ShanghaiTower_NeilEdwards

The Shanghai Tower lab was an appropriate introduction to the use of computational methodology in modern architecture. Given a basic set of parameters, it was relatively simple to manipulate the tower in multiple ways. The parameters offer a set of constraints, which is necessary to reel in the scope of the design possibilities. Rotation, height, number of levels, and other simple factors were present in the Grasshopper script.

The sliders for each variable had minimum and maximum values. For some factors, such as overall height, both extremes of the slider produced plausible design options. Others, like the rotational angle of the slit in the side of the skyscraper, produced some variants of the design that would be impossible or highly impractical to construct. The base radius was a factor that had limitations within its slider, as any number higher than a certain point would break out of the lofting of the outer skin of the building. The maximum number of levels was still a plausible design, while the minimum only produced constructible buildings for certain situations that depended on the values of the other parameters. The step size variable had little effect on the overall skin of the building, although it vastly changed the structure across the spectrum of its range.

The design pictured was chosen for its aesthetic and formal qualities. The rotational angle of the skyscraper allows for an elegant curve of the slit up the side. I made sure that the height and thickness would permit such an angle (260 degrees) to exist. The form is bottom heavy, yet the uppermost section of the skyscraper is wider than the upper-middle section. This is a result of the rotation through the height of the building. I wanted it to thin out in the middle without becoming an impossible structure to build.

The ability to use parametric modeling in design has proven to be quite useful, not only in an educational setting but in the world of design, as well. The ability to test something instantly without extra time or cost is a marvelous advantage.