Cityscape

Arne Quinze's project in Brussels entitled Cityscape. again another example of the type of installation I am exploring but it does not comply with the least material for the most strength argument.

orquideorama

Fittingly, this repetitious cellular weave resonates with another organic structure: honeycomb. ... Each “flor-árbol” is composed of a steel reinforced trunk and six hexagonal petals that form an intricately latticed patio. The plants situated beneath each trunk are sustained via rainwater collected by the petals, and are protected from the elements by the translucent pine wood weave that is sourced from reforested lands." ...http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/03/27/waxing-architectural-on-columbias-orquideorama/

Examples of similar scaled structures that facilitate a link between nature and the built environment

what

Below is the design principle behind the 2002 serpentine pavilion - a box rotating numerous times intersecting to create solid and open spaces (apparently)

Algorithms in Architecture

A number of project s I am interested in also relate to my research are the water cube, munich arena, Serpentine Pavilion 2002 to name a few. The algorithms behind some of these projects are extremely complex but interesting. ....The design of this building is based on the Weaire-Phelan structure. But the story behind the design of this building goes back to 36 BC, when Marcus Terentius Varro described two competing theories for why bees have hexagonal honeycombs. The first said: because bees have six legs! The second said: efficiency! You see, a hexagonal lattice lets you divide the plane into cells of equal area with the least possible perimeter per cell. So if the bees want to save wax, that's the pattern they'll pick.

But it's worth noting that honeycomb cells are actually 3-dimensional - and the end of each cell consists of three rhombi that meet at the same angle as bubbles in soap suds!

Now, soap films minimize surface area subject to whatever constraints they encounter. So, a single bubble that holds a given amount of air will form a sphere. But soap suds with lots of bubbles do more complicated things. Take a bubble bath and pay careful attention! You'll see that three bubble faces meet along each edge, at precisely 120 degree angles. And when four bubbles meet at a vertex, they form a pattern with tetrahedral symmetry, with edges meeting at an angle of arccos(-1/3), or about 109.5 degrees.

Biomimicry2

Biomimicry

As i begin my ResearchProposalOutline I am beginning to understand the complexity of the links between architecture and nature. I think it will be necessary to really focus on one specifics. In my research I have come across some very interesting pieces of arch. and technology. They all are related to nature in some whether aesthetically similar to natural occurrences (the Mineral House, Japan), structurally or metaphorically. The huge topic of Biomimicry (basing human technology on the ideas and evolution of nature) has also arisen in my research. (see images of car, wind turbine)

Tutorial 4

Attempted to do a fly through. Used 3ds max which I am quite unfamiliar with. Then used a mixture of photoshop, autocad and rhino to create various forms using loft and sweep commands.

When Science meets Architecture, Strange things happen. The Scientist, 1988

Architecture mimicking nature, computers mimicking nature,

http://scientress.blogspot.com/2007/07/architecture-mimicking-nature-and-gaia.html
references a number of ideas that I am attempting to discuss in my advanced computing studies. Particularly in terms of structure. It refers to an arcticle in The Scientist, 'Designing Buildings, using Biology' which I will look into further.
http://www.the-scientist.com/templates/trackable/display/news.jsp?type=news&o_url=news/display/53443&id=53443

http://www.homedesignfind.com/architecture/mimicking-nature-australian-modern-leaf-house-stuns-with-its-design/ (Under-Current Architects, Sydney Studio, 2009, image 1&2&3)

Roberto the Insect Architect

Computer vs nature

tutorial3

The beginning of an animation of a very basic and abstract villa savoye

Beatroot pie

Nature and Architecture, nature as architecture, architecture copying nature and the role computers have in regards to these issues. One such example is Peter Eisenman's City of Culture of Galicia which mimics a number of natural structures particularly the undulation of the landscape.