MyJournal

MyJournalJulienBeauchamp.Melbourne.2012

JournalStructure

Part I. Expression of Interest

Part II. Project proposal

Part III. Learning objectives and outcomes : fi nal

I.1. Case for innovation

II.1. Project interpretation

III.1. Personal background and learning

II.2. Project delivery

III.2. Learning progress

II.3. Project presentation

III.3. Learning outcomes

II.4. Project proposal conclusion

III.4. Future work

I.2. Research project

I.3. Expression of Interest

I.4. Learning objectives and outcomes : interim

I.1.1. Architecture as a discourse

I.2.1. Scope of possibilities

I.2.2. Research project conclusion

I.1.2. Computing in architecture

I.2.1.1 Input/Association/Output Matrix

I.2.1.2 Reverse-engineered case-study

I.2.1.3 Material effects

I.2.1.4 Assembly methods

I.1.3. Parametric modelling

I.1.4. Case for innovation conclusion

"The project is one of the most visionary since modernism

and beyond. It pushes the limits of architecture, not just for-

mally but, more importantly, socially, culturally, and techno-

logically through the reinvention of the tall building.”

– Tina di Carlo, assistant curator of architecture and design

at the Museum for Modern Art (MoMA)

I.1.1 Architecture as a discourse

Power of Architecture.

Designers should question the way the world proceeds and

react in their proposal. Every intervention should have a

purpose, a meaning or an intention. Not necessarily clear. In

that sense, it is important for some practices to go forward

and innovate. Innovate in their way of thinking the world,

questioning his behaviour and designing his components. Try

to make their own mark with their approach to every project.

That makes architecture the ideal media communicate a

message, a vision and intention. This gives the architecture

the power of being iconic, to be a statement.

Many architects have provided to cities a strong identity

through their work. What is call now the Bilbao effect from the

famous museum of Frank Gehry is not a new phenomenon.

Sydney’s Opera House from Jørn Utzon has made a similar

effect on Australia. More recently, project like the 226 National

Stadium of Beijing from Herzog et DeMeuron, 2008 was the

prime fi gure of the 2008 Olympics Games in China.

CCTV, OMA, construction in procress... (right picture)

This tower isn’t yet fi nish to build and it’s already famous

and iconic. OMA pushed a bit further yet his high quality

architectural standard. They totally rethink the way to conceive

skyscraper. In a race to reach the higher level, the project

offers at the same time vertical and horizontal tower creating

a loop of function. It clashes with the usual skyline and fully

redefi nes the constantly changing Beijing’s silhouette. They

innovate in their design but also in their construction technique

to joint together these to vertical towers with the horizontal

part.

This innovative way of thinking the project make it famous

and iconic. Is itpossible to achieve a similar result with the

Wyndham gateway project ^

image : robertacucchiaro.wordpress.comquote : oma.eu

Maison du Psectacle Vivant

This is a personal project realized in a studio context

in 2011 at Laval University. This is a traditional creative

process that could have been done with parametric

modeling. The key concept of the design was to generate

the shape using all the constraints and limitation of the

site (i.e. maximum height, minimum recess, distance from

the overpass, distance from the columns etc.) After the

creation of this big bloc, the perforations in the skin follow

the needs of lighting of the interior functions depending of

the uses.

The museum (that could possibly be the MSV) will stay

at a conceptual phase, but the projected image of the big

bloc of cheese would have create a massive precedent in

Québec city. The architectural context of the province of

Quebec is very conservative and don’t allow creative and

funky construction especially in the old town of Québec.

The style of the building would have been criticize by many

people but would have had a huge impact on the culture

and the general perception on architecture by the public.

For the 1999 ArchiLab exhibition brief, Greg Lynn said :

“Animation is a term that differs from, but is often confused with, mo-

tion. While motion implies movement and action, animation implies

the evolution of a form and its shaping forces; it suggests animalism,

animism, growth, actuation, vitality and virtuality. In its manifold im-

plications, animation touches on many of architecture’s most deeply

embedded assumptions about its structure. What makes animation

so problematic for architects is that they have maintained an ethics of

statics in their discipline.”

I.1.2 Computing in architecture

Digital architecture has the capacity (with the help of the

computer) to generate an multitude of possible solutions

(thinked or not by the designers) in a given frame of rules

(decided by the designers). The designers have now the power

of choosing the rules of the games and let the game play. After

all, if not satisfi ed by the multiples results, he can change the

rules and play again until you satisfi ed all your criteria or at

less most of them. This new process of using the computer

makes the architects closer to innovations, because they are

able to get results that they are not able to conceive without the

help of the computer.

This technique can be useful for the gateway project to give the

idea of dynamism and growth of the Wyndham city. It could be

possible to build a whole discourse around the fast growth.

The project of Greg Lynn was for a Port terminal project in

New York which makes this competition entry more relevant

because of its context : High fl ow of circulation / traffi c of its

surrounding and the gateway symbolic or signifi cance related

to the competition.

How can it be possible to represent in the Wyndham gateway

project ?

To take some of Greg Lynn terms, what kind of forces drive the

site and possibly drive the future gateway ?

Competition entry that was the fi rst architectural project

in history to use animation software for form generation.

A series of ‘forces’ representing traffi c and pedestrian

fl ow were modeled using “Wavefront” software. Points, or

particles, rendered here as spheres were then modeled

with velocity and their changing paths were an index of site

‘forces’.

Greg Lynn Form

images : glform.comquotes : glform.com, archilab.org

Open Source Architecture (O-S-A) is an international architectural fi rm

dedicated to the development of pioneering design research. Located in

Montreal, Los Angeles, and Tel Aviv, O-S-A’s international nature is refl ected

in its business profi le, integrating technologies and industries from

partners around the world for the sake of architectural innovation.

- Open Source Architecture R&D

“Once I received approximate measurements of the gallery space, I

experimented with dozens of parameters that af ected the shape of

the curves and the boundary locations where they were tethered. […] For

me, it was a unique moment: physically entering a world that beforehand

had only been virtually constructed through mathematical

modeling and computer simulation.“

- Mosteig E., (2010), in The Newsmagazine of the Mathematical Association of America,

I.1.3 Parametric modelling

Create a dynamic perception of movement with simple

elements (in this case wire) could be a very nice approach

to the gateway project due to the limited budget and its

big effect. The project engages with the scripting cultures

by using many fi eld of expertise to complete the project.

Mathematicians, Architects and scripters worked together

from all around the world (Los Angeles, Québec, and Tel

Aviv). Their “multi-cities” technique of work can be inspiring

for the team work, because timetables are not always easy

to coordinate.

N-Nature project is based on Riemann Zeta mathematical

function which allows an absolute level of precision. The

realization of the project wouldn’t be possible without the

assistance of digital fabrications technique such as drilling

with CNC machines. Engaging with the reality of the XXI

century of communication Open Source Architecture based

his practice on the huge amount of information generates

by the surrounding environment.

images and quote : o-s-a.com

I.2.1. Scope of possibilities

Input/Association/Output Matrix

This is the step of my grasshopper exploration. I had no

real goal in mind, it was just exploration. The fi rst theme

that I’ve chosen was folding in architecture. I’ve also

tried to fold and image with the face a Stanislav with a

defi nition that I’ve found on a forum.

Then, I’ve tried in a straight forward way to fold a surface

to reproduce the effect of a cube. In the between of this

phase I found some strange layout of fl ipped surfaces.

It looks nice, but still not really relevant to folding. After

some experimentation, I changed to try to loft surfaces

together exploring the fold in a little bit less linear way of

application (green try).

The white circles at the bottom right of the next page are

a bit more concluding. It is the arbitrary points defi nition

where I’ve added a move component. And to spice up the

defi nition I tried to make the circles rotate. It looks nice for

me and it is also capturing a moment in time. It is a frozen

movement. You can feel in the last one the intention of

every coin to fl ip in the air.

Input/Association/Output Matrix (part II)

This week I’ve tried to create my own defi nition from

scratch. The main goal was to generate some kind of

Gaudian columns (or at least look alike) following different

mathematical functions. Different shapes located on

different height and linked to a sin function lofted together

(for example). The outcomes were surface so I divided them

into nurbs curves for an easier graphic representation.

Some of the outputs are a little too amplifi ed for me. Some

of them are nice (8,9 and 17,18) because you can really

feel the torsion in the fi nal result of the column. Number

12 looks like dropping liquid or blowing gas. The general

impression of the image is interesting but I’ve struggled a

bit to turn them into a realistic application of it.

I’m generally satisfi ed of this week exploration, even if it is

not really a guided shape research.

Function 1.0

Function 1.1

Function 2.0

Function 2.1

Function 3.0

Function 3.1

REVERSE-ENGINEERED CASESTUDY

BANQ restaurant - NADAAA

The BANQ restaurant seams to match perfectly with our

want to generate a shape that feels gives an impression of

movement. The realization of this project is also very nice,

because it is made of multiples planar surface placed in

sequence to give the illusion of a solid mass suspended to the

ceiling.

The ‘’dripping like’’ wood panels create a warm atmosphere in

the restaurant. Perhaps it is not the exact same expression of

materiality that we would will to have for the gateway. Will still

try the exploration model in plywood because it a material that

Romy and I love a lot and it will turn into good looking pictures.

VISUAL PERCEPTION

As a team, we decided to change from folding to the general

theme of visual perception. It is so much more relevant in

the context of the gateway project. The localization next to

and highway gives us a audience moving at approximately

100km per hour. The installation will possibly be

experimental for the drivers and therefor will give a good

and strong impression of the Wyndham city.

Visual perception is large, we can explore it in many ways

like: dynamism, motion, illusion, false perspective, real

perspective, solid-void rhythm and much more.

Pushing the reverse-engineered project

This is where tensions begin to grow between Romy and I.

The shapes generate at the right are the result of a random

function, so it is impossible to have any king on control

on the outcome. Our only way of gaging which outputs to

choose is by deciding if we like or not the result based on

the curves layout.

We will continue with this defi nition because we are in an

advanced stage of the project and I really don’t want to deal

with the team overstressed attitude about the mi-semester

submission.

The fablab fi le must be done for Sunday to give them time

to cut it with the laser cutter. The assembly of the model will

For the full video and a lot more pictures type :

https://vimeo.com/40643796

First exploration model

The model in plywood was cut without any problem, but

we’ve also wanted to create a second model in polypropylene

translucid (1.9mm). The fablab made a mistake and give us too

thin (barely .9mm) sheet of polypropylene so we cannot put it

in the base so we just have 1 model. We also haven’t planned

so much burned trace on the back side of the plywood model.

We were expected the edge to be burn but not the back…

The model in itself has not been long to assembly. All the fi ns

were numbered and it was a question of a couple of minutes to

glue the base layer by layer. Funny fact, the base is the perfect

case to care around all the fi ns in a compact format.

The base has 3 different patterns at the ground to create

different effects but at the end the variation of density and

curvature between those patterns make no perceivable

difference. With this model we wanted to explore the possibly

offered by the technique. The frame by frame technique is just

a sequence of planar elements to give the impression at the

approach of a massive solid. We explore the model various

angle. We found nice effects through the pictures that we’ve

taken such as: perceived as a monolith, as a sequence, shade

and light, as a movement and through a movement. The media

of the video was useful to catch the movement of the light or

the movement of the model.

We will have to change the defi nition to get more control on

the form and to achieve the criteria (that we have to defi ne

soon…). The proportions of the model are not good. It gives us

good looking videos and pictures, but these are none-realistic

effects for an observer point of view driving at 100km/h.

The materiality of the model also has been criticized by

Stanislav (which I agree). The plywood with the burn edge

doesn’t refl ect our real intention of materiality. We haven’t

think of the materiality… maybe for next week.

I.3. Expression of Interest

Feedbacks

Jury’s feedbacks after the presentation

-Where to from here?

-How is it going to be on site?

-What drives the curves?

-What dictates where point attractors are?

-Site rules. What is it on the site that will affect point

attractors?

-Fantastic technique. But what are you trying to do with?

-Just look amazing?

-How does it engage with people + brief?

- What drives the design and how does it refl ect the city?

- Make a Wyndham Criteria.

- Find an application for the design.

I agree that (as a team) we have to adapt the EOI – fi rst phase

– model to the actual reality of the site of Wyndham city, but at

a certain point I don<t know if the shape justifi cation has to be

so deep.

We defi ne our criteria, we achieve must of them with the last

model. What’s drive the shape ? euh… our criteria !?! This is

design, irhgt? Have we a part of latitude where the public can

accept that, the designer fi nd the client’s project aesthetically

beautiful?

There are some explanations and discussions to have with the

tutors to guide the next phase…

WHAT’S NEXT ?