6647861 Narration and Notation in Urbanism and Architecture

8/8/2019 6647861 Narration and Notation in Urbanism and Architecture

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NARRATION AND NOTATION IN URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE

ABOUT THE DIGITAL FREE HAND AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS INVISUALIZING AND PRESENTING DESIGNS

Hctor GIROLecturer

ResearcherDepartment of Form and Media Studies

Faculty of ArchitectureDelft University of Technology

Berlageweg 12628 CR DelftThe Netherlands

Tel: +31 15 278 5564Fax: +31 15 278 4822

E-mail: [email protected]

Designers often use 3D simulations: notations such as plans and sections are notenough to express ideas correctly and completely.

Software and (digital) film, as another kind of notation, help communicate a widerrange of qualities of plans and make this process much easier, and even possible.They explore and show fundamental aspects of designs in urbanism andarchitecture, which cannot be shown or experienced by means of other media.

At the same time, computer images are based on precisely defined 3-D models: withtoo little detail, they appear dead, while too much detail in an early stage of plans

quickly suggests finished designs. In contrast, the loose character of hand-drawnillustrations has advantages in the initial phase of a design.

The combination of these two offers interesting possibilities in expressing andvisualising design. Consequently, traditional media play an increasingly active roleamong the digital media.

Keywords: architectural computer visualisation, free hand drawing, perspective, 2Dmapping, 3D mapping

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DEVELOPMENTS IN VISUALIZING AND PRESENTING DESIGN

At the Media Department of the Delft Faculty of Architecture, visualisation techniquesare taught and presentations made that are particularly applicable for urban design

and for the final presentation of the design process.

Software, and digital photography and video, help communicate and make thisprocess much easier, and even possible.

Students learn, experiment and further develop design visualisation and presentationby means of techniques such as spatial sketching, presentation drawings, physicaland computer modelling, photography, video, and endoscopy. Among thevisualization techniques, eyelevel perspective visualisation takes part of theeducational process.

By combining all these techniques, students get powerful instruments to visualiseand communicate their proposals. Consequently, we carried out some studies onurban sites by means of digital 3-D visualisation tools. We used hand-drawn trees in3D computer models for example, and explored also the significance and the

opportunities for combining freehand drawings and computer techniques in differentways.

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In addition to texture mapping (and 3D painting) in urban models, students are alsotrained in the correct matching of 2D-material: free hand drawings and digital images.

xcept for the advantages of working with digital material, the media that are more

ke fading in and out), titles, and sound, series of still

igital media made linear storytelling become very

Etraditional, like freehand drawing and physical models, play an increasingly activerole among the digital media.

By using image transitions (li

images become often truly film.

Besides offering interactivity, dpopular

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All kind of images can be manipulated, and combined, producing very easily more

ILMIC NOTATIONS IN ARCHITECTURE

hen presenting ideas, architects and urban designers use, besides plans and

s mentioned above, video is one the techniques students can choose to present

ed in advance, however, for whom the presentation is

g point for all presentations is the creation of a storyboard. Careful work on

the storyboard makes it clear which parts of the presentation will demand the mosttime and energy and helps the students to determine precisely what they want to

and new material to explain the different aspects of the design ideas. In addition, textcan also be easily laid out and added to the images.

F

Wsections, 3D simulations such as perspectives and animations at eye level. All thesematerials can also be read as notations of the proposed object.

Atheir plans. Eventually in combination with de endoscope, video helps students whendesigning and communicating their ideas. All kind of filmic styles are used to showthe projects. Documentaries, commercials or even thrillers are being produced tovisualize their proposals.

It must always be decidintended.

The startin

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include and which account they want to be told. The order, duration, transitions etc.in the sequence of images have a considerable effect on whether the qualities of thepresented design are correctly conveyed if at all.

These films can be then also read as notation of the plans, a score. It can show alsothe original intentions of the designer, at different layers, if necessary. In addition,different simultaneous actions can be revealed.

COMPOSING THE CITY

Our research and education is directed to investigate the importance and significancef imaging media in architectural design and in conveying visual information. Itddresses both the design process and the design presentation.

xisting site (Pendrecht, Rotterdam) and is also directed to education.

pecial attention was given to an arrangement that can be compared to the score ofa piece of music: metrical time as a walk. Size and rhythm in the appearance of the

oa

Especially, the preliminary design process relies extensively on representationaltechniques.

Among others, the studies The score of Pdrawn trees in 3D computer models ex

endrecht and Setting up a tree; Free handplore spatial visualisation based on an

e

Pendrecht is studied in terms of its green compositional elements. The layout planof the area, analysed in layers, shows the way in which the area was landscaped.

Layers, also in a computer model, offer opportunities for taking apart and(re)constructing the composition.

S

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green elements in the district lead to chords, melodies and themes expresPendrecht as a 3-D score in comb

singination with visual-spatial experiences.

Representing communal gardens and greenery in a way that corresponds to musicalnotation -as an interpretation of the composition- the sheet music of the area wascreated.

Compiling this layout data, a visualisationeye-level animation synchronised with mucomputer model.Except for the analysis and evaluation of

of the routes of Pendrecht was made: ansic and using scanned drawings in the 3-D

the layout plans and diagrams developed in2-D, this model offered the opportunity to display and to test the spatial effects ofgreen and the usefulness of the applied techniques.

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MATCHING THE CITY

Another example of our educational work constitutes an experimental module thatincorporates free hand drawing into digital representation and visualisation. Theexercise combines the specific characteristics of both digital techniques and free

hand drawing. It is specially directed to achieve a greater effectiveness in applyingand combining both tools.

Some of the techniques have been applied for a longer time, such as using computerprints, hidden line renderings for example, as a basis for "artist impressions". But alsofree hand drawings are often scanned and used in digital collages.

Besides computer, scanner, printer and digital photo camera, we use modelling andrendering software Maya and Adobe Photoshop.

The project focuses on the use of these imaging media in the phase of the firstsketches applied to design: form, details, materialisation, and colour. It aims to

encourage the search, in a freely manner, for all possible design solutions.We experience the world in three dimensions. Both architectural and urban designmake use of plans, sections and views in order to catch this world. We useperspective, and mostly eye level perspective, to approach the way humanperception experiences space.

Object of the study are spatial compositions and buildings, placed in differentcontexts: city or open landscapes. It takes also in account the human size, related toa space within a building, in the city or in an open landscape. Hereto we used scalecubes, like shown in the picture below.

During the exercise, buildings in the city- are first represented in an abstract way, bymeans of photography and also by combining free hand drawing and photography.

We also make use of computer modelling. Free hand drawings, are mapped on themodels and rendered as textures.

All the visualisations should consider the following aspects:

Spatiality: form, dimensions and proportions, mass, space.

Materialisation: (building) materials, texture, transparency; greenery.Colour: realistic or directed to achieve a correct interpretation of the design.

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THE EXERCISES

Perspective

After an introduction in digital imaging and the use of software Adobe Photoshop,

also in the relationship with free hand drawing, aspects such as horizon, eye leveland depth are been considered.

Three cubes (3,60m x 3,60m x 3,60m) help visualising the different aspects ofdrawing perspectives.

Students draw these cubes and compose a spatial grid that is particularly applicablefor central perspective and for combining drawings and photography as well.

They are asked to analyse different sites: open or city landscape, and differentpositions, dimensions and depth.

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Scale

Making use of photos, students analyse the spatial characteristics perspective- of asite (in this case, Schouwburgplein, Rotterdam).

Considering this aspect, they are asked to sketch a building, consisting of threeidentical blocks, and draw it from different points of view low, middle and high.

2D mapping

By means of different exercises, a better spatial analysis perspective- can beachieved. The students draw perspectives of a group of blocks representing acomposition of different buildings. They draw front views of diverse types of faadesand make photographs of existing buildings. After these hand drawings have beenscanned, they manipulate the drawings and the photographs digitally in order tomatch the perspectives.

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Modelling, 3D mapping and 3D painting

In these exercises, students combine a 3D-computer model of a cube and handdrawings.

After having being scanned, the four different facades are mappedon the cube. Thespatiality of the 3D-model makes it necessary to make now different adjustments.

They also experiment with 3D real time painting. Hereto, the students make use ofdigital pen and tablet; results are instantly shown on the 3D model.

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The digital tree

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drawings of different tree sorts are made.

h as structure, form, size, transparency,

By means of diverse techniques, like pencil, pen, marker and chalk, free hand

Besides taking into account aspects succolour, etc, special attention is to be paid to the spatialityof the 3D tree model afterbeing rendered from different points of view.


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CONCLUSIONS

Plans and sections are currently not enough to express design ideas correctly andcompletely. Software and (digital) film, as another kind of notation, help communicate

a wider range of qualities of plans. They explore and show fundamental aspects ofdesigns in urbanism and architecture, which cannot be shown or experienced bymeans of other media.

All sorts of images can be now easily combined with each other, resulting in muchmore professional presentations. These multi-technical presentations include stillimages as well, that when presented in sequential series become truly multimediafilm presentations.

The digital platform became the standard, but the prediction that the traditional mediawould become superfluous did not come true. Offering possibilities and encouragingtowards mixing digital and physical media is also one of the greatest achievements of

our media educational program. Especially the more traditional physical media, suchas freehand drawing and physical modelling, have not been replaced but becamepart of exciting digital presentations. In addition, they encourage the search, in afreely manner, for all possible design solutions.

REFERENCES

Papers presented to conferences

Kegel, R. and Gir, H. (2002) The score of Pendrecht; digital/analogueEnvironmental Simulation new impulses in planning processes; Proceedings 5thEAEA conference, University of Essen (Germany), september 2001, p.36-49

Other documents

Kegel, R. and Gir, H. (2003) Setting up a tree; Free hand drawn trees in 3Dcomputer models (CD-ROM). Delft, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Media.

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6647861 Narration and Notation in Urbanism and Architecture

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