June 2021 - ParametricArchitecture

JIKKA: Conical Huts Sculpted by Issei Suma

Reinvoking the streaming silhouettes of the mountain terrains! JIKKA conceived by Issei Suma represents an abstract depiction of the massif land in the form of conical caps cutting into the elevation at Ito, Japan. The site serenades the sinuous ridge, amassed by conjoined five huts crafted out of timber and escorting a thrilling ambiance to its setting.

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The JIKKA is a home for two ladies in their 60’s, to relish and cherish in the natural fabric. They are a social worker and a cook who has dedicated to serving the community with food and accommodation until the end of their remaining lives. The clusters are integrated with a collection of facilities including a spiral-shaped paddling pool and an expansive kitchen. The interiors are exposed as an unembellished contemporary primitive hut.

The scooped out hemispherical volumes are glazed to synchronize with the indoor and outdoor blending experience. Smooth curves and clinically cut slender timber strips scores all along the structure in perfect unison and crisp clarity. The five edifices are based on a square-shaped plan, overlapped over each other, while the walls take the form of an arch and the roofs soar up reminiscing a teepee-like advent. The interiors showcase concrete walls and timber roof beams serving the inhabitants with multifarious provisions.

Each block serves a different function, two to the west provide living quarters for the clients, with an attached bedroom, bathroom, and storage space. To the east accommodates two beds for guests. One of the blocks houses the spiral-shaped pool, designed especially to ease wheelchair users to use the pool.

In the center is the spacious stainless-steel kitchen where meals are prepared and arranged for delivery coupled with a small dining area. The kitchen opens to the public, and also functions as a lunchtime restaurant using local products. The JIKKA is a beautiful concept, simple and elegant to rest and re-energize in an abode atop the mountainous landscape.

Project Details
Project Name: JIKKA
Architects: Issei Suma
Location: Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Area: 100 m²
Photographs: Takumi Ota
Manufacturers: Catalano, Toto, Acor, Tform

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Zaha Hadid Architects & Hyperloop Italia To Design The New Ergonomic High-Speed Travel

The future of transportation is exciting and adventurous. Zaha Hadid Architects collaborates with Hyperloop Italia to envision the current high-speed travel technology, integrating it in the work phase of the transport vehicles. The hyperloop systems mark a turning point in the forthcoming mode of commute. The designers aim to craft a transformative architecture, engineering, and urban planning induced with the most efficient and sustainable web of the transport network that improves accessibility, connectivity, and well-being in the urban bubble.

The Hyperloop Partnership Program launched last by Hyperloop Italia, soars in commitment to configure and erect the most accessible, convenient, and safest transportation in the world adapting to sustainability and carving with environment-friendly materials. The Italian transportation network iterates a multidisciplinary approach streaming innovations in both design and operative technologies. The inculcation of such advanced condiments excites the architecture firm to deliver a future-resilient project that is inventive, efficient, and ecologically conscious.

The Hyperloop vehicles promise to transport passengers and cargo at enthralling swiftness keeping close to security, economic, and viable standards. The action induces passive magnetic levitation dexterously powered by renewables, transporting passenger and cargo capsules swooping through low-pressure tubes to minimize friction. The newly-developed system requires only a small dash of energy compared to the tremendous power in traditional public transportation systems.

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About Zaha Hadid Architects:

Zaha Hadid Architects work at all scales and in all sectors. They create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces that work in synchronicity with their surroundings. Zaha Hadid, founding partner of Zaha Hadid Architects, was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 and is internationally known for her built, theoretical and academic work. Each of her dynamic and innovative projects builds on over thirty years of revolutionary experimentation and research in the interrelated fields of urbanism, architecture and design.

Working with senior office partner Patrik Schumacher, Hadid’s interest is in the rigorous interface between architecture, landscape, and geology as the practice integrates natural topography and human-made systems that lead to experimentation with cutting-edge technologies. Such a process often results in unexpected and dynamic architectural forms.

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GEN High-Speed Travel Hyperloop Hyperloop Italia transformative architecture Zaha Hadid Zaha Hadid Architects

Grasshopper 3D: A Modeling Software Redefining The Design Process

Grasshopper 3D was created in a perspective to extend in those area where Rhino 3D could not! It is a versatile plugin that takes design complexities to a new-found level by exceeding the limit beyond Rhino 3D. Although, Rhino 3D is a strong software tool in itself that has the capability of editing, analysing, and dealing with some of the most intense of architectural design and detailing.

3D Modeling David Rutten GEN Grasshopper 3D Rhinoceros 3D Robert McNeel

Dream Pathway: Linking Urbanism Between History & Culture

The design of an urban pedestrian and cyclist’s pathway escorts in a variety of nodes and niches to curating characters defining the dramatic stretch. The vision of ‘Dream Pathway’ projected by CAAT Studio visualized to the west of Abbas Abad hills complex in Tehran, between Valiasr Street ‘the most historic street in Tehran’ and Jost-e-Joo Park as an electrifying promenade.

Watch PA Talks 40 with Mahdi Kamboozia, founder of CAAT Studio.

The route encapsulates approximately 1.5 km extending to cross Gandhi and Nelson Mandela boulevards. The axis aims to revitalize and dynamite the western part of Abbasabad lands, invigorating social mobility, and advancing urban biology. Winning second place, the designers were faced with two issues: attracting an adjacent street influx of people and delineating to pass over the edge of Valiasr Street. This assembles to form a fundamental and infrastructural zeal to Mina Dome planetarium entered from the west of Abbasabad lands.

The design entails scripting to the Palizvani dead-end, initiated from Gandhi Street to the alley’s end. The configuration is such it solves the traffic issues through detailed planning. Their initial studies proclaimed that short term solutions may not be enough, so the design team segregated their vision into four phases. Phase one is the park’s area design; from Mina Dome-planetarium to Jost-e-Joo Park. Phase two necessitates the connection of Abbas Abad Hills with Africa Street. Phase three captures the entire beginning to end at the Palizvani dead-end. Effective measures to control passengers’ traffic thus ensuring fully functional pedestrian and cyclist paths. Phase four streaks from Gandhi crossroads to the urban edge of Valiasr Street.

The Dream Pathway is a long trail spotted with valuable stations all along, motivating users to go forward and complete the enticing journey. Altering the range of functions from the sports-recreational area to the cultural Valiasr Street, these stations were defined according to the taste of the surrounding users. Linking four main zones along the project path, luring points are conductively placed to attract the population, inviting and directing the pedestrian circulation like a domino within a cultural-social-sports narrative. The vision merges the designed path and functional platforms, summoning a formative plastic complex controlled using a common language within transformative and adaptive factors.

The four zones with an interactive-attractive narration capture the essence and integrity in well-composed parameters. The project’s phase one starts near the skating park, north of Mina Dome planetarium due to significant crowding during holidays. Studies showcase the proposed points with activities to restore the path with a skate park, callisthenics ground, bowling, multi-purpose sports arena, kids’ playground, escape room and amphitheatre. In the second phase, the promenade interacts with the Nelson Mandela boulevard, which was initially a route for cars and since it’s the only west entry, the designers modelled to use it as a focal point to invite users with alluring entrance glam including book store and cafés. Palizvani Street was to be focused in the third phase since it is a crowded street due to administrative buildings and dense traffic congestion. The designers separated pedestrians and cyclists from cars, ensuring peace and security along the axis. To prevent interference of pedestrians and cars, a separate path was inscribed as one-meter-high and 4-meters-wide, that guides pedestrians and cyclists. And a one-way lane with a 5m width for passing cars.

In the last phase of the Dream Pathway, a completely cultural complex curates entrance platforms to the city gallery located in the sixth dead-end of Gandhi and then extends as ramps soaring to the edge of Valiasr Street abutted by a bus station, that induces seamless public transportation.

Project Details:

Architect Firm: CAAT Studio
Lead Architect & Designer: Mahdi Kamboozia
Architect & Project manager: Helena Ghanbari
Colleagues in CAAT Studio: Sabamhi
Visualization: Pejman Taremi
Animation: Meysam TG

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Abbas Abad hills caat studio Culture Dream Pathway GEN historic street Jost-e-Joo Park Mahdi Kamboozia Mina Dome planetarium pedestrian and cyclist pathway Urbanism walkway

Parametric And Computational Design: Elevating Through Algorithms

Parametric architecture has been the trending term in the 21st century. Considered as one of the sought after solutions for futurist design problems, parametric design and computational methods have created a long-lasting impact on the design industry. Society has always looked towards nature for design inspiration and has sought to take inspiration from the naturally occurring forms through basic geometric shapes.

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Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears Sculpted by ANPAR

Iconic structures that are timeless has an imperative impact on our world, as it lures proximity of civilization and offers a vision to our advancement. The Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears envisioned by ANPAR architects is the largest pilgrimage church in Sicily. Like a frozen drop of water, the structure commemorates the 1953 miraculous tearing of a plaster effigy representing the Virgin Mary.

The architects Michel Andrault and Pierre Parat in 1957, won an architecture competition for the design of the new church, an elevated rise pinnacling their sculptural design curated to be a landmark and trailblazer for religious architecture. This project springboarded the duo’s careers, bringing them great fame and glory.

The Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears explored a radical interpretation by extracting the meaning of divine enlightenment and morphing the central plan church plan. The touch of austere aesthetics derives the structure as a bold exterior and the soaring interior, imparting a stark monumentality. “I like the architecture that reveals itself, that is honest, I don’t like gimmicks and ornament,” said Pierre Parat. The daring design has streaked into the architectural vocabulary of the church, such brutal and innovative of that era, paving the way to fresh interpretations in religious architecture.

The form symbolizes the elevation of humanity towards God. The sanctity derives as a lighthouse guiding devotees towards holiness, in connection to the sacred event that led to the erection of the church. The construction began in 1966 and took 28 years to fruition, and excavations revealed a VI century settlement on the site. The building elated in two levels, as the crypt and the sanctuary, crowned with a truncated-conical fashioned dome. In the year 1968, the crypt was inaugurated and today houses three museums, including one dedicated to the Lacrimation event. In 1994 Pope John Paul II consecrated the church.

Assembling 6,000 seats, the church can house 11,000 people at a time. Pre-tensed reinforced concrete erections soar 94m and a statue reproducing the image of the crying effigy at the top of the sanctuary. The dome configures an array of 22 concrete ribs sculpted with a V-shaped cross-section, horizontally allied by eight pre-tensed rings with diminishing spans along with the vertical rise. Strip window striations alternate the structure’s rhythm, infusing the impression of sunbeams spooling down towards the sanctuary.

Nineteen external cubic forms cantilever from the main base, forming roofs for several interior spaces. The rooms’ floor suspends to the corresponding cantilever with steel tendons. The main sanctuary spans 71.4 m in dia with five chapels scooped about its perimeter, and 11 more chapels stacked in the crypt. Raw concrete walls and wooden formwork adds an intrinsic texture to the spatial volumes, invigorating a strident contrast with the white marble floor of the sanctuary. A botanical park weaves around the church, extending to 17,000 square meters, designed by landscape architect Nino Attardo.

At the time when modernism created waves, Parat’s and Andrault’s architecture was not assertive, albeit was an experimental and formal pursuit. The design of Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears reflects the importance of drawing the design process, as both Pierre Parat and Michel Andrault had a strong appeal for this means of expression, practising painting and sculpture, respectively. ANPAR’s design for the basilica recorded a new style and architecture expression being described by the critics as “architecture-sculpture”

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Parametric Design as a Catalyst for Social Innovation – Studio Nuru Karim

“The Parametric Design as a Catalyst For Social Innovation” by PAACADEMY explores the role of computational design towards the creation of resilient sustainable environments serving as a catalyst for social change & innovation.

GEN Nuru Karim PAACADEMY parametric design parametric modeling Studio Nuru Karim

Future Tree: 3D Printed Stacked Canopy by Gramazio Kohler Research – ETH Zurich

The complexity of 3D printing is progressively weaving ground-breaking layers every day. Future Tree envisioned by Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich incorporating cutting edge technology exposes a canopy structure streaming over the courtyard of the Basler & Hofmann building in Switzerland. A series of timber frames arranged in varying hexagonal combinations seem to sprout and develop like a tree flourishing its structure. The courtyard is brought to life by this intrinsic sculpture soaring as a geometric casing.

The design team conceptualized to sync trailblazing strategic techniques infused in new materials and robotic additive manufacturing, all strikingly elevating this architectural project. The Future Tree is composed of a column that supports the canopy, conceived using a six-axis robotic arm. The ultra-thin rhombic formwork, arches over 2 meters in height, built as one piece and filled with a fast hardening custom concrete. The column design was parametrically generated after multiple prototype iterations. The “Eggshell” technique using the FDM technology, engaged the designers to optimize novel assemblies considering minimal waste.

In crisp definition, rising in bold stature is the stunning branch evolved as a tree. The structure uses acetylated pine wood, full thread screws and clamping tension cables tightening the structural fabric. 380 robust elements frame the canopy to a specific arrangement of the fragments. Each plank is uniquely sized to stack into its preserved position. The base is anchored to the building’s patio on two sides and cantilevered to the opposite corner.

It was challenging for the design team to overcome the problem of shrinkage of printing material when it cools. However, they configurated a diamond-shaped micro-pattern to the formwork, that reduced the shrinkage stresses during the 3D printing process, as well as toughened the formwork.

The Future Tree sits interweaved between a garden and glazed building, relishing and refreshing in its posture and ambience. During the sunny days, the canopy casts exciting shadows that stretch and expand trailing along the sun path.

Project Credits

Project Name: Future Tree
Location: Esslingen, Zürich, Switzerland
Architect: Gramazio Kohler Research / ETH Zürich
Client: Basler & Hofmann
Team: Gramazio Kohler Research, ETH Zurich
Collaborators: Dr. Aleksandra Anna Apolinarska, Dr. Ena Lloret-Fritschi, Joris Burger, Nizar Taha, Fabio Scotto
In Cooperation With Physical Chemistry Of Building Materials Group (ETH Zurich, Prof. Dr Robert J. Flatt, Dr Thibault Demoulin, Bruno Pinto Aranda)
Selected Experts: Basler & Hofmann AG, ERNE AG Holzbau, SJB Kempter Fitze AG, Concrete Structures & Bridge Design (ETH Zurich, Prof. Walter Kaufmann, Dr. Jaimé Mata-Falcon)
Selected Contractors: ERNE AG Holzbau (Fabrication Timber Structure)

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3d printed ETH Zurich Future Tree GEN Gramazio Kohler Research installation Robotic Fabrication Stacked Canopy

Qianhai Floating City: A Three Dimensional Spatial Framework Designed and Builtby People’s Architecture Office

Framework design has an inkling curiosity attached to its visual identity. The Qianhai Floating City envisioned by the People’s Architecture Office triggers an emotional network to a barren site infused with an open spatial framework, locking and strapping in striated sections. In the current strange times of heightened uncertainty, the project propelled as a vision screening the ardent adaptability of urban space.

The design ensemble a stream of flexible framework draped with rented scaffolding. It is built as a structural arrangement that can be amassed, transformed, and stripped with ease, rinsing any surplus materials or fixtures. During the 2020 Qianhai Future Urbanism/Architecture Exhibition the model of Qianhai Floating City served under the section “Instant City”. The show imagined and explored innovative models for city planning based on public contribution and bottom-up practices in contrast to the top-down urban planning in Shenzhen.

The visualization of the Qianhai Floating City was evolved as a collective confluence, raised from constant discussions between exhibition participants. The structure opened and hosted multifarious agendas on various scales including movie screenings, lectures, workshops, and other public events. Pink sausage-shaped balloons were crowned on the grids, adding a striking contrast to the clinical triangulated frames below. Red flaps and walkways illuminated the sections of circulation and breeze to blow-by the midst.

Visitors navigated the Qianhai Floating City’s colourful pathways soaring in geometric striations exploring numerous embedded artwork. Every nook and corner, every cubicle and raised levels offered guests enticing vistas of the city, as they spectated the visions through an inhabited three-dimensional grid.

Project Details

Title: Qianhai Floating City
Architects: People’s Architecture Office
Photographs: Chao Zhang
Principal: Zhe He, James Shen, Feng Zang
Project Team: He Wang, Pengfei Gao, Zhenghua Li, Jiaqi Xu
Client: 2020 Qianhai Future Urbanism/Architecture Exhibition
Co-Designer And Coordinator: Dongxiying Studio CCDI
City: Shenzhen
Country: China

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World’s First 3D-Printed Community In Latin America Planned by Yves Béhar

Imagine waking up and taking a stroll across a 3d printed community. How about we bring a change starting from the ones that need the most. Innovative designer Yves Béhar, the founder of Fuseproject design studio, charts a rejuvenating course revealing visuals to build 3D-printed dwellings for an impoverished farming community in Latin America.

3D Print 3d printed 3d printed architecture 3d printing 3D-Printed Community Fuseproject GEN ICON Latin America Yves Béhar

JIKKA: Conical Huts Sculpted by Issei Suma