THESIS LAB: April 2012

Thesis Statement

As precedent, nature provides a self-sustaining framework showing how the integration of many natural occurrences works together through an organic process of evolution. To initiate a sustainable community there needs to be a clear depiction of how systems work within their surrounding environment. The people who inhabit this community will become inspired to participate by seeing systems of sharing spaces, sharing knowledge and interacting with the buildings as a whole integrative system. The haptic components constantly act as the apparatus in which participation with the buildings exercise each individual to understand the world around them and their role in it.

Research Methodology

The methodology of research started in the realm of how studies of nature have been incorporated into architecture through material cycles and biomimicry. The human ability to design has become a burden on this planet because suburban formations in architecture have only degraded from the natural world by separating each individual into their own world at home. With the correct analysis and proper experimentation, Buckminster Fuller has shown us that there has been designers who have revolutionized the way things are built and designed resulting in positive impacts on the world. Researching the deeper meaning of a design such as these designers go through is critical for understanding how to solve for a sustainable design and how we can implement them affectively.

Design Methodology

The design methodology of the thesis started with investigating five aspects of biomimicry and trying to draw out elements that would derive a sustainable design. The further research on sustainability through the influences of Bill Reed have led to investigations on the integration of systems. The implementation of a design will ultimately affect many naturally occurring cycles that occur in a community and it becomes a critical point in a design to understand these considerations. In this step I constructed models and diagrams to look at how biomimicry could be used to form the structural make-up of a building through the investigation of bubbles and the arches. To integrate biomimicry into the functionality of the building I started to look at how the form of the building could serve it’s purpose as a structure but also integrate with other functions such forming in a way that responds to climatic conditions. The investigation of these systems led me to the conclusion that sustainability is not in the object but the foremost important element above all is that those who inhabit the environment need to be enlightened in a way as to show them the importance of their participation in a community.

Design Concept

Everyone thinks of changing the world but nobody thinks of changing themselves. In order for a sustainable community to evolve, the most important thing The idea in organizing the program on the site expresses the community as a whole and activates a strong participation or sharing aspect to occur amongst the people. The way that people will interact with one another, the responsibility they acquire from the haptic elements, shows people that there are many systems in motion and they need to work with those systems. The atmosphere on the site is expressive of the haptic elements and are clearly visible and displayed to the public on the southern sides of the buildings. The relationship amongst the buildings are arranged in a way that they all clearly display their importance in the community and roles they possess on the site as a whole. Along with the people understanding their role in sharing spaces, the buildings themselves also play a part in teaching people that they have a role and responsibility with the interior of the buildings condition as well.