STUDIO AIR 1ST SEMESTER 2013 JOURNAL CFI_609040_FERNANDABATISTA

AIRFERNANDA BATISTA 2013

STUDIO AIR2013, SEMESTER 1

FERNANDA BATISTA

TUTORS

Daniel DavisKirilly Barnett

“If you can draw a building with a few sweeps of the pen and everyone recognizes not only the structure but also associates it with a place on earth, you have gone a long way towards

creating something iconic”

Tom Wright, 2000

Burj Al Arabsource: http://dimscale.blogspot.com.au

Yas Viceroy Hotelsource: http://visitabudhabi.ae/

Danish Pavilionsource:www.big.dk

London Aquatic Centresource: www.zaha-hadid.com

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

PART A - CASE FOR INNOVATION

ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC ART LOUVRE

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN TECHNIQUES

ARCHITECTURE AND PARAMETRICISM

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

PART B - DESIGN APPROACH

INTRODUCTION

CASE STUDY 1

CASE STUDY 2

WESTERN GATEWAY DESIGN PROJECT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

REFERENCES





INTRODUCTION

Hi!

My name is Fernanda, 21 years old and I am a study abroad student here in The University of Melbourne for this semester. I was born in

Brazil, and live in a city called Sao Luis in the northeast region. Currently I am in my last year of the Architecture course. The reason I came

to Australia - Melbourne was to discover how the cities, people and culture work in here. I really enjoy visiting new places, getting to know

different cultures, and as far as my conditions can lead me, try to experience real life in new environments.

In Brazil I have worked with several softwares, such as AutoCad, Revit, Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw, that helped me to develop

projects and improve my habilities to present them. In order to create 3D models, I mostly use Google SketchUp associated to Vray plugin.

Rhino and Grasshoper will be a new experience for me, and I am really glad to have the opportunity to learn and work with it. I believe they

are powerful tools and in the architectural world can be very helpful in the creative process.

What I think it will be the most interesting thing for me in the subject it is the opportunity to practice things there I was introduced before

just in theoretical manners, as well as see the opinion that other people from this course have about the new possibilities that technology

has to offer to us.





PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Architecture has allowed me to experience things that I have never imagined it would be possible for me in this stage of my life, study in this thuniversity at this moment is one of them. During the 5 semester of the course I started to work as an intern in some architecture offices,

and have stopped just before come here. In the offices that I have been I had opportunities to work with interior design and development of

architectural projects of different typologies.

I also had the opportunity to be part of an international workshop, called Equinox, during three editions, one of them I went to Paris –

France, to work with the students of the Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée and develop a project for a city called Mont-de-Marsan. In the

most recent edition of this workshop I worked as tutor, aiding the groups – formed by people of three different nationalities, to develop

projects for the city of Sao Luis.

As a future architect I face all the experiences that life can put me through as an opportunity to learn about different environments,

cultures, cities, countries, etc. The world and what it has to offer is the most valuable source of knowledge for the type of professional that I

want to be.


Convention CentreOne of the projects that I have done in the university in Brazil in partnership with two colleges

PART ACASE FOR INNOVATION





ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE

“Above all, architecture ought to be seen as discourse. Buildings as material facts are small part of the overall field of architecture, a field

which is better regarded as a network of practices and debates about the built environment.”

WILLIAMS, Richard (2005). 'Architecture and Visual Culture', in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts,

ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), p. 115

Some days before I wrote this text I was talking to a friend of mine

about future plans and some things that we might do in the next

years. I was telling him that I will do whatever it takes to go to New

York and spend at least a month in there, his reaction was not that

positive about this wish of mine. He started to question me why

would I want to go there, if the city was made basically of traffic

and inconvenient skyscrapers, I decided not to argue about my

position, instead of it I just said it would be nice for my career and

that in New York there is a whole lot more to experience behind

skyscrapers and crazy traffic.

Architecture is more. In the common sense people think about

architecture and usually think about nice building, houses.

Unfortunately most of them cannot see what is behind those single

elements that they see. Many cities around the world, even if

destitute of projects of renowned architects, have their own

architectural experience working as network and involving many

elements of the urban space.

A single skyscraper when inserted in determined urban

environment can lead to different outcomes. It happens because

the city is made of different elements, each one of them with its

different meanings, different aims, working in this network that

defines the urban space.

Rem Koolhaas defines New York as a result of an unlikely marriage

between appearance and performance where architecture was not

only aesthetics but had succeeded in providing the basis for a unique

metropolitan life (HAJER, 1994). This idea proves how great the

outcomes that architecture can lead are. If a set of buildings and

designed spaces can make people interact with each other and

influence the way they behave it demonstrates how beyond single

constructions architecture is.

Architecture and its product has to be seen in a context, independent

of the way that it is thought, as a form of art, as a symbolic realm, or

as spatial experience. The person who thinks about architecture has

to be open-minded and consider it an important element with a huge

power of interaction. Power because the modifications caused by the

product of architecture can revolution determined space, society,

city, or country. Imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower.

Even the crazy traffic in New York, the yellow cabs all around, are part

of the city network, and above all, are part of its identity. New York's

culture of congestion is a result of the interaction between the

diversity of activities and the composition of the urban space itself.

The world is not made of single positive elements, the interaction

between all of them is necessary and turns the networks alive. This

life surrounds architecture and its product providing possibilities to

interact with societies and ability to influence their cultures.





New York Citysource: www.thelittlewomaninsideme.blogspot.com





THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

The City of Arts and Science designed by Santiago Calatrava and

Felix Candelas was inaugurated in 1998 and finished in 2005,

corresponds to a big complex formed by four main buildings - L'

Hemisferic, EL Museu de les Ciencies Principe Felipe,

L'Oceanografic and the Palau de las Arts Reina Sofia. In additional

to the fabulousness of the buildings and its different shapes, the

complex has an amazing landscape project that turns the master

pieces even more extraordinary.

Many were the sources that inspired the concept of the complex

and led to its final outcome. It is located in an area that used to be

the end of the former riverbed of the river Turia, which was drained

and rerouted after a natural disaster in 1957. The project was

supposed to renew the area, protect its environment, and

symbolize the 21st century in the city scenario, which was marked

by architecture styles from periods before the introduction of

modernism.

Calatrava's intention was to bring the sensations of the sea a little

bit closer to this part of the city using the water as a major element

for the whole site. The shapes of the buildings along the linear park

formed by the complex were inspired by many elements, such as a

boat and an exoskeleton of a prehistoric animal, they are also a

reflection of the styles of their designers and the use of shapes to

generate structural components.

The results of the implementation of this project transformed the city

in many aspects and created an amazing public space for its

population. The image of Valencia as a historic site was overcome

and it also incited the propagation of contemporary architecture in its

surroundings. The experiences that the linear park provides to the

population is unique, it allows the contact with the nature, the use of

urban equipment distributed around the area, suitable ways to

pedestrians and accessibility, as well as a sensorial experience

provided by the materials and elements that compose the complex.

To create a symbol of the contemporary times was a goal that was

achieved with success by its authors. With the City of Arts and

Science the architects were able not only to show their style and

design approach but also to imprint the contemporary way of solving

urban issues by creating something iconic in the local and global

scale.

The way Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candelas work with the

shapes, curves and the structural elements is unique, it defines their

personalities and discoveries as architects and in all their projects it is

possible to notice the interaction between the desired shape and the

structural elements in a balanced way. Although Santiago Calatrava

is the architect that receives most credit for this project, the presence

of Felix Candelas and his way of thinking can be noticed in the works

of Calatrava, his influence in his way of designing, and the use of

elements and shapes according to structural definitions.

Here is one example of a project that had a great impact in the logical dynamic of a city. Valencia, Spain, itself is an amazing place, however

the insertion of this project in its context turned the city into a much more interesting space, as well as renovated a degraded part of it.


City of Arts and Science Valencia, Spainsource: www.cac.es





DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC ART

Another example of contemporary architecture that has been very

well accepted and has a great significance for what it represents in

the global scenario is the new Department of Islamic Art in the

Louvre Museum. It was designed by the Italian architect Mario

Bellini and his French colleague Rudy Ricciotti, inaugurated in

2012. The roof is the highlight of their creation, it represents an

undulating golden blanket. The contrast between the new

architecture and the surroundings of neoclassical facades turns

the space into an extraordinary environment where the old and

new coexist.

The department of Islamic Art is the first contemporary

intervention in the Louvre Museum after the glass pyramids

designed by I. M. Pei. As the glass pyramids the golden blanket

represents the architecture of the contemporary times in an

ancient scenario. It also highlights its timeless feature and the

attempt to renew its spaces according to nowadays moment.

The intention of the architects was to reach a design that could

achieve a gentle and non-violent integration between a

contemporary architectural design and the historical place that is the

Louvre building.

This way the 'Veil' represented by the golden blanket visually is a

subtle undulating surface for observers in the level above of the

courtyard in which is located. The building was designed with the aim

to use natural light and diffuse it through the area of exhibition.

As well as the project of the City of Arts and Science the new

Department of Islamic art has single shapes that ally the use of

technology, materials, and structure to generate the design that

differ from some other examples of architecture around the world.

Even being from different times, with those projects it is noticeable

how great are the results achieved by an architect using the alliance

between design, technology and structural knowledge.


Department of Islamic Art - Louvre Museumsource: www.bellini.it





ARCHITECTURE, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN TECHNIQUES

The architecture that is produced today represents different times.

Depending on the places in which the examples are taken in

consideration people can see young old products of architecture.

Those young old elements are a result of the alienation that

dominates the mentality of the human being according to its

conditions. Some people just close their eyes to the possibilities

that the world has to offer. The relationship between technology

and the creative process is an example of a range of possibilities

that are offered today. Many are the softwares that aid in the

development of ideas, projects, etc. However, the use of those

tools are becoming even more frequent, it is noticeable a certain

amount of prejudice surrounding the discussion of how effective

those softwares can be.

It is interesting how the world reacts to the new. It does not matter

in which field it is applied, there are always positive, negative and

neutral opinions about the introduction of determined thing.

Although the use of computational design techniques in the

architecture field is not so recent, new materials and possibilities

are released frequently. These are capable of improve the results

that were achieved before as well as add new ideas that can be

integrated in the creative process. With the aid of these softwares

the architecture of the future can be materialized in a smaller

amount of time, different if it were produced only with the use of

traditional techniques. Parametrical design might generate the

idea of future, although we can notice examples of parametrical

models that certainly were produced by using traditional

techniques, the introduction of softwares that can improve the

efficiency of the design according to different aspects represents a

big step in the association between technology and the production

of ideas.

Physical examples of the use of those associations are becoming

each time more frequent. It represents the acceptance of those ideas

by the designers and also the discovery of how to work with the tools

that technology has to offer in order to achieve determined result. In

some countries of the Middle East those examples of contemporary

architecture are already icons of determined cities, most of them

have an important ideological meaning to those cultures, they do not

represent just a building itself.

The Burj Al Arab for example, was created to be iconic, people were

supposed to see the building and reference it to the city of Dubai,

something that was extremely successful. The exterior and interior of

that building represents the use of great design techniques in

accordance with the environment of the new city.

Abu Dhabi, another Middle Eastern city also has many buildings that

were designed with the aid of computational techniques, the Yas

Viceroy and its cover is already an icon of this city and what it

represents to the world nowadays.

With the aid of technology the architecture of the future is being

created. The discoveries and productions that have led to the

moment lived now have showed that the evolution of techniques

applied in the design process are constantly changing and have

proved to be very effective. As far as the possibilities can take the

designers the more varied will be the results achieved. The questions

behind the discussion about the acceptance of contemporary

computational design techniques are not related to the style of the

designer, but the way how those people can perceive the possibilities

that are offered by the evolution of knowledge.






“Parametricism is the great new style after modernism. The new style claims relevance on all scales from architecture and interior design to

large scale urban design. The larger the scale of the project the more pronounced is parametricism's superior capacity to articulate

programmatic complexity.”

Parametricism - A New Global Style for Architecture and Urban Design

Patrik Schumacher, London 2008

Architecture styles are always something difficult to understand.

Their ideology becomes clearer to the society by the time some

other style appears and contrasts with it. In the case of

parametricism it is even more difficult to understand because it is

relatively young, and at least in some cultures, the presence and

physical examples of the previous styles still being very strong. In

addition to all of it, the discussion around a new style always

represents a source of polemic and prejudice till the time it is

legitimated partially by the world community.

Parametricism has been developed over the last 15 years and is

now claiming hegemony with avant-grade architecture. Closing a

transitional period of uncertainty generated by the crisis of

modernism and marked by a series of short lived episodes such as

Postmodernism, Desconstructvism, and Minimalism, it introduces

new ideas and strategies based on the use of computational

design techniques (Schumacher, London 2008). It is based on the

use of technology as a source and tool to improve the design

process and reach innovative outcomes. With the rise of

parametricism, models first denied by the principles of the

previous styles could be developed. The tools generated to

support parametricism made the creative process and

development of design easier. Imagine, create different shapes

and materialize it in the real world became simple than it was

before.

Although parametricism seems to be much more unrestricted than

other styles of architecture there are plenty of discussions and

prejudice around its approach. Some of them are related to the

principles of design in its most natural way, such as sketching, using

pencil and paper. However it gives the impression to be different,

those principles still happening with parametricism but within a

different interface, in which, the tools are always commanded by the

designer, like this, the sketching process still present but in the

design space.

Another source of discussion around the principles of parametricism

is related to the use of tools designated to aid the design process.

The main point of discussion is how to use them effectively and follow

their evolution, something that is extremely important in

parametricism as it is based on the use of technology as a source of

strategies. Like this parametricism evolves according to the

development of the tools and what technology enables it to reach.

Despite being a young movement physical examples in the

architecture field can be found with some sort of relevancy

nowadays. Parametricism as a style is expensive, the same way it is

based on technological principles it requires profit and technology in

order to be materialized. Many examples that can be found around

the world are already symbolic for their magnitude, what the

buildings represents to the local community, their content and

function in determined moment and urban space.






DANISH PAVILION – Shangai EXPO 2010

The Danish Pavilion in Shangai (EXPO 2010) is a project that

summarizes contemporary architecture with an interesting

approach based on the attribution of significance to the elements

of the project and what it aimed to be. Designed by BIG (Bjarke

Ingels Group), the main goal of the project was to design a pavilion

that could represent the Danish culture, its environment, and

lifestyle.

Through interaction the visitors were able to experience some of

Copenhagen's best attractions – the city bike, the harbor bath, the

nature playground and an ecological picnic. It was designed as a

traffic loop to provide the idea of motion and aid the transition

through the different scenarios that compose the pavilion. An

important element of this project is the harbor bath, which is the

central element of the pavilion, and was designed with the purpose

of lodging the real little mermaid, a symbol of Denmark, during the

EXPO 2010.

The pavilion is movable and could be placed in a different space

after the exposition, a feature that proves how successful this

project was related to its flexibility purpose. Although the

attribution of meaning in architecture is a very common fact what

makes this project unique is the association between the ideas of

the space that it makes reference and the use of special elements

from it highlighted in the conceived design.

LONDON AQUATICS CENTRE

Zaha Hadid is one of the biggest references of the use of

parametricism today. Among the various projects developed by her

practice The London Aquatics Centre highlights the use of parametric

shapes in accordance to a logical structure developed to

accommodate the crowd in a flexible way during the 2012 London

Olympic Games. The concept that inspired the geometry of the

building was the idea of water in motion. Based on it, the design of

the Centre reflects the purpose of the building, extending it to the

development of structures and mechanisms to provide efficiency

during its use. The roof definitely is the most relevant feature of this

project as it expresses the aimed idea of fluid movements and

reflects the style of the designer. As it was one of the main spaces

during the 2012 Olympic Games, this building received a considerate

amount of attention during this event, as a result it promoted the

style applied in its designer to the global society, what makes it a

really important piece in the history of parametricism as a design

style. Among the many examples of parametric architecture the

flexibility of the structures and models can be perceived. Although as

a style it is supposed to turn some features of the design process

more efficiently the implementation of new tools are adding and

transforming the approach of it. The new ideas introduced by

parametric systems have not been able to improve some important

features of the traditional methods of designing, which are also part

of the new approach established by parametricism. Till now one of

the main contributions of parametricism to the architecture field is

the flexibility generated by the models or shapes reached by the

designers. As a style it is becoming more popular but still not being

effectively accessible. There is a long path to course till the

achievement of partial legitimation.





CONCLUSION PART A

During this first part of the course it was really relevant to make a

deep research related to how parametric ideas are spreading over

the world. It made possible to understand how a determined

movement takes place in the society and involve the human and

technological development. Although parametricism is relatively

young it is already possible to establish some relationships

between what it represents right now, and what its discourse aims

to be. Many comparisons are made between parametricism and

the previous movements, such as modernism, what makes the

discussion around this topic intriguing. I believe as a movement it

aims to be revolutionary however the stage of technological

history in which it happens is too advanced, what puts a distance

between this attempt to achieve this goal. It represents a different

approach of architecture that still consolidating and in some

decades it will be possible to analyze its relevance more precisely.

One of the questions that I still have related to this movement is how

accessible it can be. How its ideas can be applied in other fields such

as the urban design and planning? How destitute societies can

experience it without all the technological tools that it requires? How

effective it can be related to the urban experience of the cities and

the people in it?

Those are questions that I aim to be able to answer by the end of the

course based in research, however a parametric experience would be

extremely necessary in order to answer it precisely according to the

point of view of how impacting a parametric element is.

END OF PART A





REFERENCES

ALLEN, Stan. The Future That Is Now. Published in:http://places.designobserver.com,2012.

Grandes Arquitetos. Santiago Calatrava. Colecao Folha de Sao Paulo. 2012

HAJER, Marteen. The generic city. in Theory, Culture & Society 1999. Vol 16. p 137-144

KOOLHAAS, Rem. Nova York Delirante. São Paulo: Cosacnaif, 2008.

MUKHERJEE, Rukmini.Creating Public Realm through Urban Renewal Learning from the City of Arts and Sciences for the Indian Urban

Scenari.Published in Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012

SCHUMACHER, Patrik.Parametricism-A New Global Style for Architecture and Urban Design. Published in: AD Architectural Design - Digital

Cities, Vol 79, No 4, July/August 2009.

WILLIAMS, Richard (2005).'Architecture and Visual Culture',in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts,ed. by Matthew

Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press),pp. 102-116

WOODBURY, Robert (2010). Elements of Parametric Design. (London: Routledge) pp. 7-48

websites

www.archdaily.com

www.arcspace.com

www.atkinsdesign.com

www.bellini.it

www.big.dk

www.designboom.com

www.dezeen.com

www.e-architect.co.uk

www.lemonde.com.fr

www.louvre.com.fr

www.visitabudhabi.ae

www.zaha-hadid.com





PART BDESIGN APPROACH





INTRODUCTION

All the things in nature are made of pieces. Pieces capable of connecting with each other and create organisms that function to a

determined purpose. The nature itself is flawless, capable of creating patterns, cells, pieces, that work together harmonically in order to

achieve determined function or give life to determined being. We humans, as product of the nature, are made of pieces, and the many

things we create are made of it – buildings, tools, cities and so on. Applying this concept the man has created exceptional things, since the

most simple, till the most complex. Relating patterns to the design of buildings architects have achieved different outcomes during different

periods and styles of architecture. With the advent of parametricism a new interface of use of patterns emerged, it became easier to apply

some ideas and imitate nature and other elements shapes with the aid of computation, generating a reasonable progress in the application

of these ideas in the way of design.

PATTERNS AND ARCHITECTURE

The etymology of 'pattern' is from the Latin pater, or patronus,

meaning father, patron, god or master, from which is derived the

notion of pattern as a model, example, matrix, stencil or mould.

The contemporary concept of pattern is as a sequence,

distribution, structure or progression, a series or frequency of a

repeated/repeating unit, system or process of identical or similar

elements. Synonyms and related concepts include habit, meme,

template, motif, configuration, organization, arrangement, figure,

tessellation, system, process, sample, duplicate, convention and

texture. This multiplicity of meanings points to the manifold roles

of pattern in the creation, reproduction, evolution and processes of

space (GARCIA, 2009).

There are many definitions of patterns, independent of the

complexity level of the discourse around them they all converge to

a point, which is the pattern as an element that can be applied in

the various moments of the design process, an idea that has been

useful in one practical context and will probably be useful in others

(FOWLER, 1997).

Patterns are elements generally, designed in order to articulate

themselves and others similar establishing a logical relationship to

achieve determined goal. Its use in architecture has been present for

many centuries and they have been evolving according to the

techniques applied in the way of design. The use of patterns relate to

an important feature of the contemporary way of design, the idea of

creating modules in order to use in a variety of ways to achieve the

intended goal. One of the main potentials of the use of patterns is the

articulation that can be generated from those elements. For Patrik

Schumacher, articulation is the central core competency of

architecture, and designed patterns provide one of the most potent

devices for architectural articulation. Although the idea of patterns

has been present in architecture for many centuries Schumacher

believes that in the new era of parametricism patterns have been

reinvented and have become an innovative and powerful register of

articulation, providing amplification of surface difference and

correlation, ultimately resulting in dynamic, high performance

ornamentation(SCHUMACHER, 2009).





Jacob K. Javits Convention Center - New York - USA source: http://archinect.com/





CASE STUDY 1

My team has decided to research and explore the possibilities of Patterning. We have chosen this field because we believe the main idea

behind the use of patterns is something that has been present in architecture since the early periods, and is connected to many techniques,

existing and new skills, developed and incorporated by the contemporary way of design. The two projects we choose for this case study

have different approaches in the way of using patternings in their context, but both have a really important feature, which is the meaning

and relevance of the designed patternings both for the building itself as for what it represents. These are projects from different times that

even with decade's differences of technological development have unique ideas and incorporate timeless performances of architectural

design.

SPANISH PAVILION

FOA, Foreign office Architects, was a practice that used to

incorporate the use of patterns in its most relevant projects, the

Spanish Pavilion, designed to represent Spain in the Universal

Expo of 2005 in Nagoya (Japan), is one of these projects. The

architects aimed to approach the theme of sustainable

development through construction traditions in the country.

Expressing this subject through architecture, they tried to link the

Spanish historical legacy with a vision of the future, identifying the

most representative architectural elements of this culture of

synthesis and playing with them in the pavilion's design.

Expo 2005, Nagoya, Japan (FOA - Foreign Office Architects)

The interior of the pavilion is composed by seven areas that

converge to one central space. The façade is one of the most

significant features of the building, it was designed based in

patterns, six different types established on an orthogonal grid,

encoded with a color. The patterns were made of glazed ceramic,

incorporating in its fabrication a compilation of usual Spanish

techniques and traditional Japanese ceramics. The idea of creating

a ceramic facade symbolizes the Spanish approach to Japan. The

six colors of the patterns are variations of the red and yellow of the

national flag, reflecting the colors of wine, roses, the blood of the

bullfights, sun and sand – colors universally associated with Spain.

The patterns are ordered according to a system to allow the light to

enter in the building, providing shading effects, and regulating the

solar gains and spread of thermal load over the pavilion.

ARAB WORLD INSTITUTE

1987, Paris, France (Ateliers Jean Nouvel)

The Arab World Institute is located in Paris, 5th district, a central area

that gives this building significant relevance in the city context. It was

designed by Jean Nouvel, one of the most renowned French

architects in the world nowadays. The manipulation of light and of

layers of transparency and opacity are recurring themes in his works

(PALUMBO, 2008). Applying this remarkable feature Jean Nouvel

designed The Arab World Institute connecting different goals in a

system that associates energy efficiency, cultural signs and

aesthetics. The design aim was to create a building that could

represent the Arabic culture coexisting in the western world.

Through a pattern façade the architect was able to connect the

building with the main purpose, associating these elements with a

system inspired in the diaphragms of cameras. The facades design is

composed by big patterns that have adjustable metal lenses

embedded in its south facing glass façade to control light to the

interior (PALUMBO, 2008). The effect provided by the patterns - their

composition in the façade, light reflections, and shading - recall

traditional symbols and ornaments of the Arabic culture. For Jean

Nouvel the building is a hinge between two cultures and two

histories, the patterns of lines and markings on the same façade are

an echo of contemporary art. He also considers the theme of light an

important outcome of the design as it is reflected in the southern

wall, which consists entirely of camera-like diaphragms, and

reappears in the stacking of the stairs, the blurring of contours, the

superimpositions, in reverberations and reflections and shadows

(NOUVEL, 2011).


Spanish Pavilion - Nagoya - JAP source: http://agephotostock.com/

Arab World Institute - Paris - FRA source: http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/





CASE STUDY 1 Explorations

Based on the Spanish Pavilion Grasshopper definition we explored the many possibilities adding, changing, substituting parameters. It is a

2D definition and its aim is to arrange the patterns according to a logical and interesting sequence. The most relevant results we obtained

were related to the image sampler, the grid, adjusting and adding internal and charge points parameters, and transforming from 2D into

3D.

Spanish Pavilion Definition

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CASE STUDY 2

For this case study my team has choose to work with The AU Office and Exhibition Space. It is a project that incorporates many of the ideas

that we aim to achieve in our final production. We tried to re-engineer the main element that composes the building as well as understand

how it connects with the context of the project and the surroundings.

AU OFFICE and EXHIBITION SPACE

2010, Jungong Road, Shanghai, China (Archi Union Architects Inc)

The AU Office and Exhibition Space is located in Jungong Road,

Shanghai, China, designed by Archi Union Architects Inc. It used

to be an old warehouse and it was revitalized with the purpose of

being an office and exhibition space in an area that is reviving as

an artist`s complex. The whole building is composed by three

identical warehouses in which the functions are distributed.

The most relevant element of the project is the external facade

which consists of a parametric wall that encloses the building in

three sides. This wall was conceived applying computation

techniques in order to create special effects based on simple

hollows concrete blocks, the movement provided by the rotation

of these elements confer a special feature to the entire facade,

which imitates silk undulating in the wind. This special effect

relates to the building`s past as it used to be a warehouse to store

fabric. The patterns and the form they are arranged, according to

specified angles, also provide texture to the facade and lighting

and shading effect to the interior parts.

The design intent of this project was to not only to revitalize a

dilapidated building, but to create something unique and significant

to its context with the aid of computational techniques. This way the

designers achieved an important relationship between simplicity and

a mark of the contemporary times.

REVERSE ENGINEERING PROCESS

The process of reverse engineering the facade of the project was

mostly solved by applying the use of Grasshopper 3d with the use of

parameters in order to achieve the same effects present in the

original facade. The basis techniques applied in this case study was

the further development of the ones taken from experiments in Case

Study 1, such as various patterning methods and image referencing.

A significant difference between the techniques employed within the

two case studies were that the former was primarily in 2D whereas

the latter was in 3D, which poses some challenges that had to be

overcome during the process. Research into the AU Office and

Exhibition space also gave great insight into re-engineering it.


AU Office and Exhibition Space - Shanghai, Chinasource: http://www.archdaily.com/





CASE STUDY 2 REVERSE ENGINEERING

THE PROCESS

SIMILARITIES x DIFFIRENCES

Based on the process of reverse engineering the

façade of the AU Office and Exhibition Space we were

able to understand how ideas can be improved with

the use of computation. According to the outcomes

achieved we could notice similarities and differences

between the original idea and the one we recreated.

The first one use as patterns hollow concrete block,

represents a consolidated idea with the purpose of

being an element of the project, while the second

exemplifies a single component, developed through a

consistent patterned manner, with brick components

oriented through image sampling, and in the future

will evolve to be the main component of an

installation.

1 Creating a flat surface for referencing in rhino

2 Divide the surface into columns and rows with a reference point in each cell

3 Create X & Y plane by the points from STEP 2

4 Rotate the X & Y planes by ‘Image sampling

4 Create the concrete blocks with the ‘center box’ tool

1

2

3

4

5

4

Images provided by Archi Union Architects Inc, it shows how the

designers referenced in the hollow blocks into a plane of evenly

distributed points before skewing the direction of the blocks by

referencing in a black and white image of flowing silk.






With the tasks of Case Study 2 completed we further developed our

concept, searching for ways to achieve our goals for the project.

Using a pattern as the base of our installation we wished to arrange it

according to a logical sequence in order to achieve an acoustic and

optical performance. To explore the acoustic feature we were

inspired by the acoustic-absorption patterning from anechoic

chambers¹. And to incorporate the optical experience our reflection

was based on the use of colors and the appliance of optical illusion

that could be generated through the arrangement of patterns in the

installation. Although we obtained many ideas from this first phase

of brainstorm and based on research concluded that we could

establish a relationship between them and our product, we were

advised to condense our intentions, select the most important

features we wanted to approach and from this point elaborate a solid

concept.

The Western Gateway Design project is a competition that aims to choose the best possibility to welcome people to the city of Wyndham.

The purpose is to design an installation near the edge of the urban growth area, the project has to connect with the context of the city,

providing an entry statement and arrival experience, becoming a new identifier for the municipality. It has to be relevant and eye catching

as it will primarily be viewed by motorists travelling at high speed, the installation must be an indication of arrival into metropolitan

Melbourne.

Based on the requirements of The Western Gateway Design Project my team started to develop the idea we aim to achieve in the end of the

course based on the research about the city, as one of the goals of the project is to connect and enrich the municipality through the design.

Because of it we believe it is extremely necessary to know about the culture, environment and recognize the potentialities of the city of

Wyndham. After this first stage of research we started to develop our idea for the installation based on the research field we choose and the

use of Case Study 1 and 2 as a starting point for investigation.

CASE STUDIES – FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

According to the tasks completed in case study 1 and 2 and the

research about patterns, we were able to establish the primal

concepts we wanted to approach with the project. During Case

Study 1 we established the base of our project discourse relating it

with some of the results of the precedent projects and the

architectural approach through the use of patterns. By the end of

this phase our desire was to design an installation that could

provide a sensorial experience to the drivers, through the

appliance of acoustic and optical effects, it was also our intention to

proportionate a seasonal characteristic, something that could

change along the time, and at last, give a flexible appearance to

the installation instead of a rigid static feature.


AU Office and Exhibition Space - Shanghai, Chinasource: http://www.archdaily.com/

Western Interchange - Site of the Gateway Installationsource: www.wyhdham.vic.gov.au






During the mid-semester presentation my team presented the process that has been leading us to our final design, which still under

development. We are engaged with this task according stages, the first is the consolidation of the discourse of our project that has led to

the concept of our design, the second is based on the exploration and experiments of design possibilities using computation, and the third

is the materialization of our design according to our concept.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

The City of Wyndham is a region experiencing rapid development

and growth, our concept aims to use architecture that has been

designed through advanced computational design technology to

promote societal advancement. We gained inspiration from the

nature of Wyndham, in particular from the animals, which inspired

us to research and explore the potential of computational designs

and patterning. We were taken by snakes' growth process

especially in the way they shed their skin. This concept has been

the basis of many of our explorations and corresponds to our

design process in which we constantly experiments with different

design approaches.

Design Development

PATTERNS

KEYS ELEMENTS

SIGN

VISUALEFFECTS

MATERIALS COLORS

HOLES SHADING

DESIGN

SHAPES

EXALT THE MUNICIPALITY

MEANINGFULSHAPES

SENSORIALEXPERIENCE

+ +

=

PrecedentProjects

Linear2 Sites

EnclosureTunnel

SectionCells

PROPOSITION

Create a parametric structure over Princes

Highway with patterning upon lightweight

materials to create a strong and lasting visual

impression built upon the contrast between

shadow and light. The diagram on the left shows

our concept through the process of how we are

attempting to achieve our main goal, and the

sequence below shows the transition of the

design intent during the design development.


1

2

3

4

5

6

7


Best results achieved through the exploration of shapes and patterns




LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

MID SEMESTER PRESENTATION RESULTS

Unfortunately during the mid-semester presentation we could not

transmit the idea of the process of design development made by

my team. Our presentation lacked visual prototypes that could

clearly explain our ideas. The critique recognized the research we

did, and the basis of our discourse but was not able to connect it

with the design. Even without a positive result in this second part

we will keep with our approach, and although we have explored

many design possibilities based on our concept, we have not

achieved the final shape and the pattern we are going to apply in

the installation. From this stage of the process we must evolve to

reach our final design.

RESEARCH TASKS RESULTS

The researches we have been doing along this course have been

extremely useful during the design development. It represents a

knowledge that can be applied in many situations in an architect

future professional life. It is also important to be able to

understand how the contemporary architecture uses the

techniques developed by technology according to a pragmatic

methodology. Although the main focus of most of the research is to

understand and recognize the effectiveness of contemporary

architecture it is interesting to correlate the skills applied in the

conception of nowadays way of design with traditional methods

considered overdue by many people.





REFERENCES

AD Architectural Design – Patterns of Architecture, Vol 79, No 6, November/December 2009, guest editor: Mark Garcia, general editor:

Helen Castle

FOWLER, Martin. Analysis patterns: reusable object models. 1997

GARCIA, Mark. Prologue for a History, Theory and Future of Patterns of Architecture and Spatial Design. Published in: AD Architectural

Design – Patterns of Architecture, Vol 79, No 6, November/December 2009.

MOUSSAVI, Farshid. The Function of Form. Ed. Actar and Harvard Graduate School of Design. 2009.

SCHUMACHER, Patrik. Parametric Patterns. Published in: AD Architectural Design – Patterns of Architecture, Vol 79, No 6,

November/December 2009.

WILLIAMS, Richard. 'Architecture and Visual Culture', in Exploring Visual Culture: Definitions, Concepts, Contexts, ed. by Matthew

Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), pp. 102-116

Websites

http://www.archdaily.com

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk

http://www.pritzkerprize.com

http://www.vitruvius.com.br

STUDIO AIR 1ST SEMESTER 2013 JOURNAL CFI_609040_FERNANDABATISTA

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