AIRARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO JOURNAL

3 8 7 3 9 0

X I Y I N GSTEFANIE GUO

“There are

60degrees

, 3

degrees

stickwhy

to

one ?”-- Zaha

Hadid

Contents

Contents

2.1 Group Research & Argument + Case study 1.0

Part 02Cut project

Part 03Gateway project

Part 01Case for Innovation

1.1 Architecture as a Discourse1.2 Computing in Architecture1.3 Parametric Modeling1.4 Conclusion

Expression

of

interest

003011019031

Case for Innovation

Part 001

DISCOURSE

PARAMETRIC

digital

ARCHITECTURE

001

DISCOURSE

ARCHITECTURE

COMPUTING

PARAMETRIC

digital

media

visual

modeling

design

DISCOURSE

PARAMETRIC

ARCHITECTURE

digital

media

visual

modeling

design

1.1 Architecture as a Discourse

003

week001self introduction

understanding of digital architecture

previous work

favourate works

Hi, I’m Stefanie Guo. I’m doing my

bachelor degree of architecture

in my final year, first semester.

I was born in Chengdu,

China and have stayed there

most of my life. This is my third

year studying abroad and I really love Melbourne.

I first learned the software known as SketchUp when I was in my high school. I thought that learning the software would suffice to my university architectures needs; however, it was not as professional as compared to other software’s like Rhinoceros. Through the subject, virtual environments, I gained exposure to Rhinoceros and paneling tool. Even after gaining exposure and some experience with this software’s, it did not really aid me in modeling. This is one of the main reasons why I am so excited about this subject, because this subject allows me to explore this software systematically and gain an in-depth knowledge of the software. Personally, I believe that digital architecture is a creation of the modern era. It has helped the way in which architecture is formed in modern society. Digital architecture gives architects many privileges and allows them to further explore and create their ideas in models. Digital architecture allows ideas to become realistic as compared to traditional forms of architecture that would require a longer and harder process to manifest the ideas. Furthermore, one of the upsides of digital architecture is that it allows architects to modify their ideas and designs easily as compared to traditional architecture.

005

This project was part of my first year subject, Virtual Environments. My piece was derived from the concept of an iceberg and the reflection of broken ice. This project shows the natural connection between a models made by a natural process with human body. No matter the left, right or forward, backward, the model perfectly matches my body. This project has allowed me to learn many different required methods for designing where precedents, analyzing, inspiration and so on are required. This project allowed me to develop my idea from merely ice caps and the melting process of ice caps into a wondrous model. Furthermore, the processes learned throughout this subject give me the availability to use such skills and techniques in further projects or jobs.

This project has been derived from a type of dessert grass that demonstrates freedom, harmony and peace in the aboriginal lands of Australia. This discovery Center and Place for Cultural Exchange is from a painting of an aboriginal artist, Jean-nie Petyarre. This discovery center uses different materials and spatial orders to create a sense of discovery. I designed a bridge through the discovery center representing the long journey that the aboriginals have overcome over the past years.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall shows both the modernism in architecture and the influence an architect has on the building. The concert hall was designed and created mainly by the purpose of being a music hall rather than incorporating the ego of the architect. Therefore, this building always acts as an inspiration to me where I can use my ideas in different forms, and focus on different areas, like focusing on the purpose of a building then moving into design and my trademark. The connection between material and form of the concert hall shows me that architecture does not mainly focus on the design ideas, functions, relationship with the surroundings, and landscape but also the consideration of the reality of the structure.

HallWaltDisney

Concert

008

The Guangzhou Opera House has been designed by the infamous Zaha Hadid and is her first architecture in China. I like the building because of the modern architecture and design it compensates. This building acts as a stepping-stone for China in general, as Zaha Hadid has brought in a form of architecture and design that can be seen as new and uncharted for Chinese architecture. This building acts a beginning for different forms of drastic and extraordinary acceptance of architecture in China. Personally, I would suggest that this building allows me to see the usefulness of digital architecture and how it has shaped the way in which architecture and design can be carried out in modern society. Zaha Hadid’s Guangzhoue Opera House shows how she transcends the laws of architecture and uses her inspirations and ideas to create buildings of free form, without limitations and consistency.

guang zhou

opera house

009

opera house

computers in architectural design process

metamophosis discoursenew play house for the royal theater -- in copenhagen

1.2 Computing in Architecture

week002

012

After architect separated from artist and engineer as a profession, building has no longer been undesigned, and then, real architectures born. As all the architectural revolution past by, a digital architecture become the new profession. However, everything needs time to change. Architects started with using computer as a tool to present, and now, they use computer as a media to design. I think the process of architectural design is a journey of finding new ideas. However, design never ends as the ideas can always change. When computer was used as a representational tool, it helped the design process end up with more accurate results. Different from free hand drawings, computer did provide more simple and easier way to demonstrate design ideas. Especially after 3D modeling software releasing, digital model became another objective way of representing to unprofessional people other than physical model. The design process has become the combination of creative architects’ ideas and representative computer’s outcomes. However, the exploration of computer’s ability is endless. Instead of making communication between architects and computer, it became share the design ideas between architects and computer. This highly expanded the possibility of unexpected outcomes. Architects got the talent of creativity and sensitive to good visual sensation. Computer has awesome analytical and representative property. Therefore, forming an idea through computer, modifying it with creativity become the new way of architectural design. Architectures have the ability to be more unexpected and ‘crazier’. Moreover, apart from the form and shape that digital architecture can produce, the complex design process can never achieve without analyzing the concept and ideas through computers. Nevertheless, with development of computers’ design ability, the reality and acceptability of the world should always keep in mind. Sometimes, people or client could understand architects. Therefore, they could not always accept some creations of architecture. In another words, the speed that digital architecture is developing may faster than the speed that people get the sense of interest. Only if there is an architectural world, architects can design without any concern.

013

After architect separated from artist and engineer as a profession, building has no longer been undesigned, and then, real architectures born. As all the architectural revolution past by, a digital architecture become the new profession. However, everything needs time to change. Architects started with using computer as a tool to present, and now, they use computer as a media to design. I think the process of architectural design is a journey of finding new ideas. However, design never ends as the ideas can always change. When computer was used as a representational tool, it helped the design process end up with more accurate results. Different from free hand drawings, computer did provide more simple and easier way to demonstrate design ideas. Especially after 3D modeling software releasing, digital model became another objective way of representing to unprofessional people other than physical model. The design process has become the combination of creative architects’ ideas and representative computer’s outcomes. However, the exploration of computer’s ability is endless. Instead of making communication between architects and computer, it became share the design ideas between architects and computer. This highly expanded the possibility of unexpected outcomes. Architects got the talent of creativity and sensitive to good visual sensation. Computer has awesome analytical and representative property. Therefore, forming an idea through computer, modifying it with creativity become the new way of architectural design. Architectures have the ability to be more unexpected and ‘crazier’. Moreover, apart from the form and shape that digital architecture can produce, the complex design process can never achieve without analyzing the concept and ideas through computers. Nevertheless, with development of computers’ design ability, the reality and acceptability of the world should always keep in mind. Sometimes, people or client could understand architects. Therefore, they could not always accept some creations of architecture. In another words, the speed that digital architecture is developing may faster than the speed that people get the sense of interest. Only if there is an architectural world, architects can design without any concern.

ComputersINArchitectural Design Process

computational architecture Metamorphosis

discourse

computational architecture discourse

016

017

The way of analyzing activities in the theatre provides a more advanced opportunity to get the satisfied outcomes. Sometimes, in stead of thinking about further ideas out of the projects, a idea rises from the project will be better to work on. The space it created by using digital computational process interrupt with functional characteristic, which produced a dynamic surface. However, the conceptual idea and practical outcome is not the same. As an architectural project, it seems like lack of reality. The physical laser cut model is effectively presenting the structure. However, the reality is that a building with this kind of form needs more consideration about the material. The same as other digital architectural project, computer formed a perfect form, but not a real building. This project is successful and well organized. It performed a discourse of computational architecture. However, it is not able to end up with a real building due to the shortage of material properties. Therefore, like a lot of other project, this project can only alive in computer but not real world.

Newplayhousefor

the royal theatrein Copenhagen

This project is about a landscape playhouse, which use as the competition entry for ‘a new playhouse for the royal theatre in Copenhagen’. This project was awarded in the FEIDAD Award in 2003. By using the geometric characteristics and structural logics of self-intersecting curved surface as the foundation of metamorphosis process, a differentiated surface articulation and spatial organization is resulted.

week003 parametric modeling

-- a fashion & method

parametric skin in Stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart

1.3 Parametric Modeling

parametric modeling-- a fashion & method

parametric skin in Stuttgart

Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart

1.3 Parametric Modeling

020

--A fashion & method

ParametricModelling

021

--A fashion & methodModelling

Parametric design is a fashionable way of architecture design. I personally think the parametric design process is to input vectors instead of other specific ideas into a function, and get different design plans through changing the vectors in this function. It can be seen as a way of design that based on computer and number. The solution is also derived through auto-generation. However, the parametric modeling, which is very popular today, often worked out by using a plugin in Rhino, Grasshopper. This means parametric should not be a style but at most a fashion.

Parametric people say, “parametricism” is a new style of architecture, which means “all architectural elements and complexes are parametrically malleable.” However, I don’t think “parametricism” is even existing right now. Computer helps the parametric design come true, but no one knows where will it drive to be.

Moreover, here is no specific form of ”parametricism” architecture, other than the way it design through. However, the other architecture styles are all representing a kind of form in architecture design. Therefore, “parametricism” should not be called or predicted, at least now. We should totally understand parametric design first, before we get to move it to a style of architecture.

Moreover, parametric modeling is systematically opposite to traditional architectural design process. Architecture should be against rationality, which means architecture should not be an outcome of logical theory but aesthetics. However, the basic theory and background parametric design is totally different from the traditional architectural design. In some instant, the parametric design outcomes are the results of computer calculating rather than architectural thinking. Furthermore, designs mainly derived from historical architectural thinking and typical architectural style will be more meaningful.

As a kind of decoration in the earth, architecture with aesthetics thinking and represents a meaning is easier to understand and accept. However, the public, because of the new and stylish form, accepts parametric architectures itself. Such as the parametric architecture, Guang Zhou Opera House, built by ZHA in China, Chinese are really enjoying in having a “wired” but curved architecture on land. However, if look it with the surroundings, it seems out of tune. Besides, as a new way of design, it is valuable to discover.

A part from some designs are hard to build and exploration of function taking more time than the design outcome, parametric modeling should be a new generated and workable way in the digital generation. The soft curved architectures are definitely nice to view and needed for young architects to understand the process.

Parametric SkinDesigned by Oliver Dibrova

024

This project is to design a façade on an existing building in the city of Stuttgart. It should be an experiment project not only on using parametrical design for a façade but also testing the suitability of a new form in an old city. The trend of using parametric design in a project is fabulous for the project itself. However, when we look into a big scale of planning, it becomes not suitable yet for every part of a city. Such as the city of Stuttgart. By analyzing the urban planning of the area, it is not yet ready to develop into a parametrical area, which means the façade itself is building with another style and another level of architectural design, a new fashionable design method. Therefore, I think parametric design is not always suitable to build on site. Some of the city needs to keep their old look in a modern time. Even if parametric design appears in the city while everything looks old and valuable for history, it will take long time to totally change the appearance of a city to parametrical. Moreover, is it necessary to destroy the historical look of a city then change it into a fashionable city look? At least, I don’t think we should. The history we need is the history indeed.

Parametric SkinStuttgart city

Designed by Oliver Dibrova

For this project, it perfectly overlaid the previous layer of building by using the shape of building as a parameter to analysis. Therefore, it is easy to say how a parametric design process work in the way of parameterization. This design process overturned the standard way of design. It gives designer more opportunity to look into the function, technique and building system. It makes the dream of easily combining design and technique together to come true. However, not all the parametric design process work in this way. Some projects are still let the parametric appearance overtake the function of a building. Therefore, in the project I am going to work on, I will take a good care of the function of a building instead of appearance.

Apart from the big scale of the project, the parametric design process is more interesting to discover. A very big advantage of this parametric design is to contain the analysis of sun, shadow, solar insolation, urban adaption and orientation etc. along the design process. This generates the parameters and functioning in the components making process, and then, fabricates the final output objects through a continuous design process. In my point of view, this results the design process to be three parts. The first one is to fully analysis the environmental building systems and gets database analytical parameters. This should be the most important step in this parametric design process. Without a fully analyzed parameter, the project is not going to work in the ideal way. The second step is the main parametric design process. The parameters were reformed through different orders. However, the parameters were still remaining the same identities. The third and is the most excited part of the process is how to output it into the actual project.

027

“Now that we are aware that extremely complex forms can actually be built, there needs to be some reversed engineering introduced, so that we learn more from production techniques in order to make these complex forms, but also to discipline ourselves as architects when form making. “

– Ben Van Berkel

Mercedes-Benz Museum

UNstudio

It is always said that designers think in connections, relationships and the whole rather than numbers. However, parametric modeling software is willing to help designers to do everything they can think with numbers. It uses a specific understanding about parameters to produce a method of producing building components and manufacturing it.

The best part of this design is not about amazing form but the perfect use of parametric design progress to produce a useful building in many ways. Different from most of other parametric designs, this museum is not valuable for its parametric appearance but the technique used in construction and design. It can be seen as a revolutionary building. The spatial arrangement, circulation path, forms and the functions closely related to the parametric design process and fabrication process. The building achieved to provide about 16,500 square meters of usable space on a relatively small footprint through parametric modeling. The design is essential for customers, which is the most important people for this museum, to choose their path of visiting. This is a new challenge and new idea that approached in this design. However, the form of this building is only able to describe in parametric way rather than regular way of representation. There is not a specific plan or section. In some aspect, it is good for its easy process of design.

Mercedes-Benz In Stuttgart

UNstudio Museum

030

However, the fabrication technology will be on a higher standard than the standard design process. The manufacture process of parametric modeling buildings will be more important than standard building design. There will be another problem that the builders need to be more experienced and braver to try a new method of constructing.

From what I saw in the pictures, the building is not as complex as Zaha’s designs. However, it provides more things rather than the parametric appearance. I must state that, I don’t think a ‘beautiful’ design is necessary to build if it does not contain any inner beauty. Designs like the Mercedes Benz Museum revolutionarily demonstrated a new idea of parametric designs. It is not only about curved surface and complex spatial component, but also telling a discourse of parametric design process from a parameter to become a completed structure. Moreover, I predict that techniques of construction will be the next revolutionary point in building design. The connection between architects and engineers will be closer and closer through the use of parametric design. In addition, parametric design is going to be a design method combine with easy fabrication and better performance. It is really excited to produce and see what will happen in future.