Immediate Architecture

Complex Temporalities of Adaptive Architecture

Summary

Adaptive buildings should be approached as truly time-based architecture. In contrast to conventional architecture, where the object of design is considered static and has an open-ended lifetime, adaptive architecture is set up of many linked temporal processes, in the design phase, in fabrication, in use of buildings. These processes take place at different timescales, from the life-time of the entire building up to the real-time response of dynamic components. The designer should be aware of the relationships between the operational cycles of performative and interactive components, the unfolding of performative sequences, as well as the lifecycle of each component, their fabrication and assembly times. The border between interaction and reconfiguration is vague, somewhere between dynamic action of a component, changes of behaviour, on-the-fly (un)plugging a part and entirely replacing it with an update. The temporal design of the building has to be finbe-tuned and go hand in hand with the realization of interaction scenarios. Design strategies for time-based architecture have to be developed, which relate the shape of the building in time to its form in space.

Description

‘Immediate Architectures’ is an exploratory investigation into possibilities of immediate constructive interaction with the built environment supported by digital technologies. The outcome is intended to become a synergetic amalgam of interactive architecture, parametric design environment, automated component fabrication and assembly. These are to be supported by computational and material strategies that are developed approach the state of immediate architecture and applied in real-world prototypes.  Immediate Architecture is, by virtue of collapsing the phased timeline of the architectural process into a singularity in time, a radical challenge to conventional notions of architecture.

 Figure 1. In-game screenshots of SmartVolumes modeler

SmartVolumes is a tool for finding structures and generating geometries based on volumetric and behavioral demands. It supports designers in the exploration of the complexity of geometries based on Voronoi diagrams: In a three-dimensional Voronoi diagram the location of points, the volumes of cells, the faces of cell surfaces, the edges of these facets and the endpoints of these edges are all implicitly related to each other. Each change to the generative point cloud simultaneously affects structure, building physics, details, aesthetics and other performances of the design.  These complex interrelations demand for a tool to efficiently explore possible solution spaces. SmartVolumes is intended to meet these demands.

Figure 2. Pointclouds modeled with BehaviourLinks, their SpaceGraphs and surfaces resulting queries of the SpaceGraph network

Spacegraphs represent design space as network of its partitioning into generic elements nodes, edges, facets and cells. Spacegraphs are a description of spatial relationships of generated, actuated or sensed sets of elements, which facilitate generation of aware informational or material structures. As such they are a generic tool for architectural design exploration and to inform the behavior of interactive environments. Smartvolumes is a first exploration into Spacegraphs, to be used for real-time conceptual design exploration.

Figure 3. BehaviourLinks examples: particle-spring system, parametric surface

BehaviourLinks is at the intersection between parametric design environments and programming. It defines interactions between conceptual entities. These entities can represent architectural concepts but also digital interfaces to sensors, users and exchange data. By defining conceptual nodes and laying behavioral links, users can grow a parametric diagram of the design. Its shape, structure and visualization originate from the behavioral design rules and decisions made by the user as well as the feedback negotiation between swarming nodes.

Figure 4. Streaming fabrication experiment

Publications

Friedrich, H.C., Information-Matter Hybrids: Prototypes engaging immediacy as architectural quality, in: Terzidis, K., What Matters? - First International Conference on Critical Digital, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2008, 105-110.

Oosterhuis, K., Friedrich, H.C., Feng, H., Jaskiewicz, T.J., Digital Pavilion, in:Yota Adileniou, Sophia Vyzoviti,eds., Syn-athroisis exhibition catalogue, Technical Chamber of Greece - Section of Central Macedonia, 2008, 46-51

Christian Friedrich, Immediate Architecture, in:Yota Adileniou, Sophia Vyzoviti,eds., Syn-athroisis exhibition catalogue, Technical Chamber of Greece - Section of Central Macedonia, 2008, 52-55.

Oosterhuis, K., Friedrich, Jaskiewicz, T.J., Vandoren, D., Protospace Software, in: Prof. H.A.J. de Ridder, Prof. J.W.F. Wamelink, eds., Second International Conference World of Construction Project Management 2007, TU Delft, Delft, 2007, 1-10.

H.C. Friedrich, SmartVolumes – Adaptive Voronoi power diagramming for real-time volumetric design exploration, in: Theodor G. Wyeld, ed., Lecture Notes for Computer Science, Volume 4820/2008: VSMM07 Brisbane Proceedings, Springer, Berlin, 2007,132-142. [Best Paper Award Applied Technologies category VSMM07]

Christian Friedrich, Immediate Architecture, in: N. Leach and X. Wei-Guo, eds., Emerging talents, emerging technologies: Students, Architectural Biennial Beijing, China Architectural Building Press, Beijing, 2006, 60.