Biodynamic Structures | CCoA Entry Canopy

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Biodynamic Structures | CCoA Entry Canopy

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1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

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$100K - 500K

Architecture is always moving in many different directions –
simultaneously. This is one of the core characteristics
that makes in an exciting profession. One
of the areas which has experienced tremendous growth in the past 10-15 years is
parametric design. In a nutshell
parametric design is an amalgamation of 3d modeling and Excel. It allows for a 3d model to be built using
parameters [rules, relationships & formulas] as opposed to simply modeling
bits and pieces that have no intelligent relationships with one another. As the software bridging computational
technology and 3d modeling has advanced, the idea that a building can be
modeled using adjustable formulas, associations and relationships has led to
the computer and designer to engage in a feedback loop that simply does not
exist with non-parametric digital design.
Once a model is set up, you can adjust and experiment with the formulas
to yield variations in a design….essentially allowing for a wide range of
digital representations to be built and re-built in seconds.

I was first exposed to parametric design while at sci_arc in
a course taught by Dr. David Jason Gerber called Parametric Effect [http://www.djgerber.com/]. In that course we primarily used Digital
Project – which is a software developed by Gehry Technologies that caters
primarily to their need for complex form making & re-making. I learned about how Norman Foster uses
parametric design to create multiple versions of a model and analyzes the
energy performance in each option to determine the most efficient
solution. Anyway, the course intrigued
me enough that I decided it was time to dive back into in now almost 4 years
since graduating.

The intense summer workshop I enrolled in was called
Biodynamic Structures [http://sanfrancisco.aaschool.ac.uk/]. It was put on by the Architectural
Association’s EmTech Program [http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/GRADUATE/emtech.php]
and hosted by the California College of the Arts [http://www.cca.edu/]
in San Francisco. The faculty alone -
brought in from all over Europe and the US - was reason enough to sacrifice the
time and energy from other areas of focus to this rapidly growing area of
architecture. While the tools used were primarily
Rhino 3D, Grasshopper, Visual Basic Scripting and Arduino – the true area of
focus was on biologically inspired design – figuratively dubbed biomimicry.

The first few days was primarily instruction and lectures
teaching the basics of the software to be used throughout the course. Three hour blocks of instruction were
separated by inspiring lectures by leaders in the field of biologically
inspired design such as Michael Weinstock, Jason Johnson, Andrew Kudless, Craig
Scott, George Jeronimidisand Thomas McKeag to name just a
few.
By about
the fourth day, we had formed our groups and were given the CCOA Building as
the project site. Our group began to
look at the leaves of Oxalis Triangularis and Salt Crystals and naturally
occurring case studies for movement in response to natural light and
porosity. In particular, the leaves of
Oxalis triangularis move in response to light levels, opening in high ambient
light (in the day) and closing at low light levels (at night).
From
there we moved into sketch model building where we experimented, tested modeled
and evaluated a countless number of forms that could serve as our “module” that
would behave in a similar manner as the Oxalis leaves. We eventually settled on a rather simple
origami inspired module that was cut and scored from translucent pieces of
polyethyline plastics sheets.

With our site settled on the open-air portico just in front
on the main building entry, we were able to begin establishing parameters. Those were identified as sunpath, height
restrictions, weight, movement and density/porosity. The animations below demonstrate the
flexibility of the canopy structure is response to those parameters.

I will follow with a post focusing strictly on the
project. For now I wanted to share my
thoughts on parametric design and offer a post-course evaluation as to how
exciting it was to be a part of this program.

Our group was made up of five total strangers from diverse
cultural backgrounds and different areas of interest. The result was a highly productive and gratifying
design process which I believe led to a successful project and
presentation. We were asked to show our
project as part of an exhibition later this year at a museum in San
Francisco. More details to follow. The members of our group were as follows:

Sam Slater – California College of Arts

Philip Handley – University of Liverpool

Miguel Sanchez-Hernandez – Architect, Mexico City

Amir Shahrohki – Yale School of Architecture

Shaunt Yemenjian – spacio design

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Biodynamic Structures | CCoA Entry Canopy

Biodynamic Structures | CCoA Entry Canopy

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