CITY ARBORETUM

M.ARCH 1ST-YEAR BUILDING DESIGN STUDIO

/YEAR: 2021

/ INSTRUCTOR: JULIA KOERNER

/ PROJECT TYPE: ARBORETUM

/ AREA: 276,300 SQFT

#arboretum #silk #density #opacity #tensilestructure #grasshopper #kangaroo #ladybug

The core concept of this project is that the building and the plants are fitting to each other. Aside from the space that required artificial floors, the building spares most of the earth to the plants. On the other hand, the plants become the secondary envelope system that shades the building from excessive sunlight. Based on its geometrical properties, each plant serve as a part of architecture: the wide and shallow canopy of Acacia becomes the roof of the library, whereas the short, dense shrubs turn into the wall that prevents wind and that filters polluted air from the street.

Radiation Study

Grounded on the precedent, Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, the project explores the correlation between the building's proportions and its radiation performance.

Section

The fabric envelopes are inspired by cocoons. It achieves a certain level of transparency through its density. The density also affects the strength of the net - the denser, the stronger.

Structure Diagrams

The building envelope is supported by a set of branch-like structures. While the columns bear the loads from above, the branch-like structures and the cables on top handle the moment. The roof, fabric structure, and walls are then attached to this supporting framework.

Digital Catalogs of Cymatics

The pattern of Cymatics suggests the distribution of vibration when a sound resonates with the medium. To optimize the noise reduction, the openings such as windows are arranged along the curves of the pattern, which is the area with no vibration.

To generate the digital patterns, the research started from building a script of sine waves in Rhino Grasshopper.