Constructing Celebratory Spaces

Kenny Kinugasa- Tsui and  Justin C K Lau

Students

Joseph Chilvers , Juliet Elizabeth Burch , Matthew Joseph Gibbs , Qendrim Gjata , Helena Esther Howard , Huda Jaber , Chiok-Junn Li , Stiliyana Ilieva Minkosk, Konstantinos Papaoikonomou , Matthew Sawyer , Daniel Sweeting , Jonathan Michael Wilson , Amy Shun Ting Wong, Sarish Younis , Rodriguez Rodolfo , Oliver Beros, Eugenie Bliah , Paul Boldeanu , Elliott Cohen , Joess Avelino Gourgel Dos Santos , U Ieong To, Stephanie Forbes , Lauren Fresle , Harry John Grocott , Elizabeth Mary, Johnson , Christos Markides , David Monk Chipman Stephen , Hannah Kate Pells 

The digital experimentation of unit E focuses on a digital design methodology that is driven by the spatial, poetic and scientific investigations of botany; an ‘organic’ computational design process that is constantly fluctuating to engage with human input of personalities and designer’s emotions. The desire to flourish, manifest, festive, tribute, honour, and celebrate; creates a fertile condition for lifting spirits and constructing optimism in architecture.

‘Constructing Celebratory Spaces’ investigates the extent human beings could go to celebrate an event, and the subsequent architectural creation that facilitates such powerful forces that can ephemerally transform the city on an urban scale.

The brief aimed to define and construct spaces that reflect the incidents relating to a celebration, encouraging designed spaces for optimism, humour, colours and opulence. From these qualities emerge a fertile condition to celebrate and assemble developmental directions for human environments.
Unit E made a study trip to Venice to experience the celebratory event of the Architecture Biennale. Students were asked to analyze the way the exhibition spaces were accommodated in Giardini, Arsenale, Arsenale Corderie, and the Pavilions. Students also drew personal interpretations and stories in the city, and defined their individual sites in Venice for the main design project.

Enriched by the historical and cultural context of Venice, the main project is to design a building that would accommodate long-term spaces to house permanent inhabitation of exhibits, as well as flexible spaces to house temporary exhibitions. A primary technological concept would explore relationships formed by the cultural activities in flux, with the historical references to trading, production and scientific development to include bio-sciences, greeneries, food production, climatic ecologies, and bio-diversity, as a hybridized cross programming element to the Great Celebratory Building.

scale . scape . scope MAK Schindler residency Los Angeles, 2011
research project for “a cartography from a roadtrip-point-of-view”

scale. Exploring infrastructural landscapes, it becomes obvious that infrastructure not only provides the framework for moving patterns as such, but foremost informs the very patterns of perception. When passing by in a car, the view on the surroundings is rendered a cinematic experience. Landscape becomes an ephemeral and transient projection from a floating perspective, its scale becomes loose.

scape. Historically landscape is a framed view on a piece of land. 18th Century English garden architecture arranged pavilions, ruins, trees and lakes in the garden, accentuating certain views on idealized nature informed by landscape painting. Current discourse treats landscape as a continuous field without distinction if man-made or natural. It is characterized by the loss of figure-ground relationships dominating 20th century urban design, which directly associated building mass with a determined function. Space is rather treated as a continuously mediated field, thus negotiable and takes into account a presence of the participant. Space is not a vessel, it is produced / practiced by its protagonists, creating their very own space-time.

scope. A -scope has always been a tool for inspection, i.e. telescope, microscope, kaleidoscope. We face an age in which the human sensory organs and physical body get inextricably interconnected with their media extensions. Gadgets and prostheses allow for accessing hyperspaces. Virtual and geographical realms overlap, are even coextensive. A GPS in a car, Google Earth, Street View and such applications create their own space intersecting with the geographical. This current state exceeds the three-dimensional, redefining what falls under the scope of the architectural. How might it be mapped / drawn? What might cartography from a moving point of view be like? With the car being the tool for examination, a car-scope, what does it reveal?

sound by abby lee tee, live gps: Claudia Slanar ]]> http://horhizon.com/main/mak-exhibition-los-angeles/feed/ 0 http://horhizon.com/main/a-dancers-studio/ http://horhizon.com/main/a-dancers-studio/#comments Sun, 26 Jun 2011 09:31:33 +0000 horhizon http://horhizon.com/main/?p=2208

Rsearch_Archifoliage Veils

Author: Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui

Depth of research – An innovative technological approach

The rapid development of innovative technological approaches in the realm of biology, biomechanics, biotechnology, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics are becoming of immense significance to architecture, demanding our attention due to their inevitable cultural, aesthetic and technical implications. This results in the ‘biologicalisation’ phenomenon in architecture. The line between natural and the artificial is progressively blurred.

A synthetic living flesh – Archifoliage Veils

Based on the research into plant flowers fertilization and fermentation mechanisms, the proposed artificial synthetic structures create a family of responsive and interrelated typological growth structures to nurture specific crop plants living systems.

Transgenic organisms hybrid

The biological phenomena in morphological terms have been studied and applied principles as a means to develop new structural and formal systems. The designed synthetic archifoliage veil structures are each tailored to nurture different species of living crop to grow symbiotically in an optimized condition.

The geometries of the natural growths

The above images records growth pattern for a climbing plant (hop plant) on the archifoliage system. The resultant geometry of the vegetation is generated from the differentiated nurturing forms of the archifoliage veil structures.

The vegetation forms a soft outer skin for the building, which changes seasonally according to the annual growth and cultivation of the farm.

Archifoliage typologies – Araceae

Araceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in a leaf-like hood.

Zantedeschia and Anthurium are two well known members of this family.

Five variation of archifoliage are studied:

Archi-zantedeschia elliottiana – beans

Archi-zantedeschia aethiopica – guord

Archi-zantedeschia rehmannii – cucumbers

Archi-zantedeschia albomaculata – yam

Archi-zantedeschia jucunda – squashes, tomatoes, salads and herbs

Archifoliage Veils – Innovation in the use of conceptual process generators

The design of the archifoliage Veils system researched fluid dynamics as the conceptual and technical basis for choreographing complex interactions of crop growth from computationally generated vector fields. The ecological environmental data such as sunlight, temperature and rain is incorporated into the iterative design progression of the veils family typologies.

Writing for d3 Assemble

Constructing Celebratory Spaces

Author: Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui & Justin C.K. Lau

Through the experimental network of Horhizon and the studio exploration at Unit E of Oxford Brookes University UK, various projects attempted to readdress the motivation behind digital designs; a computational design process that is constantly fluctuating to allow for humane input of personalities and designer’s emotions; the desire to flourish, manifest, festive, tribute, honor, and celebrate, creating a fertile condition for constructing optimism in architecture.

Urban Agriculture. Beer Hops Farm – Brewerymarket

Farmer’s Market Competition 3^rd Prize Winner

Author: Lorene Faure & Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui

Introduction

This urban agricultural proposal is a ‘Beer Hops Farm Brewerymarket’ that aims to create a new place for the exchange of goods and service in the historic Highland Square district of West Highlands neighborhood. The Brewerymarket’s main entrance is on West 32 Avenue, enroute to Downtown Denver where the annual American Beer Festival at the Colorado Convention Center is held. The building acts as a ‘reception’ to the global events of Denver and strengthens West Highland neighborhood’s local identity through an innovative year round programming including hop plant farming, beer making, and providing flexible vending market spaces with a community events venue for arts and music performances.

Architectural interpretations

Hop plant (Humulus Lupulus) is vigorous climbing vegetation and hops are used primarily as an important flavoring and stability agent in the beer making process. The proposal creates the sensual experience of a vibrant ‘garden’ where the hops are farmed on hop poles to create the building’s main green facade. The adjustable assembly systems of the modular vending bins are inspired from the natural material properties of hop pods.

Artistic inspiration from nature: Water collection retractable roof membrane

The transparent foldable PVC roof canopy acts as a condenser for reclaiming water for storage that is then used in the brewery and watering for the beer hops farm facade.

The technique for this lightweight system is simple and its cost of maintenance is low.

The folding geometry of the roof canopy takes inspiration from a plant and maximizes its surface area for heat exchange. It dissipates its heat at night and allows for the condensation of water vapor from the air, as well as directing rain water to the white funnels that channels water down to the brewery at low level.

Urban Agriculture- Biosynthetic Ecology: Hybridized Farm Bridge as a City Garden

D3 Natural Systems Competition 1^st Prize Winner

Author: Lorene Faure & Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui

Introduction – An architectural vision of a sustainable future

Most cities in the world rely on a vulnerable system of food supply; hence they are most likely to feel the effects of any food shortages. In UK, it is estimated that Londoners consumed 6.9 million tones of food per year, of which 81% came from outside the UK. The country’s food supply is almost totally dependent on oil (95% of the food we eat is oil-dependent) and if the oil supply to Britain were suddenly cut off, figures show that it would take just three full days before law and order broke down. (Sources from London Yields: Urban Agriculture. An exhibition held at the Building Centre, London during 9 April – 30 May 2009)

The transformation of cities from consumers of food to generators of agricultural products not only increases food security but also contributes to sustainability, improved health and poverty alleviation.

This has driven an in-depth research based investigation into the proposition of an urban agricultural building hybridized with biological matter, as a semi-living system that informs a biosynthetic ecology that would provide food for Londoners.

The architectural proposal is a technological food production farm built on top of the existing Westminster Bridge in central London. A system of an archifoliage ‘veils’ allows a variable input from the surrounding natural habitat and human influence into a public garden spectacle, while preserving its original function as a road bridge. The veils morphologically adapts to the existing stone bridge and forms a number of floating docks on the Thames River that accommodates the function of food delivery through water vehicles, as well as leisure activities such as canoeing and kayaking.

Fluid dynamics – Documentation and analysis of conceptual process generators for the intrinsic environmental geometries, behaviors, and flows.

The Archifoliage Veil is a system of synthetic flesh that has the ability to become imbued with performative variation derived from multiple scenarios of configuration and positions. The technique of the ‘self-similar multiple’ is used as a means for indexing difference and variability. A catalogue of variations was generated to manage a degree of transpiration, solar and water flow along the veil surfaces to enable a multiplicity of conditions and responses for optimized conditions for plant growths. They modulate the micro weather environment for each plant growth species.

Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui’s digital sketches have been selected to be included in the d3 Sketch Exhibition, sponsored by the Universidad de Monterrey in collaboration with d3 New York.

Sketching is a fundamental and time-tested tool of design communication, an intuitive practice that conveys ideas and assumptions rapidly and directly. More recently, the conventional act of sketching has been profoundly transformed by a proliferation of diverse methodologies and emerging digital technologies. While the perception and notion of what constitutes a sketch continues to expand, many designers are reconsidering and expanding upon the historical role of sketching. This emerging dialogue reveals unparalleled synergies between 21st century innovation and classical tradition.

Sponsored by the Universidad de Monterrey in association with New York-based curators d3, Sketch, the opening exhibition for Tadao Ando’s lecture to be held at the Universidad de Monterrey in March 2011, seeks to investigate this discourse by embracing the full range and potential of sketching in conceptual design. Sketch will revisit the use of classical approaches, while engaging with the new technologies that have expanded the opportunities of sketching as a conceptual generator. The exhibition offers a forum to reflect upon the transformative forces impacting sketching in design.

Floating Permaculture is a polemic utopian statement by Dietmar Koering (Arphenotype), which explores creating a system in the North Sea to connect renewable energy, rainwater capture, natural ways of cleaning grey water, organic food production and re-circulating hydroponics.

Floating permaculture as a development of discursive systematic models

Current status
The research is widely based on the argument that, in the past, fatal errors were made when mankind developed its “permanent culture”. Humans act as parasites, taking resources from the environment – in many cases in much larger amounts than nature and the environment can stand. Moreover, the different areas and processes required to gain the essentials to support human life are not systematically or synergistically combined. Energy is converted into food with the aid of mechanized agriculture. First: frugality must be paramount. Second: better and more efficient systems need to be developed to source the basics for human needs.

Floating Permaculture presents a polemic utopian statement: how to create a system that interlinks systems without exploitation. Rapid urbanisation and overpopulations have eaten away at traditional farmland. This proposal presents floating permaculture as a crucial re-action to social expansion, while acknowledging that present-day cities are vulnerable systems. The shallow waters of the epi-continental North Sea are an ideal location for permaculture. The cybernetic process is embodied in a closed feedback loop connecting energy and food production, fused with 1960s utopian ideas of metabolism and adapted to today’s society.

This project uses the term “permaculture” to indicate a rhizometric system which theoretically connects to form a sustainable system. A system which interlinks renewable energy, rainwater capture, natural ways of cleaning grey water, organic food production and re-circulating hydroponics. Permacultural systems were – and still are – used by the Aztecs in the Valley of Mexico. The so called “Chinampa’s” are small floating islands dedicated to food production. These islands were born out of the need to provide food for the larger cities; today, with a modern society to sustain, we are in a similar situation.

Systems and cycles
Each permaculture seeks to combine sustainable energy and agriculture in closed feedback loops. The input divides into natural and waste feeders. Natural feeders gather input from wind and sun resources. Waste feeders, on the other hand, draw input from sewage and biomass resources generated by the mega structures. Focusing first on the waste feeders – detritus or sewage is pumped into a field of Vetiver Grass, then over a layer of Zebra Mussels before being channelled into a fermenter. The Vetiver Grass is reused later in the cooling engine, or desert cooler, for greenhouse and oil production. The Zebra Mussels, or lake parasites, form a closed system which acts as filter feeders admitting detritus and pre-cleaning the biomass in a natural way. Furthermore, the shredded shell of the Zebra Mussels acts as a source of food and calcium for animal production. After the biomass is cleaned, it is pre-purified in a fermenter. The waste is then run through a dewatering machine to a bioreactor, ending up in a ‘settler’, which is linked to the compost, before being used in crop production to water rice fields and greenhouses. The rice fields are unique in that they use combined fish groups for increasing crop production in the paddies. Water enriched by fertilisers from the paddies is then fed into the greenhouses by the hydroponic systems.

Principal energy
If we focus on the first system – harvesting natural energy resources like wind and sun – we can draw on a considerable amount of experience with proven systems; however, due to a lack of technology, energy cannot easily be extracted from natural sources. In fact, storing solar and wind-generated energy is one of the major challenges we need to tackle. One solution is to use electrolysis combined with a hydrogen-fuel cell; electrolysis transforms the generated electricity into hydrogen, which the fuel cell can convert back into electricity later. Auxiliary electricity is generated by wind, sun, wave turbines and biogas from the fermenter. A second reactor is also hooked up to the circular flow via an ‘algae bioreactor’. This is optimized by LEDs that are driven by the fuel cell to increase the production up to 24H. This algae press cake from the bioreactor is high in protein and can be feedback into animal feed or directly into the Megastructures.

Future dreams
Homo Ludens has broken out of his ecological dinner jacket – his food supply is no longer limited by what he can grow, but by what he can transform. In another sense, Lavoisier was right: “Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.” Therefore, we should aim for transformations, which are bound up to sustainable feedback loops.
We may be unable to prevent climate changes, but we are able to minimize their effect by taking action now; creating hope of a way out of the crisis by modifying our cerebration and combining serious energy efficiency and a wide variety of new technologies. Floating Permaculture as a sophisticated part of a new metabolism; a positive organism which will adapt to bodies and culture creates the battery which will provide the modern “Technobody” with energy. Humans must aim for autarky as a solution to our current over-exploitation of resources.

.LSBU OS3

the third lecture series at LSBU curated by Tobias Klein and Kenny Kinugasa-Tsui

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Always Thursday
Lecture Theatre L17, London Road Building, 120-125 London Road SE1 6IN
For enquiries, please email info@lsbu-openseries.com
www.lsbu-openseries.com

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The third OS lecture in the School of Architecture at London South Bank University series seeks to bring together a diversity of individuals, discourses and practices that explore the limits and boundaries of both their practice and their practices as a designer whilst proposing new paradigms for the future.

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The individuals contributing to this series have all contributed to expand and stretch traditional definitions of their subject. The term ‘Maverick’ is not to be understood merely as an individual who does not conform but as a powerful agent for change and transformation.

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The form of the lectures will invite a presentation and debate to discuss:
• The content and form of practice(s)’
• Context and politics of practice (central and/or peripheral)
• Discipline bondage and the Interdisciplinary
• New Paradigms for the future

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The School of Architecture has its roots in Brixton School of Building and has strong tradition of independent minded students, staff and alumni such as Ron Heron who are not afraid to question the status quo. The spirit of the maverick is alive and kicking south of the river. In his preface to the first OS1 lecture series and publication Sir Peter Cook wrote, ‘As we say on Guy Fawkes night, light the torch paper and stand clear!’. OS3 will continue to provike debate and discussion.

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Thursday 17th of February

Quay 2C Architects – Ken Taylor

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Thursday 24th of February

AMID / CERO9

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Thursday 03rd of March

Tomorrowsthoughtstoday / Liam Young

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Thursday 10th of March

serie architects / Christopher CM Lee

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Thursday 17th of March

Post-Works

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Thursday 24th of March

Pentagram

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Thursday 31st of March

Carlos Villanueva Brandt     (TBC)

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Thursday 05th of May

Heatherwick Studio