relationship has developed to support a continum of logic of the building process.

That does not mean the two are strictly separable.

Because firstly, intuition on its own rarely leads to perfection in terms of artworks and even more so when it comes to architecture. Secondly, while reality in every case will invariably confront us with various constraints that question rationality and equally creativity. To overcome the limitations, pragmatic response alone are not sufficient without creativity.

With the advent of computational technologies, creativity and rationality are ever more fused together, not only by simulating alternative realities and possibilities and subsequently generating and eventually selecting out the optimal outcome, but also by the shift in designer’s thinking adapted to a new world accustomed to the notion ‘what is you see is what you get‘.

This equips the architect with necessary toolkits and also allows architect to reclaim their overarching role to be involved in the complete architectural practice, from inception to construction and even well into maintenance stage by simulating and monitoring the building performance as is encouraged by Vitruvius

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CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.2 Design Computation FRAMEWORKS FOR COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN OF TEXTILE MICRO-ARCHITECTURES AND MATERIAL BEHAVIOR IN FORMING COMPLEX FORCE-ACTIVE STRUCTURES

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aterial behaviour is a discipline where rules of mechanics, pressures, material properties converge together and thus can be conceptualised into a simulated model and calculated using computational programmes, in other words, it can be parameterised as a set of relationships of topologies, forces and materiality and those entities themselves.[4] This design starts with focusing on the the individual method of morphogenesis and then develop a series of complex structures that comprise of the minor ones, however the word comprise does not mean they are simple assemblies, but rather eventually the hybrid structure is produced through integration of the subsystems and encompassing all the parameters input, and a and continuous structure.

(a) Simulation of textile hybrid cell in springs-based modeling and simulation environment in Processing (Java) developed by the author. (b) Physical prototype of textile hybrid with bending-active GFRP rod and elastan/polyester textile. (c) Volumetric textile hybrid cell insulated with shredded PVC material.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

(a) Warp knitting. (b) Weft knitting and alterations in knit logics.

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he research treats the tensile structure as an object rather a parameter determinning the outcome, thus the structure can be manuplated and explpred in the simulatiowith weft-knitting technologies, and the kniting logic is instrumentalised to constitute the overall structure.

These relationships can be seen in the picture of the installation below.

Manipulation of behavior from simple tensile structure to hybrid form- and bending-active system during

Textile Hybrid installation at ggggallery in Denmark, Copenhagen.

CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.2 Design Computation Reserch Pavillion 2010, ICD/ITKE

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n 2010, the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) designed and constructed a temporary research pavilion. The innovative structure demonstrates the latest developments in materialoriented computational design, simulation, and production processes in architecture.

The result is a bending-active structure made entirely of extremely thin, elastically-bent plywood strips. [5]

A

s material construct are resultant from a structural and mechanical system with the internal and external forces being the main parameters., the material’s form is caused by the pressure. And once the systems can be conceptualised into the computer, the overall form can be divided into simpler and more calculable geometry and simulated with the forces and the timer member’s properties having been input into the computer.

The computing involved can actually alter and redefine the practice, because no calculation and modelling will be made by hand during the simulation, which otherwise has to be manually achieved.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

A.3 Composition and Generation

H

istorically, we can find traces in ten books in architecture that architecture was already a comprehensive skill but more craft than practice with designs from scratch) But the historical accumulation of masterpieces and codified theories in the architectural world has created conventions to follow ever since the age when the first humans set up their first tent, The practice has being involving into an professional process that attach great importance to details negotiated with careful iteration so as to generate the untilmiatse desirable outcome.

This could be tedious and has rendered architects very easy to be distracted by triviaries.

As the ultimate outcome of a satisfactory design is often, a complicated compromise that takes everything into account

computers that could be explored further otherwise after all computation at this stage is most likely only able to generate an outcome with a pre-written script with the designer positively getting involved and taking the the interpretive role, it has of course no desires, emotions, purposes.

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ersonally i am quite optimistic in that regard as that might change as at present architectural practice is turning increasingly digital at a not rapid but steady pace, the development of approaches such as parametrisation, enables users to generate outcomes far beyond compositions of euclidean geometries and with sound logic and understanding of the very algorithm in mind.

The advent of computational design, which may very well originates before first computer and dates back to Alan Turing’s time, does not really eliminate vital negotiations of details and iterations of that process, , it instead rather accelerates the process and when the graphic hardwares are fast enough, an single act of simulation of a possibility coulee be initiated and finished just in a flash.

It is now ever-easier to come up with increasingly complex and elaborate structures. some of us might argue that we are potentially handing over much of our original creativity to

CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.3 Composition and Generation

ActionScript simulation of flocking and steering [6]

T

his is actually a purely simulated but very inspirational ActionScript® project i’ve come across a few weeks ago which imitates the flocking and steering behaviour of birds with the author’s Boid source code. The codes generally encompasses functions(behaviours) including Chase, Flock, Graphics(customisation of Boid instance), Seek(seek the mouse location) and Wander.

It can be seen quite straightforward from the main programme to the right, that the programmes are created in a object-oriented manner and thus divided into classes, and the classes are called individually when the main programme is implemented.

Therefore any modifications occurred in a specific class would not change other classes.

It also demonstrates the relationship of the main programme upon subclasses, reflecting one of the essential characteristics of generative programming, the dependency.

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he snapshot to the left bottom corner is of the resultant flash animation, the 6 functions can be played and once the parameters are modified, the course of birds will consequently alter.

In terms of the design and the development of the project, the ‘divide and conquer’ method keeps a minimalist style of algorithm, which is a virtue worthing learning and can be applied to other types of generative design, as on the one hand, this approach accelerates the design and implementation, reduce the risk of crash if one class is problematic, on the other hand , its logic is also more legible.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

A.3 Composition and Generation Minimaforms, Archigram Revisited, ‘Mega-Structures Reloaded’, Berlin, 2008

Generative development of Phyllotaxis form

T

he ultimate outcome of the design gives an impression of dynamic and also animalistic organisation.

The advantage of the approach is very obvious that the algorithms is quite efficient in terms of morphogenesis and generates inspirational individual outcome respectively that takes on the character of its inhabitants, however there is a lack of interrelation between the ‘organs’ which renders the overall work illegible and to some extent compositional.work illegible and to some extent compositional.[7]

Generative development of the organs.

The finshed installation

CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.4+5 Conclusion and Learning Outcomes In this section of the course we have seen how algorithms can be utilised the medium between digitalised design intent and final architectural works in a computational or generative manner.

In design suturing, we reflect upon design that it should no longer be simply compositional or reduce the definition of the practice into just transforming some existing forms into another.

In design computation, we’ve experienced the virtues of application of computation in design. This method allows us to produce an relatively optimal outcome out of algorithms and logical dependencies of all the parameters input beforehand.

In generative design, it is clear shown that generative design has made us unprecedendly prepared to attend to details and their dependencies and drastically shortened the time needed for iteration.

However, at current stages computers lack the ability of imagination and of course intuition as it only implements commands and programs that it’s meant to.

Hopefully that might change in the future if one day we can write programs or root code that develops consciousness for the computers and can in turn produce programs it self, or once we can embed artificial intelligence in our human brain ………..

The 21st-century digital and non-linear world building design process will substitute the linear practice model and allows for multidisciplinary collaboration.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

A.6 Appendix Developable band

Throughtout the 3 weeks i’ve been trying to getting the hang of the logic of Grasshopper and below are two exampls that i find quite useful and could be applied to real world cases. The first could be realised as a landscape installation that children might be able to identify themselves with and the second will be very appealing to commercial clients who are after interesting facades..

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his is a scprit that defines a developable twisted band, the core component is the script is ‘Taper worm’, essentially, this set algorithms treats the surface as if it were a series of quads and then outputs the vertices of those flat surfaces as two lists of points. These points can be made into either polylines or interpolated curves, resulting in either a faceted surface, which can seem smooth in human eyes.

This is a series of backed models of the band, the only varible here is the Gain component, which dictates to what extent it is rolled.

CONCEPTUALISATION

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A.6 Appendix Triangulation

triangulation script

from a curved surface to a trangulated one.

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CONCEPTUALISATION

A.6 Appendix 1. Fry, Tony (2008). Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg), pp. 1–16 2. Design of Robotic Fabricated High Rises, Fabio Gramazio and Matthias Kohler, Architectural Design,16 APR 2014 3. UNDER TOMORROWS SKY, http://undertomorrowssky.liamyoung.org/2012/10/under-tomorrows-sky-concept-art-bydaniel-dociu/ ,retrieved 13th August 4. Frameworks for Computational Design of Textile Micro-Architectures and Material Behavior in Forming Complex ForceActive Structures , Ahlquist, Sean; Menges, Achim ,2013 5. 2010 Stuttgart University, ICD (A. Menges) & ITKE (J. Knippers) Stuttgart University,http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=4443, , retrieved 13th August 6. ActionScript simulation of flocking and steering , http://blog.soulwire.co.uk/laboratory/flash/as3-flocking-steeringbehaviors, retrieved 13th August 7. EvolvingPatterns, Architectural Design , 6 NOV 2009

CONCEPTUALISATION

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Table of Contents 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.8 APPENDIX

B.1 Research Field - Strips and folding H

istorically, fodling and strips are not rare to find in architecture, roman temples, from the morphological Ancient Roman’s areana Historically, folding and strips are not rare to find in architecture, folding has always been an important morphological technique to the architect, with ‘strips’, be it columns, beams or even invisible extension of axes… the scope of flying ,can broadly speaking, range from the contrast between bays and windows, foreground and recessed background down to the underlying design philosophy of an East Asian hand fan or a piece of origami.

wide range of standardised and fundamental industrial goods, thus one can safely argue, that creativity is now more manifest in assembly and permutation, and other collective forms of organisations instead of singularity. Frank Lyold, famous for his flexible but similar housing works and praising the machine age, were quite optimistic about this:” and insisted that industrialisation does not necessarily result in monotonous architecture but quite on the contrary, no two homes would be alike. (Frank Lloyd Wright, The Disappearing City, William Farquhar Payson (New York), 1932, pp 34, 45. )

This particular action in the first place to some extent signifies the maturation of human intelligence that our ancestors are no longer merely hunters and gathers but are capable of constructing complexity for aesthetic, political or ideological purposes at their will, thanks to food surplus brought about by development of agriculture.

Key to the idea of folding is, of course repetition, which is made ever more feasible since the industrial revolution interns of production. Maybe the reason modern architects are driven to embrace this technique could be attributed to the fact that we are now living in a world where basic products are efficiently assembled from a parallel corrugation

reverse folding

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B.1 Research Field - Strips and folding

Loop_3 students form Architectural Design 3 course at the Faculty of Engineering, Università di Bologna

This is an experimental research project exploring particularly the technique of folding. The projects fully utilised mathematical simulation, to generate the work, in which physics, algorithms and architectural aesthetics interplay with one another.

Trigonometric functions simulation were conducted with parametric design software and as a means of design device, emphasising rationality in generation of complex forms and appropriate justification in terms of structural stability and equally design strategy, with which the team was determined to get rid of the traditional ‘structure-skin-ornament‘ approach to architecture or other gerenal deisgn which Alfio Quarteroni embraced both for arcjotectural deisgn and critique(2009).

‘Shape determines functions, and the energetics of functions dictates the optimal structure required.’’

The thesis of the design research studio is to reposition the physical model as a critical explorative tool in conjunction with computational design, whereby robotic technology is used for its fabrication.

folding archieved by an attractor algorithm.

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B2 Case Study 1.0 Seroussi Pavilion

The Seroussi Pavilion was generated by self-generating vectors and electro-magnetic fields simulations. The underlying logics are obviously revolving around attraction and repulsion (the central points as ‘poles’).

Double charged trajectories produce corrugation inside as structural fabric, and unfold elegantly and efficiently.

The design differs greatly from traditional drawings of architectural practice, form finding though triangulation functions are the most interesting process that is integral to the design it self. The basic lines keep propagating along the ‘ridges’, demonstrating it’s own logic of being, of existence (mainly ‘fear’ of breaking down and not maximising the propagation of themselves), as well as structural and formal continuousness.

Though purely plotted by human intelligence, it was

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archieved by computers, with the logic of organisms, these facts have made the deisgn an perfect example of how biomimicry can be done with aid of modern computation technique and possibly hearold the age where architecture will end up adapting to environments as eagerly and quickly as living creatures on earth.

B2 Case Study 1.0 - Variations 1

intersections one curve at a time

intersections multiple curves,currently

Decay =10

Accuracy = 0.1

Accuracy = 0.6

Decay =5

Decay =3

Decay =1

Decay =0.7

Decay =0.5

Decay =0.2

Decay = 0.1

Accuracy = 0.9

Accuracy =1

Accuracy =3 Accuracy =5 5

B2 Case Study 1.0 - Variations 2 circle radius 0.1

1

base curve = rectangle

base curve = base curve = tree 3 tree 4

0.3

3

0.5

5

base curve = lines

base curve = rectangle tree 5

base curve = tree 1

base curve = tree 5

base curve = tree 6

base curve = tree 2

base curve = tree 7

base curve = tree 7

base curve = tree 8 circle attracters,density changed as the distanct to the circle changes 6

base curve = circle

B3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China, 2009

F

ormerly known as Guangzhou TV Astronomical and Sightseeing Tower, is a 600 meter plus tall multi-fucntional observation tower in the Haizhu District of Guangzhou, completed in 2009. It is now the third tallest tower in the world.

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he overall structure and the form as well are genereated following two eclipes, on at the ground level and another at the altitude at 450 ms. The two curves rotate relative to one another and the shirking at the middle has given rise to the ‘waist‘, which is also the tower’s nickname among the Catonese citizens.

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ith this structure, the tower is grearly porous and spacious. What’s makes the tower more so is the arrangement that hides away all functional and infrastructural connections underground.

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B3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China, 2009

Technique used in this reverse engineering definition: •Move Component •Length division •Rotation / Angles in radians •Extract lines from profile curves and create pipes •Create a single dimension list from different curves Basic parameters •The Height of the structure •Rotation angle of the upper profile curve •Number and Radius of Main columns •Number of Secondary columns.

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B3 CASE STUDY 2.0 Canton Tower, Guangzhou, China, 2009

base curve

divided lenth curve offset by height

points genreated by ‘divided lenth’ are conneted.

points genreated by ‘divided lenth’ are conneted.

columns produces following the curves

columns produces following the lines

height = 50 height = 200 height = 600

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B4 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

spring curve 1

spring curve 2

spring curve 3

spring curve 4

spring curve 5

an attemp to make radii vary, not very succesul, redundant faces can be seen.

proposed fabrication with different ratio of tubes and joints (arch)

proposed fabrication with different ratio of tubes (linear) and joints

a series of tetrahedra folloing the path of the same curve but with diffrent radii

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selected

B4 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

joints radii from 0.2 to 0.6

joints recursive tetrahedron aggregation, framwork, joints

aggregation, from radius 8 to radius 16 (left to right)

details

joints in space

joints in the shape of above aggregations, from radius 8 to radius 16 (left to right)

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B5 Technique: Prototype M

aterialisation of this generative technique could be very simple, as the unit module is a prism, which is in turn, made out of triangalular faces, and triangles happen to be the stablest basic geometry, therefore if an appropriate script is given, the only question remaining is the interconnection between structural members.

In the case of my prototype i choose toothpicks for the framework. i intended to use plasticine to demonstrate joints in digitally modeled in B.4....but given it has not been delivered to my home yet, i compromised by using simply glue, which effectively served the same purpose. the sequence is : 1 glue the first toothpick to a sencond one.

2 then glue a third stick to the previous two to comlete a.triangular frame

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3 then repeat the above two steps until i have enough prisms.

2 3

B

y having some sides being transparent and exposed to the exterior and the other closed and realtively opaque, the design outcome can allow users enjoy both the benefit of privacy and shelter while attracting and inviting people to enter and investigate and socialise.

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has’s more, expoitation of the multifacetedness will also allow for adaptation to the local solar/climate conditions.

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B6 Technique: Proposal Site: Merry Creek

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he chosen site is a park for children, so naturally the skaholders are naturally pupils and parents living nearby. our deisgn will have an accentuation on assembly , disassembly and recyclability will open potential of adaptability for the installation as it consists of components that can be flexibly joint on one another in a myriad of ways.

Therefore it can be an amusement to pass time with kids and love ones but in the while it can also obviously serve for educational purposes

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he creek has been the site of heavy mining and industrial activities throughout the last century, potentially the industrial past would compromise its liveability, so that an interesting artistic installation built up among regenerating plants that can be explored with will have a chance to improve general satisfation and well-being of the inhabitants.

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B6 Technique: Proposal Site: Merry Creek

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ur design of the installation will attempt to overturn traditional experience of park as it is meant to be not only an explorable environment, a background for activities but more importantly it should engage people to reconstruct the environment itself and thus encourage them to actively participate in the development of built environment, to fully live up to the idea of ‘living archietcture‘.

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B7: Learning objectives and outcomes I

t was quite amazing to see things i’ve been watching in part A to appear in my own work, and i have picked up some useful generative techniques along the way. The biggest struggle was always around grasshopper, which is a software not that mature that it sometimes crashes or conflicts between plug-ins emerge and there’s probably a slight lack of learning resources compared with Rhinoceros itself. But the process of obtaining the skills has been enjoyable, especially when i have successfully reverse engineered the canton tower and the case study 2.0 project.

R

egarding the techniques, it’s admittably hard to translate them into design ideas..building up a precedent has proven quite useful helpful to justify the formal and functional intentions.

W

hat’s more, I found the accentuation on data structure in Grasshopper very interesting that designers who are keen on parametric tools nowadays have to obtain certain knowledge about programming and data, at least the underlying principle, as a student form semi-IT background, i’d love to go on this path a bit further and see what’s down the track.

3D membrane structure defined by a line attractor.

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B8 Appendix

This twisting tower is a preliminary reverse engineering of the Canton tower, building up from a thick plate that twists and scales simultanously according to the prescription of a given funtion, which i assigned as y=sine(X/2) here.

T

hen i tried a fairly different method my having two columns constantly entwine one another upwards to approximate the exterior form of the tower.

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REFERENCES 1. Frank Lloyd Wright, The Disappearing City, William Farquhar Payson (New York), 1932, pp 34, 45.

2. “The language of shape – the role of curvature in condensed matter” – Hyde and Larsson, 1997 3. Alfio Quarteroni , 2009, MATHKNOW: Mathematics, Applied Science and Real Life , page 93

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PART C CONTENTS

PAGE 2 / DESIGN CONCEPT

PAGE 6 / TECTONIC ELEMENTS

PAGE 10 / PROTOTYPES

PAGE 13 / FINAL DETAIL MODEL

DESIGN CONCEPT

We conceptualised our proposal as a children’s playground in Part B but feedback given at interim presentation helped us realise that the choice of stake holder was a bit too restricting for us.

We had analysed that the main objective of the governance of Merri Creek is to remedy the creek’s post-intdustrilisation conditions, and multiple NGOs like Melbourne Water and Friends of Merri Creek and authorities such as the Merri Creek Management Committee has being dedicated to this task. Much vegetation has been replanted, and land was reclaimed from previous industrial uses and pollution. willow has been controlled to improve water flows and facilitate the revegetation of the site.

As a team we believe a better proposal could fit in the context by helping introducing back the fauna species to restore and enrich biodiversity of the site, as Merry Creek is currently abundant in edible plants thanks to revegetation, while in the meantime , we aim to minimalise impacts on residents and other potential users of the park.

Thanks to inspiration from our tutor, we opted the new clients, possums. in most occasions, the possum us indeed considered as a pest, but we believe firstly so long as they are prevented from getting of the tree and proper birth control measures are carried out, the possums will not constitute a significant threat to the site and they currently have not yet either, and in that way the people’s perception of possum being as a pest could be assuaged. Secondly, human commune can also benefit from this mutual isolation if their grasslands and yards will no longer be encroached by possums. lastly that the possums can benefit from an interconnected community in the air by getting less exposed to humans but members of their own community.

DESIGN CONCEPT SLEEP 6am

6pm ACTIVITY

Possums are typically nocturnal and in most caes arboreal, they rarely come off the trees if food is available, but when they do there will be damaging to vegetation and unplesant noises on the site.

Bouncing around 70 cm possums are small sized arboreal marsupial species around 70 cms long native to australia, but sometime the size can be well beyond that with its weight exceeding up to 7 kgs and that has been taken into consideration in our deisgn. there are many types of possums in terms of diets including herbivores, omnivores and even insectivores, and the most eligible one for being a pest is obvously the herbivore.

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DESIGN CONCEPT

Desending

Ascending

Alert

We’ve also noticed its heavy reliance on props to move, to we’ll reroute the installation in proximity to trees wherever possible, to make it more convenient for them to enter the installation.

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DESIGN CONCEPT

map showing the site and with the trees selected highlighted.

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TECTONIC ELEMENTS

Physical simulation Anchor points

&Path finding we also set a few achors points at chosen canopies and input the phycial data to genreate an optimal path that helps the installation be able to stand firm on its own, with the aid of Kangaroo.

Hoopsnake Recursion along the path

With the path generated, using hoopsnake we generate a whole series of tetrahedron along the path in a recursive manner, with one only links to one another.

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TECTONIC ELEMENTS

Rectlienar Path

Curved Path

Digital model with plates produced on the basis of triangles that make up the tetrahedra, and replaced the triangles.

Preliminary model (tetrahedra generated by Hoopstake in Grasshopper

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TECTONIC ELEMENTS Joint exploration

nail.

cable tie.

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Connection by nails with be incredibly unyielding, but costs significant amount of time and labour, which is not ideal for fabrication either for modelling or as a fabricatable product.

Cable tie easily snaps two plates toghether and in the meanwhile provides equal resistane to external forces as nail connections do.

TECTONIC ELEMENTS

The plates for our final model was printed out of two sheets of cardboard using laser cuter. The cardboard might not be as tough as timber plate but quite suffices the need for conceptual modelling.

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PROTOTYPES

This is the second prototype we’ve made to demonstate and test our proposed method to fabricate the installation with capleties going through the pre-carved holes and thus articulate the panels comprising the tetrahedrons.

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PROTOTYPES

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MODEL

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MODEL Montage

A photo montage

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MODEL

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MODEL

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MODEL

Physical

the starting tetrahedron was fabricated according to the logic of the prototype. how ever we soon relaised it is not necessary for cableties to go through every holes to make the structure stable. in fact, only one to three makes it structurally firm enough and the overall installation is able to stand surprisingly still.

but at places where there are branches of series of tetrahedrons, we yet added some cableties just in case the component of gravitational force exceeds what the tetrahedron can bear.

a close-up how the tetrahedrons were assembled all toghether.

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MODEL

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