Issues:

Traditionally, in design process a computer-aid approach has been utilized, in this approach which is an object-based strategy of saving information for the purpose of presentation and information organization, architectural concept is perceived beforehand and computers are used as a tool for graphical representations, and consequently designers miss the opportunity of computing power of computers.

“The dominant mode of utilizing computers in architecture today is that of computerization; entities or process that are already conceptualized in the designers mind are entered, manipulated, or stored in a computer system. In contrasts, computation or computing, as a computer based design tool is generally limited. The problem with this situation is that designers do not take advantages of the computational power of the computer.” (Kostas Terzidis, 2006)

“Designers often miss the opportunity opened up to them through digital tools, merely because of lake of understanding that computation can be part of the design process as well.” (Terzidis,2006)

Another issue in current architecture is that some practitioners manifest their work based on some software. The lack of understanding of computing power led them to sacrifice functionality for the purpose of aesthetic. This approach reduces architecture to banality. This is evident in Patrick Schumacher’s book Autopoiesis of Architecture. He even goes further with relating vitality in space to curviness, and he mentions Deleuze’s Folding and Rhizome to establish his ideas.

Position: 

The current architecture should embody the essential components of architectural values which are Vitruvius’s fa­mous three of Utilitas (Function, Commodity, Utility), Firmitas (Solidity, Materiality), and Venustas (Beauty, Delight, Desire).

For me, what is significant about the fold is the relationship between interior and exterior, between past and present.

Hypothesis:

1. The Process Design methods defined to the architecture offers the designer to evaluate multiple design alternatives to reach the optimum solution instead of generating snapshots by the traditional methods of Design Process without exploring other possible solutions. Hence, in Process Design, space will be defined by parameters, and it will be experienced and tested by manipulating values, and ultimately new methods will be unleashed.

2. “We are designing in architecture for forming behaviour. While in computational design, we are designing a form based material property and the space function.” (Sean Ahlquist)

3. “Working with simulations requires the development of a logical mathematical description of the performance of a system or process, which corresponds to certain specific parameters of its physical behavior. In the sciences, ‘model’ means more than the geometrical description of an object that we commonly use this term for. A model is an abstraction of a process, and can be refined as understanding of a process develops, so that complex problems can be accurately modeled. Simulations are essential for designing complex material systems, and for analyzing their behavior over extended periods of time.”(Michael Weinstock and Nikolaos Stathopoulos)

4. A bottom-up approach can be defined by creating and developing a method and script or system that can facilitate several parameters during the Process Design.

A few tips for classmates who are interested in computing design!

How to quantify material into a system of panels to shape panels based on their acoustic properties? 

Basically we will learn how to quantify material and acoustic as parameter, but first let’s learn about sound:

Properties:

·       This quality (acoustic) comes from reflections and resonance inherent to room dimensions and construction materials. Contents of the room also affect its characteristics.

·       Perceived acoustics are a result of the decay of frequencies over time or reverb. It is coloration of uneven decay times that must be addressed in order to improve accuracy. Time is the challenge. Too often acoustics are approached solely from a frequency perspective. It is important to understand that acoustics are a combination of time and frequency.

·       Higher frequencies have shorter wavelength. Shorter wavelengths move to positive and negative poles faster. More cycles use energy faster, so high frequencies decay faster than low frequencies.

·       Longer (bass) waves contain more energy, so they are harder to absorb evenly. Bass waves bounce from boundary to boundary, seeking the path of least resistance, a full cycle or half cycle. Consequently, the length of travel determines frequency. Waves traveling in one direction interact with those traveling in the opposite direction. This phenomenon is referred to as a standing wave. When mid-range frequencies interact with those traveling in the opposite direction, the effect is known as flutter.

 Acoustics Tools:

Acoustic treatment materials fit into four basic categories: Absorbers, Diffusors, Resonators, and Free Standing Devices.

Absorbers: Any material that allows air to enter or pass through will act as an absorber. Most common absorbers include open cell foam, fiberglass, mineral fiberwool, acoustic ceiling tiles, Tectum, just to name a few. The friction of sound energy moving through an absorber reduces sound by transfer to heat energy. Thicker materials offer greater resistance therefore are more efficient in reducing sound and will have better low-end characteristics. Carpet on walls sounds terrible and cannot be an effective acoustic treatment.

Diffusors: Simply stated, a diffusor is a device that reflects sounds more than it absorbs and can change the direction and quality of the reflected sound. For more serious study, I recommend learning the differences between diffusion, diffraction, refraction, and reflection.

Resonators: They are most effective at low frequencies. They are primarily rigid or semi-porous panels (such as pegboard) with an enclosed air space, behind which may contain absorptive materials. Additionally diaphragmatic panels, such as 1/8” to 1/4” plywood, are often added to resonator designs to increase low-end absorption. There are few commercially available resonators as applied treatments. Most are manufactured on the job. There are plans and formulas for resonator construction in many acoustic manuals including ‘The Master Handbook of Acoustics’ by F. Alton Everest.

Thick curtains are often an asset. Although not free standing, they are movable, which create a variety of acoustics and fit well into a home environment.

Now that we learned about acoustic values (more glossy is equal more diffusing and reflecting), lets learn about scripting based on material property:

(If anybody requires more information about acoustic values and sound and their mathematical issues just let me know.)

Basically we need to use Python, grasshopper, Rhynamo or Dynamo. I highly recommend using Dynamo and Vasari or Revit 2015, because Rhino is not paramedic software that is why we have so many tools in grasshopper to parameterise and write if conditions. The principal of working with grasshopper and Dynamo is the same.

In grasshopper and dynamo, we know how to write a script for paneling a surface (hexagon, triangles or tessellation or any other thing); however we do not have control over the shaping. For controlling them we need to use python with simply writing two if conditions and several Loop commands .

This panel is defined by simply 4 points and 2 lines inside 4 lines, however for making it 3 dimensional we have to define another point in the space to make it extruded with conditional relationship, in another word, correlating shape and extrusion based on material properties by using python.

(The good thing about Dynamo and Rhynamo is that when double clicking on the tab a node appears which is called Code Block that means we can correlate any mathematical formula or other nodes, and it does work like python, and we can call it as string or any other relationship that we want to define.)

The black box is called Python script, write exactly what I have written to correlate it with API system faster.

The script is for correlating materials in to the system. Pay attention to python script on the right-bottom corner. Each material has been defined by name and their acoustic values that we have defined in first script. Then right click on python and hit editing.

Numbers (0.14, 0.28 …) in if conditions indicate Values basically based on Material properties (relationship between wave length and reflection) . We can even write a formula to find wave length (λ) based on space performance but instead we did it in first script to define material in script. Now time is for mathematical formula inside the loop. I am not posting full python script because it is more than 200 lines. If anybody needs it please let me know. 

After generating the geometry we need to test it virtual environment. However, I have not yet tested it because the software for testing is super expensive.

Back to Adrian Bica’s question about Gramazio and Kohler wall.

You can do it either by Graph in Dynamo and then extract the data (2 minutes work) or simply do it by paneling your surface and defining at-tractor Points, so each area you wish will react to the at-tractor point that you have defined for your bricks in that area which takes longer.