In this seminar we will be exploring different generative systems behind natural systems using advanced digital design tools. We will study the history of biomimicry in architecture and the other driven terms such as: biophilia, bio-utilisation, and synthetic biology.


Syllabus

Digital Tools for Complex Forming

 

How can we generate efficient bio-inspired structures? This question captures the essence of biological structures. Nature makes extremely efficient use of materials, often achieved through evolved ingenuity of form. Using folding, vaulting, ribs, inflation and other means, natural systems have created effective forms that demonstrate astonishing efficiency. The many manifestations of this in natural organisms provide a rich sourcebook of ideas for structures that could be radically more efficient than those found in conventional architecture (Biomimicry in Architecture, Michael Pawlyn). Why is nature behaving this way? It’s the pressures of survival in all its varied aspects , finding sustenance, thermoregulating, mating and avoiding predation.


source: courtesy of Hesham Shawqy

Throughout history, architects have looked to nature for inspiration for building forms and approaches to decoration: nature is used mainly as an aesthetic sourcebook. Biomimicry is concerned with functional solutions, and is not necessarily an aesthetic position. In this seminar we will be exploring different generative systems behind natural systems using advanced digital design tools. We will study the history of biomimicry in architecture and the other driven terms such as: biophilia, bio-utilisation, and synthetic biology. We will be looking at tissues, shell structures, modular systems, growth simulation, adaptive skins,  and optimization workflows.


source: Highly magnified view of a burdock burr– Velcro, Biomimicry in Architecture

Learning Objectives

At course completion the student will:

  • Study the history of Computational Design and Bio-inspired structures
  • Explore the difference between Parametric and Generative models
  • Learn Parametric algorithms inside Grasshopper3d
  • Learn advanced data structures
  • Learn physics simulations
  • Build skeleton and aggregation systems
  • Explore optimization solvers
  • Document the computational design process and iterations
  • Learn about particle systems inside Houdini
  • Explore the interoperability between Grasshopper and Houdini
  • Learn growth systems inside Houdini

KEYWORDS

GRASSHOPPER3D, RHINOCEROS 3D, HOUDINI, KANGAROO, BIOMORPHER, WASP, HOUGH, HUMAN, BIO-INSPIRED, EFFICIENCY, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, ADAPTATION, SKELETONS


Faculty


Faculty Assitants


Projects from this course

Landscape of Consequence

Semi Aerial View

The Architecture of Second Chances Transforming Punishment into Progress Through Computational Design In the evolving discourse of criminal justice reform, the intersection of architecture, technology, and rehabilitation presents unprecedented opportunities to reimagine how we approach incarceration. Our project, “Landscape of Consequence,” proposes a radical reconceptualization of Alcatraz Island, transforming this symbol of isolation into a … Read more

Wildlife Museum

life Through a morphological analysis, the site vividly portrayed its lines, structure and life giving me a clear direction of how i can delicately land on it with a sustainable life museum. The existing context made me aware that the structure should occupy a minimal area on ground level in order to preserve exisiting natural … Read more

From Roots to Branches and Leaves

The name of the project is “from root to leaves and breanch”. The main concept is based on the idea to create a higth walkaway museum that have an internal space and an external part  where you can observe the nature from an higher point of view compared to the normal view. To give at … Read more

The Growth of Dead Cell

Wild Life Museum Concept According to Egyptian mythology, at the beginning of all things, there was only a vast primordial ocean personified by the goddess Noun in which was reflected the original Darkness, a sky of shadow and emptiness that has been present since time immemorial. As a result of many frictions generated by repeated … Read more

Maussoleo degli Astroni

Phlegraean Fields:The project Mausoleum degli Antroni, takes its name from its location in the Phlegraean Fields, a large region known for its supervolcanic group of calderas to the west of Naples, Italy. location in crater degli Astroni: The new history museum find its place in the epicenter of the Astroni crater, which despite the fact … Read more

TRANSFORMATION MUSEUM

LOCATION: POZZUOLI, NAPLES, ITALY PROJECT SUBJECT: WILDLIFE MUSEUM Pozzuoli is a city and commune of the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is the main city of the Phlegrean Peninsula. CONCEPT DESIGN The whole concept design is inspired by the Snake and its skin that applied to the facade of … Read more

Nested Flocks

What if our design follows the trails of flocks? The #flockingbehaviour guides the circulation paths nested inside the environmentally responsive shell. An investigation of #optimization with #grasshopper#houdini#culebragh#biomorpher and render with #unrealengine.

MoVA: Museum of Vulnerable Animals

Concept MoVa is a project for a museum located in the crater of Lago Grande in Pozzuoli, near Naples. The museum has the purpose of raising awareness towards the extinction of species. The project’s inspiration came from a new in 2020 when a blue shark was seen in the port of Pozzuoli. This event is … Read more

WAVING PARTICLES: DATA DRIVEN DESIGN APPLIED TO PARTICLE SIMULATION.

Data driven design is a concept that depicts the act of relaying in compiled data to resolve design issues, when data applied to design perspective is a sum of quantitative and qualitative resolutions related to project requirements. That resolution relies heavily on ability of interpretation, decision making and critical thinking of each professional. The case … Read more

Co-Existence: Wildlife Museum, Naples, Italy

Introduction Design brief required us to develop a proposal for a new Conservation Museum to raise awareness about wild animal species extinction. During my initial research I realized there are multiple reasons behind various wild species extinction like climate change, deforestation,  industrialization & overpopulation. A common theme in this has been interference of human race … Read more

Bear Museum

view of a digital computer rendering of a conceptual museum structure. main elevated structure is a group of shells above the boxy museum building shapes below, the shells have plantings to blend in with nature.

As the brief stated we were to design a Wildlife Museum (A Conservation Museum to Raise Awareness About Wild Animal Species Extinction) in the caldera where Lake Agnano exists just outside of Naples, Italy. My first impression was “wow this is such a pristine wilderness in the middle of urbanized development, how could we put … Read more

Nature diffusion

A new wildlife museum will appear in the crater Agnano, in Naples, Italy. The purpose of the museum is to raise attention to wild nature, learn about endangered species, and experience pure nature. The project aim is to create a path of experiences through the landscape and reduce the footprint to minimize the invasion. Along … Read more

Arborescence

During a time when the extinction of wildlife is increasing exponentially, this museum aims to raise awareness bout the impact that humans have on the biosphere. The museum starts at a nucleus where the main gallery lies, converges to a narrow strip that guides the visitor along the strip of water, and finally branches out … Read more

S.3 Aggregation space

Introduction Wildlife awareness is an extremely relevant subject of study. Wild animals and forests form part of the vital natural resources of a country and as such, all the components of forests are categorized under Wildlife. From time immemorial forest resources have been a source of human sustenance. They are home to the most amazing … Read more

Chronotope of the non-place

Aggregation-oriented, Extinction Museum, Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy. Concept The extensive environmental deterioration and the extinction of countless animal species have been attributed to the Anthropocene period, a geological epoch that represents the tremendous impact that human activity has had on the Earth’s ecosystems and climate. Anna Tsing, Heather Swanson, Elaine Gan, and Nils Bubandt explore the … Read more

LIFE TRAJECTORY_Wildlife Museum Design

Design Description: This design attempts to find interesting possibilities for architectural design through an experimental approach. Particle systems can simulate the trajectory and direction of biological activity. By artificially adding some constraints and particle behavior guidance to the site analysis, an architectural form is finally formed from the bottom up by relying on the spontaneous … Read more

THE OUTPOST

Inspiration – Treehouses The project was inspired by treehouses which are generally associated with forests. The idea was to minimize the intervention of the forest as much as possible by occupying very less forest area per unit. Concept The circles have been manipulated to form a shell structure upon which fins are added to give … Read more

Anguis

WILDLIFE MUSEUM FOR AGNANO CRATOR, NAPLES, ITALY This new wildlife museum has a main purpose to raise awareness about wild animal species extinction. The site is inside the picturesque Agnano crater in Naples, Italy. The crater mostly forest with a lake at the base and is used today as a place of recreation and hiking. … Read more

A Route to Extinction

Broadening the perspective: An organism interacting with its environment. Sounds simple but life itself influences the atmosphere and nothing impacts life on earth today more than humanity does: explore that relationship between mankind and our environment.

Escape

ITALY, LOCATED CLOSE TO THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE EURASIAN AND AFRICAN PLATE IS A VOLCANICALLY ACTIVE COUNTRY, CONTAINING THE ONLY ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN THE MAINLAND EUROPE.VESUVIUS, GENERALLY CHARACTERISED BY EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS IS CLOSE TO THE PROPOSED SITE TO THE EAST OF NAPLES. CONCEPT THE BASIC FORM OF THE STRCTURE IS INSPIRED BY THE FORM OF … Read more

Roman Village

The project’s objective is to design a wildlife museum in the crater of a volcano in Pozzuoli, near Naples, using one of the computational methodologies learned in the Complex Forming class. In this case, aggregation is the chosen method using the Wasp plugin in grasshopper. CONCEPT DESIGN Concept inspired by the nearby ruins of Pompeii … Read more

Walk with Me

Walk with Me is a form finding project for a Wildlife Museum Concept in Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy. The design is motivated by the landscape of the site. The park makes a special movement on the surface, becomes a pit, and offers a variety of paths. Circulation is an important part of museum design. The link … Read more

Bio-Inspired Structures

How can a building embody the principles of evolution? This project explores the use of cellular autonomy as a form generator. The principle of cellular autonomy allows for the creation of complex forms Video