"The Cleveland Medical Mart is an iconic downtown structure designed to host medical industry conferences and showcase state-of-the-art medical technologies. The formal expression of the exterior facade was driven by an analysis of biological structures and also pays homage to the historic, sculpted stone and terra-cotta facades that create its context in downtown Cleveland.Precast concrete panels are naturally suited to engaging digital design and fabrication. The ability to form concrete using CNC cut formwork allows 3D digital models to directly connect to the production tooling for building components. A sketched image file was linked to a generative digital model created in Grasshopper, and allowed immediate mapping of panel types across the building elevations. At a smaller scale, the design team was also concurrently working closely with the precast concrete fabricator to develop the form-liners from which the panels are cast. The panels were first modeled in plaster in the studio to test the effects of light over the various textural studies, and this in-house production methodology allowed for rapid evaluation of multiple iterations under natural lighting conditions. In-house software customization played a key role in the coordination of multiple engineering and fabrication disciplines, allowing for a fluid flow of information between parties. The generative Grasshopper model was directly linked to multiple output platforms, each suited to a specific collaborator and enabling a high level of trust between all parties. Moreover, the heightened digital connectivity of the extended design-build team effectively eroded the traditional contract barriers that exist between builders and designers, allowing the design of a complex and highly customized facade system to remain fluid throughout the collaborative process. Ultimately this intensive digital workflow produced an exceptionally complex envelope for the remarkably low cost of just $65 per square foot."
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