Architecture Design Studio 3: Air Journal Yifang Yin (Cindy) 387291

Computational Design Techniques

As the reading “Architecture’s New Media” said, the architectural design is an activity that deals, in equal measures, with externally imposed constraints such as site conditions, climate, function, cost, building codes and so forth. However, the conversation between computational design and the physical idea is quite challenge due to it is hard to transfer the idea into computational design then to represent it. The computers are superb analytical engines and they can follow a line of reasoning to its logical conclusion. However, sometimes people’s idea is not going to work out through the computational design techniques, especially for the construction features. The computational design techniques will help us to make the building more and more logically. Such as the Grasshopper which may transfer the statistics into the diagrams. The investigations into digital technique over the last two decades have provided architects and designers with incred-ibly productive tools – but little basis in how and when to use them. If design computation strategies are to be used to produce per formative form, then we have to consider that how form effects performance needs to be interrogated more seriously. While flashback to the concept of computational design, what is computational design and why will I use it? I asked myself whether I understand or not. In my opinion, I think the computational design harnesses the processing power of comput-ers to perform millions of mathematic computations to create multiple outcomes and these computations can be anything: form generation, manipulation, or reduction.

WEEK two

Computational Design Techniques

The first project that I have chosen is from John Powers (2010). The impenetrable geometries of John Powers’ abstract sculptures call to mind a wide range of influences, borrowing equally from art movements like postminimalism and pop culture icons like Star Wars. Meticulously constructed by hand, Power’s forms are constructed out of a limited formal vocabulary: Polystyrene blocks cut to a selection of preset sizes, attached to each other at 90 degree angles. The resulting structure gives the appearance of being a computer-aided design but is in reality the outcome of a human-executed algorithm, dictated by the artist’s intuition expressed through the repetitive action of connecting blocks.

The second project “wave garden” that designed by Yusuke Obuchi. When I first saw this project I found the shape and the concept are really cool. Wave garden has been making the rounds in the exhibition circuit since it was first presented as a Master’s thesis project. I firstly thought it may be just stayed in the computer due to it is looks so utopian and whimsical. However, after I did the research I think it is the one could be beguiled into thinking that it might just work. It is grounded on a deep under-standing of real materials and systems that it transcends its utopian trappings.

It is the design which floating off the California coastline, and is a prototype for a dual-function power plant and public park, oscillating with the ocean waves and cycles of energy demand. It is designed to succeed the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant after its 40-year license expires in the year 2026. In additionally, the wave garden is an electric power plant that derives energy from the movement of ocean waves, thus environmental friendly. Its piezo-electro membrane is a flexible electric generator, where bending the material or applying stress creates an electric charge. Conversely, applying electric current to the membranes causes it to deform.

Computational Design Techniques

Moreover, the wave garden changes its use during the week. Monday through Friday, it generates energy but at the weekends it will become a public garden. The changing from a space of production to one of recreation and consumption, and ate the weekends, selected areas lift above the surface of the ocean, acting as a ceiling under which boats approach the entrances.

The third project that I have chosen from the “parametric design workshop 2010” that held by Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti-tute School of Architecture and the Politecnico di Torino Faculty of Architecture II. The design approach is based on the ecophysiology of animals. Then they analyze an animal’s mechanism for thermoregulation, photoperiodism, water economy, and other energetics exchange, and develop an architectural integumentary system that deals with heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting, which, when combined accounts for almost 70% of all electricity consumption in the US. The digital technology plays a critical role in acknowledging change and difference in the way we design, building and live architecture. The use of parametric design software will enable designers to use design not only as an organizational device serving semiotic, pragmatic and aesthetic functions, but also as a regulator of the internal and external environments, managing bioclimatic flows to maintain homeostasis through intelligent morphologies.

Computational Design Techniques

The project of develop a Physiological Skin

In this project, it will give the concept of “envelope” as a mean to capture, transform, store and distribute various energetic flows to maintain a stable internal environment appropriate for housing in the city of Torino. The Physiological Skin will not only take on the bioclimatic exchange as its main design challenge, but will also consider the aesthetic vision as it is situated in the historical Italian neighborhood.