aia san francisco: new practices

bustler has posted the winners for the new practices award. the posting features 2 projects done as collaborations with proces2: tokyo airpsace, faulders studio with proces2 / sean ahlquist, and ScrapHouse, proces2 was a part of the multi-team collaboration with Public Architecture to design and build the structure. we undertook the design and preperation of fabrication drawings for the massing and roof form (a twisted, ruled surface).

proces2 website: flash update

had a little fun with scripting in flash, and created a new front page for the proces2 website. by moving around, a line is generated from the x,y values of the mouse location. using Heron's formula, the altitude (triangle height, perpendicular to the line) from the mouse location is determined and a circle is generated. the circle will always lay tangent to the line.

NET.SIM: dissertation part 0, precedents & process

isolated (linear) form-finding processes
A common method for digital design generation is to separate the shaping of form from the application of a structural strategy. While this process allows for freedom in form and space experimentation, it often leads to problems when coordinating a structural system with the forms that have been established. In comparison, with tension active systems the overall form and position of materials are driven directly by the flow of forces through the system. This presents a certain degree of efficiency in the relation of material to structure and enclosure of space. The lightness of these structures in relation to the amount of force that they can withstand is attractive. It presents an opportunity to directly link design generation with the material and structural strategy. But, the complexity of this type of structural system poses a challenge for the architects, particularly those who wish to explore non-standard spatial and material organizations.

spring based solvers for interactive structures
Springs are a part of a computational physics model where their force, generally, is connected to the distance at which the two ends of the spring sit apart from each other. Hooke’s Law specifies the amount of force through the degree of difference between a spring’s actual length and its rest length. A spring-based computational system serves as an efficient solver for tension-active systems. The particular system by Greenwold is placed within the programming environment of Processing (a Java based language) allowing it be lightweight, flexible, and openly accessible. The examples of sodaplay and SW3d show the use of computational springs for interactive, editable environments simulating kinetic structures exhibiting both tension and compression forces.



fate-map for computational form-finding
The fate map, a representation technique for tracking cell development, is a critical concept in managing form specification in complex systems. The control of articulation can only be gained when the initial setup can be connected to the final form. In the spring-based system, the network arrangement is akin to the fate map, the particle being equivalent to the cell. A logical ordering system for the components of the map allows for easy determination of where particular articulations in form occur, in what contexts, and which transformation functions are applied.



nets as space-making devices
Often the relation between the geometry and the material is not immediate. Especially in the current state of fabrication a lot of materials are “standardized”. Not only in performance, but also dimension, geometry and size. Shape and material property are highly determined by industry standards and fabrication methods. These are treated as an additional layer. Sometimes this choice is based on certain material characteristics (transparency etc.) or a specific performance criteria (high isolation, high strength etc.). In rare cases does the material choice feed back into the actual geometry a significant degree. “Structural Analysis” operates as a re-dimensioning process (widen beam, thicken floor plate, re-dimension column) altering a very limited set of input parameters (thickness, width etc.) of the initial, individual element. The agglomeration of these elements make up the “architecture”.

When examining the link between geometry and the product of architecture, specifically in terms of cable-net structures, the challenge for utilizing these elements as space-making devices sits with the limitation of software and physical form-finding methods that are based primarily on 1-dimensional "surface" elements. A surface (defined here as a sheet that is open along all edges) can be engaged and elicit the definition of a boundary, as shown in the Net Structure installation (red cable net, shown above) by architect Hannes Schwertferger and engineer Andreas Schnubel. But, this element can scarcely describe directionality. It is one of the intentions of the research to develop an element and a process which can more directly allude to a definition of bounded, directional space while simultanesouly negotiating structure and constraints of material and fabrication.

NET.SIM: dissertation

We have just completed our dissertation for the Emergent Technologies and Design Programme at the Architectural Association in London. Over the next few weeks, we will upload some of the content and highlights from our research. Please keep checking in to see all the new bits that have been posted. After that, we will begin to compile content on www.arch-research.net.

NET.SIM: dissertation part 2, net component

cylindrical net component
The dissertation attempts to expand the formal vocabulary and use of tension-active systems as devices for space-making and articulation. The first step in doing so is in developing a light-weight computational system that simulates the structural behaviors of tension-active systems and embeds particular characteristics such as fabrication and methods of assembly. The image shown above describes the "component" strategy that has been developed in both RhinoScript and Processing. Component is given the defintion here of a set of associated element classes (points, particles, and springs) that are generated within a scripted environment. The component does not deal in explicit geometries - only with associations. The images on the left are examples of different dynamically relaxed components, where the geometries have been realized. While on the right, the computational and organizational structure for each component is described, depicting associations. This graphical depiction on the right shows what is developed computationally when a tension-active net component is created. This means the complexity is not developed manually, rather it is all handled computationally and the inputs are simple: the 2 sets of 4 main corner-points and a set of variables describing the density of the mesh and the strengths for the springs within the component.




element hierarchy
In an array of net components, the hierarchy moves in this manner:

.framework indicating numbers of cells and associations (blue/green outlines)
.particles/springs along the edge of each cylindrical net component
.particles/springs spanning between each component
.particles/springs within each component

The associations between these hierarchical levels are driven by analysis of the framework and readings of the edge conditions between net components. The framework is derived from a series of subdivided volumes. Each volume describes a cell which indicates the insertion of a net component. It does not describe immediately the physical location of the component, though. The adjacency between cells determines whether particular particles are fixed at the corner points of the cell, or associated with a neighboring net component. Since the system works to determine associations between fundamental elements, not physical characteristics, the outcome in the array of components is a larger continuous network of particles and springs, as opposed to an increasing number of unique "components".




extensibility
The script is designed to make the form-making quite extensible being able to resolve a wide array of cellular frameworks. In this case, the topology of each frame is the same, but the orientation of the cells and the degrees in which they associate varies. the meta-springs which connect the cylindrical net components to the framework is varied as well.

AD, Unit Factor article: Computational Spring Systems

We have written a short article titled Computational Springs Systems, Open Design Processes for Complex Structural Systems that is featured in the Unit Factor section for the upcoming issue of AD. The issue is titled Closing the Gap: Information Models in Contemporary Design Practice. The article covers some of the research that we have done for our dissertation at the AA regarding spring-based particle systems, and their potential for use in designing complex tension-active structures.

Cylindrical Net Installation

This project was completed almost 6 months ago for the AA's end of year show. (If you search back through older posts, you will find info on the process for design and construction of the tensioned-net installation.) We have just finished touching-up some of the photographs (with some gracious help from Moritz's sister) so that the net can be more easily understood. This will be featured in a article that we recently completed for AD magazine. The article is a short description of our research into design processes utilizing computational springs for architecture.

IJAC complete

We have just completed a fairly exhaustive paper on our tensioned cable net and design process experiments. It describes the argument for lightweight design tools that can solve for complex systems that directly associate structure with material properties. We developed tools in processing that simulate tension-active systems through the use of spring networks. The methodology extends beyond simulation to integrate logics for quick translation to specific material manufacturing and fabrication methods. The images below are descriptive our conclusion: once material, structural, and manufacturing properties have been embedded into a lightweight design oriented tool-set, we are now more free to investigate and expand upon the material effects on space, organization and environment that these types of systems present, and conclude that each product of the process is viable. This image shows the tensioned cable-net design system in use, varying only a few parameters to describe fairly significant shifts in form and arrangement of material.

BB6 - a collaboration

For a quick 48h furniture competition at the AA, Morse joined forces with designers at a+b studio and mathematician VJ Krute. Although BB6 did not win this one, it was a great experiment as a collaborative design was produced from people at 4 different locations simultaneously.

AA FAB competition_Model

some quick snapshots of the 3dPrint model for our competition entry. the model describes a small portion of the larger micro-envelope system (MES).

AA FAB competition

Morse is proud to be part of this year's AA FAB competition. The work has been submitted and the model will be done today. MES, a structural micro-envelpope system has been developed and we will provide further information, once the decisions of the jury have been published

RTKL fassade

The RTKL-Fassade is coming together nicely.
Just scripted a nice solution for the connection details to the Curtain wall.
Ready for the first sun-shade analysis (will be done by other contractors).


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RGC / RhinoGenerativeComponents

The RTKL-script is starting to work in 3 dimensions.
Fassade-Elements are generated as ruled surface geomtries, which are then rotated around an axis (green line).
Their length (orange curve) determines the maximum rotation (orange arrow), which results in an even depth (green box) through out the entire fassade.
As this is part of a function written in RhinoScript, we are able to show (more explainatoty) images of the entire geometry soon.

Excel and RhinoScript

A close integration of Rhino and Excel is sometimes very helpful. Since RhinoScript is derived from Visual Basic, there are some interesting possibilities as one can easily see in the following example, just found on the McNeel Wiki:

ACADIA conference

Morse is proud to be part of this years ACADIA conference in Minnesota.
This year's conference is dedicated to the topic SILICON + SKIN.
We will present a paper as part of the Concepts of Nature and Technology / Biomimetics session