thesis slide presentation

Conscious innovation Competition announcement Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition: A Parametric Analysis

Comparison

Comparison list

General cases

Finalists cases

The questionnaire

3D Software

3D Parametric

Creative profiles

Contents

Undergraduate thesis Politecnico di Milano A.Y. 14-15 Superintendent Professor Ingrid Paoletti Students: Alessio Grancini, Elia Iulita

The use of parametric software in the competition of the Guggenheim museum in Helsinki 2014



Conscious Innovation 01

The design artifact does not materialize until the fourth step, therefore a generative system is considered as a production system rather a representational construct. Moreover, the generative role of new digital techniques is accomplished through the designer’s simultaneous interpretation and manipulation of a computational construct. The capacity of digital, computational architectures to generate “new” designs is, therefore, highly dependent on the designer’s perceptual and cognitive abilities, as continuous, dynamic processes ground the emergent form Architecture in the digital age, Branko Kolarevic, Spon Press 2003



02 Competition announcement

STAGE ONE Cityscape to demonstrate that the proposal is compatible with the quality, the value and the significance of the historical urban structure at Etelasatama. Concept Design to demonstrate that the architecture, immediate external space, exterior, and interior spaces are of the highest quality, expressing the goals of the program and responding to the site Sustainability/Feasibility to demonstrate a response to the environmental priorities of the program, the lifecycle and the responsible use of materials; and also to demonstrate it is suited to the site climatic conditions, is practical within time and budget, and resolves the given site constraints with respect to road access and port operations.

STAGE TWO Approach concept design and view from public square. Master plan and public space/landscape solution (master plana t 1:200 scale and site plan st 1:500 scale), incuding traffic access and port interface. The design key drawings: plans, sections and elevations [1:200 scale]. To show circulation, program and key functional spaces. Architectural quality illustrated from four set external viewpoints and internal



03 Evaluation criteria looking at renders

VERY GOOD GOOD POOR

VERY POOR

The image is not clear and it does not show the design process. The arrangement of spaces is not comprehensible and it is hard to read the design materials. The choice of the points of view is meaningless and the scene lighting is unreal.

The image can be interpreted easily. It shows a possible picture of the building interiors or exteriors. Lighting is simple and it is related to shadows. The materials representation lacks control over basic parameters (reflection, refraction, transparency).

The image is clear and points out several building features. From the picture we can infer the surrounding space beyond the shown image. LighMng is totally related to the environment and there is a good affinity between outdoor and indoor spaces

The representaMon clearly raises the design quality. The material is properly shown and is in perfect relaMon with the structure. The image composiMon involves a large quanMty of elements that enrich the space. It is possible to completely understand the volumes’ placement even out of the picture. Some visual effects are added to make the project more appealing.



04 Guggenheim Helsinki Design CompeMMon: A Parametric Analysis [STEP 1]



Comparison 05

EvaluaMon shi[

VERY GOOD GOOD POOR

VERY POOR

The project is not well represented and there are many lack of information from a structural and aesthetic point of view. There are no relations between concept and development of the project. Parametric approach in all the likelihood is avoided voluntarily.

The project can be interpreted easily but there are some structural lacks. Shapes seems to be created without any strong reason and there is a remote possibility of the use of parametric components. Aesthetic components seems to be more important than structural one.

The project is pre\y well represented through all the boards. There’s a principle of complementarity between renders and real drawings. A parametric approach is indifferent but at least there’s a weak relaMon between concept and final project. The project includes some jury direcMons.

The project is clearly represented through all the boards. The structure is coherent with the iniMal concept. AestheMc components are represented properly and not making them the main part. The project involves all the direcMon given by the jury through the most plausible parametric approach. There are some clearances improving the structural project quality.



06 Comparison sample

PHASE ONE PHASE TWO

ConstrucMon and environmental sustainability is achieved through a careful use of materials, considered in their whole lifecycle but, above all, it is inherent in the morphology of the building itself: the inner promenade is a flexible space, a buffer zone open to passively create environmental comfort for visitors and workers all over the year. There are essenMal benefits from the range of temperatures at different heights (levels). Thanks to the atrium “stack effect”, the temperature is ho\er on the height floors where permanent acMviMes are se\led



07 Finalists

Moring points are useful during the creaMve phase and give us the right sensaMon of proporMon between framentaMon and heights of the building. Probably in this project has not been used a parametric component in the realizaMon of the model. In all the likelihood we are looking at simple extrusion procedures and manual creaMon of oblique surfaces. Nonetheless the first model of the project seems to be simpler, being aware of the process behind it that is not probably parametric we can state that in building procedures paradoxically is easier to compose the second example case of mooring points. This previous assertaMon is based to the fact that in a parametric process shapes remains alterable unMl the end in every geometrical property.

APPROACH TWO APPROACH ONE



08 Guggenheim Helsinki Design CompeMMon: A Parametric Analysis [STEP 2]



The questionnaire 09

3D Software 3D Parametric Software

EffecMve uMlizaMon Typology Purpose

Comparisons Influence in shape

Quality

EffecMve uMlizaMon Contest Reason

Influences Operators Comments



10 3D So[ware [%]

What is the main purpose of advanced tool utilization ? According to you, a 3D modeling approach can match the level of knowledge of a project developed with a traditional architectural process based on 2D design and moquettes ? According to you, how much a 3D modeling approach can influence preliminary composition phase ?

73,7 73,7 26,3 47,4 10,5

31,6 68,4

52,6 42,1 5,3

a structural optimization an aestheMc element get building informaMon f rom the model

visualize ideas and make a choice to pursue a design process

make a realisMc representaMon that could make more plausible some soluMons of the project

no yes

low high on average



11 3D Parametric so[ware [%]

Have you used during the planning phase a 3D plug-in parametric software ? If you used it, why you have decided to use a parametric approach ? If you have designed parametric component in your project, how much do you believe it has affected the concept phase of the project ?

78,9 21,1

yes

57,1 57,1 28,6

a structural element An aestheMc element Get building informaMon from the model

to get a complex shape easily

14,3

high low on average

28,6

no

To control completely the model

28,6 57,1

57,1



12 CreaMve profiles

PROFILE A PROFILE B PROFILE C Have you used during the planning phase a 3D plug-in parametric software ?

yes

yes

no

In that case which kind of software or plug-in it has been used ?

Grasshopper Grasshopper

Revit

If you used it, why you have decided to use a parametric approach

a structural element, an aesthetic element, to control completely the model, to get a complex shape easily

an aesthetic element, to get a complex shape easily

get building information from the model, to control completely the model

If you have designed parametric component in your project, how much do you believe it has affected the concept phase of the project ?

on average low

low

In your design office how many people are able to use 3D parametric software ?

two people

two people

three people

If anyone in your design office is able to use these kind of tools, who is the person you rely on ?

every time we adopt a different method according to the situation

every time we adopt a different method according to the situation

we prefer appoint the development of the activity keeping out every kind of collaboration

Do you see in the next future the possibility to invest in a large part in advanced tools

yes, we are increasing the utilisation of advanced tool in order to improve our knowledge



Personal opinion We have used Grasshopper from the early phase of design. And it was very useful to set up different design approach.

During the primary phase Grasshopper is a good tool that make us go toward unknown direction. It’s a new tool and we need experience and external references.

I think that parametric software are very useful when it is used to represent an idea from a drawing, model or any type of physical studies. It's not our goal to use the parametric to create a very complex form, on the contrary parametric must be used to decomplexity the shape and simplify it's way to built. In this competition the risk is to create a parametric shape just for it's aesthetic, especially when it's a program where the form can take an enormous place in the design.



13 Guggenheim Helsinki Design CompeMMon: A Parametric Analysis (epilogue)

PARAMETRIC

Be aware of technologies purposes before to perceive the shape

A strong research that connects shapes, material and purposes

Create a technological component able to bring an innovation

Traditional methods worth like alternative ones

Collaboration is a value added to our analysis

Solutions are infinites

thesis slide presentation

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