ADS AIR WEEK 12 FINAL JOURNAL by Rhenda Chong

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO RHENDA CHONG 374209

ABPL 30048 2012 Semester 1

AIR

CONTENT

A. CASE fOR INNOvATION

ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE:

7-9

DIGITAL DESIGN

11-13

BIOmImICRY

15-17

B. EOI : CUT RESEARCH PROjECT

19-65

SITE ANALYSIS & DESIGN PROCESS

66-77

C. LEARNING OBjECTIvES & OUTCOmES

78-79

REfERENCES

‘SPECIAL THANkS TO mY GROUP mATES AmANDA ANDREA AND jULIUS CHAISAR fOR YOUR AWESOmE EffORTS AND kIND UNDERSTANDING THROUGHOUT THE SEmESTER. ALSO, THANk YOU jAS & ALLISON fOR ALL THE HELP AND COmmENTS THAT HELPED US IN ImPROvING OUR PROjECT TREmENDOUSLY.”

A CASE fOR INNOvATION

Week 1: architecture as a discourse

NATURAL ARCHITECTURE

ORGANIC HIGHWAY, DENmARk mIkAEL HANSON

‘NATURAL ARCHITECTURE IS A ’ mOvEmENT THAT AImS TO CAPTURE THE HARmONIOUS CONNECTION WE SEEk WITH NATURE BY mERGING HUmANITY AND NATURE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE (ROCCA, 2007).

THE mOvEmENT EmPHASIZES ON fORmS ARE STRIPPED DOWN TO THEIR ESSENCE, EXPRESSING THE NATURAL BEAUTY PRESENT IN mATERIALS AND LOCATION. TO mE, THE PROjECT RESEmBLES A DESIRE TO LOOk BACk INTO THE TRUE fORm Of ARCHITECTURE THROUGH LOOkING BACk AT A fRAmEWORk TO APPROACH BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES. THIS IS RATHER INTERESTING fOR mE AS THIS CONCEPT TAkES A LITERAL INTENTION AND TRANSLATES IT THROUGH A BUILT PROjECT. HOWEvER ALL Of THE WORkS IN THE mOvEmENT SHARE A CENTRAL ETHOS THAT DEmONSTRATES A RESPECT AND APPRECIATION fOR NATURE. HERE, I Am mORE INTERESTED IN THE CONCEPT AND IDEA BEHIND THIS mOvEmENT AS IT HAS A POTENTIAL TO LAYOUT THE fOUNDATION Of mY ARGUmENT fOR THE PROPOSED EOI. THIS IDEA SOmEWHAT SImILAR TO WILLIAm’S (2005) IDEAL Of ARCHITECTURE AS A SIGN, A SIGN TO SYmBOLIZE AND GUIDE ANY PERSON LOOkING AT ARCHITECTURE ITSELf.

DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

PERfORmING ARTS CENTER, ABU DABHI ZAHA HADID

ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS IS A fIRm WELL kNOW fOR THEIR APPROACH TO BUILDING DESIGN WHICH mAkES CONSISTENT USE Of POWERfUL COmPUTATIONAL DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES AvAILABLE TODAY. THE DESIGN LANGUAGE Of THE ABU DABHI PERfORmING ARTS CENTER OR EvEN THE fIRm CAN BE SEEN AS CONSTANTLY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES Of GEOmETRIC EXPRESSION WHILE DEvELOPING TECHNICAL CAPABILITY TO CAPTURE AND EXECUTE A DESIGN. THIS INTEGRATION Of THE DESIGN INTENTION AND ACCURATE, EffICIENT PROjECT DELIvERY IS ACHIEvED THROUGH A DIGITAL CODIfICATION Of DESIGN AS A SERIES Of PARAmETRIC GEOmETRIC OPERATIONS, THIS ENABLES DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO BE RAPIDLY GENERATED BY CONTROLLING ASSOCIATIvE GEOmETRIES AND DRIvING PARAmETERS. I BELIEvE THESE EXPRESSIONS ARE THE DRIvING fORCE BEHIND THIS UP AND COmING DISCOURSE. fOR mE, THROUGH OBSERvING ZHA’S LANGUAGE Of ARCHITECTURE I WOULD LIkE TO INCOPORATE PARAmETRIC mETHOD INTO mY UPCOmING PROjECT, I BELIEvE PARAmETRICISm WILL BE THE fUTURE Of DESIGN, IT ALLOWS US TO DESIGN NOT jUST A PIECE Of ART BUT RATHER A BUILDING WITH CONTEXT THAT fITS INTO OUR CULTURE AND SOCIAL REALm.

SUSTAINABILITY AS A DISCOURSE HEARST TOWER IS THE fIRST ‘GREE’N’ HIGH RISE OffICE BUILDING COmPLETED IN NEWYORk CITY, WITH A NUmBER Of ENvIRONmENTAL CONSIDERATIONS BUILT INTO PLAN. OvERALL, THE BUILDING HAS EARNED A GOLD DESIGNATION fROm THE UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL’S LEED CERTIfICATION PROGRAm, BECOmING NEW YORk CITY’S fIRST LEED GOLD SkYSCRAPER. WITH GLOBAL WARmING BECOmING A mAjOR ISSUE AND THREATH TO OUR ENvIRONmENT, PEOPLE HAvE BEEN TRYING TO CHANGE THE BUILDINGS THAT WE INHABITATE ESPECIALLY IN AREA WITH A HIGH URBAN HEAT RATE. SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE ARE CURRENTLY SLOWLY EmERGING, IT WILL GRADUALLY SHAPE OUR URBAN ENvIRONmENT, fUSING IT WITH OUR POPULATION’S WILL TO SAvE THE EARTH. IN TERmS Of THINkING ABOUT WYNDHAm I THINk THAT SUSTAINABILITY mAYBE Of A GOOD DESIGN LANGUAGE TO BRING OUT THEIR UNIQUENESS IN ORDER TO BRAND THEmSELvES AS AN ICON. HOWEvER, ALTHOUGH SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE HAvE BEEN SLOWLY EmERGING, I PERSONALLY fIND THE ImPORTANCE TO DIffERENTIATE THE BUILT OURCOmES THAT ARE TRULY GREEN IN NATURE TO THOSE THAT CLAIm TO BE GREEN. A BUILDING TO mE HAS TO BE WHAT IT CLAImS TO BE. HEARST TOWER , UNITED STATES fOSTERS + PARTNERS

Week 2: computing in architecture

COmPUTATION AS A mEDIUm

BWm WELT, mUNICH, GERmANY COOP HImmELB(L)AU

‘WE CAN NOW PROvE THAT WE CAN DO WHAT, A fEW YEARS BACk, WE WERE SAYING WE COULD DO’.

fOR THIS PART, I Am INTERESTED IN fOCUSING ON THE DEvELOPmENT Of THE BmW WELT’S DYNAmIC SEmI-TRANSPARENT, GLASS AND STEEL STRUCTURE WHICH fEATURES A WAvY ROOf ENDING IN A TWISTING TWIN-CONE fORm, AND AN OPEN mAIN INTERIOR SPACE WITH A COmPOSITION Of mONUmENTAL STAIRWAYS, CURvED BRIDGES AND BALCONIES. fOCUSING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY, IT IS APPARENT HERE THAT THE PRECISION WHEN fABRICATING COmPLEX TWISTS AND fORmS COULD BE ACHIEvED. I PERSONALLY BELIEvE THAT COmPUTATION CAN DRIvE A fORm AND PUSHING IT INTO DIffERENT HEIGHTS, BUT THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE fORm ON A SCREEN COULD BE EffICIENTLY TRANSLATED INTO A BUILT OUTCOmE. THIS EXAmPLE BEST ILLUSTRATES THE POSSIBILITIES Of mERGING COmPUTATIONAL fORmS AND CONSTRUCTION TO PUSH ARCHITECTURE INTO THE fUTURE.

COmPUTATION AS A LANGUAGE

SkY RAIL, SAN fRANCISCO mATYSYS

SkY RAIL, SAN fRANCISCO USES A SERIES Of USERGENERATED GUIDELINES. THE SCRIPT BUILDS A IRREGULAR CELLULAR PATTERN Of APERTURES ON THE RAILING. BASED ON A fIELD Of ATTRACTORS, THE APERTURES ROTATE IN THE PLANE Of THE RAILING CAUSING THE ENTIRE RAILING TO OPEN TOWARDS CERTAIN vIEWS AS A PERSON WALkS UP OR DOWN THE STAIR. DOZENS Of SCRIPT ITERATIONS WERE EXPLORED BEfORE THE fINAL DESIGN WAS ACHIEvED. THIS PROjECT HIGHLIGHTS THE ABILITY TO USE A SERIES Of GRASSHOPPER ATTRACTOR DEfINITIONS TO fIND A POINT IN WHICH THE APERTURES ARE PLACE. I fIND THIS LANGUAGE Of DESIGN REALLY EvOCATIvE AND IT ATTRACTS mE IN A WAY THAT A DESIGN mUST BE jUSTIfIED IN A WAY TO CONvEY INfORmATION fOR THE OvERALL EXPERIENCE. IN A WAY, I ASPIRE TO ACHIEvE THIS DESIGN PROCESS AS IT COULD CONvEY A WHOLE NEW LEvEL Of SOPHISTICATION TO THE PROjECT. IT ALLOWS THE PROjECT TO RELATE TO THE SURROUNDINGS THEREfORE GENERATING A mORE BACkGROUND RELATED CONCEPT.

WEEK 3: PARAMETRIC MODELLING

A LANGUAGE WITHIN ARCHITECTURE

WATER CUBE, BEIjING PTW ARCHITECTS

THE WATERCUBE HAS AN OUTERSTRUCTURE Of A BASIC BOX WITH AN ORGANIC BUBBLE STRUCTURE THAT mAkES UP THE BUILDING CLADDING. THE BUBBLES ARE ORGANIC IN fORm AND HIGHLY SCIENTIfIC, CONSTRUCTED BASED ON ACTUAL ARRANGEmENT Of ORGANIC CELLS ANT THE NATURAL fORmATION Of SOAP BUBBLES. HENCE, BIOmImICRY. ALTHOUGH THE STRUCTURE APPEARS RANDOm, THE DESIGN PROCESS AND mATHEmATICAL ANALYSIS (ALGORITHmIC SPACES) USED TO PRODUCED TO CONSIDER THE OvERALL EXPERIENCES WITH WATER ARE INfACT STATE Of THE ART, THESE ARE ALL mADE POSSIBLE THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL ADvANCEmENT IN ENGINEERING AND OffCOURSE, DIGITAL DESIGN AND COmPUTATIONAL TECHNOLOGY. ALSO, ONE Of ITS HIGHLIGHTS IS THE USE Of A LIGHTWEIGHT AND TRANSPARENT TEfLON (ETfE) WHICH IS ALSO USED IN THE OUTER fACADE Of THE ALLIANZ ARENA. WHAT INTRIGUES mE IS THE ABILITY TO TRANSLATE A INTENTION ONTO THE BUILT fORm THROUGH STRUCTURAL TRANSLATION AS WELL AS DESIGN INTENTIONS. THE SYmBOLISm Of CHANNELING CHINESE CULTURE INTO THE CUBE’S DESIGN IN THIS CASE IS SImILAR IN WHAT WYNDHAm IS TRYING TO ACHIEvE, THIS TRANSLATION Of LANGUAGE If PUT INTO GOOD USE WILL HELP WYNDHAm IN GAINING INSTANT STATUS AS SEEN IN THE CASE Of THE BEIjING WATER CUBE. OffCOURSE, INNOvATION AND ITS CONTEXT TO THE SITE WILL BE AS ImPORTANT INTO fORmING THE fINAL EOI ARGUmENT .

PRImARY STRUCTURE: THE PRImARY STRUCTURE Of THE BUILDING IS A 3D SPACE fRAmE BASED ON A GEOmETRIC CELL mADE UP Of 12 PENTAGONS AND TWO HEAXAGONS THAT IS 3 DImENSIONALLY REPEATABLE WITHOUT LEAvING ANY EmPTY SPACES. THE fINAL STRUCTURE IS COmPRISED Of 22,000 TUBULAR STEEL mEmBERS CONNECTED BY 12,000 NODES.

BUBBLE DESIGN: THE BUBBLE GEOmETRIES ARE ANALYZED THROUGH fABRICATION mODEL INCREASING THE ACCURACY AND THE SUBSEQUENT fABRICATION Of THE CLADDING. THERE ARE 3 LAYERS TO THE BUILDING WITH THE mIDDLE LAYER fILLED WITH THERmAL AND ACOUSTIC INSULATION.

fORm fINDING: THE fORm fINDING PROCESS WAS IN THIS CASE STRAIGHTfORWARD, AS THE mAIN CONCERN WAS TO mAINTAIN THE BUBBLE LIkE SHAPE IN THE CUSHION. AIR PRESSURISED TO 2OOPA WAS PUmPED INTO THE ETfE CAUSING TO YIELD AND DEfORm, THUS fINIDNG THE SHAPE ORGANIC. fOR THE LARGER CUSHIONS, fORm fINDING WAS TO fIND THE GEOmETRY Of THE fOIL TO PREvENT OvERSTRESSING. THE mETHODS USED POSSIBLE HERE ARE DERIvED fROm DYNAmIC RELAXATION ALGORITHmS. fROm HERE, THE NEXT STEP IS TO ENSURE THAT THE ETfE WERE NOT OvERSTRESSED.

BIOmImCRY AS A WHOLE ALTHOUGH BIOmImICRY ALLOWS fORmS AND STRUCTURES TO BE ENHANCED AS OBSERvED fROm THE BEIjING WATER CUBE, IT mUST ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE ImPACT Of NEW ‘mASS CUSTOmIZABLE’ CONSTRUCTION mETHODS WHICH ENABLE A mUCH mORE ALGORITHmIC, GENERATIvE WAY Of BUILDING STRUCTURES. HENCE THE EmPHASIS ON THE TYPES Of STRUCTURE LIkE THE BEIjING WATER CUBE AND THE THE BmW WELT IN mUNICH TO NAmE A fEW; STRUCTURES WHICH ARE SOmETImES INDEED OfTEN INSPIRED BY NATURE, BUT WHICH CAN ALSO BE SImILAR IN TERmS Of OUTCOmES. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE CONvERGENT SOLUTIONS TO SImILAR PROBLEmS. DESPITE SOmE Of ITS mINOR PROBLEmS, IT IS HARD TO DENY THAT USING ‘NATURE’ TOGETHER WITH TECHNOLOGY HAS BROUGHT BENEfITS TO OUR BUILT ENvIRONmENT AND THIS DISCOURSE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND mAYBE SHAPE OUR fUTURE. TO AvOID THIS PROCESS Of SImILAR OUTCOmE THROUGH ONE TECHNIQUE, IT IS STILL ImPORTANT IN A WHOLE TO RELATE THE LANGUAGE IN WHICH WE WANT TO TRANSLATE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE. TO mE, THIS IS THE mOST ImPORTANT ASPECT IN DESIGN, THE ABILITY Of THE BUILDING TO CONvEY AND SPEAk fOR ITSELf.

EOI: RESEARCH GROUP

CONTENT

A. CASE fOR INNOvATION ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE:

22-23

DIGITAL DESIGN

24-25

BIOmImICRY

26-27

OBjECTIvES/ARGUmENT

B. RESEARCH PROjECT CRITERIA

PRECEDENTS

31-33

CUT mATRICES

34-37

CASE STUDIES vORONOI EXPLORATION 1

38-40

vORONOI EXPLORATION 2

41-42

vORONOI EXPLORATION 3

43-44

REfLECTION (1)

B. RESEARCH PROjECT REvISITED

ARGUmENT

PRECEDENTS

50-51

CRITERIA

EXPLORATIONS: vORONOI

55-57

EXPLORATION: CURvE

59-61

EXPLORATION: mERGE

63-65

EXPLORATION: fABRICATION

67-69

REfERENCES

REfLECTION

ation

DIGITAL DESIGN AS A DISCOURSE

GUGGENHEIm mUSEUm, BILBAO fRANk GEHRY

“NEW DIGITAL ARCHITECTURES ARE EmERGING fROm THE DIGITAL REvOLUTION. ARCHITECTS HAvE fOUND THEIR EXPRESSION IN HIGHLY COmPLEX, CURvCURvILINEAR fORmS THAT WILL GRADUALLY ENTER THE mAINSTREAm Of ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE.”

GUGGENHEIm mUSEUm IN BILBAO IS ONE Of THE GREATEST CREATIONS Of fRANk GEHRY. AN ARCHITECTURAL COmPETITION LED TO THE SELECTION Of CALIfORNIA-BASED ARCHITECT GEHRY, kNOWN fOR HIS USE Of UNORTHODOX mATERIALS AND INvENTIvE fORmS, AND HIS SENSITIvITY TO THE URBAN ENvIRONmENT. THEREfORE, DIGITAL DESIGN CAN BE AN ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE DUE TO DEmAND fROm THE ARCHITECTURE TO EXPLORE mORE IN IDEAS AND CREATIvITIES. fOR ARCHITECTURES, TO ACHIEvE SUCH BIG AND COmPLICATED IDEAS IN CREATING BUILDING INDEED DIGITAL DESIGN TO EXPRESS THEIR IDEA TO REALITY.

SUSTAINABILITY AS A DISCOURSE

SCHOOL Of ART, DESIGN AND mEDIA AT NANYANG UNIvERSITY, SINGAPORE CPG CONSULTANTS PTY LTD THE HIGHLIGHT Of THE BUILDING IS THE vERDANT TURfED ROOf WHICH BLENDS WITH THE GROUND CONTOUR. APART fROm ITS vISUAL ImPACT, THE TURfED ROOf SCAPE IS A fUNCTIONAL SPACE WHICH IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE vIA SIDESTEPS ALONG THE ROOf EDGE, THEREBY ALLOWING THE ROOfTOP TO BE A SCENIC OUTDOOR COmmUNAL SPACE. ENvIRONmENTALLY, IT HELPS TO LOWER THE ROOf TEmPERATURE AND SURROUNDING AREAS. fURTHERmORE, THE BUILDING HOLDS THREE fACULTIES SUCH AS ART, DESIGN, AND mEDIA. THIS BUILDING HAS SHOWN SUSTAINABILITY AS ARCHITECTURAL DISCOURSE CAN BE CONTRIBUTED IN mODERN STRUCTURE TO BE mORE SUSTAIN IN SPACES AND fUNCTIONALITY AS WELL AS COmmUNICATING THE LANGUAGE Of DESIGN.

DIGITAL SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: BIOmImICRY

mANAmA URBAN OASIS, BAHRAIN INfLUX STUDIO THE DESIGN SEEkS TO DEfINE A STRONG LANDmARk ImAGE fOR THE STRATEGIC GATHERING PLACE Of mANAmA. USING BIOmImICRY, THE fLAT SURfACE Of THE CANOPY STRUCTURE IS SUPPORTED BY A COLLECTION Of TREE-LIkE PILLARS THAT PULL AWAY fROm THE ROOf AT vARIOUS POINTS. THIS CONvEYS TO OUR GROUP AS A SYSTEm Of LINkING vORONOIS. SLEEk YET ORGANIC, THE TRANSLUCENT SHELTER PROvIDES SHADE WHILE ALLOWING INDIRECT DAYLIGHT fROm THE NORTH PENETRATES ON TO THE DECk LEvEL. STREET-LEvEL TRAffIC AND CONGESTION IS RELIEvED BY AN UNDERGROUND BY-PASS AND PARkING WHICH ENHANCES PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION AND EAST-WEST CONNECTIvITY. COmPUTATIONAL DESIGN TAkES A BIG PART IN mERGING SUCH PATTERN AND fUNCTION IN DESIGNING A SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURE THIS IS RELEvANT AS kALAY QUOTED THE CREATIvE PHASE Of THE DESIGN PROCESS, WHERE THE ARCHITECT fORmS IDEAS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN THIS CASE IN THE fORm Of COmPUTERS TO ADDRESS THE GOALS, CONSTRAINTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES WHERE ONE SUPPORTS ONE ANOTHER.

SHINkANSEN BULLET TRAIN, jAPAN TRAvELLING TOkYO-OSAkA BY SHINkANSEN PRODUCES ONLY AROUND 16% Of THE CARBON DIOXIDE Of THE EQUIvALENT jOURNEY BY CAR, A SAvINGS Of 15,000 TONS Of CO2 PER YEAR. COmPUTING Of THIS DESIGN REQUIRE SO mANY ASPECTS SUCH AS SAfETY mEASURE, SIGNALLING SYSTEmS, OR ROUTING. THEREfORE, PROBLEm ANALYSIS AND PROBLEm SOLvING CAN BE QUITE DISTURBING IN PROCESSING THE DESIGN. HOWEvER, THROUGH THE COmPUTATION THOSE PROBLEmS CAN BE SOLvED. COmmUNICATION ALLOWS ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS TO BECOmE INfORmED Of THE EvOLvING GOALS AND SOLUTIONS, TO HELP GENERATE SOLUTIONS (OR PARTIAL SOLUTIONS), AND TO EvALUATE THEm WHICH IN THIS PROjECT INCLUDES THE USING Of BIOmImICRY CONCEPTS AND APPLYING IT INTO NURBS BASED SOfTWARES TO OPTImIZE THE STRUCTURE TO fIT THE NEEDS Of THE USERS. THIS APPROACH SIGNIfIES OUR DESIGN IDEALS.

TECHNICAL STUDY: BEIjING WATER CUBE

WATER CUBE, BEIjING PTW ARCHITECTS

“A SIGNIfICANTLY DEEPER ENGAGEmENT BETWEEN THE COmPUTER AND USER BY AUTOmATING ROUTINE ASPECTS AND REPETITIvE ACTIvITIES, THUS fACILITATING A fAR GREATER RANGE Of POTENTIAL OUTCOmES fOR THE SAmE INvESTmENT IN TImE”

THE WATER CUBE’S DESIGN WAS INITIATED BY A TEAm EffORT: THE CHINESE PARTNERS fELT A SQUARE WAS mORE SYmBOLIC TO CHINESE CULTURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE BIRD’S NEST STADIUm, WHILE THE SYDNEY BASED PARTNERS CAmE UP WITH THE IDEA Of COvERING THE ‘CUBE’ WITH BUBBLES, SYmBOLISING WATER. CONTEXTUALLY THE CUBE SYmBOLISES EARTH WHILST THE CIRCLE (REPRESENTED BY THE STADIUm) REPRESENTS HEAvEN. HENCE SYmBOLICALLY THE WATER CUBE REfERENCES CHINESE SYmBOLIC ARCHITECTURE.

PARAmETRIC DESIGN HAS ALREADY BEEN CREATED BY mANY DESIGNERS. HOWEvER, EvERY DESIGNER NEEDS AID fROm THE COmPUTATION SYSTEm. IT IS BEEN SET fOR SO mANY YEARS THAT SCRIPTING IS THE mEDIA TO AID THE DESIGNER TO ACHIEvE CERTAIN PARAmETRIC DESIGN. SCRIPTING TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN APPLIED TO mANY ‘mEGA STRUCTURE’ fOR THE PAST DECADE. IN OTHER HAND, SOmE DESIGNERS ARE AvOIDING THIS TECHNIQUE fOR CREATING THEIR IDEAS INTO REALITY. THEY BELIEvED THROUGH SCRIPTING IN CREATING PARAmETRIC DESIGN IS TAkING THE fREEDOm OR GIvE A LImITATION TO DESIGNERS TO CREATE mORE IDEAS. NEvERTHELESS, SCRIPTING IS ALLEGED TO INSIDE Of EvERY NEW DESIGNERS mIND SET IN THIS 21ST CENTURY.

ARGUmENT: mERGING NATURE

Wyndham City is seeking design for an eye catching and exciting installation to create a gateway onto the Princes highway. Over the years, Wyndham has been striving towards creating and establishing a new image through aesthetics and technology. The city tries to focus on the idea of marrying nature with the built environment while pushing their town planning ideas towards the future. The local area is known for its natural significance as it boasts an array of public parks as well as natural features. Interestingly, additional information about Wyndham has shown that the natural area has a variety of wetlands and through recent drought conditions; mud cracking has been a recent scene, this in an abstract way form a strong connection point between the past and present. Thus, the installation will serve to inform people about the significance of change within Wyndham. It will also serve to inform the community and people about its natural significance. The project will focus on the possibilites of digital design and incorporating techniques and concepts examined from the selected cases for innovation to our group’s ideal. We are interested in developing the idea of fusing nature with the built environment (BIOmImICRY) to create an installation that is abstract in form. furthermore, with the advancement of technology in the field of biomimicry, we believe that the use of digital computation will further enhance the outcome of what the group is trying to achieve. Within nature more specifically, with relations to the mud crack formation of the wetlands, our group is interested in developing it’s possibilities and incorporating its system to our design. As so, the group has chosen to look into working with voronois in a broader context. moreover, the similarities of the formation of mud cracking patterns as well as cell formation systems in nature are researched to be identical to the formation of voronoi patterning. Through merging digital software together with nature, breakthrough in architecture has been observed; one of the more famous examples is the Beijing Water Cube. The project has shown most importantly the use of nature within a built system and expanding it into an idea with the use of digital design. With relation to our project, our technique is to use grasshopper to merge the abstract form of natural and built systems and digital software. Grasshopper, in this case can help us in producing and looking at voronois in terms of concepts as a system of formation rather than individual rings within a plane. To certain extents digital software, Rhino and grasshopper also helped our group understand and produce an array of patterns and forms in a more eﬃcient manner especially during exploration process as well as fabrication management. furthermore, digital software can substantially aid in pushing our design to the next level achieving form explorations that couldn’t be achieved through traditional drafting by linking definitions of diﬀerent generated outcomes in grasshopper during the exploration process. Our outcome is formed through experimental and developmental stages.

B. Research Project

CRITERIA After forming the argument, we have adopted a rule-based approach in design (kalay, 2004) and identified three crucial parts of to our concept developments, they are: -The Natural System, -The Built Environment and -The Combination of Natural and Built Systems. These 3 main concepts will act as a guide within our matrices exploration process, this is to ensure the production of a appropriate and definite final outcome for the Wynd -ham City project.

PRECEDENTS: NATURE

This is to form a final outcome that is simple in a poetic and visual sense but could be able to blend with our ideals and as an outcome convey the characteristics of Wyndham.

The Giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Causeway (Ireland)

mudcracks

Leaf veins

Dragonflyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wing Looking at natural processes and systems enabled us to form a framework in developing an understanding of the natural systems that we are looking closely at, this is more relevant in terms of voronoi formation and patterning. from this, we identified that voronoi occur in various triangulated, hexagonal shapes and work on an attractor point system. In terms of aesthetics, we are interested in untilizing this system as well as the pattern.

PRECEDENTS: BUILT from looking at the built examples, we delved upon the possibilities of manipulating the patterns within the natural systems into various forms and volumes. The examples listed are a few of the known examples within sustainable architecture but common themes are also the use of applying biomimicry into their design development process. The common characteristics of these built examples lies in the use of one occurring technique and exploring it with motives such as depth and gradient in which we are particularly interested in exploring. These elements as said provides us in terms of understanding the limitations and possibilities of our design and with relations to the project we would apply these concepts of exploration and motives as they are relevant to the advancement of design aesthetics and technology which Wyndham is aspiring to be.

federation Square (melbourne), Lab Architecture Studio

Beltline Installation (Atlanta), Tristan-Al-Haddad

melbourne Recital Hall and mTC Theatre (melbourne), Ashton Raggat mcDougall

Grocon Pixel Building (melbourne), studio505

PRECEDENTS: NATURE + BUILT These examples mainly serve as a basis for our exploration outcomes, these examples of applying very direct connotations from the natural environment in terms of patterning and shapes into built outcomes. Our case study exploration is heavily influenced by these designs as they convey to us the concept of forms that highlights the use of biomimicry to draw attention of the viewers to the built form. Their form though simple has a consistent and direct theme in which the viewers can relate, this we think is relevant to what we want to achieve for our project outcome. kartal Pendik masterplan (Istanbul), Zaha Hadid Architects

Porifera Skyscraper in Paris - 2011 Skyscraper Competition, Nicolas jomain, Boriana Tchonkova

Cactus Project (Doha), Aesthetics Architects GO Group flat Tower - 2011 Skyscraper Competition, Yoann mescam, Paul-Eric Schirr-Bonnans, Xavier Schirr-Bonnans

overlapping patterns + data driven rotation

overlapping patterns + surface grids + data driven shading

surface grids + data driven rotation

curve attractor + data driven rotation

curve attractor + using sets

surface grids + using sets + data driven rotation

overlapping patterns + surface grids + using sets + data driven shading

overlapping patterns + surface grid + data driven rotation + data driven shading

arbitrary points + attractor points + data driven components

arbitrary points + maths functions + data driven components

arbitrary points + streaming text files + data driven components

boolean patterning + attractor points + data driven components

boolean patterning + maths functions + data driven components

arbitrary points + boolean patterning + attractor points + maths functions + data driven components

overlapping patterns + multiple maths functions

using surface normals + data driven extrusion

curve intersections + using surface normals + image sampler

image sampler + multiple maths functions

multiple maths functions + data driven extrusion

curve intersections + multile maths functions

using surface normals + multiple maths functions

curve attractor + image sampler + multiple maths functions

jUSTIfICATION Of mATRICES

As stated before, our matrices explorations are influenced by 3 main themes, further expanding the themes, our group have set out a framework in which the definitions are divided amongst the members to allow a in depth understanding of working with a and/or a few definition and expanding them in a coherent 3 part manner to achieve the desired outcome. The outcomes are mostly focused on achieving an obvious set of outcomes that relates back to our criteria. Among our exploration processes we found out that we are particularly interested in the possibilities of merging Attractor points, curve attractors and extrusions with voronois and manipulating it with the methods that were provided in the ex-lab tutorials. This formed our basis of our initial technique in forming the definitions for our case study. for our final outcome, we have decided to employ the technical concept obtained from the matrices exploration and redevelop the possible outcomes of the Tokyo Airspace faรงade. Our development tries to incorporate gradient and depth to voronois and manipulating it to change into a form that would be perceived as a whole system. Using the final outcome as a guide, we would then further manipulate the model during fabrication with pinki-sil and resin to relate it back to the context of Wyndham City.

CASE STUDY

AIRSPACE, TOkYO STUDIO m/THOm fAULDERS ARCHITECTURE

Airspace Tokyo designed by faulders Studio strike us in the sense of its simple form but complicated pattern solid yet vivid façade. The digitally-generated overlapping voronoi pattern that represents the biomorphic cells of vegetation, suits our preferred digital technique exploration – biomimicry. Lightings are the essential eﬀect for both external and internal space. Through the pattern, views are fragmented and create a unique experiment through diﬀerent angles. At night, the interior lightings passing through the perforations of overlapping voronoi make a mysterious feeling as it seems to move as we move.

CASE STUDY: REvERSE ENGINEERING

OvERLAPPING vORONOI

Taking the concepts from our matrices exploration, we came up with a technique to produce an overlapping voronoi by generating random points of various centers within the voronoi mainly through multiple maths functions. The outcome is similar to that of our case study, Airspace Tokyo.

fURTHER EXPLORATION 1

CUBE vORONOI

After the reverse engineering of the faรงade of Airspace Tokyo, we tried experimenting and viewing the voronoi as a volume rather than a 2-dimesional form making this concept cohesive to our argument. joining the 2-dimesional facades into a cube would be the easiest approach to achieve the stereoscopic sense of voronoi as a whole. Playing with light, the faรงades of the cube create shadows that overlapped each other and further fragmenting the voronoi.

fURTHER EXPLORATION 2

To take the design into a further development, the holes and the frame would be inverted as in the holes are filled and extruded while the frame is lowered. Each extruded volume is broken into 6 pieces of triangles. And the triangular forms are in diďŹ&#x20AC;erent heights that will make a wavy form 3-dimesionally. The form made before is similar to that of mud cracks, and we are interested by this particular natural geomorphic signs. for the final exploration, the mud cracks particularly The Giant Causeway in Ireland inspires us to build voronoi extrusion into diďŹ&#x20AC;erent levels

fINAL EXPLORATION

REfLECTION

DURING THE PRESENTATION, IT WAS POINTED OUT TO US THAT OUR GROUP PROGRESS WAS UNCLEAR IN TERmS Of DESIGN DIRECTION AND jUSTIfICATION. AfTER RECEIvING fEEDBACk, WE REALISED THAT WE SHOULD LOOk INTO OUR ARGUmENTS AND RELATING OUR GROUP INTENTS TO WYNDHAm AT A mORE SOPHISTICATED LEvEL.. WHAT WE HAvE DONE IS AT mOST AN EXERCISE TO PRODUCE vARIANTS Of vORONOI DEfINITIONS. LOOkING BACk AND EXAmINING OUR ARGUmENTS, I REALISED THAT WE HAvE NOT jUSTIfIED A CLEAR REASON WHY WE WOULD CARRY OUT OUR PROjECT IN THIS mANNER. AT THE NEXT SECTION, WE WILL BE LOOkING CLOSELY AT OUR fLAWS AND RETHINkING IN WHAT WAYS WE COULD PUSH OUR UNDERSTANDING Of THE BRIEf AS WELL AS THE TECHNIQUES IN WHICH THE COURSE WANTS US TO EXPLORE. HOWEvER, THE POSITIvE SIDE ABOUT mAkING mISTAkES IS THAT WE CAN ImPROvE fOR THE BETTER. WE HAvE TAkEN THE POSITION TO RE-THINk AND REPOSITION OUR ARGUmENT AND CRITERIA IN ORDER TO ImPROvE. OUR NEW jUSTIfICATION AND EXPLORATION OvER THE WEEk HAS BEEN REDOCUmENTED IN THE NEXT SECTION.

EOI: REVISITED

ARGUmENT: fIELD Of REALISATION

PRECEDENTS Roudavski (2009) argued that precedents do exist in nature where structurally complex living organisms have been adapting to their environments for millions of years. These researched projects in a whole demonstrate a successful implementation of a large-scale cellular structure in a project that is acclaimed for its visual impact and the translation of abstract intents. After identifying our arguments, we are particularly interested in using collective cellular structures and translating them into representational meanings within architecture; we looked at a number of precedents within this context and came up with our criteria that are specific to our site: Airspace Tokyo is designed to establish a screened buﬀer zone, the design intention for the screen is to invent an architectural system that performs with similar attributes to the demolished green strip and creates an atmospheric zone of protection.

AIRSPACE, TOkYO STUDIO m/THOm fAULDERS ARCHITECTURE The master plan principles for the Headquarters are based on the concepts of connectivity, clarity and community – concepts that are also vital to Alibaba’s e-commerce business these are all represented with voronoi patterning. These principles guided all design decisions from the single workstation to the greater workplace community.

ALIBABA HEADQUARTERS, HANGZHOU HASSELL ARCHITECTURE Similar to how the UN is formed by individual nations, the memorial entails a cube comprised of smaller “cells.” These cells, which are meant to represent the “collective nature of the UN’s identity” fuse together to create the final shape.

UN mEmORIAL, SOUTH kOREA ACmE 50

Although unbuilt, this proposed project identified out group’s intention of developing and translating our voronoi into an architectural language. The designers quoted “Programmatic mapping of existing surroundings were conducted as a source of exploration in the observation of possible voronoi patterns. four main activities nodes (residential, recreational, commercial and transportation) were identified and fed into a voronoi script to generate overlays of patterns based on each activity nodes. The four diﬀerent nodal abstract grids were then superimposed to form a denser grid in an attempt to explore the possibilities of how an urban informed voronoi map could inform architecture and urban spaces.”

POREUX, EvOLO COmPETITION SUBmISSION DOmENIC CERANTONIO, mICHAEL WU, WILSON TANG This complex is described by its architects as ‘nonidentical Siamese twins’ because they are co-located but each expresses a diﬀerent architectural identity. The use of voronois here clearly articulates the visual representation a building, using 2 diﬀerent ways of generating voronois, one using its structural ribs and one using plane patterning.

RECITAL HALL, mELBOURNE ASHTON RAGGATT mCDOUGALL (ARm) Using a honeycomb structure with a voronoi pattern as the initial layout. The honeycomb form allows the chair to support large loads even though the material is quite thin. This project displays the merging of design and structure to produce a design intent, using these language to produce something aesthetically interesting.

vORONOI HONEYCOmB SERIES, TAIWAN NOIZ ARCHITECTS 51

CRITERIA

“The voronoi model of space is becoming more and more important as a tool in the mathematical modelling of space for many application domains. In the voronoi model, space is neither an empty void within which can be found occasional objects (the vector model), nor a lattice of arbitrary cells (the raster model). Rather, space is a continuous medium filled with proximity fields generated by objects. This representation of space has important implications for domains where geographic space is endowed with cultural characteristics or values.”

After looking at a number of precedents, we are interested with the possibilities of voronoi patterning and their abilities to convey design intents and abstract representations through exploring depth, gradient and movement. We are interested in using these languages of voronoi algorithm and placing them in the context of creating a buﬀered space (a field to realisation) and thus, we have set out a number of criteria to explore ways to develop these voronois to merge with our argument:

Phase 1: In order to clearly show the realisation of movement, our group looked at ways to achieve a system in which the voronoi points are placed, these systems are then expanded to achieve an outcome that is most related to the group’s ideal. Phase 2: To represent movement and gradient, we will look into ways in which a curved surface can be manipulated to fit with the site context. Phase 3: merging these two intentions to produce a justified outcome. Phase 4: Expanding this justified outcome with transformation definitions to give the voronois a more complex outcome, this phase will be experimenting with layering, depth and to allow the eyes to be attracted and slowly guided to a intended voronoi frame.

EXPLORATIONs of derived form

VORONOI

fORm fINDING: THINkING PROCESS

fig 1.

firstly, our group started of by rethinking of a technique of how to justify the driver of these voronoi points. Thinking of using Wyndham as a starting point and looking it as a system in which we could set our explorations. The images on the left points out the basic technique of how our voronoi form is derived conceptually. Starting from a visual representation of Wyndham (fig1), plotting in input definitions such as (i) image samplers, (ii) multiple maths, (iii) attractor point to test out the points driven in terms of sophistication and position of our voronoi (fig 2). from our test voronois (fig 3), we extruded up the form to give it depth (fig 4), this is to allow futher exploration of the potential of each voronoi opening to convey a more complex language of sophistication. This will be discussed at a later part. from this exploration stage, we decided to omit image samplers and multiple maths as a possible technique, we did not find a direct or good correlation of what we were trying to convey of the site to the techniques said.

fig 2

fig 3

fig 4

GENERATED vORONOI

Our group final voronoi technique is derived from looking into a single attractor point and driving it by inputing a definition in which a point is move along a referenced curve, this curve is derived by looking at the statistics of Wyndham in a abstract map context, this will help us identify the major diďŹ&#x20AC;erences between the areas that we would want to explore. We are relatively satisfied with this technique as we believe it conveys more depth and sophistication in which we generate our voronoi, this solves our earlier problem of not being able to justify the points and our groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness in tying Wyndham, our argument and the said technique.

fUTURE EXPLORATIONS

Our further explorations will include developing a sophisticated language interms of developing our abstract map concept. This might be explored in a number of diďŹ&#x20AC;erent methods: (i) Obtaining statistics and plotting it onto the xyz-plane, making the driver a 3D form rather than a 2D plane. (ii) Overlaying maps of various population statistics in all context to clearly map out the diďŹ&#x20AC;erence between the city, Wyndham and the rural outskirts. (iii) Taking a direct approach and extracting contour lines between the intersection of the population distribution, population density and/or population movement within the larger area of our said target area.

CURVES

THINkING PROCESS + POSSIBLE EXPLORATIONS

fig 1.

Our next criteria was to look into a concept in which the overall form of our design will be derived. After looking at voronoi drivers at a larger scale, we thought of drawing our form finding technique back to a more specific scale. In this case, by looking at the site conditions (fig 1) itself is most suitable to merge our concept with Wyndham and the site. This tunneling structure and its definition was rather achievable, however, we might further this exploration in order to push this form further by manipulating the depth and structure of the form to find a possible outcome.

We furthered our explorations through looking at a number of ways to make our curved surface into a more interesting outcome. however, after critically observing the various formed outcomes. We decided to stick to the original curve beacause as a whole form, it tended to provide us with a range of possibilities to further our theme of emotional impact and language translation in a more thorough way

Voronoi on a surface

ANALYSING: OUTCOmE

After merging both explorations and coming up with a set direction in which we are heading, I have decided to analyse the form. Surprisingly, after looking at the merged form as a whole, it has already achieved the concept of drawing atention which is what we wanted as a group, this is because the arched outcome itself and the contouring of the site has already achieved a gradient in which the eyesight can already be channeled. By adding the voronoi in will dramiticaly alter the field of depth. We will be working on this closelty to come up with a final formThis form is ideal for what we are achieving but we are still lacking interms of the language translation and fabrication process.

EXPLORED OUTCOmES + POSSIBLE EXPLORATIONS

Although at this stage we have already dealt with the initial stages of the design technicalities. At the next stage we will be looking into how to bring about in executing a good design. here, we will focus on providing an experiencial quality within the tunnel structure that we have propose. This will then abstractly inform of Wyndham to the commuters through the site. This will be all about using the voronoi as a guide and using them to frame experience and emotional qualities through abstract representation of bridging the city to the rural through Wyndham. however, detaily the group is still working on to giving the voronoi ita smoother edge so that the design ourcome would be more integrated to the experiencial aspect of the design. This would be explored through grasshopper defi nitions of extruded polysurfaces and lofting them together to form smoother edges, one of the built examples is shown in my xase study.

Fabrication concepts

CURRENT & POSSIBLE CONCEPTS

The group is currently trying to think of a fabrication method in which 3d printing will be the last option. At this point, due to our complex curved form, we have been looking into a casting method. At this stage we have contoured the curve surface onto a base box as shown above and will be looking into fabricating the voronoi surface and casting it onto it. This at the moment might be possible through the use of silicone, however pinki-sil might be too liquid because of our curved form, looking into a more dense material might be an option. however, at this point, we are still considering the accuracy of the curved parameters to the size of the voronoi printed. for the next few weeks, we will be looking at this matter in order to produce a model that works.

fAILED ATTEmPT

Before looking into our current method, we experimented with contouring our model, we initially thought it would be possible, but due to the inconsistent sizes of the voronois and the doublecurved surface, the result is seen in fi gure 1 above. The cuts produced a lot of small individual pieces that will make fabricating the model a hectic process, not to mention itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stability and constructional qualities of the model.

Though still in an experimental stage, we have come up with a number of possible solutions. This will be tested throughout the next 4 weeks . (I) using silicone as a medium, fabricating them with wire meshing bonded onto the structure. then placing it onto a contoured mould to form the curve. This in a constructional terms acts like a reincorcement to hold up its shape. (II) disecting the structure in Rhino to produce a more squared paneled outcome and fabricate it as individual pieces then reassembling them. materials considered for this method will be using polyethene sheets due to their bendable qualities.

SITE ANALYSIS & DESIGN PROCESS

DESIGN fOCUS

fig 1

fig 2

fig 3

In summary, the overall form is achieved through looking at the relationship between the city, Wyndham and the rural outskirts then zooming into the site itself to abstract a form that will make our form meaningful and truly contextual. Although the initial idea is to translate population density into voronoi patterns to show that distinct relationship, the group found that interms of plotting and abstracting these data into a parametric design takes a longer time to deal with, however, we do not have the luxury of time. We then worked from the comments and feedback from the EOI and finally decided to focus on the overall experiental aspect while using population density as a concept and abstractly translating it onto our form. from what we have during our EOI stage, the next few steps of our design process includes manipulating the curved form and voronoi patterns to match and bring out the experiental eďŹ&#x20AC;ect of driving from a dense metropolis to the open outskirts. figure 1 shows a diagramatic change of our curved form, the initial form, a more streamlined outcome as seen in the EOI stage is gradually altered and shaped to highlight and show the true qualities of the experiental eďŹ&#x20AC;ect that the group is trying to achieve. These forms are manipulated through a series of trial and error tests. The commuters along the highway as well as achieving a form which will make a direct and dramatic impact are the priorities and driver behind our manipulating process. figure 2 shows our voronoi test process. As we have already referenced our driving source in which the voronoi will be manipulated in grasshopper, for this stage, we tested with the number slider. Setting the maximum to 10, we entered in specific number scales and waited for the outcome which often takes more than 5 minutes to generate. We finally settled with the numeric scale of 7.334. figure 3 is to illustrate the diďŹ&#x20AC;erence between our initial idea and form and finally manipulating and tying it back it with context and analysis to fit the overall experience and realisation qualities that the group is trying to achieve.

DESIGN APPROACH: AN EXPERIENTIAL REALm

As explained in the design focus section, the overall project focuses on the experiential qualities. Hence, as a group we believe it is important to bring out this particular aspect in a realistic sense. We ensure this part was made possible though simple stop motion tests in rhino and also showing the experience to our friends and some of our tute mates asking them over and over again to perfect that particular experience. Overall, the depth and height of the structure, form, voronoi and Wydhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s significance all played a part in achieving the final structure. We realised that we have to work with these factors not as an individual trait but as cohesive qualities to come out with a form that the group agrees on. In the earlier stages, we were stuck on highlighting their individual trait that lead the project to look more like a mismatched outcome rather than a wholistic one.

jUSTIfICATION ON SITE

Zooming onto the site, we have decided to place our structure over all 3 sites, this is because we as a group thought it would made more sense for the structure to span and provide a longer duration of time for the commuters to “realise” the changes within the structure as well as the context behind. The overall structure in a 1:1 scale measure about 250meters in length, 50meters in width and 36 meters at its peak height. We also wanted all roads and freeways to be included within the experience. However, as seen from the site plan, each of these roads and freeways will have a dissimilar experience. This was to highlight hierarchy as well as to symbolise the diﬀerence of Wyndham as a city itself. All these aspects are considered and are intentional.

DESIGN PROCESS: A SUmmARY In conclusion, the overall design process can be summarised into 6 easy steps as seen in the diagrams.

: Looking at movement within the site and population density within the larger context of melbourne to create a field to realisation.

SITE MOVEMENT

CIT

RU R

POPULATION CHANGE

DATA CONVERSION TO VORONOI

BASIC FORM DERIVED FROM LANDSCAPE

CURVES INTO A SURFACE experiential change leading to Wyndham

FORM OUTCOME

: Plotting out the population change abstractly on site as an initial driver for the voronois.

: Convert these driving voronoi points into a wanted outcome.

: Contextual form derived from site and landscape pattern.

: manipulating curves and voronois to fit the experiential change leading to Wyndham.

: Tying back all ideas to form a final outcome.

EXPERIENTIAL PASSAGE

Construction: an overview

CONSTRUCTION PRECEDENTS & PROPOSED mETHOD

LONDON OLYmPIC STADIUm POPULOUS ARCHITECTS

GUGGENHEIm mUSEUm, BILBAO fRANk GEHRY

To translate our project into a built form, we looked into various projects that has a similar scale in terms of size. We looked at megastructures and innovative buildings, examining their construction methods and applying them to our project as a constructional suggestion. Two of the most relevant buildings and their constructional properties that could be apply to our structure are the London Olympic Stadium and the Guggenheim museum. The reason why we looked at these two in particular is because of their massive size as well as their use of layers and cladding within a curved structure. We are interested with how they incorporate steel members bolting and welding them to form lattices and surfaces in a 3D manner. Also, the materials chosen to complete both of their outlook also convinced us to look deeper into these choices. To our group, it brings out the complex form of their design but in a way making it look simple and clean with a seamless look. This is what we are trying to achieve in terms of constructional properties.

Our form will be built through pre-fabricated steel trusses, forming it into a lattice structure, and cladding it with brushed steel to give it a seemless metallic look. These steel trusses wil be constructed with a 3 tier system similar to the Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nest stadium in Beijing. It will consist of a primary load bearing structure that will be connected to deep piles as well as tension cables to hold the structure down, the subsequent struture will be spanning beams of steel trusses and cantilevered sections.

UNDERSTADING TECHNIQUES: mODEL mAkING

Although we had our overall model 3D printed, our group still find the importance in experimenting with new forms of materials to achieve a breakthrough interms of understanding materials that we were not familiar with. We chose Pinkisil a silicone based material. This is because our project requires materials to cope with double curved surfaces. We applied the technique of tension vS compression to construct our model. We started with laser cutting aryclic sheets and using them as mould for to pour the pinkisil in. We stacked 2 pieces of similar 3mm sheets and stick them with contact cement to ensure that the joints are air tight and sealed. We then pour a first layer of Pinkisil in equal parts to fill up about half the mould. While it sets, we embed wires about 2mm in diameter in between individual lines. We complete the model by pouring in the remaining batch of pinkisil and wait for it to set. Our fabrication method only involved one section of the model in a 1:200 as in a smaller scale, the individual strips would be too thin for the pinksil to be removed from the mould. from this process, we understood the importance of executing our model making methods straight down to detail. Everything must be overlooked and must be carried out precisely. This understading stems from the few failures we encountered during the model making process whereby the mould wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t placed properly or inaccurate portions of pinkisil were used etc. This understanding is somehow similar to construction procedures in reality. I guess, the main purpose the course wants us to interact with model making skills is to inform us the importance of constructional processes and that when we design, we have to think about its constructability as a whole. Additionally, from this, I have come to realise that designs can also stem from construction rather than just having and utilizing the construction theories to fit structures themself.

This is phase two of ourr model making construction, we were told during the presentation by a crit to look into how tension and compression works out to form a coherent whole. We then went back and altered some of the major factors such as the pinkisil itself as well the thickness of the wires to experiment with the outcome. With the first image, we used the same wire thickness about 2mm and the same 1:1 portion of pinksil. The result was a firm and rigid structure with a flexible bending ability.

In second picture below, we experimented with the tensional properties of the structre. We minimized the diameter of the wire to 1mm and kept the correct proportion of the pinkisil. The outcome was still a firm and rigid structures. However, this might be due to the wire not being able to stucture interms of staying at a certain point, the individual strips seem to have a habit in which it would return to a certain position after bending it.

for the last experiment, we tried to alter the compressional properties of the model. Hence, we modified slightly the proportions of the pinki-sil mix to a 1.1 : 9 mix while the wire still maintaining it at a 1mm diameter. The result was a fail outcome as the pinkisil itself was to delicate to manipulate, the wires when bend would stick out and the whole structure would collapse due to its unstable nature.

AN AfTER PRESENTATION REfLECTION During the presentation, our group had swayed away from our design intentions and presented in a manner that did not convey our design focus and intentions. I was rather dissapointed with the fact that I have lost a chance for a real feedback that focuses on the overall design and process. The crits pointed out on flaws that we post-rationalized. However, with the given amount of time, I am happy with our work and the outcome.

However, I believe with more time, we will be able to push our design further. I would personally look into the relationship between constructional processes and the natural system and applying them to this form. This will link and justify the reason for our argument in PART 1: A CASE fOR INNOvATION to our project in a more coherent manner. Also, I would also look into the possibilities of these indiviidual voronois to convey their own message through manipulating the angle of placement and their details to produced more play in shadow movement as well as its overall look. This I believe these are contributing factors that will further strenghten the project contextually.

part iii: Learning objectives and outcomes

The amount of knowledge I gained throughout the course was plentiful. This is by far the toughest and most time consuming semester I have ever encountered. from feeling very lost during the first few weeks and right up to the final EOI presentation to the gradual improvement and understading of the course content and requirements after, I can conclude that never had I been on such a roller coaster ride in any design subjects. The reason to why I pointed out that the first few weeks was the weakest link to the learning outcome of my group mates and I is due to the topic that we chose and decided to hang on as well as the lack of clarity of how the course was put out. It was just too much, as various information was circulated around and expectations changing every other week. I was at that point very confused thus resulting in a very weak overall morale that reflected in our EOI outcome despite the time and eďŹ&#x20AC;ort that our group members have put in. However, the remaining weeks were more fruitful as our tutors had helped us out in sorting out our ideas as well as the course intentions. Aftter understanding the deliverables we then had a more in depth understanding of what we can achieve with what we had learned earlier during the semester. By then, applying grasshopper techniques and rhino skills seems to link cohesively to what we are doing. With these factors all sorted out, I then feel more motivated to engage with the course materials. Although I had gained insight to grasshopper and Rhino, I would like to experiment with these softwares in terms of applying these techniques to a full scale building project, it would be interesting to see how these techniques now applied in a more outdoor context can be applied interiorly. maybe I will have a chance experimenting with these newly accuqired techniques and skills next semester in ADS 4. Overall, due to the course requirements, other than parametric concepts, grasshopper and rhino, I have also understood more about the importance of softwares and presentation skills within architecture. I must say our group had done a good job in experimenting with photoshop, indesign, illustrator and even vray rendering as well as photography in diďŹ&#x20AC;erent conditions and lighting space. Last but not least, I have also improved interms of critical thinking and reacton response due to the amount of crits present during the final presentation. This I feel was very useful as diďŹ&#x20AC;erent comments were thrown at our face, but I liked the fact that it was constructive comments that we can work on to further improve ourselves as a designer and as an architecture student.

REfERENCES

Burry, mark (2011). Scripting Cultures: Architectural Design and Programming (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 8 - 71. Patrik Schumacher, ‘Introduction : Architecture as Autopoietic System’, in The Autopoiesis of Architecture (Chichester: j. Wiley, 2011), pp. 1 - 28. Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and visual Culture’, in Exploring visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 - 16. Yehuda E. kalay, Architecture’s New media : Principles, Theories, and methods of Computer-Aided Design (Cambridge, mass.: mIT Press, 2004), pp. 5 – 25.