Tektoniek paviljoen

Afstudeerproject mastertrack Hyperbody non-standard architecture aan de Technische Universiteit Delft. Dit project heeft een ‘eervolle vermelding’ verkregen.

Subject of the designresearch is the proposal of a large scale pavilion with commercial program. This thesis addresses the architectural design process by applying bottom-up computational approach with top-down soft-control by the designer. 

The development of the software design-tool, is design-oriented for specific architectural problem solving. The design-tool runs as an interactive game, for the designer to quickly explore various versions of design.

When te program is run, the visual design-tool interface allows the formations to self-organise in realtime. These formations are visually represented as abstract shapes, points and lines. It is for to the designer to evaluate multiple potential versions of such self-organising spatial formations. After intensive research of design versions, one candidate is finally selected for further architectural and technical development.

The swarm principles are applied and suitable for two design goals: 

1. The self-organisation of formations, seen as spatial program.
2. The form-finding embodiment based upon the formation.

1. The conditional logic of the formations are based upon the behavioural ‘swarm theory’ principles. These are seen in nature for example by the swarming or flocking of birds. This logic is programmed within the design-tool by behavioural agents with conditional rulesets, such as attract, repel and cohesion.

2. The pointcloud formation that create surfaces, feature inherent spatial qualities. The spatial-formations form a tectonic embodiment with porous features, such as voids and enclosed interior spaces. 

Conclusively, this design approach of a computational tool within the design process enables to soft control an self-organising system based upon simple rulesets, however that produces complex unforeseen quality for architecture.