Assignment #3

Univ. of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Design
Department of Architecture

Arch 621
Visual Studies 3
Fall 2007

Sanctuary
ASSIGNMENT #3


Instructor: James Kerestes
hcjames570@yahoo.com

Studio: Gisela Baurmann
gisela@burony.com


INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

Building upon VS3 session two, Assignment #3 will implement another digital technique into the studio. The students will be introduced to the Maya Hair dynamics and begin applying the technique to their current studio models.

The hair dynamics in the Maya software is a vectorized system that is simulating the physical properties and relationships of natural hair. Using only the energy necessary to reach an optimal state of equilibrium within its environment, the movement of each hair seeks to find a resting point in both the micro and macro scales. Elements of emergence and top-down instruction aid in the effectiveness of the machine.

The dynamics of hair within Maya respond to the simulated properties built into the software. The physical properties of hair follow the rules of self-organization. As a self-organizing physical system, hair has the ability to respond, change, and adapt to contextual pressures while simultaneously not compromising its physical capabilities. For example, the elasticity of hair allows one strand to stretch up to 20% without damage and still retain its original form and structure. Within the confines of the possibilities and limitations of the work, students will develop a comprehensive model that responds both internally and externally to site specific constraints/pressures.


AGENDA

Through the use of Hair dynamics in Maya, students will test the responsiveness of existing studio models (structure, flows, formal investigations, programmatic layouts) against specific site (Governor’s Island) conditions.
Software: Maya, Adobe Illustrator

SCHEDULE

10.10.2007_Wednesday evening

_Distribution of Assignment 3

10.11.2007_Thursday 2pm

_Introduction to Maya/Hair Dynamics
_Basic Maya interface
_Hair tutorials
_Desk Crits/Technical Support

10.12.2007_Friday Evening

_VS Lecture @ 2pm
_Optional desk-crits by request (times tbd)
_Assignment due by 12am (uploaded to course folder using proper naming format)
_(VS3.3_Kerestes_YOURLASTNAME_01.pdf
_Upload one image to VS3 Flickr site

ASSIGNMENT

1.1 _For Thursday 2pm
_Install Maya on computer
_download Tutorials/Maya files (Course Folder-Distribution)

1.2 _For Friday 12am
_Each group will illustrate how the introduction of materiality and responsiveness affects current strand of research.
_24x36 formatted sheets.
_(document systematic properties/values used in work)
_hierarchy of line-work, curve structure, performative qualities etc.
_no photographic images, only line-work and text (color or b/w)

RESOURCES


Bonabeau, Eric/Camazine, Scott/Deneubourg, Jean-Louis/Franks, Nigel/Sneyd, James/Theraulaz,Guy.
Self-Organization in Biological Systems
Princeton, Princeton Univ. Press 2001

Spuybroek, Lars, “The Structure of Vagueness”, in TransUrbanism, editors Joke Brouwer and Arjen Mulder, (Rotterdam: V2_Publishing/NAI Publishers, 2002), pp. 64-75.

Spuybroek, Lars NOX: Machining Architecture.
New York: Thames and Hudson, 2004

AD Magazine, EMERGENCE. 2005
[Types, Style, and Phylogenesis], FOA Architects
[Morphogenesis and the Mathematics of Emergence]
[Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Life in Architecture]

Holland, John.
Hidden Order-how adaption builds complexity.
Reading, Perseus Books.

Chapters 1 and 2


PRECEDENT SOURCES

Antoni Gaudi
_Hanging Chain models (Catenary studies)
_Sagrada Familia

Frei Otto
_Physical study models (Catenary and soap bubble studies)
_Pavilion for Munich Olympics

NOX Architects
_ Physical study models (Digital catenary and thread studies)
_Paris Brain