Radical organic architecture
by Piotr Kluszczyński, Łukasz Stawiński and Aleksander Dynarek
"The Thing cannot be described. There is no
language for such abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy , such eldritch
contradictions of all matter, force, and cosmic order. A mountain walked
or stumbled. God! What wonder that across the earth a great architect
went mad, and poor Wilcox raved with fever in that telepathic instant?
The Thing of the idols, the green, sticky spawn of the stars, had awaked
to claim his own. "
"Call of Cthulhu" H.P. Lovecraft
"The Thing cannot be described. There is no
language for such abysms of shrieking and immemorial lunacy , such eldritch
contradictions of all matter, force, and cosmic order. A mountain walked
or stumbled. God! What wonder that across the earth a great architect
went mad, and poor Wilcox raved with fever in that telepathic instant?
The Thing of the idols, the green, sticky spawn of the stars, had awaked
to claim his own. "
"Call of Cthulhu" H.P. Lovecraft
PROJECT STATEMENT
INTRODUCTION
Ever since man started building, nature has always been the main source of inspiration. It has become a standard to mimic it in construction methods, technological problems, forms, ornaments or details. In all of these aspects, nature appears as an extraordinary catalogue of readymade solutions. This way of thinking encouraged designers in the twentieth century to create a style called ‘organic architecture’. This very broad style aimed at adapting the potential laying in nature as much as it is possible. However, analyzing the works of ‘organic‘ architecture, one can ask a question – has organic architecture ever existed in its pure form? Are we not stuck in formal mimicry? What if there has never been such a thing as organic architecture? Well, it could change now…
IDEA
This project is a study exploring the possibilities lying in applying living, biological structures into architecture. In our concept we embark on a challenge to push the boundaries of organic architecture one step further into the future. Our aim was to create a concept of a truly living, organism-like building. Detecting the potential lying in nature, we wanted to fully adapt it to man’s needs. In a world of living organisms, man can find vast quantities of readymade solutions to problems that are not solved, or are dealt with using expensive, complex technologically advanced devices.
In nature, however, the process of evolution lasting for 3.8 billion years has resulted in what we call organic ‘biomachines’. These are perfectly optimalised and fully ecological devices. It appears that nature manages to deal with human problems without human technologies. We have decided to merge those two worlds and create a concept of living, intelligent architecture. The project uses modified floral tissues and organisms adapted to human needs, while still retaining its natural features.
We started with a concept of dissected floral body as the main building structure. Despite its constructive function, it would encompass several different functions, replacing the technical devices used today. We believe that one day it will be possible to engineer plants with properties which are undiscovered at the moment. It could make use the natural abilities of plants, such as rapid growth and high endurance, to create the building material. We believe that scientific progress will allow man to replace the industrial age machines with biomachines.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The main construction comprises of fascicles of modified floral springs, made mainly of a ground tissue. Seedlings of those plants are grown in specialized laboratories. Its development is attached to a biodegradable scaffold on which the plant grows. Finally, the chassis is completely absorbed and floral springs create a solid form.
When the construction becomes solid, the utility modules are attached to it, floor by floor. Each of them is a sort of cultivated capsule. Living tissue is being added to a biodegradable skeleton. Finally, a closed shell capsule is finished and ready to be assembled onto the construction springs. When each level of capsules is finished and becomes a part of the construction, next floor is ready to be built.
The levels are connected by a central core containing stairs and elevators. That is a mostly organic, but non-living structure. A sort of a plant producing non-living tissue, just as trees generate wood. The same process can be found in the animal kingdom, where organisms create shells, or armatures.
The core is twined and stabilized by a different kind of springs which rise above the whole construction. Their ability to move enables the most efficient position towards the sunlight.
TECHNOLOGY vs. NATURE
Macroscale - Microscale
Lineral structures – curved structures
Rigid structudes – bended, twisted structures
Few sensors, receptors – numerous sensors, receptors
BIOARCHITECTURE AND RESOURCES
According to researches, modern production processes generate about 96% of waste for just 4% of the final outcome. In the case of pure organic architecture, introducing biomachines could change that proportion dramatically. The whole construction is based on already prepared biodegradable scaffold, which is gradually absorbed by a growing plant. What is more, such a living construction has the ability to self-optimise in terms of such parameters as the thickness of sections or the depth of roots. It could create architecture which is truly intelligent and has the ability to adapt to present conditions. Organic growth could be an opportunity to abandon currently used materials and conserve huge amount of work and energy usage.
CELL AS A MICROPROCESSOR
When we look at a cell as an organic microprocessor, we can easily discover the pure technical potential that is hidden within it. For instance, plants naturally transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. They not only breathe, but also feel, or even respond to various impulses. They are filled with sensors and receptors, and their numbers are unavailable for human technology. We believe that in the future this will give us the opportunity to create living tissues with abilities to regulate temperature, humidity, quality of air, or even respond to man’s temporary health and mood. Architecture will no longer need massive technical support, but it will become one, intelligent organism. The macroscale of the whole structure will create a small ecosystem within a city. The form of life creating conditions for other forms of life.
BIOFUNCTIONS
SPRINGS – construction structure
- photosynthesis (transformation carbon dioxide into oxide)
- ability to self-assembe, optimalization and adaptation to contemporary conditions
- ability to self-repair
- ability to self-cleaning
- replacement of traditional building materials, energy usage and workforce
- value added: rapid growth, extraordinary endurance
CAPSULES - sensoric tissue
- regulates temperature, humidity, and air quality
- responses to man’s temporary health and mood
- pheromone sensitive receptors protect against intruders
- mobile chlorophyll pigment enabling the control of the transparency of walls (sunlight regulation)
- mobile fluorescence pigment enabling the control of artificial indoor light
- mobile membrane walls with the ability to clench
SPRINGS - tentacles
- ability to gain solar energy and to move correspondingly to temporary sunlight conditions
To model Archnemone we used Grasshopper, plugin for Rhino NURBS modeller. Our aim was to mimic as close as possible a biological logic of growth. We manually modelled the sillhouette and than wrote an algorithm to create organic, growing springs along its height. We used Kangaroo and Milipede to make them entwine, melt witch each other and blend in a "muscle-like" way. Then, capsules were created using attractor field, all of them connected to the main core.
