architecture studio projects

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XENIA ANTIPOVA ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO

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A glance at the various architectural projects I have completed for studios over the years!

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Page 1: Architecture Studio Projects

XENIA ANTIPOVAA R C H I T E C T U R E P O R T F O L I O

Page 2: Architecture Studio Projects
Page 3: Architecture Studio Projects

STUDIO WORK2008-2011

REFLECTION SPACE 1.

GRAFFITI GALLERY 2.

READING NOOK 3.

WRITER’S STUDIO 4.

MYSTERIE CAFE 5.

1.5D BRIDGE 6.

2.5D CANOPY 7.

BRAIDED TOWER 8.

REGENERATING GEOMETRY 9.

ARCH FABRICATION: REGENERATION + SELF-HEALING 10.

LABYRINTH: SPATIAL REGENERATION 11.

Page 4: Architecture Studio Projects

REFLECTION SPACEUNIVERSITY of TEXAS at AUSTIN | summer 2009

An addition to a pre-existing building created an interesting environment where the hallway runs along the exterior fa-cade, behind which are the studios, with light coming in from a skylight along the boundary of the addition to the existing building and then through the windows into the studios. The project called for a new space to be created within one of these windows.

Acknowledging that the hectic studio environment rarely al-lows an individual to be alone, I designed a self-evaluation, reflection space. Though it extends into both the hallway and the studio, it is entered from the studio, implying that it is an area only for those who belong there.

The opaque glass reveals the inhabitants, thus rejecting un-welcome intruders, but does not show their emotions or thoughts. The unadorned in-terior allows for a blank slate such that the inhabitant can be further isolated and con-centrate fully once he or she is inside.

Page 5: Architecture Studio Projects

Consideration of Interior Furniture36”x 24” Pastel and CharcoalPerspective Drawing

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GRAFFITI GALLERYUNIVERSITY of TEXAS at AUSTIN | summer 2009

Situated on the lot of a former church in Austin, Texas, op-posite a newly remodeled performance center and close to the University of Texas campus, the area was undergoing redevelopment. Graffiti, albeit being common in the neigh-borhood, needed a new forum than just old building walls. Officials had already sponsored local graffiti artists to paint murals - the artists created art even when it was unsought, while vandals seeking solely to destroy property were rare in the area. And so there was a call for a graffiti gallery, to showcase the work of these artists.

SKETCH MODELS

SKETCH DRAWINGS

Light Study

Abstraction and study of the sunlight refraction patterns

Sketch of a fountain and the way the sunlight is refracted in the pool

Page 7: Architecture Studio Projects

Perspective drawing of an earlier iteration

I based my concept around the idea of walls – using big thick brick walls – on account of the fact that graffiti has traditionally often been pro-duced on brick fences and building walls without windows, making for a clean “canvas”. The walls are part of the buildings and stand alone around them, shaping the boundaries of the interior and exterior spaces.

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SCULPTURE GARDEN

MEDIUM LIGHT GALLERY

MULTIMEDIA ROOM

AUXILARY SERVICES

There are three buildings on site, spread over a sprectrum of light spaces: dark, medium, and light.

The dark space contains multimedia and inter-active capabilities, inside visitors can “leave their signature” in the guestbook, by drawing on a tab-let which is then projected onto the opposing big wall. The medium light space contains both the permanent art of the gallery’s collection and the rotating art. The light space is comprised of auxilary services: the entrance, offices, a cafe, and bathrooms.

Connecting these three spaces together is a sculpture garden that exhibits graffiti on other common, smaller, objects.

Cross - section A

Aerial view of final model

FINAL MODEL

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Prior to the opening, local artists would be in-vited to make their marks on the outside walls, thereby showcasing their work and involving the community. Once developed, the exterior spaces remain open - though the gallery ap-pear closed, ways exist to squeeze in between - for new artists to come and paint over the pre-existing graffiti. In this way, the gallery is always evolving, evoking the changing nature of graffiti.

Contrasting with brick, the other predominat-ing material is glass, illuminating the graffiti and showing it in a beautiful light. While graffiti is usually associated with grungy settings and bad neighbourhoods, here, in this bright environ-ment, visitors gain a bigger appreciation for graffiti.

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R E A D I N G N O O KMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | spring 2010

The given site was a singular brick wall, 10X8 ft, rising from a wall forming a boundary for a change of elevation of two feet, between a lawn, with a mansion in the background, and a beach, with the ocean in the foreground, with the goal to create a reading space within the wall.

Design sketches exploring possibilities

With the upper half facing away from the mansion, and the oth-er half hidden by the brick wall, the reading space shuts out the “ouside world”. Further, a sense of mystery exists; when walking from the house, the viewer glimpses just a sliver of the ocean through the wall, but upon walking through, the view-er realizes that he has emerged into different world, one that is sweepingly airy.

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While the spaces differ in terms of height and view, one single roof unifies them, punching through the heavy brick wall. The reading space is made from structural insulated pan-els (SIPs), a hollow mate-rial. Consequently, there is a juxtoposition between the hollow and heavy, and in this case, the hollow push-ing into the heavy.

The spaces lie on differing heights relative to the ground: the lower half can be used as stairs to the beach but is wide enough to sit and read, and directly interacts with the sea, since the reader’s feet rest on the sand, wheras the upper half interacts with the field and is high enough that feet dangle. The in-teraction with nature, with a view to the lawn or to the lake, is a full immersion experience. The two fluid spaces meander in plan, reflect-ing the inherent qualities of the surrounding environment but are held together in a rigid form by the singular, perforating roof.

The reader can choose how to inhabit the place, picking between the two spaces, but also between two different walls against which to sit or rest - in each space, one wall is at a right angle, and the other is slanted. The walls in both spaces are at obtuse an-gles to one another, thus allowing for a slight shift with regard to the field of view. Albeit the two spaces - the “halves” - being con-nected, a reader’s vision is limited such that he cannot see a potential second inhabitant. This lets two readers co-inhabit the space peacefully.

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W R I T E R ’ S S T U D I OMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | spring 2010

JOURNEYING THROUGH A SERIES OF FLOATING PLANESIn an fictionary scenario, the Apley foundation offers the John P. Mar-quand Writer-in-Residence Fellowship, enabling authors to live in Bos-ton’s South End for a year and write fiction or non-fiction based on their experiences. The foundationacquired a townhouse and the small park adjacent to it, but needed a design for a writer’s studio set in a park to complement the residence. The design of the combined townhouse, park, and studio makes it easy and natural for writers to meet local people from the area informally.

Sketch model, exploring the idea of travel between panels

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The main concept consists of traveling metaphorically through different dimensions, the floating planes.The journey goes from dark to light, going from the heavy, the stone, to the hollow, the steel, beginning by being grounded to the earth in the park and then “leaping” into the air. Here, the solid stone floats in water, close to the ground, and the light metal floats in the air.(above) cross section through the halfway

point of the writer’s studio

(middle) garden plan

(far right) horizontal section taken at just above the second floor of the main building

PLANS AND SECTIONS

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PERSPECTIVE RENDERINGS

The park is situated on a street corner; there are two entrances at opposing corners that act dually as exits. The garden steps mimic planes of the walls of project addition but in a horizontal dimension, compeling the visitor or writer to physically feel his journey but having to step up or down. Alongside, through and underneath the steps and stone planes, is a stream of water. The flow of fluids is inherently a journey, and here especially, for the reason that at times it cascades down steps and at other points it simply circulates. The visitor can stop and pause at various posi-tions within the park: the stone bench and the seating on the patio.

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The arrangement of the interior planes have specific framed views, offering openness and privacy si-multaneously, from the visitor room into the living room (1), from the stairs to the living room (2) and from the stairs to the bedroom (3). Inside the writer’s addition, from the visitor room, and from certain locations on the stairs, the observer sees the water underneath, on account of the slit window, such that the entire annex appears to be floating both in the air and in the water.

Though the elevation view contains no openings and seems austere, the windows along the sides, between the junctions between the planes themselves and the house, reveal that the annex is in ac-tuality open and well-lit. Beside the reflection nook, the window is covered one-third of the way for some privacy. The skylight at the top of the annex elongates the interior atrium and further reflects the concept of floating.

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IOInside, the writer continues on his journey through the floating planes and has the freedom of will to choose to which destination he wants to pro-ceed. Intially, upon entering through the patio, there is the foyer, the “visitor room”. Stepping up onto the level of the first floor of the house, there are two directions to take: one into the liv-ing room of the house, and the other, to walk around a plane and continue up the stairs. Upon arrival at the sec-ond floor, there is the option of enter-ing the bedroom or spiraling around along the stairs, persevering up the path to the writer’s space. After turn-ing away from the bedroom, there exists a nook to the left of the stairs, for reading or reflection, with half of the wall a window for looking out and below. All these allow for meandering and a pause in the journey.

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FINAL MODEL

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Continuing, the final level is solely for the writer. The end point of the trek, the writer from his table can can look across the street, slightly diagonally downwards to readers’ space and below, to the stairs, to see where he began, and behind him, past the rear table and through the opposing window, he can overlook the travels taken through the park. On the panel side, bookshelves hang, mimicking the floating plan organization. This dichotomy between the principal table facing one way, the smaller rear table facing the opposite direction, and shelves show that there can be different “ending points” for the final destination.

Ultimately, the writer is situated to face the journey: the past, present and future.

Page 18: Architecture Studio Projects

M Y S T I Q U E C A F EMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | fall 2010

PLAN

OUTDOOR SEATING

The cafe would be rapidly produced, maximizing the time during which the cafe can garner profit. Concrete, 3/4” and 1/2” sprayed plywood, and glass are the materials used in the construction of the cafe - concrete for the foundation, glass for the windows, 1/2” plywood for the rainscreen, and 3/4” for all other compo-nents. This is an exercise in fabrication techniques: laser-cutting and 3D-printing.

MYSTIQUE cafe contains a stage for musicians, comedy groups, competitions, and open-mic nights. The inside bencher-like seat-ing increases interaction between patrons; outside seating is on a patio that is covered by an overhang. A skylight in the middle collects rainwater and then diffracts sunlight coming through. The rainscreen evokes the airy pattern of bubbles, further propogat-ing the light-water interaction.

SEATING

STAGE

KITCHEN

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interior cafe section

Section from the cafe demonstrating the way the 3/4” and 1/2” sprayed plywood would come together in rapid construction and production to assemble the interior and exterior walls, floor, foundation, and rainscreen.

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The design of this bridge spans approximately 40 feet, with discrepancies in section in addition to an oblique relationship in plan. By transforming a two-dimensional planar material into a three-dimensional spatial and structural organization I addressed the programmatic need of the ‘span.’

1 . 5 D B R I D G EMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | fall 2010

first concept unit further explorations of the curved, fluid/rigid theme

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boundary restrictions

Methodologically, I used the fold, the crease, and the bend as tech-niques for inducing the property of rigidity to otherwise pliant material. The precise and systematic manipulation of sheets (Bris-tol board as stand in for steel) was how I developed tests in three-dimensional structural patterning.

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FINAL MODEL

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Because of the inherent complex geometry in my unit, drawing and comprehending how the unit works exactly was crucial to the accurate understanding and explanation of aforementioned geometric com-plexities. Thus the act of projecting geometry and the process of constructing a structure are very closely related.

By working with the Bristol board and testing out how various curves affect its strength, stiffness, and performance, I was able to focus on one concept, that of something that would seem inherently fluid, but is actually quite rigid on account of the curved ridges coming together and pushing against one another

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top elevation

side elevation

unfolded view

folded top view

folded side view

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The developed unit gives the user the idea of fluidity and being able to take multiple paths, that is to say, one’s un-conscious reads several different methods. Blocking off the center path, however, forces the traverser to use one of the two paths beside the center one. Because these paths have a slope on each individual unit, they would slow down the traverser and make them experience the surroundings more than had they simply rushed past.

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2 . 5 D C A N O P YMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | fall 2010

The exercise called for the formulation of a prescription for an iterative drawing process, containing DNA and a developmental process. My set of instructions were then executed in succession by four studio peers. The generation developed through three exercises, initially working one-dimen-sionally, then spatially ‘thickening’ the first drawing by re-conceiving it as a relational system that can adapt to varied inputs. It finished with materiality, a structural and programmatic thickening of the systematic spatial thinking of the second exercise, with the need of physicalizing the abstract geomet-ric problem of the surface.

Initial prescription drawing

The drawing developed a concept of conglomerated rand-omized clusters, bigger in the center and petering out in size at the edges of the surface. Because the instructions were purposefully slightly ambiguous, the way in which the clusters were drawn responded to the individual decisions of its hu-man executors.

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Second exercise: spatial thickening

The flat clusters are randomized with regard to the specific angles and quanitity of the lines to create the cluster and spatial location for the verteces. It was thickened by extruding the sticks up and down in an alter-nating pattern, then connecting three verteces, creating individual triangles that in turn devise a wrapping layer around the cluster. Because the clusters can share several vertices, they ended up sharing edges via their wrapping layer, thereby creating a whole network of clusters.

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ELEVATION

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PERSPECTIVE: Looking from the back corner across the market

These cluster con-glomerations are held together by the branched sys-tem within each individual cluster. In the locations that needed a column to hold up the canopy, an interior wrapper within the clusters, generated by the innermost polygon formed in plan by the inter-secting of the lines, exist, was extended to the ground. The columns are gen-erated in a simi-lar fashion to the clusters, with steel cylindrical mem-bers criss-crossing and with the rods being partially wrapped depend-ing on the posi-tion of the column within the market. The branches are made of steel rods, whereas the wrap-ping material from a sturdy composite material.

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CANOPY ROOF PLAN

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B R A I D E D T O W E RMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | fall 2010

The geometric description of a braid abstracts the common definition, generalizing strands or hairs into paths or configurations. Where braid-ing in colloquial discourse is about the literal overlapping of flexible fib-ers, the geometric interest lies more in their sequence and the set of relationships they describe. This generalized notion is more relevant to architectural discourse, and here is taken specifically to describe paths of circulation. The small site exerts pressure on the building, forcing it into a vertical stack, in and around which several distinct paths of circulation wind: the braided tower.

In a fictional scenario, Boston University has been granted permission to build a new set of performance spaces. At the surface level, the site accommodates the entry road for a bus terminal, as well as an eleva-tor leading to the metro station underground. The theatre complex as a whole is designed to be enjoyed by everyone, but to have the various spaces denoted as distinctly private or public. with requirements for pub-lic and private circulation.

Initial sketch of circulation, program diagramming, spatial contraints

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PRIVATE PROGRAMS:- 2 Black Box Theaters: each 130 seats, 2200 sq. ft.- Thrust Stage Theater : 220 seats, 4400 sq. ft., raked- Flexible Gallery: 6000 sq. ft.- Main Lobby and Individual Theater Lobbies: 4000 sq. ft.- Storage, Restrooms, Dressing Rooms and other service spaces

PUBLIC/SHARED PROGRAMS:- Ascending series of semi-enclosed patios and park spaces: 6000 sq. ft. - Outdoor rooftop performance space: 4000 sq. ft.

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base model

massing sketch

models

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Looking from above into the gallery via its skylight Zoomed out view; Looking at the upper terraces and into the gallery via its skylight

I achieved public circulation via the T-station elevator and staircases con-necting the wrapping terraces and the private circulation via the elevator open only to those who can enter the private part of the tower and staircas-es within the gallery.

The gallery is the core of the tower, a separate atrium whose levels are in between the levels of the main tower. To access the gallery, one either de-scends or ascends half a floor from a tower level and once inside can pro-ceed via the staircases inside the levels of the gallery, similar to katwalks.

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RThe gallery is semi-dark since it is isolated and the outside cannot see inside, whereas from the gallery interior, the visitor can see out into the lobby and through the lobby windows into the streets, and up at the sky through the skylight roof. The theatres are completely dark; seating can be accessed through the gal-leries.

Axonometric view

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SITE

GROUND FLOOR

GALLERY

MAIN LOBBY

ENTRANCE

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

PUBLICITY SPACE

FIRST FLOOR

GALLERY

OPEN TO BELOWLOBBY

BLACK BOX THEATRE

AUXILARY SPACE

TERRACE

SECOND FLOOR

THEATRE

AUXILARY SPACE

LOBBY

GALLERY

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THIRD FLOOR

AUXILARY SPACE

THEATRE

LOBBY

GALLERY

OPEN TO BELOW

TERRACE

FOURTH FLOOR

GALLERY

OPEN TO BELOW

TERRACE

COVERED TERRACE PERFORMANCE SPACE

FIFTH FLOOR

OPEN TO BELOW

TERRACE

OPEN TERRACE PERFORMANCE SPACE

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PRIVATE CIRCULATIONPUBLIC CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION DIAGRAMS

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RThe lobbies are very light spaces, with the wall between the two elevators a single window. The terraces differ in light, with the uppermost level completely open to the sky, the terrace below it covered, and the smaller terraces on the lower floors getting an average amount. The building skin influences the mediation be-tween public and private through windows looking into the lobbies on first three floors.

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SECTIONS

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R E G E N E R A T I O N A S A G E O M E T R YMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | spring 2010

The project focuses on a self-assembly precedent found in nature: regenera-tion. It takes the strict procedure of regeneration and applies it to a geom-etry. Then the geometric systems are contained in an initial environment to explore the results, and thereafter the initial environment is transformed in various ways to see how the geometric systems adapt to the change.

Regeneration, a natural ability of living organisms, is a self-repair process, that of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organ-isms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage.

Further, regeneration is a developmental process that involves growth, mor-phogenesis and differentiation, comprised of 3 types:

1) replacing worn out parts,

2) repairing or renewing damaged or lost parts of the body,

3) reconstituting the whole body from a small fragment during the post-embryonic life of an organism.

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Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Plan

Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Elevation

Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Axonometric

Boundary Box 02 | Split | Plan

Boundary Box 02 | Split | Elevation

Boundary Box 02 | Split | Axonometric

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Plan

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Elevation

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Axonometric

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Plan

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Elevation

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Axonometric

REGULAR SPLIT

BEND VOID

ENVIRONMENTAL CASES

The geometric systems are placed in-side an initial environment, a regular rectangular container. Consequently, the initial environment is changed such that there is a container with a split, a bend, and a void, respectively.

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a. anterior section

WHOLE

posterior

medial

anterior

b. some units function less efficiently and release signals

c. the signals trigger

fully-functioning to

replicate

d. the signals trigger

fully-functioning to

replicate

e. the broken units exit the system

e. system is regenerated

3 TYPES OF REGENERATION

(1) Physiological RegenerationThe constant loss of parts due to wear and tear caused by daily activities and consequent replacement.

(2) Restorative RegenerationReconstitutituting the whole from a small frag-ment. Parts are able to replicate through frag-mentation, budding, or fission.

(3) Reparative RegenerationThis is the replacement of lost parts or repair of damaged parts. In this type of regeneration, the parts become activated and start to re-model the whole back to the pre-existing state. The hole is repaired or closed by the expan-sion of part units over the hole.

(3b) AutotomyWhen evading another entity, the whole de-taches an appendage to avoid capture as a de-fensive mechanism. After the appendage has been autotomized, parts move into action and the whole unit regenerates.

Note: More than one mode can operate in dif-ferent sections of the same whole. All these strategies result in the re-establishment of ap-propriate material structure and form. Further, the regenerated part may not always be similar to the part lost.

(1) Physiological R

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a. appendage breaks away and isisolated from the system; surface units close around site of removaland signal that there are missing sections

WHOLE

posterior

medial

anterior

b. anterior stemunits differentiateinto whole units

c. medial and posterior stem units transdiffer-entiate into whole units

d. newly differ-entiated interiorunits replicate

e. interior differ-entiated units be-gin to rearrange

f. medial and posterior stem units differentiateand form regen-eration buds

h. form is completed, a smaller version of initial system; interiorunits continue to replicate

i. system is regenerated

g. medial and posterior sections assume form of former whole system

a. the system loses an appendageWHOLE

posterior

medial

anterior

b. surface units heal site of removaland release signals that there is amissing section, due to the imbal-ance in stem units

c. anterior stem units differentiateand replicate; other stem units (pos-terior, medial) transdifferentiate and replicate

d. stem units migrate to the site of removal and form a regeneration bud, inside the surface layer

e. the regeneration bud develops rudiments of the lost appendage

f.the appendage is re-grown; unitscontinue to replicate

g. the regenerated appendage increases and attains the size of anormal appendage.

(2) Restorative (3) ReparativeR

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Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Elevation

Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Axonometric

Boundary Box 01 | Regular | Plan

Whole Unit | Plan

Whole Unit | Elevation

Whole Unit | Axonometric

The inner piece is the core, the stem unit of the system, while the branches are the limbs of the sys-tem that are very reactive to jolts and interactions with other systems.

INDIVIDUAL SYSTEM ENVIRONMENTS

REGULAR | The systems follow the formal rule set of regeneration precisely. Once all of the systems have been introduced, they fol-low a Brownian motion throughout the box, sometimes colliding into each other, and either breaking apart or fusing together, or colliding with the box, such that system breaks apart at the site of impact and then regenerates along the edge of the box.

SPLIT | The system responds to the split by regenerating through the split, that is, healing the rift. The branches generate uncontrollably, trying to bridge the divide, until they encoun-ters branches generating in an opposite direc-tion, at which point the units fuse together.

BEND | The bend breaks apart some units, and causes the rest of the units to tumble down. The systems sense that there is a hole and the branches of the systems closest to the bend begin to regenerate into the whole to fill up the damage. The configurations that form are long chain type structures that extend up-wards and sideways into the bend.

VOID | The void pushes some of the sys-tems out to the side and breaks apart others. The systems respond by regenerating through the void, that is, healing the rift. The branches generate uncontrollably, trying to bridge the divide, until they encounters branches gener-ating in an opposite direction, at which point the units fuse together.

REGULAR

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Boundary Box 02 | Split | Plan

Boundary Box 02 | Split | Elevation

Boundary Box 02 | Split | Axonometric

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Plan

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Elevation

Boundary Box 03 | Bend | Axonometric

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Plan

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Elevation

Boundary Box 04 | Void | Axonometric

SPLIT BEND VOID

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A R C H F A B R I C AT I O N : A P P L I E D R E G E N E R AT I O N A N D S E L F - H E A L I N GMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | spring 2010

This project focuses on creating a hybrid system from two self-assembly prec-edents and combining the hybrid system with an architectural precedent. Re-generation in organisms and self-healing polymers represented similar ideas of unit generation and generative growth, though one precedent was derived from the natural and the other from the synthetic. The hybrid system demon-strated key properties of unit generation from broken units as well as healing between units to close a void. This new hybrid system were then imposed on arch construction, which served as the architectural precedent. The self-assembly properties of the hybrid system proved advantageous with respect to solving many issues that currently surround arch construction.

In order to create a new design machine, two systems derived from their respec-tive precedents were merged based on the advantages that each system offered. Regeneration in natural systems provided a platform that allowed the reproduction of old units. Self-healing polymers inter-pret the healing process across a void as a generative one that had the potential to create new geometries.

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ARCHITECTURAL PRECEDENT | ARCHES

The arch is significant because it provides a structure which eliminates tensile stresses in spanning an open space. All the forces are resolved into com-pressive stresses. This is useful because several of the available building materials such as stone, cast iron and concrete can strongly resist compression but are very weak when tension, shear or torsional stress is ap-plied to them. By using the arch configuration, significant spans can be achieved.

ARCH CONSTRUCTION METHODS

1. Pre-Casting | Concrete arches can be pre-cast in segments and then assembled later on site.

3. Centering | Elaborate scaffolding is built below the spans to support them until they meet.

2. CLCA (concrete lapping with preerected composite arch) | Tubular steel arches, acting as falsework, are con-structed and swung into place to join at the crown of the arch; they are then pumped with concrete.

4. Cabling | Spans can be supported using cables that anchor them to the ground; this is often useful when traffic flow cannot be disturbed by construction work.

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(1) Push units through the opening in the bottom layer

Procedural Drawings

Physical Model

(2) Mound of certain height begins to form and attach to each other and to magnetic floor

(3) Push units through lowest bottom opening in side layer

(4) Once agglom-eration begins to occur, push units through middle opening in side layer

(5) Push units through top opening in side layer

(6) Keep feeding in units until arch is formed

PROCEDURE THROUGH RULESET

SYSTEM UNITS

The advantage of having five magnets for each unit was that the units could form both heli-cal structures and long chains.

Basic Unit: Tetragonal Bipyramid

++

+

+ +--

-- -

positive polarity negative polarity

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Because the connecting force be-tween units is derived from mag-netic fields, the aggregated units contain a high level of tolerance. The magnetic attraction between two units is active within a given distance; they need not be face-to-face in order to attach. Two adja-cent units are able to rotate with respect to one another, and offer opportunities for new connections to be formed when old ones are broken. An application of these properties is in relation to seismic activity. The resilience of arches against seismic activity suffers because the shifting plates may reduce the compres-sion forces that work to hold the arch together. In the proposed system, however, the tolerance be-tween units creates another pre-caution against seismic activity. Fur-thermore, should the arch break, the broken segments may reattach to existing units, and the process of regeneration - pushing new pieces into the environment - can rebuild the arch.

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L A B Y R I N T H : S P A T I A L R E G E N E R A T I O NMASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | spring 2010

A maze, in strict definition, is different from a labyrinth. This project melds the two disctinctions, such that the maze as a labyrinth is a branching path that contains several possible routes to get to the end, with hints as to which direction to follow. Thus it is both a left and right brain task that requires basic logic and intuition simultaneously. The cues that are necessary to provide this intuition take their precedent in biological regeneration. The traverser will notice that as he walks from the starting point to an end point, the pathway constantly increases in section, plan, elevation, and the amount of light coming in through the apertures. Thus, he is rushed along from an initially tight and dark space into one that is open and light. Labyrinth Maze

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REGENERATION IN SECTION

The section increases and regen-erates not only in plan, but also in section and elevation. It follows the process of reparative regeneration, treating the beginning of the section as a site of severation that then re-generates.

The section also blurs the line be-tween the wall and the roof through varying the angle between the various wall segments and the final “roof ”. The apertures also work such that the section begins very dark and ends very light, such that the travers-er would be rushed along intuitively by the increasing light.

SIDE ELEVATION

ROOF PLAN

SUSTAINED DAMAGE

SIGNALING REGENERATION BEGINS

NICHES INCREASE IN WIDTH AND HEIGHT

AA NNN

SHH

ASE

OUTLINE OF REGENERATING LABYRINTH WALLS

ADDITION OF FIRST WALL

ADDITION OF SECOND WALL/ROOF

ADDITION OF ROOF AND FLOOR

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To accomodate for the various bends and 90 de-gree angles that occur in the plan, 90 and 180 de-gree bends were intro-duced into the section.

In both the original sec-tion and the 90 and 180 degree bend, the space began constrained and dark and ended open and light.

SIDE ELEVATION

FRONT ELEVATIONROOF PLAN

SIDE ELEVATION

FRONT ELEVATION

ROOF PLAN

SIDE ELEVATION

FRONT ELEVATION

ROOF PLAN

SECTION

SECTION

SECTION

Original Original

90 degree bend

90 degree bend

180 degree bend

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The sectional model considered the beginning as the site of deletion and the consequent process of signaling and regeneration. The model increases and regenerates not only in plan, but also in section and elevation.

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16'0"22'0"29'0" 20'0"

24'0"

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14'0" 8'0"10'0"12'0"14'0"

22'0"

20'0"

36'0"16'0"

12'0" 8'0"

8'0"36'0"

23'0"

22'0"

24'0"

29'0"

31'0"

8'0"17'0"

11'0"

9'0"

12'0" 10'0"

29'0" 16'0"

10'0"

12'0"

14'0"

8'0"

13'0"

R16'0"

R14'0"

R12'0" R10'0"

R10'0"

R10'0"

R12'0"

R14'0"

R16'0"

R8'0"R10'0"

R10'0"

R4'0"R4'0"

R4'0"R10'0"

R6'0"

R14'0" R14'0"

R10'0"R16'0"

R16'0"

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R10'0"

R10'0"R10'0"

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R4'0"R4'0"R

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GENERATION OF PLAN

A plan was generated that fit the requirements of a path that would gradually increase in width, have opportunity for branching but with no dead ends, and be filleted with increasingly bigger radii as the pathway progressed.

Grid based on attractor point Generated maze as labyrinth Filleted maze as labyrinthLA

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Filleted maze as labyrinth

radii: 10ratio: 7:4

radii: 4ratio: 10:1

radii: 6ratio: 9:2

radii: 12ratio: 8:3

radii: 14ratio: 3:8

radii: 16ratio: 2:9

radii: 8ratio: 6:5

radii: 10ratio: 5:6

radii: 12ratio:4:7

point B

point C

point A

pathway 1 pathway 2

pathway 3 pathway 4

CIRCULATION

The maze as a labyrinth eliminates dead ends in two dimensions by trans-forming them into three dimensions, by going above or below through section.

There are four potential pathways through the maze as labyrinth. Be-cause the section, plan, elevation and apertures are constantly increasing in size, the traverser will always continue moving forward because his intu-ition will tell him to do so. The traverser can make decisions as to whether he should take the long-er path or shorter path. As such, the project acts both as a maze and also a labyrinth.

Map for fillet radii and wall transformations

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GENERATION

Iteration 1

Iteration 2

Iteration 3

Iteration 4

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +4 +3 +2 +1+2 +3 +4 +5

+6

-2 -3-4 -5 -4-5

-3 -2 -1 -2-3

-4 -5 -5

rise: +5 drop: -4

rise: +5

rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +5

rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +6 drop: -5 rise: +7 drop: -6 rise: +8 drop: -7 rise: +9

drop: -4 rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +5

drop: -8 rise: +10

rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +6 drop: -5 rise: +7 drop: -6 rise: +8 drop: -7 rise: +9 drop: -8 rise: +10

scale: 1.1scale: 1.1 scale: 1.2 scale: 1.3 scale: 1.4 scale: 1.5

rise: +5 drop: -4 rise: +6 drop: -5 rise: +7 drop: -6 rise: +8 drop: -7 rise: +9 drop: -8 rise: +10

scale: 1.1scale: 1.1 scale: 1.2 scale: 1.3 scale: 1.4 scale: 1.5

scale1D: 2

rise: +5 drop: -4

1:10

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8:39:210:1

WALL TRANSFORMATIONS

The wall regenerates by gradually increasing and then pausing, then increasing more. It follows the cycle of regeneration and the inherent signaling.

Wall transformation Iterations

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R14'0"R

32'0" 14'0" 16'0"15'0"

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