DIGITAL TECTONICS FOR A SYSTEMICALLY INTEGRATED FUTURE

B ITS + P I ECES

C O N T E N T S

DIGITAL FABRICATION

MORPHOGENETIC DESIGN

INHERENT MATERIAL PROPERTIES 20SINE WAVE PAVILION 24HARRY CATERPILLAR PAVILION 26

LIVING SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

BIOLOGICALLY INTEGRATED DESIGN 8

PREFACE 5INTRODUCTION 7

HIGH-TECH PRODUCTION 12

COMPUTATIONAL METHODS

ALGORITHMIC BASED DESIGN 28TURTLE SHELL PAVILION 34

BITS + PIECES

INSTALLATION 36

CREDITS

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 56GRAPHIC REFERENCES 60MOMENT TO REFLECT 64

designed and written byRICHARD MEACHAMuniversity of south florida, tampa school of architecture + community designmaster’s project I fall 2013 - spring 2014

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P R E FACE

There is no single point of departure that I can remember for the research contained in this document. I have been personally interested in sustainability and technol-ogy even before I was aware of what these terms meant. From the time I was a small child and into my early twenties, I maintained aquariums that required a systems level of thinking that I only now understand. For anyone who has ever tried to keep a large thriving aquarium, they know that fish tanks are very com-plex living systems in which the change of one parameter can have a tremendous impact on the well being of the inhabit-ants. In order to improve the conditions within the aquarium, I was constantly try-ing to understand living system design and apply it to the built environment I created. In hindsight, the living system architecture that I designed was the be-ginning of my fascination with a concept I had yet to define. This document at-tempts to define that method of thinking and conceive a design process from it as it relates to architecture. Conceptu-ally, the only real difference between designing an aquarium and a building is what lives inside of it. This has lead me to believe that architecture should be thought of as a living system. Thankfully, computer technology has developed to a point where we can view, design and analyze our built environment through a systemically integrated lens.

Computer technology has always been a part of my life. I have watched it develop and grow exponentially more powerful over the course of my life. The

capabilities we are experiencing today are only the beginning of a very promis-ing future. Advancements in technology fills me with hope for the future of design and the world. This ever increasing com-putational power provides the ability to merge the natural and the man-made. It enables a systems approach to design that is highly performance based and has the potential to provide a sustainable human condition.

Sustainability has become a ubiqui-tous topic within the field of architecture. Unfortunately, practices that are often referred to as being sustainable do not consider the larger systems they are a part of. If we follow the examples the natural world has provided for us, we can see that sustainable conditions are living systems where no part exists in iso-lation. Architects are constantly working at a systems level of thinking. Every time they work on a project and make a sin-gle change they understand it will affect the rest of the design in some way. Some changes have minor impacts, while oth-ers have much larger repercussions. My current research explores: digital fab-rication techniques, emergent design, computational methods and the use of algorithms as a design tool for obtain-ing a sustainable human condition. The writing is directed toward architects, but it is intended for everyone because we all coexist on this planet together. I’m not the first one to propose such a method of thinking; however, we are at a point in time when the tools we have developed are now capable of handling the com-

plexity required to design, model and analyze a human built system filled with enormous sums of data.

As a result of the developments in computer technology, our built envi-ronments are experiencing significant changes. Advances in computation and computer aided design, coupled with a rapid adoption of industrial techniques centered on robotic fabrication, have provided the ability to use complex algo-rithms as a design tool. We can use this computing power to create architecture that performs like a living system. One of the goals for this work is to envision a design process that produces perfor-mance based ecologically integrated ar-chitecture. I refer to this as living system architecture. Rather than autonomous ar-chitecture that separates itself from its sur-roundings, the goal is to integrate archi-tecture within its environment. Whether in a dense urban setting or a wide open prairie, architecture should be a part of the larger living systems where it is locat-ed in order to obtain a sustainable hu-man condition. Through digital fabrica-tion we can rapidly prototype concepts and test them within the elements. When design concepts are informed by local site specific living systems and perform within the inherent material properties they are composed of, we can obtain a truly sustainable condition full of abun-dance and growth rather than a world of limits and restrictions.

Richard MeachamApril 2014

5

INTRODUCTION

Sustainability should not be thought of or treated as a style or fad. It is a far more important objective than any other in our recent history. In fact, it is a response to the damage caused by the industrializa-tion of the recent past, when fossil fuel powered machines were developed to increase production at any cost and con-quer nature. Now is the time for a new era, an era in which we are again a part of the natural world. One in which we re-alize our true potential to live in harmony with nature. Recently, being green has been used as a marketing tactic to make something sound better than it really is. The unfortunate part, is that the object or practice in question is typically not a sus-tainable solution; it is only a less waste-ful or more efficient version of the same poor model. “If nature adhered to the hu-man model of efficiency, there would be less cherry blossoms, less nutrients, fewer trees, less oxygen and less clean water.” (McDonough & Braungart, 2002, pg. 76) The key concept here is to be more effective and not simply more efficient. To understand how to establish a sustain-able human condition, all one has to do is look at a natural living system like the nutrient cycle. In natural living systems the concept of waste does not exist be-cause it is a continuous cycle of use and reuse where the waste of one organism is food for another. Unfortunately, most of the products or practices that claim to be sustainable or green are still using the

same harmful strategies that got us into this mess in the first place. For instance, a building that consumes less electricity during the day because of higher effi-ciency air conditioners doesn’t properly address the heat gain problem. Why not design it with materials that do not retain so much heat on the interior or better yet, passively cool the structure through better design? Although temporary higher effi-ciency solutions like this are a great start to turn around current practices, it is not a long term solution. Whether in a dense urban setting or a wide open prairie, ar-chitecture should be a part of the larger living systems where it is located in order to obtain a sustainable human condition.

0.1 (opposite page)Systems thinking lens for looking at the world of design.

0.2 (above)Nutrient cycle demonstrates continual transfer of energy from one organism to another.

0.3 (above)Biological nutrient cycles are those that biodegrade and return to the earth to be reused by other organisms. Technical nutrient cycles are those in which products are designed to remain in a closed loop where they can be recycled or reused within a sustainable system.

0.4 (above)This coral reef is a thriving example of living system de-sign. Everything consumes everything on some level in a continual loop powered by the suns energy.

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1.0Animals are naturally drawn to water because of their ability to support living systems. Where’s your water?

1.1Beehives are constructed by little fl ying 3D printers and are one example of living system archi-tecture because it is completely performance based and has the ability to adapt to many situations without destroying local ecology.

1.2If you look close enough, you will discover living systems in all sorts of places in nature. This bromeli-ad illustration expresses symbiotic relationships.

1.3Swamp Thing, the science fi c-tion embodiment of a creature completely integrated with his environment.

L I V I N G S Y S T E M A R C H I T E C T U R EB I O L O G I C A L L Y I N T E G R A T E D D E S I G Nperformance based life sustaining design that promotes symbiotic relationships between organisms

IMAGINE A BUILDING LIKE A TREE, A CITY LIKE A FOREST

-MCDONOUGH + BRAUNGART

Currently, much of our built environment makes every effort to separate and seal the inhabitants from the outside world. While this need has important histori-cal precedent, developers are now ac-cepting the urgency to change this old method of thinking that was brought on for mostly economic purposes. It is now commonly understood that many of the projects constructed over the recent past are harmful to the health and well be-ing of the inhabitants. Examples include: poor air quality, inadequate natural light, carcinogenic materials and pol-lution of the building site due to poor water management, possibly resulting in a short life span for the project. This list of problems and many others not men-tioned are the direct result of an architec-ture that attempts to separate itself from the world as autonomous isolated enclo-sures. Many of the methods for construct-ing these sealed enclosures have also put a huge strain on our natural resources. One of these methods includes clearing a site of all vegetation prior to construc-tion, rather than building within site con-ditions to protect and improve the land. This practice has lead to the destruction of entire ecosystems in the name of eco-nomic growth. These are all reasons why we must begin to design architecture as an integrated living system. This is not

to imply that environmentally harmful practices are intentionally bad. They are simply a product of the past available technologies. It is the evolution of these past technologies that have made it pos-sible for us to finally solve the bigger is-sues we face in an intelligent sustainable way. After all, if these practices were not adopted the global human popula-tion may not have grown to the size it is today. However, if we are to sustain a growing human population, we must take precedent from our ancestors and coexist within the living systems that surround us. In the face of the largest human popula-tion we have ever seen, the architectural profession is on the verge of very signifi-cant changes. We cannot keep practic-ing architecture, designing and building the same way we have been over the past century, if we are going to sup-port a growing population. In 2011 the global population reached seven billion people, and is expected to reach nine billion by 2040. (WorldoMeter, 2014) We need to stop trying to conquer the world around us and integrate ourselves within it. We need to design our built environment to resemble living system models in order to sustain ourselves in a population that is expected to grow ex-ponentially over a single generation. So how do we design and build this way? I

should begin by defining what is meant by a living system architecture. A living system is an active combination of parts that form a complex whole. I apply this to architecture by focusing on the perfor-mative aspects of the design and how it effectively integrates within the local ecology. Therefore, a building is techni-cally a living system, but most people do not think about them as systemically inte-grated within their regional context and rely solely on mechanical components for them to be habitable. Firms like Per-kins + Will explored this systemically in-tegrated level of thinking in their project Dockside Green. The building systems are highly performative and rely on lo-cal natural processes. However, living

L I V I N G S Y S T E MA R C H I T E C T U R EBIOLOGICALLY INTEGRATED DESIGN

1.4Clear cut forest outside Eugene, Oregon. This practice unnecessarily destroy’s entire ecosystems and potentially compromises the stability of the soil. Selectively clear-ing trees and designing between them is a much more sustainable alternative.

system architecture does not end here. It is a lens for looking at architecture as a living organism that supports life and is more concerned with performance at multiple levels than formal idiosyncrasies.

During the course of this research, I explore the potential computational pow-er of the computer to design architecture that is based on performance. Perfor-mance based in an effective coordina-tion of elements. Through the use of the computer as a design tool, I investigate the role of digital fabrication during the design process to test concepts. Many of the concepts are based on inherent ma-terial properties. This leads into the next area of research where I investigate the inherent properties of a material to allow design strategies to emerge. In order to investigate these ideas simultaneously, the computer is absolutely critical to the research. Therefore, I had to research and develop computational methods for merging material information with digital fabrication techniques. To be able to use these computational methods, I had to learn to use algorithms as a design tool. Ultimately, performing all of this research with a goal to develop a design process that produces a sustainable, highly per-formance based, ecologically integrated architecture.

1.6 (above)Dockside Green’s public entry turns stormwater run-off into an architectural feature.

1.7 (left)Dockside Green’s architecture is an example of an in-tegrated systems thinking approach to design and is highly performance based.

1.5Dockside Green, located in Victoria, B.C, designed by Perkins + Will, utilizes the site to integrate a wastewater system that helps clean the nearby bay. Storm water runoff is fi ltered through bioswales and black water from the buildings is treated on site.

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2.0Bamscape is an interactive CNC cut foam block installation. Users have the ability to arrange the pieces however they like for what ever purpose they chose.

2.1Future cities lab created this in-stallation titled Aurora. It is an interactive piece that is intended to communicate ideas about the future colonization of the arctic.

2.2This simple tectonic expression is an experimentation with laser cut pieces that are strung together. Formally based on a spider web, it notches into a rib structure.

2.3By altering preconceived notions on how a material should be-have, digital fabrication allows for new expressions in materiality.

D I G I T A L F A B R I C A T I O NTHE FUTURE OF ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICEas fabrication technology develops, ecological concepts of a much higher complexity can be easily tested

T E C H N O L O G I C A L D E V E L O P M E N T S T H A T H A V E A F F O R D E D D I G I T A L F A B R I C A T I O N I N A R C H I T E C T U R E H A V E O N C E A G A I N B R O U G H T T H E A R C H I T E C T M U C H C L O S E R T O T H E P R O C E S S O F M A K I N G

-NICK DUNN

As a result of human error and poor ma-terial utilization, it is very common for a lot of waste to occur at the construction site. In fact, “thirty percent of the drywall that arrives at a construction site leaves in the dumpster.” (Mau & Leonard 2004 p. 33) By looking at only one example like drywall waste, we can observe wasted energy at many stages including: time, manufacturing, shipping, labor and disposal, all resulting in an economic loss, unnecessarily adding to the cost of the building. So why do we still employ a system that is so wasteful? Some may claim this is related to economy, but this is a view through a lens that accepts in-dustry’s wasteful practices and charges the client for it. Proper planning, better design and digital fabrication at the job site could help to seriously reduce the amount of waste. Take that one step fur-

ther and utilize robots for building. In-dustries that produce the most sophisti-cated products and systems of our time have been attempting to eliminate waste through computation and digital fabri-cation long before architects. “Digital fabrication in architecture is a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging over the last 15 years… CAD/CAM processes have been used in engineering and in-dustrial design for more than 50 years in the development and fabrication of cars, airplanes and smaller consumer goods.” (Dunn 2012 p. 20) They have done this primarily to reduce costs making prod-ucts accessible to more clients. Contrac-tors could do the same thing. Digital fab-rication concepts such as nesting take all the constituent parts of a project and ar-range them in a way that maximizes the efficiency of sheet material to be cut with a CNC machine, ultimately reducing waste to a very small percentage. This is

a task that would be incredibly time con-suming to do by hand at a job site. Obvi-ously computers have been used in archi-tectural practice for a few decades now. However, until recently, they have done little to nothing to advance the practice of architecture. Software like AutoCAD may have done more to hurt the profes-sion than to actually help it because the person drafting may not fully understand the implications of what they are draw-ing. A contractor then gets the drawing and interprets it according to their past experiences. Drafting software like Auto-CAD merely replaced the drafting board, making it faster and easier to reproduce, perpetuating the same poor designs over and over again. Today, technology has evolved to a point that allows us to bring to life this digital world in an unprece-dented way because we can now eas-ily fabricate the objects we create in the computer. “Technological developments

D I G I T A L L Y F A B R I C A T E DA R C H I T E C T U R EH I G H - T E C H P R O D U C T I O N

2.4 (top left)The fi rm Facit Homes in London, utilizes a mobile pro-duction facility to fabricate components on site.

2.5 (above)auto manufacturers utilize high-tech robots for fabrication

2.6 (above)Architects Gramazio + Kohler have been experimenting with robots for assembling walls out of bricks

that have afforded digital fabrication in architecture have once again brought the architect much closer to the process of making.” (Dunn 2012 p. 29) Through this process of making, we can take what is digital and quickly fabricate it to test and study concepts as they are devel-oped. This method of design encourages reciprocity between concept and reality, informing more intelligent decisions for a better designed more effective product. It also means that you see the results of ev-ery single line and surface that is drawn within the computer.

Digital fabrication provides design-ers with many opportunities. Currently, its biggest impact with regard to the cost of a project lies within the construction process. Firms like Facit Homes in Lon-don, utilize digital fabrication processes to construct the homes they design from a customized kit of parts. They have de-veloped components for their homes that have been embedded within their com-puter models that are later fabricated on site. They do this by transporting a CNC

machine in a shipping container directly to the construction site. This allows them to streamline the construction process by producing much more accurate parts that are then assembled within the home soon after fabrication. It also provides the ar-chitects with a greater deal of control to the final outcome because the contractor begins to become more of an assembler. It also helps prevent the loss of design concepts in translation between architect and contractor. This is a great example of how technology is beginning to change the way we construct architecture, how-ever the digital process should not end here. The potential computational power of current technology is far greater than simply sending a CNC machine to the site for fabrication of components. The ability to experiment and develop con-cepts quickly during schematic design is also of great value to architects.

My current research in digital fab-rication falls within this area. In an ef-fort to better understand the capabilities of the tools, specifically a laser cutter, I performed a series of experiments with various materials and cut patterns. This research practice enabled me to simul-taneously examine material properties and learn some scripting software. By using grasshopper to apply some simple geometries to a dome surface, I created an amorphic construct seen on the next page. My other constructs explored ma-terial properties of plywood by cutting various patterns in the surface that cre-ated a flexible surface from what is in-tended to be a rigid one.

Digital fabrication has the potential to seriously change the way architecture is produced and designed. However, we are still in the infant stages of this technol-ogy and have yet to see its full potential because most industries are restricted by their own economies and old way of do-ing things. Industry has to see a way to profit from this new technology in innova-tive ways and architects can show them how. Clients must also be convinced of why they must do this and why it ben-efits them. As the saying goes, if you do as you have always done, you will get what you have always got. In order to understand how to create more effective performance based architecture, design-ers have to return to the process of mak-ing. Digital fabrication allows designers to do this.

2.8 (above)Architects Gramazio + Kohler utilized a robot for their installation at the Venice architecture biennale in 2008. A robot was used to stack bricks in various patterns. This would be an incredibly time consuming tedious task to accomplish by hand.

2.7 (above)Facit Homes construction is a snap in place method of on site fabricated components. The wide-fl ange beam is designed to snap into the panels.

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2.9 (top)The zip tie connectors allow the construct to lie com-pletely fl at. Each row is made of nine different sized pieces.

2.10 (right)The digitally fabricated amorphic construct was origi-nally conceptualized to be a dome. The assembly of the birch ply wood panels with zip ties loosely fastened created a living construct that is capable of taking on many different forms. Each piece relies on the one next to it to support itself.

2.11 (below)The amorphic nature of the construct allows for many different confi gurations.

2.12 (above)Waffl e assembly and fabrication experimentation with single ply chip board.

2.13 (top right)Plywood experiments take what is intentionally rigid and transform it into a fl exible material.

2.14 (below)Investigation in folding material after it has been laser cut. Cuts made on only three sides of a square grid pattern, then rolled onto itself.

2.15 (bottom right)The hexagon as a basis for structure was inves-tigated in various confi gurations. I was simulta-neously experimenting with folding material on a scored line versus a dashed cut line. I found that the dashed cuts performed better for folding the material because it did not tear lose as easily.

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My research in fabrication techniques and material studies lead me to cut a repeating sine curve in a sheet of ply-wood. The result was a rippling fabric like surface. When I showed it to a struc-tural engineer he said, “I didn’t know plywood could do that.” This was all the inspiration I needed to further investigate material properties and how I could alter them with fabrication techniques. I chose to perform many investigations with card-board, as well as wood because they are ubiquitous materials in our daily lives.

2.16 (above)A repeating sine curve was laser cut onto 1/64” birchplywood and transforms it into a responsive surface. The slightest touch or breeze causes the surface to ripple.

2.17 (left)Cardboard experiment attempted to use folding and zip ties to create a structure. The construct was not rigid at all and was unsuccessful.

2.18 (next page)This cardboard construct utilized grasshopper to morph a geometry onto a surface. Each piece is unique and custom. The result is a surface that can adapt to the contours of another surface because the connections between panels are fl exible.

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3.0HygroSkin is a small pavilion constructed of composite ply-wood panels. Each panel is unique and is carved by a circu-lar saw attached to a robot arm. The panels contain a series of apertures that passively respond to the environment. It does this in response to temperature change.

3.1This installation makes use of the bending strength of plywood. Identical scale like pieces create a skin over a rib structure.

3.2This research pavilion is com-posed of quarter inch birch ply-wood strips. The strips are bent at various intervals to interlock with the one next to it forming a taurus like shape. This system makes use of the inherent plywood proper-ties to form an enclosure.

3.3This research pavilion made use of a robotic arm and is com-posed of string. A robot looped string around a jig while drag-ging the string through an adhe-sive. Once the adhesive dried the jig was removed and the string stood on its own.

M O R P H O G E N E T I C D E S I G NP R E C E D E N T L E A D B Y A C H I M M E N G E Sutilizes computation to recognize + exploit a material systems behavior opposed to merely focusing on its shape

MAT E R I A L I N FO RMAT ION S HOU LD B E COME A G EN E RAT I V E D R I V E R RA TH E R T HAN AN A F T E R THOUGHT I N D E S I GN COMPUTAT ION

-ACHIM MENGES

Emergence is a biological concept that should be a part of the design process. It begins by first looking at the way ma-terials behave in a given situation. The discovered behaviors on a micro-scale then inform the overall appearance and qualities of the larger design at the mac-ro-scale. According to De Wolf and Hol-voet, “A system exhibits emergence when there are coherent emergents (property behavior, structure, etc…) at the macro-level that dynamically arise from the inter-action between parts at the micro-level.” (as cited in Hensel et al., 2010 p. 12) This is the way that organisms evolve in the natural world. They have genetic

Biomimicry is a widely understood meth-od for design. However, some designers are now adopting biological concepts like emergence to inform better design. Rather than simply copying nature, “emergence provides an explanation of how natural systems work and is rapidly making obsolete what was once a strict distinction between design and produc-tion.” (Hensel, Menges, & Weinstock, 2010 p. 11) Everything we know ex-hibits properties of emergence.

I N H E R E N T P R O P E R T I E SM A T E R I A L ’ S G E N E T I C I N T E R A C T I O N S

3.5After previously experimenting with bending plywood attempts were made to develop this concept into a notching form. This proved unsuccessful because the spacing between the two hollow triangles was not large enough and larger spacing easily sheared.

3.6This tri-hexagonal lattice-truss system transfers forces in multiple directions for an extremely rigid structure. It was discovered that using acrylic was not ideal because of its brittle material properties. It easily cracked from stress.

3.4The concept model shown above is based on the bending strength of plywood. Threaded rods were placed at various intervals to test the plywoods maximum distance it could be bent by adjusting the nuts. This concept was later developed into a proposal for a pavilion.

It is the complex hierarchies of materials within natural structures from which their performance emerges. Form, structure and material act upon one another, and the behavior of all three act-ing on each other cannot be pre-dicted by analysis of any one of them separately. (Hensel et al., 2010 p. 15)

structures that possess inherent qualities, but the overall form of the organism is a result of forces acting upon it from the outside. In a similar manner architecture should not be a slave to the genetics of its materials. Architecture should behave as an organism where the materials are its genetics, the site provides the forces that determine the behavior of the cho-sen materials, mutations occur and the most effective design survives. The inter-actions will cause a profound design to emerge that is responsive to and integrat-ed within its surroundings while support-ing life. The computer is the ideal tool for this design approach because it can embed all this information within a sin-gle digital model. “This approach utilizes computation to recognize and exploit the material systems behavior rather than merely focusing on its shape.” (Hensel et al., 2010 p. 48) Ideally, the result

3.8This lattice-truss system utilizes the bending strength of plywood while interconnecting to other pieces for a multidirectional transfer of forces.

3.7This glulam wood truss exhibits the bending potential of wood and its inherent fi ber strength.

will also use the materials in the most effective way possible by incorporating structural engineering principles during schematic design. This method blurs the line between engineer and architect, promoting a closer working relationship of the two professions. My research here begins to explore the concept of emer-gence to allow a design idea to develop from the material. I chose to focus on plywood because I wanted to see what was possible when exploiting its ability to transfer forces when bent. The various lattice constructs I created were based on simple structural systems. I chose to focus on truss like wood lattice systems for this part of the research. I did conduct a study with acrylic, but found it to be too brittle and easily cracked when put under stress. This research lead the way for a pavilion proposal that I titled the Lattice Wave pavilion.

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L A T T I C E W A V E P A V I L I O N

Computer modeling software has devel-oped to such a sophisticated level that we can actually use the processing pow-er of the computer to integrate material properties within a single digital model. By first understanding the inherent mate-rial genetics as they relate to external pressures and quantifying them, we can use the computer to digitize the informa-tion in order to explore many possibili-ties. This effectively evolves the design to the fittest solution. The Lattice Wave pavilion begins to study and make use of this technology. The digital model be-gins to operate like a living system be-cause it is a digitally active combination of parts that create a pavilion structure. The software I used to create the algo-rithm for this was Grasshopper. The algo-rithm that I created has a set of designed constraints. Manipulating the constraints displays in real time the effects of the manipulations. The trusses are arranged on a tri-hexagonal grid and their sine wave forms are based on the previous studies which demonstrated an effective transfer of forces through the length of the strips. Each intersection point on the grid is where the trusses connect to one another. I can easily alter the parameters to create a deeper web in the truss, or change the width of each individual strip

in isolation very quickly. Part of the re-search for this pavilion involved learning the software, but was much more deeply rooted in material and structure studies found on the previous page. I further ex-plored the flexibility of plywood in the next pavilion and named it the Hairy Caterpillar pavilion. It also makes use of plywoods ability to be bent into vari-ous shapes, but adds lamination to the process. The Hairy Caterpillar pavilion is defensive in nature. The computer script I created for this pavilion was mostly fo-cused on the hairs covering its surface. Imagined as thousands of stacked piezo sensors, the intention is for it to collect electricity from the wind.

These two pavilions fall short of be-coming the embodiment of a fully inte-

grated living system architecture because they have no real site or context to adapt to. They also do not fully explore the lim-its of the material systems. A large part of the problem is the lack of real quantified data through formal testing. Another part is related to the learning curve involved in designing the algorithms necessary to accomplish such a task. I feel my work up to this point in the research process only scratches the surface of the true po-tential for digital design. The real power provided by the birth of the digital age in architecture lies in a computational method that integrates countless sums of information within the 3D computer mod-el. It is a computational method which may take many more years to fully de-velop and comprehend.

3.10This tri-hexagonal lattice, or Kagome lattice, commonly utilizes bamboo for many structures in Asia. This one is an art piece.

3.9The tri-hexagonal pattern is a very simple grid geom-etry that was used develop a series of interconnected trusses.

3.12The lattice wave pavilion intends to express the inherent material qualities found in plywood. The rendering illustrates the concept as a series of interconnected weaving trusses that work together in a web like system. A stress that is put upon the structure in one location is distributed throughout the rest of the lattice resulting in a reduction of deformation of the structure. The pattern is an ancient form of construction typically utilizing bamboo in a fl at plane, however there is much to explore through the digital process and other materials. Software provides the ability to set maximum and minimum distances between the threaded rods, as well as the distance between layers, to work within the constraints of the inherent material properties.

3.11Conceptual sketches diagram the overall performance of the structure. The trusses are based on a sine wave which allows for a continual transfer of forces through the length of the material. PLAN ELEVATION

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HAIRY CATERPILLAR P A V I L I O N

3.15The hairy caterpillar pavilion concept is derived from the defensive nature of the io moth caterpillar. Hairy architecture has a lot of potential for energy collection from the wind and rain. Hairy architecture can also provide additional cooling capabilities because the sun is not directly hitting the surface of the structure. The intent here is a proposal for a series of segmented form-bent laminated plywood arches that present a passive way to collect electricity and cool the structure. It is intended to be a supplementary way to produce clean energy. The bent forms are expressive of plywood’s material qualities and can be bent in many different ways to achieve many different spatial qualities. A ubiquitous material in contemporary construction, plywood can take many forms and does not simply have to be used as a fl at sheet. Charles + Ray Eames knew this in the 1940’s; however we still have much to explore.

3.14Conceptual sketches diagram the overall performance of the structure. This pavilion is imagined as a segmented procession through bent wood panels.

3.13The io moth caterpillar has defensive stinging spines along its segmented body. This concept was adapted to the structural capacity of form bent plywood.

3.17Model scale 1/16” = 1’

3.16Site plan

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4.0Located in Chicago’s Millen-nium Park, the Burnham Pavilion would not have been possible without the use of computational methods. Computer software was utilized to determine the precise curves and folds of the structure so that it could support a roof from only three points on the ground.

4.1Toy Ito’s serpentine gallery pavil-ion 2002, was created through an algorithm based on a cube that expanded as it rotated. The intent was to produce a seem-ingly infi nite repeating motion.

4.2The Shellstar pavilion is a light-weight structure with many cus-tom hexagonal panels. This pa-vilion would be nearly impossible to do by hand and illustrates the power of algorithms ability to quickly adapt a simple geometry to a surface.

4.3Described as a transparent ter-rain, this serpentine gallery pa-vilion 2013, is a free fl owing lattice pattern. Constructed of 20mm white steel poles, it is imagined as a merging of the natural and the man-made.

C O M P U T A T I O N A L M E T H O D SA L G O R I T H M S A S A D E S I G N T O O LAs a result of computational methods, the architect’s perception of what is possible is constantly changing

T H E U S E O F I N S T R U C T I O N S , C O M M A N D S O R R U L E S I N A R C H I T E C T U R A L P R A C T I C E A R E , I N E S S E N C E , A L G O R I T H M S

-KOSTAS TERZIDIS

A computational method is one in which the processing power of the computer is utilized to discover more iterations of a design concept by embedding multiple layers of data within digital models. The Grasshopper script on this page is a dig-ital living system because it is an active combination of components that form a complex unitary whole. As computation-al methods, awareness and adoption of it increasingly enters our architectural cul-ture, we are continually getting closer to

being able to construct architecture that performs effectively as a living system. Architecture that evolves beyond form following function. It is an architecture where form follows performance. When a designer simply chooses a material sys-tem to achieve some formal appearance, rather than allow a material system to en-hance an architectural expression, it is a missed opportunity. This is likely a result of contemporary design school practices where “material information is understood

as facilitative rather than generative.” (Menges, 2012, pg. 17) This approach to design is inherently not sustainable because materials are not always used to their full potential or integrated within the environment. Typically the designer is only considering material properties to achieve an aesthetic that may not have anything to do with the true potential of the material system. This practice produc-es autonomous structures separate from their environment and often requires a

D E S I G N P O W E R E D B Y C O M P U T A T I O N

great deal of time and money working with various engineers to force a design aesthetic. This is to imply that “material information should become a generative driver rather than an afterthought in de-sign computation.” (Menges, 2012, pg. 35) By considering material properties as they relate within a given site, formal qualities begin to emerge that can inform the design process. We can then take this one step further by “merging ancient and new technologies, [which provides] the potential to produce the most intel-ligent designs we have ever seen.” (Mc-

Donough & Braungart, 2002, pg. 131) Wood is a great example of this concept because it is arguably the most ancient building material and yet, it has been used in new and innovative ways. As a result of computational methods, the ar-chitect’s perception of what is possible is constantly changing. A computational method coupled with digital fabrication improves the efficiency of material us-age to produce a more tectonic rational system, however this would be an over simplification of the complexity of project constraints and the architectural practice.

4.4The Grasshopper script below illustrates an interconnected series of relationships. It is an active combination of parts or components that form a com-plex unitary whole. This scripting language operates on a graphical based algorithm plug-in for Rhinoceros. It functions on a down-river fl ow method where the components down-river are affected by those up-river, but the components that are up-river are not affected by those down-river. This makes the scripting process much easier to understand because you do not need to be a computer programmer to understand how to write typical computer scripting language. The process literally constructs the thing being created in real time, so it is evident immediately when there is a problem with the script. The sliders at the beginning of the script are one aspect that makes the model parametric because as you slide the quantifi ed parameters, you can see the results in real time. The only limitation is the designer’s imagination and the processing power of the computer.

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Architects are often faced with many constraints during the development of a project due to a client’s needs and desires. We commonly refer to these constraints as a set of rules. As projects continue to grow larger alongside a growing population, the more constraints and complex relationships arise. We can think of this set of rules as an algorithm. The dictionary defines an algorithm as a logical step by step procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps. It is often represented and related to com-puters, however the concept is ancient. “Historically, algorithms have been used quite extensively in architecture…the use of instructions, commands or rules in ar-chitectural practice are, in essence, al-gorithms.” (Terzidis, 2006, pg. 39) Until recently, it hasn’t been possible for com-puters to process the complexities inher-ent within the relationships of the world’s largest projects. The computer’s process-ing power and thus its ability to test and produce many iterations from the quanti-fied constraints, is what makes it such an exciting design tool. It is now possible for architects to utilize computational de-sign by translating these constraints into algorithms within digital models. They can do this without the need for comput-er programmers writing computer scripts. “In computational design form is not defined through a sequence of drawing or modeling procedures but generated through algorithmic, rule based process-es.” (Hensel et al., 2010 p. 51) Through these algorithms written by the designer, a parametric digital model begins to

into a parametric computer model and adjusting the parameters to discover all of the possibilities within the constraints of the project. This process begins to create a living digital system where no part is treated as separate from the rest. I was able to utilize this method within the Turtle Shell pavilion. As shown on the next page, I began by drawing a simple arched shell. I then added more control points to the surface to alter the shape for optimization of air flow through the structure. The final step was to apply the algorithm written in Grasshopper to the surface. I was then able to make calcu-lated adjustments to the surface so that the panels would morph the way that I wanted them to. By then rapidly fabri-cating the digital object/system, I was able to make informed adjustments to the algorithm and improve the design. This means the designer’s role is returning to that of maker and a designer of the de-signing algorithm that is not limited by the computer, but rather empowered by it. Returning some control back to the de-signer to illustrate for a contractor or en-gineer the design intent, will make it less likely for concepts to be lost in translation from architect, to design professional, to contractor, to construction.

The intention is not to replace the ar-chitect with a computer; rather the com-puter is a tool for testing ideas through multiple iterations that an architect may not even consider because of the time it would take to do so without this awe-somely powerful tool. It is intended to be an additional layer in the design pro-

form. “Parametric design enables the de-signer to define relationships between elements or groups of elements, and to assign values or expressions to organize and control those definitions.” (Dunn, 2012, pg. 54) This process, effectively displays the results of adjusting a single parameter with relationship to the larger system. By adjusting the parameters in completely customized increments, it al-lows a designer to see the consequences of design decisions in real time. “One of the key features of parametric design is the ability to describe the design as a series of relationships that may be used to iterate further versions.” (Dunn, 2012, pg. 55) The process is a design of the designing algorithm containing “an interrelated development of material, structure and form in concert with novel design methods [and] moves one step closer to the higher level functionality displayed by natural systems.” (Hensel et al., 2010 p. 97) “Algorithms can be seen as design tools that lead towards the production of novel concepts, ideas, or forms, which in turn, have an effect in the way designers think thereafter.” (Ter-zidis, 2006, pg. 20) It is an otherness that this process is striving for. “Otherness is that part of computation that would be described by humans as inconceivable, impossible, unpredictable or unbeliev-able, not as linguistic terms but as un-discovered concepts.” (Terzidis, 2006, pg. 24) An otherness may be discovered by integrating the material systems be-havior, environmental site conditions, client needs and any other information

cess. The designer must still use their in-tuition and best judgment to design the relationships because a thousand itera-tions of a poor design is not productive or effective. By using the computer to evaluate algorithms based on real and conceptual constraints, we can achieve unprecedented uses of ancient building materials. These algorithms should be based on the known/discovered inher-ent material properties, as well as the needs or constraints of the project to in-form and produce more innovative de-sign concepts.

Some may claim that with this ap-proach to design the computer becomes the designer and takes away from the art of the architecture and as a result, turns the designer into a computer program-mer. Others may say that this method for design and construction is too rigid and takes away from the architect’s happy accidents by immersing themselves in a digital realm. While this argument seems valid if you look through a very narrow lens at much of the work produced over

and will continue to be an important part of the design process. A computational method is a new layer within a much larger design build process, for the most complex projects we have ever seen. Architects are not solely responsible for solving sustainability problems and all professions will not use these methods the same way. However, if we hope to continue to thrive on this planet we must move towards an ecologically integrated sustainable human condition, and this is one of the tools to get us there. Sustain-able living system architecture has no style or predetermined notion of what is right or wrong. It is a form follows per-formance model guided by intuition and rational thinking. The intent is not to re-place the designer or even turn them into a computer programmer, but to embrace the computational power of technology. I have clearly embraced this practice and like any design process, I am continually developing my personal computational method a little more each time I make something.

the past twenty years. Most of that work does not exemplify the approach being proposed here. As I discovered later in this research, happy accidents are still very possible with this approach to de-sign. The happy accident is presented later in the text.

These new computational methods are not a style or fad that will fade away with other technology and architectural styles. Computational methods are in their infancy and will only continue to mature as they are developed by their users. Each line drawn or piece of code that is written has a real time impact on the overall design and connects the de-signer with the computer model in an un-precedented way. Whether you are an architect, engineer, industrial designer, city planner, etc., it is the future or current method for the way that many designers work. There are still firms that insist on hand drawing their plans, and my grand-parents still pay their bills with a check. This is not to imply that practices like hand drawing will be phased out. It is

4.5The computational method diagrammed above utilizes a script that adapts a symmetrical octagon to a surface. The surface is divided into U+V coordinates that are easily manipulated by the designer. As the surface is manipulated, the octagons morph to the new surface within a set of predetermined parameters. I utilized this computational method to design the Turtle Shell pavilion located on the next page. However, this process is one in which I frequently use and continue to develop.

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T U R T L E S H E L LP A V I L I O N

4.8The turtle shell pavilion takes precedent from the morphed polygons found on the shells of sea turtles. These are typically hexagonal, but for this pavilion the octagon was chosen to increase the folds of the cardboard material. The overall structure was studied in cardboard utilizing the folding strength of the material. A ubiquitous material for shipping, cardboard obtains its strength from folding. The more folds it has the stronger it becomes. The surface is intended to be passively responsive to the environment. The slices open and close as the temperature and humidity levels change throughout the day. In this prototype, the structure and skin are made of the same material. Each cell is unique and custom. The actual pavilion rendered above, was conceived of as a folded metal panel structure with a wood veneer surface. The wood veneer would be allowed to curl with the changing temperatures and humidity levels.

4.6 (left)This pavilion structure is an abstraction of a turtle shell. The pavilion, composed as a series of octagons, allows for gaps between the pieces. The gaps enable light and air to easily fi lter through the structure.

4.7 (right)Many water lilies open and close their fl owers accord-ing to the time of day. Some are night bloomers while others are day bloomers. The skin is based on this idea.

4.9 (above)Conceptual sketches diagraming the structural connection details of each panel.

4.10 (below)The concept model below is intended to show how the octagons are morphed and what the surface might conceptually look like.

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B I T S + P I E C E SDIGITAL TECTONICS FOR A SYSTEMICALLY INTEGRATED FUTUREmaster’s project I fall 2013 --- spring 2014 I 28 weeks I critic, chair + professor: mark weston

The architectural profession has a long history of designing and building pa-vilions for research. They are typically designed as a point of discussion for innovative building techniques, formal qualities, innovative materials, etc. There-fore, this research document concludes with a full scale model installation that is intended to be an iteration of a much larger proposal for a pavilion. The pro-cess for designing the pavilion was con-tinually developing through the research. I was attempting to understand the de-sign process that was unfolding, while simultaneously learning lots of new tools. The tools range from theory for design, to fabrication techniques, to learning a new algorithmic design language. All of these together begin to constitute a new computational method for design. If I had to pick a point in time for when this method began to be fully realized, it was when I wrote the script for the constructs located on these two pages.

4.11 (left)Iteration one was made with the Grasshopper script on page thirty. The script was used as a design generator to create a conceptual model that talks about rolling a carved surface.

4.12 (top right)Iteration two was created by adjusting parameters of the same script as the one to the left. This shows that more experimentation is possible from the same algorithm.

The script I created to cut these pat-terns in sheets of chipboard (left + right), was written in Grasshopper. The script I wrote was previously shown on page thirty. This simple script was the first one I created completely on my own. It forms a diamond grid pattern on a two foot by four foot surface. However, the script can be applied to any flat surface. As seen in the two examples here, the grid is parametric and can be easily altered by inputting different values affecting the density of the grid. In these two exam-ples, I created two dynamically different results through a very simple process. The one on the left folds the cut portions of the material inward, emphasizing the diamond grid between the folds. The it-eration above has a different density of diamonds and when folded, results in a jagged surface. The jagged surface takes the emphasis out of the diamond lattice that surrounds it. These were in-teresting tests for me to verify that the

script was working, but I wanted to take it further. I wanted to create more itera-tions using other materials from the same script. The iterations found on the next two pages proved to be the most reward-ing, specifically iterations four and five.

These iterations were created from changing parameters that allowed the pieces to drop from the surface. In the realm of digital fabrication, the term drop is used to describe the left over pieces that are typically discarded. This obviously implies that there is still waste when fabricating objects from a piece of material. Even a 3D printer is likely to produce some sort of waste from support material. The new script produced a lot of drop meaning I was guilty of creat-ing enormous amounts of waste while I was trying to end this practice. Earlier it was mentioned that waste equals food and that in nature there is no such thing as waste because the waste of one or-ganism is food for another. Therefore,

I couldn’t simply throw away all these pieces after I had been advocating for an elimination to the concept of waste, so I kept them all. I started by using the proportions of some of the drop to devel-op another lattice. However, the lattice I created (iteration six next page) was too flat. It relied on nuts and bolts. I was not happy with it because it didn’t embody any of the ideas I had been researching. The material system was interconnected, but it is not the living system model I was striving for. It wasn’t integrating itself with any environment, the material properties were not being expressed and it did not really make use of the tectonic computa-tional methods I had been developing. I revisited the concept of emergence and that’s when it happened. Staring at the pile of drop on my desk, I realized that this was not waste at all. It was food for design.

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S C R I P T E D I T E R A T I O N SA S I N G L E A L G O R I T H M W I T H P A R A M E T E R S

4.13Iteration three was created by simplifying the script to a chevron pattern. The material above is 1/8” plywood. Like the sine curve plywood sheet shown earlier, this also produced a responsive rippling surface.

4.14Iteration four is cut from 1/8” plywood and is similar in proportion to iteration one. The scripting is the same except for the altering of parameters that change the proportions of the cuts.

4.15 (above)Iteration fi ve is also cut from 1/8” plywood and is similar in proportion to iteration two. The scripting was slightly altered to remove the geometry from the surface rather than leave them as tabs.

4.16 (right)Iteration six is inspired by the drop from iteration fi ve. The inner smallest triangle proportion was scaled larger, laser cut and bolted together. This produced a fl exible grid surface, but was only fl exible in one direction.

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I N S P I R E D B Y T H E D R O PD E S I G N I N G W I T H T H E L E F T O V E R W A S T E

Inspired by the drop, I began design-ing with the left over waste I had created from my previous studies. Studies that were aiming to eliminate the concept of waste, but producing a lot of it. However, the production of waste in construction did more than create a personal call to action to eliminate it. The left over waste became a design tool. I was so inspired by the beauty in the left over pieces I began to analyze them. They presented a concept to me that I had previously not considered pursuing. The concept is based on an aggregate system of con-struction. This concept falls right in line with my design research. An aggregate is a collection of particulars into a whole mass. Essentially, it is a living system. This was evident in my previous interests in beehives and the hexagons they are composed of, but was not realized at that time. The beehive and its ability to take on many different configurations from the same hexagonal element is the ideal embodiment for what is meant by living system architecture. The architecture of a beehive is always responding to the environment with regard to performance needs. It maximizes the building material based on a simple set of rules and rela-tionships with the local ecology to make it one of the most effective examples of architecture in nature. It is essentially a naturally bonded aggregate. Bonded aggregates like concrete are very com-

mon in construction, however I was seek-ing the otherness described earlier. I was interested in an aggregate that was more closely related to sand dunes, one which has spaces between the particles. My re-search was about performance based in materiality and is related to the beehive and its ability to support and sustain life. The next step of my design process was to discover a way to make this system performance based. This would involve

more iterations and research into aggre-gate systems of design. I began by first taking inspiration from a piece found in the drop pile. I then took the digitally drawn piece and added notches to its geometry. The piece was then laser cut from paper several hundred times to ex-periment with the system and see what else I could learn from it.

5.0 (above)Making use of the dropped pieces from the earlier experiments to create a concept model was a serendipitous moment. It was a moment that brought together all previous work into an aggregate concept for the installation that follows.

5.1 (previous page)Typically the drop from laser cutting is thrown away. However, I was so inspired by the left over pieces that I held on to them. At the time, I was unaware of how much they would infl uence the fi nal outcome of my research.

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The research contained in this docu-ment concludes with the introduction of a proposal for a pavilion. It is mostly in the conceptual stages, leaving it full of possible interpretations for future de-velopment. The pavilion concept model demonstrates an aggregate system that relies entirely on the arrangement of and realtionship between components for stability. It is the relationships between each piece that provide it with rigidity. I established a very simple rule for as-sembling them together and then broke the rule when necessary to change direc-tion or support another piece. Still in its conceptual stages, the material for this pavilion was not predetermined, but af-ter assembly and discussion was imag-ined to be a metal panel with some sort of special flexible hinge down its center line. This would create a faceted multidi-rectional living system of interconnected relationships. To better understand and develop the aggregate concept, I chose to leave this as it is and pursue an in-stallation that would potentially help to

5.2Drop from the screens was painted and glued to experi-ment with possible concepts for an installation.

5.3 (above)More drop from the screens was painted and glued to experiment with possible concepts for an installation.

5.4 (next Page)The pavilion concept emerges from the development of left over pieces joined with the aggregate concept that the pieces embody when sitting in a pile.

5.5The pavilion is imagined as an arching canopy of faceted triangles. Conceptually based on an aggregate system, the model is imagined as a composition of metal panels that have adjustable seams to enable connection to adjacent panels.

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5.8 (above)Multiple iterations were explored using Rhino while the pieces were being laser cut. This meant that I could not change the size or proportion of the triangle pieces because fabrication had already begun. Of course, as I began putting the installation together the design changed again. These are only a handful of the many iterations I explored within the computer.

5.9 (previous page)This graphic conceptualizes the installation as a waterfall spilling over from the balcony above. The original idea was to have the installation begin on the ground below and build up and over to the second fl oor. As I began building I discovered that I would not have nearly enough pieces to accomplish this and the size of the installation was reduced.

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5.12This notch size was way to tight and had to be slotted together with a hammer.

5.13This notch size was diffi cult to slot together and would not allow for inherent variations in the material.

5.14This notch size was just right. Some of the pieces would go together easily, while others where a little tight as a result of the inherent variation in thickness of the OSB material. All notches were cut with a 1/4” width.

5.7Installation components linked together begin to explore the structural system.

5.10Exploded component illustrates the construction method for the installation.

5.15Laser cut sheet produces nine triangles per job and measures two feet by four feet. Total laser cutting time was about thirty-three hours not including loading and unloading time. If I had access to a 4’ x 8’ laser I could have increased production yield by 25%.

further my research of aggregates.Developed as an installation and intend-ed to be discussed as a large specula-tive model. The installation encourages further analysis and discussion of living system design and is based on an ag-gregate system. This installation seeks to conceptually integrate itself within its environment in a similar method. It is intended as a point of departure for discussion in the same manner as any other conceptual model. This model just happens to be at a much larger scale. It should be considered and reflected upon through this lens to improve the design of the design process. As a result of the seemingly infinite number of possibilities for the final arrangement of its elements, the installation exists in a state of flux. It

has the potential to be both short lived and constantly changing. This is true both formally and systemically. Adding or removing elements has an impact on the structural integrity, formal qualities and effectiveness of the entire system. The installation is composed of over 800 rapidly prototyped laser cut triangles. The triangles are made of an aggregate quarter inch oriented strand board (OSB) and each piece is identically notched and held in place with only friction. This concept needs further development for use in a pavilion in order to withstand the elements. The final materials for the pavilion are not yet defined. Therefore, to follow the conceptual method es-poused in this document, a material sys-tem based on an aggregate system of

5.16All 893 pieces fl at pack to a very small area for easy transportation and storage.

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assembly would need to be investigated. A further investigation would inevita-

bly develop the design of the pavilion into something that conceptually relates to the installation, but may not make use of the same geometry. Once the material system is worked out, it can be further developed through algorithms that estab-lish the relationships between the mate-rial systems constraints as well as the site conditions. These computational methods based on the designers own intuitions will then allow for multiple digital itera-tions that inform fabrication techniques to obtain the most effective design. This research document concludes with a proposal for a pavilion because of the focus was on developing a design pro-cess. The pavilion would be praxis for a living system method of design. Often in professional practice there is a divide between espoused-theory and theory-in-use. The intent of the pavilion is to bridge the gap between the two and demon-strate theory-in-practice. The drawings on these two pages are more diagram-matic in nature. I wanted the installation to take up this much of the space within the architecture building. However, like most things, I was restricted by time and money. If I were to pursue this concept further to design and build the pavilion, I would return to the white paper model. That model has more potential to be de-veloped in a way that embodies all of the principles and concepts I have re-searched and developed over the course

5.17Site plan shows what I wanted the installation to do. This was not achieved due to cost and time constraints.

SITE PLAN

5.18 (right)South elevation shows what I wanted the installation to do. This was not achieved due to cost and time constraints.

5.19 (below)West elevation shows what I wanted the installation to do. This was not achieved due to cost and time constraints. SOUTH ELEVATION

WEST ELEVATION

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of this project. It is important to note that no matter how one feels about the computer as a de-sign tool it has had and will continue to have a strong impact on the way de-signers work and imagine the future. The technology wave that we have been rid-ing for over 200 years began during the Industrial Revolution and increased the human population by billions in a rela-tively short period of time. (WorldoMe-ter, 2014) The machine age brought on by this revolution has transformed societ-ies around the world into one of the most rapidly evolving technological eras in hu-man history. This evolution has brought us to the computer and its robotic coun-terparts, but who knows what is next. By using this awesomely powerful tool to in-tegrate what we know about the natural world into the design of our built envi-ronments, architecture will become an or-ganism in itself. “Imagine a building like a tree, a city like a forest.” (McDonough & Braungart, 2002, pg. 139) The digi-tal algorithms designers create allows for a complex set of relationships that would be impossible for any one person or even a team to analyze effectively on their own. This new technology enables visualization of design decisions and their consequences in real time. Sustain-able living system architecture does not follow a check list of requirements, trad-ing credits in one category for credits in

another. An effective sustainable human condition is an interconnected system of relationships that improves performance

and life in general. The computational method and its algo-rithmically based interconnected series of relationships is what makes it the most powerful design tool we have ever had. It is even more powerful than our hands because the hand is controlled by the brain which is not capable of handling very many tasks at once or analyzing the same amount of data at the speed of computer processors. This is why we are only now fully capable of developing the largest most complex projects the world as ever seen. A deep understanding of the environments they enclose and reside within is especially important when de-veloping within a regional context. It is

5.20Exploded detail for installation if it was made of glass.

It would be a misconception to reduce the morphology of liv-ing systems to subsets with sin-gular functions. This would just re-assert the prevailing prejudice based on which architecture and engineering strategizes material assemblies as mono-functional building subsystems or elements that are optimized towards sin-gle objectives. (Hensel et al., 2010 p. 68)

always important to design within the contexts of a site and beware of any one size fits all method. I propose a design process that designs a designing process to produce an integrated living machine that is ecologically integrated within its regional context in order to provide a sustainable human condition. We are not machines, we are full of emotional needs and desires. Architecture is typi-cally where we carry out these needs. “The essential difference between life and a machine is that a machine has eliminated needless ambiguity, being constructed entirely on functional, ra-tional principles, whereas life includes such elements as waste, the indefinite

5.22Interior perspective showing what I wanted the installation to look like. This image is intended to depict an installation constructed entirely of glass panels. The space is fi lled with refracted light and dangerously beautiful.

5.21The Expo 70 Toshiba IHI pavilion by Kisho Kurokawa completed in 1968, suspends an auditorium from the structure. This precedent was discovered after I built my installation.

and play. It is a flowing structure, forever creating dynamic balance.” (Kurokawa, 1992, pg. 7) It is my hope that this de-sign process will develop a dynamic balance between the natural and the man-made. It will create a symbiotic re-lationship with nature rather than a para-sitic one. Through Digital Fabrication we can quickly construct architectural ideas or concepts that strive for this achieve-ment. By developing algorithms based on relationships through the design process and executing them millions of times over within the computer at unprec-edented speeds, we can fully integrate ourselves within the natural world. This is already starting to trend with the general public as people desire to connect back with the Earth and live a greener life. Our ancestors understood this for centu-ries because that was the only way to survive. You had to have an understand-ing of natural world around you in order to survive. We are again at that point because of a global human population that is constantly growing. We must be the change we want to see. Start inno-vating new industries that perform better than the old ones and the crowd will fol-low. We need to work to discover ways for our cities to force industry to change by creating new models for industry that out compete the old ones. Rather than placing the focus primarily on economic development, focus should be oriented

towards public health. This is the primary initiative for an architect to protect the life, safety and welfare of people within buildings, therefore they are not the ones that need convincing. However, it is up to architects to create new needs that es-tablished industries can fulfill or adapt to. Too many people claim they are re-stricted by industry and economy, but they find time and energy to spend on other things that are not beneficial to our long term survival. Historically, architec-ture has looked to disciplines like anthro-pology, engineering, biology, etc. Now is the time to embrace computation and

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reinvent what it means to be an architect. After completing all the research con-tained in this document, I have learned that the future of our built environment will start to behave much more like a bio-logical organism. It has to in order to sustain itself. This installation was crucial to discover if I could accomplish what I set out for. Unfortunately, I feel it still falls short of what it means to design and build a living system architecture. The digital tools I had to learn, and the time it required to do so, took away from the development of a single project. The research is much more invested in devel-oping a design process for creating a living system architecture. As a result, I

am extremely excited for the future of my design endeavors. My decision to pur-sue research on the impacts of digital technology as it relates to architecture has helped me to develop a method for establishing a performance based eco-logically integrated architecture. This research establishes that whether in a dense urban setting or a wide open prai-rie, architecture should be a part of the larger living systems where it is located in order to obtain a sustainable human condition. When these more effective performance based conditions are met, we can obtain a truly sustainable condi-tion full of abundance and growth rather than a world of limits and restrictions.

5.23 (left)Perspective looking down the side of the installation from the second fl oor balcony.

5.24 (above)The installation was angled for optimum shadows and lighting conditions during presentation at 4pm on April 4, 2014.

5.25 (right)Myself under the installation at dusk.

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ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHYBell, V. B., & Rand, P. (2006). Materials for design. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Materials for design contains a catalogue of commonly used materials in architecture that includes things like glass, concrete, wood, metals, etc. It describes each material in terms of the basics, its history, design considerations and types. It was not a particularly profound resource, but was useful for understanding inherent material properties. It is not cited in the text because the information does not strengthen my arguments.

Beorkrem, C. (2013). Material strategies in digital fabrication. New York: Routledge.

Material strategies in digital fabrication contains a catalogue of fi ve different material types and how they are utilized in the digital fabrication process. The fi ve material types include: timber/wood, metals, concrete/masonry, hybrids and recycled/pre-cycled. The text explores the machines capabilities to exude new characteristics from a material and illustrates different digital fabrication methods of construction. Some of the examples are pure computa-tion for establishing material parameters in the form of patterns of use in computer models, while others use materials in new and innovative ways by manipulating there form. This was a useful source for seeing what others have built and informed some of my process for exploration.

Brayer, M.-A. (2009). Biothing, Alisa Andrasek. Orlé ans: HYX.

Biothing is about defi ning and describing what it means to call something a biothing. The description includes an evolution in architecture away from form representations to a calculated series of relationships. It is about designing things that resemble bioprocesses and various conceptual examples of this idea. Biothing is the beginning stages of a very transformative notion about architecture, but the text does not go far enough. The examples shown end within the digital world and do not show how to actually construct the concepts and put the theories into real world practice. This was a very useful source for establishing the living system architecture concept; however, it does not fully illustrate how to do this.

Dunn, N. (2012). Digital fabrication in architecture. London: Laurence King Publishing ltd.

Digital fabrication in architecture provides explanations for concepts of common computer software terms used in this fi eld such as: CAD, NURBS, meshes, parametric, algorithmic and morphogenesis. The text then goes on to illus-trate examples of how these concepts have been integrated with real world fabrication tools. The tools are broken down into categories like: laser cutting, CNC milling, 3-D scanning and robotics. The basic principles and functions of the tools are explained as they relate to different intentions alluding to the next section of the book on strategies. The strategies section addresses the current common issues of dealing with sheet materials in fabrication. These strategies include: contouring, folding, forming, sectioning and tiling. The text then concludes with questions about the future of the construction and fabrication of architecture with some brief examples of 3D printing and robots as assemblers. This text is very useful for gaining an understanding of current constraints in digital fabrication. It is also very useful for illustrating and understanding the concepts in real world applications. I found this text very relevant for my research because it improved my abilities and understanding of various fabrication methods.

Hensel, M., Menges, A., & Weinstock, M. (2010). Emergent technologies and design: Towards a biological paradigm for architecture. Milton Park: Routledge.

Emergent technologies and design is an academic research book that begins by introducing theory and concludes with research in the form of physical artifacts. The research contained in this book is all student work. The research seeks to discover a process that improves the built environment. A built environment in which design emerges as a result of performance, and is less concerned with idiosyncrasies. The performances of various systems are analyzed throughout the book and include: fi bers, textiles, nets, lattices, branches, cells, mass components, casts and ag-gregates. Each one of these systems is described in its own section with examples of work to illustrate the system. This source illustrates the design process from concept to fi nal product. This is especially helpful when trying to understand how and why something was made. I found this reference extremely helpful in establishing the basis for my emergent design research. It helped to guide me towards another layer within my research, as well as other work to study and analyze in order to better understand my own.

Iwamoto, L. (2009). Digital fabrications: Architectural and material techniques. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Digital fabrications contains a catalogue of architectural and material techniques. It is divided into fi ve techniques: sectioning, tessellating, folding, contouring and forming. Each technique is briefl y defi ned and its history in fabrica-tion described, followed by examples of the technique in practice. This book is a presentation of various projects from working drawings to prototypes. This text infl uenced my research in the same way my other reference, Digital Fabrication in Architecture, illustrates methods for digital fabrication.

Kurokawa, K. (1992). Kisho Kurokawa: From metabolism to symbiosis. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

Metabolism to symbiosis is an autobiographical refl ection of Kurokawa’s work. He refl ects back on his career and the evolution of his concepts which are in the title, metabolism to symbiosis. He briefl y describes his response to the machine age and why it was important for him in developing his concept of symbiosis. The main theme is a prediction for an architecture that is based on the information age. This is a move away from the machine age and is an era in which architecture is developed based on relationships both to its own formal qualities, as well as the surrounding context. The writing in this text is keenly aware of the relationship between technology and architecture. I found this resource very interesting as a precedent because it predicts the intent of my research twenty two years before I conducted it.

Margolis, L., & Robinson, A. (2007). Living systems: Innovative materials and technologies for landscape architecture. a Basel: Birkhä user.

Living systems is a landscape architecture book that presents various projects from around the world. The projects are presented based on their applications and performance. The projects are mostly at an urban scale and address common issues of urban gardening, water management, site restoration and general site comfort for people. Every project demonstrates some sort of performative system and details how this is accomplished. This resource is lacking in detailed information, beyond the superfi cial systems. For my research purposes I found it to be more useful as a reference to other projects, that I could then investigate further to better understand the systems being used.

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Mau, B., Leonard, J., & the institute without boundaries. (2004). Massive Change. London: Phaidon Press Limited.

Massive change is about the design of the world. The book is designed by Bruce Mau design inc., but is full of many different contributors. It is presented in categories defi ned as economies. Some of them include urban economies and information economies. These various categories contain information on past, present and future technologies, while simultaneously analyzing them within the context of their use and impact on society as a whole. The categories also include interviews with university professors, geneticists and many other experts who analyze and discuss their work as it relates to the category being presented. This source is like no other in my research. It is a collective way of thinking beyond the world of architecture. It takes into account the various disciplines and fi elds of study that infl uence and shape our world. It goal is maybe unclear at fi rst read because of its seemingly random nature. I found this book to be truly enlightening for my research because it goes beyond the realm of architecture. It forced me to think of the world as a larger interconnected system of relationships. Upon reading it I envisioned a world full of war, famine and disease confronted with our resilient endurance to innovate in an effort to fi ght against the seemingly desperate human situation. It showed me that the research I’m doing is of value and necessary, but can’t be excluded to architecture. It must be a part of the way we think about the world around us and our place within it.

Menges, A. (2012) Material computation. Architectural design, 216, 14-37.

The portion of this journal that I focused on briefl y describes concepts of material computation and using material information as a generative driver. Most of the journal repeats information from the Emergent Technologies and Design reference. This is because they both include the same author writing about a very similar subject. This journal includes some key concepts about methods for achieving performance based architecture. My research was heavily infl uenced by this concept.

McDonough, W., & Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. New York: North Point Press.

Cradle to cradle advocates remaking the way we make things through a design model which consists of technical and biological energy loops for a cradle to cradle method. The book explains a technical loop as one in which the substances of which something is made remains in a closed loop that is capable of being reused over and over without losing quality. A biological loop is one in which materials decompose at a rate that allows the user to use them as intended and then quickly decomposes and returns to the soil. The main principle here is that waste equals food. This book is mostly theoretical and contains little actual examples of theory in practice, but it is not intended to be a book of solutions. It is a way to think about our role in the world of design. This book infl uenced my basis for thinking about architecture as a system that is a part of its surroundings rather than separate from them. It shapes my argument by using nature as a model of abundance and growth through intelligent sustainable design.

Peters, B., & Kestelier, X. D. (2013) Computation works: The building of algorithmic thought. Architectural design, 222, 10-131.

This journal publication focuses on computational methods and the development of algorithms as a design tool within the architectural profession. The way architecture is practiced is called into question based on this new technology. It then presents various cutting edge projects at multiple scales from around the world that utilize the computational power of the computer to practice architecture. During the presentation of these projects the methods in which the computer was used and is continually used after project construction is illustrated. The journal concludes with ideas on how the computer models that are used to design a project can potentially be used during the life of the building to analyze and improve various aspects of it. This journal is an excellent resource for observing com-putational methods in practice. It illustrates the highly specifi c customized constraints of each project that contribute to its uniqueness. My research was greatly infl uenced by this reference and had a profound impact on the way I think about what I have done.

Terzidis, K. (2006). Algorithmic architecture. Oxford: Architectural Press.

Algorithmic architecture is a theoretical book about the computer and its role and impact within architecture. It dis-cusses algorithms as a set of rules and thus a historically signifi cant part of architecture. It describes this new tool as a means to an otherness by designing the designing thing. This is supposed to lead to an otherness that we could have never imagined without the computational power of the computer. This book is highly critical of the recent work that only uses the computer as an effi ciency or marketing tool rather than using it to discover. My argument was infl uenced by helping me to think of the computer as more than a simple marketing or effi ciency tool and encouraged me to strive for an architectural otherness.

WorldoMeter. (2014). Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://www.worldometers.info/world-population

This website displays a collection of real time world statistics run by an international team of developers, research-ers, and volunteers with no political, governmental, or corporate affi liation. I used it only for its raw data as it relates to world population growth. It was also relevant to my argument on population growth and its relationship to the Industrial Revolution.

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GRAPHIC REFERENCESFigure 0.1 Museum of Science Boston. 2010. Stallasso. [photographic layer in collage] Retrieved from http://web.

media.mit.edu/~neri/site/news/news.php?published-max=2010-04-02T15%3A30%3A00.002-04%3A00

Figure 0.1 Scientrix. n.d. A New way of Thinking – From the Specifi c to Generic - See more at: http://scientrix.com/scientrix-the-development-journey-of-the-scientrix-concept/#sthash.fPN8CJBA.dpuf. [photographic layer in collage] Retrieved from http://scientrix.com/scientrix-the-development-journey-of-the-scientrix-concept/

Figure 0.1 Stuffpoint. 2012. Earth Implosion. [photographic layer in collage] Retrieved from http://stuffpoint.com/nature/image/54478/earth-implosion-wallpaper/

Figure 0.2 Mr. Brown. n.d. The Nitrogen Cycle. [illustration] Retrieved from http://mrbrowns5thgrade.com/Nitro-gen%20Cycle.html

Figure 0.3 Cradle to Cradle Islands. n.d. Nutrient cycles . [illustration] Retrieved from http://c2cislands.org/sjablonen/1/infotype/webpage/view.asp?objectID=1233

Figure 0.4 HD Wallpapers. 2011. Tropical Fish. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.hdwallpapers.in/tropi-cal_fi sh-wallpapers.html

Figure 1.0 QT Luong. 2008. River and trees in autumn colors, Porcupine Mountains State Park. Upper Michigan Peninsula, USA. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.terragalleria.com/america/mid-west/michi-gan/picture.usmi20455.html

Figure 1.1 danielle fl owers blog. 2014. Tutorial with Jon. [photograph] Retrieved from https://dfl owersblog.wordpress.com/page/5/

Figure 1.2 William H. Bond. n.d. Cross section of water-fi lled bromeliad habitat. [illustration] Retrieved from http://www.natgeocreative.com/photography/williamhbond

Figure 1.3 Brian Kurtz. n.d. Swamp Thing. [illustration] Retrieved from http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/File:Alec_Hol-land_02.jpg

Figure 1.4 Calibas. 2011. Clear-cut forests near Eugene, Oregon. [photograph] Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Clearcutting-Oregon.jpg#fi lelinks

Figure 1.5 Stantec. 2010. State-of-the-art blackwater treatment. [illustration] Retrieved from http://www.solaripe-dia.com/13/247/2608/dockside_green_wastewater_treatment_graphic.html

Figure 1.6 Perkins + Will. n.d. Untitled. [photograph] Retrieved from http://inhabitat.com/dockside-green-phase-2-tied-as-highest-scoring-leed-building-in-the-world/dockside-balance-3/?extend=1

Figure 1.7 Perkins + Will. n.d. Untitled. [photograph] Retrieved from http://perkinswill.com/work/dockside-green.html

Figure 2.0 Faulders Studio. 2010. BAMSCAPE. [photograph] Retrieved from http://faulders-studio.com/BAMS-CAPE-BAM-PFA

Figure 2.1 Future Cities Lab. 2011. Aurora Project. [photograph] Retrieved from http://archinect.com/news/gallery/7483118/5/2011-architectural-league-prize-for-young-architects-designers

Figure 2.2 Linda A. Cicero. 2012. Tile Chair. [photograph] Retrieved from http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2012/pr-chairs-design-class-072412.html

Figure 2.3 Trammell Hudson. 2011. Living hinge modular ornament. [photograph] Retrieved from https://www.fl ickr.com/photos/osr/6456159867/

Figure 2.4 Facit Homes. n.d. Facit Mobile Production Facility. [photograph] Retrieved from http://facit-homes.com/clients/celia-diana

Figure 2.5 Fabrizio Costantini for The New York Times. 2013. The Jefferson North plant. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/business/last-car-plant-brings-detroit-hope-and-cash.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

Figure 2.6 Gramazio & Kohler. 2009. R-O-B. [illustration] Retrieved from http://www.mymodernmet.com/pro-fi les/blogs/wall-in-new-york-to-be-built

Figure 2.7 Facit Homes. n.d. Facit Snap in Place method. [photograph] Retrieved from http://facit-homes.com/clients/celia-diana

Figure 2.8 Gramazio & Kohler. 2008. architectural biennial in Venice. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.mymodernmet.com/profi les/blogs/wall-in-new-york-to-be-built

Figure 3.0 Achim Menges. 2013. HygroSkin: Meteorosensitive Pavilion. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=5612

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Figure 3.1 Harvard GSD. 2009. Differentiated Wood Lattice Shell. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=4339

Figure 3.2 ICD (A. Menges) & ITKE (J. Knippers) Stuttgart University. 2010. ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2010. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=4443

Figure 3.3 ICD (A. Menges) & ITKE (J. Knippers) Stuttgart University. 2012. ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion 2012. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.achimmenges.net/?p=5561

Figure 3.10 Phan Quang. 2011. Nouveau Riche. [photograph] Retrieved from http://artingeelong.com/page/7/

Figure 4.0 UN Studio. 2009. Burnham pavilion. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.unstudio.com/proj-ects/burnham-pavilion

Figure 4.1 Sylvain Deleu. 2002. Serpentine Gallery Pavilion designed by Toyo Ito and Cecil Balmond - with Arup. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/serpentine-gallery-pavilion-2002-toyo-ito-and-cecil-balmond-arup

Figure 4.2 matsysdesign and contemporist. 2013. Shellstar Pavilion. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightweight-construction

Figure 4.3 Sou Fujimoto. 2013. The Cloud Pavilion. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lightweight-construction

Figure 4.6 Caroline Rogers. n.d. Small Green Turtle from Above. [photograph] Retrieved from http://www.sea-turtle.org/imagelib/?cat=501&si=&thumb=1&page=40&sort=1&perpage=12&user=&stype=

Figure 4.7 Janine Russell. 2007. Purple Water Lily. [photograph] Retrieved from https://www.fl ickr.com/photos/janinerussell/2087192099/

Figure 5.21 Takato Marui. 1070. Toshiba-IHI Pavilion, Osaka Expo’70. [photograph] Retrieved from http://com-mons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toshiba-IHI_Pavilion.jpg

All other fi gures not referenced here in the Graphic Reference section of the book are the property of and original work produced by the author, Richard Meacham.

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designed and written byRICHARD MEACHAMmaster’s project I fall 2013 - spring 2014university of south florida, tampaschool of architecture + community design

MOMENT TO REFLECT

Upon fi nishing this document it has occurred to me that none of this would have been possible without the support of my family, especially my Grandfather Howard Gentry. He has always been there when I needed him and I would not have been able to begin my academic career in a university without his support. I would also like to thank my loving wife Rebecca for putting up with the crazy studio schedule and tolerating my absence from family events because of studio deadlines. I must also thank my mother Debbra as well, for she is always supportive of my work no matter how terrible or wonderful the projects are.

This master’s project is the culmination of everything I have learned and found important throughout my academic career. It has been a long road, but I feel as though I am ready to graduate and pursue a professional career in architecture.

-Richard Meacham