Final Project

ARCH689-Project 2

Austin Music Center

Spring 2014

Mark Liang

Background

For project 2, I modeled the skin for my final study. The topic of my project is a electronic music center. This is the image of my project before, now the facade looks a little bit boring. I want to make it relate to both the program and context, so I decide to redesign the facade of my building. The analysis was conducted through grasshopper and Ecotect, which provided data used to determine the size and locations of the openings on my facade.

Ecotect Analysis

To prepare for Ecotect analysis, I created the basic shape of my building in my building. Then I converted it into mesh in grasshopper.

Then I imported the mesh into Ecotect where the insulation analysis was conducted. The yellow areas are where heat loss is minimal and blue is where heat loss is greatest. The more subdivisions I created, the more accurate the data.

Forming the Panels

I pick up one surface from my project and did a research based on this surface. I divided the mesh into a grid. This grid can be controlled in both the vertical and horizontal directions. These divisions come from the first phase.

Then, I created the paneling by multiplying the points on the grid and generating a list of random numbers that would select what would be solid/void.

The selection is based on a percentage that is controlled with the slider.

I’m trying to do one more step .I want to divide these numbers into two groups based on the heat loss. The area where the heat loss is small will be void, the area where the heat loss is large will be solid. However, the problem is all numbers are the same. if it works, this step should replace this process. 

Using grasshopper, the thickness of the panels can also be adjusted.

Parametric Modeling in Architecture

ARCH689 Project 1-Mark Liang

The Louvre, Abu Dhabi

Architect Ateliers: Jean Nouvel

Client: TDIC

Design engineer: Buro Happold

Project manager: AECOM

Location: Saadiyat Island, UAE

Completion date: 2015

Video:

Description:

The Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, designed by Jean Nouvel, aims at creating a welcoming world which associates lights and shadows in a peaceful atmosphere.  Its objective is to belong to its country, to its history, to its geography.  Its key way of achieving this was through the roof’s unique fractal perforated pattern.

Each of the cladding layers, including the structure, is based on a simple base pattern combined to

create the final effect.

After analysis, it is clear that all the fascinating effect coming from the overlapping of several different layers with the same pattern. The only difference between these layers is the rotation of these patterns that makes the effect of interception.

Process:

The process of creating the dome starts from a mesh. Weaverbird is used to abstract each edges of the mesh. Then I concert these lines into springs and make the mesh be fed to a kangaroo definition.

The naked vertices here is to separate the points into two parts, the first one is called naked points, which are connected to the anchor points in kangaroo, the second one is clothed points, which is connected to the force point

By giving kangaroo a U-Force node in the positive Z direction. 

The mesh takes the shame of a dome.

In order to manipulate the dome, the dome has to change from mesh to surface, the first step is to extract the longest curve line from the mesh dome. 

The second step is to move it to both sides of the dome to loft a surface.

Since the perforated pattern comes from several layers overlapping and rotation. So the surface will be copied and rotated.

The last job is to attach the pattern on these surfaces. There are three steps, one is surface box that divides the surface into boxes. 

Second step is make the basic pattern from 2-D to 3-D. 

The last one is morph that attachs the pattern into surface boxes.

The last step is to trim the surface edge to make it the same as the original dome. Use the solid difference battery to get this job done.

Add inner buildings within the dome.

Rendering

Final Project

Project 2: API Programming

In my final project, I failed in changing the color of curtain panels. So, I tried to find out the problem. This video is about how this problem be solved. Thank you for watching!

1. Project: Utrecht University Library
    Architect: Wiel Arets Architects

       I develop my final project based on the first project, since the major element of my first           project is the curtain panel system. So in the second project, I focus on the appearance of  curtain panels by using API programming.

2. At the beginning, I made some changes on two parameters of the component, length and materials. These two parameters will be used in the code. So it’s important to remember them.

3. Next, I upload this component into family file and combined it with my mass model.

4. Then I upload it into project.

5. Then I need to work on the code in visual studio. First, I got the family ID in project file. And replace this number with my project family ID.

6. Next, we need to edit the project in family . I selected all instances in entire project, get ID. 

7. I defined the random thickness from 1~3.

8.I changed the words in these two brackets to make sure they are the same as my parameters of the component.

9. Finally, load the curtain panel .dll into project file and run curtain panel pattern command.

10. However, as is shown is the picture, it cannot work. I checked every process from the small component to the project, also the code, but still can’t find the reason. At last, I do it again based on basic massing model.

11. At last, I do it again based on basic massing model.

12. Result

Parametric Modeling Diagram -Project 1

Project 1: Parametric Modeling

1. Introduction

Project: Utrecht University Library

Architect: Wiel Arets Architects

Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands

The library was intended to be a place where people could work in a concentrated manner, to also become the intellectual social center for the suburban university campus, where students and others can come to study and meet at all times of the day.

2. Parametric Mass Modeling

The simple rectangular massing of the library stands in stark contrast to the rich, plastic spatial complexity of the interior spaces.

To get the accurate information about dimension of my project, I first downloaded a 3D model from google earth. Then I created a new mass model based on that model. 

3. Creating Parametric Facade

Although the basic shape of my project is really simple, the facade of this project is really complicated. Basically, the facade is covered by a repeated texture, printed on the glass and carved in relief on the black concrete panels. The following pictures show the process of how a component develop from zero to what it is.

Because there are two kinds of material on this project, so I need to create another rectangular component and a glass panel on it.

4. Develop Project In Family File

I applied the facade pattern to the mass model, modified the density and size respectively to get a best form.

5. Upload It Into Project File

After loading my project from family file into project file, there are no floors in this building. I copied level reference lines in one elevation and created each floors by using these lines.

6. Add Some Details

Some details are represented. Like some circle holes on the wall, some trees and lawn.

7. Renderings