Nature's geometry in public space

Nature's geometry in public space The International Conference on Biodigital Architecture & Genetics 2017 1

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Facklam Ferdinand , Konstantatou Marina .

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Digital Artist and Architect, Berlin / Germany, Computational Designer, Cambridge / UK.

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www.ferdinandfacklam.com, mail@ferdinandfacklam.com , marina.konstantatou@gmail.com

Digital artist and architect Ferdinand Facklam, is interested in art, technology and the possibilities of combining both disciplines. He finds his inspiration in nature, physics, robotics, contemporary art and architecture.

His works are mostly an expression of a creative dispute with the recreation and upsizing of an urban context – be it in the form of art in construction (wall painting “Moss”) or in form of sculptural objects. Organic shapes are picked up and alienated by design, materialism and technique.

In doing so, they gain a new function. His projects excel through a high, esthetic sensitivity and always remain in harmony while interacting with the surroundings.

Ferdinand Facklam, a structural engineering tracer, gained valuable experiences at Herzog & de Meuron and later as an architect. He enriched his knowledge as such, as student of Prof. Arthur Rüegg and Prof. Hans Kollhoff at the ETH in Zurich.

Upon this, he achieved his Master of Advanced Studies in CAAD at the ETH Zurich 3 under Prof. Ludger Hovestadt.

Marina Konstantatou was educated at the School of Applied Mathematical & Physical Sciences, NTUA. Later on she moved to London to study at the Emergent Technologies & Design program at the AA. Being a mathematician specialised in advanced CAD & CAM technologies her objective is to apply her skills on design oriented research & development. Currently she is pursuing her doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering on geometry-based structural optimisation, design, & analysis.

Abstract. The focus of this paper is that we want to give a brief introduction about the idea of Nature's geometry in public space and the use of biology to inform the design process.

In the case studies “Moss” and “Light Tree” explains a biodigital process. The projects shows how to collect ideas, transformed and transported into a shape. Innovation is not only the approach of the draft, but the systematic procedure and the resulting diversity of solutions.

The search for the geometric shape and the key to the concept will be answered in detail.

Keywords. Architecture, Biology, Digital Art, Computational Design, Public Space.

Introduction The selected projects provide a rudimentary insight into how we can work with biological phenomena in urban areas. In the process, nature is constantly being developed, transformed, abstracted or scaled. An architectural understanding is required to act in an urban context. The linking and interaction of natural elements creates an added value for residents and visitors in the building or in the public space.

Work Flow In recent years, additional, new design processes have become available. These opportunities are supported by the digital and computer-generated world. 
 Today, to a large extent, all complex projects can be modelled with digital procedures.

There are countless opportunities in digital design. There are various mathematical, physical and biological experiments available for design. With the aid of parametric tools, simple to complex geometries can be realised.

 

Every design is based on its own rules and formulae which are mainly guided by a concept. What is unique is the way of designing with which variants of the parameters generated can be checked or added at will.

Case Studies Moss In his concept “Art in Architecture – Moss“, computer artist Ferdinand Facklam relocates the esthetics of moss by abstracting it from nature. He strips down the structure, form and color to a combination of three vegetative elements.

In order to emphasize the natural character, and at the same time incorporate the evanescence of living organisms, he mixes the green and auburn shades of color with copper powder.

Hereby, the picture on the outer wall is changed over many years by the influence of the sun, wind, rain and snow. Thus the structure of the painting is in a constant state of change, just like trees in the change of seasons.

By using the process of parametric design is able to change the size of fixed parameters and produce templates of the elements of form, by which the wall of a building can easily and expeditiously be painted.

Single forms can be overlapped individually and thus a three dimensional and realistic impact of the image emerges.

A tree in front of the wall intensifies this realistic impression. Its shadow and the painting melt together and the wall´s image appears to be like leaves that rise and mix by an autumn wind.

This is how Ferdinand Facklam combines architecture and art, nature and vegetation, construction, light 4

and shadow, life and movement.

Research Moss is a plant without roots growing on organic and non-organic surfaces.
 The individual plants are usually composed of simple leaves. I toyed with the idea of converging textures the place where the natural meets the artificial. 
 A natural material that perfectly merges with the artifact around.

Computational Design The concept behind the design of the “Moss“ is based on the natural patterns of moss on surfaces such as walls and tree trunks. In particular, in those natural syntheses an overlap of a number of different moss types can be observed resulting in visually interesting and unexpected results.

In order to mimic this process, the code was developed as follows: firstly, the surface area was defined and a number of points was randomly generated; secondly, a number of ‘repulsion’ points was defined – in the proximity of which the growth of the moss pattern would be discouraged; thirdly, three different moss patterns are created by initially using circles the diameter of which is controlled from their distance from the ‘repulsion’ points (fig.1). For each one of the three patterns a base geometry is chosen which will substitute the initial circles (fig.2). fig.1: Initial superimposition of three moss patterns.

fig.2: Base geometry 2 on the left and example moss pattern on the right.

Then the three patterns are uniquely coloured following a metallic palette and superimposed to create the final artwork. (fig.3).

fig.3: Superposition of three moss patterns – final artwork.

Light Tree The tree in its natural form and with its attached elements – roots, trunk, branch and leaf – is redeveloped as an abstracted art object.

Vertical and spiral-formed twists and bendings of light fibres shape a braided sculpture of a tree. The artificial tree derives from the ground, just like natural trees, though using light as its only source. A modern interpretation of how technics and nature can blend in with each other.

The difficultness of the draft was to let the shape and pieces remain recognizable. The tree’s morphology is ultimately represented by an exposed rootstock, the anchoring in the ground, the trunk as bearing web and the forking of branches.

The sketch shows the formal and conceptional development of the lighting tree. The tree, an organic framework and its structural elements, is programed.

In order to weave a tree with such a shape, height, angle, fragmentation and roundings played a decisive role in the draft.

Branches

Trunk-Curve Trunk-Skin

Roots

The choice of using optical fibre technology as a material, enabled a variety of creating possibilities due to characteristics such as high resiliency and all-round radiant homogenic light optics. The formal dynamics of the tree sculptures with their inter- and dewovenness can be put into effect by side emitting light fibres – light and object combine into a perfect symbiosis.

Computational Design The concept behind the design of the ‘light tree’ is based on the underlying idea of the spiral as a morphogenesis tool. A tree is formed through an agglomeration of spirals which run through the root, trunk, and leaf areas in a continuous way.

In particular, each one of the spirals is a B-Spline which goes through a set of points sampled sequentially from three domains as follows: the first domain is the root; this is a planar hexagonal surface where a number of points is randomly defined in Grasshopper, the second domain is the trunk; a straight vertical tube lofted through circular rings – these rings are further subdivided generating a number of points; the third domain is the leaves; a prismatic volume with a hexagonal profile where spatial points are randomly defined (fig.1).

The hexagonal shape of the root and leaves domains allows for a close packing of the trees and a subsequent generation of a forest. Each B-spline is then constructed by passing through a small number of root points (typically 2-3) and then through the division points of the rings in a periodical way (for instance through point i for ring i, point i+1 for ring i+1, etc.) lastly the curve passes through a number of points at the leave domain. The notion of probabilistic evolution in nature was taken into consideration by using randomness in the coding process in order to create variation and uniqueness between the B-splines of a tree and as a result between trees of the same forest. At the last step, the trees which comprised a forest cluster were connected via their roots or their leaves. fig.1: B-splines of a tree generated through points of the three domains: Root domain; Trunk domain; Leaves domain.

Light The choice of using optical fibre technology as a material, enabled a variety of creating possibilities due to characteristics such as high resiliency and all-round radiant homogenic light optics. The formal dynamics of the tree sculptures with their inter- and dewovenness can be put into effect by side emitting light fibres – light and object combine into a perfect symbiosis.

The trees are designed to a height of 4 to 5 meters and consist of 30 weatherproof light fibre bundles each.

The sculpture is illuminated from the bottom by high performance halogen projectors which are fixed to the ground.

(Picture sources: de.depositphotos.com)

The light emanates in a homogeneous way throughout the entire length of the fibre bundles right to the ends.

Conclusions In the mentioned projects, nature was the starting point of the developments and had a significant influence on the design of the projects. With today's technological means, more complex structures can be produced. In addition, the variety of materials has increased and gives the artist or architect the opportunity to continue experimenting.

The digital implementation of biology and nature is present today and much more than a current. A "digital natural process" begins.

Acknowledgement In this context I would like to thank cordially all involved parties.

Tervoort Julia, Lighting Designer of Light Tree.

Bloomimages, Visualization of Light Tree.

Ott Paul, Photographer of Light Tree.

Stockhaus Ulrich, Photographer of Moss.

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The numbers refer to the text of Trapp Marina and Tallowitz-Scharf Viola.

References ARCH+ 159, 160: Formfindung, von biomorph bis technoform, 2002.

ARCH+ 188: Form Follows Performance, 2008.

Bauwelt 31.11: Inspiration Bionik, 2011.

Detail 5: Analog and digital, 2010.

Frahm Jan-Peter: Biologie der Moose, 2001.

Frahm Jan-Peter, Frey Wolfgang, Döring J.: Moosflora, 2004.

Geo Wissen: Chaos + Kreativität, 1993.

Ghatak Ajoy, Shenoy M. R.: Fiber Optics Through Experiments, 2011.

Gramazio Fabio, Matthias Kohler, Jan Willmann: The Robotic Touch: How Robots Change Architecture, 2014.

Hovestadt Ludger: ETH Zürich, CAAD beyond the Grid, 2010.

Khabazi Mohamad: Algoritmic Modelling with Grasshopper, 2010.

Payne Andy, Lift Architects: The Grasshopper Primer - Second Edition, 2009.

Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, Aristid Lindenmayer: The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants, 2004.

Raven Peter H., Evert Ray F., Eichhorn Susan E.: Biologie der Pflanzen, 2006.

Russell Carol K.: Fiber Art Today, 2011.

Thompson D‘Arcy Wentworth: On Growth and Form, 1917.

© 2017 Facklam Ferdinand, Konstantatou Marina