Part B

PART B - CRITERIR DESIGN

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B1 RESEARCH FIELD

Geometry

and architecture have always been profoundly interconnected with each other since the first triangular hut was built by our human ancestors thousands of years ago. All the existing buildings would not have been erected without the basic knowledge of geometry. In this era, with the aid of avant-garde technologies, geometric design approach has been a dominant branch of the newly developed parametric design.

The realm of geometric approach is actually very broad and the boundary is very ambiguous. It is basically about defining shapes and finding forms using geometric tools, which will be involved in almost all design processes. Therefore, it is usually associated with other design approaches such as performance-based design.

Moreover, due to the use of geometric functions, which defines the outcome in an accurate mathematical method, the whole design process can be

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very dynamic, compared to the rather static process of the conventional designs. The input data can be constantly varied due to the change of material properties, structural requirements and site conditions, with various optimized outcomes generated to meet all the design considerations concurrently.

Furthermore, due to the nature of mathematics and computation, such a design methodology is endowed with precision without depleting the limited capacity of human brains. In geometric design, the realm of tangible problems has been pushed beyond its limit, being solved in the virtual world defined by mathematics and accurately translated into physical structures in the real world afterwards, which has helped to solve highly sophisticated problems and created geometrically intricate forms.

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B2 CASE STUDY 1 - GREEN VOID

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Inexplicable at the first sight, the green void is actually

designed based on the soap bubble model explored by Frei Otto in 1972, which leads to the theory of minimal surface afterwards. Therefore, the form of the Green Void is not obtained through human manipulation, but generated by computer programs based on site conditions, simulation of naturally evolving systems and minimal surface areas. As a result, the form ensures that it is the optimized alternative that suits the existing context and minimizes the material usage.

Additionally, the project is to explore the possibility of using minimal materials to create a maximized space.

Hence, instead of ubiquitous structural materials such as steel and aluminum, the overall structure was fabricated with lycra, attached to aluminum profiles and suspended by stainless steel cables. Consequentially, this structure has successfully circumscribed a total volume of 3000 m続 with an optimized weight of only 40kg.

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The

design of Green Void demonstrates how geometry-based ideology is entwined with the performance-based approach. In order to fulfill the purpose of maximizing the enveloped space with minimum materials, the most effective connection points were identified and programmed as an input data, which was substituted into the formula of minimal surface area afterwards. This design process is indeed based on the performance of structure and material. However, without the help of geometric calculation, such an accurate outcome would not have been achieved. Therefore, the geometric approach is a mathematical means that bridges the gap between the desirable outcome and the available data, which is fundamental in majority of design processes.

Also, in this case, in spite of the minimum physi-

cal impact on the existing historical heritage due to the use of light-weight lycra and assembly methodology, the installation does create a striking sense of modernity and illusion, which differentiates it from the original structures and intrigues visitors.

Hence, with a great number of less privileged historical sites in the predicament of being gradually obliterated from people’s memory, similar installations might be feasible for these sites by varying the input data, bringing about minimal physical impacts but unprecedented attentions from the public. This might be an architectural method for these historical sites to generate incomes and attracts more attention, in order to obtain better maintenance.

which is based on the purpose of minimizing surface area in this case, is interspersed with the material performance, without possible fallacies in the actual assembly stage. This has resulted in a simplified assembly and disassembly process within a shorter timeframe, without the traditional effect-testing process. This feature advocates the virtue of temporary structures and inevitably leads to a curtail in terms of manpower and investment. In a larger scale, such features will render a proposed project a more profitable one with less initial investment, while going inline with the principles of design futuring as well.

Additionally,

with the help of geometric methods, the outcome is extremely precise with an optimized material performance due to gravity, tension and growth. This has ensured that the desired form,

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SPECIES 1

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SPECIES 2 51

SPECIES 3

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RESULT ANALYSIS - SELECTION CRITERIR

Iteration 1

This iteration is inspired by the cancer cells that proliferate spontaneously, which, in the realm of architecture, can

be done through the replication of modular structures. In this case, what is interesting is the repetitiousness of the solid and the void, with the solid part surrounding the void to create a sense of partial enclosure.

Also, the tensile structure is anchored by the assigned anchor points, which can be achieved by using fabric and cables in the actual practice.

This can be applied as a temporary structure for spatial arrangement of outdoor events, with a flexible span of area as well as fast and simple assembly.

Iteration 3

This upper part of this iteration is designed

to be extending outwards to form a shelter, while being supported by the column-like structure below. Also, the frame structure was created out of the original surface to integrate the structure into the form.

This iteration can be applied as a support structure for vines and ivies, while providing shelter for the surrounding area, enhancing the interaction between people and nature.

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This

iteration shows how a rigid structure can be drastically transformed when being converted to a relaxed structure. The result reminds me of the naturally grown cancer cells, whose antennas help to maximize its absorption of biochemical information. Similar forms can be applied to the pollution capture devices in water, with the area of contact with water maximized to capture the pollutants more effectively.

Iteration 4

This iteration is derived from the third iteration, with the upper roof-like structure extended to the ground to have

the space enclosed. The overall structure is self-supported due to the form derived from Kangaroo analysis, with the triangular structure added in to create visual transparency and more interesting shadow patterns.

This can be applied as a structural frame of various project scales, such as shopping malls, pavilions and greenhouses for plants.

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B3 CASE STUDY 2 - BIOSPHERE

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Biosphere is Buckminster Fuller’s most notorious mas-

terpiece amongst his numerous experiments of geodesic domes, which was designed as the United States Pavilion for the 1967 World Exhibition.

It

was designed based on Fuller’s ambition of doing more with less, making use of the geometry of a geodesic dome, which is a sphere-like structure with a network of triangular supports that roughly form the surface. Such a structure is able to achieve the maximized enclosure of space with the minimal surface area, with the triangular members equally contribute to the integral structural load. As a result, the Biosphere boasts a diameter of 76 meters and a height of 62 meters, easily accommodating a seven-storey exhibition building, which was unparalleled at the time.

Also,

despite being complicated in terms of appearance, the lattice structure is created from the simple replication of triangular structural modules, constituting three-inch steel tubes that have been thinned towards the top in order to optimize the load distribution throughout the overall structure.

In spite of not being computational due to the limit of technology at the time, this design can be perceived as a forerunner of today’s geometry-based design, which is a crucial branch of computational ideology. The use of geometry has aided Fuller to achieve his ambition of sustainable design to a considerable extent. With the minimized surface area, there would have been a more efficient use of materials at the time, thus becoming more economical in terms of project costs and extracted resources.

Apart from this, the minimized surface area means less exposure to coldness and heat, leading to a more controllable interior temperature without further installations, which can be significant even in today’s context. While being obsessed with the new

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sustainable devices, most of which are additional installations independent from the integral architectural design, designers might have a look at the passive design methodology, which can be an integral part of the overall design.

Moreover, the design is the realization of Fuller’s

rationale of modularity, which is still significant to the geometric approach nowadays. Appearing sophisticated as it does, the assembly process would not have been complicated. The sheer repetitiousness of triangular modules would have led to a shorter construction duration and less manpower, compared to the traditional typologies. In today’s context, modularity means more well-organized production and construction, contributing to a more standardized industrial environment, which, in turn, would benefit the construction process.

Furthermore, the use of geometry has unintention-

ally resulted in a type of aesthetic value that suits the current context. In this case, considerations for different design aspects are not segregated, with structural requirements, material performance, spatial quality and functionality integrated into the geometric design approach. Therefore, the aesthetic value produced is no longer the sheer ornamentation at the building surfaces, but an indispensable part of the building. In this case, ornamentation is not a crime that leads to extra costs and craftsmanship, but an inseparable part that contributes to the overall integrity of the building.

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REVERSE ENGINEERING

1. Create an icosahedron using Weaverbird

5. Obtain mesh edges

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2. Subdivide the triangular surfaces

6. Obtain mesh from vertices and split mesh with plane

3. Connect the the center of the icosahedron with the vertices obtained from deconstructing mesh

4. Draw a sphere around the center of icosahedron and extend the lines to project subdivision onto the sphere to obtain vertices

7. Vary the level of subdivision

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B4 TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

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What is interesting about the Biosphere is the dominant visual transparency and the use of repetition of modules. Therefore, the iteration starts with substitution of different patterns and modular structures using paneling tools in order to achieve different faรงade patterns, which allows a certain degree of porosity while creating various shadow patterns.

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However, such faรงade patterns can be too straightforward to be lastingly interesting. Therefore, extrusion tool was used to achieve a double layer of surfaces, creating a sense of visual depth. Also, when applied to buildings in real practice, such facades will diffuse the direct sunlight, thus controlling the interior light quality.

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When the geometry shifts away from the initial Biosphere, the surface

structure produced from sectioning the extrusions will always visually direct one’s view towards the center of the overall form, while the level of visual transparency varies in accordance with the density and depth of surface structures. Also, the shadow patterns produced will be more dynamic due to the change of density.

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More organic forms were tested, with variation in density and depth, which largely affects the level of porosity and the level of complexity of surface structures. However, due to the initial regular extrusion from the icosahedron, the variation in visual solidity and transparency is limited.

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Adjustment Control of the Density of Extrusion

Visual Transparency VS Visual Density

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B5 PROTOTYPE

Fig 1: Selection of test area

Prototype 1

Fig 2: Unroll in Rhino

Fig 3: Assembly of the components

Prototype 1 explores how the form consisting of irregular triangular components can be achieved.

The selected area of structure is fragmented to its constituent triangles, and unrolled in Rhino, resulting in various strips that can be folded to obtain the desired triangular form.

The obtained components are assembled by overlapping their common sides afterwards.

Though the form has been achieved, there will be a considerable amount of common sides among the triangular constituents, leading to an inefficient use of materials, considering the actual scale of the design.

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Prototype 2

Fig 4: Unroll in Rhino

Fig 5: Unroll in Rhino

Prototype 2 explores how to effectively reduce the potential waste of materials. Instead of breaking down the structure to triangular components, the structure is broken down to its constituent stripes, which are connected at the edges. This has eliminated the unnecessary common sides of the triangular components, resulting in a more efficient use of materials.

Also, due to less number of components, the assembly process for prototype 2 is much faster than prototype 1.

In the actual practice, this will speed up the overall assembly pace, thus shortening the timeframe and reducing the manpower required.

After calculation, prototype 2 has saved up to 36.84% of materials, compared to prototype 1, which will be a substantial amount in the actual practice.

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MATERIALITY & JOINT RESEARCH - ONEASSEMBLY PAVILION

Fig 1: Oneassembly Pavilion

The Oneassembly Pavilion by Yale Graduate School of Architecture is a very suitable precedent for me to learn from, with the similar purpose of achieving a sense of dynamism through visual transparency and solidity.

The pavilion was fragmented into 23 units using digital tools, with the information extracted and sent for plasma

cutter. Each units constitutes aluminum sheets that are connected by rivets and tabs. These units were assembled on site, using the same method.

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Fig 2: Units To Be Assembled On Site

Fig 3: Aluminum Sheets From Plasma Cutter

Fig 4: Assembly Through Rivets & Tabs

Proposed Materiality - Aluminum Sheets Proposed Connection Type- Rivet & Tab

It is reasonable for me to use aluminum sheets because they are thin and opaque, which goes in line with the design intent. Also, due to the material’s low density, ductility and malleability, aluminum sheets are more manageable and less subjective to compression, compared to steel or plywood.

Moreover, it is practical to use rivets and tabs as the joints between aluminum sheets, because such an assembly does not require proficient skills and extensive trainings, if compared to methods such as welding. Additionally, the embodied energy of this method will be considerably lower than that of welding, advocating CERES’s value of sustainability.

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B6 DESIGN PROPOSAL

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SITE OF INTEREST -CERES COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT PARK

Site Map Scale: 1:5000

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Site Map Scale: 1:1000

CERES – Center for Education and Research in Environment Strategies, is a non-profit center located in East Brunswick, within proximity to Merry Creek. It is a community business based on the value of sustainability and self-providence. It provides opportunities of education, recreation and social enterprises, while building a sense of community and enhancing people’s quality of life through extensive number of activities and programs.

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SITE OF INTEREST -CHILDREN’S PLAYSPACE

The play space is a recreational space designed for pre-school children, with the aim to enhance interaction

with natural elements such as plants, water, weather and lifecycles. It also aims to create multi-purpose spaces with various spatial qualities to facilitate creative interpretation and imaginative play.

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SITE OBSERVATIONS

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Activities Observed: • • • • • •

Run Climb Jump Crawl Peek from the holes Hide & Seek

Qualities of existing structure: • • • • • •

Soild with fenetrations Partially enclosed Embedded with a different light quality from the exterior Visual interaction with the exterior Size suitable for children only Visually attractive for children due to the bright colour and organic form

Deficiencies of existing structure: • • • •

Monotonous spatial quality Monotonous light quality Limited space provided Limited interaction with natural elements

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PROPOSAL - HIDE & SEEK PAVILION The dominant activity observed on site is the game of Hide & Seek, which seems to be of particular preference of both children and parents. However, the existing structure is not effective enough to accommodate such an activity. Therefore, the proposal is to design a Hide & Seek Pavilion, which allows children to explore different spatial and light qualities, based on the shifting visual transparency and solidity.

Also, because of the variation in terms of visual porosity and density, the game will become more dynamic and interesting.

Lastly, the qualities of the exisitng strucuture should be maintained, such as the organic form and bright colour that attract childen.

Fig 1: High Visual Transparency

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Fig 2: Low Visual Transparency

Fig 3: Medium Visual Transparency

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PROPOSAL - HIDE & SEEK PAVILION

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B7 LEARNING OBJECTIVES & OUTCOME

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In part B, we have been exposed to part of the para-

metric design world, which has greatly transformed the traditional way of design. One of the greatest virtue of it is that it has speeded up the design process to a considerable degree. For example, through case study 1, I have been exposed to the use of kangaroo plugin, which helps with the form finding and optimization process based on physical analysis. Similar processes have actually been tested and utilized since last century, by architects such as Frei Otto and Gaudi. However, accurate as it is, such a manual form-finding process can be very tedious and time-consuming. With the help of Grasshopper and Kangaroo plug-in, the design ideas can be quickly visualized and the actual performance can be simulated without any material costs. Also, for beginners like me, it is quite interesting to see how a rigid form can be transformed to a relaxed one and how the initial input geometry can be drastically changed due to the variation in data such as anchor points, stiffness and rest length. Moreover, the form-finding techniques give us more freedom to explore how the two dimensional input will affect the tree dimensional outcome, making the process more effective. However, to achieve benefits above, a certain degree of proficiency with the plug-in is required, which is the main challenge for case study 1. Sometimes, it can be very hard to achieve the desirable outcome without the effective scripts, because the whole process will be slowed down by the inefficient use of the plug-in.

For case study 2, the reverse engineering was not as

difficult as expected. However, it was really time-consuming to generate the iterations. At first, I did not recognize it as an exploration of certain design techniques and expressions, therefore it was difficult to produce relevant iterations. When I reevaluated the qualities of Biosphere that I have been interested in, I identified porosity and modular repetition as the key inspirations. Hence, I started to use tools such as paneling, lunchbox and weaverbird to generate different surface patterns, with porosity and modularity remaining throughout the process. At a certain point, I started to extrude the surface patterns to produce a depth in the surface, which is more visually interesting. When the original geometry shifts away from the dome and becomes more irregular, the resulting sur-

face patterns become more dynamic, with variations in terms of visual transparency and density, adding more qualities to the original idea of porosity.

That was the moment I was inspired by my observations

of children playing hide and seek at children’s playspace in CERES. With a changing pattern of visual porosity and solidity, children’s experience of playing will be enhanced, leading to a better cognition of spatial and light qualities.

Therefore, the geometric tools eventually become a media of design. In the current stage, my level of proficiency is insufficient to allow me to design with grasshopper with ease, but the seemingly restricted scripts do provide chances of designing things that shift away from the norm of regular forms and details, easing the exploration process and providing more possibilities.

Also,

for me, learning parametric design tools are almost like learning mathematics. It is almost impossible to remember all the scripts, similar to the fact that one can hardly ever remember all the mathematic formulae forever. However, there is always an underlying logic that can be embedded in the memory to help one deduct the scripts, similar to the experience of deducting formulae in a mathematic examination.

Lastly, I think it would have been easier if I have mastered Rhino before starting part B, because I found out that a good many commands in grasshopper are quite similar to those in Rhino. Moreover, it is more convenient to generate the input geometry in Rhino before referencing it to Grasshopper. However, compared to Rhino, Grasshopper gives more flexibility in form-exploration since the data and scripts can be easily changed.

Whereas in Rhino, the outcome is static without much tolerance for variation.

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B8 REFERENCE IMAGES https://www.google.com.au/search?q=computational+design&espv=2&biw=1745&bih=835&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjp54-zocnLAhWEJJQKHS90C1IQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=gukFukGwoitlyM%3A http://www.e-architect.co.uk/sydney/green-void-customs-house https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwjuwqTFv7HMAhXJKpQKHZfgCrcQjBwIBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheredlist. com%2Fmedia%2Fdatabase%2Farchitecture%2Fsculpture1%2Frichard-buckminster-fuller%2F023-richard-buckminster-fuller-theredlist.jpg&psig=AFQjCNHFuKFOtNIL2FGxei9i1QstU5kvxQ&ust=1461938516630011 https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwj6gKHdv7HMAhUHNJQKHdvBAyUQjBwIBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.atlasobscura. com%2Fmedia%2FW1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL2JmYjk4OGRkY2E4YjhkNjU0MV9lMDAwOTk2NjQwLmpwZyJdLFsicCIsInRodW1iIiwieDM5MFx1MDAzZSJdLFsicCIsImNvbnZlcnQiLCItcXVhbGl0eSA5MSAtYXV0by1vcmllbnQiXV0%2Fimage.jpg&psig=AFQjCNHFuKFOtNIL2FGxei9i1QstU5kvxQ&ust=1461938516630011 http://i0.wp.com/archeyes.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/montreal-biosphere-Buckminster-Fuller-archeyes-4.jpg https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/CERES+Community+Environment+Park/@-37.76568 9,144.980656,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x6ad6435e295bb43f:0x41761fff9e6748c2 https://www.google.com.au/search?q=one+assembly+pavilion+by+yale&espv=2&biw=1523&bih=745&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRpLb2v7LMAhXjtqYKHTBlA6IQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=uyPEZp1ZlTF2LM%3A

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Case Study 1 http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415779876/geometry.asp http://smartgeometry.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=232&Itemid=151 http://www.l-a-v-a.net/projects/green-void/ http://www.sydneycustomshouse.com.au/news/documents/GreenVoidArchitectureAustraliap25-MayJun09.pdf http://www.docbrown.info/page03/sms04.htm http://architectureau.com/articles/exhibition-14/ http://www.indesignlive.com/articles/projects/into-the-green-void http://www.e-architect.co.uk/sydney/green-void-customs-house https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1JC-D1qvFY&ebc=ANyPxKpdQpuwWlTDohMAIAu7nGA0tTtSOfWb4E87-E4Eh2AORioBJQR9p04Rtm2Arq9bXwjSBUbPprAUWJWNjcDsG4GAIYRlgQ http://smartgeometry.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=134:gridshell-digital-tectonics&catid=44 http://www.l-a-v-a.net/projects/green-void/

Case Study 2 http://www.cjfearnley.com/fuller-faq-4.html https://bfi.org/about-fuller/big-ideas/geodesic-domes http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/geodesic-dome.htm http://www.archdaily.com/572135/ad-classics-montreal-biosphere-buckminster-fuller

Proposed Site http://ceres.org.au/contact-us/playspace/ http://ceres.org.au/about/

Prototype file:///C:/Users/Administrator/Downloads/ryan_kim_hunt_summary%20(1).pdf file:///C:/Users/Administrator/Downloads/ACSA.AM.102.60.pdf

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B9 APPENDIX

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