//Plasticity

In biology, plasticity is the adaptability of an organism to change in its environment and between its various habitats. Utilizing science informed design methods that are intelligent and multi-functional through the use of components, parameters, and variations to develop an architectural project is one way to begin exploring plasticity and new potentials in architecture. The goal for this project is to create an adaptable and experiential structure that has all the advantages and efficiencies of parametric design. Computer aided design has shifted from how objects appear to how they perform and interact. Sustainability and parametric design have merged to create adaptive performance structures, which have lead to new opportunities in architecture. Adaptability in architecture emphasizes the importance of designing structures and methods that are responsive, propagating and that involves materials and organizations that do more and go beyond what they used to. It is as much about the process as it is about the final product. Dynamism in architecture is key to creating adaptive structures and developing new ways of interacting with space, volume, and movement. Developing structures that are informed by science through the use of parameters and manipulated components can create architecture that can respond and adapt ecologically to its environment.

//program

Aquaculture + Marine Science Center

Architecture is progressively becoming more biological. The program objective is to test architectural growth strategies through the development of an aquaculture facility along a river. This way organisms and people are experiencing space together in the same structure and benefiting from one another to create one inhabitable place through the development of a diverse, flexible, and open-ended design. The program was selected based on its connection to biology and growth. The following is a list of the spaces to be included in the structure: Hydroponic Farms, Fish Farms, Labs, Aquarium Areas, Exhibitions, Market, Offices, Gardens/Outdoor Areas, & Docks

//Site Selection

The first phase of the design is to build a marine science center that provides a place for preserving local aquatic organisms. The site must first be in a location that can support those organisms. The next phase of the design is to incorporate an urban housing component, so the site must also be in an inhabitable and dense area. I have chosen to explore New Orleans, Louisiana as a site due to its proximity to the Mississippi River and its vulnerability to natural disasters caused by water. New Orleans will pose environmental building challenges, and will be dense enough for urban housing, and is economically and environmentally viable for a marine science center.

//Criteria

1. Site must be directly connected to a river or natural body of water because of the selected program and the river’s connection to biology.

2. Site should preferably be near the denser part of the city to easily connect people to the body of water.

3. To emphasize balancing the natural and built environments, the site should be located in an area that can connect the city to nature.

4. Since the structure is rethinking how to build in its specific location, zoning can be challenged.

5. Connection to the old development of the city is preferred to emphasize challenging old conventions.

//New Orleans, LA

Lower Garden District; Race St. along the MS River, New Orleans, LA

The site is directly connected to the Mississippi River and is very close to the Central Business District. Major features around the site include a railroad, Maris Gras World, the Convention Center, and the Aquarium. The site is also located within the old development of New Orleans. This site was chosen because it met all 5 criteria and based on its connection to the Mississippi River and close proximity to the Central Business District. Restrictions and things to watch out for include the railroad tracks, and the parking lot of the existing industrial building adjacent to the site. The site is planned to be an open park space in the future, which can be to the advantage of the project if the project includes that in the overall scheme.

//Overall Phasing

The first phase of the design is to build the marine science center. The next phase is to building the aquarium, and then the residential areas would follow that.

//biological inspiration

Shape memory alloys are a titanium base metal that can “remember” their original shape. When physically deformed they can return to their original shape when heated by themselves. This is one way the system can begin to fluctuate in shape. Check out this video describing the shape memory effect of Nitinol by Bill Hammack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI-qAxKJoSU. The images to the above are screenshots from that video.

"Vines." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.

//Vines

Developing dynamic structures that are informed by science through the use of parameters and manipulated components can create architecture that can respond and adapt to its environment. Vines and tree grafting are the biological growing inspiration for the system from which some parameters are set up. Vines start at a base point in space, search for light, and through their constant search they grow, expand, and grow over again creating a dense network of vines. Vines also react to other vines and when close enough they either graft together or repel to find other sources of light. Vines also can either grow close together in places of ample light, or fan out like in shaded areas, and more complexly fan out in different ways in areas with multiple light sources are available. With that in mind, the system would grow, expand, and contract in different and complex ways. And the system while forming or re-forming would be able to sense other networks within the system.

//the growth mechanism

As a way to develop or grow the building architecturally, the system facilitates the memory alloy. The building would contain a central computer system that would be supplied with information and material to develop growth mechanisms. Growth mechanisms eject (3d print) the shape memory alloy that allows the system to grow in length. The growth mechanism also layout framework for carbon fiber piping as they develop the structure. The piping can be electrically heated and that would allow the shape memory alloy to deform and reform around it. The piping serves a general guide for the alloy and is placed manually by the mechanisms. The fiber piping would guide the alloy until it over grows completely. At the end, the network would be capped with a wired mesh and then clad with a panel of thermo bio-metal can also be heated and reformed. The components of the system consist of the carbon fiber piping, the memory alloy, the wire mesh, and the thermo-bio-metal cladding. The architecture is robotic and more of a system than a building traditionally.

//building design

The site is located along the Mississippi River just south of the Convention Center and Mardi Gras World. The project is an aquaculture center that provides a place for preserving, celebrating, and hatching aquatic organisms, while testing architectural growth strategies. This way organisms and people are experiencing a structure together and benefiting from one another to create one inhabitable place through the development of a diverse, flexible, and open-ended design. The program was selected based on its connection to biology and growth. The project is about growing architecture and the models and renderings represent the project at a point in time where it can be first inhabited. This isn’t representing the end of the project, but just one inhabitable stage of its life span and it also depicts the experience of the spaces created.

Section AA

Section BB

West Elevation

//renderings

In the program, we have auditorium spaces; exhibit spaces, hatchery areas, labs, docks, etc. The renderings depict an aquarium space, an entry area, and a view of the bridge. And the large image in the beginning is this space here is looking into the market area. The project is about growing architecture and the renderings represent the project at a point in time where it can be first inhabited. This isn’t representing the end of the project, but just one inhabitable stage of its life span and it is also depicting the experience of the spaces created.

Rendering 2

Rendering 3

//Conclusion

Material intelligence, architecture informed by nature and its context, responsive systems, and performance are qualities that can mark a structure as adaptive. These approaches can be utilized to address environmental challenges and provide methods to finding solutions to other problems in architecture today. Creating responsive, intelligent, and informed biological structures that anticipate change and are informed by systems such as nature, time, users, and place can for provide economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Adaptability in architecture coupled with biological plasticity creates new potentials in architecture. These potentials have the techniques to tackle environmental issues such as natural disasters and changes and how architecture can respond effectively to those issues to benefit society. We now have the have the tools, information, and means to advance structures to restore the relationship between how people live and interact with the environment and to develop how adaptive architecture can support that relationship.

1/64 Scale Site Model: The site model was laser cut and painted white and the water area is made from laser cut clear acrylic.

1/64 Scale Models: Some of these models are iterations. All models were 3d powder printed. Some 3d printed models were sealed and have a glossy surface.

1/32 Scale Detail Model: This model was 3d powder printed. It was printed in 3 sections so it could be taken apart and you can look inside. Also, the 3d printer bed wasn’t large enough to print the whole model at that scale. I made a base for the model to help take it apart without touching the 3d printed part too much.

1/32 Scale Detail Model: View with Middle Section Removed

1/32 Scale Detail Model: View of Middle Section

1/32 Scale Detail Model: In progress overall view of model right out of the 3d printer

1/32 Scale Detail Model: In progress overall view of model right out of the 3d printer

1/32 Scale Detail Model: In progress zoomed in view of model right out of the 3d printer

1/32 Scale Detail Model: In progress zoomed in view of model right out of the 3d printer

1/8 Scale Sectional Model: This model was made of laser cut acrylic. If you look at the 1/32 scale model, it is an enlarged model of that little center section. I also made a base for it to sit in so it could be handled easier.

1/8 Scale Sectional Model - Zoomed In View 1

1/8 Scale Sectional Model - Zoomed In View 2

1/8 Scale Sectional Model - Zoomed In View 3

FINAL BOARD 1

FINAL BOARD 2