yuchen ye final journal

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A I R2015, SEMESTER 1, ALESSANDRO LIUTI

YUCHEN YE

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Table of ContentsIntroduction

Part A CONCEPTUALISATION

A.1. Design Computation

A.2. Composition/Generation

A.3. Conclusion

A.4. Learning outcomes

A.5. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

Part B CRITERIA DESIGN

B.1. Research Field

B.2. Case Study 1.0

B.3. Case Study 2.0

B.4. Technique: Development

B.5. Technique: Prototypes

B.6. Technique: Proposal

B.7. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

B.8. Appendix - Algorithmic Sketches

Part C DETAILED DESIGN

C.1. Design Concept

C.2. Tectonic Elements & Prototypes

C.3. Final Detail Model

C.4. Learning Objectives and Outcomes

REFERENCE

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Kevin Yuchen YeThird Year Architecture Major University of Melbourne

My father used to be an interior designer, and he would spend hours pouring me the knowledge of designing in architecture during the weekends. I believe that is why I am here studying architecture.

We haven’t got any architecture related courses in Chinese high school, thus my interests of architecture came from the magazines my father bought. The beauty of architecture just easily switched me up and since then, becoming an architect has became my dream job.

I love drawing and painting, but I’m not very good at computer. When I started my architecture major, I was so nervous because all these software are so new to me and I was just too comfortable to drawing thus rejecting using software. Then in the second year I realized that this is not going to work, because software design is the architecture future for sure. There is no way I can deny this fact.

So I started with rhino and Photoshop. However I am still not pro using them. There is still a lot to learn and other software to try. I believe through this subject I can have a great opportunity to experience the use of Grasshopper in Rhino.

Introduction

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FIG.1: YEAR 1 LANTERN PORJECT

This is my first year project that I have done in Virtual Environment. It was my first time to use digital software to design. It was an great introduction for me to the digital design environment as I have learned how to use Rhino for the first time. What is more important is that It shows me the potential of what digital design can do nowadays which is fascinating.

My design started from a small plant that was just like the bottom left photo. Its leaves twisted and seems like process into itself. It was a small plant but it seems have unlimited space in it as its leave grows. This leads me to my design which is a lantern, and you can still see the original plant from top and bottom, the light shines through its “leaves” and engage viewers to imagine the space in side.

However the journey of learning was much harder than what I expected. The software takes time to get used to it. And there are just so many commands that I have to try in order to get the right command I wanted. It was great that I had so many helpful friends and tutors who sorted me out all the problems thus I can finish this project in time.

I think it was an great course for students like me to have an opportunity to study digital design from ground up. What I want to say is that through this assignment I started to get interested in this way of design bec0ause there are just create so many possibilities for design. 3D modelling has become the way I do my work because it is just s convenience and dynamic.

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A.1Design Futuring

“DESIGN IS DIRECTED TOWARD HUMAN BEINGS. TO DESIGN IS TO SOLVE HUMAN PROBLEMS BY IDENTIFYING THEM AND EXECUTING THE BEST SOLUTION.” -IVAN CHERMAYEFF

It is interesting how Tony Fry mentioned about ‘design future’. He suggest that this world we are living in is directly related to designs, and designers should take responsibilities as they design. I totally agree with him and I believe architects have even more responsibilities as we design, because a architecture project may inflect thousands of people’s lives, even the image of a city. Designers should consider the designed objects, images, systems and things as a whole[1]. Finding opportunities throughout the design process, dig deep into the questions to find the relationship between design and the environment, executing the best solution.

Future discussion in Fry’s book about designing intelligent makes me question what is design? Are we still designing with these new technologies? Were are these technologies leading us to? Or what can we change this world with these ‘technologies tools’? I would like to seek these answers to these questions through this subject.

Fig.1. Villa Topoject/AND

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It was very sad as that Frei Otto passed away just after he recieve the 40th Pritzker Prize. Munich Olympic Stadium was designed by him and another architect Gunther Behnisch. It was one of my favourtie design as it was built in 1940s, and the lightweight tent construction was just so futuristic at that time.

When I saw Frei Otto’s work, the first thing I think of is nuture. It was just after World War II and Germany was experiencing lack of material and an urgent need for housing. Frei Otto decided to take the approach of designing houses with just basic function: providing shelter. He was mastering engeering thus his design contain a lot of engineering concept using steal web structure to create vast space which is also very strong. Otto specialised in light weight tensile and membrane structure, he control the light flow in his design by using different materials.

FIG.2 ROOFING FOR MAIN SPORTS

A.1.1Design Computation

RECEDENT PROJECT 1MUNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM, 1972FREI PAUL OTTO

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His tent design is like a skin peel from the ground, it is amazing that these wide span web structure creats dynamic spaces and provide opportunities for activities which is an very important adavance in the architecture history as we follow a change from function to process.

The Stadium was valued as one of most beautiful stadium in the world because of the lightweighstructure brought liveness into the game and it provide shelter while provide great amount of light to the stadium.

It is not only the designs that Frid Otto created are beautiful, it was his concept of seeing structure

FIG.3 ROOFING FOR FOOTBALL STADIUM

In the upcoming Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, Jean Nouvel Translates the vertical screen into a horizontal roof element where multi layer skins transform light into different still patterns which travel through the whole building as time goes. These several layers of metal optimize the thermal situation for the space as well.

He explains that:” Sunlight passes through two holes, then it is blocked by the third. But this soon changes as the rays move and we get spots of light that appear and disappear, enlarge and shrink...it’s a kinetic effect that is visible to the naked eye because in 30 to 40 seconds you’ll see that one spot is getting bigger and another is disappearing.”

Jean Nouvel is another one of my favourite architect who recieve the Pritzker price. Louvre Museum ABU Dhabi is one of the project he is currently working on. It will have a surface area of approximately 24000 square meters, of which 6000 square meters will be dedicated to permanent collections and 2000 square meters to temporary exhibitions.

I was so excited because so far his work has always amuze me. I love the way he treat about the light and how they translate into the form of the design. For example his newer buildings in the Middle East have transformed the oriental window technique into double facades, which reduce the cooling loads and also create fascinating interior lighting effects.

FIG.4 LOUVRE MUSEUM ABU DHABI

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PRECEDENT PROJECT 2LOUVRE MUSEUM ABU DHABI (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)JEAN NOUVEL

Jean Nouvel is one of the leading architects who has strongly influenced the debate about modern mashrabiyas. His Institut du monde arabe in Paris was only the precedent to two buildings he designed for the harsh sun of the Middle East: The Doha Tower, which is completely wrapped with a re-interpretation of the mashrabiya, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum with its luminous dome.

The delicate mashrabiya has offered effective protection against intense sunlight in the Middle East for several centuries. However, nowadays this traditional Islamic window element with its characteristic latticework is used to cover entire buildings as an oriental ornament, providing local identity and a sun-shading device for cooling. In fact, designers have even transformed the vernacular wooden structure into high-tech responsive daylight systems.

FIG.5 LOUVRE MUSEUM ABU DHABI

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A.2Design Computation

“Architecture’s New Media: Principles, Theories , and Methods of Computer-Aided Design” he mentioned that “

-Yehuda Kalay

Computers, by their nature, are superb analytical engines. If correctly programmed, they can follow a line of reasoning to its logical conclusion. They will never tire, never make silly arithmetical mistakes, and will gladly search through and correlate facts buried in the endless heaps of information they can store. They will do all that quickly and repeatedly, by following a set of instructions called a program, which tells them in m inute detail how to manipulate the electrical impulses in their circuits. They can present the results of these manipulations in the form most suitable for hum an comprehension: in textual reports, tables of numbers, charts, graphical constructions— even in dynamically changing images and sounds. But while they can follow instructions preciselyand faultlessly, computers are totally incapable o f making up new instructions: they lack any creative abilities or intuition.

I totally agree with him as computers these days are still not “alive”. They are still tools and had does not has any creative abilities which is the only thing needed for design. Just like what Yehuda said, computers can do things we can not do, things like simulate the deconstruction process of a skyscraper. Computers can do things much faster with minimum resources used. But it never create anything, by saying creating, I mean something that has not been created before, drawing a line is not create, line has already been created before. however, doing a painting is creating, becase this new painting has never been created. People may argue computers do create, some designer even do not know what they are going to get when they do concept modeling in the softwares, they just simple type in a program and input numbers, then they wait for the results computers “created” for them. I would question that does design need a command to generate ideas? Or do designers get ideas from others and create without any changes to the original idea? I think if we “design” like computers, we are stealing.

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Anyway, computers are still a perfect tool, and their being has already changed the way we design and construct. They provide cheap experiments withing digital world which could not been done or may cost a lot in real world. This is important because it has proved so many possible designs that were doubted or unable to manufacture

PRECEDENT PROJECT 3HAESLEY NINE BRIDGES GOLD CLUB HOUSESHIGERU BAN

FIG.1 HAESLEY NINE BRIDGES GOLD CLUB HOUSE


The Haesley Nine Bridges Gold Club House designed by Shigeru Ban in 2010. Shigeru Ban

once said in one of his interview that he had so many possible ideas but this is the one he has always want to design, because it is a window

for him. This building is pure structure focused design, if you look at it, it is very simple, however, the structure are formed as a whole, colums are

ceiling structure are manufactured together. It is pure beauty for me and it is not possible to

manufacture or construct decades ago because it is almost impossible to calculate the angle of each arch, the point of connection, and also the

weight it can hold. By computers it becomes possible and even much easier to design.

FIG.2 HAESLEY NINE BRIDGES GOLD CLUB HOUSE

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PRECEDENT PROJECT 4THE HABITAT ‘67 MOSHE SAFDIE

FIG.3. THE HABITAT ‘67Another major benefit that digital design has brought us is that the way we construct these days, which is pre-fabrication. Although if we look back the history of pre-fabrication, it started since the first Industrial Revolution in 1800s. It is computer that make this idea shine as the design process if much faster, calculation is done in seconds. The method was widely used in the construction of prefabricated housing in the 20th centiry, many houses in Australia were prefabricated in the UK in the mid 19th and brought to Australia. But they are still different from what pre-fabrication is about today.


Take the Habitat ‘67 by Moshe Safdie as a perfect example. It is a model community and housing complex in Montreal, Canada. The beauty of this design is that it is prefabricated

and constructed on a long narrow bay. It would be very hard to construct on site becasue the limited space and soil quality. However, pre-fabrication has provided this

key and Moshe Safdie has used it wisely. This 12 storeys high residencial urban apartment building is complex but incradibly large in size. It contained 158 apartments and

each unit is connected to at least one private terrace which can range from approximately 225 to 1,000 square feed in

size. As one of the major symbols of Expo 67, which was attended by over 50 million people during the year it was

open. Habitat 67 gained world-wide acclaim as a “fantastic experiment”. I believe it is a milestone in architecture as

pre-fabrication has really become a method of design.

FIG.4.THE HABITAT ‘67

FIG.5.SKETCHES OF MOSHE SAFDIE

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A.3

COMPOSITION/GENERATIONComputation is redefining the practive of architecture. Architects are developing digital tools that create opportunities in design process, fabrication and construction[1]. It is important how we value this new digital design method, is it just a virtual drafting media, or is it a key to a brand new architecture design direction which change from simple elemental composition to complex or even dynamic shapes. Architecture are now emerging to ideological designs which focus on the connection between the architecture and its surroudings, creating somthing that can breath in the eco-system, something that is alive, architecture that is like flower, functional and beautiful[2].

It is interesting some the designs we see today are pure sketches by algorithm, which is never seen before, it has become a new way of expression, a new way of visual presentaion of data matching[3]. And in order to do so, we need computers to generate thses designs which can not be hand drawn, neither been experimented nor calculated. I have chose presedents which architects take quite different design method, but ideaoly the same way of thinking which is thinking sustainabally.

FIG.1.HAZZA BIN ZAYED STADIUM


PRECEDENT PROJECT 5 HAZZA BIN ZAYED STADIUMPATTERN DESIGN

The newly completed HBZ Stadium has already become a landmark fo the local. It is well-known for its data palm plantations. Pattern’s design is inspired by the rotating fractural geometry of the data palm fronds. The architects used the latest parametric technology to create an outer fabric element facade that reflects this. This ‘Palm Bole’ facade also acts as a passive cooling device, its shade cover most area of the spectator which create comfortable conditions for them to enjoy the game.

FIG.2. HAZZA BIN ZAYED STADIUM

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Another important technoly used in this building is its adjustable patterns which can be rotated to create maximum shading area and also create varius patterns. The whole design is covered in white which relects the solar heat which is very important for dry cities like this. It is a massive building which covered in LED lights which has more than 15 different content modes. It is a vast beautiful dynamic architecture which really link into the heart of the city, it has grown a new image for the local area. Apart from these, another very important aspect was that this huge building was constructed in just 16 month whic his ultra-fast. It is all because everything was digitally generated, most of the elements were produced off site and joined together on site.

FIG.3. HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER


PRECEDENT PROJECT 6 HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTERZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS 2013

This architecture is different fomr the statium from design purpus, it was appointed as design architects of the Heydar Aliyev Center following a competition in 2007. The Center, designed to become the primary building for the nation’s cultural programs, breaks from the rigid and often monumental architecture that is so prevalent in Baku, aspiring instead to express the sensibilities of Azeri culture and the optimism of a nation that looks to the future.

FIG.3. HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER

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The design of the Heydar Aliyev Center establishes a continuous, fluid relationship between its surrounding plaza and the building’s interior. This is an architecture really blends into the surrounding landscape and breathing the culture of that country. The isolation between exterior and interior is questioned, it s fluidity is really fasanating because the architects use computation to generate the smoothness and makes hard materials much softer and friendly. This is very powerful as it has made the country breathe, the architecture is moving by itself through these dynamic curves created.


PART ACONCLUSION

Part A has provided a background knowledge of what computation is in architecture design. In the A1 part we questioned about what is design, I believe the way we think about design is also changing, we no longer be limited in complexity, we are no longer limited in some of the construction materials, what is more important is that our whole architecture design vision and focus has changed. In week 3 lecture, Dr Dominique Hes talked about designing sustainable architecture which become part of the ecosystem which create great impact on people’s lives. Brady Peters also mentioned it is interesting that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than imagine utopian future. It is become some facts shows that the impact human has done to the world is negative. The question is how can we change it. Fry believes that design is the main method of changing the world. I totally agree that architects should take responsibility as architecture designs we created will interact with the world directly.

One thing I find interesting Dr Dominique pointed out is design fun. Architectures are made for interaction, engagement is the first step. Fun design can be done by attractive outlook of the design, it also can be done by creating curiosity. I would provide visitors experience which can only be experienced through my design, and also impact them from the inside through the design concept or idea behind my design. It is important how architects communicate with people through their designs. This is what I want to explore further in this subject.

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

As a student who has no experience of Grasshopper plug-in, I found that this subject is full of fun as we play with grasshopper. However it is really hard to get the outcome you want. The design process has become a experimental process. Like what we have discussed in Part A2, digital design is a new way of design, however it takes time to transform from hand draw designs to conceptual design. We know where we are heading to , but I do not really know what I am going to get. Maybe it is just me having too less experience, above all I still love this subject because it introduced me this useful tool which can not be replaced.

Because I’m new to Grasshopper plug-in. I found that the first week task is most fun because it is the introduction. I found that design can be programming and algorithm.

PART B CRITERA DESIGN

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TESSELATION

TILING IN ARCHITECTURE

Tesselation was originally known as tiling. Tiling in architecture is a very common sight. You see them everywhere, from floor tiles, to brick laying to curtain wall facades of buildings. However such tilings are usually 2D and comprise of simple platonic or archimedian tiling patterns. Escher’s tessellations offer a more interesting way of tiling in architecture. However such an application of tessellations on architecture is purely decorative. For example, floor tiles could literally be an Escher’s tessellation artwork, as the picture below shows. Another application of tessellation could be in the façade treatment of architecture. Instead of using rectangular building blocks of glass or granite to clad the exterior surfaces of buildings, the basic shape of the building blocks could vary (not necessarily must be an Escher artwork, could be an elegant shape that tiles very nicely). This would create an interesting textural quality and feel of the building, instead of the usual “boring” rectangular shapes. While we recognize that this is not economically viable in reality and could be structurally difficult to resolve, it is an idea that could be expounded on. Currently, buildings designed by architects such as Daniel Libeskind have very interesting tiling patterns on the building façade. An example of such a building would be the Federation Square in Melbourne, designed by Lab Architecture Studio of London in association with Bates Smart of Melbourne.

LEGO AND OTHER 3D BUILDING BLOCKS

Has it ever occurred to you that Lego is actually a 3D building block that could be tiled and “locked” in 3D space, simply by the tongue and groove protrusions in each basic Lego unit? Expanding on that idea, complex building blocks could be designed based on the simple addition and subtraction method we demonstrated earlier. Such buildings blocks could manifest in a new kind of brick that locks and tile better or even interesting architectural concepts on the arrangement of 3D space that interlocks with each other. The possibilities are endless.

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PRECEDENT STUDY: JEAN NOUVEL_ INSTITUT DU MONDE ARABE

In the early eighties Jean Nouvel in conjunction with Architecture-Studio won the competition to design what would become the Institut du Monde Arabe. It was conceived during the Grands Projets, a major development initiative headed by the French government. The IMA was produced through collaboration with the countries of the Arab League and the French government. Upon its completion in 1987, it quickly became a popular destination for the local populace as well as tourists.

In my opinion, Nouvel has opened a new world of tesselation and the possibility beneath complex patterning and the use of light. I love the way Nouvel treat with light. He light up the inner space with framed nature light which create amazing effect with the interior design.

Jean’s pattern design is related to mathematics which is multiplying and scaling. Nouvel was able to synthesize traditional Arabic architectural elements into a modern design that is evocative of the architecture of the Middle East. His use of light as a building block and modifier of space creates a deeper sense of place and enhances the overall experience. It continues to serve as a great beacon and location for the interaction of Arab culture. As affirmation to the quality of the design, it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989, and the Equirre d’Argent for French architecture in 1987.

What is more interesting, is that these patterns are dynamic, they can change through engineered connection. As these patterns changes, the effects it create also changes. It is interactive and I love how it works.

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CASE STUDY: IWAMOTOSCOTT VOUSSOIR CLOUD

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DESIGN CONCEPT, MATERIAL STRATEGY, GEOMETRIC AND COMPUTATIONAL STRATEGY

Voussoir Cloud explores the structural paradigm of pure compression coupled with an ultra-light material system. The structural system is completely pure tessellation with no other structural support.

I did some research and I found that the 3 dimensional petals are formed by folding thin wood laminate along curved seams. The curve produces an inflected and dished from that relies on the internal surface tension of the wood and folded geometry of the flanges to gold its shape. At the same time, materially, the flanges want to bulge out along the curved edge. This is what allows for the structural porosity within the constraints of sheet material. The flanges of the resulting dimpled, concave petals pack together as compressive elements and press upon each other. This attribute naturally creates vaulted forms and led initially to the overall design.

I found it very interesting because these problems will only be encountered through the prototyping process, however, they will also only be solved by prototyping. It is interesting to see how the prototyping process effects the whole making process as computer design is taking a big part of our design process.

The curvature of each petal is dependent upon its adjacent voids. This is not noticed when I was playing with its formula. Because the definition we got from them were just the form finding process. Which does not include the patterning design.

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EXPLORATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DEFINITIONSPECIES 1

Changing the base pattern and the voronoi setting to get variable shapes.

SPECIES 2

By reversing the Z-axis value, I’m able to create landscape design and also mountain shaped form.Negetive force create space for underground area and also volum in under the strucutre. Void allowlight flow through the structure.

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SPECIES 3

Complex and disorganized shapes are formedthrough changing anchor-points. Although the original formremains, the aesthetic value no longer exist as thereis no order in the form.

SPECIES 4A ring shaped pavillion using the kangaroo plugin to push the definition to its limit. The amount of points set for Voronoi is important as the anchor points are related to it. Thus the final result is only achieveable in a limit amount of volts, otherwize thesize of the design needs to be changed.

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INTERESTING RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

These 6 results I find them very interesting because they have created space within the surface and the flow of space is dynamic. Some of them have variaty in hight which can create void in the ground but also lift up areas on the ground. This exercise I find it every interesting because on one hand, it helps me practice my grasshopper skill, on the other hand it helps me understand how form can be changed through the kangaroo plug-in. I think it is not only suitable for inflatable design but also very important for form finding.

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CASE STUDY 2: VOLTADOM BY SKYLAR TIBBITS

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REVERSE ENGEINEERINGVoltaDom Is an installation created by Skylar Tibbits for MIT’s 150th Anniversary Celebration & FAST Arts Festival (Festival of Arts, Science and Technology) , the installation populates the corridor spanning building 56 & 66 on MIT’s campus. This installation lines the concrete and glass hallway with hundreds of vaults, reminiscent of the great vaulted ceilings of historic cathedrals. The vaults provide a thickened surface articulation and a spectrum of oculi that penetrate the hallway and surrounding area with views and light.VoltaDom attempts to expand the notion of the architectural “surface panel,” by intensifying the depth of a doubly-curved vaulted surface, while maintaining relative ease in assembly and fabrication. This is made possible by transforming complex curved vaults to developable strips, one that likens the assembly to that of simply rolling a strip of material.

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PROCESS

1. LOFTING BASE SURFACE AND CREATING FORM

2.CREATING MESHES ON THE SURFACE. USE CENTRE POINTS AS CENTRE FOR CIRCLE, OFFSET CIRCLE FROM SURFACE.

3.DECONSTRUCT BREP(SURFACE) TO LINES. LOFT LINES WITH THE CIRCLE I CREATED PREVIOUSLY. ADJUST THE OFFSET DISTANCES AND THE SIZE OF THE CIRCLE UNTIL ITS FITS.

DIFFERENT POSSIBLE APPROACH

I could also use the surface-box command to achieve this effect. However it is still quite different from the original design because it is more dynamic. However, I believe it is still used loft command to achieve that, but they used more complex surface or attractor curves to make the base surface.

I found this exercise interesting and helpful because it is different from starting from a given definition because I have to imagine how the form is created, what is the strategy of the design. Although the final result is not directly similar, but I believe I have used the same strategy they applied.

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SITE ANALYSE

The site I am interested in is located next to the Merri Creek Labyrinth and The Quarriers Park. It is a very open space with high look outs. It is a nice place to stay, however there isn’t many gathering space or benches provided for visitors to stay. I found that there were people staying on the ground with their umbrella opened and some riders stop at the high point and have some rest, but there where no shelter.

I believe if there is a great gathering space provided and some sits avaliable for visitors, it would become a nice place to have picnic with family, for multi purpose activities or place to spend a whole afternoon. Some shelter is also important in this area as it is quite far from other resting place and there is quite a big opening which expose visitors in the sun, or worse, in the rain.

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Another possible proposal for this area would be a public toilet. Because it is in the middle of merry creek where no public toilet has been designed along the road. I find myself searching for toilet which result walking an hour to a train station. It would be nice to have a public toilet.

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PRECEDENT STUDY: ART615 PROJECT [GH3D]

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ART615 PROJECT[GH3D]

“WE WANTED TO WORK WITH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF ART615 AND ALSO MAKE A SPATIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE TWO SPACES. BY PERFORATING THE SHELL, THE SCALES ARE ABLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DISPLAYED LIGHT ON THE INSIDE AND AT THE SAME TIME CREATE A

VISUAL AND AUDIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO SPACES.”

When the first time I looked at this project I did not notice its beauty, it was when I see this image on the left, that I notice that the light effects it created with its tesselation panttern design is amazing.

To achieve this effect, the choose of material is very important as the light can not directly penetrate through the material, however the gap between the patterns can let the light run through. It is amazing how project can also been used as a projector surface, while the light effects it created is also beautiful.

Another interesting effect it can create is that objects from behind can be projected onto the surface by light, therefore the project is indirectly transparent.

I love the effect it creates and how the geometric form structure the whole project, the use of pattern is also interesting as they are just as simple as rectangular timber plates. The surface is dissected into 32 vertical and 4 horizontal struts by using Grasshopper to define a structural waffle-system. The system allowed us to connect the different struts, by merely sliding them into each other – the size of the gaps in the struts and the character of the MDF, meant that they interlocked and were kept fixed.

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DISCOVERING THE POSSIBILITY OF BULLANT PLUG-INBullant plug-in is a grasshopper plug-in which allows you to generate 3d tessellation patterns which can be applied on any mesh. I found that it is very helpful for tessellation design as it can create geometric made up of 3D patterns that has no gap between them.

I started to play with it and try to find out what possibility it has and what I can create through this process. Started with finding proper pattern which is simply, but also interesting. Then I find this pattern called Bitruncatedcubic. Which is made up of squares and hexagons. It can create flat surface and can be stacked from bottom to top.

Then I tried to apply it on different surfaces or curves. I find that it is very flexible, there is not impossible connections even through complex curves and joints.

One interesting fact I found which 3D tessellation is that the size of pattern is directly linked to the ability of defining the form. Because the form is build up of same patterns, if the size of pattern is too big, it become hard to express the form. So multiple sizes could be used in my design.

Then I decided to use this pattern as my base pattern to start up. I can also make it as a framework of my design which is possible.

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PRECEDENT PROJECT STUDY : THE GROTTOPAVILIONThis is one of the precedent project I have found. This is a project done by Benjamin Aranda and Chris Lasch. Itwas a small concept project that wasn’t been built. However Ifound it interesting because it was design using 3D tesselationdigital modeling. It was designed as an underground space wherethe visitors too a journey of exploring the hidden place. Thecontrol of light using the gap between the pattern engage peopleto search deeper.It is interesting as it has different pattern to achieve this dynamiceffect. However all the elements are in the same scale which doesnot provide any contrust as it is underground, there is nothing toemphasize the scale of the blocks.

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PROTOTYPING

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I unrolled the surface onto a flat A3 size paper, and then cut them off with taps on them. It was quite easy to build each cube but it is very hard to hide all the joints. The material I may use is timber, which can be joint through plates or bolts. Or I can create a frame to join them all together.

I have made 3 of these cubes in two different scales. I made one with hollow surface on opposite side which create light effect when light comes through.

I also tried to find out how they stack together without gap in order to understand better.

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PART C DETAILED DESIGN

47DETAILED DESIGN

After part B, I have received a lot of feed back which are really valuable and I will take them into my final detailed design.

Some of the feed back relate to unclear design concept and proposal, in next few pages I will review and reconsider my design proposal so that it is more reasonable and make more sense, and also relate to my part B study.

Another important thing I learnt from part B is that I need to develop my techniques further and more precise or specialize technique which is very important to design relatively strong ideas. So that I decide to add panelling techniques in my design which I have touched a little in part B.

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DESIGN PROPOSAL

After reconsidering my design proposal, I seek what is more important to Merri Creek. So I revisited Merri Creek and took a lot of photos focusing on the river.

Then I notice that along the path of Merri Creek, in some area there is not much connection and interaction with the creek. Sometimes I was not able to see the creek, and I even forgot about the existence of the river. When I want to interact with the river, I found that there is no way to approach the river. Which I found really sad because the creek is so beautiful at the upper stream while the lower stream is not really pleasing to view.

Then I noticed a beautiful effect the river creates with the reflection of sunlight on the bottom side of the bridge, which is the caustics and then I quickly took the photo on the right. It is so beautiful that the contrast with the unpleasant dirty river creates a strange feeling which leads me to my final proposal. Why the beauty of the river at lower stream could only be viewed at this unpleasant place? Why not design something that leads people to the creek and interact with the river or view the beautiful view across the river?

I could design a landscape design which leads people to the river and create activities with the river. I think it is very important as the river is the essential reason that these area are so beautiful, it is the river that brings us the happiness and joys.

49DETAILED DESIGN

CONTRAST BETWEEN UPPER STREAM AND LOWER STREAM

50 DETAILED DESIGN

DESIGN CONSIDERATION

Then I read more about the history about Merri Creek I found that the strong connection of Merri Creek with the aboriginal people in that area which could be reflected with my design as I also focus on the connection of Merri Creek and visitors who approach it.

It is also because I found a lot of artificial sculpture and artworks along the Merri Creek path, I found then not only interesting and beautiful, but also that they blends in the environment perfectly, because the designs are part of the environment, they were drawn along the creek, some of them are part of the grass land which does not create any conflict. I really hope my design can have the same effect that it become part of the environment and not just stands alone in the area.

51DETAILED DESIGN

So I decided to design something starting from aboriginal people’s culture. Thus I searched some architecture of aboriginal people and I found that their huts were actually very interesting as they are built from the raw material and they are functional and strong. So I decided to start my design with the form of this hut and play around it to find a form which I can easily work with.

52 DETAILED DESIGN

DESIGN CONCEPT AND PROCESS

Because my design starts with the caustics image, So I decided to do something with the pattern of caustic which reminds me the view of Reynishverfi in Iceland. This natural landscape creates interesting pattern which looks like extruded surfaces along the shore. It is so beautiful that I tried to re-engineer it in Rhino.

I used the command Voronnori and offset to get the individual patterns and I extruded them with an attractor point along a curve to create different hight. Then I did a small prototype to show the frame of this pattern.

But I found it very boring, so I tried another idea which is create many huts and join them together to create a form, and then add this caustic pattern onto it as panels.

But during the process, I found that it was really hard to create patterns on a curved surface, thus I have to create the pattern first and then use Kangaroo to add force onto them to create the framework of the pattern.

53DETAILED DESIGN

Starting with drawing circles for of the huts.

Use Voronnori to create pattern.

Use Kangaroo to create volts and space.

54 DETAILED DESIGN

Because it is a landscape design so I have three parts which leads visitors closer to the river.

I also want to create the idea of rhythm of river which is waving. So I decided to rescale all the patterns so that they have different levels. And the one closest to the river because a structure with roof which is able to reflect caustic of the river on the ceiling with the morning sunlight from the east.

I rescale all the panels with attractor points along curve at different hight. So the three parts are shown on the right.

But after I recheck the site I notice that the area I chose is very sloppy and it might not possible to reflect the caustic only if it is located really close to the river.

Thus I have to check the rain level and river level in Merri Creek to see if it is possible.

55DETAILED DESIGN

After checking Melbourne Water Database, I found that the river level at this area is really low, and sometimes the level rise a lot thus it is not possible to build very close to the river and the idea of caustic reflection on ceiling is not possible to achieve.

SADLY NOT ACHIEVABLE

So I decided to rearrange the location of each parts thus they create a better path which leads to a place where the view of river is really nice.

56 DETAILED DESIGN

The final locations of the parts

I kept the original path and they does not block the them, thus bike riders can ride pass them. However, the path I created does follow the landscape, I did some minor change of the slope but that does not really change much about the view of the park.

57DETAILED DESIGN

58 DETAILED DESIGN

PROTOTYPE AND MODELS

The first prototype I made is a 1:50 scale which is made of plastic sticks and balsa boards and I spray painted them to show the materials.

So the Material I chose is steel tubes and timber . Because I want this big landscape design to be lightwight and timber is because there are many trees and timber is a more friendly material comparing to cold metals.

During the making process I found that the panels I made with laser cutter were so small that they are not possible to work with, but if I make a 1:20 scale, they would too big that I could not show a single structure. Thus I only made a small portion of it.

Also I was not able to show the landscape and river because it was too big. So for the final model, I may have to forget the panels but just the frameworks of my design which is a shame.

59DETAILED DESIGN

The big 1:100 scale model I made shows the landscape and also clearly shows the shadow effect I want to create with my design.

60 DETAILED DESIGN

CONNECTION PROTOTYPE

Because I was not able to show the connection of my design as they were so small, so I made these 1:1 connection prototype to show the connection of steel tubes and the timber panels.

I used bolt connection to show minimum connection.

Because some of the pattern in my design is not planer, thus I have to use two or more panels for one pattern, this shows the connection of panels. the angle may not be 90 degree, but that is the plate and bolt connection I want to use.

61DETAILED DESIGN

62 DETAILED DESIGN

CHANGES MADE AFTER FINAL PRESENTATION

Taking the feedback from final presentation, I decided to change the pattern to strings because the pattern is too complex and I also take out the panels thus the design is much more clean and clear, the view is still framed by my design by each gap created with each string.

The strings also shows better connection with each other as there is a sense of progression behind it. The material I decided to change to plastic which is more workable than metal and timber and I was able to create more dynamic shapes with it. Concrete strip footing system is used to connect the tubes to the ground. Reinforced steel bar are used to connect the tubes.Concrete footing are berried under ground which could not be seen.

The design started with changing the pattern to strings, and still used the kangaroo component to make the form.

The new pattern was projected onto the original form which directly create the curvy strings that I wanted. By looking side way, the strings create a dynamic flowing effect and create the sense of wave of the river. Visitors walking along the path through these architectural waves which leads them to a perfect gathering space for different activities purpose.

Considering the spacing between each string, the spacing is 50 cm which allow normal people can just go through them, this makes the design clearer and more access able.

The construction process is: pure concrete footing first with reinforce bar ready to connect, the plastic rods are made into shape by heating and cold curved. They connect to the bars with concrete. The strength of the rod is strong enough which is persistent for normal smashing so that they are very safe.

63DETAILED DESIGN

PLAN SECTION

64 DETAILED DESIGN

65DETAILED DESIGN

MAKING PROCESS

Curve the string and wrap it around myself made stick to make the pattern with exact length.

30 strings were made and ready to make the final model.

Cutting off steel wires with exact length.

66 DETAILED DESIGN

FINAL MODEL

67DETAILED DESIGN

68 DETAILED DESIGN

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The development of digital technology create possibilities of new design approaches and new ways to define concepts. To understand what is possible to achieve and to be able to transform traditional design ideas into digital form are vital to our generation as this new epoch is coming.

Through the process of experiments I was able to develop my skills in various 3 dimensional media and specifically in computational geometry, parametric modelling, analytic diagramming and digital fabrication.

As weeks passes, I become more confident with trying new ways to generate geometries I see directly and become more comfortable with digital design.

From the feedback I received, I was able to adapt to changes and new ways of thinking and considering site condition, stakeholders and building environment conditions which is vital for my future career.

What is more important is that I was able to develop capabilities for conceptual, technical and design analyses of contemporary architecture projects and try to understand them with this new digital technique tool.

I think the ability to teach myself and self directed learning process is also very important as I am able to develop my own style and way to design.

REFERENCES

Fry, Tony (2008). Design Futuring: Sustainability, Ethics and New Practice (Oxford: Berg), pp. 1–16

Dunne, Anthony & Raby, Fiona (2013) Speculative Everything: Design Fiction, and Social Dreaming (MIT Press) pp. 1-9, 33-45

Schumacher, Patrik (2011). The Autopoiesis of Architecture: A New Framework for Architecture (Chichester: Wiley), pp. 1-28

MATHEWS, FREYA (2005). REINHABITING REALITY: TOWARDS A RECOVERY OF CULTURE (UNSW PRESS), CH.7 - MERRI CREEK

OXMAN, RIVKA AND ROBERT OXMAN, EDS (2014). THEORIES OF THE DIGITAL IN ARCHITECTURE (LONDON; NEW YORK: ROUTLEDGE), PP. 1–10

KALAY, YEHUDA E. (2004). ARCHITECTURE’S NEW MEDIA: PRINCIPLES, THEORIES, AND METHODS OF COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN (CAMBRIDGE, MA: MIT PRESS), PP. 5-25

ISSA, RAJAA ‘ESSENTIAL MATHEMATICS FOR COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN’, SECOND EDITION, ROBERT MCNEEL AND ASSOCIATES, PP 1 - 42

KOLAREVIC, BRANKO, ARCHITECTURE IN THE DIGITAL AGE: DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING (NEW YORK; LONDON: SPON PRESS, 2003) SUGGESTED START WITH PP. 3-62

PETERS, BRADY. (2013) ‘COMPUTATION WORKS: THE BUILDING OF ALGORITHMIC THOUGHT’, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, 83, 2, PP. 08-15

DEFINITION OF ‘ALGORITHM’ IN WILSON, ROBERT A. AND FRANK C. KEIL, EDS (1999). THE MIT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE COGNITIVE SCIENCES (LONDON: MIT PRESS), PP. 11, 12

CHERMAYEFF, IVAN. ‘IVAN CHERMAYEFF COLLAGES’, HARRY N ABRAMS(1991), P10.

FRY, TONY. ‘DESIGN FUTURING: SUSTAINABILITY, ETHICS AND NEW PRACTICE’,OXFORD: BERG(2008), PP. 1–16.

HOMERENOVATIONS.ABOUT.COM

WWW.MELBOURNEWATER.COM.AU

FIGURE

1. VILLA TOPOJECT, ARCHITECTURE OF NOVEL DIFFERENTIATION/AND(2010), ARTCHIDAILY, HTTP://WWW.ARCHDAILY.COM/161360/VILLA-TOPOJECT-AND/

2.3. MUNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM, 1972 FREI PAUL OTTO

HTTP://ARCHIDOSE.BLOGSPOT.COM.AU/

4.5. LOUVRE MUSEUM ABU DHABI (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)

JEAN NOUVEL

HTTP://WWW.ARCHDAILY.COM/298058/THE-LOUVRE-ABU-DHABI-MUSEUM-ATELIERS-JEAN-NOUVEL/

6. HTTP://ARCHPAPER.COM/

7,8 . HAESLEY NINE BRIDGES GOLD CLUB HOUSE SHIGERU BAN

HTTP://WWW.ARCHDAILY.COM/490241/NINE-BRIDGES-COUNTRY-CLUB-SHIGERU-BAN-ARCHITECTS/

9,10 . THE HABITAT ‘67 MOSHE SAFDIE

HTTP://WWW.ARCHDAILY.COM/404803/AD-CLASSICS-HABITAT-67-MOSHE-SAFDIE/

11. HTTP://WWW.ARCHDAILY.COM/606061/COOP-HIMMELB-L-AU-S-MUSEE-DES-CONFLUENCES-THROUGH-THE-LENS-OF-EDMUND-SUMNER/54F89818E58ECE08B4000289_COOP-HIMMELB-L-AU-S-MUS-E-DES-CONFLUENCES-THROUGH-THE-LENS-OF-EDMUND-SUMNER_COP-LYO-0003-JPG/

12.13 . HAZZA BIN ZAYED STADIUM PATTERN DESIGN

HTTP://WWW.KHALEEJTIMES.COM/KT-ARTICLE-DISPLAY-1.ASP?XFILE=DATA/NATIONSPORTS/2014/JANUARY/NATIONSPORTS_JANUARY90.XML&SECTION=NATIONSPORTS

14.15 . HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS 2013

HTTP://OPENBUILDINGS.COM/BUILDINGS/HEYDAR-ALIYEV-CENTRE-PROFILE-41699

16. HTTP://WWW.EHSMITH.CO.UK/IMAGES/PAGE/HEADERS/PLASTIC_UNDERGROUND_DRAINAGE.JPG

17. WWW.MELBOURNEWATER.COM.AU

18. WWW.PLASTICSINDUSTRY.ORG

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