The pixel’s minute urban scale geometry and transformability may appear to be far fetched, but innovative ideas stem from thinking outside of the box. It can be said that predictions of the future are focused on and are reflective of contemporary issues, in so far that the project attempts to seek ways of relating the Barcelona Port and the arrival (or departure) of goods. Thus rooting the thesis in the distribution of goods.

The consumption-focused lifestyle of an urban population adds fuel to the notion of distribution further. This is an area of immediate opportunity. Efficiency is driven through the urban grid distributing goods to create social places, activities that are as a result useful and enjoyable.  And when one looks out to imagine a future, it is described with, “bike paths and sunny restaurant terraces (…) pretty neighborhoods and great art,” enforcing the aesthetic value of a place.

Although health, mechanical stairs and the customs worker may appear to have nothing in common, it is our duty as designers, innovators to explore the relationships.

According to the Port’s statistics, we looked at the type of goods that are being imported, and we predict that in the future, some products will be of more value. The use of agricultural products i.e. soya beans, cereals and flours will sustain human nutrition; and the chemical products to support transportation devices.

Here we applied the vectors to the movement of goods, in order to establish a relationship to the site.

The relevance of this time line was to provide an understanding of efficiency, through manufacturing and productivity terms, in order to support the flow of goods.

Video Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3MfS8TjxNo

Booklet Link:

http://issuu.com/rossanagraca/docs/booklet_ 

Team:

Ayaan Barodawala

Rossana Graça

Saad Saheen

This short video was produced as part of the design process – not just for fun.  The purpose was to explore metaballs, the geometry that was decided on during the previous phase of the project.  This video represents a catalogue of the various creative solutions that are possible with this mathematical form, and how rewarding it can be to watch them expand, mutate and rearrange.

Last semester this project addressed the questions of what the architecture of a hedonist society could offer, and how could it be quantified.  The idea was to extend Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill’s concept of hedonistic calculus with the parameters of sun vs. shade, space vs. proximity and exclusivity vs. inclusivity.  The architecture would adapt to individual requests for each, in realtime.

With that as a starting point, the next logical step was to develop a more thorough understanding of pleasure and hedonism.  The investigation and subsequent conclusions are below:

Every action that gives us pleasure can be represented by a simple curve on a graph.  The levels of pleasure are on the Y-axis and time is on the X-axis.  What we see is that the levels of pleasure rise, reach a peak, and eventually decline.  The amplitude (or intensity) may vary, and so can the duration of the event.  Sometimes, when the peak happens very quickly, it can result in a steep decline and lowered levels of satisfaction- for example while eating junk food.  At other times, there may be a long build up to the peak with no crash, leaving us with an enduring sense of satisfaction, for example after leaving an intimate party with good friends and good conversation.

The next question that a society of insatiable pleasure seekers would ask is how can our pleasure be greater and last longer?  An analysis of many pleasurable activities concluded that they all have qualities that can be accurately described by one spectrum or another.  Two useful spectra referred to here are social vs. private and exposed vs. sheltered.  However, much like standing in a room surrounded by mirrors, these two spectra are but two of an infinite number of definitions, and each place you look exposes a different angle of an object.  These umbrella categories are defined as “in-ness” and “out-ness”, and they refer to the dichotomous relationships that are present in all our actions.

After mapping enough activities across these spectra, a pattern emerged.  Often the most pleasurable activities are the ones that have two forces in opposition.  If privacy can be considered “in-ness” and exposure is “out-ness”, then when these two states combine (as in exhibitionism, for example) then it’s like drawing a bow and arrow.  There is a tension created – a synthetic risk that leads to heightened feelings of pleasure.  Another state that can lead to heightened sensations of pleasure is when the activity requires a delicate balance of both private vs. social and shelter vs. exposure – like being on a first date, for example.  The implication here is that by thoughtful design this tension could be leveraged to increase an individual’s pleasure.

In the following movie, these conclusions are visualised in the very different reality of a hedonist society inhabiting Barcelona 100 years in the future. The situations shown here attempt to provide a clear contrast between what happens inside and outside, and how the relationships between these pseudo states can be modulated by a flexible metaball architecture.

To develop a complete understanding of the project it is necessary to understand the logics involved in the technical resolution.  The first step was to divide our site at the Barcelona Port into zones.  This was achieved using metaballs of varying thresholds to define overlapping regions of influence.  These regions were populated according to specific parameters for each one, depending on the density of use and intended geometric permutation for each zone.  The points were used to construct a 2-dimensional Voronoi grid.  Although Voronoi cells may not be the organisational grid of the future, they could be a candidate because of the minimal packing of the geometry.

Next, start points and end points for the centres of each metaball are distributed onto the grid, with factors applied to modulate the theoretical densities of use according to time and intent.  These points are made to travel along the grid using the shortest route possible.  Then the grid is pushed up into 3-dimensions using the local densities around each intersection as a parameter, combined with a unique factor for each zone.  Finally, the metaballs are given flesh with radii determined using another zone factor.  The resulting urban amalgamation seen here has a clear set of logics governing it, just like any emergent reality we expect to see in the future.

In 100 years architecture will not be limited to inactive objects anymore.  Kinetic architecture is established, constructions are not frozen in one moment, they change constantly to the current needs. Rooms can grow when the number of people increases, bridges can come up only when needed, leaving free space if not. But how can the structure know about those needs? The 21st century is the era of data collection. Everybody has several devices, which observe, record and publish data every second used. This data can be taken to measure pedestrian and traffic flows, current needs and shortages. The structure will respond to that input as well as it can already provide the surrounding for certain scenarios.  Two surfaces respond either in different ways. One works in a performative way and one works observative. Together they shape a space with various functions, reacting to the behavior of the people.

Thesis

What will the city look like in 100 years? Nowadays we imagine architecture as something static. But Life is not static. Nor is a city or a building. Buildings already change their functions, when the use changes, as well as their appearance by preserving or developing renovations. Cities are systems in constant change, shaped by flows of people, devices and data. Bit by bit, buildings change, giving the city a new face every day. But why do buildings have to be static? Already in the 1960’s architects like Ron Herron of the journal Archigram proposed massive robotic structures, which could walk wherever it might be the best. The walking city nowadays is an icon in architectural theory. Examples of kinetic architecture can be found already today.  Heatherwicks‘ Rolling Bridge is just one example. So what if not only the city changes by fluctuant constructions, but the buildings itself alter?

The site

The location between Montjuic and the harbor is full of contradictions. On one hand it is a place with lots of connections. The ships are landing, bringing thousands of people and tons of goods to Barcelona every day. A big street is connecting the airport to the city. And the view from the castle to the sea is stunning. On the other hand there are lots of frictions. The street, connecting in one direction, is a huge barrier in the perpendicular way. From the top of the mountain the sea seems far away, although well seen. The hill slope itself is a barrier, which makes the castle on top inaccessible from the seaside. And though every tourist visiting Barcelona is passing this place, nobody ever stops there. Whether the people come from the big cruise ships or if they come from the airport, they always pass the constriction between the harbor and the Montjuic. As well as the inhabitants of Barcelona, close enough to see it every day – nobody is aware of this place. In the site analysis we extracted the main nodes, which function as fixed activator points for the structure. In addition the site was sliced in seven sections, each one representing another zone and function.

form follows data

www.atnight.ws: data mapping

In 100 years urban structures as well as buildings will not be static anymore. They will change their shape according to the needs of the user and the given circumstances. But how does the building know what to do? Nowadays everybody carries various devices that measure nearly everything. By tracking the geolocation of images and posts uploaded on social networks, a rough outline of the users behavior can be done already. Analyzing the content of the images and posts gives even more information. Almost everything can be measured. The structure responds to the given input. If there is a large gathering of people it will shape bigger rooms to allow more space. If cars want to cross from one terminal to the other, it will shape a bridge. When a ship wants to pass, it moves to the ground of the harbor. If smaller ships need docks, the structure creates various islands, as well as connections to the land. If someone from the harbor wishes to reach the peak of the mountain, the surface will transport him there. When there is no input given, the two surfaces rest and merge with the existing landscape.

Structure

Therefore the structure is parted in two surfaces: one functions as an observative platform, the other one performative. Each one has different functions according to their aim. Together they shape an active urban space that connects the harbor site with the city.

Concept

After concentrating on the first section the structure has to expand over the whole territory. Seven groups worked on seven sections and each one had a different concept. The consecutive method was to appropriate the different concepts and merge them in the structure. Therefore the harbor was divided into seven sections and zones.  Each zone varies in shape and function. The first sector is the dedicated to leisure time. Here big concerts are happening as well as exhibitions. The structure reaches from the sea up to the castle to connect the two counterpoints and offer views all over. The second one is a green zone. The active surface merges into green space where plants grow while the passive one forms paths that lead through the park. The third one is dedicated to the harbor work. Containers and goods are stored in between the surfaces and distributed to further destinations. The consecutive one has a triphibian concept. It functions as a terminal and gate for the cruise ship passengers. It connects the harbor directly with the city and the mountain. The fifth area is a housing zone. Here the surfaces multiply and create various spaces in between that will be used for accommodation. The locations are next to the waterfront and on top of the mountain so that each space has a unique view. The last two areas function mainly for the ships. Plug-in ramps connect the ships to the land and offer the passengers a welcome to Barcelona. The last zone appears mainly in the ocean, the surfaces dive into the water and only peak out in a few points. They create islands where they are needed, so ships can dock there and recharge their supply, if they don’t want to stay on the land.

Energy concept

The energy used for the movement of the structure is generated by the surface itself. With piezoelectric materials, the pressure energy of the surrounding is collected and directly distributed to the spots needed. The pressure causing elements are the containers of the harbor work, the waves and the users. Through piezoelectric materials, the weight pushed on the skin can be transformed into electric energy. The spots with the most activity usually produce and consume most electricity, therefore the energy is always directly produced where it is needed. Excess energy will be directed to the electricity system of Barcelona.

Conclusion

We do not know what the world or Barcelona will look like in 100 years. The Landscape of Experience is an attempt to draw the outline of the future shape of Barcelona. Following the population graphs today, the city will grow and expand rapidly. The site of el Morrot will not be the edge of Barcelona anymore but a whole new district embedded in the city pattern. The cities future image will be shaped by mega structures.  The future buildings will have multiple functions. Spaces will be fluent. Inside and outside, public and private, industrial and commercial, the structure will blur. Through sensors and processors the structure will have intelligence, allowing it to respond to the conditions and react to the necessities. Kinetic structures allow the movement and changes.

We do not know the future. But we can imagine it and our imagination will shape the world of tomorrow. The future starts today.

by

Pia Grobner   .   Yanna Haddad   .   Joy Alexandre Harb Kadiri

see also:

Full Thesis booklet: http://issuu.com/piagrobner/docs/landscape_of_experience_booklet_sin

Interative interface: http://3d.cl3ver.com/GE147