What is parametricism?

What is parametricism?

Parametricism implies that all architectural elements and complexes are parametrically malleable. This implies a fundamental ontological shift within the basic, constituent elements of architecture. Instead of classical and modern reliance on rigid geometrical figures – rectangles, cubes, cylinders, pyramids and spheres – the new primitives of parametricism are animate geometrical entities – splines, nurbs and subdivs. These are fundamental geometrical building blocks for dynamical systems like ‘hair’, ‘cloth’, ‘blobs’ and ‘metaballs’ that react to ‘attractors’ and can be made to resonate with each other via scripts.

Parametricism aims to organise and articulate the increasing diversity and complexity of social institutions and life processes within the most advanced centre of post-Fordist network society. It aims to establish a complex variegated spatial order, using scripting to differentiate and correlate all elements and subsystems of a design. The goal is to intensify the internal interdependencies within an architectural design, as well as the external affiliations and continuities within complex, urban contexts.

The avoidance of parametricist taboos and adherence to the dogmas delivers complex order for complex social institutions.

Negative principles (taboos)

• Avoid rigid forms (lack of malleability)
• Avoid simple repetition (lack of variety)
• Avoid collage of isolated, unrelated elements (lack of order)
• Avoid rigid functional stereotypes
• Avoid segregative functional zoning

Positive principles (dogmas)

• All forms must be soft
• All systems must be differentiated (gradients) and interdependent (correlations)
• All functions are parametric activity scenarios
• All activities communicate with each other
  

The parametricist vanguard: educational institutes across the globe

UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA

UCLA’s department of architecture and urban design is the US headquarters of parametricist Greg Lynn. The inventor of ‘blob architecture’ claims to have developed a new architectural aesthetic via a fresh design sensibility, formed by rhythmic patterns created by the possibilities of infinitesimal geometric calculations. www.aud.ucla.edu

Architectural Association (AA), London

The AA’s Design Research Laboratory (DRL) was founded in 1998 by AA director Brett Steele and Patrik Schumacher (AJ 21.02.08). The DRL is ‘dedicated to exploring the possibilities of today’s highly distributed digital design networks and tools’. It’s also known as ‘Zaha boot camp’ because of its connection with the founder of parametric urbanism, Zaha Hadid, who often recruits from the DRL. www.aaschool.ac.uk/aadrl

Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC), USA

SCI-Arc is a centre of innovation established to transform technological and cultural paradigms into the practice of architecture. A selection of SCI-Arc research projects were shown earlier this year at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, during an exhibition called ‘Contemplating the Void: Interventions in the Guggenheim Museum’. Artists, architects and designers were invited to imagine the interventions they would make in Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiralling rotunda. www.sciarc.eduSerena Valietti

From; http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/the-critics/patrik-schumacher-on-parametricism-let-the-style-wars-begin/5217211.article

Analysis of China's growth

http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/publications/china_Urban_Billion/slideshow/main.asp
-this link shows the growth of China's cities to the year 2025

This is a link to a video of a quick analysis of China's growth to 2025

http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/publications/China_Urban_Billion/video/

Research

Why do we need to continue developing new methods of Agriculture?
As agriculture developed, it has transformed the human civilization from a hunter gatherer society to an agriculture society. Since then we have become universally dependent on this model of life for the last 10 thousand years. This model has allowed our civilization to flourish, expand and multiply to the billions of people living around the world today. As the world continues to grow, our methods of agriculture will continue to expand resource wise to support the estimated extra 2 billion people by 2050 , however in a world of limited resources this model cannot continue stagnant indefinitely. New methods need to be developed and advanced so that our agriculture society can continue to advance while at the same time employing ecological and sustainable methods to improve the environment.

Why Urban Farming?
With the world’s population continue to expand rapidly, people are increasingly moving more and more into urban centres where required resources are readily available (education, grocers, jobs etc.). The result is urbanisation, where it is the process to urbanise; “a) to make (esp. a predominantly rural area or country) more industrialized and urban. b) to cause the migration of an increasing proportion of (rural dwellers) into cities.” Cities will keep pushing their geographical boundaries further out into rural sectors, which in turn will force rural sectors to push into natural reserves, bringing along with it massive environmental implications. Embedding agriculture into an urban environment gives the opportunity to reduce these issues. Urbanisation results in agricultural production being removed from the lives of those that dwell within the city, when it could instead be an integral part of their lives and in the process promoting ecological and sustainable practices.

Stuff from last meeting 28/04/2010

1.Introduction
2.Site analysis
a.Diagrams of site in 3D
3.Vertical farming
a.How do you do vertical farming
i.What can you grow
ii.How high can you grow
iii.How much can you grow
iv.How can it be operated
v.Who runs it
4.Precedence/ how
5.Program, size
a.Combination of farm and park, shopping, retail
b.Research into farming
c.Research into park
i.History
ii.Theory
iii.Precedence of park
1.Rem koolhaus
2.Climate
3.Chinese ideas of parks
d.Diagrams of time
i.How people use time in Guangzhou
6.China and architectural thoughts
a.Great leap forward – rem koolhaus
b.The site is all of the pearl river/ china. The site is a typical consequence of the Chinese condition
7.Quotes
8.Para metrics as a solution
9.The urban condition
5. Program, Size
a.The scale of the project will emcompass the south eastern side of honam island in guangzhou. Approximate size of the area will be around the south eastern side...i.e. 1km x 1km.
Farming
Community center
Park land
Sustainability
River
Air
Climate
Shopping district
Theatre
Etc.

Eco idea diagrams + Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park Wetland

The first diagram identifies the river as being the main element in the system, where by using tidal power turbines, energy can then be generated into the community/back into the local grids.

The other issue of water pollution can be addressed by developing a middle scale wetland which then provides water of usable standards for agriculture and back into the community.

Where then water run off can then be filtered cleaner back into the Pearl River which will benefit those further along the stream.

Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park Wetland - PDF

http://rapidshare.com/files/367962600/
Shanghai_Chemical_Industrial_Park.pdf.html

Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park Wetland consist of separate parts of the wetland which seperates the different stages of Waste water treatment. As the water would undergo a length process of Natural Decontamination. Which flows through a direct set water route.

Choosing a Site

After Tuesday meeting, I have been making some diagrams which I believe they will sort me out for choosing a site. (It's not finished yet)

As we talked about my Library could "Break down and Place it everywhere", I tried to see

where is the most busiest place in the city. Because I believe my Library should be easy to be reached by public users. (As it is for public benefit!)

So in the diagram, I firstly found the transportations on the map and point them with red color, and secondly draw flow lines with black to see whereabout has strong public-flow in the city.

And I'm finding a right place for a library near those points and flows, and coloring them with

blue. One of the site I'm thinking right now is on High Street.

I will update as soon as possible with more diagrams and photos of site.

Tidal Turbine Technology

Using Tidal Turbine technology to produce power which can generate energy to supply for a building or housing block. ??

Video of the OpenHydro in Action below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8jnwG4XNM8

Have to look into the level for Pearl River flow to allow for this kind of energy production.
I have a vision of beening able to address 3 issues in one concept.

1. Power generation
2. Water Pollution
3. Water Overflooding

Even if i can create a stragety to address these issues on a small scale, it can some how be benefitical to the community in a larger scale.

I have also attached a rapidshare link that contains everything i have on the site in Guangzhou. This is just one of the possible sites that i will look into.

http://rapidshare.com/files/367371158/Guangzhou_Haizhu_site.ZIP.html

Thesis Ideas

There are three ideas of which that i am putting in consideration, for my design thesis.
I will describe them in brief and also list the Conditions that are against them

1. The Pearl River itself has been poluted due the intense and rapid growth in industrial production in the pass 30 - 40 years. I could some how address this factor with an architectural design solution.

• Con: The scale of this would intense and also it would be more technical/enginnering rather than something architectural, as the standard solution that research points to would be some kind of wastewater or sewerge treatment plant. It would also be unlikely to be located in the Guangzhou Centres, more likely in the more Rural Areas.

2. The Pearl River is pone to flood maybe once or two a year. Possiblity lead to death and disturbance to the City. An architectural Solution could be designing a Flood Barrier, similar to the Themes Barrier in London.

• Con: After speaking to my uncle who is from Guangzhou, it seems the scale of the floods are not as devestiating as one would imagine. He says, they might occur once or twice and quite managable and would normally have alot of warning. Also this could develop towards a more enginnering based Design rather than Architectural.
  

3. The Pearl River Delta Region consist of all cities which run from Hong Kong to Guangzhou back down to Macau.

• Yet however, Hong Kong was governed by British till 1997 and now independantly governed and Macau was governed by Portugal till 1999 and now is independant as well.
• These cities are in close proximity to each other, as well as sharing the same language, culture and have similar lifestyles.
• However for many years, Hong Kong has been the leader in economic growth in the region, due to it's western connections. Thus leaving Guangzhou (Guangdong province) behind as the industrial workhorse that supplied for Hong Kong.
  
• It is only in recent 30 years or so, that Guangzhou (Guangdong province) started to fourish in rapid economic growth, meeting if not exceeding Hong Kong.
  
• Mayority of families in Hong Kong came from Guangdong in search for economic wealth, as many still have connections to Guangdong

My architectural design would be based upon the union of the cities of the Pearl River Delta. Minely addressing Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou. Site would be based in Guangzhou cities central, somewhere accessible in the city. I am intending it to be a building/space which would provide a sense of union for the Pearl River Delta inhabitants. Function TBA but could be

• Food
  
• Retail/Commerce from direct regions
  
• Place to learn history
• Cultural entertainment
  
• Recreation
  
• Accommdation?
  
• A centre to address conflicts within region

CON: It would some what force me to design something that is Iconic as the driving factors are some what Iconic. Would also not deal with environment issues like the other two topics.

I am some what edging towards No 3. Will be doing more research and then dicuss at meeting next week.

The 3rd and the 7th

This is possibly one of the best 3d video ever made of architecture. It is produced by CGI animator Alex Roman. He took a year off work to create this. If you guys haven't seen it yet, then you must. Make sure to full screen and turn up the volume to appreciate this properly.

The Third & The Seventh from Alex Roman on Vimeo.

First post test

Test :)