MARSH: Parametric Design

2024 Author: David Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 02:26

The MARCH School, in addition to fundamental architectural education, offers a number of intensive and short-term courses, one of which is devoted to parametric design. This year, the course was organized together with a developer who provided a real object for work: a ground parking in the Moscow residential complex "Kvartaly 21/19". On it, the students mastered the entire design cycle, from site analysis and shape search to design and preparation of drawings for production. All in 12 weeks and using Grasshopper.

The course was curated by Sergei Dmitriev and Eduard Hayman, and the production partner was Park PRO and its head, a graduate of a similar MARSH intensive, Dmitry Svininnikov.

Nikita Tokarev, MARCH director:

“The parametric approach to design is interesting for the ability to create a complex and expressive architectural form with simple means, as well as to optimize the production and installation of facade parts. The facade of the parking lot is by definition devoid of expressiveness, there are no windows or balconies on it. At the same time, being in a residential environment, next to the boulevard and houses, it cannot remain a blank wall. Another requirement is that the facade should be inexpensive and easy to install. Parametrics helps students to untie this complex knot of contradictions”.

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1/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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2/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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3/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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4/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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5/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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6/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH
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7/7 Mockup. Intensive PRO "Parametric Design" © MARCH

Daria Kovaleva, Architect and Research Fellow at the Institute for Lightweight Structures (ILEK), University of Stuttgart:

“In reality, the product of the architect's work - a building or, as in this case, a facade - is not any abstract geometry, it has weight, metal has its own properties, including thermal tension and compression. When designing, one should not forget about the material and physical properties of the object. Yes, it is difficult to be constructors, but architects in part have to be, we are not decorators.

The mission of parametric architecture is precisely to restore the connection between abstract geometry in a digital environment that weighs nothing, with real production, the weight of the structure, loads and, through 3D modeling and simulation of these processes, with a structure that is also inscribed in the context, has its place, scale. The projects that the students have shown are excellent results."

The work was carried out in three groups, each choosing its own direction: one group focused on perforation, another analyzed the architectural potential of folded surfaces, and the third explored the possibilities of structures from complex prefabricated elements.

PARKIN

Alexander Sukhov, Ksenia Golovanova

The group worked with a perforated facade and followed two basic principles. The first is to make the most of the material and create simple and understandable conditions for assembly and operation. The second is to create several levels of perception: from a distance, frontally, at the base of the building and from the side.

As a result, we got a facade consisting of simple panels, but with a trick: the chosen method of bending the material allows you to control the frontal pattern and lateral geometry, and perforation helps to highlight all the details of the facade without using additional lighting. The final composition of the facade opens in a new quality when the viewer moves.

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1/7 View from the side of the entrance. PARKIN Group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH
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2/7 PARKIN group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH
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3/7 PARKIN Group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova.© MARSH
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4/7 PARKIN group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH
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5/7 Bottom view: parts twisting. PARKIN Group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH
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6/7 Panel mounting scheme. PARKIN Group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH
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7/7 Sketches. PARKIN Group: Alexander Sukhov and Ksenia Golovanova. © MARSH

Folding

Anastasia Dementieva, Lidia Petrova

The team came up with a modular origami design with a convenient calculation of individual modules and an installation system that allows you to control the insolation of the premises. The regular grid of cassette modules changes according to certain parameters, thereby changing the visual appearance of the facade. Basic artistic techniques: dynamic fold, play of light and shadow, relief and texture.

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4/8 Structural elements. Fastening to the subsystem. Folding group: Anastasia Dementyeva and Lidia Petrova. © MARSH

Assembly PRO

Sergey Dergachev, Maria Vasyatkina

The group introduced the concept of a double hexagonal mesh with a complex weave - a technique in the parametric called Assembly. The algorithm calculates the nodes of the mesh, the intersections of individual elements, which makes it possible to prepare the model for production.

Students comment: “In the process of learning, searching for a form and discussing with the curators, as well as constant moderation of the form of the module, we came up with the idea of weaving. The development of the concept gave an idea of the material, how to work with it correctly and how to correctly depict details for further production. A big plus of the training was the development of skills in working with Rhino and Grasshopper programs. This course sparked an even greater desire to study parametric architecture and a desire to translate ideas into practice."

Before the new set for the PRO course "Parametric Design" on December 17 at MARCH there will be a discussion, the participants of which will figure out whether parametric tools can unite a developer, production and an architect.