This is the final studio (Border Conditions) project for msc2. Though quite a lot of parametric techniques went into the making of it, they were subservient to rather than defining the project’s outcome.

This project embodies a virtual study of the process of folding with its conjectural actions (re-folding, unfolding).

The shift from a deterministic view of the world to one dominated by chaos and complexity has had (and still has) huge implications in both philosophy and science – two main tools of architecture. Before, we thought the sphere as being the perfect shape – now we consider it a mere theoretical possibility. Architecture used to be deeply rooted in the smooth, unchanging and abstract Cartesian space, described by its three axes meeting at 90^o angles in an universal Origin point who’s meaning different religions didn’t hesitate to speculate and impose upon it various connotations[i]. Jumping over a few decades of history, we now no longer understand space as the previously pure, abstracted medium.

Space is filled up by potentials. Space folds, bends and warps around itself and into itself into a topological revelry. We now no longer differentiate space with fixed, impossible boundaries: we have renounced the mathematical constructs of lines and planes as being limitations which we now no longer need to perceive the world. The demarcation mechanism is now based on differences of intensities, on gradient fields merging one into each other. As DeLanda notes, there are no different entities per se, just different manifestations of one modulation coexisting and relating to each other in a field of intensities (DeLanda, 2000).

There is much more to it that can be published here – basically a semester’s worth of branching, merging and killing explorations and various experiments, both digital and analog. You can maybe catch a glimpse in the following time-line, which tries to schematically represent and trace the overall design process.

Here’s the final portfolio booklet, which goes into more detail and shows a more coherent picture of the project:

Here are some pictures of the model(s):

Assembly: Bogdan Badila, Vlad Pop, Georgiana Hlihor, Denisa Lula, Robert Veber, Zoltan Vaida, Imre Vekove, Ciprian Colda, Mihai Pascalau, Calin Negret, Bogdan Borbei, Iustin Nechiti, Dan Ioanici, Razvan Luca, Stefan Grosariu, Ioana Suceava, Alexandra Man, Andreea Darac, Irina Mates, Oana Bogatan, Andrei Varga, Radu Badila, Elza Sandor, Alex Greceniuc, Oana Matei, Alex Vladovici, Marcel Oprean, Ioan Pop, Vlad Rusu, Ioana Tomoioaga.

Location: Cluj, Romania Date: 4-7th May2011

Photographs: Patrick Bedarf, Georgiana Hlihor, Daniel Bondas, Georgeta Macovei Text: Dimitrie Stefanescu

Intro

The project started out as an ambitious student-powered endeavor to design and fabricate at a 1:1 scale the flagship pavilion for the ZA11 Speaking Architecture event in Cluj, Romania. While at the same time integrating into its historically-charged context, the design (which was elaborated to a concept stage during a week-long workshop) boasts a strong representational power which was much needed in order to fulfill its main goal: attracting passers-by to the event. At the same time, the object, through its tectonic characteristics, tries to make legible the new ontology which is slowly defined by computational architecture and thus becomes a showcase for the design processes empowered by digital tools.

Process

The design was elaborated during a week-long parametric design workshop (CLJ02) specifically geared towards its production which, in theory, was seen as a continuation of the previous event (CLJ01: Parametric Desing Workshop, organized by Ionut Anton and myself). We were faced with the harsh requirements of creating an actually working design with just the material and tools available from sponsors (over which we hardly had any choice) while at the same time fitting costs inside a budget dwarfed by its expectations. Subsequently, the creative exploration agenda was constrained to a relatively limited approach which, most importantly, was scalable in terms of materials and fabrication techniques. The realization of the design was made possible by advanced use of parametric design techniques (using Rhino+Grasshopper), with the help of which the whole process was controlled from exact geometry generation to piece labeling, assembly logic, actual fabrication (CNC milling) and, of course, cost control.

SuperConnect in action. We have plans for releasing the whole Grasshopper definition and Rhino file used for the project – stay tuned!

Here’s a time-lapse video of the assembly process:

As an educational exercise it completed the design phase and proved to be invaluable in terms of actually understanding and working with the constraints encountered in real-life. Varying material thickness (and subsequent extra flexibility and less joint stiffness), rain and wind posed many challenges which had to be resolved on-site as quickly as possible so as to meet the assembly deadline.

Conclusions

The ZA11 Pavilion emerged as a powerful urban attractor which managed to engage the local society on all levels. Interest was aroused in both young and senior citizens, both professionals and non-architects by the completed pavilion as well as during the act of its construction, thus proving to be more than an indifferent temporary shelter. Furthermore, it successfully provided a flexible and comfortable space for the different events pertaining to the event (temporary bookshop, open-air cinema, tea party, jam sessions and a small concert + sleeping in the sun) to unfold.

The first of its kind in Romania, the ZA11 Pavilion can be definitively called a successful architectural experiment. Designed and assembled only by students (with little preliminary outside help), it successfully met all expectations and proved to be an invaluable experience in blending avant-garde design techniques on a relatively large scale with a low budget and a skeptical professional context.

construction

construction photos

Special thanks to: Mircea Stefanescu, Dan Brasoveanu [Graphtec], Nejur Andrei, Rares Dragan [Atelier RVD]
Sponsors: Graphtec, Holver

Second part of the previous project, this time exploring the possibility of scaling up the same design process to the level of a facade design.

The wetgrid principle (based on Frei Otto’s wool thread experiments) evolved to into a hybrid hanging chains experiment – on the basis of one algorithm connections were merged while the other insured a theoretical optimal distribution of forces.

Final build-up diagram illustrating adaptive shading possibilities along the main structural elements.

3D printed models (below).

Project focused on the formal exploration of ornament and tiling, mainly based on the formal language derived from the wetgrid experiments.

The projects explores the possibility of creating a structurally sound three dimensional lattice which can present multiple stacking and tiling possibilities. This results in several possible variations which can form different patterns with different porosity qualities.

Fabrication-wise, the W*TILE is meant to be cast (mold-injection) into a flexible plastic resin which would allow for flexibility outside its original plane, thus allowing for the creation of different curvature shapes.

The aesthetic of the tiling configurations reminds of an intricate late-gothic visage (above). 3d prints of the models (below).

Team: Patrick Bedarf, Tomas Kozelsky & Dimitrie Stefanescu.

This is our entry for the Evolo ”11 competition. Update: We seem to be among the finalists. I’ll leave you to judge for your own: you can see the winning projects on their website. It is a consciously speculative project in which our main goal was to push parametric design techniques as much as possible into an as experimental direction as we could allow.

From the competition statement:

The deforestation rate of a country describes the annual destruction of natural forests. With 11.5% in 2004, Brazil lost over 10.722 square miles and marks therefore the highest rate globally. This massive destruction of local woodland area has many different causes and brings negative impacts on local and global ecosystems. Besides the irreversible destruction of the natural environment, diverse ecosystems and rare animal species, deforestation is mainly driven by and feeding the status of poverty in rural regions. Furthermore, in socio-political dynamics of high population pressure and stagnating economic conditions, the sale of land is mostly the only option for poor farmers.

Confronted with this acute challenge of solving the phenomena of deforestation we propose a high-rise building as prototype for the usage of wood in a sustainable and innovative manner and the raise of global awareness of the problem at hand. In combining the two realms of research and tourism, the projects aim is to act as stimulating keystone for establishing a vital loop of raising global awareness and supportive funds as well as educating visiting interested parties and local natives.

The introduction of the novel technology of laminated wood construction acting as load-bearing and space partitioning thick lattice, displays the vast possibilities of the natural resource of wood while underlining a sustainable application of long-lasting flexibility. Specific programmatic and technical requirements are provided by a modular system based on conventional and easy transportable shipping containers and are selectively integrated. Therefore, the symbiotic system demonstrates the sensible usage of material resources and their inherent performance capacities in addressing sustainable use, reuse and recycling cycles.

C:Strip is best described by an attempt to translate the environmental qualities of the proposed site into a meaningful architectural geometry that can accomodate and maximize the performance of an adaptive and fluctuating programme which focuses on producing and distributing information through the use of informal societal behaviour.

The developement and subsequent use of different computational techniques allowed for the collage of the several dimensions of environmental and programmatic datascape into a finite three dimensional architectural object. The developement and subsequent use of different computational techniques allowed for the collapse of the several dimensions of environmental and programmatic datascape into an finite three dimensional architectural object. Thus, the windspeed and solar insolation grid was processed with the help of Ecotect. The visibility analysis, crucial for our later functional distribution was explored in DepthMap. The traffic density was elaborated using an elaborate circulation analysis programmed in Processing/Java, whose starting parameters were informed by local observations of pedestrian and bycicle flows in different key points of the site.


The detailed programme description underwent a series of evolutionary changes which were based on the interpretation of the given assignement in relation with existing conditions and as well as a macro-analysis at an urban level and subsequent scale detailing of the aforementioned process. Thus, we shifted from an information distribution centric set of functions to a leisure-oriented setup which would favour not only the spread of data, but would actually become an place for the creation of new information through informal social mechanics.

The project evolved into two systems which cater to two different requirements: the areas which required adaption are empowered by a flexible system of interlocking umbrellas which can fold and unfold individually and comprise energy harvesting systems such as greywater extraction and photovoltaics, based on locally sensed conditions; the areas which emerged as having no need for physical adaption are hosted inside a cracked landscape with punctuated apertures whose geometry result from the ventilation and lighting conditions required by the program underneath. Videos by Patrick Bedarf:



By thus splitting the process into two individual parts, we were able to maintain the local topological qualities of the site while at the same time we enhanced them without disrupting the existing local circulation flows and visual parameters.

The competition brief required us to upgrade a specific site of our choosing. We selected an industrial site, CET Grozavesti, which we judged to be redundant in the current urban context – the power plants there ended up being in the middle of a booming area, with numerous developments engaging diverse cultural and economical actors.

The proposal takes the shape of an intelligent urban master plan which enforces different eco-friendly morphologies which actively collaborate with and extend the nearby botanical garden. Furthermore, the proposed developments would act as a filter/gradient between the botanical garden and the surrounding city. The proposed functions aim to make the area a catalyst between corporate entities and the academic world  through research, thus promoting innovation and actively employ the nearby academic resources (Natural Sciences faculty, and the Technical University) as well as engage students residing in nearby campuses.

The circulation was devised through an algorithm that self-normalizes the optimum paths between all the attractors and centers of interest (present and future). More on this in a later post. Meanwhile, you can check out a video of how this is working here.

The resulting urban fabric was revised and refined by taking into account shading and isolation values as well as the results of space syntax analysis (integration, visibility). A preemptive facade study was elaborated so as to accommodate the intelligent shading guidelines.

The urban cell subdivision algorithm takes into account different aspects of the cell geometry and provides a further layer of porosity to the urban fabric. It is also the basis upon which the cell geometries were later developed (so as to provide natural sunlight in the center of the island, while maintaining certain density levels proper to the function found there.

collaboration with: Dragos Mila, Dan Balinisteanu, Alexandra Ion.

Initial explorations: Culture Cracking.

Bucharest never had a coherent image in any point in history. Its only true comon denominator would be the highly despised disorder generated by the struggle between
western rigor and local chaotic impulses. It is one city where conflict is strikingly out in the open, little existing in maters of interface between old and new, poor and rich, highrise and low-rise. This project taps into these conflicting energies, drawing strength and geometry from them while at the same time exposing them and becoming an icon of their formative power.

Does what it says on the tin.

What’s nice is that there are a lot of embedded parametrics inside: the canopy structural system, terrain modding (site), shape cracking of the canopy. Sometime ago there even was a def for controlling room sizes in respect with planar geometries.

Floor plan:

Second and third floor plans:

UPDATE:

Here are some pictures of the final model i built:

Hope you’ll like and love.

We parametrically explored possible future configurations for the study area (450ha large, at the intersection of two main planned road-infrastructure extensions) and tried to push for a solution that would maximize performance (density, height, shading, access to natural elements and connectivity) of the whole region while leaving ample potential that allows for unplanned emergent evolution.

Our goal was to envision an urban tissue that could flexibly respond to all local input factors as well as accommodate desired (planned) goals. An universal 130m by 130m grid was proposed and then deformed to differentiate and create a unique lattice that allows for surprise and yet is easily mapped due to its inner space-partitioning algorithm.

We iteratively cycled through several circulation analysis (using Depthmap) and continuously changed the main axial map of the area to maximize integration.

The text on the boards is in romanian, sorry about that – hopefully the explanations given around the post should be enough. Here are the final boards, reduced:

It was great to work on this project, and also great to find recognition for an approach that is considered risky by our faculty’s standards   We used Rhino and its parametric plugin Grasshopper for the main work and Depthmap for the integration analysis.

Project teachers: Tiberiu Florescu, Sebastian Guta.

Jury was composed of:

prof. arh. Dorin Stefan (DSBA)

arh. Bruno Andresoiu (igloomedia)

Anne-Line Citrene (DuPont France)

Gabi Rottes (DuPont Germany)

Some pictures from the exhibition, which can be seen at the University Underground Passage until the 7th of December (09):

Here’s the outcome: judge it lightly since the overall design was conceived with a specific public in mind during a brief four hour period, including plotting.

Man, this post is definitively sarcastic. I’m working on improving that (as in downplaying the sarcastic note).

My vision concentrated on issues relating to the poor visibility/readability of the overall area (and the necessity of a landmark) and the lack of “free” public urban space. The functional program was mainly derived from the observation that most historic centers (Lipscani being a prime example in this) loose their initial cultural and traditional economic value in favor of the over-dominant bar/cafe. This leads to a certain repetition of fluxes (economic, cultural, pedestrian) which harms the respective area.

Geometry-wise, my proposal respects local aspects of the area, namely its porosity and the way the urban tissue coagulated around narrow winding streets and small interior courtyards in a constantly surprising lattice.

In respect to this approach, i considered the lot as a solid volume on which forces are applied in respect with the openings and general director lines of the site. Performing a “structural” analysis on the site revealed the patterns by which these forces would naturally flow towards given points of rest (namely the designated openings of the courtyards).   Using topological optimization techniques these patterns were transformed into geometry which was later subtracted from the original body thus giving the overall shape of the building.

By following this design method I ensure an optimal circulation flow through the built site, encouraging interaction and furthering the development of the local urban tissue in a manner very close to its characteristics (gained by spontaneous evolution) thus fully integrating the new implant.

That’s wrapper of the last month, give or take.

Our solution proposed the creation of several interlinked interior and exterior courtyards that both encouraged interaction with the surrounding busy streets while at the same time offering an intimate place to retreat to. Various social and commercial functions requiring different visibility/exposure levels can occupy this space at ground floor level.

The space-partitioning algorithm we used (Voronoi), though a cliche, provided us with the ability to fill-out the space alloted for the project in a coherent, integrated manner without the urbanistic disruptions created by bar-type blocks (or modernist urbanism and its present refinements). Through the parametric approach used (see previous post) we were able to continualy search for the best solution (regarding geometry, overall&floor height/number of stories, surface areas, access at pedestrian level, acces towards the apartments) within a fluent design process. This allowed us to strictly respect the main given restrictions (POT, CUT, etc.) of the assignement while at the same time keeping and fostering the added benefits of continous and easy experimentation.

We are using the excellent space-partitioning properties of the Voronoi algorithm to create a lattice of interior and exterior courtyards that progressively make a transition from public space to semi-public, semi-private, and, in the end private space. This way we propose the creation of a coherent urban lattice encouraging interaction with the busy city outside while in the same time offering various degrees of protection/”cosiness”. We are not proposing a new type of urban tissue in itself, but merely adapting and reinterpreting some qualities of sponaneous developement and local tradition(“fundatura”) in a flexible (yet highly accurate) digital framework.

As I was saying at the begging of the post, this is just a technical showdown – everything you see rendered above is far from what the end product will probably be  (since also the way the assignement was formulated forms that evade from some general bar-variation are quite difficult to fit in the judging criteria). Yet it indeed demonstrates the versatility of parametric/generative architecture and the capabilities of the digital framework proposed to control and manipulate with accuracy all aspects of the project (from raw geometry and algorithm to technical: floor height, floor areas, built/unbuilt ratio, sun exposure and so on – the possibility to expand the definition to apartment level details is definitively there).

That above graphic  is a watered down version of the grasshopper definition (I will not release it under any license for now).

(board 1)

(board 2)

(board 3)

{input}

The project required us to design an archeological center consisting of one conference room (75 seats), three workshop spaces and a bar/buffet [+ reception and service spaces]. Adjacent we will have to design a small hotel/pension, so our projects will have to be able to scale up formally (and function-wise).

{output}

My project is based on the act of cutting open the ground and inviting people and light inside pays tribute to a defining part of archeology “per se”: excavating sites in order to recover cultural remains and other artifacts in order to better understand mankind.

The overall form of the building emerges in a subtle way from the surrounding landscape, inviting its discovery in a less violent manner. Not choosing to mark its presence in a classical/standard way was a decision taken so as to echo the fact that archeology has the task of surveying areas in order to find new sites – information is never out in the open and its artefacts are hidden – at the same time not disrupting the surrounding beautifully curved landscape. 

The space inside curves gently around three interior courtyards, following the natural terrain. Luminaries assist the inerior courtyards both formally (composition-wise) and functionally (in providing natural sunlight).

{model}

3D Print and cardboard:

——

3d printing done on a  nice ZCorp 510 at Spot Desing – thanks for the flexible payment option and patience!

Boards printed at duostudio (Y!: studio.plot) inside the English passage – thanks for the longlasting quality, 15% early bird price cut and friendly staff

Also thanks to our assistant teacher (andra panait) which happily provided help and counseling during her private (spare) time.

The assembly of roughly 486 ribs into an alien-looking 1/500 terrain model generated quite a nice social event…

We still owe the laser cutter guys some obscene amount of money, but we hope to repay our studio’s debt asap.