TERM PAPER

VORONOI VERSA: A UNISON OF CULTURES

Aatiqa Ijaz
Department Of Architecture And Planning, University Of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.

Abstract:
Key Words: Tourism plays an important role in promoting local handicrafts,
soveniour and fine arts of any place. It helps in strengthening bond
Soveniour among different cultures of a country. With the increase in
Mughal architecture tourism, Lahore is becoming hub for tourists with every passing
day. Due to presence of landmarks, Mughal architecture and rich
Voronoi cultural heritage of Lahore, tourists prefer visiting Old Lahore.
Lacks of facilities and tourists attractions in other regions have
increase the cultural discrimination among all four provinces. The
vendors in different regions are selling the handicrafts of different
areas. To remove overall discrimination, the aim of my project is
to create Voronoi and unite all the cultures through a single line
and depicting the view point of culture without boundaries. The
project will provide a primary shelter to all the vendors which are
sitting outside the fort so that they can sell the soveniour in a better
way and can play their role in improving the overall economy
country.

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Introduction:
The project is based on implementation of
technique of Voronoi division to unite all the
cultures of Pakistan. At present, Lahore is
the main tourist hub. Each year a large
number of tourists visit the heritage of
Lahore. The Walled city provides an
opportunity to vendors to sell their souvenirs
based on cultural values of other traditions.
Souvenirs depicting the craftsmanship of
Multan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar which
includes food and other goods such as
pottery, bed sheets, handmade key chains
are being sell by Vendors in different areas
of Old Lahore. However, these vendors do
not have any primary shelter due to lack of
built structure which further lead to cultural
discrimination. The main aim of this project
is to uniting all the cultures and providing
the vendors a properly constructed built
structure which will depict the cultural value
of different regions. It will be a revival of
cultures of Pakistan. This approach will help
in improving the economy as well as tourism
in regions of Sindh, Baluchistan and
Peshawar.
Literature Review:
Voronoi is defined as the technique which
helps in dividing a specific space into
different sub spaces (Rokicki, et al., 2016). It
is a process of division which exists in our
nature. Self-organization of different
biological based structure can also be
presented using this technique. The project
is based on implementation of Voronoi in
planning as well as in exterior of building
which will lead to unite all the existing
cultures of Pakistan. Voronoi will help in
depicting the approach of all at one place.
Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures
Self-organization is defined as the process
according to which different systems of an
internal environment along with their
functions change themsleves according to
external environment. With the development
in technology, a large number of Voronoi
self-organization based structures have been
constructed (Snoeck, et al., 2018).
In this modern era of architecture,
developments of complex and dynamic
division of spaces which are being inspired
by nature have become an emerging trend.
Another term known as Voronoi tessellation
which refers to division of space according
to different structural based elements is also
being used in Architecture. Due to minimum
requirements and other criterion Voronoi
based structures have helped architects in
providing many optimal based solutions. At
present, the modern techniques are based on
nature along with understanding of methods
of division in nature, self-based organization
of different structures and then their
representation by using different proposed
mathematical models (Rokicki et al., 2016).
In existing urban as well as contemporary
architecture, Voronoi structures have played
a very important role. It is a fact that
Voronoi is an approach which leads
architects in bringing new trends of
designing. This system of division is present
on the shell of turtle, skin of giraffe, and
process of wax generation by honey comb
and on the wing of butterfly known as
dragon fly. This approach of
implementation of Voronoi helps in uniting
different spaces, creating harmony,
communication as well as dynamic response
by the internal environment according to the
external changings (Chen, et al., 2017).
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This process of Voronoing is sometime also
known as the rule of nature. This division
can happen in different ways according to
scale, materials and available forms.
In America, a pavilion known as Eureka
pavilion has been designed by seeking
inspiration from this process of division in
nature. It is not a closed space but an open
pavilion. The growth as well as development
of different plants on the basis of Voronoi
has been implemented in the exterior of this
building. The headquarters of Alibaba
building located in China have also used the
approach of Voronoi for creating space
which includes an atrium and other
functional division. Changsha international
art Centre designed by Zaha Hadid located
in Tehran is also based on this method of
division. The architects have used this
method in landscape as well as in outer
building exterior for development of more
sustainable structures. With the
development in technology, architects are
able to generate new tools which lead to
shaping of modern spatial divisions which
are more complex and interesting. In this
whole process, algorithm and different
methods of computing also play a very
important role (Şahin et al., 2017). By
implementing algorithm in different
computing programs it has become possible
for architects to generate Voronoi based
structures. Spatial planning on the basis of
Voronoi has been done differently in
different cases according to needs of the user
and demands of the environment. Many
architects and urban planners have used this
approach for divisor of different spaces in
their context. Park has also been designed on
this context.
Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures
Criteria for site selection:
Lahore is famous for its food. Food is in its
tradition, culture, and roots. Food Street
generously represents the local culture and
diversity of food and taste. Food Street has
its importance for showcasing the real taste
and norms of the food for that area. So the
site for my project is located in the main hub
of the cultural heritage of Pakistan. Due to
the main tourist attraction, cultural
acceptance exists. The site has strong
security around its premises. It provides a
way to OLD LAHORE and other Cultural
heritage and landmarks of Pakistan. The site
is the main hub for tourism. But due to lack
of aesthetics people do not pay a visit to the
area. They come and enjoy their food in
Haveli and go back’. At the outside of
Lahore fort, a large number of vendors used
to sell local and cultural-based things
without having any shelter. It is important to
provide a space where tourists come and get
to know about all the cultures of our
Country. There is a need to provide a
permanent shelter where these vendors can
sell our culture in a better way. This
approach will help in presenting Culture
without boundaries. The site has different
landmarks in its context which increase the
site feasibility for my project.
Fig 1 showing the site location
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 Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures

The difference among cultures:

Craftsmen Pakistan is considered best in
their crafts skills. There exists a large
cultural diversity in Pakistan due to different
social, linguistic, ethnic and other social
circumstances of every area. Punjab is Fig 2 showing points Fig 3 showing Delaunay triangles
known for its literature and Sufis which have
Punjab is famous for its deep meaning.
Saag, Mela charaghan, lok dastan are among
some important features of this province.
Sindh is known for textiles work. Pottery of
Sindh along with leather work is also very
famous throughout the world. The Sindh Fig 4 showing voronoi Fig 3 showing bisection
ajrak and crafts of mohenjo daro have
importance on international level. The Voronoi and Map of Pakistan:
polished ornamentations of Indus valley
civilizations have also won the praise on Just like the division in nature, I observed
international level. Baluchistan is a region that Voronoi also exists in regions of
having deserts and more barren lands. The Pakistan. There are four provinces in
balochis are known for sajji and their Pakistan which are Punjab, Sindh,
balochi thap. KPK is known for its valleys Baluchistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwan.
and open green areas. Pakhtuns are very Other Graphical Regions include plateau,
friendly and are known for their food such plains, hills, mountains. The best way to
as kababs and their cultural dance. unite the cultures is through the technique of
Voronoi. I took the entomology map of
Creating Voronoi: Pakistan and then marked points of areas
which have some heritage and are famous
Voronoi is defined as the system which for their culture. After marking the points I
helps in dividing a space into different sub adapted the technique of creating Voronoi
divisions in a very systematic and a random and come up with a specific pattern which I
way. Points are being used for creation of would use further in my exterior and will
cells around such specific points. These help me in planning spaces. The overall
points can be taken as randomly or can be pattern will also be implemented on exterior
adapted according to certain data and then
according to site analysis.
tessellation is being done. The overall
process is based on six basic steps which
includes Defining the infinite points then
joining the points. Process of Line bisection.
Further divisions among triangles and then
having Final Voronoi pattern
Fig 5 showing points Fig 6 showing voronoi

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Voronoi and Culture:
Just like in nature, there is division among
different areas of Pakistan. Each province
has Different divisions, Cities, Culture,
Traditions, Language, Food, Architecture,
Art and Crafts. However, the Voronoi shows
unity among all the cities. The above drawn
Voronoi pattern ill help in planning a lot as
it will depict where to place Punjab where
Baluchistan, Sindh is and where should be
KPK inside the building. The Voronoi
diagram also depicts the shortest distance so
by implementing this technique on the site I
will be able to understand the area ground
ratio.
Voronoi and master planning:
This project will act as a Voronoi. The
building exterior will have an opening just
like we have drawn in the above sections.
The opening and closings of the Voronoi
module will be according to the site analysis
and such direction. In master planning, again
the approach of Voronoi has been
implemented to know about the best
accessibility points. The Voronoi drawn on
site has helped in depicting the green spaces
and other spatial divisions. Relation among
different spaces will also be depicted on the
basis of this pattern. The black areas shows
the paths while the blocks shows the
pavilions in building.
Fig 9 showing pattern for master planning
Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures
Interpretation of the software:
A hexagonal grid is being created by
hexagonal components. Different points
outside the socket create the center point for
each of the hexagon. This helps in
determining the overall distance among all
the spatial divisions. The basic structure is
based on the distance components. The
distance between the points of the attractor
to the center is the main thing. In the overall
definition, each rid has a specific value
according to its position on the map of.
Fig 7 and 8 showing Voronoi using grasshopper
Building program:
The final building programs include open as
well as closed pavilions. The building will
have different floors according to existing
levels of divisions among areas of Pakistan.
The project will be more like a global
village for tourists. The ticket counter,
admin office will be placed in the beginning
according to the access points being
determined in the above. And other
divisions will be according to site feasibility
for the user. The unity is being shown
through the paths and the same approach
will be implemented while designing the
floors. The final building will also have a
large amphitheater according to the above
drawn Voronoi pattern. This amphitheater
will help the craftsman in presenting their
artwork in open areas.
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 Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures

the consumption structures which

of material and will help the
improving the government in
structural strength improving the
as Mughal illiteracy rate in
architecture is Walled City
present in the which is the main
context of the problem in present
existing site. The Urban
openings and Development. The
closing in exterior project will also
will be according help in creating a
to the existing sun more lively space
direction. This is just like Haveli
how the final and Coco’s den in
product will act as the Food Street of
a dynamic self- Lahore. Tourists
Fig 10 showing pattern for building roof
Fig 11 showing voronoi on overall building
organized will get to know
structure. The about the
Conclusion determining the Voronoi façade livelihood of
green spaces, open will have a blend Sindhis, Punjabis,
The use of
spaces and built of vernacular Pakhtun, Balochi
Voronoi in spatial
structure of the architecture of and other
as well as in the
building. The different regions localities which
façade helps not
implementation of which will further will create a sense
only in designing
Voronoi in lead to decrease of curiosity
a piece of art but a
creating Versa cultural among the
building that will
will help in discrimination viewers. The
fit into the
balancing among areas of experience and
existing culture as
different forces of Pakistan. ambiance of
well as the
the designed Voronoi Versa
socially based Voronoi Versa
process. In this will force people
realm of the site. will be a place for
balanced designed to visit Whole
By generating a all the vendors
process, while Pakistan.
Voronoi diagram who are sitting on
doing planning
on the existing footpaths and are Bibliography:
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have plenty of
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options. The Voronoi diagrams–
become more and all such
process of architectural and
simplified as it craftsmen will structural rod
Voronoi will also
will help in have primary structure research
help in reducing

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 Voronoi Versa: A Unison of Cultures

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