DIGIReal Architecture New roles for the model Dr.Ir. Henri Achten February 2004, ČVUT, Prague Molab/Gappa, Faculty of Architecture

DIGIReal ArchitectureNew roles for the model

Dr.Ir. Henri AchtenFebruary 2004, ČVUT, Prague

Molab/Gappa, Faculty of Architecture










DIGIReal Architecture

• Part I: Current trends

• Part II: DIGIReal architects


• Current trends in architecture

Part One: Current trends


• Current trends in society



• Architect between architecture and society



• New strategies


• New role of the model• Increased rigour in form-finding process• Feasibility tests during design process• Accurate and reliable costing• Increased degree of prediction• Use of CAM techniques

DIGIReal ArchitecturePart One: Current trends

DIGIReal Architects

• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank Gehry

Part Two: DIGIReal architects

Theo

ry

Met

hod

Mod

el

DIGIReal Architects

• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank Gehry


Theo

ry

Met

hod

Mod

el

Peter Eisenman• Concepts:

• Artificialexcavation

• Tracing• Layering• Deformation

Theory • Techniques:• Shear• Interference• Intersection• Distortion• Scaling• Superposition• Rotation

Some books:

Peter Eisenman:

Diagram diaries

Luca Galofaro:

Digital Eisenman

Jean-François Bédard:

Cities of artificial excavation

Peter Eisenman• Artificial excavation

• Site as palimpsest.• Find traces of history.• Interpret form and meaning.• Derive new forms and meaning by layering

and deforming.

Theory

Peter EisenmanTheory • Shear

• Skew objects

• Interference• Study interactions

• Intersection• Emergent shapes

• Distortion• Transform shapes

• Scaling• Rotation

Peter EisenmanTheory Superposition

• Layer historical analysis.

Peter Eisenman

• Historical reading of the site• Superposition

• Deformation strategy• Diagrammatic image

• Elaboration• Design

Method

Peter Eisenman• Indexical Time

• The trace and superposition form points in time.

• Movement in time from one location.• Dynamics of the design are forced by

changing perspectives.

Aronoff Centre,’88-’96

Columbus Conven-tion Centre,’89-’93

Wexner Centre,’83-’89

Wexner Centre,’83-’89

Method

• Diagrammatic image• Additional elements• Outside architecture• Related to project• Informing and

deforming

Peter Eisenman

Method

Peter Eisenman

Method • Diagrammatic image• Add to superposition• Deform composition

Peter Eisenman

• Diagrammatic model

• Physical scale model

• Computer model

Model


• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank Gehry


Theo

ry

Met

hod

Mod

el

UN Studio

Theory • Concepts:• Deep plan• Public construction• Diagram• Hybrid

• Techniques:• Movement patterns• Continuous

surfaces• Non-orientable

surfaces

Some books:

Van Berkel & Bos

Move 1-3

Van Berkel & Bos

UN Studio UN Fold

• Deep Plan• Connection of movement, urban

design, structural design, and brief.• Public construction

• Plan results from forces• Play with influences. End of hierarchy.

• New task of the architect• Searching for complexity.• Between art and airports.

Theory

UN Studio

Theory

UN Studio• Hybrid• Manimal• Continuity• No edges

UN Studio

• Analysis site• Urban space• Movement patterns

• Analysis brief/design task• Activities in time• Public/private relationships

• Concept for the design task

Method

• Choose a diagram:• Image with multiple meanings• Multiply, generate, instrumentalise• Against typological fixation• Introduction of concepts outside

architecture

UN Studio

Method

• Diagram is not a blueprint

• Activate via format of diagram

• Use via a mediator

UN Studio

Method

UN Studio

Model


• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank Gehry


Theo

ry

Met

hod

Mod

el

Greg Lynn

Theory

Some books:

Greg Lynn:

Folds, Bodies and Blobs

Greg Lynn:

Animate Form

Greg Lynn & Hani Rashid:

Architectural Laboratories

Greg Lynn:

www.glform.com

• Concepts:• Force• Curvature• Multi-type of

performance envelope

• Topology• Multiplicities

• Techniques:• Spline• NURBS Surface• Animation• Metaballs• Blebs, flowers,

strands, lattices

Greg Lynn

• Type and instances• Ideal type notion• Multi-type of performance

envelope• Size, position, rotation, direction,

speed are determined by elements of the design

• Surface results from elements

Theory

Greg Lynn

• When space is not neutral

• When architectural elements are responsive

• When structure is in a process of becoming

• …How to investigate architecture?

Theory

Greg Lynn

• Study of architecture via computer model

• The computer mediates:• Topology• Time• Parameters

Theory

Greg Lynn

• Topological elements are the result of a calculation

• Topological line is a movement through control points (spline)

• Topological surface is also movement through control points (nurbs surface)

Theory

Greg Lynn

Theory

Greg Lynn

• Spline and NURBS surface denote influence of vectors

• Multiplicities

• Curvature of line or surface reflects conditions

• Relations can be studied with animation

Theory

Greg Lynn

• Analyse brief for major spaces.

• Decide on computational structure.

• Relate structure to the site.

• Determine forces on structure.

Method

Greg Lynn

• Keyframe major conditions on structure.

• Animate and study interactions.

• Freeze and develop one or more instances of the animation.

Method

Greg Lynn• Bleb: A volume that appears from

a self-intersecting surface

sectionsNURBS-surface

bleb

Model

Greg Lynn• Flower: The transformation of a

tube to a plane by increased flattening of section.

sections

Model

Greg Lynn• Shred: Creating openings by

means of duplicate control curves.

Duplicatecontrol lines

Surface per twocontrol lines

Continued surface of othercontrol lines

Model

Greg Lynn• Strand: Creating spaces as

bundles of lines.

Path curves

Profiles

Model

Greg Lynn• Lattice: Space grid structure

Surface

Surface aftercreation oflattice

Model

Greg Lynn

• Rapid prototyping and CNC milling techniques.

Model


• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank Gehry


Theo

ry

Met

hod

Mod

el

Frank Gehry

Theory

Some books:

Walker Art Center:The Architectureof Frank Gehry

Mildred Friedman:Gehry Talks

Coosje van Bruggen:Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Irena Fialova:Dancing Building

• Concepts:• Continuous

form• Surface• Complexity• Contradiction

• Techniques:• Model• Incremental search• Physical to digital

model• Verification model

Loyola Law School, LA1981-1984

Architect’s house,Santa Monica 1977-1978

Benson house, Calabasas,1981-1984

DeMenill house, New York1978 (not completed)

Frank Gehry

Theory

Vitra Furniture Museum, Weil am Rhein,1987-1989

Lewis residence, 1985-1995Lyndhurst, (not completed)

Nationale Nederlanden building, Prague,1992-1996

Frank Gehry

Theory

Guggenheim museum, Bilbao1991-1997

www.greatbuildings.com

Walt Disney Concert Hall,LA, 1987-2003

Experience Music Project, Seattle, 1995-2000

Neue Zollhof, Dusseldorf, 1994-1999

Frank Gehry

Theory

• 1989:• 20 Employees• 2 Computers (word processing

and accounting)• Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los

Angeles project (1987 - )

Frank Gehry

Method

Frank Gehry

Method

• James Glymph joins office

• The Barcelona fish

• Very fast realisation

• CATIA (Computer Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application), Dassault Systèmes

Frank Gehry

Method

• Dancing house, Prague

• First building with CATIA

• Gehry/ Milunic

Frank Gehry

Method

• Sketches

• Scale models

• CAD models

• Verification models

• Finalised design

Frank Gehry

Method

Frank Gehry

Method

Start of the design process

Gehry office workshop

Frank Gehry

Method

Studies of “Ginger” part of Nationale Nederlanden Building, Prague

Building studies of Nationale Nederlanden Building, Prague

Frank Gehry

Model

Nationale Nederlanden building, Prague

Walt Disney Concert Hall, LA

DZ Bank, Berlin

Experience Music Project

Telluride residence

Physical model to digital model, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Frank Gehry

Model

• Verification models to check• Design• Database

For:• Drawings• CAM

Frank Gehry

Model

Verification model

Verification modelRealised building

Frank Gehry

Model


• Peter Eisenman

• UN Studio

• Greg Lynn

• Frank GehryTh

eory

Met

hod

Mod

el

Workshop 2004

• Design of a conference centre.

• Work method of one of the architects• Peter Eisenman, UN Studio, Greg Lynn,

Frank Gehry

• Explore and study role of the model.

• Final result is design.

Workshop 2004

• Program:• Monday: Lecture, start of workshop• Tuesday: Consultation (morning)• Wednesday: Consultation, short

presentation of project (13:30h)• Thursday: Consultation (morning,

afternoon)• Friday: Final presentation (10:00h)

• E-shop:• 17:00

• 11:00• 11:00,

16:30• 11:00

• 16:30

All information on:• http://www.e-architekt.cz/workshop04

Documents

DIGIReal Architecture New roles for the model Dr.Ir. Henri Achten February 2004, ČVUT, Prague Molab/Gappa, Faculty of Architecture