Thursday, October 18, 2007

Sustainable turbulence



Fish gather together in shoals for more than safety in numbers: their bodies are able to extract kinetic energy from vortices and eddies created by objects in water or other fish.

This has led some researchers to investigate how these same processes could be reproduced in devices capable of generating electricity from turbulence in liquid flows (unlike in conventional turbines, for which turbulence is a hindrance), as described in this article.

An example: this project from Princeton.

This is interesting, beyond the issues of efficiency and renewable energy production – architectural skins could be reworked so as to use wind forces productively, instead of merely resisting them.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

you can also know how to build


I just got a link to some pictures by Fernando Guerra of the latest built project of JSTC: the school of Medicine of Braga, Portugal. They are worth seeing, José and Teresa are really great at getting their thoughts all the way thru construction. The know how to build.
You can't tell from the pictures, but there is a wall made with 4 stories height perforated metal shutters that slide open electronically

Friday, August 31, 2007

de-generative architecture


Alireza just sent me a great picture of Pessac (Corbu)

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

WIND PARK



coming back from the construction site a couple of days ago.
I had to stop and wonder around those giants.

VORONOI DEV.

interesting voronoi developments


from Made in California


and from Object-e-architecture

Monday, August 27, 2007

Friday, August 24, 2007

Digital Garbage



it is common in the research produce and develop a lot of files(scripts, models, images)that we will never use.
Here there is a selection of digital garbage made this August.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

GRAVITATIONAL VORONOI EXHIBITION WALL II

Phisical model of the wall


Multi-touch



Can you imagine what you can do with a screen?
Also interesting, Obscura Digital

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

MAS VORONOI


artwork by Golan Levin

and a voronoi aplication as audio visualizer from Flight404

but here is a smart one, voronoi is used to define the path of minimal chance of hitting obstacle for travel routes. further info here

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

GENERACIÓN DE MALLAS TRIDIMENSIONALES POR MÉTODOS DUALES



A thesis by Nestor Alberto Calvo that has reminded me of S. Pivar's theory on patterngenesis (right now in the eye of the hurricane, although I have to say that I find appealing the idea behind his "crazy theory")

I still have to read it carefully but it seems promising.

plus, geometry in action a compiling site from ICS Theory Group

BRANKO KOLAREVIC PRESENTATION


This is a power point presentation called "Digital Fabrication" of Branko Kolarevic, professor of the University of Pennsylvania

Monday, August 20, 2007

NEH-01 GLACIER HABITAT


"This research study explores the potential of space-dividing algorithms and their integration in built architecture.
The project aims on forming an integrated and generative design strategy based on a biomimetic approach to architectural design and fabrication.
The development of a software-tool that allows to simulate dynamic spatial relationships and its implementation on a given architectonical problem forms the integral part of this study.The application of the tool on various scales and hierarchies aims on a high degree of integration between design and fabrication of the final project."

Thursday, August 16, 2007

gravitational voronoi exhibition wall


next step for the wall
going away from the conitnuous surface and getting a sense for the boxes



Rhizome












Here there are two more interesting links, one of them is in Spanish from Urbanism in SouthAmerica.

Seven, Six, Five

Plataforma Urbana

voronoitom


Voronoitom is an AA Research Project 0607 (Diploma 16 :: Architecture in Extreme) Environment
by
Tom Ostinato

an interesting catalog of voronois generation patterns. here in flickr album

Generative audio visualization


Seelenlose Automaten is a generative music visualization with an unusal approach: Instead of analyzing the music for cues for visual change, MIDI control messages are sent simultaneously to the sound and image generators. Each mapping to a specific visual or sound effect, these messages are a vocabulary of rules giving structure to the composition. All change can be precisely predicted, and as a result the entire composition is perfectly synchronized.

Random numbers, Probability, Perlin Noise

Some codes done with processing that might interest you. The Nature of Code by Daniel Shiffman at NYU. I found this one and this one quite interesting.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

PROGRAM

Nonspheres IV
Luis Berríos-Negrón

"PROGRAM is a nonprofit project aimed at testing the disciplinary boundaries of architecture through collaborations with other fields. Initiated in 2006 by Carson Chan and Fotini Lazaridou-Hatzigoga, PROGRAM provides a discursive platform for artists, architects, critics and curators to explore ideas through exhibitions, performances, workshops, lectures, and residencies...."

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

voronoi research - in progress


Here is the process (the dead corpses) of scripting a voronoi diagram that would take in consideration gravitational forces between the points. so the division lines would not longer be at the center of the line that connects two cores.


and here is a voronoi on a square grid with gravitational forces on the points in an increasing sequence.



and here is a series of balaced gravitational grids.
we are starting to see some light after all.
:)