CONTENT

CONCEPTUALISATION

Design Futuring ...... 6

Design Computing ...... 10

Composition/Generation ...... 14

INTRODUCTIONAbout ...... 4

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JOY GONG

Hello, my name is Joy, a second-year undergraduate at the University of Melbourne, major in architecture. I was born in Shanghai, China, and moved to Melbourne since I was 15. My passion for drawing and designing was triggered by Japanese comics and animations, while my interest in architecture was nurtured by my engineer parents. For me, architecture is a way to lead to a better space and a better life quality. I believe that architecture was never a pure piece of art, but instead it serves to human beings. through the art of planning.

My proficiency in ditigal design tools is somehow limited, as I was not exposed to many modeling softwares before commencing the bachelor degree except AutoCAD.

Entering to studio Air excites me a lot as it introduces a new algorithmic tool Grasshopper to assist ditigal modeling. I was amazed by its efficiency and accuracy, which I think are crucial to testing our models at different stages. I am looking forward to acquire a new skill and hope to gain more confidence.

SHANGHAI / MELBOURNE

ABOUT

PART.ACONCEPTUALISATION

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A.1. DESIGN fUTURING

AERIAL ROBOTIC BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION.

In Tony Fry’s book - Design Futuring, he calls attention on the pressing need to change the way we live, act and engage the world since we have reached a critical moment, when our world is under terrible conditions. He argues that ‘sustainability’ can be achieved by design.

CASE1. THE BRIDGE

Relating to Design futuring, the project of the Aerial Robotic Bridge Construction, will be the first case study I'd like to explore, as it contributes to the idea of “a future secured by design” from its technology breakthrough. This AA.DRL project uses drones to automatically arrange threads into a suspended geometric cocoon shape. The marriage of drone technology and 3D printing result in unlimited possibilities

SUSTAINABILITY

on structures for designers to envision beyond the traditional construction method.

This way of conctruction cuts a large proportion of cost on labors, which brings significant economic and social benefit, espically in a ageing society where labors are valuable resources. Besides, as the construction phase generates almost no waste or CO2 emission, it helps to ease the terrible condition of global warming. In addition, the real-time feedback function further improves the efficiency and accuracy during the construction process.

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Even though it is a not ‘built’ project but only a prototype, its inspiration on future architecture is much more meaningful than the building itself. It is not a show off on the new technology, but instead, it changes the way people think how architecture is done, from traditional planning and drawing, to programming. For me, the bridge is revolutionary as it suggests that the role of architects might be shifting from master builders, to expert coders.

The bridge appears as a pathway between two natural cliffs, where is extremely risky and almost impossible to build a bridge if it was in a traditional way. However, the new technology enables it to become possible, to create a common spcae for people and the deep mountain, and it allows more possibilities in future to explore the opportunities to connect human beings and the nature.

I believe a harmony in the relationship between people and the nature is the key to the balance of ecological system. The aerial robotic bridge project succeed to act as a beacon to the possibility to create a more intimate relationship between mankinds and the nature.

INSPIRATIONfUTURE

THE THREAD

1. 8CASE2. THE CRYSTAL

The second case study related to design futuring I will look at is The Crystal in London, designed by Wilinson Eyre. The Crystal is a global exhibition building for the future of cities. It sets the benchmark for sustainable building design, as it runs entirely on electricity, which the majority is generated by photovoltaic solar panels. Besides, the building’s roof collects rainwater, while sewage is treated, recycled and re-used onsite.

SUSTAINABILITY

When people talk about sustainability on architecture, I think the focus should not only be given to the construction stage, but considering the whole life cycle, also the maintaining stage. In other words, a sustainable building should be a ‘long-life’ one.

The reason I chose the Crystal as the second case is that I would consider it as a ‘breathing’ building, having a whole energy recycling system running through itself, just like human body metabolism. And, the building puts itself into a larger natural ecological system, where it merges into the water cycle, instead of only taking resources from the nature selfishly.

fUTURE

The concept of energy-saving building system engaged in the Crystal will be surely appreciate and widely used in future architecture projects. Tony has pointed out in his book, ‘the relation between creation and destruction is not a problem when a resource is renewable’. I think the Crystal has been a role-model in utilizing renewable recourses such as solar energy, and it expands more possibilities on incorporating

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THE CRYSTAL, LONDON

recycling system and architecture. There are some existing designs on wind turbines and rainwater collecting building, and I believe it’s a certain trend in future architecture buildings.

INSPIRATION

how efficient the energy system works. However, at the designing stage when the building was not yet built, the planning of details and calculations are also important. The Crystal inspired me on designing something functional to people, and meanwhile ecological friendly to the natural system.The Crystal is quite important as a built

project, because it allows examinations on

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A.2. DESIGN COMPUTATION

BENEfITSEngaging with contemporary computational design techniques, there is a large effect on the design process. At the phase of problem analysis, computers assist in organizing collected data in a manner that will be useful for subsequent steps. In solution synthesis, computation breaks the traditional wall of subjective design, but through calculations, it provides solutions with extremely impressive efficiency and accuracy. Inspirations on architecture forms can be conceived through attempts on functional planning. When it comes to the evaluation phase in design, software or plug-ins

In the last few decades, design processes evolved from craftsmanship through hand drawing, to computer-based drafting, and these days, computing was borrowed to assist in the design process. As Dr. Stainslav Roudavski has addressed in his lecture, computation in design does not merely refer to computerization, which is limited to supporting humans emulating drawings from paper-based work, but rather, it shifts a view to a concept-forming process in computer. More importantly, computation in design enabled a rational problem solving process. The “intelligent” design system is able to propose design solutions for further development. In application of computation, the richness and complexity has widened future possibilities in architectural design.

such as Kangaroo Physics would allow it easily to run performance simulations as many times as wish. Further more, trying different parameters would result in better performances, which avoids modifying complicated design details. A collaborative design between the architect and the engineer can be achieved. This application saves huge amount of time and labors in designing performance-oriented architecture, especially sustainable buildings which needs precise calculations and accurate prediction on running energy-saving systems.

GEOMETRY

Computation design software allows exploration on self-organizing patterns of geometries in a certain space and iterative logic relationship. There is more flexibility to optimize conceivable and achievable geometries, avoiding rigid geometries or simply replication. With the aid from parametric design software, design elements can be linked organically by parameters to form a smoother coordination. This process is similar to the self-reproduction of cells, that they differentiate with each other, but meanwhile they are similar and interrelated, to present various forms. This might expand future opportunities on urban planning, which requires differentiation and consistency in various function areas at the same time, to create a dynamic social space.

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Kartal-Pendik Masterplan

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CASE1.. KARTAL-PENDIK

MASTERPLAN

The Kartal masterplan reflects the implementation of parametricism in urbanism. It is a proposal for a new civic, residential, commercial and transport hub designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The project is to constitute a sub-centre on Istanbul’s Asian side to release the pressure on the historic centre. The site is being reclaimed from industrial estates and is flanked with the small grain fabric of sub-urban towns.

The integration of these lateral connections with the main longitudinal axis creates a soft grid that forms the underlying framework for the project. This fabric allows the existence of different typologies of buildings that respond to the various demands of each area. Through subtle transformations and gradations, the fabric creates a smooth transition from the surrounding context to a higher density development. By composing the rhythm of the city skyline, parametric designers planned the widening and narrowing space of urban fabric. Through a logical rule-based calculations, they brought out the elegance and clarity of the urban landscape.

Kartal-Pendik Masterplan

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CASE2. THE BIRD NEST.

Beijing National Stadium in China, also knowm as 'The Bird Nest', is a marvelous piece of architecture using parametric design in its structure.

With the aid from parametric software, numerous complicated structural calculations were solved. It played a significant role in ensuring that the web of twisting steel sections fitted correctly, in order to reach an accurate angle and degree to follow the curved surface. Meanwhile, it assures a wide span over cross the concourse, to create a spacious area more multi-functions such as refreshment and merchandising stalls. Focus was also given to designing a stadium which is able to withstand earthquakes without much damage, to give itself as much flexibility as possible for future use.

Computational fluid dynamics (CDF) simulation based on the Games-time situation has been used to calculate the temperature and airflow speed at each angle of the structure and optimise all ventilation facilities accordingly. It is intelligent design systems that provides the Bird Nest with a great environmental building system through performance simulations. Computation is crucial in designing such performance-oriented buildings as the most important thing for operators is to make sure everything runs correctly and every factor needs to be in control, and computation contributes with reliable and sophisticated algorithm designs.

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A.3. COMPOSITION/GENERATION

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