Fluid
Battery Park City - New York
Design Studio 2023
This class followed a design workflow that embodies the concept of "Harmony in Co-Creation" reflecting on the profound implications of quasi-autonomous design for the future of architectural design. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, this developed workflow integrates artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, and game engines to enrich students' comprehension of site dynamics and design potentials. The class explored two distinctive projects designed to test the proposed workflow. The initial project prioritizes site analysis using AI-driven social media analysis, GIS mapping, and transect analysis. Imaginative interpretations like hand-drafted collages and atmospheric images complement it. Incorporating an AI-powered search engine for precedent analysis informs the design of a structurally informed bridge through generative algorithms.
Moving to the second project, students collect on-site data to validate their initial site analyses and bridge designs. Leveraging structurally-informed generative algorithms, the design process extends to create a mixed-use tower seamlessly linked to the previously conceived bridge. The class concluded with reflections on the innovative methodologies embedded in the workflow and their potential to shape the future of architectural education. By bridging digital technologies with physical site experiences, this design studio course equips students with comprehensive skills to navigate intricate urban contexts and bring forth innovative architectural solutions. "Harmony in Co-Creation" prompts readers to reflect on the profound implications of quasi-autonomous design within the evolving landscape of the design industry.
Sample of Student Work
Collage matrix of urban themes
Concept board with gradients, diagrams, and spatial collages
Layered perspectives exploring interconnected architectural spaces
Transparent interior collage with overlapping spatial frames
Route map paired with exploded analytical diagrams
Comparative profiles showing land use and demographic data
Urban section studies with socioeconomic indicators
Night rendering of a connected high-rise complex
Daytime visualization of a connected high-rise complex
Waterfront site plan
Exterior render of a tower beside a cable-supported bridge
Ground-floor plan showing circulation and building access
Interior visualization of a covered public concourse
Upper-level plan linking two architectural volumes
Public plaza rendering
Building section illustrating tower height and waterfront structure
Longitudinal section through the mixed-height complex
Physical model photographs highlighting structural connections
Tower analysis board
Layered urban collage
Waterfront podium section
Tower cross section
Exploded structural diagram
Skyline and bridge profile
Elevated passage render
River-view interior
Coastal building section
Peninsula master plan
Slender tower elevation
Programmatic cutaway view
Coastal activity collage
Linear waterfront site plan
Twisting tower elevation
Bridge and tower section
Daytime riverfront render
Illuminated night visualization
Urban observation sketches
Image-based data study
Layered mobility map
Urban systems transect
Climate analysis transect
City park design proposal
Waterfront building detail
Multi-level atrium render
Riverside tower view
Elevated tower entrance