Mohamad AlSharif SCI-Arc Portfolio Volume 2 2023-2024

2 SELECTED WORKS 20222023

M.ARCH II 12784523 An assorted collection of work exploring a variety of themes

MOHAMAD ALSHARIF VOLUME 2

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Mohamad AlSharif Architectural Designer

Work Experience

213 562 8557

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

SAK - Soleiman Abdullah Kheirji

March 2021 - June 2022

malsharif288@gmail.com

Mohamad was involved in a variety of projects generally focused on Hospitality as well as healthcare. Mohamad was involved in a flagship hospitality project. Mohamad was involved since the inception of project aiding with the formulation of the concept until Schematic design. Mohamad also was involved in many healthcare projects, which was an emerging market at the time. Mohamad was responsible of planning, and communicating the design ideas to the client, regularly initiating meetings between the client and the firm. Mohamad was also regularly involved in creating concepts for a variety of design competitions that the firm was involved in.

Skills

Khatib & Alami

Revit

Mohamad was involved in the Thaker city development, which is the largest ongoing development project taking place in Mecca. It is a large masterplan project that aims to improve the quality of pilgrims traveling to Mecca. Mohamad was design consultant working over and supervising the contractor as well as maintaining quality control over the work being done. His day to day involved drafting drawings and annotation them, as well as site inspections.

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Rhino AutoCAD Blender

Blu Architects & interiors

Zbrush

February - March 2021

June - July 2019

Unreal Engine

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Lumion

At Blu, Mohamad was involved in large scale residential projects, ranging from large scale residential apartment blocks to private residential single-family homes, and villas. Mohamad was engaged through the entirety of architectural process for many of the projects starting from the conceptual phase, all the way to issuing construction documents, and construction.

CATIA Photoshop

Wandsworth City Council

Illustrator Grasshopper

London, United Kingdom

June - July 2018

Mohamad was generally involved in two adapt and extend project, which he found incredibly enjoyable. Mohamad worked on the extension of Badric court, a large social housing community that was in desperate need of an upgrade, as well as extra residential units. Mohamad was also involved in the extension of the Wandsworth local library.

Languages

Education

Arabic

Native

English

Profecient

SCI-Arc Southern California Institue of Architecture

French

Fluent

August 2022 - Present

California, USA

MArch II Program

University of Kent Canterbury, UK

September 2017 - Novermber 2020

Honorary Bachelor of Science in Architecture Part 1

American International School of Jeddah

2010 - 2017

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia High School Diploma

Full Circle Desgin Dubai, UAE

Interior Architecture Course

July 2015

Mohamad AlSharif MArch II Southern California Institue of Architecture

Mohamad_AlSharif@sciarc.edu 213-562-8557 All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2021 - 2024

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Introduction

Mohamad AlSharif, born in Syria, raised in Saudi Arabia is a trained architect, receiving his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Kent, England in 2020. Inspired by the Middle East’s deep architectural heritage to becoming a host of great contemporary architecture. Mohamad is greatly inspired by the power of architecture in its ability to transform places, buildings, even people.

He believes that architecture is a great responsibility, as it is the mere fabric that shapes the destiny of a particular place.

Mohamad is greatly interested in the fields of material science, and preservation of existing architecture. Mohamad is also passionate and curious about the intersection of urban mobility and architecture.

Mohamad is currently pursuing the Master of Architecture II at SCI-Arc, where he continuously experiments with the future of architectural thinking. He is constantly interested in emerging technologies in all fields of architecture and design.

He currently is experimenting with how architecture and urban mobility could be better integrated and interlinked.

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Statment

Table of Contents

012

Deceptive Runs

3GAX Design Studio

046

For-ply tower

2GBX Design Studio

074

symbiotic school 2GAX Design Studio

092

serendipitous Detail Applied Studies

104

Ground control lA Applied Studies

122

Fractal s, m, l, xl

138

8484 wilshire

Applied Studies

154

sfmoma reskin Applied Studies

162

un-intentionally opaque Visual Studies

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Applied Studies

Table of Contents

174

Neo-trans Visual Studies

184

Models & design Agency History & Theory

190

An abundant life History & Theory

Robo-tiling Workshop

Southern California Institue of Architecture

196

Deceptive Runs The studio embarked on a profound exploration of circulation, delving into the intricate dance of movement within a building. Unlike mere aesthetic endeavors that superficially translate the concept of motion onto a façade, our focus transcended the visual to spotlight architecture’s profound capacity to underscore the literal ebb and flow of a structure. This became the cornerstone for both form discovery and program generation. Our journey commenced with the crafting of intricate circulation contraptions, akin to marble runs, each embodying abstract manifestations of movement. From this intricate dance, a volumetric run emerged—a nuanced expression exploring novel ways to create volumes, seamlessly fitting within the established constraints of a marble run. This pivotal juncture witnessed a transformative shift, as our study models gracefully transitioned from diminutive marble runs to the

realization of an actual architectural building. Instances were some volumes needed to be thickened were undertaken at this point. The culmination of our endeavors manifested in a final building that bore a striking resemblance to the meticulously crafted volumetric model.

The strategies employed for form generation and circulation were not confined to a singular realm; rather, they radiated across diverse facets, ingeniously applied to sculpt a compelling and viable architectural proposal. In essence, our studio’s narrative unfolded as an eloquent testament to the synergy between movement, form, and purpose.

DETAILS Ds 4000 Vert-studio

Connective forms of Assembly

Instructor

Dwayne Oyler

Collaborator

Parth Patel

Date

fall 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

13

Deceptive runs

A highly composed

The Marble run was designed elevationally.

The central triple loop was the central feature, therefore creating a mechanical feel to the marble run. Three emerging ring emerge from the center framing & highlighting the intensity taking place at the center of the marble run

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

osed Mechanical Marble run

15

Deceptive runs

MARBLE RUN

Study model 01

The first excersice involved creating a marble run, that would eventually infrom a future volumetric study. the intention with our marble was to create a highly composed, and articualted mechanical marble run. The run was also designed to be deceptive. The stucture not only is designed to hold up the tracks, but also intertwine, and decieve onlookers to where the marble run is heading

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

17

Deceptive runs

The final deceptive marble run

The volumetirc were essentially derived from the first excersice, in a subrtractive and additive process

The final part of the second excersice was to add tracks for the marble to run throught the volumes. A shift in thinking began to take place here as the mabrles in this excersice began to resemble occupants movement

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

19

Study model 02

Deceptive runs

Volumetric Run The final volumetric excersice highlights the reverse funtion that took place when using the original marble run as a base for form extraction.

The highly composed yet intense center of the marble run, has disapated in this model, instead replacing it with a carved space that would be repurposed for human activity later on

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

21

Deceptive runs

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Study model 02

23

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The tracks in the final volumetric model are meant to highlight the human activity and potenital movment throughout the scheme when it is applied in building form

25

The scheme

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

27

Deceptive runs

The tracks connecting the new building to the terminal are derivates of the marble run tracks found in the volumetric exercise

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The new scheme allows for a human centric approach to transportaion, and plaza design. A multitude of options are offered to users as they arrive to their final destination. Direct tracks to the terminal are avaliable, as well many public spaces

29

Plan

UP DN

UP

DN

DN

DN

UP

UP

DN

Deceptive runs

UP

DN

UP

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Deceptive runs

Circulation diagram 31

Deceptive runs

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The concept of the circulation of the building revolved around the oppurtunity of users to essntially either go directly to their terminals, or rather if they had an extra hour to spend, they could take slower tracks to their terminals, but there by taking them through walkways that flow within one another with program placed alongside them

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Deceptive runs

Final Model Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The sectional quilaites of the building highlight where the most intense moments of ciruclation interaction occur. On the right side is where a multiude of tracks intertwinde, as well as the train track. The section at that particular moment is a mere reflection of the intensity of the circulation

35

Deceptive runs

Section

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

37

Deceptive runs

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Ubran knot The concept behind the building was to create a building that encapsulates all incoming travelers on their way to their final destination being the airport. The building welcomes the train into the building allowing for users to board, & deboard the train. User’s then have a variety of options as mentioned before. What is especially unique about this scheme is that it allows a central green space at the center below the building, which is dug out and is under the ground level. This then allows for a unique oppurtunity where users are able to access their designiated termonal by following a threshold path way that snakes underneath their terminal. The project challenges the existing notions of access to the terminals. The proposed building adds access underneath, but also above thereby adding to floors to the contemporary terminal design of 2 floors

39

Deceptive runs

Program While the main program of the building is a transport connector hub, inline with the main concept of having fast and slow paths to the terminals.

It was necceassary to allow for interesting porgrams to exisit along the slow paths. These slow paths are what users are encourages to take when arriving slightly early to the hub. It allows for users to take longer slower yet more interesting strolls throught the building thanks to the program.

Since the building is at LAX, and due to the strong aviation ties around the area. It was natural for museum of air & space to take place along the slower circulation paths.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Site The proposed site is located on the grounds of the Los Angeles Internation airport (LAX). The current organization strategy revolves around the a reverse U-Shape road. Terminal are laid out around the U shape, with terminals fanning out there from. The current layout is a result from an expansion effort that took place during the 1960s. The most important and recent addition is the monorail that will connect the airport to the rest of the city, whcih runs throught the center of the horseshoe. which is also infilled with parking due to the high demand.

The proposed building sits inplace of the parking, incorporating the monorail as part of it’s own circulation strategy.

41

Deceptive runs

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

43

Deceptive runs

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

45

For-ply Tower The brief was to breathe new life into 15 towers situated in the bustling heart of downtown Los Angeles. Presently, these structures are beset with low occupancy rates, as well as a long-standing issue of homelessness. The directive entailed a complete reimagining of the towers in anticipation of future needs.

Thus, a compelling narrative was conceived to serve as a reference point for the new tower design. We were given the US bank tower. Exhaustive studies were conducted to comprehend the practical limitations of the US Bank Tower, and based on our findings, we surmised that the tower of the future must be versatile, incorporating public transportation, and incorporating eco-friendly features to combat climate change. The program had to be multifaceted to accommodate the housing needs of the future while simultaneously addressing the issue of office vacancy. A comprehensive mixed-use program was devised, with residential, commercial, and retail spaces thoughtfully arranged throughout the building, thereby doing away with the outdated Euclidean program. The integration of public transportation into the tower was deemed necessary to support the new program, and an innovative transport

system was devised to circumvent the issues of the current transport system. The airborne bus system directly links to the building, providing users with unprecedented access to the tower and reducing pressure on the new vertical circulation system.

The vertical circulation system itself was inspired by Ferris wheel pod design, which ensures that the pod remains upright through the use of gyroscopes. The new elevator, mounted on a rail network along the building’s facade, can move up, down, and sideways, allowing for greater flexibility as the tower’s program evolves. The old elevators were removed, and the core cleared, enabling the placement of two large fans strategically positioned to create a carbon capture system. Finally, at the ground floor, the building’s massing tapers, creating a sense of lightness and transparency. The ground plane is cleared up to the seventh floor, creating a low-rise market that attracts foot traffic to the tower. The result of this transformation is the For-ply tower, aptly named for the four interventions that reshaped the US Bank Tower into the new structure with four exterior skin layers.

DETAILS Ds1202 Instructor

Generative Morphologies Elena Manferdini

Collaborator

Abbas Taher

Date

Spring 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

47

For-ply tower

Existing Program

Existing Vertical Circulation

Public Transport Connections

Existing Strucuture

New Vertical Circulation System

New Public Transport System

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

In line with the project to create a sustainable tower of the future. We decided to keep the building, instead of tearing the building down, and starting fresh

A reduction of the overall building massing at key areas throughout the towers form

The new transport system stations are integrated into the building taking advantage of the reduction of the building mass throughout the length of the tower

The ground floor is reactivated with low rise retails structures. The low rise additions do not interfere with the new clear sight lines, keeping great transparency from all ends of the site

A ribbon structure is added playing the double role of visually connecting the new sky stops to the existing structure of the tower, also creating a track forthr circulation system to attach to

The vertical circulation system is attached to the new ribbon that allows for travel in all directions. The pods are large gyroscopes keeping the passenger compartment upright at all times

The core is reactivated via a DAC capture system. Filters are place inside the cire capturing carbon, and releasing fresh clean oxygen into the atmosphere

To aid the carbon capture, two strategically placed fans draw air into the existing core.

The introduction of the fan echoes the design language of the old crown of the building, while hinting at the sustainable technology that is present

49

Sky-stop The enviorment encircling the skystop are now amenable for public enjoyment, with the carbon capture systems fans now readily accessible.

These fans serve a dual purpose, acting as both bustling transportation hubs for bus patrons and convivial gathering spots for the diverse cohort of occupants frequenting the buildings, including denizens, professionals, and sojourners. As a result of the highly versatile nature of the buildings program, the space and overarching concept are profoundly pliant, capable of adapting to a wide range of needs and preferences.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

We recognize the importance of preserving the existing structure of the US bank tower, as it has become a symbol of LA. However, we rethought what it meant for a building to be mixed-use. We did away with the old Euclidean programming of the past and embraced the new mixed-use programming of the future, with the aim of creating a tower able to cater to all aspects of daily life and promoting a strong sense of community.

51

For-ply tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Program Distribution Chunk

3 2 1 1 1- Residential 2- Office

New Concurrent Program Program

3- Hotel

Existing Core Core Existing

Carbon Capture Carbon Capture

53

Carbon Capture

For-ply tower

The utilization of the existing core for the reactivation of the carbon capture system is a remarkable feat of engineering. Fans artfully designed to channel air from the atmosphere through a series of filters and chambers propel this process forward, culminating in a release at the tower’s base that offers heating or cooling benefits to those occupying the ground floor market area. Moreover, the DAC system is an integral component of the tower’s structure, as it is affixed and adhered to the pre-existing core. The fans themselves are an exceptional architectural feature, with the topmost fan evoking a sense of the tower’s historical significance while simultaneously alluding to the cutting-edge sustainable technology employed within its walls.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

55

For-ply tower

Plan

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

57

For-ply tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

59

For-ply tower

Vertical Circulation A view showcasing the new Vertical Circulation traveling up the tower using the concealed track system

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

63

For-ply tower

The direct to air carbon capture system is proudly displayed throughtout the length of the tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

65

For-ply tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

A view showcasing the various intergrated sky stops that form a flexible seamless network of public transportation in the sky.

67

For-ply tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

69

For-ply tower

Urban context An axonometric view showcasing the overall form of the tower. While the overall silhouette remain simple. The intricay lies in the details of the design of the core, and the facade.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

71

For-ply tower

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

73

Symbiotic School Symbiotic School is a educational project that was undertaken during the first semester of SCI-Arc. The project revolves around a speculative approach to conventional notions of architectural design.

The brief required the building of a permanent elementary school to the existing Diamond Ranch Highschool, which was designed by Morphosis in 1996. The studio challenges the “regular” techniques and workflows that take part in making an architectural project. The process began by creating handheld objects that conveyed a sense of space. The Challenge was to create such objects, by using familiar objects such as shoes. The objective was to abstract the pieces of the shoes into an object that conveyed space. The narrative was then derived from the relationship between the shoes and the human. The narrative was if shoes were given agency, one would imagine that shoes would almost fight back there users in order to gain control over the host. The narrative of the shoes would then carry over into the final design of the project.

After the shapes were formed, they were 3D scanned, and imported into Zbrush. The Boolean, as well as its mesh management capabilities were key in making this project a reality. The Volume were used as objects to carve out space from rectangular extruded forms that were of the typical size, and volume of an elementary classroom’s dimensions. The school was in essence designed from the inside out. The form of the school was purely informed by the design decisions made on the exterior. As such the symbiotic design language was present in the form, which can be traced back to the original abstracted objects. The symbiotic design languages then carries through on the outside, where the form of the building makes an attempt at assimilating itself amongst the existing school around, which in itself is a symbolic play on what it means for children to find themselves in the world as they progress through life.

DETAILS Ds1200

Complex Morphologies

Instructor

William Virgil

Collaborator

Tristan De Anda

Date

fall 2022

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

75

Shoe 1 deconstuction

Shoe 2 deconstuction

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Final Abstracted Model 1

Final Abstracted Model 2

77

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

These small objects were bi-products of the main shoes that were dissected. The following small pieces were much like the large abstracted pieces, were made with no program in mind, they were simply explorations in form

The small objects were then used as boolean objects to further abstact the large foot pieces digitally. The process was entirely based on a few components that added up to be much greater than their basic components.

79

symbiotic School

The symbiotic chair was a piece of furniture which was commissioned as part of the 2GAX at SCI-Arc during the DS1200 Studio, which revolved around creating a new elementary school, as part of an existing school.

The task was simply, to create a piece of furniture which followed the same design language as the building in which it is being housed. Therefore, the design of the chair references the organic nature of the building, as well as the abstracted shapes that informed the design of the building. The chair attempts to make a symbiotic approach to design a chair

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Classroom 1 Classroom 1 was designated to be an activity space, the key challenge was to carve out a space that allowed the class’s instructor to always maintain visual contact with all the pupils of the class. As a result, the viewing angles all around the class room were a key design factor

Classroom 2 Classroom 2 was designeted to be a flexible and resilient library, as well as a space of congregation for the elementary school. The form of the classroom was dictaed by the 3D scans of the shoes, which were then used as booleans objects in order to carve out the volumes of the space.

Classroom 3 Classroom 3 was designeted to be a creative space for the exploration of creative arts, therefore it was important to create segreagted spaces to allow those classes to take place.

81

symbiotic School

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Poché By using a subtractive aproach to creating space, it allows for a varied thickness to the poché, which give the illusion of detail throughtout the project.

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symbiotic School

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

85

symbiotic School

Exterior prespective The overall exterior form of the new addition was designed to echo the same formal design language of the exisiting school.

The new addition mimics the large cantilever that is present in the exisitng school. The new addition also blends in it’s own design languge that allows it to set itself apart from the surronding context while also making an attempt at assimilation to the surronding context. The form of the new building also makes a symbiolic statement about the trials and tribulation of growing up within a world, and in the way kids must find their own way in life.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Interior prespective The interior froms where derived from the 3D scanned abstract models. The 3D models were primarily used for boolean operations to create complex architectural volumes. The insertion of typical furniture types as well typical architectural, mechanical and electrical details grounds the space into a sesne of reality.

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symbiotic School

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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symbiotic School

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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serendipitous Detail This course is an investigation into the future of the architectural detail.

Beginning with the question, “what is an architectural detail today?”, the course considers a wide range of critical positions on the issue and tests their outcome through the design and fabrication of an archgitectural detail. a number of architects from Ben Van Berkel to Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaus have suggested that the relevance of the architectural detail has faded in favour of more subservient part of the whole relationships.

There is no denying that, given the simultaneous technological advancement and material development of our era, the dea if seamless continuities are on the horizon (if not at our fingertips)

at least from the standpoint of constructability. But, is that really the best we can do? Or might the future if the architectural detail belong to a more nuanced approach that draws from a wider range of definitions?

In Edward R. Ford’s book “The architecural detail”, he defined five widely accepted appraoched to the design of the an architectural detail. First a details as Abstration, second details as motif, third detail as construction logic, fourth detail as structural expression, and fifth detail as an autonomous or subversive detail

DETAILS As 2509

Details, Details

Instructor

Dwayne Oyler

Collaborator

Houd AlKazemi

Date

fall 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

93

serendipitous Detail

The genesis of our handrail design can be traced back to a harmonious amalgamation of two distinct yet influential sources. Firstly, we drew inspiration from the iconic handrails conceived by Norman Foster, notably featured in various apple stores around the world, however most notably found in the Birmingham, United Kingdom store. The robust visual presence of Foster’s design served as a compelling contrast to the second source – the intricate handrail crafted by Santiago Calatrava for the Tabourettli theatre during the nascent stages of his illustrious career.

The crux of our handrail’s innovation lies in its adept fusion of the substantial aesthetic embodied by Foster’s handrails with the delicacy inherent in Calatrava’s creation. This narrative became the guiding force behind the evolution of our handrail, which artfully incorporates elements from both precedents while forging its unique identity. Taking cues from the abstract elements of our inspirational sources, the new handrail departs from convention by introducing an array of novel shapes and volumes throughout the project. A distinctive sense of tension is woven into the design, achieved by maintaining a visual top-heaviness while delicately balancing on two seemingly transparent steel legs, offering an intriguing perspective from either side. These legs mask their size, and volume when seen from either size, and exponentially unravel their true size when viewed head on.

Remaining faithful to Foster’s brutalist sculpted stone volumes, our design transforms these elements into layers of machined laminated Baltic Birch plywood. This departure from stone, typically associated with brutalist aesthetics, not only modernizes the concept but also allows for a subtractive carving process of the wood. As each layer is meticulously exposed through this sequential method, a unique and captivating pattern emerges serendipitously, adding an element of unpredictability and intrigue to the design. Nevertheless, in homage to Calatrava’s visual lightness, our handrail incorporates elegantly slender metal bands that gracefully bind the substantial wooden volumes together. The delicate nature of these metal bars stands in stark contrast to the thickness and weight of the wooden elements, creating a dynamic interplay that evokes a palpable sense of tension and balance.

In essence, our handrail is a testament to the artful fusion of contrasting design elements, where the solidity of form meets the elegance of transparency, and where the past converges with the future in a synthesis of visual harmony and tension.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Within the pages of Edward R Ford's seminal work, "The Architectural Detail," a framework emerges, delineating five distinct categories that encapsulate the essence of architectural details. The initial category speaks to the deliberate erasure of details, followed by the second, where details metamorphose into ornamental motifs. The third category delves into the representation of constructional logic through details, and the fourth casts details as joints, seamlessly connecting elements of a design. Culminating in the fifth category, details transcend the established logic of their architectural lineage, occupying a distinctive niche.

While the first four categories are intuitively comprehensible, Ford's framework implicitly implies that every design decision is a conscious act orchestrated by the designer. Yet, the reality of design is more nuanced, challenging the conventional perception of the designer as the solitary form giver and finder. In the tangible realm of designed objects, the material itself emerges as a silent collaborator, a form finder and giver imbued with its own innate design flair and uniqueness. This collaborative dance between designer and material is distinctly evident in our serendipitous handrail detail. Here, the notion of serendipity intertwines with the material's inherent design characteristics, surprising the designer with unforeseen possibilities. In the endeavor to reinterpret Norman Foster's stone-sculpted volumes, a plethora of options lay before us, ultimately deciding on the use of Baltic Birch plywood.

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serendipitous Detail

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

As designers, we harbored preconceived notions about the final product.

However, the material, akin to a silent artist, serendipitously unveiled its unique design flair during the milling subtractive process. Layers of the plywood gracefully unraveled in a controlled yet breathtaking manner, a revelation unaccounted for in our initial design deliberations. In this juncture, the material assumed its own design agency, becoming an active participant in shaping the final aesthetic outcome.

In essence, our serendipitous handrail detail serves as a testament to the symbiotic relationship between designer and material. It underscores the idea that design, in the physical realm, is a harmonious collaboration, where the designer's vision harmonizes with the material's intrinsic creativity. The layers of Baltic Birch plywood, revealing their intricate beauty, stand as a manifestation of this unscripted dialogue between human intention and the inherent artistic expression of materials.

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serendipitous Detail

Handrail DEtail

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Detail The serendipitous natural of the hand rail is highlighted in the image on the left. The financial neccessity to use plywood lead to an unecpedted parameticesque natural to the lower portion of the handrail

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serendipitous Detail

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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serendipitous Detail

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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ground Control LA Ground control is a proposed highrise tower in down town Los Angeles.

Standing at aroud 1800 feet tall, it is an unconventinal looking tower, due to it tripod aestheic as well as suspention of tower below. As a result an an unconentional apporach was taken when thinking about making this building a buildiable volume. The legs are made up of large trusses that are then covered using prefabricated panels that are simply clipped onto the trusses that make up the leg strcuture. The leg strcuture is programatically filled with non human occupied space, allowing for farming robots to free move along rails in order to water and harvest crops. The rest of the building is a mixed used tower, featuring residetnial, office as commericial spaces.

The high rise is clad in a number of facade system. Where the panels are rather intesne a double layer facade is employed. A simple curatin wall makes up the first layer of the facade allowing light penetraion, and visibility. A second layer of prefabicated aluminium panels are place, on standoffs coming from the building to create the overall paneling effect of the building.

On the other hand where the paneling of the building is not so intense a conventional rain screen wall system is used, and simply punched windows puncture the facade in order to let light in. In terms of structure, a large transfer slab, nicknamed the hull forms at the center of the project.

It is what allows the building to remain true to its form. At the center of the project just below the lobby level. A massive string of trusses, connect all of the legs together, and then therefore connection the lobby level to the rest of the towers

DETAILS As 3222

Design DOcuments

Instructor

Herwig baumgartner

Collaborator

Date

Ben Elmer. Stuti Chandra, Jiashun Gao, Shayar Mahboubian, Raunauk Chaudhary, Sheng-lin HSu, CHarvi Parakh

fall 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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SCI-Arc SCI-Arc AS3222 Design Design Development Development AS3222 Fall 2023 2023 Fall

OSL Orbital Systems Lab

------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT PROJECT

GROUND CONTROL LA ------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT LOCATION LOCATION PROJECT 900 WILSHIRE BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017

WILSHIRE BLVD

NOTES NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------1.

1.

2.

2.

------------------------------------------------------------------CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS Structural Consultant: Consultant: Structural Matthew Melnyk Melnyk Matthew Environmental Environmental Jayme Lyzun Lyzun Jayme

Systems Consultant: Consultant: Systems

FRANCISCO STREET

INSTRUCTORS INSTRUCTORS Herwig Baumgartner Baumgartner Herwig Zach Burns Burns Zach

REVISIONS REVISIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------

STR

EET

BUILDING ACCESS

FLOWER STREET

7TH

FIGUEROA STREET

Mohamad Mohamad AlSharif AlSharif Shaghayegh Shaghayegh Ghafari Ghafari Terence Stuti Stuti Chandra Chandra Terence Hsu Hsu Ronnie Chaudhary Chaudhary Shayar Shayar Mahboubian Mahboubian Ronnie Charvi Benjamin Benjamin Elmer Elmer Charvi Parakh Parakh Jiashun Jiashun Gao Gao

SHEET SHEET TITLE TITLE ------------------------------------------------------------------TITLE TITLE -------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------SHEET SHEET NO. NO.

A1.00 T0.00

PROPERTY LINE SITE ACCESS

Scale: 1/40" = 1'

N

TRAFFIC DIRECTION

SCI-Arc AS3222 Design Development Fall 2023

OSL Orbital Systems Lab

---------------------------------PROJECT

GROUND CONTROL LA ---------------------------------PROJECT LOCATION 900 WILSHIRE BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017

NOTES ---------------------------------1.

2.

---------------------------------CONSULTANTS Structural Consultant: Matthew Melnyk Environmental Systems Consultant: Jayme Lyzun INSTRUCTORS Herwig Baumgartner Zach Burns

REVISIONS ----------------------------------

Mohamad AlSharif Shaghayegh Ghafari Stuti Chandra Terence Hsu Ronnie Chaudhary Shayar Mahboubian Benjamin Elmer Charvi Parakh Jiashun Gao

SHEET TITLE ---------------------------------TITLE ----------------------------------

---------------------------------SHEET NO.

T0.00 A2.00

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

107

Ground COntrol LA

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

AS

O

ble Wall

DETAIL 1 A6.10

Or

-------

PROJECT

GROU

------PROJECT

900 WIL LOS ANG

em

NOTES ------1.

2.

y

-------

CONSULT

Structu Matthew

Environ Jayme L

INSTRUC Herwig Zach Bu

n

REVISIO -------

DETAIL 2 A6.11

DETAIL 3 A6.12

Mohamad Stuti C Ronnie Benjami Jiashun

SHEET T

-------

TITLE CHUNK 2 -------

------SHEET N

main lobby chunk 109

Ground COntrol LA

r

Yellow Tower Wall Section

--

7

�- - - - - - / Detai..l 1

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-----

PROJE PROJ

A6.©3

GRO GRO

----PROJE PROJ

988 W 900 W LOS A LOS A

NOTES NOTE ----1.

1.

2.

2.

-----

CONSU CONS

Struc Stru Matth Matt

Envir Envi Jayme Jaym

INST INST Herwi.

Herw Zach Zach

REVI REVI -----

Detai..l 2

A6.©4

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Moham Moham Stuti Stuti.

Ronni Ronni.

Benja Benja Jiash Jiash

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SHEE SHEET

-----

TITL CHUNK -----

----SHEE SHEET

Scale

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Double Pane Insulated Glass Panel

AS3 AS3

Verti..cal Mulli..on Terti..ary Structure Composi..te Alumi..ni..um Panel Interi..or Closure Plate Mulli..on Cappi..ng Plate Alumi..ni..um Cover Plate Hollow Square Tubi..ng Panel Substructure Extruded L Bracket Anchor Bracket Mulli..on Extruded Anchor Plate Slab Poured Concrete Slab Corrugated Metal Sheet Hori..zontal Mulli..on Pri..mary Structure I Beam Fasteni..ng Plate

O

Or Or

--------

PROJECT PROJECT

GROUN GROUN

-------PROJECT PROJECT

988 WILS 900 WILS LOS ANGE ANGE LOS

NOTES NOTES -------1.

1.

2.

2.

•

T Secti..on Extruded L Bracket

--------

Spandrel Glass

CONSULTA CONSULTA

Structur Structur Matthew Matthew

Insulati..on

Environm Environm Jayme Jayme Ly Ly

I-Beam Fi..re Insulati..on

\

INSTRUCT INSTRUCT Herwi.g Herwig B Zach Bur Bur Zach

Detai..l 1

REVISION REVISION --------

Mohamad Mohamad Stuti Ch Ch Stuti.

Ronnie C C Ronni.e Benjamin Benjamin Jiashun Jiashun

I

i

SHEET TI TI SHEET

--------

TITLE CHUNK 1 -------I I I I I

I

I

-------SHEET NO NO SHEET

I

Detai..l 1 3D

Scale:

111

Ground COntrol LA

Panel Framing Chunk

Panel breakdown

Panel A

Scale: 1/2" = 1'

Mohamad AlSharif

Panel C

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Panel Frame Detail

Panel B Scale: 4" = 1'

Panel Standoff Connection

Panel D

Scale: 4" = 1'

113

Supporting Leg Chunk Model Pros: Year-round production.

Climate and weather agnostic.

More efficient use of space.

Urban farming.

Lower labor costs.

Minimal water use.

No soil degradation.

No pesticides or herbicides.

Vertical Farming

Cons: High costs Less pollination High upfront costs Tech dependent Crop may have fewer nutrients

Pros: Simple Installation Full Enclosure System Custom Indentation Cons: Requires Additional Structural Support Low Adjustability Limited MEP Assembly

Insulated Metal Panels

Pros: Biomass/biofuel is good for the environment Develops another fuel source Sequester carbon dioxide Reduces carbon footprint Lowers greenhouse gas emissions Mass adoption could lower urban heat island effect Cons: Needs lots of energy to grow Large water demand High Fertilizer Use

Algae Panel

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

SCI-Arc SCI-Arc AS3222 Design Design Development Development AS3222 Fall 2023 2023 Fall

Leg supporting chunk

OSL Orbital Systems Lab

------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT PROJECT

GROUND CONTROL LA

------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT LOCATION LOCATION PROJECT 900 WILSHIRE BLVD, LOS ANGELES, CA 90017

NOTES NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------1.

1.

2.

2.

------------------------------------------------------------------CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS

Structural Consultant: Consultant: Structural Matthew Melnyk Melnyk Matthew

Environmental Systems Systems Consultant: Consultant: Environmental Jayme Lyzun Lyzun Jayme INSTRUCTORS INSTRUCTORS Herwig Baumgartner Baumgartner Herwig Zach Burns Burns Zach

REVISIONS REVISIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------

Mohamad AlSharif AlSharif Mohamad Stuti Chandra Chandra Stuti Ronnie Chaudhary Chaudhary Ronnie Benjamin Elmer Elmer Benjamin Jiashun Gao Gao Jiashun

Shaghayegh Ghafari Ghafari Shaghayegh Terence Hsu Hsu Terence Shayar Mahboubian Mahboubian Shayar Charvi Parakh Parakh Charvi

SHEET TITLE TITLE SHEET

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115

algae panel detail

Ground COntrol LA

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

117

Building Area types for emergency Six floors dedicated to ultra smooth emergency evacuation procedure Area (sq.ft) Offices

8670

No. of floors 33

Total Area (sq.ft) 2,86,110

Residential apartments Type I Type II

8225 30286.8

12 8

98,700 2,42,294.4

theatre

5422.5

4

21,690

Lobby

72981.8

3

2,18,945.4

utilities

3022.6

8

24,180.8

Art gallery

62981.8

5

3,14,909

Factory & Industrial

Occupancy Load

Maximum Occupancy

Gross area person/ sqft

No. of people/ minutes

Occupant load factor

occupant load (N)

total occupant load (N)

Group B: 100

87

2861

Total Egress Capacity Egress capacity

Number of exits

Total Egress capacity

18

15,895

12 24

8225 10,100

18

1200

24

9130

12

2,020

18

17,500

3

Group R 2.1: 30 Group R-3: 200

270 151

3290 1211

2 4

Group A-1: 300

18

72

3

Group A-2: 200

365

1094

4

Group U:50

60

480

2

Group A-3: 100

630

3149

3

Total Egress Capacity

54,070

Emergency core 1 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 36”

Emergency core 3 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 36”

Fig showing office plan at top tower level Emergency core 4 2 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 56”

Emergency core 5 2 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 56”

T

To public way Fig showing lobby plan at level 36

Mohamad AlSharif

Fig. showing em

Southern California Institue of Architecture

egress calculations

SCI-Arc SCI-Arc AS3222 AS3222Design DesignDevelopment Development Fall Fall2023 2023

OSL OSL Orbital Systems Orbital Systems Lab Lab

Emergency stairs and Elevator Width 5’-8”, Occupancy load: 600 LEVEL 92 Area: 19034, 52 SF Occupancy Type: B Occupancy Load: 190 Elevator Min door size 36”

-------------------------------------------------------------------

PROJECT

GROUND CONTROL CONTROL LA LA

------------------------------------------------------------------PROJECT LOCATION

900 WILSHIRE WILSHIRE BLVD, BLVD, LOS ANGELES, ANGELES, CA CA 90017 90017

Emergency core 2 2 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 56”

Intermediate Fire Emergency Assembly

NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------1.

2.

Double heighted LEVEL 70 Area: 19034, 52 SF Occupancy Type: B Occupancy Load: 190 Elevator Min door size 36”

------------------------------------------------------------------CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS

Structural Consultant: Consultant: Matthew Melnyk

Environmental Systems Systems Consultant: Consultant: Jayme Lyzun

Lobby level

INSTRUCTORS Herwig Baumgartner Baumgartner Zach Burns

6 staircases connect mult-level to one floor Each 4’6” wide LEVEL 30 Area: 69034, 52 SF Occupancy Type: A + B Occupancy Load: 650 3 Emergency Elevator Min door size 36”

REVISIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------

Non occupancy emergency level stairs: 5’ Wide LEVEL 6 Area: 20466, 78 SF Occupancy Type: C Occupancy Load:100

Emergency core 6 2 stairs: 5’-8” wide Elevator shaft min door size 56”

Mohamad AlSharif AlSharif Stuti Chandra Ronnie Chaudhary Chaudhary Benjamin Elmer Jiashun Gao

SHEET TITLE

Shaghayegh Ghafari Ghafari Terence Hsu Terence Shayar Mahboubian Mahboubian Charvi Parakh

Egress -------------------------------------------------------------------

To public way To public way

TITLEoccupancy and Egress capacity Load -------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------SHEET NO.

G0.00 T0.00

mergency route designed in the structure, isometric view Scale: NTS

119

Ground COntrol LA

Site

Par

Struc

Exterior W

Interior Fini Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Cost estimate Quantity

Cost

278,400 170,350 331,600 215,500

$41,760,000 $17,035,000 $132,640,000 $64,650,000

Square Feet 10,000

$1,500,000

Per Ton Per Ton

15,686 3,014

$188,232,000 $27,127,912

Per Ton Per Ton Per Ton Square Feet

5734 1,146 10,149 1,304,993

$51,610,320 $10,314,000 $101,490,000 $195,748,950

Material

Unit Cost

work

Excavation Shoring Piles Foundations

$150 $100 $400 $300

Cubic Yards Square Feet Linear Feet Cubic Yard

ing

Surface Parking

$150

ture

Structural Steel Tubes $12,000 Structural Steel Columns $9,000 (HP18x135) Structural Steel Beams (W18x86) $9,000 Structural Steel Beams (W8x18) $9,000 Structural Steel Plates $10,000 Composite Metal Deck $150

lls

Aluminum Curtain Wall Roofing Perforated Aluminum Cladding Insulated Aluminum Panels PV Panels

$240 $180 $300 $250 $200

Square Feet Square Feet Square Feet Square Feet Square Feet

1,134,810 204,500 858,000 873,280 102,225

$272,354,400 $36,810,000 $257,400,000 $218,320,000 $20,445,000

hes

Floor Finish Interior Walls

$100 $150

Square Feet 1,304,993 Square Feet 2,740,485

$130,499,300 $411,072,750

MEP

Division 23 HVAC Division 26 - Electrical Division 22 - Plumbing Elevators Ducting

$60 $40 $20 $250,000 $75

Per SF Per SF Per SF Per Unit Linear Feet

1,304,993 1,304,993 1,304,993 34 121 150,000

$78,299,580 $52,199,720 $26,099,860 $8,500,000 $11,250,000

Fractal s, m, l, xl The core concept that drove our work in CATIA revolved around the intricate beauty of fractals. We were fascinated by the idea of starting with a small fractal and scaling it up to integrate it into a larger system while still maintaining its individual functionality. To achieve this, we used the power copy feature to create a square-based pyramid with triangular windows on four sides, which was parametrically controlled to ensure flexibility in scaling. We then repeated this fractal onto the surface using XGEN to create infill panels for each instance. The end result was a stunning and

adaptable free-standing structure that could function as a standalone pavilion or as part of a larger system such as an airport terminal roof.

Our approach allowed for a high level of programmatic flexibility and ensured the structure’s relevance in an ever-changing world, making it a true embodiment of the beauty and practicality of fractals.

DETAILS As2588 Instructor Collaborator Date

Catia & inteligent digital systemts Kerenza Harris Parth PAtel

spring 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

123

Fractal

Power Copy Building

The parameter A1 is linked to the translated MidPoint, meaning whenever the parameter is adjsuted the entire Powercopy height is affected

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

125

Fractal

Attractor Point After Instantiating, an attractor point was added to the power copy to control the height parameter of the powercopy.

The further the powercopy is from the attractor point, the greater the height

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

127

Fractal

Drawings

Axonometric

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Elevation

Plan

129

Fractal

The final panelization attempt started by creating a new double curved surface that was vaulted in form. The surface was then UV mapped and divided into planes. A line was extened upwards in the normal direction. lines linked the base of the plane to the the new normal line, which then created pyramids, which were then offsetted inwards to create seperate islands of triangles, which were then used in the final shelter assignment

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

131

Drawings

GF Plan

1st Floor Plan

Elevation 1

Section 1

Elevation 2

Section 2

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

133

Fractal

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

135

8484 wilshire We were prompted to contemplate the integration of advanced building systems into modern architectural projects. Rather than accepting the traditional standpoint, which may be considered a legacy of 20th-century modernist and state-supported capitalist agendas, we were encouraged to reframe what was deemed “advanced” in light of global resource scarcity, climate change, political instability, and income inequality, all of which impacted the commercial strip in Los Angeles.

Using Ed Ruscha’s iconic photographic artwork, “Every Building on the Sunset Strip,” we analyzed the greenhouse gas emissions and climate impact associated with the Sunset Strip. This served as a basis for decarbonizing the built environment in Los Angeles.

Throughout the course, we delved into the key topics of building technology, such as building envelopes, acoustical environments, mechanical, electrical, lighting, plumbing, fire/life safety, controls and security, and vertical transportation. These were explored as signs of the failure of the fundamental and passive basis of architecture to find expression. To find solutions, we adopted new analytical and modeling approaches that prioritized progressive design that reinstated the core values of architecture for people and our planet’s limits.

As we progressed through the class, we learned alternative approaches to technical documentation and economic models that served as the underlying framework for the architectural project. The course included lectures, exams, and readings, as well as a group project that centered around an inclusive and expanded notion of the Sunset Strip.

DETAILS As3201 Instructor Collaborator Date

Advanced Building systems Russel Fortmeyer Raunauk Chaudhary & hanyang yan

Spring 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

137

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Facts & Figures Great Western Financial Bank 8484 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Project size: 68580 m2 (225,000 ft2) 10 Stories Architect: William L. Pereira & Associates Owner: Douglas Emmett Year Built: 1972 Program: Office Rental Occupancy: Low density office space - 4 floors empty Hours of Operation: 7:30am till 10pm

139

8484 Wilshire

We conducted a comprehensive series of sun studies to establish benchmarks for our design interventions. We analyzed the sun angles during the longest day of the year, as well as the shortest day of the year, to gain a holistic understanding of the solar orientation of the building. The insights gleaned from these studies were crucial in informing our decision-making process as we designed the double skin façade.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

We then conducted a thorough analysis of the existing building’s massing to determine the optimal approach for utilizing the sun’s exposure and shading. We found that the shape of the building was well-suited for maximizing solar gain while also providing adequate shading

141

8484 Wilshire

Presented here is an axonometric view of the building following the completion of all the proposed interventions.

The entire structure has been thoughtfully reimagined with the dual objectives of enhancing the building's sustainability quotient while simultaneously optimizing the comfort levels for its occupants.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

143

Existing Condition This report offers an in-depth analysis of the environmental operation of the building. Specifically, this section sheds light on the deficiencies of the current façade, and the associated impacts it imposes on its users. Our team was tasked with devising three distinct scenarios to serve as benchmarks or reference points, ensuring the proposed interventions align with the anticipated performance outcomes. It was postulated that the tower would be used for mixed purposes in the future, as evidenced by the diverse scenarios we developed to illustrate the array of potential lifestyles that could be accommodated within the building.

66.96 degrees

32.54 degrees

Scenario 1 - Typical Office Solar heat gain may affect office workers that are working near the glazing. Non operable windows prevent users for taking climate action into their own hands

Scenario 2 - Break Room The break room is meant for employees and others to relax. Potential noise pollution from the surrounding street is possible. Regulating uniform light penetration is essential in maintaining healthy circadian rhythms

Scenario 3 - Fitness Center Activity intensive room, with loads of people could potentially overwhelm the exisiting comfort system of the room, which is currently of an HVAC system that was installed during the latest renvovation of the building which took place in 1985, around 15 years after the building was first built

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Existing Section

145

Post-Intervention Condition Mounted Solar Panels energy, which can also support the mechanical units

AHU (Air Handling Unit) An AHU (Air Handling Unit) is an essential component of HVAC systems in buildings, and its primary function is to circulate and condition air. It draws in outside or recirculated air, filters it, and heats or cools it to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. AHUs also control humidity, ventilation, and air quality to ensure a healthy and comfortable indoor environment.

Cassette Split AC A Cassette Split AC is a type of air conditioning unit that is installed in the ceiling of a room. Its primary function is to cool or heat the air in the room by drawing in hot or cold air and passing it through refrigerant coils. The cooled or heated air is then blown back into the room through four sides of the cassette unit, providing even and efficient air distribution.

Double Curtain Wall System Double Curtain Wall System walls can improve building ventilation by allowing natural airflow, controlling solar radiation, and providing precise control over the flow of air. These features can help to improve indoor air quality, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant comfort.

Indoor Plants Indoor plants can help regulate temperature, improve air quality, control humidity, provide psychological benefits, and enhance the overall appearance of a building.

Floor split System The Floor Split System is a type of air conditioning system that uses a small indoor unit and a larger outdoor unit to cool or heat a room.

The indoor unit is installed in the ceiling or floor, and it blows cool or warm air into the room through vents. The outdoor unit contains a compressor and a heat exchanger, which work together to cool or heat the refrigerant and circulate it between the indoor and outdoor units.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

New Section

147

Passive Ventialtion Strategies

Interior Courtyard One of the key interventions that we introduced was the concept of an interior courtyard, which served a dual purpose. Firstly, it provided an inviting congregational space for the building’s occupants to congregate, interact and collaborate. Secondly, the atrium created an awe-inspiring entrance for pedestrians, providing them with a sense of grandeur as they entered the building. Significantly, the atrium also forms a crucial component of our ventilation strategy, allowing fresh air to flow in from the double skin façade and circulate throughout the building. Finally, the ventilation system culminates at the top of the atrium, where a remotely actuated skylight facilitates the exit of stale air, completing the cycle of fresh air circulation.

Open Interior Stair The introduction of the open stairs behind the atrium serves a similar purpose to the courtyard, and it is noteworthy that these interventions have been designed without compromising the integrity of the building’s existing structural system. The openings in the floor slab have been strategically placed to avoid interfering with the beams, instead being situated in the spaces between them.

Additionally, the incorporation of lush greenery around the atriums confers numerous mental health benefits to occupants while simultaneously filtering out pollutants, including harmful carbon particles emanating from the adjacent roads.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

New Section

149

Water Managment Water management capture system Opportunities for reusing, recycling grey water, and harvesting rainwater The roofs of the building present unique opportunities for harvesting rainwater, which can be pumped down to the cistern in the basement to filter and recycle the water to be used later on in the building A wastewater system will allows the building to take wastewater, to be pumped to the basement, where a filtration take is placed in order for the water to be filtered, and then pumped back into all of the faucets etc The rain garden is zone that can be intentionally design to be flooded which can allow certain water intake when necessary, but can also alleviate from flooding when the water management system of the city is overwhelmed

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Water Managment Section

151

Lighting Design We devised an innovative lighting system that is tailored to cater to individuals across multiple time zones. The system is carefully calibrated to deliver cooler, blue-enriched light during the daytime hours to promote alertness, productivity, and concentration. As evening approaches, the lighting gradually transitions to warmer, low-intensity hues, which facilitate relaxation, rest, and recovery, enhancing sleep quality. Crucially, this dynamic lighting system plays a pivotal role in regulating healthy circadian rhythms, which have been proven to be crucial for overall wellbeing. This innovative approach to lighting design emphasizes the importance of the natural rhythm of light and its effects on our bodies, promoting optimal health and productivity for all occupants of the building.

Types of lighting systems designed 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Recessed cove fixture/ uplight Ceiling adjustable cove light Direct pendant work light Ambient reading task reading light Low level recessed LED strip skirting floor wash

As part of our lighting design strategy, we have carefully considered the placement of each light source, taking into account the light fall-off properties of each fixture. Lights with intense fall-off properties are placed below eye level, while recessed fixtures are positioned overhead to create a serene ambiance throughout the space. Furthermore, while the addition of lighting fixtures is a crucial element in any design plan, we have ensured that their usage hours are minimized through the implementation of our double skin façade system. The new façade replaces the outdated, heavily-tinted glass with modern, transparent glass that maximizes the amount of natural light entering the building, reducing the dependence on artificial lighting. As a result, the need for electric lighting will be significantly reduced, contributing to the overall energy efficiency of the building

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Lighting Design Section

153

SFmoma re-skin Advanced material tectonics revolved around breaking down and understanding the tectonics of complex façade systems. The SFMOMA was the given façade. The SFMOMA extension designed by Snohetta is ground breaking project for composite panels. The extension stands as a proof of concept for FRP as a material to be used in high rise buildings.

Moreover, the SFMOMA used FRP in a curtain wall framework, which allowed the manufacturing and installations time to be brought down to

under a year. The second part revolved around transforming the façade.

The transformation called for a speculation that what if the designers of the buildings had opted for a different aesthetic approach, what tectonics implications would have to take place. Inspiration was taken from Kengo Kuma’s Aspen art museum. After assigning a new aesthetic quality, the tectonics of the buildings were then reverse engineered in order to make the assigned aesthetic quality a reality.

DETAILS As3200 Instructor Collaborator Date

Advanced Material & tectonics Randy Jefferson Abbas Taher

Fall 2022

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

155

Sfmoma reskin

Main Existing Chunk Model

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Annotation Key

3 17

14

Primary Structure

2

Extruded Anchor Bracket

9

3

Vertical Mullion

14 14

4

Tertiary L- Bracket Extrusions

5

Insulation

6

Water Proof Membrane

7

4.8 mm FRP Panel

4

8

Concrete Floor Slab

7

9

Horizontal Mullion

10

Walking Surface

11

Pedestal

12

False Ceiling

13

Poured Concrete

14

Water Protection

15

Sandwich Panels

16

Insulation anchoring

17

Insulated glass with Laminated

9 5

15

1

16

Head Sill Detail

8 2 1

Outboard 18

Chicken Head Assembly

7 4 3 9 Curtain Wall Anchor Plate Details

5 16 7 4 2 3

9 7

15

Curtain Wall Foot Sill Detail 157

Sfmoma reskin

Transformed Chunk Model

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Layer 1 : Primary Structure

Layer 2 : Secondary Structure

The primary Structure of the museum is comprised of a steel crossbraced frame with poured in concrete floor slabs

The secondary layer is comprised of the double mullioned curtain wall, which also incorporate the flanges that support the catwalk and secondary structure

Layer 3 : Tertiary Structure

Layer 4 : Final

The secondary layer is comprised of the double mullioned curtain wall, which also incorporate the flanges that support the catwalk and secondary structure

The final layer is the weave component of the facade which is hung from anhor plates attached along the vertical extrusions found in the secondary structure

159

Sfmoma reskin

23

2 21

25 18 28

Transformed Facade Curtain wall Detail

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

18 19 24

20 25 26 21

22

7 Transformed Facade Vertical Mullion

23

1

Primary Structure

10

Catwalk

Vertical Extruded

22

Structural Sealant

2

Extruded Anchor

11

Catwalk Anchor

rectangular mullion 6” x

23

IGU

Brackets

0.5”

24

Mineral Fiber

Bracket

16

3

Vertical Mullion

12

Spandrel Glass

17

Tertiary Anchor Bracket

4

Horizontal Mullion

13

Catwalk Supporting

18

Mullion insulation Wrap

5

Head Sill

Brackets

19

Mullion Aluminum

6

Lower Sill

14

7

Pressure Gaskets

8

Water Proof Membrane

15

9

Concrete Floor Slab

Fibre Weave Structure

Secondary Structure/

Insulation 25

Painted Alumium Shadowbox Panel

Extrusion

26

Vertical Air Sealant

Flang

20

Perimeter Sealant

27

Fastening Plate

Clear Coated Carbon

21

SCP with intergrated

28

Galvanised Backpan

rain Screen gasket 161

un-intentionally opaque Un-intetionally Opaque was about a modern take on a self-portrait. The modern “self-portrait” onto a physical product. The process started with 3D scanning my face, as well as my partners face.

The geometry was then put into Zbrush, which allowed a great deal of flexibility, and abstraction. In Zbrush simulation were run in order to ensure fitment of the new geometry onto the existing IKEA lamp. Alpha maps were used as extraction onto the new

geometry in order to obtain a usable thickness of the material, which in turn would better control the light fall off. The key design challenges of the project was controlling the thickness of the material as well creating enough opening for the light in an even density around the entirety of the lamp. This thought process is what lead to one side being much more opaque than the other resulting in two different lamp experiences, by simply turning the lamp shade 180 degrees.

DETAILS Vs 4200

2gax visual studies

Instructor

william virgil

Collaborator

sheng-lin hsu

Date

fall 2022

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

163

Our faces were scanned using the available 3d scanners ar SCI-Arc. It was challenging to get a clean scan, while letting keeping our bodies still enough. Eventually, we cam to the conclusion that it is best to sit down on a chair, and to have someone rotate the person along the Z axis, while the 3D scanner is on a tripod. This minimised the amount of duplicate geometry, which allowed us to get clean geometry to the manipulate in Zbrush.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The lamp shade was vreated in Zbrush. After the faces were combined into one singular mesh. Images of tentecles were used as overlayed masks, in order to abstract the shade from just being two faces. To contrast the kraken like masks on onside, a bitmap was generated using AI. The bit was a starck constrast to the kraken images.

Mask 1

Mask 2

Mask 3

Mask 4

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un-intentionally opaque

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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un-intentionally opaque

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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un-intentionally opaque

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Neotrans Our short film was centered on the notion of futuristic transportation, where we delved into the possibilities and implications of innovative modes of transportation. We began by conducting extensive research during our studio projects, which culminated in the creation of self-levitating systems that could transform the way we travel. Our proposed transportation devices were the result of this research, and we explored the possibilities of what the future of transportation could look like.

The transportation devices we proposed were designed to be highly interconnected with infrastructure and buildings, with the building itself serving as part of the infrastructure. These transportation systems are capable of docking or entering buildings to pick up and drop off passengers. In doing so, they provide greater flexibility in choosing routes and destinations.

Our vision for the future of transportation goes beyond just the means of getting from point A to point B. We imagined that future transportation systems would be designed to provide a unique and enjoyable journey, with various activities onboard. We took inspiration from existing cruise ships, where passengers can partake in activities and enjoy amenities onboard, making the journey just as desirable as the destination.

In summary, our short film showcased the possibilities of what the future of transportation could look like. Our vision includes self-levitating technology, highly interconnected infrastructure, and transportation devices that provide a unique and enjoyable journey for passengers.

DETAILS Vs 4201

2gbx visual studies

Instructor

damjan jovanovic

Collaborator Date

Arnar Skarphéðinsson Spring 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

A view showcasing the bus traversing throught a cityscape

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neo-trans

The train arriving at the train stop

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

The bus and the train cross paths at the point tint eh short film

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A view showcasing the train of the future leaving the trainstop

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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neo-trans

A sectional drawing showing the various programtic aspects of the bus of the future, showcasing how the journey can be just as important as the destination

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Models & design agency Modeling in architecture, both analog and digital is incredibly fundamental to the profession in the same way that tomatoes are fundamental to contemporary Italian cuisine. In other words, one cannot exist without the other. Modeling, a process that has been around for decades, has undergone, and continues to experience massive developments throughout the history of the profession. Nonetheless, it is due to these developments that the profession can operate in today’s world. In today’s age, the traditional workflow of using models is ever changing. The aim of this paper is to question the validity of using the model, whether it be physical or digital as a design tool in today’s age, and to explore what is the best workflow for models, in a rapidly changing technologically driven workflow?

To begin with, it is important to understand how the physical model has come to be such a systematic step in the architectural workflow.

Since, the architectural physical model has played a role in shaping architectural thinking. In traditional terms the physical model is used as a design tool to better help designers visually understand the implications of the architecture in the built environment, as well as the overall massing of the building. It gave an almost God like power dynamic to the architects, due to the scale implications of a scale model. It gave power to the architects in the form of an illusion, since it narrowed the perception of the sheer mass of buildings, downplaying its effects in urban settings. During the renaissance period designers used physical models to resolve some of the complicated structures at the time, such as the likes of Antonio Gaudi, and Brunelleschi, during the construction of the Sagrada Familia, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore respectively (Figure 1). However, the contemporary use of the physical model has transcended structure and is now primarily used as design development tool.

DETAILS HT 2201 Instructor Date

Theories of Contemporary Arch Marcelyn Gow Spring 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Modeling in architecture, both analog and digital is incredibly fundamental to the profession in the same way that tomatoes are fundamental to contemporary Italian cuisine. In other words, one cannot exist without the other. Modeling, a process that has been around for decades, has undergone, and continues to experience massive developments throughout the history of the profession. Nonetheless, it is due to these developments that the profession can operate in today’s world. In today’s age, the traditional workflow of using models is ever changing. The aim of this paper is to question the validity of using the model, whether it be physical or digital as a design tool in today’s age, and to explore what is the best workflow for models, in a rapidly changing technologically driven workflow?

To begin with, it is important to understand how the physical model has come to be such a systematic step in the architectural workflow.

Since, the architectural physical model has played a role in shaping architectural thinking. In traditional terms the physical model is used as a design tool to better help designers visually understand the implications of the architecture in the built environment, as well as the overall massing of the building. It gave an almost God like power dynamic to the architects, due to the scale implications of a scale model. It gave power to the architects in the form of an illusion, since it narrowed the perception of the sheer mass of buildings, downplaying its effects in urban settings. During the renaissance period designers used physical models to resolve some of the complicated structures at the time, such as the likes of Antonio Gaudi, and Brunelleschi, during the construction of the Sagrada Familia, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore respectively (Figure 1). However, the contemporary use of the physical model has transcended structure and is now primarily used as design development tool.

The rise of the physical model in the contemporary American architecture scene can be credited in part to William Alciphron Boring1 .

Boring, who served as the dean of Columbia’s school of architecture in 1930’s argued that physical model making was to become the main vessel of exploration of architectural concepts at Columbia. Furthermore, he pushed for the notion “from the point of view of the constructed building” rather than “the point of view of the picture”2 . Boring here is referring to the image like representations that drawings possessed at the time. Boring also alludes to the composite realities that images can sometimes portray. Boring believed that drawings were simulated environments that were being conjured by architects, as they were a simple glimpse of a building often not highlighting the full story of the project . He argued that models would allow architects to bypass the composite realities, which occurred when creating a drawing or image. Ever since then the physical model has been cemented as a key part in the architectural process.

The introduction of digital model making in the early 1980’s allowed for many of the great architectural masterpieces of contemporary architecture to exist. It allowed for the rationalization of extreme complex forms, tectonics, and geometry that physical model making could never replicate, much was the same with drawings (Figure 2). 3D digital models were able to condense large amounts of data into one model, which made it much easier for designers to better understand complex geometry, and then translate that same information to builders for the building to be built.

Moreover in some cases drawings could explain the complex geometry, however it simply took too long. Drawings could only convey so much, however at some point 2D drawings were not a sufficient medium for translating extremely complex geometries.

Physical Models are a great and efficient way of quickly visualizing, and testing ideas. They also are great due to their low skill barrier of entry since there is almost no learning curve to conquer. Moreover, Physical models convey ideas clearly to designers, and non-designers alike.

However, the current issue with the use of the physical model is that they create false senses of composite realities4 . Physical models due to their scale implications are almost always dwarfed in the hands of an architect. Therefore, architects are almost dropped into this God-like power dynamic, which allow architects to design in a headspace that is far from reality. It is much like Jesus Vallos’ “Seamless: Digital Collage and Dirty Realism in Architecture”, where he explores the history of the intertwined nature of photography and architecture. Vallos argues that while initially photography in architecture was used as a documentational tool to keep track of highly complex, and important details, that did not remain the case5. As architecture slowly began to become an industry that had to “engage in the business of making images”6 a false reality in the architecture began to present itself through photography. This effect was in part due to the nature of the photograph, which is simple terms is a snapshot of a moment in time, forever frozen. Vallos argues that designers began to employ photography in ways to dictate a certain narrative that wasn’t necessarily true. The same flaw is present in the process of creating physical models, the scale of physical models is the origin of the situation. Physical models suffer from the same issue since models provide a singular view onto a project, a view that is often unrealistic and farfetched from reality. A view that often causes designers to neglect one of the core principles of architecture, which is to consider the human to building interaction, and vice versa.

The introduction of the digital model seemingly solves the issue of the scale, that is present in the physical model. The 3D digital model solves the issue of scale by having the ability to scale in accordance with the desire of the architect. The digital model provides an inherent flexibility that the physical model could never replicate. However, the issue of the digital model is that it a model that is not rooted in reality7. There is an element of disconnectedness when viewing a 3D digital model, since buildings are ultimately a physical object with a real fixed scale, with material properties that are appropriate to that building scale. While pointing out the flaws in both physical, and digital models may seem like an act of questioning their validity in the architectural process, that is not the intended goal, but rather the goal is to reframe and reconsider what the future roles of models are in the architectural process.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

This is the focus of David Eskenazi’s work. Eskenazi explores the relationships of both the physical and digital models to each of their own inherent scalar qualities in his piece “Tired and Behaving Poorly”. He argues that an amalgamation of both physical and digital models is the key to moving forward (Figure 3). In essence, he merges the positive qualities of both models in order to create an ideal model, that is both rooted in the physics of reality, and scalable. The result is a model that is rather honest regarding its form, and material use, and hands a great deal of design agency to its material properties. This agency of the material allows an architectural project that has a novel piece of humanity, since the building is almost able to ‘feel’ the forces at play and is responding to those forces. Eskenazi, then reframes the role of the model in the architectural workflow.

The model becomes less of a transitionary piece of design, but rather the product . Therefore, the model is the final building. The physical model is then not just a design tool, but more so a product that is representative of the structural, material, and tectonic nature of the building to be built.

Eskenazi’s workflow bypasses all the inherent issues of the physical and digital models. The amalgamated model workflow does not allow architects to fall into the God-like power dynamic, since there is a system of balance, due to the model’s innate design agency. Moreover, the amalgamated model does not suffer from the digital model’s scale disconnect, due to the embedded physical parameters imposed onto the digital model. Michelle Jaja Chang’s work is much the same, which was visible in her exhibition “Scoring, Buildings”, where much like Eskenazi, Chang challenges the use of the model as the final outcome, rather than as a design development tool. She does this by challenging convention of modeling, and the following representation that led to a final building outcome. Usually, builders are given highly specific construction documents that are used to execute the designer’s clear vision allowing for little to no design agency. However, Chang challenges this by providing builders with a set of instructions, and notations which are not entirely precise, and are based off music notation, the score of a song. In a sense, Chang provides advice, not a guide to builders. The outcome, not unlike Eskenazi’s, is an incredibly honest architectural project since the designer is not the sole contributor to the design.

In the case of Chang, it is the score of music, and the builder having some design agency.

Essentially a new architectural workflow is being developed around an amalgamated model which hands over some design agency to someone, or something other than the designer. The result is a project that doesn’t suffer from either the drawbacks of physical or digital models. Therefore, cementing the idea of collaboration in architectural pedagogy and practice. This amalgamated model then moves the model in architectural workflow from transitionary design tool to the end product. The model is then the building to be built.

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Bibliography

“Anna Neimark: Rude Forms among Us - Sci-Arc.” SCI, https://www.sciarc.edu/events/exhibitions/anna-neimark-rude-forms-among-us.

“Anna Neimark: Rude Forms Among Us.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 June 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCN2BS75prY. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

Astbury, Jon. “Architects Do It with Models: The History of Architecture in 16 Models.” Architectural Review, 21 July 2020, https://www.architectural-review.com/essays/architects-do-it-with-models-the-history-of-architecture-in-16-models.

AuthorAvneeth Premarajan Avneeth Premarajan is a practicing Architect and an ardent “student” of Architecture. He is intrigued by concepts, et al.

“Is Architectural Model Making a Dying Art? Is Architectural Model Making a Dying Art?” RTF | Rethinking The Future, 19 Aug. 2021, https://www. re-thinkingthefuture.com/architectural-community/a4925-is-architectural-model-making-a-dying-art/.

Ben Dreith |16 November 2022 Leave a comment. “How Ai Software Will Change Architecture and Design.” Dezeen, 5 Dec. 2022, https://www. dezeen.com/2022/11/16/ai-design-architecture-product/.

“Duel + Duet: David Eskenazi & Alexey Marfin (July 22, 2022).” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Aug. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeXmtfHBDJY. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

Frampton, Kenneth, et al. Modeling History. Columbia Books on Architecture and the City, 2017.

Fraser, Andrea. “Procedural Matters: The Art of Michael Asher.” The Online Edition of Artforum International Magazine, 1 June 2008, https://www. artforum.com/print/200806/procedural-matters-the-art-of-michael-asher-20388.

Lavin, Sylvia. “Vanishing Point: The Contemporary Pavilion.” The Online Edition of Artforum International Magazine, 1 Oct. 2012, https://www.artforum.com/print/201208/vanishing-point-the-contemporary-pavilion-34519.

“McNeel Wiki.” The History of Rhino [McNeel Wiki], https://wiki.mcneel.com/rhino/rhinohistory#:~:text=Oct%201998%20%2D%20Rhino%20version%201.0,Dec%201998%20%2D%20First%205%2C000%20shipped.&text=Jan%201999%20%2D%20First%20public%20beta%20of%20 1.1%20released.

“SoA 50th Anniversary Lecture Series: Michelle Chang.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Nov. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Nt6cY3W44.

Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

TheB1MLtd, director. Building the World's Last Megatall Skyscraper. YouTube, YouTube, 24 Feb. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnRscqkN3vw. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

“Tony Smith: Smoke.” LACMA, https://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/tony-smith-smoke.

“The Weitzman School of Design Presents: Ellie Abrons.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Jan. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYXenh9i0D0. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

Wetzler, Rachel. “Making Space: Katarzyna Kobro.” ARTnews.com, ARTnews.com, 12 Sept. 2022, https://www.artnews.com/art-in-america/features/ katarzyna-kobro-spatial-sculpture-1234639122/.

“Who Invented the Skyscraper?” Skydeck Chicago, 1 Feb. 2021, https://theskydeck.com/who-invented-the-skyscraper/#:~:text=Local%20architect%2C%20William%20LeBaron%20Jenney,the%20first%20skyscraper%20in%201884.

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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An abundant life Aaron Bastani’s “Fully Automated Luxury Communism” (FALC), is a socio-economic and political concept that envisions a future where technology and automation have eliminated the need for human labor, therefore creating a post-scarcity society where everyone can enjoy a life of abundance and leisure. Under FALC, the means of production would be publicly owned, and goods and services would be distributed fairly among all members of society. FALC also aims to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable living by advocating for renewable energy, green technology, and a circular economy. This concept has gained attention in recent years as a potential solution to address the increasing wealth gap, social inequality, and the potential displacement of jobs caused by automation. This article will focus on the subject matter of abundance, and the role it plays in society, and what effects it could have on architectural thinking and design.

The topic of abundance is incredibly relevant, as architectural practice today operates in response to climate change, in the opposite way.

Architectural practice today is all about limiting the consumption of a building in all forms, whether it be carbon footprint, or solar heat gain. According to Bastani, FALC is not if, but rather a when kind of situation, meaning at some point humanity will reach a point in which it is considered abundant in resources, in which point architecture will need to navigate itself in a new kind of world.

“Fully Automated Luxury Communism” is a thought-provoking book, since it challenges our archaic notions of how the future is impacted by technology. The future is often depicted as a dystopian mess, that is somehow a byproduct of some technological conglomerate that has monopolized the world. However, in FALC Bastani makes a bold prediction regarding the future where technological advancements have eliminated the need for human labor, resulting in a post-scarcity society where everyone can enjoy a life of abundance and leisure. It envisions a world where robots and automation have taken over most jobs, freeing up time for individuals to pursue creative and intellectual pursuits. Under FALC, the means of production would be publicly owned, and goods and services would be distributed fairly among all members of society. Moreover, FALC predicts that this future would be achieved through green technology and renewable energy sources, leading to a sustainable, zero-carbon economy.

The book argues that technological progress has the potential to address social inequality, wealth gap, and environmental challenges, and that a socialist approach to production and distribution would enable society to benefit from these advancements. Bastani mainly argues that the future is dependent on FALC, due to 3 main crises’ which are going to be instrumental in moving the world towards a future of post-scarcity. The first of the 3 crisis’s is the “breakdown and collapse of the current economic model” , which is currently a financialized international form of capitalism, which has been in decline since 2008 post the global financial crisis. The second crisis which Bastani addresses is the ecological crisis. Next, is the ongoing health care crisis, and more specifically Bastani argues that the current situation is up in the air, and that at this very moment is an unprecedented moment in human history. It is then due to these crises that a disruption is needed to usher in a new way of life for humanity. In recent history according to Bastani, mankind has had two breakthroughs that brought about the modern way of life. “The first disruption took place around twelve thousand years ago as our ancestors transitioned from nomadic hunting and gathering to a life of settled agriculture” . The domestication of animals and land allowed for humans to become less transient, soon enough cities began to spring up, and from those, countries of unique culture, and economies rose to exist. The first disruption laid out the foundations, as it concentrated human growth and ingenuity into a consolidated effort.

The second disruption that changed the way humans lived was much more recent, the industrial revolution, which made leaps and bounds in the way energy was created and harvested. The industrial revolution therefore allowed for mass production of many things, which then logically, further

DETAILS HT 2765 Instructor Collaborator Date

Applied Foresight des Futures Radha Mistry Sheng-lin Hsu, Jiahsun Gao, Mudita Pise fall 2023

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

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economy. The book argues that technological progress has the potential to address social inequality, wealth gap, and environmental challenges, and that a socialist approach to production and distribution would enable society to benefit from these advancements. Bastani mainly argues that the future is dependent on FALC, due to 3 main crises’ which are going to be instrumental in moving the world towards a future of post-scarcity. The first of the 3 crisis’s is the “breakdown and collapse of the current economic model”1 , which is currently a financialized international form of capitalism, which has been in decline since 2008 post the global financial crisis. The second crisis which Bastani addresses is the ecological crisis. Next, is the ongoing health care crisis, and more specifically Bastani argues that the current situation is up in the air, and that at this very moment is an unprecedented moment in human history. It is then due to these crises that a disruption is needed to usher in a new way of life for humanity. In recent history according to Bastani, mankind has had two breakthroughs that brought about the modern way of life. “The first disruption took place around twelve thousand years ago as our ancestors transitioned from nomadic hunting and gathering to a life of settled agriculture”2 . The domestication of animals and land allowed for humans to become less transient, soon enough cities began to spring up, and from those, countries of unique culture, and economies rose to exist. The first disruption laid out the foundations, as it concentrated human growth and ingenuity into a consolidated effort.

The second disruption that changed the way humans lived was much more recent, the industrial revolution, which made leaps and bounds in the way energy was created and harvested. The industrial revolution therefore allowed for mass production of many things, which then logically, further intensified population, and urban growth exponentially. Finally, he predicts that the third disruption is when humanity is able to create an abundance of resources, which will come in the same way it did during the second disruption. In essence the third disruption is coming, however what happens to architectural thinking and design when it does arrive?

Assuming that in the future, humanity has solved the issue of energy meaning there is a surplus of energy, to the point where all of humanities yearly needs are being satisfied by 90 mins of solar radiation being captured3 . Assuming that, sustainable farming practices have created a massive surplus of food, allowing every person on earth to consume over 4000 calories a day. Assuming that automation has absolved humans from working hard laborious jobs. Assuming that advances in technology will allow humans to live longer healthier lives. How, and in what way does architecture respond in such a world?

While FALC does not exist in the current world, it is perhaps best to look at current, and past societies that have come close or have ventured through large sums of time, in which a surplus of resources, and abundance did in fact exist. The ancient Egyptian civilization was in fact one form of society that at a time was in abundance of a multitude of things, including but not limited to labor, power, agriculture, and resources. The existence of the magnificent architectural wonders of ancient Egypt owe their existence to this level of abundance, and prosperous time. The ancient Egyptians were able to create architectural marvels that are still a mystery to this day. Not only were they architecturally interesting and complex, but it is still a mystery how they managed to build such structures so accurately. The aforementioned structures are the pyramids and sphinx, which stand to this day unexplained, bewildering tourists every day.

Perhaps a more contemporary project to consider, that owes its existence to a society that is prosperous enough to be called abundant in resources, is NEOM’s the Line. The Line is, as the name suggests, a linear city, that is 170 kilometers long, 200 meters wide and 500 meters tall. The Line is marketed as a leap in the way humans live and work. A disruption that claims to consolidate a city’s footprint in just 34 km2. The aim of the project is to create a project that is wildly sustainable, and convenient as breakthroughs in AI will allow users of the project to get from one end of the project to another in just 20 minutes of travel. The line is one of many projects that full under the umbrella of NEOM, which is a mega project being funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a nation that has been and is currently being fueled by massive oil reserves. The kingdom is as close an abundance nation one could get in modern times, meaning that the Line is product of an abundance of wealth, and resources. It can then be argued that the line is a precedent for what the future of architectural thinking and design could look like, when societies transition into fully automated luxury communisms.

The line is a current representation of FALC. The line features an ambiguous almost program free interior, as in programs are very loosely defined, and are easily swapped with one another. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine the kind of lifestyle that the architecture is hinting at. The architecture of the line hints at a lifestyle that is of abundance, and pure leisure. This idea is further reinforced by the fact that almost all services within the Line are automated, by advances in AI, further freeing individuals from the burdens of working labor-intensive jobs, much like Bastani described in his book.

Furthermore, the line is ultimately a large sustainable project, its form is derived in order to take up the least amount of space, so is its façade and roof treatment. The roof is used as a large solar farm, as well as a green roof that is capable of growing crops, which then creates a closed system loop that is self-sufficient from any outside source of food, or power. Further aligning itself with Basatni’s vision of a FALC society is the line’s ability to naturally ventilate and control its ambient temperature within the building. Since the building is a 170 km long skyscraper, it has the unique ability

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

they managed to build such structures so accurately. The aforementioned structures are the pyramids and sphinx, which stand to this day unexplained, bewildering tourists every day.

Perhaps a more contemporary project to consider, that owes its existence to a society that is prosperous enough to be called abundant in resources, is NEOM’s the Line. The Line is, as the name suggests, a linear city, that is 170 kilometers long, 200 meters wide and 500 meters tall. The Line is marketed as a leap in the way humans live and work. A disruption that claims to consolidate a city’s footprint in just 34 km2. The aim of the project is to create a project that is wildly sustainable, and convenient as breakthroughs in AI will allow users of the project to get from one end of the project to another in just 20 minutes of travel. The line is one of many projects that full under the umbrella of NEOM, which is a mega project being funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a nation that has been and is currently being fueled by massive oil reserves. The kingdom is as close an abundance nation one could get in modern times, meaning that the Line is product of an abundance of wealth, and resources. It can then be argued that the line is a precedent for what the future of architectural thinking and design could look like, when societies transition into fully automated luxury communisms.

The line is a current representation of FALC. The line features an ambiguous almost program free interior, as in programs are very loosely defined, and are easily swapped with one another. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine the kind of lifestyle that the architecture is hinting at. The architecture of the line hints at a lifestyle that is of abundance, and pure leisure. This idea is further reinforced by the fact that almost all services within the Line are automated, by advances in AI, further freeing individuals from the burdens of working labor-intensive jobs, much like Bastani described in his book. Furthermore, the line is ultimately a large sustainable project, its form is derived in order to take up the least amount of space, so is its façade and roof treatment. The roof is used as a large solar farm, as well as a green roof that is capable of growing crops, which then creates a closed system loop that is self-sufficient from any outside source of food, or power. Further aligning itself with Basatni’s vision of a FALC society is the line’s ability to naturally ventilate and control its ambient temperature within the building. Since the building is a 170 km long skyscraper, it has the unique ability to use stack ventilation along it entire span, creating a very sustainable project. Interestingly the line is often seen as a dystopian project in the eyes of many designers and architects. An architectural mess amidst the Arabian desert, on the other hand, Bastani’s book FALC is often regarded as a utopian representation of the future. However, the line is simply a current representation of what a post scarcity society would build in the future. The line is almost exactly what Bastani describes in his book. There is no doubt that the line may not be an exact match, since at the end of the day, the kingdom is not yet a fully FALC society, which causes some discrepancies to arise. Nevertheless, the line present as close a representation could get in the current time.

When analyzing the line, it is important to recognize that it is a product of economic abundance, not design abundance. While the Line is incredibly innovative in its thinking and pushes the boundaries of what an urban space could, and should look like, it is not an abundance of thinking or analysis. Ultimately, a FALC society’s advantage is that since universal basis services are free for all to sue, individuals are more likely to participate in creative fields, such as graphic design, art, and most importantly architecture. As a result, innovation in architecture will be prevalent, and much sooner due to the large shifts of individuals taking architecture as hobby, or career. FALC is a wave that will fundamentally change the way architecture is conceived in the future. A fundamental shift in the way individuals are going to interact with space, and what even constitutes space in the future. An architectural future in which space is no longer defined by the program, the client, the budget, but rather the self-expression of the community behind it. FALC grants architecture the opportunity to move away from the banal aspects of the field today. Architecture will still need to exist to serve a fundamental purpose, however in a communistic post scarce society, the architecture will no longer be bound by the amount of heat gain is allowed to penetrate through a window on a Sunday afternoon at some time of the year for example. Architecture in FLAC will be critiqued and built in order to self-express the feelings of designers in which the idea of the project was born. Therefore, the architecture of the future marks a point in history where architecture will become an anti-formalistic endeavor lacking any foreseeable boundaries. One could imagine that in a post-scarce society the normality of the building will no longer be a formal one but rather, an urban fabric made up of unique forms, all creating artful expressions.

Moreover, the emergence of FALC heralds a significant shift in the way architects and designers approach their work. Traditionally, architectural thinking takes place at the top of a hierarchical pyramid, with ideas trickling down the chain of command and dwindling in intensity with each subsequent layer. This creates a monarchy of design, in which the lead architect reigns supreme and imposes their vision on the landscape like a god-like figure.

FALC upends this archaic model by empowering collaborative and participatory design processes, breaking down the hierarchical barriers that have long constrained the architectural field. By enabling positive design by committee, FALC facilitates a fundamental rethinking of architectural thinking, allowing for a more democratic and equitable approach to the built environment. This transformative shift represents a remarkable opportunity to

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look like, it is not an abundance of thinking or analysis. Ultimately, a FALC society’s advantage is that since universal basis services are free for all to sue, individuals are more likely to participate in creative fields, such as graphic design, art, and most importantly architecture. As a result, innovation in architecture will be prevalent, and much sooner due to the large shifts of individuals taking architecture as hobby, or career. FALC is a wave that will fundamentally change the way architecture is conceived in the future. A fundamental shift in the way individuals are going to interact with space, and what even constitutes space in the future. An architectural future in which space is no longer defined by the program, the client, the budget, but rather the self-expression of the community behind it. FALC grants architecture the opportunity to move away from the banal aspects of the field today.

Architecture will still need to exist to serve a fundamental purpose, however in a communistic post scarce society, the architecture will no longer be bound by the amount of heat gain is allowed to penetrate through a window on a Sunday afternoon at some time of the year for example. Architecture in FLAC will be critiqued and built in order to self-express the feelings of designers in which the idea of the project was born. Therefore, the architecture of the future marks a point in history where architecture will become an anti-formalistic endeavor lacking any foreseeable boundaries.

One could imagine that in a post-scarce society the normality of the building will no longer be a formal one but rather, an urban fabric made up of unique forms, all creating artful expressions.

Moreover, the emergence of FALC heralds a significant shift in the way architects and designers approach their work. Traditionally, architectural thinking takes place at the top of a hierarchical pyramid, with ideas trickling down the chain of command and dwindling in intensity with each subsequent layer. This creates a monarchy of design, in which the lead architect reigns supreme and imposes their vision on the landscape like a god-like figure.

FALC upends this archaic model by empowering collaborative and participatory design processes, breaking down the hierarchical barriers that have long constrained the architectural field. By enabling positive design by committee, FALC facilitates a fundamental rethinking of architectural thinking, allowing for a more democratic and equitable approach to the built environment. This transformative shift represents a remarkable opportunity to create more inclusive and sustainable spaces that reflect the needs and aspirations of all members of society. This reapproach to the architectural workflow allows for better design to take place, and ultimately allows for the creation of better, more viable, and productive spaces for individuals of the future to inhabit.

In essence, the theory of abundance is incredibly powerful and moving in an architectural sense. However, no society or civilization in human history has reached a level to explore it. Many have come close, as mentioned above, and have shown the benefits of how a post scarce society can further enhance the quality of innovation brought forward, architecturally. Abundance, and a post scarce society, are the next disruption that is needed to usher in a new wave of architectural thinking and design, as it did for various other industries. More specifically it is the combination of abundance of wealth and thinking that will push architecture into new realms of thinking and design.

Mohamad AlSharif

Southern California Institue of Architecture

Bibliography

BASTANI, AARON. Fully Automated Luxury: A Manifesto. VERSO, 2020.

Bookchin, Murray. Post-Scarcity Anarchism. AK Press, 2018.

The institute of Art & Ideas, director. Aaron Bastani | On Fully Automated Luxury Communism, Climate Change, and More. YouTube, YouTube, 22 Dec. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT6xiMUSPm8. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.

The Institute of Art & Ideas, director. Fully Automated Luxury Communism | Aaron Bastani. YouTube, YouTube, 6 Mar. 2020, https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=u2MSstaWgH0. Accessed 22 Apr. 2023.

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Robo-tiling Robo Tile was revolvesa project that revolved aroudn the fabrication of a series of tiles using robots. Students developed a grasshopper script that could interpret a multitude of inputs that could be used to generate multiple design ideas. The grasshopper script in this case used bitmaps or images as a way to generate multiple patterns that could ultimately be used to stamp out a design into the clay molds.

after the molds were created, concrete was poured into them. around 6 molds were created. Chickenwire mesh was placed during the concrete pour to give some structure to the tile, to which after so, a hanging elements was attached to, which allowed for tiles to be hung from a rack much like a curtain wall element. The workshop was an interesting look at what change new manufacturing techniques could be used in the future of small boutique fabrication.

DETAILS wk tile Instructor Date

wk making tiles w robots curime batliner fall 2022

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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robo-tiling

This is the grasshopper script that was developed in order for the robots to be able to take an image, turn it into a bitmap, and then into a pattern that the robot would be able to stamp out of the clay mold

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

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Southern California Institue of Architecture

MOHAMAD ALSHARIF

VOLUME 2