Matt's Journal

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIOAIR MATTHEW CHAI #583290JOURNAL2013

CONTENTCASE FOR INNOVATION 1 WEEK 1 Introduction 3 Material Exploration in Relation to Context 6 Natural Integration 7 Immersion 9WEEK 2 Computational Architecture 11 Sinosteel Int. Plaza - MAD 13WEEK 3 Parametric Modelling 15 The Hinzert Museum 17 Mercedes Benz Museum 21

CASE FOR INNOVATION3

MATTHEW CHAI

I have always been inspired and inter-ested in architecture and the built en-vironment so the descision to pursue a career in architecture was an easy one to make.I briefly studied a Bachelor of Archi-tecture at Deakin University’s Geelong Waterfront Campus before transfer-ring to Melbourne University’s Bach-elor of Environments course. I have found the Bachelor of Environments course extremely interesting and well rounded in regards to relevant issues in design, the natural environment and sustainable living in all aspects of our lives. Design Studio: AIR is just one example of the course’s diverse syllabus which equips us, as architects, with the skills to influence change within our evolving world. I’m particularly interested in learning and discovering the language of com-puting in architecture as the notion of parametric modelling was a relatively foreign concept before Design Studio: AIR; my experience is somwhat lim-ited in computing in architecture and design. Nevertheless, I’m extremely eager to put my computing knowledge and skills to the test.

AGE: 21HOMETOWN: MELBOURNE, AUS-TRALIAENJOYS: MUSIC, NAVY BLUE, ANY-THING MADE OF PLYWOOD

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MATERIAL EXPLORATION IN RELATION TO CONTEXT

“ARCHITECTURE IS THE MOST PUBLIC OF THE ARTS. IT IS INESCAPABLE ON A DAILY BASIS FOR ANYONE LIVING IN AN URBAN SO-CIETY. WORKS OF ARCHI-TECTURE FRAME OUR LIVES; WE INHABIT THEM, THEY DEFINE OUR MOVEMENT THROUGH CITIES; THEY MORALISE AND DISCIPLINE, OR ATTEMPT TO.”RICHARD WILLIAMS

As Richard Williams states - archi-tecture surrounds us. It’s an obvious statement; it creates the tangible urban environment of our modern day society. From the early works of Marc-Antoine Laugier and his ideals of The Primitive Hut, archi-tecture can be viewed as an entity which provides us with shelter, warmth and protection. However, as we progress from the premise that architecture is simply an enclosure of space which performs a certain function, the definition of archi-tecture can become multi-faceted, subjective and even philosophical. Architecture is a unique form of ex-pression which allows architects to design three-dimensional, inhabit-able spaces unlike the limited nature of painting or sculpturing. Further-more, architecture is often

free to experience as opposed to other forms of visual culture which is often sheltered from the public realm. Consequently, the consump-tion of architecture is not contained to the analyses of the professionally trained.1

As our urban environment grows rapidly, we are exposed to more and more new technology, materials and innovation. In order to consider architecture as a discourse, one must critically engage in architecture as some-thing more than bricks and mortar, whether it be as art, as a symbolic representation or the way space can make you feel emotionally. I believe that the discourse of architecture in relation to mate-rial selection and context is one of utmost importance. Personally, I believe that architecture must not impose itself upon its vernacular, but it must integrate itself to achieve a wholesome expression. That is, buildings with no contextual formal gesture are lost or irrelevant. Ma-terial selection and performance is one way that creates harmony between itself and its surroundings.

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1 Richard Williams, ‘Architecture and Visual Culture’, in Exploring Visual Culture : Definitions, Concepts, Con-texts, ed. by Matthew Rampley (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), pp. 102 - 116 (p.108)

NATURAL INTEGRATIONOUR UNDERSTANDING OF AR-CHITECTURE IS ALWAYS CHANG-ING AND EVOLVING. THIS IS ONE OF ARCHITECTURE’S MOST EXCITING FACETS; IF WE LOOK AT ARCHITECTURE AS A DISCOURSE, ITS MEANING BECOMES OPEN TO INTERPRETATION AND CON-TINGENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THE MEANING OF ARCHITECTURE HAS NO RIGHT OR WRONG SPEC-TRUM. IN THE CASE OF ALVARO SIZA’S LA LECA SWIMMING POOLS PROJECT, NATURE HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS A DRIV-ING SITE FACTOR WHICH NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED AT THE FORE.

The Leça Swimming Pools by Alvaro Siza is undoubtedly one of his most recognised and published works.It is also one of his oldest. Completed in 1966, it is situated along the the Leça de Palmeira beaches, just north of Porto. It consists of changing rooms, a cafe and two swimming pools. The pools are purposefully sunken into the rocky hillside which consequently creates an undisturbed view of the Atlantic Ocean from the roadside; the pools blend into the landscape illustrating Siza’s careful consider-ation of the relationship between na-ture and the built environment. As visitors enter the complex, they are confronted

with previously unseen views.1 The surrounding walls are made of a san-dy coloured concrete which refer-ence the surrounding rocks around the site. The Leça Swimming Pool complex is extremely successful in achieving the seamless interaction of nature into the design. It is one of my favourite examples of how architec-ture integrates, instead of imitates, its natural surroundings. However, it simultaneously disconnects itself from its vernacular by contrasting the linear concrete walls with the jagged, sharp nature of the rocks. You could say it does not pertain to either the built or the

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CASE FOR INNOVATION7

01 View of pools from beach.

02 The concrete steps blend into the rocky sur-roundings.

natural; conversely, you could also argue that it bridges the gap between the two and therefore, could be considered as mutually exclusive to both. At first glance, the complex is reminiscent of an old WWII bunker on the shores of Normandy. Although I have never visited, it ap-pears to sit heavily within the land-scape. Moreover, in plan it creates many concealed and dark spaces. I can only imagine the sense of ad-venture one would experience as you navigate your way through the long

dark corridors, tip-toeing through with trepidation and excitement. Eventually, you are elevated from this dark and daunting environment and suddenly the feelings of adven-ture vanish and the breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean generates a completely contrasting expanse to the depths of below.The way Alvaro Siza makes his visi-tors feel by occupying his spaces is truly unique. He takes them on a journey through the sensitive use of materials and program layout.

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1 Sofia Balters, “AD Classics: Leça Swimming Pools / Alvaro Siza” , Archdaily <http://www.archdaily.com/150272> (date accessed 30 March 2013)

03 Winding, planar con-crete walls cre-ate dramatic environment.

04 View from children’s pool.

“MOUNTAIN, STONE, WATER – BUILDING IN THE STONE, BUILD-ING WITH THE STONE, INTO THE MOUNTAIN, BUILDING OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, BEING INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN – HOW CAN THE IMPLICATIONS AND THE SENSU-ALITY OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THESE WORDS BE INTERPRETED, ARCHITECTURALLY?”

- PETER ZUMTHOR

As visitors circulate through the nar-row corridors, they immediately feel a deep connection with the country-side through the clever use of local materials such as stone. The internal pools are lit with minimal diffused lighting and subtle opening within the stones to allow for natural light to pierce through.

Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals in Switzerland has been described as a complete sensory experience. Built to create a cave-like structure set deep into the hillside, the baths create a serene and peaceful envi-ronment - perfect for immersing yourself. Immersion has strong con-notations with water and cleansing, and indeed, they are both pertinent in terms of the Therme Vals. How-ever, the notion of immersion is not limited to the tangible and can also include the psychological immer-sion of one’s self.

IMMERSION

This building is as much about ex-ploration as it is about relaxation. These may seem contradictory in theory however Zumthor states that this idea of “exploration” is not one of trepidation but more about per-sonal emotional exploration.1

As Zumthor explains: “The meander, as we call it, is a designed negative space between the blocks, a space that connects everything as it flows throughout the entire building, cre-ating a peacefully pulsating rhythm. Moving around this space means making discoveries. You are walking as if in the woods. Everyone there is looking for a path of their own.”2 Abstract in its conception, however it creates a unique experience for each individual as he or she “mean-ders” through the space.

01 View from outside Therme Vals.

02 Dark, dra-matic spaces foster a complete sensory experi-ence.

03 Local stone used inside and out.

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1 “The Therme Vals / Peter Zumthor” (2009), ArchDaily. <http://www.archdaily.com/13358> (accessed 27 March 2013)2 ‘The Therme Vals / Peter Zumthor” (2009) ArchDaily.

COMPUTATIONAL ARCHITECTURE

Unlike most other design disci-plines like sculpture and art, archi-tectural practice requires a unique set of constraints in formulating a coherent building. Site context, costing, weather conditions and ma-terial properties are just a handful of objective constraints that need to be considered in the design process. In conjunction with other consid-erations such as the needs of the client, aesthetic values and contrac-tors, architects indeed have a lot to think about in the design process. The role of the computer in archi-tecture has drastically changed the way we think, operate and organise information and help to synthesise multiple design solutions into a final proposal. Computer-aided-design programs such as AutoCad provide a fast and efficient drafting tool to minimise time and costs to the documentation process. Model-ling programs such as Rhinoceros, 3Ds Max and Revit enable architects to fully visualise complete build-ings (within site context) without the need to build physical scale models. Moreover, through the use of programs such as Ecotect, we can simulate real-world conditions to monitor thermal performance, solar radiation, shadows and reflec-tion and fully evaluate the cost of a building. Computers are extremely useful in aiding us as designers and indeed, have a place in the design

world. However, when we look at the debate between “Computa-tion” versus “Computerisation”, a whole new argument is formed. Often these two terms are used interchangeably; however, their meanings, by definition are quite dissimilar. As Kostas Terzidis states “Computation is the procedure of calculating, i.e. determining some-thing by mathematical or logical methods. Computerization is the act of entering, processing, or stor-ing information in a computer or a computer system.”1 By this defi-nition, computerisation is prede-termined and well-defined (much like the application of AutoCad and Ecotect) whereas, computa-tion is about the exploration of vague and unclear processes. In Architecture Design Studio:Air, we will be exploring these vague and indeterminate entities in the form of algorithmic expressions. This process of applying algorithms to the proposed constraints creates unprecedented geometries which can further be explored. Over the last decade, the emergence of digital programming in design has grown exponentially. Conventional meth-ods in the design process are a thing of the past as parametric modelling enables architects to design spaces which stimulate our senses in ways we have never seen or experienced before...

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1 Kostas Terzidis, Algorithmic Architecture, (Hoboken : Taylor & Francis, 2012) p.57

SINOSTEEL INT. PLAZA

LOCATION: TIANJIN, CHINA

TYPOLOGY: OFFICE AND HOTEL

SITE AREA: 26,666SQM

TOWER A: BUILDING AREA 228,638SQM, HEIGHT 358M

TOWER B: BUILDING AREA 69,216SQM, HEIGHT 95M

YEAR: UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Sinoteel International Plaza in the heart of the Tianjin CBD, China, reflects a shift in economic prowess from the powerhouse of Beijing to the future of the urban metropolis in Tianjin. The concept combines ge-ometry, structure and cultural sym-bolism as a repetitive motif.1 The fa-cade is comprised of a combination of five different types of hexagonal shaped windows which symbolise the heritage values of Chinese ar-chitecture.2 Although the patterning of the facade’s hexagons appears to be randomly positioned, the intent was to respond to climatic condi-tions. Wind and solar radiation was mapped and the postion of thes win-dows will minimise heat loss in win-ter and heat gain in summer; the

MAD

building becomes energy efficient. However, what makes this building special?MAD architects wanted to move away from the conventional, repe-tive and straight high rise buildings which dominated the urban skylines of China (and indeed the rest of the world). The design is futuristic, ef-ficient and unique to its context. Moreover, the building is revolution-ary. The outer hexagonal skin also is the main structure of the building. Consequently, the need for inter-nal structures is removed.3 Through generative modelling, MAD archi-tects were able to formulate an ap-propriate design solution for the proposal.

CASE FOR INNOVATION13

01 Photo-realis-tic rendering of Sintosteel Tower A showing vary-ing hexagon sizes

1 MAD Architects, 2010, MAD Architects, Beijing < http://www.i-mad.com/#works_details?wtid=4&id=48> (date ac-cessed 1 April 2013)2 MAD Architects, 2010, <http://www.i-mad.com/#works_details?wtid=4&id=48>3 Sinosteel International Plaza by MAD, 2008, ArchiScene, <http://www.archiscene.net/hotels/sinosteel-international-plaza-by-mad/> (date accessed 1 April 2013)

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PARAMETRIC MODELLING

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THE HINZERT MUSEUM AND DOCU-MENT CENTRE

LOCATION: GEDENKSTÄTTE ROT-ER OCHSE, HALLE, GERMANYTYPOLOGY: MUSEUMSITE AREA: 470,7 SQMYEAR: 2005

Set within the rolling landscape of the Hinzer village, the Hinzert Mu-seum and Document Center acts as a shelter space as well as a mu-seum. It houses a document center including archives, research library, seminar and exhibition spaces. The 43 metre long building is comprised of three-thousand 12mm Corten steel triangular plates which are all welded together to form the facade and roof.1 The angles between the triangular panels were calculated to ensure that the elements have an adequate structural height and that the entire construction forms a rigid folded plate.2 Moreover, the inner skin consists of birch plywood pan-els in which photographs and text are engraved through a direct print-ing process.3

WANDEL HOEFER LORCH + HIRSCH

So, what makes this building spe-cial? How is computing relevant to this design? Firstly, computing plays a pivotal role in the outer and inner skin designs. In the diagram below, we can see that each skin and surface has been created using a mesh which has then been folded and welded to-gether to create an enclosed surface. In relation to its context, the mate-rial selection is a symbolic gesture to the earthy hills which surround it.

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01 View of land-scape from roof.

02 Diagram of internal and external netting.

03 Internal exhi-bition space.

1 Diego Hernandez. “The Hinzert Museum and Document Center / Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch” (2013) ArchDaily,<http://www.archdaily.com/317207> (date accessed 1 March 2013)2 Diego Hernandez, “The Hinzert Museum and Document Center / Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch” (2013)3 Diego Hernandez, “The Hinzert Museum and Document Center / Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch” (2013)

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MERCEDES BENZ MUSE-UM

LOCATION: STUTTGART

TYPOLOGY: MUSEUM

SITE AREA: 35,000SQM

YEAR: 2001-06

The Mercedes Benz Museum, lo-cated in Stuttgart, Germany, is the crown jewel of Mercedes Benz. Its programme includes a car museum, shop, restaurant, offices and audi-torium. The design is based on the geometry of a clover leaf with the three spaces connected by two he-lical ascending ramps which spiral around a central atrium.1 The main emphasis of the design are these two circulation pathways which enable visitors to choose their own jour-ney through the space. At each floor, the paths intersect allowing visitors to alternate between each route.2 The curved walls are in fact a result of rigorous parametric processing. UN Studio employed the expertise of parametric consultants, Design-toproduction, to meet the design specifications and contextual con-straints. The doubly-curved concrete surfaces reflect the interior sweeping corridors. To achieve these forms

UN STUDIO

traditional formwork systems and manual planning methods were not suitable. Designtoproduction devel-oped a method of planar boards to create formwork in order to achieve these curved concrete panels. The panels were precisely cut on a CNC-router and were bent into the desired shape in situ.3 The Designtoproduction team were also responsible for implementing a 3D-parametric model of the entire edifice to coordinate all the planning and construction steps involved in the building process. Due the unique an intertwining nature of the build-ing, traditional plans and sections were nearly impossible for describ-ing the building.4 The decision to use exposed concrete within this buil-ing reflects the industrial language of Stuttgart’s automobile history. Concrete is often clinical and cold but has been elasticised to express a sense of futurism to the building.

01 View of museum from highway

02 Pre-cut wooden panel form work

03 Atrium Space

04 Walls that turn into ceilings

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1 UN Studio, 2006, UN Studio, Amsterdam, < http://www.unstudio.com/projects/mercedes-benz-museum> (date accessed 4 April 2013)2 David Basulto, “Mercedes Benz Museum” (2010), ArchDaily, <http://www.archdaily.com/72802/mercedes-benz-museum-un-studio-photos-by-michael-schnell/> (date accessed 4 April 2013)3 Designtoproduction, 2013, Designtoproduction, Stuttgart, <http://www.designtoproduction.ch/content/view/15/28/> (date accessed 4 March 2013)4 Designtoproduction, 2013, Designtoproduction, Stuttgart, <http://www.designtoproduction.ch/content/view/4/21/> (date accessed 4 March 2013)

In order for architecture to progress, architects must employ the use of com-putation in the design process. With progress comes change - a change in the way we view buildings as art or a func-tional entity. This change may simply introduce new ways of looking, design-ing and experiencing space. That is not to say that computers must design for us. Through parametricism, we are able to design and create architecture that integrates its contexts in unprecedented ways. One only has to look as far back as Alvaro Siza’s Leca Swimming Pools or Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water to understand the importance of context in designing. Therefore, in the instance of the Wyndham City Gateway compe-tition, it is imperative that the design heavily incorporates its surroundings. This will be important in defining it as a symbolic gesture - one that the people of Wyndham City will be proud to call “their own”. Moreover, the design will also, be proccupied with the notion of structure, more specifically, structure as form-finding. The combination of struc-tural emphasis and contextual materiality will hopefully bring about an innovative and strong design solution.

From the beginning of the semester, I feel as if I was already on the backfoot as my knowledge of algorithmic architec-ture, parametricism and computational design was very limited. However, as this semester has progressed, these precon-ceptions in regards to parametrics be-came much clearer and more informed. Through the readings and lectures, computational architecture became not as daunting as first imagined. The idea of architecture as discourse was also a relatively new idea to me. As discovered, architecture has become much more than a design discipline; it has become a conversation with many facets. This no-tion of the discourse of architecture may have proven beneficial to past projects due to its philosophical nature. The in depth discussions by relevant notable academics may have given my projects another level of analysis. Moreover, the critical analysis of precendented projects perhaps could have further informed my design choices.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

CONCLUSION