ABSTRACT

THESIS WORK FLOW

As the thesis aims to bridge the digital and physical realms through the integration of biology within the desert environments, three primary domains of methods linked the research to a final prototype. The Computational Design agenda, led by Faraz Alian, focused on environmental CFD analysis and recursive growth methods to generate geometries. The Lab Research agenda, led by Sarah Aljishi, focused on developing and testing the nutrient-rich media using locally sourced materials such as desert sand and organic binders. The fabrication agenda, led by Zain Ansari, focused on developing additive manufacturing techniques using nutrient-rich media.

PERFORMATIVE INTERFACE

ARCHITECTURAL INTERFACE

‘Architecture is much more than the building of an object on a site: it is a reinvention of the site itself’ (Sean Lally, 2014). Throughout history, natural and built contexts have been considered independent entities of external and internal conditions (Sergio Araya, 2011). Nature is evolutionary, where various organisms develop coping mechanisms to adapt and survive (Sergio Araya, 2011), whereas architecture has always been approached as a firm boundary with a rigid and permanent character (Sergio Araya, 2011). In order to create a synergy between the natural and built realms, the meaning of architectural boundary must be redefined with a shift in paradigm from its inert existence to how it behaves. To do this, it must be reimagined as an interface of microclimates and ecosystems that perform cohesively to create harmony. This chapter aims to contextualize the research by identifying vital environmental factors as design parameters to create a performative architectural interface for desert ecosystems.