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Digital design and fabrication Case study: seashell

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A CD-ROM containing the digital version of the proceedings is enclosed with this book.

Editors
izr. prof. dr. Tadeja Zupancic (tadeja.zupancic@fa.uni-lj.si)
asist. dr. Matevz Juvancic (matevz.juvancic@fa.uni-lj.si)
Spela Verovsek (spela.verovsek@fa.uni-lj.si)
Anja Jutraz (anja.jutraz@fa.uni-lj.si)
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture, Slovenia

1st Edition, September 2011

CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji

Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana

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CONFERENCE on Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (29 ; 2011 ; Ljubljana)
Respecting fragile places : proceedings of the 29th Conference on Education in Computer Aided Architec-
tural Design in Europe, Ljubljana, Slovenia, September 21-24, 2011 / edited by Tadeja Zupančič ... [et al.]. - Brus-
sels : Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe ; Ljubljana : Faculty of Architecture, 2011

ISBN 978-9-4912070-1-3 (eCAADe)

1. Gl. stv. nasl. 2. Zupančič-Strojan, Tadeja

257414400

Copyright © 2011
Publisher: eCAADe (Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe) and UNI Ljubljana,
Faculty of Architecture

www.ecaade.org

Background photo: A. Earwen

Book set up: Idearna d.o.o.
Print: Silveco d.o.o.
Number of copies: 250

All rights reserved. Nothing from this publication may be reproduced, stored in computerised system or published
in any form or in any manner, including electronic, mechanical, reprographic or photographic, without prior written
permission from the publisher.
 eCAADe 2011

Respecting Fragile Places

Proceedings of the 29th Conference on

Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe

September 21-24, 2011

Ljubljana, Slovenia
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture

www.fa.uni-lj.si/ecaade2011

Edited by
Tadeja Zupancic
Matevz Juvancic
Spela Verovsek
Anja Jutraz
Contents

Theme 7

Acknowledgements 9

Keynote Speakers 11

Round table 21
What happened after the “Hype” on Virtual Design Studios? 23
Henri Achten, Krzysztof Koszewski, Bob Martens

CAAD Curriculum 33
An exploration in teaching architectural design for construction and fabrication 35
Kathrin M. Wiertelarz
Computer Simulation as an Integral Part of Digital Design Education in Architecture 43
Arzu Gonenc Sorguc, Semra Arslan Selcuk, Fatma Zehra Cakici
How to Teach Architects (Computer) Programming 51
Gabriel Wurzer, Sema Alaçam, Wolfgang Lorenz
What is the Goal in Teaching Basic CAD? 57
Dana Matějovská, Henri Achten
Towards Improved Architecture Education 63
Kateřina Nováková, Henri Achten, Dana Matějovská
Introducing Architectural Design Foundations Through Algorithmic Design And
Experimentations With Materials 70
Nilüfer Kozikoğlu, Emrah Kavlak

City Modelling 77
Public Space Patterns 79
Nuno Montenegro, José N. Beirão, José P. Duarte
Sensing digital co-presence and digital identity 87
Angelos Chronis, Prarthana Jagannath, Vasiliki Aikaterini Siskou, Jonathan Jones
Generative and parametric design in Brazilian social housing production 93
Eduardo Sampaio Nardelli, Charles de Castro Vincent

eCAADe 29 13
 Environmental Design eTutor 699
Ahmed Sarhan, Peter Rutherford
Out of the box design 709
Aant van der Zee, Bauke de Vries
Digital “serial vision” - new approach in urban composition teaching 716
Aleksander Asanowicz
ARCHI21 725
Moira Hunter, Scott Chase, Bradley Kligerman, Tadeja Zupancic
The experience of an academic simulation laboratory 734
Barbara E. A. Piga, Eugenio Morello, Valerio Signorelli

Shape Studies 743

Introduction to Architecture Studio: Geometry, Rules and Patterns 745
Birgul Colakoglus
Lattice Spaces 751
Sascha Bohnenberger, Klaas de Rycke, Agnes Weilandt
Computational Design Synthesis 759
Moritz Fleischmann, Julian Lienhard, Achim Menges
Operating within Fragile Environments 768
Stavros Vergopoulos, Dimitris Gourdoukis
Digital design and fabrication 779
Lana Kudumović, Amra Taso, Omer Hasanbegović
A computational interpretation of ”De re aedificatoria” 788
Filipe Coutinho, Eduardo Castro e Costa, José P. Duarte, Mário Kruger
Methodological Approach for the Integration of Material Information and Performance
in the Design Computation for Tension-Active Architectural Systems 799
Sean Ahlquist, Achim Menges

Simulation, Visualization, Prediction and Evaluation 809

Development of optimized geometry for low energy super tall office with BIM 811
Han Soo Ryu, Kwon Hyoung Lee, Jung Rim Ryu, Seung Yeon Choo
Responsive Acoustic Surfaces 819
Brady Peters, Martin Tamke, Stig Anton Nielsen, Søren Vestbjerg Andersen, Mathias Haase
From the 3D survey “ad Oggetto” to the technological representation of the architecture 829
Danilo Di Mascio, Pierpaolo Palka
Form Follows Performance 837
Shinya Okuda, Chua Liang Ping
Flying Augmented Reality 843
Volker Koch, Sebastian Ritterbusch, Andreas Kopmann, Marius Müller, Thorsten Habel, Petra von Both
Pedestrian Modeling as Generative Mechanism for the Design of Adaptive Built Environment 850
Odysseas Kontovourkis

18 eCAADe 29
Digital design and fabrication
Case study: seashell

Lana Kudumović1, Amra Taso2, Omer Hasanbegović3

12
Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo ,3Freelance designer
1
lanakudumovic@gmail.com,2taso.amra@gmail.com,3 ohasanbegovic@gmail.com

Abstract. Computational aspects of architectural design have revolutionized actual process,

and have made a new platform for cooperation that spans across all disciplines. The focus
of this study is to understand how the seashell form can be applicable in design process of
human architectures. Our approach will show the act of choosing an inspirational natural
form and its application into the virtual world, then digitalization, transformation, and
evaluation of the form that are suitable for human architecture. 3D model generating would
be performed by doing the scan of a selected seashell form. Further action would be to import
the object as a tool in the Zbrush application, and continued modeling transformations. This
phase would include other parameters that need to be integrated during the architectural
design process since architecture usually exists in a radically different environment in
comparison with the seashell.
Keywords. Complexity; architectural form; generative design; digital design fabrication;
rapid prototyping.

INTRODUCTION
Contemporary world is a place of constant change.
New technologies are present at every field of
human activity. In spite of traditional reluctance
that architects have when it comes to new and
unknown, most of the architectural community is
finally starting to be aware that it needs to except
technology, and embrace it as a new source for ar-
chitectural practice, even from the early stages of
the design process. Until recently, typical shapes
used by designers have been rectangles, spheres,
triangles, squares and cylinders – Euclidean Ge-
ometries. As free form shapes no longer are con-
strained by the traditional drafting and machine
tooling, it is now possible to build these shapes as
formations with unique details and appearance.
In that sense the structures in nature have always
been great lessons for human study. Having been
in development for several billion of years, only
the most successful structural forms have sur-
vived. One of the most beautiful, interesting, yet
complex natural forms are seashells. The focus of
this study is to understand how the seashell form
can be applicable to human architectures, not as
strict imitation, but as a starting point in genera-
tive process of creating architectural forms. Digi-
tal methods are used to scan selected seashell
form, as well as to suggest a variety of possible
architectural forms.
In that sense needs for effective delivery of re-
sults within processes of designing, manufacturing,

Shape Studies - eCAADe 29 779

 and other aspects, have significantly improved. Ef- Hopefully, through further computational education
fective use of available resources needs new tools and development, it will help architects in generat-
and approaches, which are being developed as a ing new ideas for architectural visualization.
Figure 1
result of rapid movement and advancement in com- Seashell, a natural form
puter technologies, and they directly incorporate
computer controlled systems into manufacturing
processes. The approach to development of new
design has extremely changed, in regard to former
design development, and all thanks to important
achievements in different computational and manu-
facturing technology areas. As an addition to CAD/
CAM/CAE, technologies of rapid prototyping are
being introduced as they significantly reduce time
and costs of architecture design. Rapid prototyp-
ing have expanded the list of possible Euclidian and
non-Euclidian shapes for play by designers. It is one
of few clear methods that can help designers effec-
tively build free form shapes for design projects, by
producing a prototype. The potential of an effective
prototype is acquired information in design that will
make full scale production economically, function-
ally, estetiqually feasible.
In this paper, we have introduced a DDF meth-
od (Digital Design Fabrication), as a new tool for
architects in their conceptual design. The Digital ARCHITECTURAL FORMS
design fabrication method is a two-stage process of Architectural forms can be defined as one of the
working that integrates generative computing and strongest expressional aspects of architecture.
RP into one process. All RP techniques have the same They derive from our definition of space, and have
approach. Based on that assumption all RP systems historically gone through many transformations of
have similar chain of process, containing five steps, their physical configuration and semantic codes.
which are: Complexity of architectural forms has progressed
•• 3Dmodelling, through time. The concept of complexity came into
•• Conversion and data transfer, modern architecture with postmodernism, which is
•• Testing and preparation, treated as spatial differentiation and diversity, striv-
•• Fabrication, ing for “architecture of complexity and contradic-
•• Post processing. tions” (Venturi 1989).
World of forms is a world of proportion, and
Through a presentation of issues, procedural their relations. Complications within that world are
observations, and research findings, we will present the essence of the complexity of architectural form,
the potential applications of the DDF, drawn from which according to Jencks shows the “creativity rich
the experiment done with a chosen complex form with possibilities”. The complexity of the architec-
of a seashell. It will demonstrate a new phase that tural forms, characteristic of contemporary architec-
should be integrated into the process of design. tural creations, can be seen as “deconstruction of the

780 eCAADe 29 - Shape Studies

 classical concept of space in architecture - introducing
fragmentation of form, disorder and randomness, bio-
morphous geomorphous shapes – seeks original ex-
pressions and creating a new grammar which would
give a more dynamic, more complex spatial relations.
Design of spatial form in contemporary architecture,
based on the geometry of complexity and nonlinear-
ity, is enabled by the development of new scientific
theories, technological capabilities and by applying
computer programs that are based on the theory of
complex systems.” (Cahtarevic 2008).
Most complex, proportionally perfect forms can
be found in nature, and the nature has always been a
place where man has sought inspiration, and trans-
lated it into analogies in architecture, science, art,
etc., which has been documented since the earliest
prehistoric cave drawings.
Figure 2
Nature and architecture
analogy
“Biomimetics, also referred to as bionics, bio-
mimicry, bioinspiration or bioinspired design, can be
defined as the implementation of design principles
derived from biology… Three distinct levels can be
recognized at which patterns can be translated from
biology to architecture. The lowest level, and the most
obvious, is direct copying of biological objects… The
second level of translation is the recognition of pat-
terns in the way problems are solved in biology and
engineering….The third level of translation is more
closely integrated with current practice in engineer-
ing and design. The patterns are more abstract, but
are there, in that problems are defined and solved
within a closely defined framework based on a large
number of published patents. “ (Vincent 2009). In our
paper the attempt is to make a shift from the first level
of biomimicry, by illustrating direct copying of bio-
logical objects just as one of many possible ways of
jumping further into the conceptual design process,
instead of starting from scratch.
SEASHELL FORMS
There are many examples of the use of natural forms,
or the phenomena as the basis for architectural ge-
ometry. Through history and especially in recent
times we have seen a lot of examples of that. Our
interest is focused on research how natural forms
can be a starting point in generative process of cre-
ating architectural forms. “The research has been
outlined in a number of mathematical relationships
that control the overall geometry of shells.” (Jirapong
and Krawczyk 2002). Mathematics is the science of
patterns and relationships, which helps us to express
ideas. By observation and mathematical definitions
we extract new parameters into the mathematical
framework, which gives us new rules that we can im-
plement for solving different architectural problems.
Architecture, which exists in a radically different en-
vironment from the seashell, has other parameters
that need to be integrated during the architectural
design process. These parameters are in relation with
the functional requirements of architectural forms.
Beautiful, natural forms such as seashells have
especially been suitable for analysis and applications
into digital design process.
Seashells exist in specific natural environment,
which has its implications on defining the final shape.
Extracting such form from its original environment,
and putting it in another context, leads to new con-
dition for designing in accordance with its inputs of
new environment. “The abstracting process combines
three major components that influence the final re-
sult of an architectural form. These components are
the seashell geometry properties, seashell structural
properties and architectural properties.“ (Jirapong
and Krawczyk 2002). Using mathematical language
selected model of seashell can be described as com-
bination of circles, lines and forms they make by their
translations and rotations. Moving on from geometry
Shape Studies - eCAADe 29 781
 to structural properties, as we do further analysis of
seashells forms, we can find analogy in how shell ge-
ometry responses to any load from outside world by
redirecting forces within a very thin section of shell
structure along its natural multiple curvatures. All
this is why seashell forms are suitable for extraction
of principles and their further analysis and applica-
tion. Never the less, architectural properties that
every building has to fulfil in order to produce human
architecture, no matter which design principles are
used during the design process, the final goal should
always be inhabitable architectural forms.
DIGITAL DESIGN FABRICATION
The Digital design fabrication method is a two-stage
process of working that integrates generative com-
puting and RP into one process. The term digital
design has various meanings and definitions. “Digi-
tal design as a method can be generically described
as a constructed relationship between information
and forms of representation that support design
in computational environments.” (Sass and Oxman
2005). Generative design, or generating a 3D model,
can be achieved through several methods, by using
software systems, mathematical data, reversible en-
gineering, etc...
Software systems, such as Proengineer, Cat-
ia, and others, can provide data and representa-
tions of the model. Mathematical data, as results
782 eCAADe 29 - Shape Studies
of analysis and measurements are used as inputs
for generating 3D models. Reversible engineering
represents use of digital technologies like 3D scan-
ners, to translate existing physical objects into
digital models. “RE aims to automatically generate
computer models from existing physical ones. RP
aims to create physical model based on computer
model, quickly and directly with minimal human
assistance.” (Plančak 2004). The implications of
rapid prototyping in digital design tend to empha-
size the continuousness of design, materialization
and construction.
CASE STUDY: SEASHELL
An idea is starting point of each design process, that
doesn`t appear in vacuum, it is triggered by inspira-
tion, which can be found everywhere around us. For
this case study, inspiration was found in the seashell.
Next step was observation of the seashell com-
plex forms, and development of strategy and con-
cept how to use seashell in future design. Sketch
(Figure 3) was used to present the idea, and it be-
came clear very early in the design process that use
of ordinary computer skills and software won’t be
sufficient for representing the design in full version.
Next phase was defining of all the steps that
had to be parts of digital design and defining what
we need to do, which softwares we need to use to
express our desired design. Algorithmic thinking is
Figure 3
Sketch of a seashell
needed in these design approaches. Observing pat-
terns in natural environment, recognising how they
act in their natural environment is inevitable, and
whether their relationships say something useful for
solving the problems.
Illustrations of steps that need to be taken in
this kind of approach are shown in algorithm:
1. Scanning “object” by laser scanner 3D Davids
laser scanner (“object” will be the start of our
concept design)
2. Processing of “cloud of points”, creating 3D
model (shape model)
3. Creating solid object by Pro E (Catia)
4. Modifying and making our final design
5. Preprocessing of model for Rapid Prototyping
6. Preparation of 3D model for 3DP process (Z
Print)
7. Production of “green” part by 3DP machine
(z310+, Z Corporation USA)
8. Post processing of “green” part – production of
final product
Generating of 3D model was performed by scan-
ning of selected sea shell. The model was set within
camera objective, the laser passed over the model
20 times from different angles. Laser that we used to
scan model was contactless David Laserscanner. Since
this is a complex form, this type of laser is preferred for
scanning in these cases. It should be noted that scan-
ning must be done carefully and slowly in order to
collect vast number of dots, which gives us more de-
tailed results. Each recording with a laser can be seen,
and should be saved in order to overlap. After record-
ing model from different angles, as we rotated the
model around one axis, in the same direction, span-
ning 360 degrees, we overlapped resulting images in
order to generate the model, as basis for our design.
Overlap was also made in software program 3DShape
Fusion, where we performed the scanning by choos-
ing the ADD button, and choosing the saved surface 1
and surface 2 and then pressing the command ALINE.
That way overlapped surfaces dots were identified.
After that, we excluded the surface 1, added surface
3, and repeated the same process for surfaces 2 and
3. The same process was continued with two by two
surfaces in order to get compact model which had
overlapped surfaces, placed on exact position. Once
we had done the procedure for all of the 20 surfaces,
we turned on and selected all of the surfaces and
pressed the button COMBINE. As the result we have
a model that consists of all surfaces that we recorded,
with dots set to the proper place. Obtained model
was saved and the use of other software packages
was acquired for detailed model transformation and
manipulation. We used GEOMAGIC Studio 10 soft-
ware. First we had cloud of dots and by using method
of triangulation we transformed model into a surface
and deleted excess dots. For these actions, we used
commands: Point phase, Reduce noise, Uniform Sam-
ple, Repair intersections, etc. Relax Boundway. After
saving as STL format, model can be further processed
in Pro Engineer, or CATIA software . The same soft-
ware was used for modeling, designing and 3D print-
ing. Working process requests knowledge of software
packages, and multidisciplinary approach, which im-
proves final results.
In our work we collaborated with Faculty of Me-
chanical Engineering in Tuzla that gave us unique
opportunity to perform our practical part of our pa-
per in the Faculty lab. After importing the model in
ProE, we removed the lower part of the base (plas-
ticine) which we used to fixate seashell during the
scanning process.
Special interest architects put on 4th stage of
process: modifying and making final design. This
stage integrate skills and knowledge about compu-
ter software and virtuosity of architect to be able to
implement those skills in architecture, as this case
shows how to use natural form in exploring new
concept of constructing object. It is not just about
design in sense of aesthetic, but constructing also.
Shape study will allow architect to use natural form
in architectural design. The scanned model was
imported in 3ds Max software, containing sev-
eral mesh structures, which needs to be grouped
and exported as an .obj file, quad type geometry
Shape Studies - eCAADe 29 783
 without texture and material library. According to
the fact that this is scanned 3D model with about
million polygons (982500) it was needed to mini-
mize model up to 80.000 polygons to be able to
efficiently manipulate and operate with model.
Further action was to import the object as a tool in
the Zbrush application. Zbrush application requires
work based on pixels (2,5D pixels, which besides
having a width and height, also has depth). Zbrush
makes specific kind of editing possible, with its
own brush tools. This enables development of very
784 eCAADe 29 - Shape Studies
complex and precise interventions on the mesh
structure of the object, as: configuration modeling,
all kind of space transformations, and texture paint-
ing on very surface of the object, and upgrading
of the object to HD geometry level which later on
can be used in context of very refined researches
and additional visualizations. Alignment of model
was done in Zbrush with smooth brush and after
it was exported as an .obj format in 3ds Max in
which it was by using prooptimizer minimized up
to 76,863 polygons and maid as one unit. Using
Figure 4
The scanning process
Figure 5
Shape study

Figure 6
Final shape option

Shape Studies - eCAADe 29 785

 spline volume was structured and patch area was
done with all smooth shell lines. Rough border was
removed. On the flank opening is performed. Result
of such modifications is a model that could again
be exported as an .obj file, with a possibility of re-
peated importing in any 3D or CAD application.
After defining the final satisfactory design, the
new model is ready for realization in the material
world, as generative design and rapid prototyping
close the cycle of digital design fabrication.
CONCLUSION
Nature has always been an endless source of inspi-
ration for architects. Richness of forms and shapes
prompted our exploration of nature. Earlier in time,
architects had certain constraints, due to lower lev-
els of structure and material technologies. Most of
the forms and shapes, inspired by nature stayed only
in their imagination and on their sketches, only few
brave as Gaudi succeeded in breathing life into his
nature inspired beautiful forms. Architects of today
don`t have those boundaries, and that is provided by
technology advancement and computation. Now, as
the possibilities have no boundaries, and the com-
putation has made abstracting natural forms into ar-
chitecture possible. Complex visualizations and fab-
rications are made by simple computation. It is very
important to stress significance of the link between
future design and use of new technologies, and the
fact that multidisciplinary approach is inevitable. Un-
til recently architects had to be familiar and have at
least basic knowledge in all other engineering disci-
plines, but now contemporary world has introduced
a new aspect that enforces obligatory knowledge of
new software packages, new technologies.
This paper has illustrated the approach to
design that shows all preliminary stages of design
process, and a possible path that can be chosen in
sense of implications of natural forms into the de-
sign, as an initiating generator of architectural form
conceptualization. The case study shows the act of
choosing an inspirational natural form and its ap-
plication into the virtual world, then digitalization,
786 eCAADe 29 - Shape Studies
transformation, evaluation of the forms that are
suitable for human architecture.
In contemporary society, digital design literacy
of architects is expected, as well as constant update
with technology development and growing pos-
sibilities of different software packages. By having
that knowledge, architect becomes aware of im-
portance of collaborations and openness to other
disciplines, and of their contributions to architec-
tural design process. Those elements affect the cog-
nition of creativity, understanding the limitations
of technology and building techniques. Overall, it
concludes in liberation of the mind and more crea-
tive designs.
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Shape Studies - eCAADe 29 787

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