Dd portfolio_Rachael Li

2018 1 r e t emes

S

DIGITAL DESIGN Rachael Li

912103

Tutor: Chelle Yang Studio 01 1

RACHAEL ZE NAN LI email: rachaell2@student.unimelb.edu.au

MODULE

1 Precedent study:

Serpentine Pavilion, Toyo Ito Education:

Pg. 3-6

2017 - current

University of Melbourne,

REFLECTION

2013-2016

(major in Architecture) Presbyterian Ladies’ College,

My motivationg in design stems from my interest in creating forms that will facilitate people’s activities, define or reshape the built environment in ways that will better accomodate for wide range of functions.

Therefore throughout this design studio, I am particularly interested in the modules involving studying the tectonic of pavilion as it is an exemplar in representing a multi-functional space and suited to a range of circulation with the transitions from public to semi public spaces. After the research of precedent by Toyo Ito, I was intrigued by the possibilities that the interplay of light and shadow can offer to render a built environment. This concept is further explored in my Module 3 design iteration for pavilion at Queen Victoria Garden where I intended to create a mesmerising kaleidoscopic realm with the interplay of materials, patterns and forms. This was key to my design as I think in any pavilion, a point of excitement is needed to attract people to it.

Bachelor of Design

Burwood, Melbourne MODULE

2

Generating Design Through Digital Processes Task 1 Task 2

Pg. 7-14 Pg. 15-21

Work Experience: 2015

DesignInc, GPO, Melbourne

Awards / Exhibition: 2017 2017 Skills:

FOD:R Exhibition, AFLK Gallery Construction as Alchemy

Throughout the modules, I have further improved my skills with Rhino from exploring more possibilities. This was also my first steps to parametric design from using Grasshopper to generate wide range of design iteration while Rhino focused on visualisig and representing a final form.

Grasshopper allowed more freedom when experimenting the forms of pavilion. I have also used Unreal Engine in conjunction with VR for the first time to render the design. This was different to the render software that I have used previously such as Keyshot as it not only allowed a more realistic perspective on my design but also given me a taste of being inside my design. I wish to further improve this skill in the future.

Rhino Grasshopper Unreal Engine

MODULE

3

Queen Victoria Garden Pavilion--“Kaleidoscopic Evelope”

Photoshop Illustrator Indesign

Fabrication Pg. 22-32

The architecture discipline is of particular interest to me as it is a realm that will redfine people’s daily lives and because it is fully immersed with our lives, I think going out and experiencing the surrounding will enhance my understanding in this area such as evaluating between practicality and aesthetic.

Keyshot

SketchUp

2

The concept initiated with an extremely complex random pattern derived from an algorithm of a cube expanding and rotating at each layer. The intersecting lines formed geometric shapes of triangles and trapezoids. The initial concept of the study evolved from making the patterns on a 2D plane and imagined the 4 smaller surfaces to be folded around the square. The interplay of solids, glazing and voids creates transparency and translucency which gave a sense of infinitely repeated motion but also creating thresholds.

The solid and void in term creates opaque, translucent and transparent environment and informs about the circulation and distribution of the people. Where there is shade created by opaque solid, people are more likely to accumulate and stay for longer.

Where the glazing allows abundant light into the building but blocks the heat to moderate the interior temperature, people are more likely to engage for quick chats but only for short time. The void serves ventilation purpose but also establishes multiple thresholds and blurs the defined threshold between interior and exterior created by wall. The multiple threshold created through facilitate active engagement with people’s surrounding.

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Diagramming Design Precedent

Serpentine Pavilion (2002), Toyo Ito 3

a The initial concept of the study evolved from making the patterns on a 2D plane and imagined the 4 smaller surfaces to be folded around the square. The interplay of solids, glazing and voids creates transparency and translucency which gave a sense of infinitely repeated motion but also creating thresholds.

d b This shows the initial process of building the model starting with tracing the steel structure. This shows the initial tracing process for the pavilion. I used points along each curve to ensure each line of the square surface (red) joins up with the lines on the side facets (blue).

After completing the tracing, I rotated the blue facets in 90 degree to get the box form.

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c

This shows the extruded result of the steel structure to show its thickness. And this determines the later placement of solids, glazing and voids.

This image shows the bottom of pavilion as I have also constructed the bottom structural steel. This is shown as it is not visible in the isometric view of the model.

Circulation diagram

The most obvious circulation paths begin from the 4 entrances on each side of the pavilion. These smaller arrow paths tracks the primary circulation indicating that people can exit freely from any of the entrances. The bigger arrow paths indicates the most direct paths that people may take once they entered the pavilion, that is heading to the reception area (marked by the dark circle). The shaded parts shows areas where crowd is static and accumulates as compared to the remaining white parts where people are constantly moving and distribute sparsely. The darker the colour, the longer the duration of time spent due to presence of sitting areas.

Structure

Primary Circulation Space

Circulation paths

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Photo of the pavilion: The Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion over the years. (2018). [image] Available at: https://www.telegraph. co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9303164/The-Serpentine-Gallery-Summer-Pavilion-over-the-years.html?frame=2235550 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2018].

Threshold diagram

The interplay of void, glazing and solid defines three different levels of thresholds. The solid is by means the most physically defined threshold that divides interior from exterior and forces people to enter from certain entrances, creating a semi private space from external surrounding. The second threshold is rather not physcially defined, after people passed the first threshold, the crowd parts in areas that has moderate temperature created by the glazing. The glass allow light through but block out excess heat. Hence, the third threshold is the shadow created in between the glazing. Shadows separates crowd further into those that wish to stay longer and those staying temporarily. People will transition into shaded spaces where they can rest for longer. This section (bottom right) of the one of the pavilion shows the opportunity of affordance in this pavilion. The yellow highlighted parts shows the hollow/ void sections of the building and the ones closer to the ground can be used for sitting. It represents my thinking process as I tried to mark out the threshold and circulation.

Solids

Moderate temperature

Shadow defined threshold

6 Photo of the pavilion: The Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion over the years. (2018). [image] Available at: https://www.telegraph. co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/9303164/The-Serpentine-Gallery-Summer-Pavilion-over-the-years.html?frame=2235550 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2018].

2 Generating Design Through Digital Process

Waffle Structures + Solid Boolean

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Lofts

1.1

1.2

1.3

Key

1.4

{0,0,0} {14,243,150}

{0,-1290,150} {0,-142,150}

{0,-1119,150}

Attractor / Control Curves Grid Points

{-502,150,150} {-164,123,150}

{15-,-142,120} {-278,27,-7}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z)

{-354,150,0}

{14,213,0}

{0,-202,0}

{0,-1149,0}

{-502,150,0}

Paneling Grid & Attractor Point

Index Selection

Index Selection

2.1

2.2

{14,242,0}

{-502,30,0}

{150,-142,0}

{150,-1119,150}

Index Selection

Index Selection

2.3

2.4

{150,0,150} {-513,-1200,167} {925,-516,138}

{90,-2,88} {-278,27,-7}

{55,34,94} {27,26,13}

{-285,-1,0}

{646,978,3} {1045,-545,-131}

Paneling

Attractor Point Location

Attractor Point Location

Attractor Point Location

Attractor Point Location

3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4

Geometry attractor

+ +

+

+ + + +

While trialling with different iterations, I wanted to focus on creating surfaces that demonstrate a range of geometric formations, how one group of geometries can form certain pattern while the forming a different pattern when juxtaposed next to another group. This was what I intended to show with the panel that has fewer openings. I also wanted to show the changes in the opening sizes that will increase the permeability to the interior.

Design Matrix 9

+

+

+ +

The panel of the left has more perforations with sizes being the smallest at the top left corner and largest in the middle part before gradually reduce in sizes towards the bottom right corner. The panel of the right has relativesly fewer openings as I wanted to focus on the different patterns that could be created when different groups of geometries are juxtaposed next to each other.

My waffle design focused on stability hence one side is relatively flat while the other side is curved to envelope and gravitates towards the flatter part to distribute forces to the straightened side.

This side has fewer perforation/opening than the other side and hence provide more shade to the interior.

The triangular prism protruding on the exterior can be made of glass which will create rays of reflection when light shines upon it.

The extent of the perforations on panels vary across the surface as they are smallest at the top left diagonal, gradually becomes larger towards the middle, and starts to reduce in sizes again towards the bottom part. These openings could be used as windows and faciliate ventilation

A hollow waffle structure allows for the creation of an interior volume.

Surface and waffle

Exploded Axonometric 1:2 0

20

60mm

10

Waffle structures + panels final model

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GENERATING SURFACES

The design process started with constructing a cube from various points as this will form the boundary for the iteration of the two interacting surfaces.

I have used the list item command to select the edges and their points that I want to modify in order to obtain the different curvalinear surfaces. I have experimented with waffles that are curved to a large degree but realised they could be difficult to produce waffle structures since each vertical could also be deformed to fit the surface.

Computational process 12

WAFFLE INTERSECTION

After creating the waffle structure, in order to generate cuts that will allow them to slide and stick together notches from the intersections of the horizontal and vertical waffles are required. This notches are created by extrusion of both side of the waffles strip so that they will actually insersect and cut through them.

WEAVERBIRD PANEL

To start with, I used a triangle panels from Lunchbox and used that as the basis for panelling.

A geometry was used as attractor instead of a point. This is then used to determine the variation in sizes of the triangular openings on the panel depending on where I place it. The part where the geometry attractor is closest to has the largest opening, and hence furthest ones will have smallest openings or closed surface.

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To prepare for laser cut, I needed to create etchings where I could fold easily however it was only possible for one-way folding. A better way that will allow two-way folding is to put dashed lines as folding line which will be laser cutted instead of etched.

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XR 3

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Grid ManipulationG

1.1

1.21

.3

Key

1.4

{0,0,0}

{176,152,195}

Attractor / Control Points (X,Y,Z) Attractor / Control Curves

{60,103,206}

Grid Points {87,81,123}

{70,58,74}

{206,77,0} {139,24,0}

{5,253,127}

{ 157,103,-20}

Attractor Point Location

Attractor Point Location

eometry DistributionG

2.12

Attractor Point Location

.2

Attractor Point Location

2.32

.4

{108,154,0}

109,82,0}

{31,74,0}

{41,53,0}

17,21,0}

{170,104,0} {2,82,0} {60,104,0}

Attractor Curve Location

eometry Transformation

3.13

Attractor Curve

Attractor Curve Location

.2

Morph

Attractor Curve Location

3.33

Point Attractor

Attractor Curve Location

.4

Point Attractor

While trialling with different iterations, I intended to create a form that has many dimensions to it when viewed at different angles and also with variation in the trimmed surfaces. Therefore using point attractor I needed to arrange the distribution of shapes with some receding backwards and some coming forward.

Design Matrix 16

Solid and void

Due to use of point attractor, the size of boolean object varied with some fitting completely within the cube and some larger than than it. Therefore, the orginal cube form was not maintained but the irregularity of the solid edges gives the whole booleaned model a sense of multidimensionality whereby a different geometric composition can be observed at different angle.

Parts where the sharpest edge of the solid intersects with the cube interface are shown with lines that radiates out from a single point.

The interplay of parts that are not trimmed by the boolean object create interesting pattern through the hollow receding surfaces bordered by flower-like untrimmed surface. The receded surfaces can create a platform to look outside from the interior establishing a threshold.

These dotted lines mark the internal hidden parts that were being booleaned with the customise solid.

The multiple nodes shows where the sharpest edge of the solid has trimmed into the original cube.

Exploded Axonometric 1:2 0

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60mm

My final booleaned object was trimmed with a customised brep which I referenced back to the grasshopper script. At first, after boolean difference, many part of the trimmed edges were not actually visible in the original cube form, it was only after I further trimmed the cube with another geometry with various orientation that I could obtain the negative surfaces of my cutter object. I have chosen this brep to be used as my cutter object as the brep itself is consisted of various surfaces and edges which could be used to enhance the overall angularity and variation of the trimmed solid. I have used the ‘Voronoi 3D’ command on grasshopper to obtain this brep at the start.

Due to the nature of the cutter geometry and that fact that trimmed the cube with a cube at different orientation, I have created a solid that is porous to a large extent such that the interior geometric composition is visible from the outside seen through the flower-like openings. The variation in protrusion of the surfaces meant a smoother connection between interior volume and exterior void. The interplay of parts that are not trimmed by the boolean object create interesting pattern through the hollow receding surfaces bordered by flower-like/ radial form untrimmed surface. The receded surfaces can create a platform to look outside from the interior establishing a threshold. The interchanging position of solid and void allow abundant light to penetrate through the model.

Solid Boolean final model

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Computational process 3D GRID

After setting up the grid as the

The attrator points will determine how deformed the 3D grid and changes the arrangement of the cutter geometry used to generate solid boolean.

boundary, series points populate the grid which are used as basis for manipulating the grid with point attractors.

The final outcome of the solid cube from the start trimmed by my customised cutter geometry.

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BREP CUTTER

Apart from trialing with the default geometries from Lunchbox (Platonic Icosahedron) I also explored with creating my own geometries as cutter object.

CUSTOM BREP CUTTER

This is the grasshopper script for creating the cutter object using command Voronoi 3D. To create the geometry that radiates out from the centroid, I referenced the sphere instead of box.

The result of trials using Voronoi command showed interesting possibilities of creating negative and positive spaces when doing boolean command.

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The part outlined with red is the script for referencing my own customised brep into the boolean script.

3D Printing

As only one eighth of the design was allow to be printed due to the large amount of time and amount of support material.

I needed to consider the feasibility of shapes for 3d print as with mine there are alot of hollow parts inside the solid, therefore it was unavoidable to not have any support material, but the orientation of the geometry helped to minimise the amount by a large amount.

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Annotation

As located in Queen Victoria Garden, the pavilion seeks to mimic features of natural environment that coincides with the organic forms of flowers and their petals. The design follows an overall spiral/ intertwining form and reiterates that across different components of the pavilion, which envelopes to create semi-enclosed space leaving an oculus at the top part. The spiral shell structure that is twisting and the patterns on the surface follows this form and enhances the overall dynamism.

The timber frame follows this idea and when light penetrates through the oculus in the top part, it is diffused as they shine through the structure. The overall spiraling form eventuates in the ramp leading to the underground part.

There are multiple levels of access and movement are fluid which coincides with the form of the pavilion, the upper level defined by the cantilever part of shell where people can lean on during lunch time to chat or eat. The progression into underground major area for watching quartet performance marked by the entering from the ramp or follows a gradual slope path down to the underground.

During a performance people can inhabit along the ramp and look below to the performers but they don’t necessarily need to stay still and can move as they wish to.

There is a combination of cold and warm material incorporated in the design to accomodate for the unprecticable weather condition in Melbourne. Poured concrete is used for the shell of the pavilion as it allowed for more freedom on manipulating the form, therefore the undulating surface was feasible. The timber on the interior directly contrasts with the coldness of concrete and with lighting fixed to it, there is a sense of the core of pavilion is glowing as if inviting visitors to go inside.

The glass pattern on the ramp further creates a mesmerising effect like those of the kaleidoscope when light shines onto it.

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“KALEIDOSCOPIC ENVELOPE” Queen Victoria Garden, Melbourne 22

Design Iteration

This is the initial design with more obvious variation in the form of the surface. Although this would have been an interesting sculptural element in the site, but it doesn’t seem to be very ergonomic and easy for people to inhabit on the top part as I have intended to make part of the top of pavilion to be accessible for lunch seminars.

This is one of the earliest design as I was experimenting with parametric forms that would express the organic, sinuous, irregular characters of nature.

However, I soon realised that there seem to be a discordance between my shell structure and this imposing curvalinear form.

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Circulation to upper cantilever structure where people can lean on to rest and eat. This can be accessed from ground level

Isometric

The oculus also creates a spotlight feeling during daytime when quartet are performing.

There are also lighting fixed onto the timber structure that will further lit up the underground space.

The spiraling and twisting form creates an enveloping enclosure that leaves an oculus in the centre to allow light to penetrate through

The ground follows a downward slope and creates a footpath that gradually descends into the underground part giving people more choices to move freely from ground level to underground without passing the ramp.

KEY Upper level usage Primary circulation Shadow creating threshold

Exploded Isometric 1:100 24

0

500

1500mm

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Pavilion approach from walkway

Light penetrating through the oculus and disffused by the timber structure Shadow project through the timber structure and cast a mesmerising effect on the ground

Looking above through the oculus from inside the pavilion, offers a view like seeing through kaleidoscope.

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Unreal Engine capture

Pavilion (Section) final model 27

Pavilion(section)

Pavilion(section)

Interior view from ground

Shell close up

final model

final model

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SHELL

UNDULATING SURFACE

To obtain the enveloping form of the outer shell of the pavilion, I used the graph mapper component in grasshopper. I can freely control the different edges of the surfaces and then make multiple surfaces like these that will form the spiraling shape for my pavilion.

This definition generated the undulating surface pattern on my outer shell. I first needed to select the target surface separately and then rebuild the surface so that it’s divided into two set of grid points which I can then move one grid higher and then join both set of grid to create the undulating surface.

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In order to obtain the subtly undulating surface I took a long time to experiment with the different amplitude values that will produce this outcome. The number connected to multiplication command will alter how deep each indented gap is.

Computational process

RAMP PATTERN

To generate the pattern for my ramp, I first used the CreateUVcrv command in Rhino to flatten the ramp to a single surface and the referenced the surface in to use as the base for my pattern.

TIMBER STRUCTURE

The timber structure is generated with first setting up two circles on above the other and divide the curve into series of points. Using the shift list and weave command, I can obtain connecting curves that are twisted and intersecting.

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Pavilion

Perspective Capture 31

Pavilion

360 Image Output

Digital Design Semester 1, 2018

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