Zhou_Yuxiang_669009_Part A

Studio Air ww

AIR

ABPL 30048 ARCHITECTURE STUDIO AIR 2016 STUDIO 06 Julian Rutten Yuxiang Zhou 669009

contents Introducion__1 Part A__3

INTRODUCTION

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y name is Yuxiang Zhou. I am an undergraduate student at University of Melbourne. It’s the third year of my Bachelor of Environment, major in Architecture. I was born in China and received education until the second year of my high school. I stayed in Sydney for one year as an international foundation student in UNSW. I appreciate my experience in Sydney because I get the chance to know two metropolises of Australia so far. I know it’s more important in terms of architecture to know large-scale cities as an architectural student.

I like building and design. Interestingly, I found I can replace them by one word, Architecture. That’s my reason to choose this major for my undergraduate study and future career. I already went through a set of architectural subjects in the past two years. Architectural design studios are my favorite subjects so far. Firstly, I learnt architectural histories and theories from them. Then, I tried to learn and use digital design programs in projects.

One of my favorite architect is Antoni Gaudi, who designed the Sagrada Famila.

I can’t even imagine how he deals with

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drawings and models on that time. He made a upside down model to evaluate the statics without the help of computer programs. I have to say that’s a great innovation on the day. However, it’s the time of technology. Although I can’t just say it’s necessary for every architect to use digital design programs, it’s vital for me.

In the last two years, Although I touched on Rhino, Auto CAD, Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator for my projects, I am a freshman in parametric modelling as I never use Grasshopper before. I am glad to attend this Air Studio since this might be a starting point for me to explode free-form architecture, like Zaha’s projects. However, beyond dramatic form and parametric modelling, I believe technology serve for the future. I’ d like to find out how to connect technology and sustainability by architecture. Like the first title of journal saying, Design Futuring.

"The dominant mode of utilizing computers was that of computerization in the past, in contrast, computation or computing was generally limited as a computer-based design tool."[1]

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Part a contents A.01 Design Futuring __4 A.02 Design Computation __9 A.03 Design Composition and Gerneration__16 A.04 Conclusion__23 A.05 Learning Outcomes__24 A.06 Algorithmic Explorations__28

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A1. Design Futuring

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city of dreams hotel tower Zaha Architects

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aha hadid will complete this 40-storey hotel tower as part of the ‘city of dreams‘ development. the sculptural design forms part of a large-scale entertainment resort. establishing a strong relationship with its surroundings, the tower is envisioned as a landmark structure and a strong presence within the site.[2] the tower’s design resolves the many complex programs for the hotel within a single cohesive envelope. With 40 floors and a gross floor area of 150,000 square meters, the tower houses approximately 780 guestrooms, suites and sky villas. The hotel also includes a variety of meeting and event facilities, gaming rooms, lobby atrium, restaurants, spa, and sky pool. [3] The concept focus on organizing these functions in a monolithic form. The building is made up of two towers, which are designed to be guestroom sector. They are connected at the podium levels and the roof, while additional bridges span a series of voids carved into the singular volume. The bridge is designed to be the internal public space which also link residential sectors together. I think it’s a efficient design to manage the visitor flow.

One of the other innovation on the bridge is to merge traditional architectural elements of roof, wall and ceiling to create a sculptural form. This form obscures the boundaries between these elements.

The application of exoskeleton is remarkable as well. It's clear from the image that the facade comprise two skins.

The inner skin looks like curtain walls as same as most of high-rise commercial buildings. However, the outer skin make this building expressive and powerful. This structure reminds me of a tower from the George Washington Bridge.

The exposed exoskeleton not only presents a visually engaging and dynamic façade, but also allows for the optimization of internal programming by reducing internal structural requirements. This concept, in terms of structure, define its formal composition and emphasis the monolithic appearance again.

The last feature I would like to mention is the entrance.

Entrances to the building are integrated within the external fabric. Vehicles drop off visitors under the area like the porch. Architect also rejected the insertion of unnecessary elements for the entrance. This tower was maintained to be a singular volume by many efforts.

City of Dreams Hotel Tower is under construction and expected to open in early 2017. It is important to see Zaha’s design was commissioned and built. It will update people's knowledge on hotels or resorts. There might be a phenomenal effect on future buildings around that area.

The parametric modelling methods will be raised as they are vital tools to develop this type of buildings.

Fig.1 >

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AERIAL ROBOTIC BRIDGE Kokkugia

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t's a research project done by a post-professional masters design thesis studio of AA school of architecture.

Swarm Printing, refer to Aerial Robotic Construction, explores algorithmic and robotic behavioral methods of design that capitalise on emerging aerial construction opportunities made possible utilizing today’s multicopters (UAVs), or drones.[4] The first feature is this team try to use an additive fabrication technology to build large-scale construction. From the rendered image in the next page, this project was situated between two steep natural cliff faces. It provides a shortcut to an existing pedestrian route. The great leap from the 3D printing is the construction of network, lightweight cantilever and bridge structures is made possible in locations that are hard to access. Also, it take advantages of 3D printing, efficient and economical. There is no need for scaffolding on the construction process. It is necessary to mention that it is would be complicated to set scaffolding on locations like the research study site. I believe much money would be spent on the construction process instead of the finished project.

The second feature is a great one. This research argues that design and production can be developed as a singular creative process based on the behaviors of robotic systems

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and composite materials. In this project, three key points are pre-designed algorithm, drones, communications (realtime environmental feedback and structure feedback), and instant decision making beyond communications.

Architecture is a system of communications in a way. The main strategy of this research reflects the concept of autopoeisis. The concept was first introduced within biology to describe the essential characteristic of life as a circular organization that reproduces all its specific components out of its own life-process. In this project, drones form a workin-process system that covers both individual and team-oriented swarm robotics and engages in non-linear construction processes that involve real-time decision making and site adaptation. It is capable to engage with today’s complex urban, rural and natural environments with more intricacy and tailoring than is possible through conventional architectural design.[5] Overall, although it is an unbuild prototypical design project, it explored new efficient connective bridging possibilities, and most importantly, it is a remarkable application of autopoeisis.

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'The phenomenon of architecture can be most adequately grasped if it is analyzed as an autonomous network (autopoietic system) of communications'.[6]

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A2. Design Computation

The first evolution of architectural design was in 1450s, when it became a professional practice and architects started to invent design methods. Drawings and scale models are not only seen as the communication tools with clients and builders, but allowed architects to experiment with alternative design solutions and test them on paper.[7] The second evolution, in my perspective, is the Computer-Aided Design.

This evolution is closely related with technology and computer science development from the birth of first computer ‘mouse’ prototype in 1964.

Architectural design, not as exact same as art, need to deal with externally imposed constraints. As the architects, they are supposed to use both sides of the brain, that of creative and analysis. Computers, as the super analytical engines, hold the innate advantages of precise and faultlessly calculations and analyses. However, computers are incapable of making up new instructions since the lack of creative abilities or intuitions. Thus, computers contribute superb rational and search abilities and humans contribute all creativity and intuition regarding design problem. The dominant mode of utilizing computers was that of computerization in the past, in contrast, computation or computing was generally limited as a computer-based design tool. Design computation was still only seen by many as ‘just a tool’ and remote from the real business of creative design.[8] However, in recent years, several strategies attempt to change the situation. Computers are engaged more on the geometric form generation instead of only calculation and analysis. In the following texts, I would like to explain this movement further by discussing two remarkable precedents.

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Research Pavilion 2010 ICD/ITKE of University Stuggart

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n the physical world, material form is always inseparably connected to internal constraints and external forces; in the virtual space of digital design, though, form and force are usually treated as separate entities – divided into processes of geometric form generation and subsequent engineering simulation.[9] However, design computation provides the possibilities of integrating physical properties and material behavior as generative drivers in the architectural design process.

In 2010, the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) designed and constructed a temporary research pavilion. The project team explained how feedback between computational design, advanced simulation and robotic fabrication expands the design space towards previously unexplored architectural possibilities.[10] The innovative structure demonstrates the latest developments in material-oriented computational design, simulation, and production processes in architecture. The structural analysis model is based on a FEM simulation. In order to simulate the intricate equilibrium of locally stored energy resulting from the bending of each element, the model needs to begin with the planar distribution of the 80 strips, followed by simulating the elastic bending and subsequent coupling of the strips.[11] The entire structure, with a diameter of more than twelve meters, can be constructed using only 6.5 millimeters thin birch plywood sheets. The detailed structural calculations would directly

suggest optical geometric forms. Forms are actually created by computation design instead of computerization.

The other advance of this developed integrative computational tool is to directly output geometrical information to fabrication system. Based on 6400 lines of code, one integral computational process derives all relevant geometric information and directly outputs the data required for both the structural analysis model and the manufacturing with a 6-axis industrial robot.[12] According to results of structural analysis model, robot fabricated this structure by assembling 500 geometrically unique parts in 80 different strip patterns. The fabrication or construction methods will affect architectural design as well because it is necessary to rely on computer-robot workflow in some cases. In other words, it would be super complicated to fabricate structures with accurate calculations manually, particularly by numerous outputted data.

Questioning the conventional hierarchy of form generation and materialisation, as well as the established typological approach to material-oriented design, has been a central area of study at the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) at the University of Stuttgart. The profound impact of integrating the characteristics of material behavior and materialisation processes in computational design thinking and techniques also allows for enriching material systems that have hitherto been considered ‘amorphic’ with novel morphological and tectonic possibilities.[13]

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“Parametric architecture opens for future architecture a whole world of new and revolutionary forms.�[14]

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Fig.4

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Galaxy Soho Zaha Architects

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alaxy SOHO project in central Beijing for SOHO China is a 330000m2 office, retail and entertainment complex that will become an integral part of the living city, inspired by the grand scale of Beijing. Four continuous, flowing volumes coalesce to create an internal world of continuous open spaces within Galaxy Soho. These volumes adapt to each other in all directions, generating a panoramic architecture without corners or abrupt transitions that break the fluidity of its formal composition. Four volumes that are set apart, fused or linked by stretched bridges, generate several courtyards in between them refer to the classical Chinese Courtyard. [15] The designed urban space is an information-rich social environment, a navigable and legible 360-degree interface of communication where interaction offerings are presented above, below and all around in layers, and where new deep vistas open up with each step forward. [16] Two major architects of Galaxy Soho is Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher. Patrik Schumacher is partner at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) and co-founder of the Architectural Association Design Research Lab (AADRL) in London. He launched ‘Parametricism’ at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennial, he believed that Parametricism is architecture’s answer to contemporary, computationally empowered civilization, and is the only architectural style that can take full advantage of the computational revolution that now drives all domains of society.[17] Most recently, ‘Parametricism 2.0’ to emphasise a second phase

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focused on addressing real-world social and environmental problems.[18] It is a great leap from its main focus from computation and technological advancement towards social functions.

The social functionality of architecture resides to a large extent in its communicative capacity. The built environment orders social processes through its pattern of spatial separations and connections that in turn facilitates a desired pattern of separate and connected social events. This is social organization via spatial organization.[19] In the other perspective, the functioning of the desired social interaction scenarios depends on the participants’ successful orientation and navigation within the designed environment. It relies on a new methodology: the use of crowd modelling (life-process modelling), that brings the meaning of the designed spaces – the designated functions or interaction processes – into the design model. Crowd modelling is a crucial device to represent the meanings of the designed architectural communication within the design model.

Moretti argued that parametric architecture opens for future architecture a whole world of new and revolutionary forms.

[20] However, the earlier Parametricism 1.0 works would be considered as explorations under the narrower definition of style soon, and Parametricism 2.0 will move on to apply powerful computational techniques to real and pressing social and environmental problems.[21]

A3.Compusition and gerneration The shift from composition to generation, in my interpretation, is actually the shift from ‘computerization’ to computation. According to the definition that mentioned in A.2, ‘computerization’ can be refer to the mode that architects use the computer as a virtual drafting board making it easier to edit, copy and increase the precision of drawings. On the other hand, ‘computation’ allows designers to extend their abilities to deal with highly complex situations. In a board definition, computation refer to the processing of information and interactions between elements which constitute a specific environment.[22] For example, many explorations have been made with computation to stimulate building performance. In the process of form finding, Patrik Schumacher introduced a new method of crowd-modelling in recent projects like Galaxy Soho. He believed that social functionality could be achieved in a project by the performance feedback.

It is argued that computation has the potential to provide inspiration and go even beyond the intellect of the designer since the computer is capable to predict, model and simulate the encounter between architecture and the public by more accurate and sophisticated methods. In other words, computational tools have the ability to increase efficiency and allow for better communication between architect and public. However, the celebration of skills will withdraw architects from the real design objectives in some cases. The scripting should develop into an integrated art form instead of an isolated craft.[23] Computation has not become an intuitive way to design, much more concepts are needed to be tested in the shift from the drawing to the algorithm. Some of the world most famous practices have become the most forward-thinking architectural firm in computational design. I would like to mention projects of Foster + Partners and SOM.

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National Bank of Kuwait Foster + Partners

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he Specialist Modeling Group (SMG) has been established for 18 years at Foster + Partners and it remains at the forefront of advances in technology. It provides Fosters with expertise in computation, geometry and fabrication, as well as in environmental analysis and simulation. The strength of today’s team lies in its unique combination of individual expertise and the creative synergies that derive from a broad skills base.[24] This high-rise building is located on a prominent site in Kuwait City, the 300-metre-high headquarters tower for the National Bank of Kuwait. The design combines structural innovation with a highly efficient passive form, shielding the offices from the extremes of Kuwait’s climate, where temperatures average 40 degrees in the summer months. The tower’s cylindrical form opens like a shell to the north to avoid solar gain, while revealing views of the Arabian Gulf. The southern façade is shaded by a series of concrete fins, which extend the full height of the tower to provide structural support.

SMG was involved from the early stages of the design, assigned to develop a parametric model that would integrate different performance parameters and would be able to explore complex geometrical solutions for the building.[25] The computational design is efficient and effective. Firstly, the parametric model provide various options that were further developed by the design team in early states. Then, the initial design was developed into a rational shape that considered various performance parameters, environmental, functional and operational requirements. And SMG also collaborated with engineering consultants throughout the design process.

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This design used the parametric modeling to tightly link the geometric relationships between its elements. The overall geometry wad driven by the orientation of the fins, profile of the edge fins, saw-tooth cladding between the fins, and the arcs that form the north facade.

The fins were studied by calculations and analyses of solar, wind and acoustic performance, which were all directly affect the geometry of this building. [26]

Fig.7 Overall tower geometry showing the different levels of development, from wireframe model to a more detailed model that includes structural elements, cladding and the subdivision of glass elements. Both sides show the studies that influenced the design, including solar, wind and planarity analysis.

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Diagonal Tower, Yongsan Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)

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kidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is an American architectural, urban planning, and engineering firm. It was formed in Chicago in 1936 and has become one of largest architectural firms in the world. There is a strong culture of collaboration between architects and engineers and the innovation in computational technologies. Currently, they work on finite element algorithms (FEA), gradient-based algorithms and genetic algorithms to inform their projects because they believed that the efficiencies of FE algorithms and power of computers mean that it is possible to evaluate a very large number of designs in a relatively short amount of time.

[27] They even developed these algorithms in-house for explicit purposes in design phase. For example, FEA was used for functionality-optimization, GAs are used for shape-optimization experiments, while gradient-based algorithms are used for topology-optimization exercises.

There are two remarkable examples of the utilization of GAs, that of Tanggu Convention Centre and Yongsan office tower. The convention centre has a undulate roof structure that is the outcome of a series of computational methods. They are defined by varying ceiling heights required for the performance spaces and circulation spaces beneath to achieve the most efficient distribution of stresses across its surface.

Not only the long-span roof structures, the other implementation of GAs was in the Yongsan office tower. SOM mentioned that this diagonal tower combines massing, structure, and performance. In this project, the diamond-shaped frame only uses 75% steel comparing to a

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Fig.8

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Fig.10

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Fig.11 conventional building.[28] The drivers behind outcomes are computational design methods, the geometry and structural performance were contributed by GA. The logic of the building form was parametrically predefined as a set of circular concentric floor-plate profiles whose radii were allowed to fluctuate in the optimization process according to maximum and minimum thresholds that would allow for marketable lease spans. In other words, the economic criteria were managed as constraints that had upper and lower boundaries, while the structural performance criteria were configured as the fitness function.[29]

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"Algorithmic tools such as FEA programs and GAs are critical to expediting processes of searching vast solution spaces for well-performing designs, and are facilitating the exploration of new, previously inaccessible theoretical paradigms and emergent formal typologies."[30]

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A4.Conclusion We have a long history of parametric design from the earlier work of Antoni Gaudi. However, the idea of parametric architecture became formal in 1940s by architect Luigi Moretti’s writing of ‘Architecttura Parametrica’.[31] Over the past few decades, parametric architecture was driven by the computation technologies. The dominant mode of utilizing computers was that of computerization in the past, in contrast, computation or computing was generally limited as a computer-based design tool. Early design work was often done through heavily misusing existing computer-aided design (CAD) software.[32] Thus design computation was still only seen by many as ‘just a tool’ and remote from the real business of creative design.

However, it is exciting to see a rapid development on parametric design in the past few years. It exhibited an innovative and alternative approach to architecture, particularly in design process. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), as one of the largest architectural firm worldwide, not only focus on the collaboration between architecture and engineering by computational methods, but develop a few algorithmic tools such as FEA, GA, and gradient-based algorithmic to optimize functionality, geometry, and topology. Foster + Partners’ Specialist Modelling Group (SMG) explores the potential of computational design to achieve ever more energy-efficient forms. The group’s objectives were to develop the techniques and expertise that would enable the practice to design and build a new type of geometrically complex, environmentally responsive architecture. Patrik Schumacher, as a partner at Zaha Hadid Architects, launched ‘Parametricism 2.0’ that researched in a new approach to architectural semiology based on crowd simulation and the investigation of how a legible urban order might emerge on the basis of market processes under the auspices of Parametricism as a global best-practice methodology.

In my opinion, there is no doubt that computational design or ‘Parametrism’ are to be the mainstream in the future because computation has the potential to provide inspiration based on more accurate calculations and sophisticated algorithmic methods. In other words, it definitely have the ability to increase efficiency and allow for better communication between architect and public. I would like to start my journey of parametric design from this studio, and most significantly, to catch up the advances of technology in the field of architecture.

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A5.Learning outcomes Firstly, I am appreciate I got the opportunity to study a new field of architecture, that of parametric design. Throughout this course so far I learnt some theories of computation which have already improved my knowledge and understanding in architecture. The reflection and feedback are my favorite parts in this subject so far. Through the engagement in the tutorial discussion, the supplied texts are to be argued even critiqued, from that I actually extend my understanding in these readings. And I was pushed forward by this journal because I was supposed to do further research to properly complete the weekly discussion topics. Finally, through the research I have done so far, I realize that it is necessary for me shift from computerization to computation, to explore the potential of computers that provides aspirations in the design process of my project.

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REFERENCES 1. Kestelier, Xavier De. ‘Recent Developments at Foster + Partners' Specialist Modelling Group,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 22-27 2. Designboom website. ‘zaha hadid in macau: city of dreams hotel tower under construction.’ < http://www. designboom.com/architecture/zaha-hadid-fifth-hotel-tower-city-of-dreams-macau-03-28-2014/> (accessed 9 March 2016) 3. Zaha Hadid Architects. ‘City of Dreams Hotel Tower’ Project, 2013. < http://www. zaha-hadid.com/architecture/city-of-dreams-hotel-tower-cotai-macau> (accessed 9 March 2016) 4. Kokkugia website. ‘SWARM-PRINTING.’ <http://www.kokkugia.com/filter/swarmprinting/swarm-printing> (accessed 9 March 2016) 5. Ibid 6. Schumacher, Patrik (2011). ‘The Autopoiesis ofArchitecture: A New Framework for Architecture’ (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 3 7. Kalay: Kalay, Yehuda E. (2004). Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of ComputerAided Design (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press), pp. 6 8. Fraszer: Frazer, John. ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp. 19 9. Fleischmann, Moritz. ‘Material Behaviour: Embedding Physical Properties in Computational Design Processes.’ Architectural Design. Vol 82, 2, pp. 45-51 10. Ibid 11. University Stuttgart. ‘ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2010.’ <http://icd.unistuttgart.de/?p=4458> (accessed 12 March 2016) 12. Ibid 13. Menges, Achim. ‘Computational Material Culture.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86 (2016), 2, pp. 78 14. Luigi Moretti, ‘Ricercamatematica in architettura e urbabanisica’, Moebius: unitàdellacultura: architettura, urbanistica, 1971. Vol 1, pp.34 15. Zaha Hadid Architects. ‘Galaxy Soho’ Project, 2009. <http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/galaxy-soho> (accessed 12 March 2016) 16. Schumacher, Patrik. ‘Advancing Social Functionality Via Agent-Based Parametric Semiology.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.112 17. Schumacher, Patrik. ‘Parametricism 2.0: Gearing Up to Impact the Global Built Environment.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.8-17 18. Frazer, John. ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.21 19. Schumacher, Patrik. ‘Advancing Social Functionality Via Agent-Based Parametric Semiology.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.109 20. Menges, Achim. ‘Computational Material Culture.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86 (2016), 2, pp. 78 21. Frazer, John. ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.21 22. Peters, Brady. (2013) ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 9 23. Ibid 24. Kestelier, Xavier De. ‘Recent Developments at Foster + Partners' Specialist Modelling Group,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 22-27 25. Popovska, Dusanka. ‘Integrated Computational Design: National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters,’

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Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 34-35 26. Ibid 27. Besserud, Keith., Katz, Neil., Beghini, Alessandro. ‘Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 50 28. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). ‘Diagonal Tower, Yongsan International Business District. <http://www.som.com/projects/diagonal_tower_yongsan_international_business_district> (accessed 15 March 2016).

29. Besserud, Keith., Katz, Neil., Beghini, Alessandro. ‘Integrated Computational Design: National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 34-35 30. Ibid 31. Frazer, John. ‘Parametric Computation: History and Future.’ Architectural Design. Vol 86, 2, pp.21 32. Kestelier, Xavier De. ‘Recent Developments at Foster + Partners' Specialist Modelling Group,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 24

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IMAGE CREDITS 1. Zaha Hadid Architects. ‘City of Dreams Hotel Tower’ Project, 2013. < http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/city-of-dreams-hotel-tower-cotai-macau> (accessed 9 March 2016) 2. Kokkugia website. ‘SWARM-PRINTING.’ <http://www.kokkugia.com/filter/swarm-printing/swarm-printing> (accessed 9 March 2016) 3. University Stuttgart. ‘ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2010.’ <http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=4458> (accessed 12 March 2016) 4. Zaha Hadid Architects. ‘Galaxy Soho’ Project, 2009. <http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/galaxy-soho> (accessed 12 March 2016) 5. Popovska, Dusanka. ‘Integrated Computational Design: National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 35 6. Foster + Partners Website <http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/national-bank-of-kuwait/Popovska, > 7. Dusanka. ‘Integrated Computational Design: National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters,’ Architectural Design.

Vol 83, 2, pp. 34 8. Designboom. <http://www.designboom.com/weblog/images/images_2/richelle/121SOM/som03.jpg> 9. Besserud, Keith., Katz, Neil., Beghini, Alessandro. ‘Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM,’ Architectural Design. Vol 83, 2, pp. 54 10. Pinterest. <https://www.pinterest.com/pin/167899892328495719/> 11. Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM. pp. 48

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A6.Algorithmic explorations

In the first phase, I did the lofting exercise in GH based on the logic of Rhino. I drawn two free carves in Rhino and design them in the GH. I was only capable to set one slider here, which controls the number of curves’ segments.

Through the study on tutorial videos, I got skills to produce more interesting 3D forms. These Random blocks or segments are stimulation, and it looks like the ‘Water Cube’ in Beijing. Pop 3D and Voronoi3 are major algorithmic tools for this form.

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Then I tried to produce a few complicated from. I found it difficult to control the form by dragging sliders. On my current level I found it was not capable for me to manipulate the whole definition to get desired forms.

Cable-Beam structure is the unique and interesting topic in this studio. I made a sketch model to explore the relationship between structural elements in term of forces. Comparing to the handmade model, the plug-ins of GH like Kangaroo and Karamba are more efficient and economical to do physical and structural analyses.

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