PARAMETRIC FACADE

The Parametric Facade assignment explores the translation and analysis of an existing facade system into a logical computational process and design. The task aims to develop an understanding of the strategies behind complex parameters through the development of a series of simple solutions and steps. For this assignment, the selected facade system belongs to the Broad Museum building.

Facade Detail

EXISTING FACADE

LOCATION: South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles,California,USA

Established: 20.09.2015

Architect: Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Structural engineer: Leslie E. Robertson Associates

                                                                                                                                           ESTABLISHED: 20/07/2015                                                                                                                                                                                                        ARCHITECT: Diller Scofidio + Renfro                                                                                                                                                                                            STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Leslie E. Robertson Associates

The design of the museum is based on the concept named “the veil and the vault”. The veil element is represented by a porous skin that wraps the building and filters the daylight throughout the interior space. The envelope consists of 2,500 rhomboidal panels made out of fiberglass reinforced concrete and supported by a steel structure. The vault element is the concrete body that translates into the core of the edifice and is dedicated to office spaces, artworks storage and curatorial spaces.

The Broad Museum – Main Facade

STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT

The process of the exercise started with the creation of a protocol/pseudo-code for the final design. Based on the steps identified in this stage, the code was expanded into a much more complex procedure and approach. After achieving a final iteration, the malleability and performance of the outcome was tested through three variations, using the same process, but altered parameters.

Protocol and Strategy

Starting from the pseudo-code the translation and definition of the final design has received additional inputs and outputs in order to perform . The main outlines of the final definition are the following:

1. set skewed panel and deconstruct

2. offset panels interior+side

3. attractor - offset connection

4. move attractor curves in down direction and then lateral direction

5. loft last curve with first attractor curve

6. create surface difference

Computational Process

CONCLUSION

Starting with the study of an existing parametric system, the exercise progressed towards the development of a computational process and approach, based on both the aesthetic and structural characteristics of the real-life facade. The final result generated a simple parametric proposal, that can be operated and controlled in order to achieve a series of alterations and variations.

Facade Pattern

LINKS:

Parametric Facade is a project of IaaC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed at Master in Advanced Architecture in 2018/19 by:
Students: Daria Ciobanu-Enescu
Tutors: Rodrigo Aguirre, David Andres Leon
Assistant: Daniil Koshelyuk