STUDIO AIR_JOURNAL_ZEB KITCHELL by Zeb Kitchell

STUDIO AIR 2016 DESIGN JOURNAL ZEB KITCHELL

“ WE ARE MOVING FROM AN ERA WHERE ARCHITECTS USE SOFTWARE TO ONE WHERE THEY CREATE SOFTWARE. ” Peters, Brady. 2013.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

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0.001 / ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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CONCEPTUALISATION

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DESIGN FUTURING / p.08 DESIGN COMPUTATION / p.10 COMPOSITION & GENERATION / p.12 CONCLUSION / p.14 LEARNING OUTCOMES / p.14 APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES / p.15 END NOTES & LIST OF IMAGES / p.18

CRITERIA DESIGN

/ p.20

RESEARCH FIELD: PATTERNING / p.22 CASE STUDY 1.0: SWANSTON SQUARE BY A.R.M. / p.26 CASE STUDY 2.0: DIOR GINZA BY KUMIKO INUI / p.40 TECHNIQUE: DEVELOPMENT / p.58 TECHNIQUE: PROTOTYPES / p.80 TECHNIQUE: PROPOSAL / p.102 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES / p.104 APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES / p.106 END NOTES & LIST OF IMAGES / p.128

DETAILED DESIGN

/ p.130

DESIGN CONCEPT / p.132 TECTONIC ELEMENTS AND PROTOTYPES / p.146 FINAL DETAIL MODEL / p.162 LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES / p.192

BIBLIOGRAPHY / p.194

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INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR My name is Zeb Kitchell and I’m a third year architecture student at The University of Melbourne. Originally from Tasmania, I moved to Melbourne to pursuit my interest in architecture, and to experience the alternative liferstyle the city offers. My background is in music and the visual arts, I have played piano and guitar from a young age, and always loved to sketch. In college I almost exclusively studied music and art subjects, from painting, to art history, to classical piano performance, and even composition. It was recommended to me by a friend that I try the subject ‘Housing and Design’, to broaden my horizons, and soon after I realised that architecture was for me. Aside from my musical interests I also enjoy reading, good tv and films, video games, cycling, and cooking. I’m a cat person and I’m very interested in Japanese culture, one day I hope to learn the language so I can spend time living (and hopefully working) there. As a student of architecture (and person) I am keenly interested in sustainability. I am a strong believer in such initiatives as the Living Building Challenge, Passiv Haus, and carbon positive design in general. Ideally I aim to work for a practice that supports sustainability, in other words: supporting the notion of ‘design futuring’.

CONCEPTUALISATION

FIG.1: MYSELF WITH MY KITTEN MIRA

In semester one 2016 I completed Studio Earth, in which I responded to the contradictory site Herring Island; an artificially created natural environment for human-centric reasons. My design responded to this idea of humans vs nature, by deliberately subverting the site. In essence my project was an example of ‘critical design’, it was a commentary on the way in which people treat the environment.1 Prior to this semester (having heard about the challenges of Studio Air), I completed some online training for Grasshopper from the site Think Parametric. The course was project based and I modelled projects including an organic roof structure based on the Centre Pompidou Metz, a tower based on Absolute Towers, and a bridge based on Peace Bridge. During the course I used Grasshopper, Kangaroo Physics, Lunch Box, and T- Splines. Despite this training I have little confidence with the Grasshopper software, and have not yet designed any of my own projects with Grasshopper. I look forward to furthering my digital design skills in Studio Air, I’m particularly interested in automating or simplifying processes that will make workflow more efficient. In addition to Rhino and Grasshopper I also have experience with AutoCad, Revit, V-Ray, Sketch Up, Photoshop, and In Design. I have not used Illustrator before.

FIG.2: STUDIO EARTH PROJECT: FLOATING BOX CONCEALS UNDERGROUND PROGRAM

CONCEPTUALISATION 05

PART A CONCEPTUALISATION

DESIGN FUTURING DESIGN COMPUTATION COMPOSITION GENERATION

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CONCEPTUALISATION

/ DESIGN FUTURING

FIG.3: ARC DE TRIOMPHE: MIRRORED FACADE ‘PRESERVES’ MONUMENT

DESIGN FUTURING Due to the exploitive way(s) in which humans interact with the earth, there is little certainty around our future. In fact without intervention, there is no future, something must be done to combat the damage that has already been done. Design could be the answer to our problems, although it must be understood in a way that sees it as a tool for generating new ways of living, as opposed to something concerned only with aesthetic or style. Intrinsically there are strong correlations between design and disciplines such as architecture, but design could be utilised as a tool to facilitate sustainable and creative outcomes across other (all) disciplines, even to the point of it becoming an essential life skill. 2 The following case studies explore how design has been used within architecture, to engage with the themes of future through alternative living proposals.

CONCEPTUALISATION

FIG.4: ARC DE TRIOMPHE: MIXED-USE BUILDING INTEGRATED INTO MONUMENT

PRECEDENT PROJECT 1.0

ARC DE TRIOMPHE by Patterlini Benoit This is a speculative project that envisages radical additions to Paris’ famous monument by splitting it in two, with a mirrored surface on one side and billboards on the other. The radical proposal comments on the current level of importance we place on preserving historical architecture, but at the same time it suggests we must radically change the way we live in urban environments for a secure future. It’s a critical design suggesting that perhaps our great monuments must be ‘sacrificed’ or altered toward some more pragmatic use, as part of the future securing process. By introducing a bridge spanning over the many lanes of road, the architect has addressed the site, with the aim of improving user experience for pedestrians, cars, etc. 3 Therefore although this potential future likely lies within the realm of fantasy, it provides examples for future possibilities within built projects.

PRECEDENT PROJECT 2.0

Carbon Positive House by ArchiBlox This project utilises best-practice passive design principles combined with leading active technologies to create the worlds first prefab carbon positive house. It functions as a prototype for new ways of living and building, by challenging the conventions of fixed dwellings (it can be moved with a crane), overly large homes, and traditional construction. The building operates as a producer of water, heat, and electricity, thus reversing the norm of buildings to be consumers. Without the need for extensive foundations, the impact on any site it resides on will be minimal. This architecture forms part of a continuum where the built environment has the potential to improve the natural environment, securing the future. 4

FIG.5: CARBON POSITIVE HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

FIG.6: CARBON POSITIVE HOUSE: A PREFABRICATED DWELLING THAT PRODUCES MORE THAN IT CONSUMES

CONCEPTUALISATION 09

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CONCEPTUALISATION

/ DESIGN COMPUTATION

FIG.8: OPTIMISING DAYLIGHT LEVELS WITH SOFTWARE MODELLING

PRECEDENT PROJECT 3.0

BDD 1234 by Built by Associative Data

FIG.7: BDD 1234: BUILDING FORM OPTIMISED FOR DAYLIGHT PERFORMANCE

DESIGN COMPUTATION As technology evolves, its integration into the designers process has become stronger, i.e. the use of computers has progressed from simple computerisation: the use of computers for recording a design idea, to computation: the use of computers as an extension of the designer to generate ideas. Through the ‘vitruvian effect’, the continued interaction between humans and computers will lead to idealised treatments of form, material, performance, and fabrication through the design process. 5

CONCEPTUALISATION

BDD 1234 has been designed using environmental modelling tools (Ecotect) to optimise the facade and form for interior daylighting, aiming to fully remove the need for artificial lighting. 6 Here the use of environmental analysis tools has improved the design process, allowing the ‘search’ for effective/ responsive design solutions early on in the process. This demonstrates a ‘computer-aided design’ system, which is itself a development of the traditional design process, and so to is the outcome in the way it responds to context. 7 The plugin GECO was used, this is in essence a technology that was developed to accommodate the disparity between GrassHopper and Ecotect, smoothing out the other wise tedious process of moving between the two. This demonstrates the continued development and redefining of practice that occurs within the digital continuum.

FIG.10: KNOWLEDGE CENTRE DOUBLE CURVED ROOF

PRECEDENT PROJECT 4.0

KNOWLEDGE CENTRE by Foster + Partners This building forms part of a masterplan that aims to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first carbon-neutral desert community, importantly the roof structure acts as shading and houses PV panels. Computation contributed to this design through the optimisation of its glulam roof, particularly with relation to fabrication. Although each beam is a different size, they all stem from the same formwork, meaning all smaller beams are derived from portions of the largest beam.

FIG.9: KNOWLEDGE CENTRE TIMBER ROOF STRUCTURE

The resulting double curved form is therefore a result of carefully considered and rational computation of geometry, from concept design to fabrication. Here the material efficiency and ease of fabrication, due to computational design, has likely made possible its goal of achieving carbon neutrality through the reduction of embodied energy. 8

CONCEPTUALISATION 11

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CONCEPTUALISATION

/ COMPOSITION GENERATION GENERATIVE DESIGN

FIG.11: LIVING CORE: GENERATING PATTERNS FOR PANEL OPTIMISATION

Composition generation or ‘generative design’, refers to a computational approach to design that seeks to replicate evolutionary processes evident in nature. As a means of composition it differs from traditional practice as it allows potentially limitless exploration of design solutions, therefore making more effective solutions achievable. 9 This is possible due to the coupling of human based algorithmic thinking with the power of computers.

FIG.12: THE LIVING CORE: AN AQUARIUM AT THE PATRICIA & PHILLIP FROST MUSEUM OF SCIENCE

PRECEDENT PROJECT 5.0 Living Core by Grimshaw

The composition of this aquariums form was arrived upon through the careful balancing of structural performance, program requirements, and ease of fabrication. The walls are comprised of a curved steel grid that support a 2.3 million litre tank, and are clad with a series of uniformly sized tiles that vary only in their curvature. A script was developed to simplify and optimise a uniform control joint pattern between the tiles, across a complex double curved form.10

CONCEPTUALISATION

The material and structural feedback made possible via Grasshopper and Revit models allowed for feedback during the design process, meaning through generative design processes multiple iterations were explored and evaluated. At Grimshaw this computational work is undertaken by their Design Technology (DT) group, an example of a firm with its own internal specialist group. Whilst this is a good example of computations integration into architecture, there remains the risk of computational design becoming an separate entity from architecture.11 To avoid this the industry must move beyond stigma associated with digital design, i.e. that it’s killing creativity.

FIG.13: CONVENTION CENTER IN TANGGU, CHINA: ROOF FORM GENERATED WITH A GENETIC ALGORITHM

PRECEDENT PROJECT 6.0

CONVENTION CENTRE by SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (S0M) are an interdisciplinary practice with strong utilisation of computer skills. The curving roof structure of the convention centre came about as a result of using genetic algorithms (GAs), these algorithms entail a search for an ideal result based upon the processes of evolution and natural selection.12 GAs allow the exploration of extensive solutions based upon a set of finite rules, essentially a human will give the computer a set of instructions to follow based upon rules, which themselves are governed by design constraints.13 The main rule/ constraint for this roof was the varying ceiling height requirements for different programs. This defined an initial undulating surface that was then processed with the GA to search for optimum structural solutions, whilst being constrained to specific height parameters.

The resulting surface was more structurally efficient than the initial one, whilst remaining morphologically similar and suitable for program requirements.14 This is an example of structural emergence, meaning the final form was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;composedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; through the symbiotic partnership of human and computer to seek optimum structural results. Inherently parametric design is a fundamental aspect of this algorithmic process, as the algorithm relies upon parameters with adjustable values bearing relationships to each other, as opposed to fixed geometry. The GA that SOM uses was developed by themselves as a stand-alone piece of software. This represents a profound shift in architectural practice, as architects no longer simply use software, they create it. If its true that digital design tools are limiting creative practice, then algorithmic thinking and scripting cultures are key to overcoming the restrictions of software.

CONCEPTUALISATION 13

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CONCEPTUALISATION

/ CONCLUSION

As I commenced Studio Air I’d been reflecting upon my own definitions of architecture, one idea was that ‘architecture is the harmonious interaction of various systems’. If the notion of computational design is added to this equation, then architecture becomes the optimised, harmonious interaction of various systems. The systems I’m referring to encompass a wide range of scales and disciplines, e.g. structural performance, environmental controls, form, program, etc. It’s important to optimise the way in which these systems operate, as the results will slow the rate of defuturing that is currently occurring. Ideally the power of computational design will allow us to envisage and eventually create design outcomes that not only slow the rate of defuturing, but actually start to build a-

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-future. My design approach this semester will focus on ways in which computational design can facilitate formal design outcomes based upon site context, specifically Merri Creek. Although I have as yet to begin site analysis, I envisage it will be a challenge to relate a garment to the site, but likely with computational aid it can be achieved. The algorithms I will be creating will have to balance the design constraints of site, aesthetic form, functionality (the garment is wearable), and perhaps most importantly fabrication. A large part of the design process will involve the translation of a complex form into something that can be fabricated easily. In this case a simple tectonic system will be developed that can be repeated and joined together to create a more complex form.

/ LEARNING OUTCOMES

Prior to starting Studio Air my understanding of architectural computing was essentially limited to the notion of ‘computerisation’. I fell into the trap of dismissing a lot of architectural precedent and digital design tools based upon what I thought were indulgent expressions of form, or representations of the digital. Now I am able to distinguish between a project of Gehry, and something like the ICD/ TKE Research Pavilion 2010 by Achim Menges. The pavilion exemplifies ‘computation’, in the sense that its optimised around the performance strength of the timber. The computation skills I have picked up so far have already augmented my skills within Rhino. The use of parametric models will be particularly useful as it allows easy exploration of multiple design iterations within the studio, which is not always so easy to do.

CONCEPTUALISATION

FIG.14: ICD/TKE RESEARCH PAVILION 2010 BY ACHIM MENGES

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/ APPENDIX: ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

FIG.15: GROUP OF 9 ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

CONCEPTUALISATION 15

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CONCEPTUALISATION

/ ALGORITHMIC SKETCHES

FIG.16: BOX MORPHING SURFACE FOR A GARMENT

FIG.17: CONTOURING SURFACES

CONCEPTUALISATION

FIG.18: BOX MORPHING SURFACE FOR A GARMENT 2

ALGORITHMIC SKETCH NOTES When working in Grasshopper I’ve had to find the balance between planning a desired result through an algorithm, and allowing the algorithm to deliver unexpected results. For example the above image was derived from a very simple geometry mapped over a regular curved surface, when I adjusted the height of the domain mapping the geometry distorted, resulting in a more interesting and complex form. I had already produced four iterations with that algorithm, but they-

-were a lot more conservative in the ways I manipulated the algorithm. Whilst this process of sketching algorithmically is effective in producing surprising and numerous results, there is also the risk that I’ll move into territory where I cannot understand, justify, and explain what I’ve done. For this reason I’ve included sketches that demonstrate simple algorithms built around components such as loft, sweep, box morphing, oc tree, and contour. Despite the simplicity of the definitions the iterative process of algorithmic manipulation produces complex and interesting form.

CONCEPTUALISATION 17

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END NOTES & LIST OF IMAGES END NOTES 1. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press, 2013), p. 34. 2. Tony Fry, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics, and New Practice (Oxford: Berg, 2009), p. 1-16.

3. Patrick Lynch, ‘This Speculative Project Imagines A Mixed-Use Building Wrapped Around the Arc de Triomphe’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/792338/this-speculative-project-imagines-a-mixed-use-building-wrapped-around-the-arc-de-triomphe> [accessed 1 August 2016]. 4. Holly Giermann, ‘ArchiBlox Designs World’s First Prefabricated Carbon Positive House’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/602666/archiblox-designs-world-s-first-prefabricated-carbon-positive-house> [accessed 1 August 2016]. 5. Rivka Oxman and Robert Oxman, Theories of the Digital in Architecture (New York: Routledge, 2014), p. 1-9. 6. Thomas Grabner and Ursula Frick, ‘GECO: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 142-143. 7. Yehuda E. Kalay, Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (MIT Press, 2004), p. 1-25. 8. Xavier De Kestelier, ‘Recent Developments at Foster + Partners’ Specialist Modelling Group’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 22-27. 9. ‘What Is Generative Design?’, Autodesk, < http://www.autodesk.com/customer-stories/airbus>[accessed 11 August 2016]. 10. Seth Edwards, ‘Embedding Intelligence: Architecture and Computation at Grimshaw, NY’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 104-109. 11. Brady Peters, ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 8-15. 12. John H. Holland, ‘Genetic Algorithms’, Iowa State University: Department of Economics, < http:// www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/holland.gaintro.htm>[accessed 11 August 2016]. 13. Eric Dietrich, ‘Algorithm’, MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (MIT Press, 2000), p. 11-12. 14. Keith Besserud, Neil Katz and Alessandro Beghini, ‘Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 48-55.

CONCEPTUALISATION

LIST OF IMAGES: Cover image: Render of potential development for design proposal, Zeb Kitchell. Fig 1. Josephine Fletcher, Myself with my kitten Mira, photograph. Fig 2. Zeb Kitchell, Studio Earth Project, Render. Fig 3. Patterlini Benoit, Arc De Triomphe: Mirrored Facade, render, retrieved from: < http://www.archdaily.com/792338/ this-speculative-project-imagines-a-mixed-use-building-wrapped-around-the-arc-de-triomphe>. Fig 4. Patterlini Benoit, Arc De Triomphe: Mixed-use Building, render, retrieved from: < http://www.archdaily.com/792338/ this-speculative-project-imagines-a-mixed-use-building-wrapped-around-the-arc-de-triomphe>. Fig 5. Tom Ross, Carbon Positive House Design Specifications, diagram, retrieved from: < http://www.archdaily. com/602666/archiblox-designs-world-s-first-prefabricated-carbon-positive-house>. Fig 6. Tom Ross, Carbon Positive House, photograph, retrieved from: <http://www.archdaily.com/602666/ archiblox-designs-world-s-first-prefabricated-carbon-positive-house>. Fig 7. Built by Associative Data, BDD 1234, render, retrieved from: <https://www.flickr.com/photos/ builtbyassociativedata/13122444073/in/album-72157641646348223/>. Fig 8. Built by Associative Data, BDD 1233: Optimising daylight levels, diagram, retrieved from: Thomas Grabner and Ursula Frick, ‘GECO: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 142. Fig 9. Foster + Partners, Knowledge Centre Timber Roof Structure, photograph, retrieved from: <http://4.bp.blogspot. com/-7PUSSMZ96II/URH63mOIBrI/AAAAAAAAA6c/ih6uHxCq790/s1600/IMG_8206.jpg>. Fig 10. Foster + Partners, Knowledge Centre Double Curved Roof, photograph, retrieved from: <http://1.bp.blogspot.com/kZjon2S5sq8/UWPh9eMOhaI/AAAAAAAAdqE/0jxYGt8S_pU/s1600/Masdar+Institute+by+Foster+%252B+Partners06.jpg>. Fig 11. Grimshaw, Generating Patterns for Panel Optimisation, Grasshopper screen shot, retrieved from: Seth Edwards, ‘Embedding Intelligence: Architecture and Computation at Grimshaw, NY’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 108. Fig 12. Grimshaw, Living Core, render, retrieved from: <http://www.archdaily.com/343719/patricia-and-phillip-frost-museum-of-science-grimshaw-architects-2>. Fig 13. S.O.M., Convention Center in Tanggu, render, retrieved from: Keith Besserud, Neil Katz and Alessandro Beghini, ‘Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 48. Fig 14. Roland Halbe, ICD/TKE Research Pavilion 2010, photograph, retrieved from: <http://icd.uni-stuttgart. de/wp-content/gallery/icd_research_pavilion_2010/pavilion_image_01.jpg>. Fig 15. Zeb Kitchell, Group of 9 Algorithmic Sketches, render. Fig 16. Zeb Kitchell, Box Morphing Surface for a Garment, render. Fig 17. Zeb Kitchell, Contouring Surfaces, render. Fig 18. Zeb Kitchell, Box Morphing Surfaces for a Garment 2, render.

CONCEPTUALISATION 19

PART B CRITERIA DESIGN

RESEARCH FIELD PAT TERNING

CASE STUDY 1.0 SWANSTON SQUARE BY A.R.M.

CASE STUDY 2.0 DIOR GINZA BY KUMIKO INUI

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CRITERIA DESIGN

/ RESEARCH FIELD: PATTERNING

FIG.19: AU OFFICE AND EXHIBITION SPACE BY ARCHI UNION ARCHITECTS: PATTERNING OF CONCRETE BLOCKS

PATTERNING For the purposes of this journal patterning refers to a form of architectural ornamentation, decoration or materiality that embodies the repetition of simple and similar elements to generate more complex forms.15 Historically patterning has featured geometry and illusion, evident in the writings of Vitruvius and the popular pattern books from the 15th century onwards.16 Currently patterning can be an exponent of computational design, where outcomes can be quite complex, yet the patterns are almost disguised. For example the AU Office and Exhibition Space by Archi Union Architects features an external masonry wall, where the patterns complexity is of a level that it-

CRITERIA DESIGN

-cannot easily be read or understood. The wall consists of masonry blocks that were designed with a parametric algorithm that seeks to invoke the concept of undulating silk, a nod to the buildings past.17 This shows the potential of patterning to express cultural or social meaning.18 The 2016 Serpentine Pavilion by BIG features a similar patterning approach, only the idea of the pattern as a design tectonic is taken further. Firstly take note that in both examples there is no distinction between what is ornamentation and structure, the two systems are holistically combined, so there is no need to apply decoration as ornament.19 BIGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal features a pattern tectonic that curves freely so wall becomes roof, whereas the AU Office walls are spanned with a traditional roof. Therefore-

-in BIGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design, its pattern is the overall tectonic applicable to all its systems, meaning the pattern defines overall form, fabrication system, joints, environmental control, structure and ornament. 20 Whilst this example demonstrates great scope in the utility of patterns, most often patterns occur as surface articulation as an alternative to the plain white wall of modernism. 21 Although these patterns may be purely decorative, they still serve the purpose of providing ornament, and therefore allowing architecture to communicate culture and feeling. 22 Both case study 1 & 2 (Swanston Square and Dior) are examples of patterning that deal with surface articulation (ornament) as a means communicating cultural, social and historical meanings.

FIG.20: 2016 SERPENTINE PABILION BY BIG: OVERALL FORM

FIG.21: SERPENTINE PAVILION BY BIG: INTERIOR

CRITERIA DESIGN

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CRITERIA DESIGN B.001

/ PATTERNING GALLERY

FIG.22: PATTERN FROM SITE / FIG.23: PATTERN FROM HIV

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CRITERIA DESIGN

/ CASE STUDY 1.0: SWANSTON SQUARE BY A.R.M.

ORIGINAL DEFINITION OUTPUT

PATTERNING GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION The facade of Swanston Square by A.R.M., is patterned with a series of strips that form an overall image depicting the indigenous Australian William Barak. Therefore the core of the grasshopper definition utilises the image sampler component, its output values informing control points movement vectors. The following pages explore the parametric potential of the initial definition, iterative outcomes have been classified into species categories that share similar determinants, e.g. base image or surface subdivisions. FIG.24: SWANSTON SQUARE: PATTERNED FACADE

CRITERIA DESIGN

SPECIES DETERMINANT: BASE IMAGE

1A: MY CAT

1B: ME

1C: GH FIELD PATTERN

1D: DE YOUNG MUSEUM PATTERN

1E: AU OFFICE PATTERN

1F: CHECKER BOARD PATTERN

S P E C I E S 1

CRITERIA DESIGN

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CRITERIA DESIGN

SPECIES DETERMINANT: SURFACE ‘U’ DIVISIONS

S P E C I E S 2

CRITERIA DESIGN

2A: U DIV. EQUALS: 2

2B: U DIV. EQUALS: 4

2C: U DIV. EQUALS: 8

2D: U DIV. EQUALS: 16

2E: U DIV. EQUALS: 64

2F: U DIV. EQUALS: 256

SPECIES DETERMINANT: SURFACE ‘V’ DIVISIONS

3A: V DIV. EQUALS: 4

3B: V DIV. EQUALS: 8

3C: V DIV. EQUALS: 16

3D: V DIV. EQUALS: 32

3E: V DIV. EQUALS: 32 & INCREASE U DIV.

3F: ADJUST U AND V DIV.

S P E C I E S 3

CRITERIA DESIGN

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CRITERIA DESIGN

SPECIES DETERMINANT: BASE SURFACE

S P E C I E S 4

4A: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

4B: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

4C: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

4D: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

4E: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

4F: ADJUST PARAMETRIC SURFACE CONTROL POINTS

CRITERIA DESIGN

SPECIES DETERMINANT: MOVE POINT AMPLITUDE

5A: MIN. MOVE EQUALS: HIGH

5B: ADD +Z AXIS MOVE VALUE

5C: ADD -Z AXIS MOVE VALUE

5D: REMOVE MIN. MOVE VALUE & INCREASE Z MOVE VALUE

5E: REINTRODUCE MIN. MOVE VALUE

5F: INCREASE U/V DIVISIONS

S P E C I E S 5

CRITERIA DESIGN

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SPECIES DETERMINANT: PLANE ORIENTATION

S P E C I E S 6

6A: Z VECTORS REPLACED WITH X/Y

6B: COMBINE Z/Y VECTORS

6C: LOWERED U DIV. & Z/X MOVE VECTORS

6D: FURTHER LOWER U DIV. & INCREASE MOVE VECTOR VALUES

6E: FINE TUNE VALUES

6F: FURTHER REFINEMENT

CRITERIA DESIGN

HYBRID SPECIES 1: ITERATION 6F APPLIED TO NEW SURFACE

SELECTION CRITERIA

OUTCOME ANALYSIS

As the definitions potential was pushed the outcomes progressively became more complex, and less distinguishable as the original Swanston Square project. To determine which of these outcomes were of the most value to future studio work, a selection criteria was established, the aim of the criteria being to test the outcomes against suitability to the brief, potential for fabrication, visual intrigue, and relation to the patterning research field. Therefore the selection criteria is as follows:

Based on the selection criteria the results were analysed, and four successful outcomes have been selected. Iteration 6F (p. 32) features a dynamic double curved form that invokes a sense of movement or flow. This effect is realised through a repeated pattern, that is easy to read. Each row of the pattern could be fabricated with a flexible strip of material, such as polypropylene, the tricky part would be creating a system to hold the material in place, to form the pattern. Although here the pattern occupies a planar surface, it would work equally well (or better) on an undulating surface. Therefore it would suit a garment. As shown in hybrid species 1 (above), the pattern has architectural potential, where it might create a flowing series of mixed use interior/exterior spaces.

1. 2. 3. 4.

How could the form be applied to a garment? How easily could the form be fabricated? How visually intriguing is the form? How distinguishable is patterning in the form?

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ITERATION 4F: ‘MELTING’

OUTCOME ANALYSIS Iteration 4F has been selected because the form was emergent or unexpected, creating a melting type effect, although it doesn’t exactly satisfy all the selection criteria. Its difficult to distinguish any sense of patterning, as an order or symmetry is missing, or even a sense of a repeated element. Fabrication may be possible but difficult, the strips could be laser cut onto a flexible surface, but orientating and joining them would cause problems. If fabrication could be achieved, this forms appearance on a garment-

CRITERIA DESIGN

-would be unique and perhaps shocking. Iteration 2F was selected as a contrast against iteration 4f. This time the sense of patterning is highly readable, yet the effect is too commonplace. Therefore its visual intrigue is lacking, however there is potential to replace the simplicity of the checker board with something more complex, i.e. a voronoi/cull pattern output. To fabricate this pattern would be incredibly simple, as its just single curved strips. Its potential as a garment is interesting as it leaves a lot of empty space, meaning openings in the garment, this could be avoided by overlaying an offset version of the pattern. In this case-

ITERATION 2F: SIMPLICITY

-utilising

two types of materials, and transparent/ translucent materials would be successful. Swanston Square + De Young definition combined (p. 39) is of interest as it adds another layer of complexity to the form. Each horizontal strip is now articulated with a series of cones, adding a finer grain of detail to the overall pattern. This would be fabricated easily, as the cones could be cut through as circles, and serve as perforations, or a point for a bead or similar to be joined. The patterning system is articulated well, and the combination of a more curvy organic pattern with the rigid grid like cones is a successful juxtaposition.

DESIGN POTENTIAL There is great potential for these outcomes to serve as a garment. Naturally they would need to be mapped onto a surface that responds to the body in some way, and materialised through sophisticated joint systems. Both the strong expression of organic and geometric forms explored here have the ability to shock, and challenge peoples prepositions on what a garment is. In particular there is potential for the more 3D patterns to capture light/reflections at different angles, where garments donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t conventionally do so.

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/ CASE STUDY 1.0: DEFINITION MATRIX

IMAGE SAMPLER Species 1 The image sampler was used to take an image and output numeric values based upon shade values between black and white. The tool is very powerful as changing the image can have dramatic results on the final outcome. It was interesting to generate the images to be sampled in grasshopper, for example the field line pattern pictured below. This would also work with delaunay/voronoi patterns created in conjunction with cull patterns. The power to reference imagery can be utilised in design when expressing a viewpoint, or for activism. Additionally there is potential to relate to site context, by referencing patterns that occur in nature or the urban.

SURFACE DIVISIONS Species 2 and 3 The V divisions directly corresponds to how many horizontal strips are present in the final outcome. The U divisions corresponds with how many points comprise the top/bottom edges of the horizontal strip. Increasing the value is like increasing sample rate, adding more detail to how the pattern base image is referenced. Quite often to get a sampled image to appear accurately in the final outcome, the U and V divisions must be tweaked to appropriate values. For the surface divisions to interact properly (data match) with the image sampler, its important to reparameterise the original surface input.

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BASE SURFACE Species 4

MOVE POINT AMPLITUDE Species 5

Like the image sampler, the base surface has powerful potential to affect the final outcome. The potential is at its best when a parametric surface is utilised, this was achieved by referencing a series of lofted curves instead of a simple surface container. Then the surface can be morphed by manipulating the curve control points using the gum ball in Rhino. As the goal is to design a garment for the human body, working with a parametric surface is useful, as it allows fine tuning to occur in response to the form of the body.

The move point amplitude directly moves the points created by the U divisions discussed previously. The min move slider creates a minimum strip z height, irrespective of the pattern. The remaining two sliders will move points influenced by the pattern either upward in the z axis, or downward in the z axis. Therefore there is potential to create a straight edge on one side of a strip, and the patterned curves on the other side. This may be useful in responding to design constraints. For example a garment that is patterned on the outside and smooth on the inside.

PLANE ORIENTATION Species 6

OTHER VARIATIONS AND POTENTIAL

The plane orientation influences the vector of the move point amplitude. By default it moves along the z axis, but changing to X/Y values will cause the horizontal strips to extend horizontally rather than vertically. Note that in the examples X/Y values are used, however it will be more suitable to use surface generated normal values as the vector.

The flip component (located after surface divide) will change the orientation of the strips from horizontal to vertical, which would be useful if desired in a garment design. Finally the lofted surface created at the end of the definition could be extruded to give the strips a realistic material thickness. Or the surfaces could serve as the basis of a whole new definition.

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/ CASE STUDY 1.0: SWANSTON SQUARE + DE YOUNG DEFINITION

FIG.25: COPPER FACADE OF THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM

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SWANSTON SQUARE + DE YOUNG COMBINED

MERGING DEFINITIONS The De Young Museum by Herzog and De Meuron features copper panels articulated with circular perforations and cone shaped extrusions. As the definitions first input asks for a surface, it was a simple matter of plugging in the lofted surfaces from the Swanston Square final output. At first the definition was constructing the cones in the wrong orientation, with the tips facing upward rather than outward. To solve this a construct plane component was utilised, this constructed a vertical plane at the surface division points, which served as the base of the cone geometry. Potentially circular perforations would work better rather than 3D cone extrusions, adding depth to the existing pattern.

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: DIOR GINZA BY KUMIKO INUI (REVERSE ENGINEERING) -project

to reveal the inspiration for the design concept. Overall the architectural outcome somehow balances being simplistic and reserved, with the requirement of having a bold street presence, as demanded by the fashion label.

FIG.26: DIOR GINZA PATTERNED FACADE

PROJECT OVERVIEW

STAGE 1: GEOMETRIC ANALYSIS

The Dior store in Ginza Tokyo by Kumiko Inui features a patterned facade comprised of two skins. The outer skin is perforated with thousands of tiny circular holes, which reveal the illuminated (and patterned) inner skin. The pattern itself is supposed to be reminiscent of famous fashion designer Christian Dior’s signature motif, which itself is based upon the weaved pattern from Thonet’s chair. 23 The expression of this pattern is achieved successfully, in the sense that it is not at first conceived as an exact copy of the original. Only upon careful analysis one can deconstruct Kumiko’s-

The pattern can be broken down into smaller segments to make the process of reverse engineering the final form more approachable. The overall pattern is formed via the diamond/square motif (highlighted in red above), this motif is built around a 10x10 unit grid. Finally the motif is split across 9 square panels, identified in blue above. The pattern is articulated with a grid of circular perforations, with larger circles along the red lines. This suggests an approach of using the image sampler component to achieve differentiation in the size of the circle perforations.

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FIG.27: DIOR GINZA PATTERNED FACADE CLOSE UP

STAGE 2: BASE IMAGE To create the base image a Grasshopper definition was created (p. 42). 2a. Firstly a grid of 10x10 points was created using divide surface component on a square (p. 43). 2b. Next the required points were extracted using the list item component in conjunction with point list. Then a line was created between each pair of extracted points. 2c. The offset component was used to give the lines an appropriate thickness. 2d. An attempt was made to use Grasshopper to trim out the unnecessary lines, but it was unsuccessful so Rhino was used. The final line work was imported into illustrator and filled with black. See the following page for documentation of process.

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: BASE IMAGE CREATION (STAGE 2)

GRASSHOPPER DEFINITION: GENERATING THE BASE IIMAGE

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2a GRID OF POINTS

2b LIST ITEM AND INTERPOLATE

2c OFFSET

2d TRIM

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: IMAGE SAMPLER (STAGE 3)

STAGE 3: IMAGE SAMPLER The definition displays my initial attempt at using the image sampler to create the circular perforation pattern. It is needlessly over complicated as two image samplers have been used where the same result could have been achieved with one (see stage 4 for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cleanerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; definition). With this definition, the image was used to create the two sizes of circular perforations separately. A cull pattern was then used to remove unwanted superfluous circles based on their radius. Whilst this technique was unnecessary, it was useful for developing skills that can be used to experiment or tweak the definition. It allowed the larger circles and smaller circles to be selected as separate groups, meaning they could be edited individually.

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: PATTERN REFINEMENT (STAGE 4)

STAGE 4: PATTERN REFINEMENT Here the initial image sampler aspect of the definition has been ‘tidied up’. Each stage below corresponds with the pictured GH definition, and images on the following page. 4a. To create the 3x3 grid set of 9 panels the initial surface was divided using the mesh surface component. Then exploded into individual meshes and scaled. The scaling achieved the small gaps between each of the panels, as this is how they appear and are constructed in real life. The final mesh geometries needed to be converted into surfaces, as this couldn’t be achieved in Grasshopper, they were converted in Rhino and referenced back in. Unfortunately this meant ‘breaking’ the parametric functionality. 4b. This stage theoretically involved intersecting the previously created 3x3 panel surfaces with the circular curves, however as there were literally thousands of curves, it proved too much for the PC to handle. Instead the process was completed in Rhino, with many batches of boolean difference. Additionally during this stage it was noticed that the perforations were not lining up with the panels evenly. 4c. This stage optimised the orientation of the circular perforations to the panel. It was simply a matter of changing the surface divisions to a value that was divisible by three. Also note that 4c compared with 4b features perforations of a more suitable scale. 4d. Trimmed the outer edges of the panels as they were not aligned with the circles correctly. This was achieved by interpolating a curve through the outermost circles centres, the curve was then used to trim the 3x3 set of panels.

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4c CIRCLE SIZE/ALIGNMENT

4a 3X PANELS

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: ORIENTATING PANEL SETS (STAGE 5)

STAGE 5: ORIENTATING PANEL SETS At this stage a single unit of the pattern had been created, which itself was comprised of 9 panels (p.50). Orientating the panels into place seemed to be a simple matter of referencing in the surfaces and using the box array component, however simply referencing in the surface was causing Grasshopper to slow down dramatically. Instead the array process was completed in Rhino.

Finally, the effect where the pattern wraps around the building edge in an uneven way was applied, so the final result isn’t symmetrical. This could be achieved in a number of ways, the most effective of which I believe would be to wrap the pattern around the buildings cuboid form, and then using the relative item component to offset the patterns data mapping by an appropriate amount. In this example the same result was achieved by manually trimming the pattern.

OUTCOME ANALYSIS The basic patterning itself has been achieved, however the added depth of the second skin has not. The internal skin could be added by overlaying the original pattern, with a slightly different offset, however this would be difficult to represent graphically without complex light rendering.

The definition could be improved by reducing the amount of ‘parametric breaks’, i.e. every time there was a need to switch from Grasshopper to Rhino and back. This would allow more potential for iterative development beyond the intended outcome. To further this definition, it would be interesting to map the pattern over a double curved surface, which would distort the rectilinear nature of the pattern. This is demonstrated in: B.004 / Technique Development.

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4a PANELS 3x3

4b PERFORATIONS OVER PANELS

4c PERFORATION/PANEL ALIGNMENT OPTIMISED

4d PANEL EDGE TRIMMING

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: FINAL OUTCOMES

PANEL CLOSE UP DETAIL

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SINGLE PATTERN UNIT / 9 PANELS

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: FINAL OUTCOMES

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/ CASE STUDY 2.0: DESIGN PROCESS DIAGRAM

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PART B CRITERIA DESIGN

TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT PAT TERNING

TECHNIQUE PROTOTYPES FABRICATION

TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL CONCEPT

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

1A SAMPLE RATE 60X60

1B SAMPLE RATE 120 X 120

1C SAMPLE RATE 120 X 1

1F PIPED LINES X AXIS

1G PIPED LINES X/Y AXIS WITH FLIP MATRIX

1H DELAUNAY WITH CULL

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DIOR GINZA PATTERN WITH IMAGE SAMPLER

120

1D SAMPLE RATE 30 X 120

1E FIXED CONE EXTRUSION HEIGHT

L PATTERN

1I DELAUNAY WITH CULL PATTERN 2

1J CULL PATTERN AND MOVE Z AXIS

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

2A CULL PATTERN WITH SMALLER THAN

2B CULL PATTERN WITH LARGER THAN

2C FIELD PATTERN

2F SPIN FORCE/VECTOR MOVE

2G SPIN FORCE/VECTOR MOVE

2H OFFSET/SURFACE/EXT

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TRUDE

DIOR GINZA PATTERN WITH IMAGE SAMPLER CONTINUED

2D FIELD PATTERN AS VECTOR MOVE

2E FIELD PATTERN AS VECTOR MOVE 2

2I OFFSET/SURFACE/EXTRUDE 2

2J OFFSET/SURFACE/EXTRUDE 3

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3A U DIV. 12

3F BOX MORPH U DIV. 2

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

3B U DIV. 24

3G DIVIDE SRF/POLYLINE/PIPE

3C INCREASE

3H ADD VERTICA

E V DIV.

AL POLYLINES

NEW SURFACE: BASED ON HUMAN BODY & ADD SWANSTON SQUARE DEFINITION

3D OFFSET/MOVE Z AXIS

3I DIVIDE/FLATTEN/INTERPOLATE

3E BOX MORPH: U DIV. 2

3J DIVIDE LIST ITEM/INTERPOLATE

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

3K HYBRID OUTCOME

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3L HYBRID OUTCOME

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

4A STANDARD

4B MOVE CONTROL POINTS

4C ADJUST SCALE VALUE

4F CONSTRUCT PLANE/RECT/OFFSET

4G CULL PATTERN/ROTATE

4H CULL PATTERN/ROTAT

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CONSTRUCT GEOMETRY ON PARAMETRIC SURFACE

4D ADJUST SCALE/MOVE VALUES

4E DOUBLE U/V DIVISIONS

TE 2

4I ADD RESCALED GEOMETRY

4J POLYLINE/FLIP MATRIX/PIPE

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/ B.004 TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT

4H CULL PATTERN/ROTATE 68

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4J POLYLINE GRID CRITERIA DESIGN

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/ DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

ASSESSING OUTCOMES At this stage with 40+ iterations created, the outcomes were assessed against a refined assessment criteria. This ensured the results were in line with intended design outcomes, but more importantly, it would influence (and improve) the creation of further iterations. The newly devised criteria is below:

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: 01 FABRICATION How could it be fabricated?

02 AESTHETIC Unique, dynamic, patterned or interesting?

03 SUITABILITY Relevant to site or garment?

04 COMPUTATIONAL Does it demonstrate digital design skills?

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1H: DEALUNAY WITH CULL PATTERN This iteration is more useful than its counterparts as it begins to describe a system of connectivity, i.e. all the elements constituting the pattern are joined. This is of course to relate to the possibility of something being fabricated. It could be materialised with some kind of string like mesh, with 3D printed bead like elements. On the other hand, this pattern is fairly rudimentary, it has not progressed far from the original Dior project. Additionally it occupies a planar surface, which is not very suitable to the body, unless it draped completely.

4H: T/F CULL PATTERN & ROTATE This outcome is probably the most successful in terms of aesthetic or visual intrigue. Its formed via cubes of various sizes mapped over an undulating surface. This effect is articulated by rotating every second cube by 90 degrees with a cull pattern. It would be very difficult to fabricate this form, as in many cases each cube is not connected, due to the differentiation in size. The cubes themselves could easily be achieved as unrolled surfaces, and made to connect by using box morphing instead of image sampling, but without the size variation the visual impact would be lost.

3J: DIVIDE SURFACE & INTERPOLATE Again this iteration was selected as it describes an integrated and connected form. The horizontal layers are connected via vertical cords, however the geometry of the horizontal layers could only be fabricated with a flexible material. The form is now becoming more relevant to the proportions of the human body, however holes have not been included to allow for arm space. The patterning and aesthetic is fairly restrained, and could be developed into something better reflecting computational skills

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/ TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED

5A OFFSET VECTOR WRONG

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5B OFFSET BETTER, NOT PLANAR

5C OFFSET CORRECT, IS PLANAR

5D ADD PATTERN EFFECT (OUTER CURVE ONLY)

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/ DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT

5E SHAPE OPTIMISED FOR BODY

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5F ADD MATERIAL THICKNESS

5G ADD ROTATIONAL EFFECT

5H ADJUST ROTATION BEZIER CURVE

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/ DEVELOPMENT INFLUENCES & PRECEDENT

PATTERN FORMED VIA HORIZONTAL SURFACES

FIG.28: AQUA TOWER BY STUDIO GANG

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ADDING A ROTATIONAL OR TWISTING EFFECT

FIG.29: ABSOLUTE TOWER BY MAD ARCHITECTS

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/ FINAL ITERATIONS

FINAL CONCEPT Whilst the twisting effect gives a sense of movement or water flow, it is not very suitable to apply to the human form, as the internal space becomes too twisted. It would be successful if there was a way to create the twisting effect on the outside, whilst maintaining a regular effect on the inside. For now the twisting effect has been achieved by utilising primarily circular shapes, which is not as effective as when ovals are used. This is fine for the upcoming prototypes, however as the design develops further, the aim will be to reintroduce a strong twisting effect. The form itself is designed to restrict the movement of the users arms, and cover their mouth, therefore limiting the ability to speak. This ties in with my response to the brief and site, where I have envisaged an alternate dystopian reality, where litterers at Merri Creek are punished by being made to wear this garment. The aesthetic draws on the ripple and flows of Merri Creek, in a number of ways. The patterning of the layers is reminiscent of water, which is accented with the twisting effect. Additionally it is intended that the garment will hang loosely, so it responds to users movement, causing a jittering or rippling effect.

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/ TECHNIQUE PROTOTYPES

FABRICATION PROTOTYPES Given the design concept consists of many vertically stacked layers, a design problem was presented, how could these surfaces be joined together? The prototypes generated attempt to answer this question. Three unique joints systems were created with the purpose of solving the same problem: 01 cable ties with polypropylene surfaces, 02 MDF tongue and groove, and 03 MDF with rivet and polypropylene connector. Each joint system was developed with the aide of Grasshopper skills. For example creating the holes in the surfaces pictured opposite, was a simple matter of extracting the inside curve of the surface, offsetting it, dividing it, and creating circles along the divide points. For the tongue and groove system a line was drawn between four division points on the upper surface and lower surface. The line was then extruded twice to create a 3D notch. At this stage only four surfaces have been connected, however the systems could easily be applied to work with a larger range. That being said the increased weight of additional surfaces would mean more weight, therefore placing more stress on the joints. 80

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01 cable ties with polypropylene surfaces

02 MDF tongue and groove

03 MDF with rivet and polypropylene connector.

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/ SYSTEM 01: CABLE TIES WITH POLYPROPYLENE SURFACES

FIRST JOINT MADE

FABRICATION PROCESS This system was simple and easy to construct. Two cable ties were used per hole, with each cable tie locking in on its first most notch. This is where some difficulties arose, as its fairly easy to accidentally pull the cable to tight, in which case they had to be cut off and replaced. Each pair of cables formed a narrow ellipse ending in a sharp point, this was handy as the polypropylene surfaces unexpectedly locked in at this point.

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THREE JOINTS MADE / DRAPING EFFECT OF POLYPROPYLENE VISIBLE

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/ SYSTEM 01: CABLE TIES WITH POLYPROPYLENE SURFACES

ALL JOINTS MADE / CABLE TIE ENDS ARE MESSY

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ALL JOINTS MADE / CABLE TIE ENDS TRIMMED

POLYPROPYLENE CAN SLIDE ALONG TIES

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/ SYSTEM 01: CABLE TIES WITH POLYPROPYLENE SURFACES

SYSTEM BENEFITS -Quick and easy to assemble. Polypropylene cuts cleanly, with smooth curves. -Cable ties easily adjust, relative surface height is easily adjusted. -Form can dynamically change, i.e. polypropylene position on tie. -Potential to have many more than 2 polypropylene surfaces occupying a set of ties.

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SYSTEM FAILINGS -Difficult to align cable ties perfectly, i.e. ellipse shape facing perfectly outward. -Cable ties appear messy, too commonplace. -System fails if one cable ties is accidentally irreversibly tightened. -Current system cannot be extended vertically with more layers, new tie system would be required.

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/ SYSTEM 02: MDF TONGUE AND GROOVE

4x JOINTS READY

FIRST JOINT MADE

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SUSPENDING MODEL / GRAVITY ALIGNS

FIRST JOINT MADE

FABRICATION PROCESS Although this system seemed like it would be simple to construct, the logistics of aligning 5 separate pieces proved difficult. As pictured on the opposite page, the model was suspended and perfectly balanced from a single point on the connector piece. The 4 major surfaces then freely hung downward allowing them to align perfectly in the connector piece.

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/ SYSTEM 02: MDF TONGUE AND GROOVE

FABRICATION PROCESS CONTINUED In contrast with the alignment of first joint, the second joint would not align whatsoever. This was likely due to a design fault, meaning tolerances where not allowed for. The system would have worked better if all four joints pieces were identical, rather than being slightly different, this meant mixing them up caused major issues. Probably the most significant mistake made with this system, is that two sets of grooves were made, demanding perfect interlocking. As pictured with the fourth joint, two sets of grooves is unnecessary. There is potential to design the joint into a more interesting form, that may create a patterning effect itself.

SECOND JOINT MADE

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FOURTH JOINT MADE

FINAL RESULT / SURFACES ALIGN EXACTLY AS INTENDED

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/ SYSTEM 02: MDF TONGUE AND GROOVE

SYSTEM BENEFITS -Surfaces aligned exactly as intended in the digital file. -Potential for joints pieces to feature an interesting form or pattern. -Structurally strong/rigid.

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SYSTEM FAILINGS -Laser cutter leaves ugly burn marks on MDF, painting is extra work. -Joint system didn’t work as planned, tongue/grooves didn’t line up. -No flexibility, movement, or draping effects. Would create a very rigid garment. -Larger spans of MDF potentially warp, and are no longer planar. CRITERIA DESIGN

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/ SYSTEM 03: MDF WITH RIVET & POLYPROPYLENE CONNECTOR

FABRICATION PROCESS Having never used a rivet gun before, a few extra pieces of MDF were cut to test out how the joint would work. This was lucky, as when the initial joint was made, the rivet was tightening around the polypropylene too much, causing it to warp and deform. This may have just been a minor aesthetic issue, however when the joint was subjected to a minor pulling force, the polypropylene piece would fall off. Next two layers of polypropylene were tested, to see if that would resist the rivet, however this yielded the same result. Adding a washer gave the rivet a tight surface for the rivet to clamp on and made the joint secure, and very strong. Adding the washer added another 1mm layer of thickness to the joint, meaning the rivets that were previously being used were redundant, and new ones had to be bought. Indeed selecting the right rivet type was no simple task. 4.8mm holes were incorporated into the digital design, to accommodate standard rivet sizes, however these holes are on the larger side, and it would be good to test if the laser cutter can cut smaller openings. Then the rivet had to accommodate the following material thickness: MDF 3mm, polypropylene 0.6mm x2, washer 1mm, giving a total of 5.2mm. This required a 6.4 type rivet. 94

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TESTING THE JOINT

POLYPROPYLENE FALLING OFF

POLYPROPYLENE WARPING

WASHER ADDED CRITERIA DESIGN

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/ SYSTEM 03: MDF WITH RIVET & POLYPROPYLENE CONNECTOR

FABRICATION PROCESS Pictured above is the detail of how the joint works, it was important to remember to add the polypropylene connector for the forthcoming layer of MDF. Pictured to the left is a technique that helped hold the materials in place while the joint was being made. A bull clip was used, because otherwise the washer risked sliding off. Also at this stage it was realised that there was no technique to standardise the angle of each polypropylene connector, meaning it was left to intuition (pictured right). Again the bull clip helped in maintaining the angle. Note that the system is self supporting, rather than the expectation for it to drape freely. This is due to the short length of the polypropylene, coupled with its twisting.

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/ SYSTEM 03: MDF WITH RIVET & POLYPROPYLENE CONNECTOR

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FABRICATION PROCESS As progressive layers were added the system encountered slight errors. For one, the angle of each MDF sheet was not being perfectly held level, pictured to the left. Additionally as subsequent layers of MDF were added, the upper layers would block access for the rivet gun to the lower layers (pictured right), this meant that the joints had to be made from below rather than above. The image to the lower left shows how joints have been made from opposing sides. This is a minor issue, however rivets definitely produce a cleaner look on their upper side, compared to their lower. To avoid these problems, the design could be assembled from bottom to top, rather than top to bottom.

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/ SYSTEM 03: MDF WITH RIVET & POLYPROPYLENE CONNECTOR

SYSTEM BENEFITS -More flexible and dynamic than tongue and groove joints. -Self supporting. -Rivets very neat on top side. -Interesting twists and patterning occur with the polypropylene connectors.

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SYSTEM FAILINGS -Rivets messy on underside, labour intensive to use (really hurt hands). -Surface alignment not exactly true to design intent. -Uncontrollable twisting of polypropylene, would be better if each piece twisted in the same way. -No draping effect, could be achieved with different materials for the connector.

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/ TECHNIQUE PROPOSAL (MOVING FORWARD)

FURTHER DESIGN REFINEMENT Based upon the learnings of the fabrication and prototyping tests, currently the aim is further refine the rivet joint system. Firstly alternatives to rivets will be sought, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to go through the physical pain of using the rivet gun again, but I may be able to improve my technique with the tool. There also may be rivet alternatives in the textile industry that produce clean joints on both sides. To produce a garment that would cover the entire body as intended, will take an enormous amount of materials and time. Therefore the design may become a piece to enclose just a single arm, almost like a piece of armour. This will create further design challenges, as the design must accommodate the movement occurring between the upper and lower arm at the elbow. As both the MDF and Polypropylene had advantages, it would be good to utilise a layering system that makes the best of both materials, particularly the way in which polypropylene can be deformed into a non planar surface. Finally Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to reintroduce some influence from the Dior project, by articulating each surface with its own pattern, perhaps perforations.

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SWITCH GARMENT TYPOLOGY TO AN PIECE OF ARMOUR FOR ARM

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/ LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

O1: ‘INTERROGATE A BRIEF’

O2: ‘GENERATE VARIETY OF DESIGN SOLUTIONS’

Given the design brief is very open, it has been necessary to interrogate it thoroughly through conceptual development, as a means of refining the brief. This conceptual development was accomplished via computational design techniques, allowing rapid exploration of iterative outcomes, as seen during the case study 1, case study 2 development, and algorithmic sketches. Therefore a very open brief has been concentrated and formed via its interrogation with digital technologies. It was only after these exercises that I really started to have ideas about what a garment might be, and its relevance to site.

By utilising Grasshopper, it has been very easy to generate a large amount of design solutions in a short time. This is largely due to the parametric aspect of Grasshopper, allowing the decomposition of design into parameters that can be adjusted. This allows very thorough exploration of a single design idea, its potential can be exhausted.

O3: ‘3D MEDIA SKILLS’

O4: ‘ARCHITECTURE & AIR RELATIONSHIP’

The basis of my 3D media skills begun with the exploration of using digital meshes of the human body. This allowed a thorough digital understanding of real life conditions, with relation to human proportion and scale. These learnings then served to influence the conception of digital conceptual models, i.e. digital garment designs that have relevance to the real world.

With prototyped physical models, the digital design could be tested under real life conditions, in the ‘air’ or atmosphere. For my design, the exposure to real world gravity yielded the most interesting results, as systems that I expected to hang freely or drape, actually were quite rigid. Therefore not only the ‘air’ can be used to influenced the digital design, but also real life materiality.

As the use of 3D human meshes was implemented early in the design process, the benefits run through all the way to fabrication, as there was no need to make adjustments. Then the process of organising the design from a virtual assembly, to something ready for production, was aided via Grasshopper. Allowing the design to be diagrammatically broken down and arranged in an efficient way for fabrication.

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Whilst parametric tweaking may produce somewhat arbitrary results, these are based upon an original algorithm or program, that has been carefully considered. So the results will always be of design relevance. This is evident during the technique development stage, where many design solutions were generated, and the selection criteria I developed was used as a tool to critically analyse and select the most relevant outcomes.

O5: ‘MAKE A CASE FOR PROPOSALS’

O6: ‘ANALYSIS OF ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS’

I believe I have been successful in making a case for my proposals with relation to the prototyping. This was due to the critical analysis I did for each prototyping system, therefore acknowledging strengths and weaknesses. The results of this critical analysis then informed how I present the work both for the interim presentation, and in the journal. During the interim presentation, by acknowledging weaknesses, the critique wont have to dwell on it, or mention it at all. Importantly this opens up the possibility for more valuable critiques, that will benefit the design, and my learning in general.

The most thorough analysis I have completed was case study 1 on the Dior project. The analysis was light on the conceptual side, but through on the technical side. This aided in the success of reverse engineering process, which in turn developed computational skills that would become integral to my own design concept.

O7: ‘COMPUTATIONAL & ALGORITHMIC THINKING’

O8: ‘COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUES’

As someone with no mathematical skills, and who did not do any high school maths, these aspects of learning Grasshopper have been greatly beneficial. I believe my Rhino skills have improved greatly, with a greater depth of understanding of the programming that occurs behind the use of even the simplest components. For example a polylines relationship to points in XYZ world space, and that space to UVW object space. This understanding has of course come through the use of Grasshopper, which adds the complexity (and benefits) of utilising data structures. Whilst at first they completely confused me, I’ve gotten to the stage where when something isn’t working as I’ve intended, I’ll analyse the two data structures, and be able to understand how they differ, and then match them

I’ve learned a myriad of powerful computational techniques that a few months ago were completely out of my grasp. For example I wouldn’t have been able to begin to model the Swanston Square project, and I may have been able to do Dior, however it would have taken exponentially longer with just Rhino. Whilst the techniques have mainly been applied to a garment, they are equally suitable to architectural design, and I’m looking forward to applying them in future studios.

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IMAGE SELECTION I chose an image of Merri Creek showing an example of the waterway being polluted with rubbish. This represents my own standpoint that pollution should not occur, and there is potential to explore a means of pollution prevention. Although the image is fairly mundane, the results produce an organic pattern. Additionally its a good means of relating site to design form, in a way that reflects my own design agenda as an environmentalist.

IMAGE SAMPLER The outputs of the image sampler were mapped over a grid of points and used as the basis for creating geometries. As shown in the examples the values generated via the sampler were used to influence factors including geometry size, extrusion height and the number of polygon sides.

CULL PATTERN The cull pattern component was used to remove certain data entries from the list. In the pictured examples a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;larger thanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; component was used to check for specific radii, and output a true/false boolean value. The spheres with the smallest radii were then excluded from the final geometry.

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BASE SURFACE The base surface is a simple undulating form built by lofting a series of circles drawn loosely around the mesh of a man. The resulting form is a vest or singlet type form, reminiscent of a medieval armour breastplate. In Grasshopper the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;brepbrepâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; intersection component was used to cut holes through the surface for arms.

VORONOI 3D AND CULL PATTERN The base surface was divided into a series of points which were then used as the inputs for a Voronoi 3D to produce various patterns of cells. To achieve greater variation, the cull pattern component was used to remove select points, with a variety of boolean patterns. Finally the patterns applied to the base surface were piped.

OUTCOMES Although the patterns are quite interesting, they would be difficult to fabricate. There is potential for each pattern to be applied to a surface (as pictured), or they could form a standalone mesh like material.

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FIELD PATTERNS Field patterns are generated by various types of charges which essentially act as a force in a direction(s), although they will only act as a force if they are converted to an actual vector with the relevant component. These patterns utilise the field line component, which draws a line from an origin point, and then conforms to the field.

SPIN AND POINT CHARGE A point charge originates from a single point, and can create either a pulling or pushing effect around its circumference. A spin charge, as it name suggests, produces a spinning effect around a designated point. For all the charge types, their strength and decay can be adjusted. The most interesting results occur when various charges are merged into a single field, so as they interact with each other.

OUTCOMES The more dynamic/organic outcomes are more successful, as seen to the left side of this matrix. The patterning effects could be utilised to articulate an architectural surface. The example on the following page is my favourite, as the field lines â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;breakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, resulting in curious interactions.

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FRACTAL GEOMETRY Fractal geometry is based upon a single unit, that repeats itself on multiple scales, potentially an infinite amount of times. Geometric proportion remains constant, and the forms build themselves of larger/smaller versions of themselves.

FRACTAL APPLICATIONS The base fractal geometry was manipulated by copying, mirroring and orienting to form a sort of gateway. In the first iteration I was trying to have each end touch the ground perfectly, and although I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t successful, the cantilevered effect is dramatic and interesting. It was a tedious process to move, copy, mirror, and orient in Rhino, so I attempted to do it in Grasshopper without success. Given more time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to develop a definition to create compositions with the base fractal geometry.

OUTCOMES By rendering with a number of materials, the fractal geometries are more easily read. The two examples on this page are not so successful, likely to the geometry being used. The example on the previous page was a result of scaling larger rather than smaller.

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BEZIER GRAPH MAPPING Firstly three iterations were produced by adjusting the bezier curve graph mapping component. This influenced how far the points from each curve division would be displaced along the Z axis. To continue developing the definition, a new curve was introduced by interpolating it through points created by dividing the original curves in three. Two results were achieved by interpolating through all the points, and then using list/branch structure to interpolate only through the mid points.

OUTCOMES The bezier graph mapper tool is powerful in its potential to rapidly iterate form. It could be utilised in other definitions or the design project as an adjustment parameter. The outcomes are effective in communicating how different bezier curves can manipulate geometry. However these geometries are quite simple and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suggest utility. The standout iteration is the one featuring interpolate through all points, as it begins to suggest at a complex formal pattern made via interlocking different sized discs.

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FURTHER ITERATIONS As an experiment, the sweep component was combined with the 3D field. Although this didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work correctly, the form created was unexpected, and brings to mind some kind of sci-fi/space creature or craft (left). The original geometry was offset using a normal vector, and then a surface was lofted between the old/new curves (right). Finally, the original geometry was divided up again and used as the basis of generating a new 3D field pattern (below).

OUTCOMES The offset/loft iteration is quite effective, in that it immediately begins to suggest a readable architectural form. It could be a building with a large central courtyard, and each level is comprised of the dynamic layering effect, with programmatic and circulative interactions occurring between the distinct pods.

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RELATIVE ITEM The relative item component takes a data list structure, and the values within this data list structure can then be offset by a specified amount. In these examples the data list structure is the intersection points between curves. Changing the data list with the relative item component will shift the location of the points, resulting in new patterns occurring.

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OUTCOMES The relative item component can be utilised to produce a variety of developments to a pattern, therefore it is of great use to the patterning research field. These examples have explored how the architectural outcomes might be a steel grid shell, although the technique could easily be transferred to a garment. For example to create a weave or panelling effect.

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END NOTES & LIST OF IMAGES END NOTES 15. Mark Garcia, ‘Prologue for a History, Theory, and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design’, AD Journal, 89 (2009), 8. 16. Ibid, 9. 17. Archi Union Architects, ‘AU Office and Exhibition Space’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily.com/82251/ au-office-and-exhibition-space-archi-union-architects-inc/> [accessed 16 August 2016]. 18. Mark Garcia, ‘Prologue for a History, Theory, and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design’, AD Journal, 89 (2009), 13. 19. Farshid Moussavi, The Function of Ornament (Barcelona: Actar, 2006), 8. 20. Rory Stott, ‘BIG’s 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/789018/bigs-2016-serpentine-pavilion-opens-alongside-4-summerhouses> [accessed 16 August 2016]. 21. Patrick Shumacher, ‘Parametric Patterns’, AD Journal, 89 (2009), 33. 22. Farshid Moussavi, The Function of Ornament (Barcelona: Actar, 2006), 5-7. 23. Mi Modern Architecture, Dior Ginza, < http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/Japan/Tokyo/Dior%20Ginza/?abvar4&utm_expid=3171585-1. Zst3sBQAQPev0fWzS8OUQg.4&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.au%2F> [accessed 26 August 2016].

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LIST OF IMAGES: Fig 19. Sheng Zhongai, AU Office and Exhibition Space, photograph, retrieved from: < http://images.adsttc. com/media/images/5012/b83e/28ba/0d14/7d00/066c/large_jpg/stringio.jpg?1414003673>. Fig 20. Iwan Baan, BIGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 Serpentine Pavilion, photograph, retrieved from: < http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5756/e8db/e58e/ce8b/5100/0003/large_jpg/big_pavilion_-_image_c_iwan_baan_5.jpg?1465313479>. Fig 21. Iwan Baan, BIGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2016 Serpentine Pavilion, photograph, retrieved from: < http://images.adsttc.com/media/ images/5756/e802/e58e/ce8b/5100/0001/large_jpg/big_pavilion_-_image_c_iwan_baan_2.jpg?1465313262>. Fig 22. Zeb Kitchell, Close up of tree bark pattern from Merri Creek, photograph. Fig 23. Julian VIncent, HIV Virus pattern, photograph, retrieved from: AD Journal, 89 (2009), 77. Fig 24. John Gollings, Swanston Square, photograph, retrieved from: <http://www.a-r-m.com.au/projects_SwanstonSquare_Barak.html>. Fig 25. Celerplus, Copper Facade of the De Young Museum, photograph, retrieved from: <http://www.panoramio.com/photo/35895628>. Fig 26. Kumiko Inui, Dior Ginza, photograph, retrieved from: < http://www.inuiuni.com/projects/234/>. Fig 27. Kumiko Inui, Dior Ginza facade close up, photograph, retrieved from: < http://www.inuiuni.com/projects/234/>. Fig 28. Hedrich Blessing, Aqua Tower, photograph, retrieved from: < http://www.archdaily.com/42694/aqua-tower-studio-gang-architects>. Fig 29. Iwan Baan, Absolute Towers, photograph, retrieved from: < http://www.archdaily.com/306566/absolute-towers-mad-architects>.

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FIG.30: SOODI’S ‘STRIPS’ GARMENT CONCEPT

FIG.31: MY ‘RIGID LOOPS’ CONCEPT

For part C I teamed up with two fellow student designers (Rebecah and Soodi), to allow more time and labour for the detailed design proposal. This meant we could combine our discoveries from the Part B: Criteria Design stage. At first our individual ideas were quite disparate from one another, with Soodi’s featuring flexible/vertical strips, Rebecah’s featuring triangular panelling, and my own featuring rigid loops. We analytically determined two simplified patterning systems across our designs, we dubbed these ‘strips and ‘triangles’. Therefore our garment would explore the interaction between these two system, with the rigid strips performing as a structural base for-

-the triangles to be mapped onto. This means that our design also explores the idea of wearable architecture, or a ‘pavilion for the body’, as we utilised the two architectural systems of structure and cladding. Within these systems we explored the notion of ornament where the triangles (cladding) become ornament to the structure, but also the strips (structure) can feature ornament via patterning. Finally we discussed issues of planarity, as both the triangles and strips could either be planar or not. We knew that organic form could be created from planar strips with contouring techniques (see following page), but weren’t so sure about fabricating not planar strips. Nevertheless in the following initial concepts, we explored non-planar options to test possibilities.

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FIG.32: REBECAHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INFLUENCE: TRIANGULAR PANELLING PATTERN ON VENEER DRESS

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FIG.33: CONTOURED GARMENT FROM PLANAR STRIPS

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CONCEPT 01 We begun by developing our strips/triangles idea into two initial concepts. As previously discussed both concepts feature strips mapped around the body, with triangles mapped onto the strips. The aim with both concepts was to subvert the conventional forms that garments take on. The first concept is rather organic formed and asymmetrical. The triangles are hierarchically scaled from shoulder to shoulder to produce a varied and dynamic pattern. Rather than having the triangles cover the entirety of the strips, they have been left visible and take on a twisting form. Finally the garment wraps around the body, but interestingly still leaves some of the upper chest uncovered.

CONCEPT 02 The second concept is a lot more symmetrical, and this time flows from the shoulders rather than wrapping around the body. The form is reminiscent of sci-fi or fantasy shoulder armour, which could have interesting conceptual site implications, but was not in line with our targets. The strip system is defined with varying sizes, and as they only bend in one direction, could easily be fabricated. The triangles are very thin along one axis to the point that they are almost planar, and therefore look better along their side rather than from the front. In the end we chose to continue developing concept 01, as it was more in line with our conceptual and site related goals (discussed in detail later).

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01 LOFT SURFACE BETWEEN CRVS

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02 CONTOUR SURFACE IN Z DIRECTION

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REFINING CONCEPT AND TECHNIQUE DIAGRAM As pictured on the previous page, we refined the concept (pictured left) by firstly planarising the strips. This meant they could be fabricated from a rigid material with a laser cutter. Secondly we applied a patterning effect to the strips themselves. The zig-zag pattern responds to the triangles, however at this stage we were unsure as to whether the sharp zig-zags of the strips and the triangles visually clashed. Pictured below is a diagram detailing how we utilised computational design techniques to develop our initial design concept. The Grasshopper definition is parametric, meaning we can easily change key factors including: form of the original surface, spacing of the strips, size of the zig-zags, and size of the triangles.

04 DIVIDE CRV, WEAVE, & INTERPOLATE

05 LOFT BETWEEN CRVS & EXTRUDE

06 DIV. CRV, CONSTRUCT PLANE, REC., EXTRUDE

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MERRI CREEK, 2016. We have envisaged a dystopian future where the environment is failing due to continued degradation at the hands of humans... Community groups such as CERES continue to fight for the environment, but they have had to resort to extreme measures... People found guilty of environmental degradation are punished with wearing our garment proposal...

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MERRI CREEK, 2063. Upon wearing the garment one becomes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Merri Creek Scarecrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;... Their task: to discourage both animal and human life away from the site, using any means necessary... Only then will there be hope for the Merri Creek environment to be saved... Or otherwise, it will be forgotten, and swallowed in a cloud of ash...

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CONSTRUCTION DIAGRAMS The construction system we devised revolved around solving the issue of how to join one strip to the next. We knew that the 35 strips would be laser cut and therefore needed converting to 2D linework. Firstly we devised a numbering system based upon each strips flattened list value, as the strips were oriented onto the X/Y plane we added the value as lines that would be etched with the laser cutter. This process attempted to make the assembly much more efficient. The greater challenge was joining one strip to the next, we starting by dividing each of the strips by an amount. The divide points served as nodes for the joints to be made, at this stage the distance and angles between each node varied so a flexible material was required. We opted to test some sort of string that would be locked into place at each node to prevent the strips from sliding freely along the string.

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CONSTRUCTION DIAGRAMS At this stage we were not sure how small of a hole could be cut with the laser cutter so we went with 5mm. After extensive searching of art, crafts and hardware stores we found 5mm eyelets that could potentially be used to lock the string onto each strip.

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TESTING THE ‘STRIP’ TECTONIC The strip system was materialised using 2mm white perspex (laser cut), 2x types of 5mm eyelets, and white nylon cord. The joints were made as follows: 1. Insert bottom half of eyelet into 5mm hole cut through perspex. 2. Thread nylon cord around the eyelet shaft. 3. Close the eyelet by inserting the top half, thereby securing the string in place. 4. Hammer the eyelet firmly closed, locking the string in position. The aim of this system was to prevent the strips from freely sliding along the nylon cord.

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STRIPS ITERATIONS Three variations of the strips were fabricated to test how each unique form would operate with real materiality. 01: Very thin with only slight jaggedness, will sit close to the body and the zig-zag effect is not too overpowering. 02: Full thickness with no zig-zag. Potentially the easiest iteration to attach the triangles on to. 03: Heavy/sharp zig-zag patterning, might clash with triangles. Potentially difficult to attach triangles onto.

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ANALYSIS OF THE STRIP SYSTEM Through the process of hammering some of the strips broke, in the final proposal we responded by removing hammering from the fabrication process and increasing the perspex thickness for future iterations. The thinner strips were especially prone to breakage, so we had a good understanding of how thick they should be along all faces. The strips couldn’t be joined as close as we’d hoped, as we had to leave room allowing the eyelet to be hammered closed. Additionally we didn’t measure every span of string exactly as in the digital model. This meant that the strips hung rather freely and arbitrarily, so the intended patterning was not correctly achieved. Although the system did work and produced a clean aesthetic, it did not serve our design intentions as we required something more rigid. There was potential to develop the design to suit the joint system, but we opted to explore a new joint system instead.

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TESTING THE TRIANGLES (POLYHEDRONS) With the triangles we tested fabrication with a net system. Each triangle was unfolded, making use of the unroll command in Rhino to accurately convert from 3D to 2D surfaces. Tabs were added for glued joints, and the lines where folds would occur were designated to be etched with the laser cutter. As pictured opposite, we encountered a number of issues with fabricating the triangles. Firstly there were issues with the etch lines pulling completely apart rather than folding, we discovered later there was an issue with our Rhino file, as we had duplicate etch lines which meant that certain lines were being etched twice. The major issue was with assembling the nets, as they did not go together as intended. I believe this is because each surface face of each individual triangle features double curvature, it is extremely difficult to join them with tabs. In hindsight, we could of tried alternative methods to fabricate these curved triangles, one option that comes to mind is sewing each edge to the next. Nevertheless, due to time constraints we opted to move forward by developing planar triangles.

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PLANARISING THE TRIANGLES (POLYHEDRONS) This series of iterations explores our numerous attempts to seek a planarised triangular outcome, that was still in line with the initial concepts form. To achieve this we switched from using grasshoppers box morph tool to constructing platonic triangles. The first iterations (top row) were built off the curves used to loft the initial base surface, but evidently even when we tweaked these curves it stretched the triangles a lot. The next iterations (bottom row) were built off curves made by contouring the base surface, producing a much more even result, however the problem with this technique is the triangles didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have bases. Even if we added in the bases manually, they would not have been planar, and our goal was to achieve a planar base for a strong connection to the strips. The very final iteration (bottom iteration) achieved our goals in that they were solid triangles with bases and all the faces were planar. This result was achieved by converting the base surface to a triangulated mesh and working off that. Also note that across all these iterations we were exploring how much the triangles should cover the strips.

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FIG.34: TRIANGLE DEVELOPMENT

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NON-PERPINDICULAR BASE Despite having resolved all the planarity issues of the triangles, there were still issues with how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d interact with the strips. The goal was to have each triangle sit flush in the strip, but instead some of the triangles were sitting at an angle to the strips. This meant there was minimal surface area contact, and would be difficult to join with glue.

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PERPINDICULAR BASE It got to the stage where we were considering removing the triangles from the design altogether, but instead we opted for a dramatically simplified triangle pattern, with each triangle sitting perfectly perpendicular to each strip. It was unfortunate that we had to sacrifice the dynamic form and pattern that we originally had, and given more time we would liked to have continued developing the triangles.

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DEVELOPING RIGID JOINTS BETWEEN STRIPS

These diagrams illustrate how we utilised Grashopper to begin forming a series of small connector pieces tha garment becomes a rigid cage that constrains the body, which is suitable for our concept. An important factor far strips of perspex can span between supports whilst supporting various weights. These findings were used to in

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FIG.35: JOINT DEVELOPMENT

t span between each strip. These pieces would be rigid and hold the strips pattern in place, therefore the we considered at this stage was spanning capabilities of perspex, we conducted a series of tests to see how nform the distance between each joint connector piece in our final prototype model.

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RECURSIVE DEFINITION The joint system has been designed with a subtle rotational effect, this provides aesthetic variation. With each surface orientated at different angles they catch the light in different ways, producing a shimmering effect. To achieve this result, a recursive definition was employed that can be summarised as follows: 01: Original joint piece in origin position. 02: Move the joint piece along X/Y plane so it falls in-between the next set of strips. 03: Rotate the joint piece by a fixed amount. 04: Fine tuning. Manually ensuring joints pieces donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intersect and they are correctly spanning between the strips.

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MODEL ASSEMBLY The joints were fabricated with clear perspex so as the strips are the main focal point. Each connector piece was glued into the strip, this system was effective as each joint was standardised, so assembly was quite simple. The greatest challenge we faced was finding the best glue to make the joint, we tested over 5 types of glues. Slow drying glues worked well as they accommodated for slight tolerance issues where the strips and joint pieces didn’t quite line up. The glue allowed time to line up everything correctly. On the other hand the fast drying glues were a lot stronger, yet it was a challenge to quickly line up five separate joints into their corresponding holes. To further develop the joints, I’d like to explore the possibility of avoiding glue altogether, potentially with an interlocking polypropylene system. Otherwise the guest critic suggested a putty glue that I’d like to try.

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PARAMETRIC BENEFITS Due to the parametric qualities of our design, it is incredibly easy to adjust and develop key parameters. This is a quick iteration I produced, simply by moving control points on the curves that are lofted into a surface. Also the number of strips has been doubled. Given more time I would like to produce a garment that covers more of the body, and inherently constrains more movement. The forms presented here could be pushed even further into bulging organic shapes, and also extend down the body further to constrain the legs. A weakness in our design was definitely the tenuous parametric link between the strips and the triangles, essentially we worked with two separate definitions. It would be great to go back and develop a definition where the triangles and strips were integrated more parametrically, I’m sure the benefits would translate into fabrication. Probably the biggest issue I’d like to work on is fabricating more organic formed triangles (polyhedrons). As in the original concept, the intention was to have them appear as they ‘grew’ out of the strips gradually.

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O1: ‘INTERROGATE A BRIEF’

O2: ‘GENERATE VARIETY OF DESIGN SOLUTIONS’

From the beginning I was inspired by Anthony Dunne’s and Fiona Raby’s writing on topics including speculative design, critical design, and potential futures. This informed my approach to the brief by considering the site (Merri Creek) in an abstract manner, envisaging a dark future with somewhat snide undertones. The intention of creating this negative outlook is to invoke positive change in the present.

I think that one of the strongest aspects working as a design team was our exploration of various solutions, perhaps most evident with how we developed the triangles (page 152). At that point we were fine tuning a form, so the different outcomes feature no radical or apparently interesting changes, instead parametric modelling was utilised to refine geometry for fabrication. On the other hand parametric tools have been used throughout the semester to produce various solutions that differ radically in their form.

O3: ‘3D MEDIA SKILLS’

O4: ‘ARCHITECTURE & AIR RELATIONSHIP’

Studio Air has thoroughly improved my understanding of computational geometry in the Rhino environment, due to the incorporation of Grasshopper. For me the biggest part of learning Grasshopper is really learning what’s going on ‘beneath the surface’ in Rhino. It requires a much deeper understanding of geometry and data, which in turn has improved my Rhino capabilities. In particular I appreciate my new understanding of 3D space, including basic mathematical principals such as vectors, that I didn’t understand previously.

It was a great learning experience thoroughly testing a variety of design prototypes in real world conditions. With the final proposal gravity was a key factor, as the accumulated weight of all the perspex ended up being quite significant. This is a factor we had not necessarily considered when the design was a digital model. The weight of our final garment exceeds the norm for conventional garments, but suits our conceptual goal of punishing the user. Additionally it was beneficial to see how real world light reflected of the joints pieces at varying angles.

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O5: ‘MAKE A CASE FOR PROPOSALS’

O6: ‘ANALYSIS OF ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS’

Our groups thorough design process meant that each decision and idea was thoroughly considered and tested, allowing results to be well argued and supported by quantifiable evidence. In this sense group work aided the effectiveness of our proposals, as design decision making was one of the major influences on our proposal. At times decisions were slow to make, and they held us back in terms of time constraints, but in the end no rash decisions were made that lead to weak design outcomes.

This learning objective has been interesting in our studio as the challenge was to translate architectural ideas into a garment. I think particularly in the early stages of the studio these skills are most evident, for example my analysis of BIG’s new Serpentine Pavilion, and the translation of the tectonic into a GH defintion and finally a garment concept. Additionally the skills built in reverse engineering the Dior building are invaluable, as the task demanded we understood the project on a multitude of levels, including conceptual, geometric, algorithmic and technical aspects.

O7: ‘COMPUTATIONAL & ALGORITHMIC THINKING’

O8: ‘COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUES’

In the 12 weeks of Studio Air I feel like I have learnt a lot about Grasshopper and the algorithmic, computational, and programmatic aspects it entails. However at the same time there is a sense that I’m just getting started. The really exciting stuff such as learning new plugins including Kangaroo Physics or Python scripting, I’m only beginning to learn. It is exciting that learning these advanced digital technologies is now a possibility, made possible by a comprehensive understanding of rudimentary computational geometry, data and programming concepts.

A very simple computational technique I utilised (probably to much) is the pipe command. I mention this because I quickly grew bored of piping lines continually and wanted a pipe component that creates a rectangular rather than circular profile. This component doesn’t exist by default, but by the end of the semester I was able to go about creating my own definition for a rectangular pipe, and then converting it into a component that’s as easy to use as the standard pipe. Naturally piped geometry is very easy to fabricate, so towards the end of semester I moved away from this technique.

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END NOTES & LIST OF IMAGES

LIST OF IMAGES: All work is my own unless otherwise noted. 30. Soodi Hashemi, Strips Garment Concept, render. 31. Zeb Kitchell, Panel Structure Concept, render. 32. Preston Norriz, Dress Made from Wood, photograph, retrieved from: < https://au.pinterest.com/pin/95420085831513955/>. 33. Aref Maksoud, Contoured Garment, render, retrieved from: <https://305927716147259.offertabs. com/5896540?view=pins&board=maglab-haute-contour-parametric-fashion-research>. 34. Soodi Hashemi, Triangle Development, renders. 35. Soodi Hashemi, Joint Development, Rhino diagrams. 36. Rebecah Wiesner, Contextual visualisation, edited photo. 37. Rebecah Wiesner, Series of Photographs of Final Model, photographs. 38. Rebecah Wiesner, Contextual visualisation, edited photo. 39. Rebecah Wiesner, Contextual visualisation, edited photo.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Besserud, Keith, Neil Katz, and Alessandro Beghini, ‘Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaboration at SOM’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 48-55. Dietrich, Eric, ‘Algorithm’, MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences (MIT Press, 2000), p. 11-12. Dunne, Anthony, and Fiona Raby, Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press, 2013). Edwards, Seth, ‘Embedding Intelligence: Architecture and Computation at Grimshaw, NY’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 104-109. Fry, Tony, Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics, and New Practice (Oxford: Berg, 2009). Garcia, Mark, ‘Prologue for a History, Theory, and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design’, AD Journal, 89 (2009), 6-17. Giermann, Holly, ‘ArchiBlox Designs World’s First Prefabricated Carbon Positive House’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/602666/archiblox-designs-world-s-first-prefabricated-carbon-positive-house> [accessed 1 August 2016]. Grabner, Thomas, and Ursula Frick, ‘GECO: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 142-143. Holland, John H. , ‘Genetic Algorithms’, Iowa State University: Department of Economics, < http:// www2.econ.iastate.edu/tesfatsi/holland.gaintro.htm>[accessed 11 August 2016]. Kalay, Yehuda E. , Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories and Methods of Computer-Aided Design (MIT Press, 2004), p. 1-25. Kestelier, Xavier De, ‘Recent Developments at Foster + Partners’ Specialist Modelling Group’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 22-27. Lynch, Patrick, ‘This Speculative Project Imagines A Mixed-Use Building Wrapped Around the Arc de Triomphe’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/792338/this-speculative-project-imagines-a-mixed-use-building-wrapped-around-the-arc-de-triomphe> [accessed 1 August 2016]. Moussavi, Farshid, The Function of Ornament (Barcelona: Actar, 2006), 8. Oxman, Rivka, and Robert Oxman, Theories of the Digital in Architecture (New York: Routledge, 2014), p. 1-9. Peters, Brady, ‘Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought’, AD Journal, 83 (2013), 8-15. Stott, Rory, ‘BIG’s 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses’, Arch Daily, < http://www.archdaily. com/789018/bigs-2016-serpentine-pavilion-opens-alongside-4-summerhouses> [accessed 16 August 2016]. Shumacher, Patrick, ‘Parametric Patterns’, AD Journal, 89 (2009), 28-41.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks to Caitlyn Parry for tutoring my(our) studio over the semester, and providing valuable feedback and support. Thanks to Soodi and Rebecah for being great group workers. Thanks to Brad and Rosie for coordinating the subject and giving lectures.

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