Helium bridge

The helium balloons lift the footbridge in England

What a nice graphic on plane

<br /> Finair has invited Marimekko to furnish their fleet with signature flora prints.<br /> <br /> The finnish design company creates the table set and other textile fabric in two A340 aircrafts. A new flight experience is introduced. Other than the blue, red, white grey, green tones, a more relaxing environment can be created by this simple and well-known pattern. Patterns or graphics are so powerful that it can change our perception towards space. Its like a palette with mixture of colors, making this "cold" industry into a home like place. I believe Buildings behave in the same way too. Signage, furniture, wall paint can enhance the spatial effects more vigorous. Most people put them into sideways until the very last stage. Why can't incorporate them into the building design as well?<br />

Formation

Density of the air activities keeps increasing. Separation between two planes not only for a reason of safety, but can make use of it to be a formation flying to save fuel. Airbus claims that the new approach on flying and the whole idea is to make a more sustainable aero environment. It is no doubt that we will spend more and more time and cost in the aviation world. Spacial and environmental may dominate the whole industry. People would pay equal attention to these two aspects as to the technical performance of the aircraft. Glass fuselage, double deck, open plan, golf, bar etc., the ground atmosphere are being elevated upto 30,000 ft. It's like a second "home" to us and the only difference is - it is a shorter journey compared to our daily life on ground. This shorter journey always brings hope, happiness, excitement for us to escape from the reality. images: from www.airbus.com

lego man in space

material (1)1200g weather ballon, (8)5m-long ropes, (1)styrofoam box, (2)point-and-shoot camera, (2)video camera, (1)mobile phone with downloaded GPS apps, (3)hand-warmer, (931 cu. ft.)helium from party supply store, duct type duration 4.5months + 97minutes site MSL to 80,000feet crew (1)2-inch lego man + (2)stunning high-school boys Reference: http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1122894 http://space.1337arts.com/guide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQwLmGR6bPA

Lunar

The power of the Universe always reminds me that no matter how big the problem is, it's just a tiny spot in the Universe. Don't let them upset you. Don't think too big of yourself too, Architect!

My little thought

I was very happy with my final thesis and proud to get through the whole process with my true heart, not in the quality or quantity way in terms of design. I was just doing something I really want to do. Thanks for everyone for your generous help. top: Air Craft 2011 - a composite building with local market, office, library and sports centre middle: Inflatable device 2010 - plastic bottle, balloon, plastic tube, cement glue, air pump bottom: Air Painting 2010 - charcoal, A1 acidic paper, hairdryer, fixer

possible internal layout 1

Little history about architecture: (According to Philippe Rahm on symmetry and asymmetry/ visible and invisible) FROM: Formal Symmetry -> internal environmental Symmetry TO: Formal Asymmetry -> internal environmental Symmetry NEXT: Formal Asymmetry -> internal environmental Asymmetry?? “Modernity led to uniform, consistent spaces in which the temperature is regulated around 21 oC/ 70 F. The aim here is to restore diversity to the relation that the body maintains with space and it temperature, to allow seasonal movement within the house, migrations from downstairs to upstairs, from cold to warm, winter to summer, dressed to undressed.” Philippe Rahm, Climatic Constructions The performative panel may alter the internal layouts and programs of a building. It does not mean to be the façade of the building only, but may also be the interior partitions to define spaces. Diagrams above: Interior Gulf Stream, Research site/ housing and studio for Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, countryside near Paris, 2008 Reference: _ Philippe Rahm, Harvard Design Magazine No.30 Spring/ Summer 2009, P.32-41, Climatic Constructions: Thermal asymmetry in architecture _ http://www.philipperahm.com/data

connection

How do panels connect to each other? The biggest question I’m asking to myself. Does connection mean to be continuous? Or it can separately perform their duties? By looking into Erwin Hauer’s work, he used the casting technique to create a modular-based architectural screen wall, which was designed to be perforated and light diffusing. The overall geometry of the module allows the continuous articulation to form a systematic wall. This suggests the connection system is a part of the whole design object. It is part of the design, not an additional component. Photo above: Continua series, Erwin Hauer, developed in 1950 Reference: _ http://www.erwinhauer.com

[1] Performance

Further investigation on the effect produced by aggregating the panels… Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

[1] Performance

The most effective to make use of surrounding wind depends on the articulation of panels. I’m now using 2m panels with different configurations: No. of panel = 1/ 2 Angle of panel = 0/ 30 No. of hole = 1/ 2 Wind direction = S/ SW/ SE Three kinds of performance can be achieved in this experiment: 1 To absorb air: Let air go through the panel 2 To deflect air: Block air from penetrating through the panel or alter it from the original direction 3 To extract air: Suck air out from the interior Although simple and few panel is used, the effect of these panels is amazing and satisfies those performance based on the characteristics of air. Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

[2] Formal strategy

1st row: curvature (convex/ concave); analyzed plane: 0m above ground 2nd row: curvature (convex/ concave); analyzed plane: 1m above ground 3rd row: size of panel (4m/2m/1m); analyzed plane: 1m above ground 4th row: profile variation; analyzed plane: 1m above ground 5th row: panel articulation; analyzed plane: 0m above ground 6th row: panel articulation; analyzed plane: 1m above ground It is interesting that when the panel starts to articulate, the air condition is going to be more complicated and differentiated. Effectiveness on the change of wind direction and speed: Most effective: articulation of panel Medium effective: angle or curvature of the panel Least effective: geometry/ profile of panel Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

My project - performative panel

Finally, I start to understand what I’m doing on my project - a performative panel - that affects the air quality of the surroundings e.g. the interior of a room. The panel may not just a building skin but also a building layout with different combinations of this panel. To summarize the objective of this performative panel: [1] Performance - Deflection of air - Absorption of air - Extraction of air [2] Formal strategy - Dimension - Angle - Curvature - Profile [3] Environment parameter - Wind speed - Orientation of wind - Temperature [4] Adaptation of panel - Deformation [5] Articulation of panel - Connections Sketch above: Note from Prof. Tom Verebes on our sixth meeting

wind catcher

BĀDGĪR (wind-tower), literally “wind catcher,” a traditional structure used for passive air-conditioning of buildings. Wind catchers are found throughout the Middle East, from Pakistan to North Africa. Wind catchers here are brick towers which generally rise from between 30 cm to 5 m above the roof. ind catchers have vents at the top in one, two, or up to 8 sides and these vents were decorated in brick, mud plaster or ornately carved lime plaster. The most common use of wind catchers is to cool and ventilate summer living rooms on the ground and basement floors of houses; air trapped in the vents of the tower is cooled as it descends and in turn cools the occupants of the rooms below by convection and evaporation. When there is little or no wind, air rises up the tower, the walls of which are heated by the sun, so drawing cool humid air from the courtyard and basement through the summer rooms. Reference: _ http://www.ullesthorpewindmill.org.uk/index.php?act=viewDoc&docId=7 _ http://www.iranica.com/articles/badgir-traditional-structure-for-passive-air-conditioning

air condition

I am trying to find a meaning for the invention of my air envelope of building. What may be interesting is the air quality we concerned mainly for our living interior rather than the exterior public realm. This develops a contrasting relationship between outside and inside: cool, dry, fresh inside an air-conditioned building vs hot, humid, polluted street Building creates an isolated shell for itself and controls the outdoor air quality. Illustration above: Michael Wolf- architecture of density 2006 (edited) Reference: _ http://www.photomichaelwolf.com/hongkongarchitecture

civilized campfire

Open plan office is similar to the campfire: the central core as a focusing generative object. Space is virtually defined by furniture layout, window orientation etc. Reference: _ Christopher Hight, Michael Hensel and Achim Menges, Space Reader: Heterogeneous Space in Architecture, 2009, p.159-171. Christopher Hight, Putting Out the Fire with Gasoline.

campfire

power-operated solution: space is defined by the vague boundary. "The output of heat and light from a campfire is effectively zoned in concentric rings, brightness and hottest close to fire, coolest and darkest away form it, so that sleeping is an outer ring activity, and pursuits requiring vision belong to the inner rings. But at the same time, the distribution of heat is biased by the wind, and the trail of smoke renders the downwind side of the fire unappetizing, so that the concentric zoning is interrupted by other considerations of comfort or need." Reference: _ Christopher Hight, Michael Hensel and Achim Menges, Space Reader: Heterogeneous Space in Architecture, 2009, p.151. Reyner Banham, Environmental Management.

Umwelt

“The island of the senses, that wraps every man like a garment, we call his Umwelt. Objects, equipped with all the possible sensory characteristics, always remain products of the human subject, they are not things that have an existence independent of the subject. They become ‘things’ in front of us only when they have become covered by all the sensory envelopes that the island of the senses can give them.” This reminds me the over-reliance on the optical effect in architecture. Critics about lightness, transparency etc. challenges on the common perceptions of space: Lightness = something looks lightweight Transparency = something looks invisible How about the deployment of other senses we almost forget? sound/ aroma/ temperature or wind or humidity / flavor, they may be not the most sensitive elements but they are not insignificant. Reference: _ Christopher Hight, Michael Hensel and Achim Menges, Space Reader: Heterogeneous Space in Architecture, 2009, p.145-148. Jakob von Uexkull, An Introduction to Umwelt, 1936

selectively permeable membrane

Architectural surface acts like a membrane. It controls all the movement of objects passively and actively. The control system has 3 modes: - deflect - absorb - extract The envelope of a building can deflect air like what airplane or car design does. It also absorbs air for better interior ventilation. It extracts air or sucks out air from the interior to outside for particular functions. Similar to cell membrane, Substances need to pass through the membrane to enter or leave the cell and they do so in a number of ways. Some of these processes require no energy i.e. they are passive, while others require energy - they are active, while others require energy i.e. they are active. Passive processes include: a) diffusion and b) osmosis, while active processes include: c) active transport, d) phagocytosis, e) pinocytosis and f) exocytosis. Illustration above: a semi permeable cell membrane which controls which substances pass through it. Reference: _ http://en.labs.wikimedia.org/wiki/Anatomy_and_Physiology_of_Animals/The_Cell

massing

wind speed 5 m/s wind direction from south first row: different ratios of street to building height second row: different configurations of massing Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

porosity

wind speed 5 m/s wind direction from south first row: different densities of hole second row: different sizes of hole Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

curvature

wind speed 5 m/s wind direction from west Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

air feel

Air always stimulates our senses through changes in temperature and generation of wind. The thermal comfort of human is highly related to the environmental factors, e.g. the amount of sunlight, windy condition etc. Our behavior is thus affected by these factors. If architecture is the thing that most influential to human life, it will be the tool to perform these air qualities… Reference: _ Booklet on Wind engineering in urban aerodynamics _ http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irc/cbd/building-digest-174.html

air field

Testing with abstract geometry produces interesting air quality. The length of vector is proportional with the velocity of the airflow. The shape indicates the orientation of the wind. Wind direction: from south Wind speed: 5 m/s testing geometry: panel (20m wide x 5m high) with 2 holes (radius 2.5m) The design of the testing geometry highly determines the air quality nearby. Like the design of the airfoil, the curvature shape is formed in order to achieve the performance of lifting the plane. The relationship between the form and function is the fundamental element in aerodynamics. However, what might be interesting is how to interpret this relationship to get an interesting result rather than a problem-solving equation; What kind of performance might be used in the architectural sense but not in the engineering point of view? Reference: _ software used: Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, Autodesk Ecotect

case study 4 [CITY]

thermal inversion normal pattern pollutants escape into the stmosphere when warm air rises thermal inversion a layer of warm air overlies and traps pollutants in cool air below urban aerodynamics street orientation - enhance summer breeze penetration - provide shelter from chilling winter winds dispersion of airborne pollutants mitigation of high speed wind gusts - pedestrian level near highrise mitigation of wind damage - tornado in high latitude - hurricane in low latitude urban energy form wind turbines airborne distribution of toxic materials Reference: _ http://www.partnersinair.org/en/images/curr_unit1b_bkgd1_figure110.jpg _ http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/gctext/Inquiries/Inquiries_by_Unit/Unit_9.htm _ http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irc/cbd/building-digest-174.html _ Booklet on Wind engineering in urban aerodynamics

case study 3 [BUILDING]

air movement generated by - pressure difference - temperature airflow pattern affected by - building geometry - building orientation - airspeed (minor factor) Reference: _ Principle of Buildings

case study 2 [AUTOMOBILE]

Reference: _ http://jimsgarage.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/aerodynamics-downforce-ground-effects/

case study 1 [AIRFOIL]

low speed: glider deep camber - thin wing section > more lift > low speed subsonic: general aviation - deep camber/ camber rearward - thick wing section > better structure and lower weight > good stall characteristics > more lift over greater area > less drag subsonic: civil aircraft(B747) - cambered top and bottom - symmetrical wing section > less lift > more drag > little movement of centre of pressure > good stability supersonic: military fighter jet - low camber - thin wing section > less drag > high speed High aspect ratio wings have long thin wings, while low aspect ratio wings have shorter thick wings. An example of an aircraft with a higher aspect ratio is a glider, while most fighter jets have low aspect ratios. A higher aspect ratio has a greater lift to drag ratio, which makes it well suited for gliders. Since fighter jet s travel at high speeds, reducing drag is an important part of their design. Aspect ratio: 7-8 civil jet; 2-3 fighter jet Reference: _ http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Dictionary/wing_types/DI98.htm _ http://history.nasa.gov/SP-468/ch10-4.htm

form follows flow

> input = 1:10 wing model + wind > analysis process = CFD + wind tunnel test > outcome = formal envelope + wing structure > performance = production of lift + reduction of drag air particle becomes the index of the shape... Is that called form follows function, still?

literal but not simple

Why do architects always make things complicated? They talk with difficult words; they explain their buildings in a complex way; they write with unusual vocabulary; they label other non-architectural species as “laymen”; they think that they are superior; they are self obsessed… However, buildings are used by us – the general public – the laymen they named. The strongest idea is the simplest. Photo above: Silent Protest by the students from PolyU

no sense no space

Space, in fact, is an abstract word. It stimulates our immanent feeling while experiencing it. We actually cannot see or touch the so-called space, the emptiness, except we hit its boundary. However, we can “feel” it: We can see – air combines with others to alter visibility, e.g. smoke, light We can touch – temperature changes or air starts to move to stimulate our skin We can hear – air as medium for sound wave We can smell – air as medium for odor Spatial quality = air quality Photo above: 30 lux exhibition 2011,photographer: Virgile Simon Bertrand Reference: _ Mirko Zardini, sense of the city: an alternate approach to urbanism, 2005

Foam/ soup bubble

"They are completely defined by the motif of no isolation which is to say the foam cell shares with its neighbor the fact that it is separate from it- my walls are your walls." Peter Sloterdijk, Sphere Theory, 2009 The sphere theory is quite striking to me that it sets up the fundamental question of parametric design: what is the spatial quality of the form generated by the digital data? In the field of parametric design, most of data collected will be quantified for the digital analysis; even data includes cultural values and collective memories. Thus many critics challenge on the spatial outcome that is generated by these generic codes. It seems to me that theoretically, the parametric design is truly reflected by the surrounding factors, but those projects focus on the formal strategies and different programmatic approaches with a large empty space… If architect is a spatial sculptor, where’s the design then? I think it should not be just the concerning of the internal spatial quality but the exterior space as well, like the foam. The whole universe is the foam, which every bubble is connected to each other with sharing walls. That’s the reason for the parametric design to concentrate on the relationship between exterior and interior rather than creating a spectacular internal space. They are focusing on the “wall” but not the “empty hole”. Photo above: the topology and dimension of foams are volatile throughout their formation, however their specific formal characteristics, generated through the negotiation of pressure and minimization of energy persists. Photo by Roland Snooks. Reference: _ Peter Sloterdijk, Harvard Design Magazine No. 30, spring/ summer 2009 _ Jonathan D. Solomon, Emily Abruzzo, Eric Ellingsen, Model: 306090 books vol.11

i love wind tunnel

What amazing to me is that the reliability of wind tunnel makes it successful in many industries, e.g. aerospace, car design, urban planning, sports suit design... In fact, it is just using a relatively “low-tech” approach in a careful way to produce accurate data. The wind tunnel composed a fan for generating airflow, a test model placed in a fixed area with several instruments to measure the airflow. Of course, there are still many components to make the wind tunnel works. How to visualize the airflow: 1) By smoke blowing over the model to visualize streamline 2) By attaching tuft onto the model to visualize air patterns by their movements 3) By placing color oil or fine powder to show turbulence and flow separation 4) By strobe light with high speed camera to capture turbulence and vortices Picture above: showing tufts attached to a tested aircraft wing: - direction of tuft = direction of airflow - aligned tuft = smooth flow over wing - scattered tuft = separation flow from wing Reference: University of Washington Aeronautical Laboratory, Kirsten Wind Tunnel, www.uwal.org

weather report

What contribute to the air quality: air temperature atmospheric pressure relative humidity wind speed and direction Different combinations of these factors and other elements, like water/ pollutants, would articulate many effects: smog, rain etc... There must be some ways to make use of these effects: intangible but so sensitive to human, to create something like architectural experience in my thesis... Photo above: Olafur Eliasson, Din blinde passager, UTOPIA project, Arken Museum for Moderne Kunst, Denmark Reference: _ http://www.olafureliasson.net/

Go camping - a boundary layer

Human evolution can only be understood if we also bear in mind the mystery of insulation/ island making... ...You never camp outside in nature. The camps of man's ancestors, dating back over a million years, already indicated that they were distancing them selves from their surroundings. Peter Sloterdijk, Sphere Theory: Talking to myself about the poetics of space, 2009 It's like the pneumatic moment in 1960s, which the inflatables create an air condition that fits to human needs. This is the habitat we survive from. The basic purpose of architecture is to make a shelter: a shelter protects human from external environment. So as Peter Sloterdijk said that a camp is like a mini-building. It provides a micro-habitat: keep us dry, warm, safe from the weather conditions... What we concern is the "condition" that makes us survive. Any kind of material can be possible to be an architecture whichever gives the "condition". The material can be ranged from hard concrete to soft fabric, or even the invisible air. I'm thinking of using the air to create this boundary layer which has the quality that can make the "condition" and change the "condition" to make another situation. Like the equation I've posted before: A2 + B2 = C2 Picture above: Construction of one-sided shelter. Russian aircrew survival manual, Alan R. Wise, MiG Pilot Survival, 1996 Reference: _ Peter Sloterdijk, Harvard Design Magazine No. 30, spring/ summer 2009 _ http://suzymchale.com/ruspace/rasm.html#links

heterogeneous space

Air exists so harmony. It always reaches to an equilibrium state. However the aircraft wing design proposes to change the status of air: lower pressure on upper wing while higher pressure on lower wing. This differential of air condition make the heavier-than-air aircraft lift up to the sky. This incredible phenomenon makes me think of the heterogeneous quality suggested in the architectural design. Different kinds of air coexist together and establish a relation that gives the lift-up performance. It has always been discussing the issue about heterogeneous space since the emerge of a new era of complex form with digital design. As technology changes dramatically, representational models of collage from 80s is no longer the domain of a design tool but rather parametric computational simulation leads to the focus on form through material articulation and exploration: from physical form to biological system. The complex form can drive to a multiple space rather than a monotonic space like the free plan does. It might be composed so vigorously rather than unitedly. This space, mixing different kinds, is called the heterogeneous space. But, what the heterogeneous space actually we are talking about? Is it just about a space consisting different functions? Is it only a multi-purpose space? To me, heterogeneous space is like an equation. For example: A2 + B2 = C2 The equation consists of many differentials (A and B) and arranges them in a order way (A2 + B2). The order is the relation, which can differentiate that A and B are different. C is the performance or the outcome of the relation. I’m thinking of the equation which can test with air so that air can perform in a way that creates an architectural space or components... Photo above: Smoke signals. Placing surface texture on part of a "wing" in a wind tunnel maintains a smooth left-to-right air flow across that portion of the plate (top). Without it, the flow is turbulent (bottom). Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 064501, 2006 Reference: _ Christopher Hight, Michael Hensel and Achim Menges, Space Reader: Heterogeneous Space in Architecture, 2009

sphere vs atmosphere

sphere: a static interior atmosphere: a dynamic performance After researching on the fascinating inflatable inventions and aerodynamics technologies, attending Solomon’s course can lead me to a new perception towards “air”. Other than using properties of “air” to be an object (inflatable) or to drives a form (aerodynamics), “air” can be an intangible but influential element to organize a city, like the atmosphere. What interests us here is the creation not of homogeneous, established spaces, separated rooms with static temperatures, but of a global plastic, climatic dynamic, the activation of forces and polarities that generate a landscape of temperature in the entirety of the house, a sensual atmosphere with various thermal qualities in which we can freely move. Philippe Rahm, Climatic Constructions, Thermal Asymmetry in Architecture “Air” is everywhere. It is so sensational that we can alter it or be affected by it in every moment, every mean. What if we create an air-conditioned environment which influence people’s behaviors like the solid building does? It may be suggesting the most direct and effective way to design our cities, to enrich our activities. photo above: Blur Building, Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, 2002 Reference _ Philippe Rahm, Climatic Constructions, Thermal Asymmetry in Architecture, _ Peter Sloterdijk, Spheres Theory: Talking to Myself about the Poetics of Space, Harvard Design Magazine No. 30, Spring/Summer 2009 _ http://www.dillerscofidio.com/blur.html

big room for tiny air particles

"Unlike other teams we are not planing to build a second wind tunnel, we will focus on the continuously growing possibilities in the field of simulation in the future." Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director Computer Aided Design is extremely demanding over past 30 years since the introduction of the super computers in 1980s. Computational Fluid Dynamics [CFD] offers a great flexibility on analysis of air flow. It can evaluate the design very quickly and push the design to limits by creating tons of “what-if” alternatives. Using digital tools are seem to be much more efficient in terms of time and space for testing models. For calculating the limitless design options, CFD requires extremely large computer-based capacity. “Albert”, one of the most powerful super computers in the automotive industry is introduced by the BMW Sauber F1 Team. "Albert" is capable of performing 2,332,000,000,000 computing operations per second. To achieve the same computing performance, the entire population of the city of Zurich (350,000) would have to multiply two eight-digit figures every four seconds for a whole year. The machine has over 1,085,440 megabytes of physical memory and over 10,880 gigabytes of hard-drive storage. BMW Sauber use all this power for calculations in CFD and FEA. Enormous “size” created by “Albert” is only valid in the virtual digital space. The room holding those processors including the cooling systems uses up 24 sqm footprint only. Reference _ http://www.dalco.ch/news/messages/news_item/article/bmw-sauber-f1-teams-new-supercomputer-albert-3/?tx_ttnews _ http://f1-dictionary.110mb.com/cfd.html