Blob Tectonics, or why Tectonics is square and topology is groovy… Greg Lynn

Most important points and reflections:

Blobs have had a hard way merging with the tectonic nature of architectural expression, because of there innate nature of being ‘simultaneously alien and detached, however capable of melding with their contexts.’

The organization and conception of blobs has always fascinated me, and Lynn expresses in detail the different ways to begin to think about blob formation.

Ideal of blobs being so contextually intensive and dependant on external conditions for their internal organization.

Hollywood movie advent of blobs and their properties…they stick to things that are then slowly incorporated through their surface, they depend on contextual restraints or containment for their form, ability to absorb objects as if they were liquefied.

A blob is neither a single thing or a multiple of things, but is networked and can become multiplied and distributed…

Then this idea of Meta-balls or blob models and isomorphic polysurfaces arises. Their basic ideas include:
-objects defined in relation to other objects…
-field forces define and alter surfaces which are the controlling factors of these meta-balls

Preconceived notion since the beginning of time that buildings should stand ‘upright’ like the humans that inhabit them, and this has been a hard vision and idea to overcome in architectural design. This is a very interesting idea that I can imagine inadvertently directs our thinking and design methodology, which is fairly obvious by the ‘normal’ architecture being produced around the world. ‘Normal’ as in perpendicular to the surface of the earth.

Opposing analogy of the body more akin to a single cell blob than a symmetrically articulated upright man. This of course leads to a sort of methodology with which to begin to think about blobs.

Currently in architecture blobs have tended to be built strictly as alterations on roof surfaces. Lynn asks us to look to other way to incorporate these ideas elsewhere.

We can start looking at architecture requiring long spans that can lead to instinctively tectonic expressions of roof structure. This usually leads to expression or at least a way of thinking that tends to correlate structure with design. This can be applied to designs for blobs as well, but Lynn suggests has not been approached with much success as of yet.

Another way to look at blobs has been to install slight variation in systematic structural systems that eventually lead to undulating forms. This step towards blobular architecture has been undertaken many times and has been explored very successfully, especially with the use of ‘frames’ in architectural design. We can easily manipulate these frames, whether parametrically or just methodically, to organize obscure sites or create unique and flowing designs that imply movement or otherwise dramatic architecture. I still think of Grimshaw’s Waterloo terminal in London.

Same as below without global illumination...

Here is the new, slightly scarier...darker...version

Architecture Representation and the Perspective Hinge

Translation vs. Transcription

Architectural profession still hesitant to apply transparency and different means for representation even though artists etc have been using collage, etc. for years…

Drawings as reflection of precision for need for unambiguous representation of ideas…

Attempt to probe the possibilities of building architecture as a poetic translation, not a prosaic transcription, of its representations.

Architectural Meaning and the Tools of the Architect

Fascinating fact that many things like gothic cathedrals were built without many architectural drawings…

Act of construction to now simply representing through drawing (architecture)

Theories of Vision and the Reciprocity between Seeing and Being Seen

This first statement reminded me of the sidewalk chalk guy…

http://gprime.net/images/sidewalkchalkguy/

Impact of light in humans perceiving things and its geometrical properties…
And its transparent nature

From Architectural Perspective to Artificial Construction

God centered perspective leads to things like centralized churches, where views are all roughly the same…technically centered perspectives lead to nicely constructed architectural views of buildings that are not centered.

Renaissance formation of this type of drawing revolutionary

Again mathematics based

I really like the visual image and idea of light being emitted from the eyes and thereby creating the views we see

Optical correction amazing idea for building construction for buildings to appear vertical when in fact they are off to shift our perceived notion of them. Things like the entasis in the steps of the Parthenon, etc…this shows how a constructed view of things are extremely important in architectural representation.

Interesting notion that original perspectives were created with help of things like receding lines in floor patterns and regular, architectural linearity, this probably led to a preconceived notion to how ‘correct’ perspective drawings should look and has probably shaped the pedagogy architecture because of it…

All of this section keeps bringing to my mind the importance of framing views and constructing well crafted images to get your ideas across or to capture a special vantage point for any type of experience. Hence the project for this week of crafting and framing views in our first animation. This section was very interesting.

Drawing Building Text (Andrea Kahn, Editor: Princeton Architectural Press. Originally by Catherine Ingraham) A response…Lines and Linearity

_architecture depends on the orthogonality of lines, but even the orthogonality of intention, creativity, and intuition…

This is a very interesting statement which I would like to here some other opinions on. I feel that we are not bound by linearity in our creative thought process but more it is how we are trained to think from a young age, and how we are further trained in architecture schooling. It everything lines up, it will look better! Again, thinking out of this linearly composed ‘box’ is not normal and requires lots of training and rigorous study in alternative methods of thinking.

_pure geometrical ideality is “released from all sensible or imaginative intuitiveness.” Imagination is responsible for the “pure morphological type” and it “can transform sensible shapes only into other sensible shapes.”

I feel that this way of thinking is very much instilled in the minds of architects, and for that matter, everyone in our human society because of things like maps, gps, and our ability to schedule out every minute of every day. We attach to this idea of geometrical ideality and when combined with Cartesian intellectualism, we gravitate to know where, and when we are at any given time.

_pure geometry as an intellectual act…Once pure geometry becomes possible it is accessible only to the understanding of Cartesian intellectualism…

Refer to above statement…


_how can our understanding of the line and the idea of a line shift, if we are constantly bound by its nature of linearity…we cannot understand it because as soon as we try to veer off the path of the line, we return back to its natural linearity.

This was one of those confusing sections that took a while to grasp and still poses one of those great rhetorical statements that brings about endless thoughts and conversation and will eventually lead no where. Still though, it is very compelling.

_“...cicatrize (la) has multiple associations with the imposing of human pattern upon the disorder of nature: chunks of wood, the human face, and the forest are all ‘opened’ like the human eye, allowing the inner quality of the substance to shine forth.”

This was a great quote and provided a great visual to associate with this section of the reading. How would our society be different if we expressed our linearity by carving into our faces to express our methods of linearity.

_child using architectural prop to be suspended in space to see themselves in a mirror…

This is an interesting idea and one that could be used to tectonically explain structural expressiveness in architecture…we always feel the need to see the supporting elements, or at least have some idea of how something is held up…this may be why we feel uneasy with some modern examples when things like brick are hovering over glass, etc.

Architecture + Animation (Architectural Design)...A response

_questioning of a new fetishisation of surface imagery over substance in architectural design.

Valid

_architectural space is not focused upon because of the burden of the software in creating animation images, etc… time could be more spent creating and furthering the design of the space

Valid


_not sure I agree with hiring of photographer statement, vs. helicopter ride, etc…When one hires a person to photograph a building, the person does not necessarily hire a helicopter and fly around it…people are used to the one or two point perspective of perceiving buildings and other architectural imagery

I think both are now important, as 3d interpretation is becoming a requirement for new designs in the industry. We need the basic 2d/photograph type information to get the general idea, but the new 3d analysis and presentation can drastically help to inform a viewer about the ‘whole’ design. This may require more front end work, but will save time later in explaining corner conditions, etc…

_one point perspective allows for the viewer to imagine and discover implied space, etc…chaos comes from the actual helicopter view

Sometimes Valid

_“…one is irritated…by coagulating blobs, wispy cyberplasm and trains of text...traveling past…”

I am sometimes

_use of techno music questioned

This is interesting because one can see the point of a technological based soundtrack for technologically based medium, but I wonder why more classical music has not been implemented in architectural animation…

_belief or misconception that before a design goes into the computer it has to already be exact and precise, unlike hand drawings, which can convey to viewers an implied space that may not totally be worked out

Invalid…With courses that we have taken like 470 and 670, we know that this is not the case and the computer can…gasp…be used as an effective design tool

_animation to dilute the difference between one architect and another, personal touch is a critical marketing tool

Invalid…as we have seen, animation styles also vary by animator and the best ones create there own method of animation and experimentation for the use of their respective digital media…

Folds in Space

For your viewing pleasure. Sit back, relax, and enjoy...

First Try at Form Z animation

Nothing spectacular, but gotta start somewhere...