Shuhei Endo: Springtecture H and other LINES (Zaha Hadid's Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art)

Shuhei Endo

Springtecture H
Singu-cho, Hyogo, Japon, 1998
http://www.archilab.org/public/2000/catalog/shuhei/shuheien.htm

I still think that there is a separation created by the linear plane. Here the separation is exposed and refuges spaces. However, where Diller + Scofidio building fails in creating a connection and becomes two separate comb shaped pieces, the linear folding plane in Springtecture H connects three separate building pieces. They are two very different parti diagrams that both employ the linear form. Diller + Scofidio building is inherently a datum of stacked spaces where the linear planes create a figural condition that breaks up the datum. The each layer turns into a positive-negative, right-left sided condition. Springtecture without the linear plane would be three separate buildings. The linear plane connects the three parts and holds the building together, thus becomes the parti and connection of the building. The "separation" mentioned earlier less evident in Springtecture H. Perhaps, it is in the separation of interior and exterior spaces . . .


The best part of this building is when the plane dips down and holds the path. The interaction of the corrugated plane and the ground plane seamlessly connects the building to the landscape. The "separation" is between the exposed to the sky and the enclosed landscape/refuge spaces.





Zaha Hadid and her Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati was also brought up during the last discussion.


Zaha Hadid
Rosenthal Centre for Contemporary Art, Cincinnati, 2003
Design: Zaha Hadid
© Zaha Hadid Architects
http://80.87.131.158/design/zaha-hadid

The linear fold is figural gesture that unites the seemingly haphazardly placed forms in her building. The forms act as a datum of similar building language: the material, the rectangular forms, the manner which these forms recess and project in the facade. However, without the linear plane, each parts of the building would seem completely haphazard. It is the tension and contrast of the linear plane to the rectangular forms which allows the datum to be realized.
The fold also holds the building within its context. Unlike Frank Gehry's EMP or his "Ginger and Fred" which use the existing context as a datum and connect to the block as figural pieces, the rectangular forms of Zaha Hadid's building are not dissimilar enough from the forms of the existing block. The plane maintains much of the language of the rest of Zaha Hadid's building: its similar in material. However, it speaks the language of planes and bend rather then the three dimensional language of forms. It is a figure within the building itself and adds that extra push which separates it from the language of the existing block. Thus, through tension and juxtaposition, the plane becomes the figural piece that bridges the gap between Hadid's building and the existing buildings on the block.

In comparison to the two previous examples, Zaha Hadid's building is perhaps the most successful in using the plane to connect the building. Diller + Scofidio use the plane as a figure, but to break the datum. The plane is a figure sitting in the datum of the fleshy part of the building. It doesn't actually connect the building visually or in any other way. Shuhei Endo's Springtecture H uses the plane to connect each part of the building. It is a figure, but is so integrated within the landscape that it becomes part of the landscape. It is no longer a two dimensional plane, but the surface of the landscape. Thus the building becomes part of the landscape which has simply unrolled itself. In Zaha Hadid's building, the figure retains its figural essence and connects both the building itself and the building within the block.

PROJECT 1C: cOMPoSiTionAL DisPlaceMent: Full ANIMATION

This is animation for Project 1c. I'm not sure that the Form-z animation turned out after all the compression. I was trying to study the relationship between surface and skin. There is an overlap wireframe and rendered surface in the transition between the two. It would be interesting if i could have integrated the studied from the Form-z model and those from Electric Imager more.

Click here:

or visit http://www.archive.org/details/proj1c_finalanimation

PROJECT 1C: cOMPoSiTionAL DisPlaceMent: Animation Part 1

This is part of a study animation of build contours done is form-z. This was more of an exploratory step. Ii was trying out form-z aniamtion. (I still can't get the camera to move properly. I was trying to understand my model as a series of contours. Section cuts were taken at mesured distances. Each cut line was recorded. And the model is defines by cuts rather than actual surfaces.


Click Here:



or visit http://www.archive.org/details/formz_animation_proj1c

PROJECT 1B: re-visiting the [frame]

I revisited the previous assignment again. This time, I focused creating a continuity of movement. My previous animations were not as consciously fluid or connected. I rendered the animation five times using: wireframe, phong, gouraud, flat, and raytracing. I actually found the wireframe, flat and raytracing renderings to be the most informative.



The wireframe gives shows the mesh of the objects skin, suggesting movement alown the coutours. The flat rndering renders each sectionas a flat panel. This is a less detailed rendering from the full "raytrace", and becomes a transitional study of coutours becoming form. The ray trace is the final result, showing lighting, developed forms, shade and shadow.



The idea of the previous assignment was the frame. How do you frame the object within a view and how does that inform you about the object and the spaces it creates. So in this re-visit, I tried to frame the object in an approach sequence to a certain point. As the view reached the point and rotate around it, you realize that is actually a plane. A plane that leads you back along the top then into object. The becomes a sequence of surface study.

Click Here:


or visit: http://www.archive.org/details/proj1brevisit_feartheanimation

"Potential Performance Effects". Ali Rahim

I must be loosing it(due to lack of sleep) or have too much time waiting for my flight in Detroit, because Rahim's article actually makes sense.(Must be the three hour delay in Detroit. In other words, sorry for the late post, Prof.)

In his article "Potential Performance Effects", Ali Rahim discusses methods of rationalizing the evolutionary process of an continuously changing object. The continuous feedback of the object in relationship with time (given) allows us to measure and study the each stage of the evolving form. The author also suggests that the change occurs in both the object and the surrounding environment. The object has a gradient and porous nature which allows the dialogue of space flowing or interrupting between the object and its environment to develop. Therefore changes in he environment affect change in the object. (vice versa)
For example, my frustrating trip home from Detroit:



Event:
1. Calm, good weather, 2 hours early for flight
2. Change in flight time, 1 hour delay
3. Change in gate number, sitting at the wrong gate, 2 hour delay
4. Added stress due to lack of efficiency 100 plus people boarding all at once.
5. Further delay due to de-freeze process
6. Noise-y flight attendants shoving past my aisle seat.
7. Irritated at flight attendants shoving garbage bag in my face.
8. Pilot going super fast announces final descent after 30 minutes
9. Super fast, super turbulent descent
10. Landing, 1.5 hour flight takes only 45 minutes
11. Supershuttle cancels my reservation, no cars
12. Have to take taxi, +25% for driving in bad weather
13. Police officer tells taxis that's illegal, still get home with $75 taxi fee




So how does this inform me about my process. Every curve and change in the model has a measured cause and an equally measured resultant effect. These changes influence spaces in both the model and environment. Therefore, it would be impossible to study the model without understanding the environment.
From these further studies on the environment, we start to understand a sort of unconscious molding between the environment and the model through the forces brought on by each event. If we removes the object from the picture, a negative space would remain: a mold of spaces that the model once contained (both interior and exterior). The study of this mold describes more about the object than the object itself. Space, porosity, force, connectivity, containment would all be visible in this mold. The next step really should be the study of the surrounding and enclosed environments.