Bio-Informed Architecture
location: California College of Arts, San Francisco, CA
scale: Entry Gallery
scale type: Building scale
client: Academic Project – conceptual
client type: Architects
status: Scale Model Built 2010
services: Conceptual Design; Scale Modeling, Prototyping, 3D Animation; Presentation
description: Architecture is always moving in many different directions – simultaneously. This is one of the core characteristics that makes in an exciting profession. One of the areas which has experienced tremendous growth in the past 10-15 years is parametric design. In a nutshell parametric design is an amalgamation of 3d modeling and Excel. It allows for a 3d model to be built using parameters [rules, relationships & formulas] as opposed to simply modeling bits and pieces that have no intelligent relationships with one another. As the software bridging computational technology and 3d modeling has advanced, the idea that a building can be modeled using adjustable formulas, associations and relationships has led to the computer and designer to engage in a feedback loop that simply does not exist with non-parametric digital design. Once a model is set up, you can adjust and experiment with the formulas to yield variations in a design….essentially allowing for a wide range of digital representations to be built and re-built in seconds.
I was first exposed to parametric design while at sci_arc in a course taught by Dr. David Jason Gerber called Parametric Effect [http://www.djgerber.com/]. In that course we primarily used Digital Project – which is a software developed by Gehry Technologies that caters primarily to their need for complex form making & re-making. I learned about how Norman Foster uses parametric design to create multiple versions of a model and analyzes the energy performance in each option to determine the most efficient solution. Anyway, the course intrigued me enough that I decided it was time to dive back into in now almost 4 years since graduating.
Last summer, I participated in a program focusing on bio-informed architecture at the California College of Arts in downtown San Francisco. The program was called Biodynamic Structures [http://sanfrancisco.aaschool.ac.uk/]. It was put on by the Architectural Association’s EmTech Program [http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/GRADUATE/emtech.php] and hosted by the California College of the Arts [http://www.cca.edu/]. The faculty alone – brought in from all over Europe and the US – was reason enough to sacrifice the time and energy from other areas of focus to this rapidly growing area of architecture. While the tools used were primarily Rhino 3D, Grasshopper, Visual Basic Scripting and Arduino – the true area of focus was on biologically inspired design – figuratively dubbed biomimicry.
The first few days was primarily instruction and lectures teaching the basics of the software to be used throughout the course. Three hour blocks of instruction were separated by inspiring lectures by leaders in the field of biologically inspired design such as Michael Weinstock, Jason Johnson, Andrew Kudless, Craig Scott, George Jeronimidis and Thomas McKeag to name just a few.
By about the fourth day, we had formed our groups and were given the CCOA Building as the project site. Our group began to look at the leaves of Oxalis Triangularis and Salt Crystals and naturally occurring case studies for movement in response to natural light and porosity. In particular, the leaves of Oxalis triangularis move in response to light levels, opening in high ambient light (in the day) and closing at low light levels (at night).
From there we moved into sketch model building where we experimented, tested modeled and evaluated a countless number of forms that could serve as our “module” that would behave in a similar manner as the Oxalis leaves. We eventually settled on a rather simple origami inspired module that was cut and scored from translucent pieces of polyethyline plastics sheets.
With our site settled on the open-air portico just in front on the main building entry, we were able to begin establishing parameters. Those were identified as sunpath, height restrictions, weight, movement and density/porosity. The animations below demonstrate the flexibility of the canopy structure is response to those parameters.
I will follow with a post focusing strictly on the project. For now I wanted to share my thoughts on parametric design and offer a post-course evaluation as to how exciting it was to be a part of this program.
Our group was made up of five total strangers from diverse cultural backgrounds and different areas of interest. The result was a highly productive and gratifying design process which I believe led to a successful project and presentation. We were asked to show our project as part of an exhibition later this year at a museum in San Francisco. More details to follow. The members of our group were as follows:
Sam Slater – California College of Arts
Philip Handley – University of Liverpool
Miguel Sanchez-Hernandez – Architect, Mexico City
Amir Shahrohki – Yale School of Architecture
Shaunt Yemenjian – spacio design
Here is a peek into the process and the print material showing our final outcome: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1971594/spacio_portfolio_space%20planning_biodynamic%20structures.pdf