In computer science, algorithms are habitually defined as fixed and often finite procedures of step-by-step instructions understood to produce something other than themselves.
These logic structures interface with data, sourced from any computable phenomena, becoming the basis for a new array of design strategies. The Computational Design Seminar focuses on emergent design strategies based on algorithmic design logics. From the physical spaces of our built environment to the networked spaces of digital culture, algorithmic and computational strategies are reshaping not only design strategies, but the entire perception of Architecture and its boundaries.
Computational design lies at the core of innovation in architecture and design nowadays. Increasingly the tools that we now use to design have expanded the range of our options to design, allowing for performance and complexity, and extending beyond the three dimensional space into a virtually limitless parametric realm of different versions of the design intent upon which to choose from.
By being able to effectively set up a parametric model, navigate these options and confronting them with analytical tools that are embedded in the design process, designers are able to take better informed decisions in order to create projects that are complex and performative by whichever metrics the designer wishes to challenge them with.
For this purpose, Grasshopper has significantly become the standard for computational design, not only within academia but across many trades and disciplines that encompass the creating process, providing easy access to algorithmic thinking and a large ecosystem of plugins that enables an easy access to a broad range of tools for advanced design.
The Computational Design I Seminar is divided in two groups according to the grasshopper level of the students.
Group A – Mastering the basics. The course focuses on teaching the fundamentals of visual scripting through Grasshopper while exploring the most basic concepts of computational design. From the generation of geometry as data into how to manage multiple geometrical information algorithmically, students become proficient in algorithmic thinking in order to navigate fluently in the complexity of geometrical data.
Group B – Developing the skills. Students that have enough grasshopper experience focus on developing their skills further by visiting advanced concepts of parametric design and learning the most recently developed tools to aid the algorithmic process. This course aims to solidify the ground of the basics of grasshopper while amplifying already existing concepts into more advanced notions that can be put into practice.
Space within spaces Design brief and objective The objective of this exercise is to investigate and build a user-friendly interface that enables real-time manipulation of forces as design parameters, with the goal of using physics simulations as a form-finding tool to replicate real-life behaviors. The investigation will also focus on the development of the construction … Read more
The aim of the design was to create a space that evokes a sense of enclosure but is still open and lightweight. This led us to the concept of designing our pavilion from minimal surfaces inspired from geometries exhibited in nature such as plants, mushrooms and corals. The intention was to fabricate it using strip … Read more
“Arachnid Maze” Abstact The aim of the design was to create a recreational space on the rooftop of the main IAAC. The intention was to design a “spider net” inspired by testing materials that included hair, bones, spider webs, and seashells. We simulated our design via physics simulation springs that are able to hold multi … Read more
Computational design finals for 2nd term. We have been playing with tension and flexibility in out grasshopper scripts.
The Prismatic Pavilion Site Context ?The Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is located in the city of Barcelona, Spain. ?The institute is situated in the Poblenou neighborhood, which is known for its innovation and technology industries. ?The institute is easily accessible by public transportation, with several bus and metro lines running nearby. ?The campus is also located close … Read more
The project aims to provide a shaded space for the rooftop recreational activities, to reduce energy consumption of the upper rooms by protecting them from radiation during the summer and to highlight the IaaC building in a urban scale, while combining its industrial facade with a contemporary element that represents its innovation and creativity. The … Read more
Brief “This investigative research project in the field of architecture aims to investigate theapplication of physics simulations in the form-finding process of designing live-interactiveinstallations.”The research objective is to build a user-friendly interface that enables real-time manipulation of forces as design parameters, the goal of replicating real-life behaviors by using kangaroo as a main engine. With … Read more
Tensile ROOF The aim of the project is to design a Tensile canopy on the IAAC rooftop using computational design tools. State of the art King Fahad National Library / Gerber Architekten Riyadh , Saudi Arabia. PROJECT
Force of Nature – Circle of Force Circle of Force emerged as a research project for studying the form-finding process by applying physics simulations interactively with grasshopper plugin Kangaroo. Our objective is to create a user-friendly design where they can spend time on IAAC Pujades Campus rooftop. Design drives: Parameters for Base Geometry The Base … Read more
Funicular canopy The aim pf the project is to design a funicular canopy on the IAAC rooftop using computational design tools. State of the art BUGA WOOD PAVILLIONICD/ITKEUNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART The BUGA Wood Pavilion celebrates a new approach to digital timber construction. Its segmented wood shell is based on biological principles found in the plate … Read more
Abstract The concept of the project analyzed lays in its two main facades: made out of bricks, these show two variations of rotation. The first one takes into account some external curves that act as attractors, the other by rotating the bricks alternately by 45°. Building Overview This office building is placed in a residential … Read more
Re-thinking ‘Serpentine Pavilion 2017 ‘ as a Media Pavilion that represents an idea of new communication. As a part of the task original pavilion was deconstructed into three main architectural elements: structure, roof and envelope. Each student in the group had to pick one element to re-design it and create a code. Design Analysis Elements … Read more
Design Analysis & Concept As the project brief required to reimagine the Serpentine Pavilion by Francis Kere, built in 2017 at the Serpentine Gallery in London, UK, the pavilion was deconstructed and analyzed into 3 of its major elements; the roof, the roof structure and the envelope. The main idea for the reimagination of the … Read more
Penda is a high-rise residential tower in Tel Aviv, featuring brick arches and cascading terraces influenced by the city’s Bauhaus era and the materiality of its Old Town. The 116 meter high scheme will house a range of one to four bedroom apartments, as well as double-height penthouses. The tower is designed in a modular … Read more
Final Project – Computational design seminar 22-23 The 2017 Serpentine Pavilion by Pritzker Prize winner Francis Kéré captivates through its simple geometry that’s charged with increasing complexity at the detail level. The logic of the structure seems very much reminiscent of the concepts and processes that we got to know in this computation class. The … Read more
Darkhan Kadirov Introduction Computational design is not just a tool, but a different approach to the idea of design itself. in past times, it was available only to a few people, but in our time, there is an opportunity for everyone to use it to materialize their thoughts. During this recreate, I took the idea … Read more
ABSTRACT. This project aims to rethink the Serpentine Pavilion, designed by Francis Kére. The approach used in this design was to study possible kinetic properties that could be applied to the 2017 project, while maintaining its general shape and layout. The original pavilion takes wide advantage of local solar, wind and rain characteristics, this proposal … Read more
Abstract The project aims to recreate and redesign the pavilion while taking advantageof computational tools to reiterate and at the same time be tangential to the essence of the pavilion. Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine pavilion is conceived as a micro cosmos. Promoting a sense of freedom and community. Inspired by the tree that serves a central … Read more
Parametric facades BRIEF: The aim of this assignment is to choose an existing building with a parametric facade from anywhere in the world and recreate the facade on the rhino using grasshopper algorithms. This undertaking would involve breaking down the chosen facade to comprehend the logic behind its creation and using computational tools to model … Read more
Digital Computation I Parametric Façade G8: Ingrid Vaz, Rafaela Müller, Paing Su Ko and Yasmin Jaskulski Faculty: Ashkan Foroughi Dehnavi Diagrams to understand how the façade works Decomposition 01. Façade Perimeter Surface in grasshopper set by a rhino surface 02. Division of the surface 03. Parakeet plug-in to create bricks With the original project, it … Read more
Location: Shanghai, China Architects : Foster + Partners, Heatherwick Studio Area : 420000 m² Year : 2017 The bund finance centre is a mixed-use development that occupies a prominent site on the bund, a waterfront area that runs along the western bank of the huangpu river. Elevation Pseudo Code Grasshopper script Animation Render Bibliography
Location: Piazza Guglielmo Marconi 42100 Reggio Nell’ Emilia, Italy Architect: Santiago Calatrava Year: 2002-2014 Material: White steel 00_ABSTRACT The aim of the exercise is to recreate a parametric facade. First, we extract the geometry logic behind the facade and then we use computational tools in order to modeling the building. 01_ INTRODUCTION The new station … Read more
We were assigned to recreate the Serpentine Pavilion 2017 by Francis Kéré, which consists of three main architectural elements: structure, roof and envelope. Each of us was responsible for one of the elements that were homologue and harmonious when assembled together in a final code. We applied what we’ve learned from this Computational Design course … Read more
