A Computational Framework For Animal Aided Design

Navn
Andrew Thomas Smith
Uddannelsesgrad
Kandidat
Fagfelt
Arkitektur
Institut
Bygningskunst og Teknologi
Program
Computation in Architecture
År
2023

 

Increasing the accessibility and usability of ecological data for the early phases of an architectural project

 

Summary:

PLANimal explores how open-source geospatial ecological data can be accessibly generated, queried, structured, and ultimately drive early-stage conceptual design decisions by leveraging the collective specialist knowledge of citizens, scientists, and designers. Based on Animal-Aided-Design and Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design principles, PLANimal is both a framework, a web platform, and a case study.

 

Abstract:

Urban development has crucial direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity. Unfortunately, the architects, planners, and developers who shape our urban environments don’t often consider the impact architectural-scale design decisions have on a given site’s wildlife ecology. Understanding and predicting the ecological consequences of architectural-scale design decisions will be increasingly important to sustainable urban development, and to reduce its negative impacts on global biodiversity. Current architectural modeling platforms enable architects to design and coordinate high-fidelity geometric building information models. However, design-for construction workflows and their associated software environments are slow to incorporate the capacity for considering non-anthropocentric, “soft” ecological information in this process. Broadly, the goal of this project is to develop a computational interface  incorporates gathering and modeling ecological information and evaluating how design decisions might influence this model. Due to a short time-frame, the specific focus of this project is limited to surveying and modeling ecological conditions of limited to central Copenhagen as they relate to species of plants, fungi, and particularly animals. Three primary methods are deployed in this project. First, a web-based interface will connect and extend beyond the capabilities of Rhino and Grasshopper to retrieve, model, visualize, and coordinate ecological data. Second, a web-based map will help users gather and standardize several ecological geospatial datasets for enriching the ecological model. And finally, the platform will be used to test the PLANimal framework through a design case study looking the ecology of the Refshaleoen district of Copenhagen at an architectural and urban scale.

 

 

 
Context: Biodiversity Decline
1
/7
Biodiversity collapse is growing long-term threat to our planet
Biodiversity decline is occurring on all continents
Our ecological footprint is the primary cause of biodiversity decline
Measuring our ecological footprint by land use is an effective way in identifying impacts on biodiversity
The AEC industry is responsible for approximately one third of our global annual ecological footprint by land use
Urban development impacts biodiversity both directly and indirectly.
Examples of how urban development and it's resource consumption destroys and fragments habitats
Motivation: Accessible Ecological Information
1
/2
Given more accessible information designers and ecologists can have more collaborative and informed discussions
Given more accessible information designers and ecologists can have more collaborative and informed discussions
A Computational Framework
1
/11
Animal Aided Design by Wolfgang Weisser and Thomas Hauck proposes a conservation focused design methodology
A simplified linear diagram of the Animal-Aided-Design methods
The PLANimal methods augment Animal Aided Design with digital tools, techniques, and tactics.
The statistical model is a location specific, multi-scalar, structured collection of geo-spatial ecological information
Finding the right species to target for a design relies on applying multiple filters to the regional species pool.
The ecological model provides information on a chosen species, and many of its biological and physical properties.
By comparing two ecological models, such as before and after construction, we can measure ecological changes.
A matrix of biodiversity measurement methods that could possibly implement data from the PLANimal ecological model.
An example of how before / after ecological models of a region can be compared, and the changes applied to a biodiversity index
PLANimals connects a fragmented landscape of tools, techniques, and tactics for designing with ecological information.
Ultimately, the PLANimal framework required a central platform to support the framework's various methods.
A Web Platform
1
/14
The overall tech concept for the PLANimal platform. Inspired by Ladybug tools, this platform supports multiple interfaces
Some of the data providers for PLANimal's web platform, and ecological models.
GBIF is a network of Species Occurrence databases, and a very important data source for PLANimal with over 2 billion records.
The web platform supports a "slippy" map for exploring, and visualizing ecological data
Any region on the map can be selected with a polygon in order to access that region's ecological data
Species interactions for a region can be interactively displayed at multiple relationship levels
Specific species can be selected to highlight only their interactions
Specific species can be selected to highlight only their interactions
Time series, remote sensed, multi-spectral imagery is available for all queries, giving insight into land cover trends
Species portraits contain vital information about any species selected on the PLANimal map
The species portrait contains threat status information to help determine and focus conservation efforts
Long form species "Narratives" are available for each species portrait, providing species information not otherwise reducable.
All data for any PLANimal spatial query can be downloaded into a lightweight file
Flow is a web based "Grasshopper" analogous design platform for working parametrically with GBI data.

Det Kongelige Akademi understøtter FN’s verdensmål

Siden 2017 har Det Kongelige Akademi arbejdet med FN’s verdensmål. Det afspejler sig i forskning, undervisning og afgangsprojekter. Dette projekt har forholdt sig til følgende FN-mål
CV
With eleven years of architectural experience (7 academic and 4 professional), my skills, experience, and interests bridge the disciplines of architectural design, computer science, and sustainability. I developed a passion for using parametric and algorithmic modeling as design tools during my bachelor's studies at SCI-Arc. Later, in practice, I applied my computational design skills toward improving the design and documentation processes for dozens of international stadium and venue projects while working as a designer at HKS Architects Inc. in Los Angeles, California. During my time at the Royal Danish Academy, I've been able to situate and develop my existing skills within an academic context, meanwhile expanding my knowledge and skills with digital fabrication, physical prototyping, life-cycle-assessment, ecological modeling, programming, and web/app development. I believe my cross-disciplinary experience, technical skills, and analytical approach to problem-solving can add value to any technically complex projects (or processes) that may benefit from adopting a data-driven or computational approach.
Konkurrencer, publikationer og priser
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European Cultural Center’s 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale

A project I co-authored with a colleague at HKS Architects, Hac-a-Frac, is a call to arms for repurposing the more than 430,000 active and abandoned hydraulic fracturing wells across the state into a decentralized aquifer storage, filtration, recovery, and quality monitoring network. With an appearance referencing the drilling derricks that once littered the Texas landscape, Hac-a-Frac acts as a functioning memorial to past ecological damage and a beacon of our progress toward remediation. The project was displayed as part of a larger exhibition on the Trinity River Watershed, at the European Cultural Center’s 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.
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Texas Architect Magazine - 2021 Studio Award

Award received for "Hac-a-Frac" project. Hac-a-Frac is a call to arms for repurposing the more than 430,000 active and abandoned hydraulic fracturing wells across the state into a decentralized aquifer storage, filtration, recovery, and quality monitoring network. “Turning potentially prosaic infrastructure into a memorial or monument through the gesture of the large vertical elements and repetition is an incredibly strong way of taking what could be a fairly pragmatic response to a very pressing problem and turning it into something more.” — Roy Cloutier (Designer, Professor & Texas Architect Studio Awards Juror)
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BLOXHUB AEC Hackathon - Best Overall Project

'OpenMaterialData' prototypes an open-source framework to boost the usability of product data by introducing machine-readable open standards for declaring product data, and methods to index and query these records. 'OpenMaterialData' was co-authored with Maximilian Vomhoff, Christian Konnsgaard, Heidi Wittmann, Marcus Steinbrecher, Tom Svilans, and Valerio Bompadre.
Uddannelse og relevante kurser
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2013-2018 | B.Arch from the Southern California Institute of Architecture

The Bachelor of Architecture program at SCI-Arc is a five-year professional degree, accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), focusing on both design excellence and intellectual breadth through a liberal arts-based education. During my time at SCI-Arc, I received a 75% paid scholarship towards my tuition fees based on the merit of my academic performance and student portfolio.
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2021-2023 | MAA Computation In Architecture from the Royal Danish Academy

Andre aktiviteter
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2021 CREATE Robotic Fabrication of Timber Workshop at SDU Odense

This Summer School focused on exploring data-driven tectonic construction and producing 1:1 scale prototypes that aimed at advancing wood architecture through the use of digital design-to-fabrication workflows. Several concepts were introduced such as performance-driven aggregations, circular assemblies and wood forming through programmed material behavior. Within an iterative design-make approach, we experimented with various structural configurations. The workshop's outcomes included digital designs and physical prototypes where material/form/structure were developed by taking full advantage of the potential given by the use of robotic techniques.
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2022 ACADIA Data-Driven Urban Design Workshop

This workshop provided an overview of different techniques and methodologies around spatial analysis for urban design and master-planning projects, through the implementation and processing of different spatial open data sets that ultimately informed a theoretical urban development proposal. Using a scripting language (R) for ETL processes, and it is interoperability with Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, the workshop explored different geocomputation techniques and methodologies to create a data-driven approach to urban design and master planning model capable of generating multiple scenarios based on dedicated KPIs and more specifically the use of Space Syntax theory to allocate different land use and its quantum distribution on a parametric urban design model.
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2019 ACADIA Polyhedral Timber Topologies

This workshop presented optimization workflows using Altair’s OptiStruct and the translation of branching models into alternate forms of fabrication as well as element sizing and validation. They were presented as steps leading to a buildable design scenario comprised of polyhedral plywood components. Assembly of these components occurred in the final stages of this 3-day workshop and the final prototype was presented alongside several scaled models developed for alternate material systems.

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2018 ACADIA Structural Optimization Strategies for Laminar Timber

The focus of this workshop was on teaching both the structural mechanics and architectural principles unique to, and shared between reciprocal frame and grid shell structures, as well as methods of generating, relaxing, and optimizing finite element models of both structural systems using Rhino+Grasshopper and Revit+Dynamo. The workflows taught were based upon those often used by the mentors in their own professional practice as structural engineers and architects. 1.5 days of instruction and computational design was followed by 1.5 days of fabrication wherein a group-generated computational model was used to fabricate two long-span, self-supporting structures, built from locally acquired wood laminate. The final prototypes were on display for the remainder of the conference.
Erhvervserfaring
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Metal Shop Tutor - Royal Danish Academy

I maintain after-hours operation and supervision of the on-campus metal
shop. In this role, I assist students with the fabrication of academic projects
as it relates to pipe bending, sheet metal forming, machining, and casting.
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Open-Source Developer

I am actively developing and maintaining two open-source projects:
StadiumTools: A C# Library and plug-in for parametrically modeling stadia.
Lepidoptera: A Web-based platform for exploring structured ecological data.
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Architectural Designer - HKS Architects Inc.

Working in a studio of 13, I supported in the design, documentation, and
construction of Sofi Stadium & YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.
I also collaborated with my colleagues, domestic and international, on dozens of
architectural design competitions (Sports, Healthcare, and Mixed Use).
My work focused on parametric modeling, design, and interoperability
solutions to improve the speed & quality of the design and documentation.
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Architectural Intern - HKS Architects Inc.

Working in a studio of 13, I supported in the design, documentation, and
construction of Sofi Stadium & YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.
My work focused on parametric modeling, design, and interoperability
solutions to improve the speed & quality of the design and documentation.
IT-kompetencer
Rhino 3D (10 yrs.)
Adobe Illustrator (10 yrs.)
Adobe Photoshop (10 yrs.)
Adobe InDesign (10 yrs.)
Grasshopper (9 yrs.)
Microsoft Office (6 yrs.)
Autodesk Revit (4 yrs.)
Autodesk Navisworks (2 yrs.)
Microsoft Visual Studio / VS Code (1 yr.)
Dynamo for Revit (1 yr.)
C# (1 yr.)
Python (1 yr.)
AWS S3 (1 yr.)
Javascript (7 months)
HTML + CSS (7 months)
Node.JS (4 months)
React + Express Frameworks (4 months)
+ More
Sprog
English (Native)
Danish (Elementary)