TECTONICS?

A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM

ARCHITECTURE

WAN-PING GAO
Graduate Institute of architecture, National Chiao-Tung University
1001 Ta Hsueh Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
wpyng@arch.nctu.edu.tw

Abstract. During this information age, spatial form in the field of

architecture has advanced to a new level. Digital free-form space is
commonly seen as the use of computer media has increased.
Computers are used in various stages of this process with regard to
form, structure, supplies and planning. Many designs seen now are
computer generated and have come about as a result of the
development and implementation of new computer software and
hardware. Tectonic knowledge representation of construction, which
emphasizes structural joints and attention to detail in creativity,
displays architectural form by means of poetry of construction.
However, present day digital architecture emphasizes dynamic surface,
with its three-dimensional curves, and the interior and exterior
continuity of its topological spaces. This is all quite different from the
spatial form produced by traditional tectonics view, making it
impossible to explain these modern designs within the field of
traditional architecture. This study uses the FEIDAD Award as a
basis for analysis, and attempts to define the phenomena and aspects
of digital tectonics. This study reflects the technique and mechanism
of the process of digital design production, which, through the use of
computers, becomes digital tectonics. Digital free-form architecture
can only be understood through digital tectonics.

1. Introduction

1.1. TECHNOLOGY AND TECTONICS

The most direct manner that architecture presents itself is by means of
spatial form. When the process of architectural production undergoes change,
then changes in the form of architecture follow. A combination of structure

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and materials moves the power of architecture to become a real, existing

building (Giedion, 1967).
According to tectonic related thinking, spatial form production is the
interrelationship and conformity of material, joints, detail and structure. In
this way, architecture can reflect specific features of modern technique and
technology. This is a prime characteristic of architectural modernity
(Heidegger, 1953; Giedion, 1967). On the other hand, architecture has
become an art form. In this way, attention is focused, not only on the
building as a means of protecting, but on knowledge representation of
construction. In the field of tectonics, the use of modern technology means
considering how to use new techniques, new materials and new building
methods to produce structural harmony, thus allowing architecture to
produce a new spatial form, being established on an inseparable relationship
between architecture and site context, producing an interaction between
people, nature and culture. In the end, architecture can take its place in
history as a messenger of civilization (Giedion, 1967; Frampton, 1992).
Tectonics emphasizes the use of structural materials as a means of
revealing technology’s role in the process of architecture production making
and displaying detailed creativity in structural joints. Meaningful use of both
materials and space reflects a state of architectural harmony. It could be said
that spatial form is the result of manipulating transformation by the uniting
of logical organization with the whole context (Semper, 1951; Gregotti,
1983; Frascari, 1984; Frampton, 1990). In this way, buildings can express
the poetry of construction and manifest representation, and can reveal
originality and ingenuity of design in the process of architecture productions.
This is to say that architecture spatial form should be studied and examined
through tectonics, forming an inseparable bond between architectonics and
tectonics (Semper, 1952; Heidegger, 1953; Frampton, 1995).

1.2. NEW FORMS FOLLOW NEW TECHNOLOGY

Building technique is not a tool for solving the problem of form, but is just
the source for considering architectural spatial form (Giedion, 1967).
Computers, an important technological feature of the new generation,
have already produced important breakthroughs in spatial form. By use of
digital computer technology, construction methods have gradually become a
product of computerized techniques. Computers are not just used in
graphical stages of design production, but are used in every step of the
construction process. Using many new techniques, such as CAD (computer
aided design), CAE (computer aided engineering), CAM (computer aided
manufacturing) and CNC (computer numerical control) etc, spatial form has
reached an entirely new level. Thus, computers have become an
indispensable interface in architectural design and construction (Mitchell,

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

1998 a; Kloft, 2001; Ruby, 2001; De Luca and Nardini, 2002; Ham, 2003).
With the aid of computer animation software, designers can handle
complicated form. Computers can also assist in transforming design into
construction. Computer software and hardware can be used to create an
interaction between design concept and manipulation of objects. The
development of digital free-form is the most obvious aspect of digital
techniques (Imperiale, 1996; De Luca and Nardini, 2002; Ham, 2003).
In the history of architecture, the curves of free-form and the
unconventional geometric approach that produce a flowing form have
always been something that architects have wanted to produce. However,
hindered by progress in techniques, only a figurative representation of this
vision could be produced. With the completion of the 20th century
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, architecture entered a brand new era. The use
of computerized techniques opened a new page for free-form architecture;
digitally produced architectural form began to appear (Mitchell, 1998 a;
Pongratz, C. and Perbellini M. R, 2000; Liu, 2001). Additionally, traditional
emphasis on site architectonics, its motionless space and stability, along with
limitations imposed on structure, was gradually overtaken and replaced by a
multidimensional and virtual digital environment. Now a designer could
explore a much more abstract world of design, a space filled with limitless
possibilities for new design. This would expand the possibilities for design
well beyond previous limits, leading the mind of designers into a three-
dimensional or even four dimensional space for design concepts (Mitchell,
1998 b; Wigley, 2001; Leach, 2002; Nardini, 2003).

2. Problem and Objective

Could the use of computers as a medium in design be considered a new type

of tectonics? Even though computer-media is spacious and materials are
very flexible, and with the ability to imitate, our understanding of the details
of tectonic production in a digital environment is very limited. The result is
that computer use in this area has only been considered to be a tool to
produce a translation or representation of form. Under the control of visual
senses digital free-form has become an imaginary, mechanical, complicated
form in the computer, while at the same time failing to investigate the
corresponding relationship between architectural composition and
technology.
Obvious architectural form is changing. Digital free-from production is
becoming more common. The appearance of many new architecture forms
are computer generated (Imperiale, 1996; Leach, 2002). But traditional
architecture, with its stagnant interpretation of structural joints and materials,
can never explain the surface characteristics and the dynamic state of

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digitally produced spatial form ( Mitchell, 1998 b). However, in a digital

environment, the layer and structure, the interior and exterior do not differ
significantly. In a multi-dimensional digital environment, the physics of
space, proportion, material quality, etc., do not depend on elements of the
real world, such as those involving the use of materials, construction, or
structural standards. This is because the architectural form is gradually
dematerialized in such an environment (Imperiale, 1996Mitchell, 1998 b;
Wigley, 2001 ). But, does this mean that there is an undermining of
tectonics? With the aid of computers, the controlling interface of the digital
environment is derived from a different source than methods controlling
traditional design. If architecture spatial form could be viewed as the
derivative result of tectonics, then digital architecture form could, by means
of tectonics analysis, be understood and examined. Under these
circumstances, in a digitally designed environment, the role of tectonics
would vanish or change. Would there still be dependence on what is
emphasized by tectonics: the corresponding relationship between materials,
joints, details, structure, technique and technology? Or would a new digital
tectonics need to be defined?
The goal of this study is to explore the use of computers in the process of
design control and the resulting architectural phenomena, to study the
technique and mechanism of digital architecture, and in the discussion of the
process of producing digital free-form design, to explore the development of
complicated form by using computerized methods. The study also expect to
examine the expression of spatial features under a digital environment, and
to view the process of digital control as a new form in the study of tectonics,
and to make the leap from the state of spatial abstract to defining style in
modern architecture. By means of digital tectonics, we could progressively
understand the interrelationship between contemporary architecture spatial
form and the manipulation of digital design, a foundation for digital free-
form and other complicated expressions of architecture production in this so-
called information age.

3. Methodology and Steps

In order to understand the phenomena and special features of digital

architecture, this research will first focus on a case study of digital free-form
architecture. The case study has chosen the FEIDAD Award (The Far
Eastern International Digital Design Award) for this purpose.
FEIDAD Award is a digital architecture design competition based on
the virtual platform of the Internet. Contestants were from all over the globe,
including professional architects, designers and students. The jury is
composed of specialist from all over the world who communicated on the

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

matter of judging via web pages and email, thus choosing the winning digital
architecture product. Every year the number of contestants exceeds one
hundred. The contest was first held in the year 2,000, and this year is the
forth consecutive year that the contest has been held. Every year the best
published products are selected. The purpose is to encourage creativity in
virtual digital architecture. It’s an opportunity to bring into existence (albeit
in a virtual world) concepts and architectural expression that would be
impossible to produce in the real world and it also affords the opportunity to
see cutting-edge design concepts and brand-new spatial form. Therefore, the
10 winning entries from the years 2,000 to 2,002 are selected that display
strong digital free-form characteristics as objects for this study.
This study of spatial form has been comprised three parts: First,
observing the use of computer media to produce digital free-form and to
understand the difference between digital controlled design and traditional
architecture. Second, through the case-study explore the processes of digital
free-form architecture in a digital environment and analyze the
interrelationship between logical manipulation of design and digital free-
form production. In this phase, the cases are explored how this is different
from traditional architecture which emphasizes the structural relationship of
knowledge representation through structure. Finally, the technique and
mechanism involved in the design process of digital architecture are
analyzed and to present the phenomena expressed through digital
architecture. Moreover, the relationship of digital tectonics and the field of
traditional architecture are discussed.

3.1. OBSERVING OF DIGITAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENT

3.1.1. Special Characteristics Produced by Digital Free-Form Design

In regards to digital free-form, computer software plays a very important
role. In addition to computers basic role in controlling the design process,
extensive use is made of computers to control the precise setting of
parameters, for example NURBS, blob, mesh, folding, etc. Recently, even
more dynamic design methods have been used in digital free-form design,
for example animation key-frame. By using mathematical equations and
computer program aided computations to obtain weaving parametric
surfaces or via automatically morphing alter the picture of an animated
object in a specified range, etc. (Imperiale, 1996; De Luca and Nardini,
2002) This study has confined its analysis to these characteristics in a digital
environment, and with the aid of a designer using computer related
techniques has produced digital free-form which has become the focal point
of this study. The research hopes with a wider range of computer software
usage that could examine digital design and tectonic related themes.

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3.1.2. The Difference between Digital Design and Traditional Tectonic views
Semper (1951) thought that architecture could be categorized according to
building methods, pointing out that tectonics was all about spatial form
represented by the relationship between construction materials and
construction methods. Also, it is not just a functional concept, as if
architectural expression were just a mixing of materials and intentions. For
example, an architect will consider how to use glass to highlight the various
characteristics of light, or how to use concrete to present volume and
capacity, etc. Use of materials also calls for considering source quality. In
order to illustrate purpose through pillars, walls, beams, panels, doors, or
windows various materials and elements with differing functional qualities
must be used to achieve such representation. Aside from describe specific
knowledge and comprehension, using appropriate materials can also reflect
intent of design concepts. For example, the relationship of pillars and wall
on the plane how to affect depth of expression through shadows and light on
the elevations, etc.
Design in architecture has been affected by computer. When 3D models,
animation, simulation, deformation and other computer based techniques are
used in the design process, this allows the designer to have greater control
over the manipulation of the product design. And when using a computer, a
designer can transform material objects into dematerialized objects through
digital imagery manipulation. This can produce substantial changes in effect.
What was originally a concrete, static state of expression with specific
characteristics can be changed dramatically with the aid of computers. For
example, such things as distortions, explosions, copying, etc, can be
expressed in this manner. Fixed, cognitive expression of architecture is no
longer important. By using computer software, special, logical manipulation
of design can be achieved.
Frampton (1995) extended Semper’s views regarding construction. He
felt that joints play an essential role in architecture. Joints at various levels of
a building bind the structure together, making it a united whole. By giving
attention to the minutest details, material and construction components of
different properties can be bound together. For example, consideration needs
to be given to load-bearing and proportion when deciding how to join beams
and pillars. So it can be seen that different principles and elements of
architecture can be represented through joints. Tectonics expresses the
unique qualities of materials and elements of architecture by means of a
meaningfully designed structure.
In the digital environment, free-from the limits imposed on architecture in
the real world, a fixed object like joints becomes freer and more flexible. A
digital multidimensional design environment needn't propose the principles
that govern the real-world, such as mechanics, proportion, and materials, etc.
For example, free-form spaces are defined through interior and exterior

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

layers in the digital environment and the main structure system depending on
surface geometry shows the difference from the conventional frame
approach of construction. The entire structure and the interaction of its
various parts undergo dramatic change. The computer can manipulate all
phases of free-form design and construction, and can decide place and
position of each curve. Original order of design and construction becomes
unimportant. What is produced by computer design is a brand-new form of
architecture and a new spatial experience.

3.1.3. Dynamic Digital Design Manipulation Processes

From Semper (1951) to Frampton (1995): During this time the prevailing
theory in the field of architecture was that intent was represented through
design, an abstract state transformed into a reality. Through material,
construction components, structure, etc, the act of construction could reflect
spatial form. In this scheme, the smallest component, the joint, binds the
entire entity together. Through various stages of design, after transition and
change, spatial form is the structure that comes into existence by the
development of an idea. What begins simply as construction materials and
planning slowly becomes a special form. Everything involved in the process,
small and great, interior and exterior elements are all interdependent.
From what was said earlier about digital design manipulation and
comparison with traditional tectonics, it can be seen that in a digital
environment where manipulation occurs under set parametric conditions,
using the dynamic digital design manipulation technique and mechanism,
this method of design production is different from the static process of
traditional architecture design, and is the next important point of discussion
in the study. This study addresses the five areas below, and analyzes 10
digital products, exploring special features of the dynamic design
manipulation processes and how these influence form.
(1)Concept: Digital design is often developed from ideas by means of
dynamic process.
(2)Manipulation: Exploring the relationship between technique
manipulation by computer and form development.
(3)Construction: Examine the state of materials, components, structure, etc.
in digital form.
(4)Form: Digital form allows design manipulation directly on the model,
appearance is more directly revealed.
(5)Space: Digital spatial form emphasizes how interaction affects form.

3.2. CASE STUDY: ARCHITECTURAL PROCESS OF DIGITAL FREE-FORM

The 10 top winners in the 2000 to 2002 FEIDAD Award are selected for this
case study. (TABLE 1) These 10 projects display strong digital free-form
characteristics and include different awards. These products come from Asia,

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the Americas, and Europe. Designs scale from small private space to quite
large community area. Some designs are quite clear; others are very complex,
from single unit structures to the study of a city. It is hoped that by
examining a number of processes involving manipulation of digital spatial
form, it could better understand the various applications and characteristics.
Most of the source material for this study came from information obtained
from a book published by FEIDAD Award, which reports on the yearly
digital design competition. By studying these images and texts, the concept
are understand, manipulation, construction, form, and space of the processes
used by the 10 winning entries.
TABLE 1. Index of 10 study cases
Project Ambient Amplifiers-The Logics of Uncertainty
Case-1 Designer OCEANnorth / Birger Sevaldson + Phu Duong
Country Norway + USA
Prize / Year Design Merit Award / 2000
Project DynaForm-Cablecar Station
Case-2 Designer Kuo-chien Shen
Country Taiwan
Prize / Year Design Merit Award / 2000
Project iNSTANT eGO
Case-3 Designer Adrien Raoul + Remi Feghali + Hyoungjin CHO
Country France + Lebanon + Korea
Prize / Year Special Prize for Digital Creativity / 2000
Project AEGIS HYPO-SURFACE(c) Patent pending
Case-4 Designer dECOi Architects
Country France + UK
Prize / Year Outstanding Award / 2001
Project Dynaform-BMW Frankfurt Motorshow 2001 Pavilion
Case-5 Designer ABB Architekten / Bernhard Franken
Country Germany
Prize / Year Design Merit Award / 2001
Project Pneumatrix : Pneumatic Architecture in the digital
Case-6 Designer Judit Kimpian
Country UK
Prize / Year Design Merit Award / 2001
Project video FIELD, Institute for Video Art, Hollywood
Case-7 Designer Chia-Hung Wang
Country Taiwan
Prize / Year Special Prize for Digital Analysis / 2001
Project Post agriculture
Case-8 Designer Achim Menges
Country UK + Germany
Prize / Year Outstanding Award / 2002
Project Stream in Field-Analogue Calculating Design
Case-9 Designer Ying-Chang Yu + Wen-Yu Tu
Country Taiwan
Prize / Year Special Prize / 2002
Project Metro Canopy
Case-10 Designer Max Asare
Country USA
Prize / Year TOP 10 / 2002

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

Every cases are examined the design manipulation processes whether

the same as described in previous observations. How do they differ from
traditional design? The study explores the traditional design process how to
upgrade a new dynamic process. All products of dynamic design process are
recorded to present clear computer utilization appearances. By this we
understand the relationship between digital computer techniques and the
creation of digital form. The logic of digital architecture manipulation is
explained below.

3.2.1. Concept: Motion / Action

The most obvious characteristic of digital architecture is time continuity and
the fact that the dynamic process of space takes place within this continuity.
These features especially are showed in case-5(Figure 1.) and case-
7(Figure 2.). Because of this, computer techniques can easily simulate the sta
te of many actions, making it a model when considering design manipulation
. This allows the designer to explore much more complex and nebulas conce
pts, like speed, molecular activity, hydrodynamics, etc, changing from dyna
mic simulated action to action and to reaction. This can not only be expresse
d in idea and design, but can be demonstrated in the process of studying stru
cture and form. This suggests that digital architecture emphasizes responsive
ness to the appearance of spatial form, and we could, through the special feat
ures of digital free-form, conduct our study of these matters.

Figure 1.Case 5: When a car drives through tubematrix, a series of force-field simulations is
turned out to be an interactivity form.

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Figure 2.Case-7: Using two interrelated morphologies to simulate the movement of the
strands as a whole entity and the implicated sub-zones in the alterations of some strands.

3.2.2. Manipulation: Deformation / Generation

Using a variety of computer techniques, through powerful computer editing,
Designers could manipulate changes directly on objects. For example, Case-
1 presents the four states of unfinishedness: Footprint, Foundation, Frame
and Core which shows the key-frames of deformation creating the
generative form for the site (islands). Case-6 through the dynamic shape
changes to develop pneumatic forms. The spatial and tectonic concepts are
surfaced as a result and have been incorporated in the design. This method of
manipulation replaces the uniting of traditional architecture elements and
construction components (and traditional vocabulary). This would move
designers to give more detailed consideration to structure, construction
components, materials, etc, and to use computer techniques in the
manipulation process. Parametric settings often produce an unpredictable
result in design form. This helps to explain why digital free-form can
produce such unreal form characteristics.

Figure 3. Case-1: The relationship between Figure 4. Case-6: The deformation diagram
four states of shaping and site (islands). of pneumatic architecture

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

3.3.3. Construction: Information / Adaptation

In a digital environment, materials exist in an immaterial state. A designer
can create new materials that real environment are not existence. The wide
use of imagery changes one’s view of materials, and in a digital environment,
all materials are changed into the form of information. Materials become
parametric information input. Most cases reflect this theme in the design
process and typically change the “parametric information material” to study
form and then response to construction adaptation. (Figure 5 and Figure6
present this design process.). We cannot use the traditional concept of
materials to study this kind of material-turned- information phenomena. The
result of this is that material takes on new characteristics like color and light
reflection. By means of parametric settings, this information becomes a
dynamic message, causing the information / material to change the texture
and state of the structure itself. This can result in construction components
manifesting different qualities and an adaptation of these components toward
each other. This natural dynamic state causes the entire form to blend
together.

Figure 5. Case-2: It transforms information (the force, field, and traces) as the references for
design. The state of the form is controlled by the parameters of media scripts. After the
volume, surface, and slabs are created, structure frames would be made.

Figure 6. Case-4: It simulates a dynamically surface could caption information (events,

movement or sound, etc.) of surrounding environment and respond to form changing as a
sensitive device.

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3.2.4. Form: Emotion / Expression

One outstanding characteristic of digital from is that it is full of expression,
especially that displayed by digital free-form. It is not like abstract form of
traditional geometric form, a representation in space. Rather, it is full of
emotion, it is able to use a very active and direct method to affect immediate
changes and thus display emotion in design. In Case-9(Figure 7), the project
attempted to create a movement of particle flow model of architecture design
which is based on the "internal setting" and "external condition", and then to
find a new way to discuss the "Fluid" concept. Through various actions form
can express itself, such as Case-10 (Figure 8), this project study in structure,
materiality, light and shadow in the digital environment. The movement of
commuters on the escalators is seen as the vehement expression to through
speed and darkness. The images easy demonstrate how space and form exist
together.

Figure 7. Case-9: flow description of architec Figure 8. Case-10: spatial form express
ture composition. ion.

3.2.5. Space: Sensation / Interaction

Many cases regarding space expression have hoped that structures could
posses enough sensation so that spatial interaction could result, so that the
environment could be stimulated to produce the right reaction. Case-3, Case-
4, and Case-8 are revealing the very strong conspicuous design attempts on
interactive spatial form.Case-3 is a individual privacy space which are
plugged on clothing for waiting to be unfolded and depending on life
behavior. Case-4 description a sensitive wall could reflect environment
information to change surface expression.Case-8, a large structure system, it
demonstrates the development and assessment of the structure is not
simply limited to its load bearing capacity but to a whole set of other
performance criteria, such as accordance with light and climatic intensities to
operate spatial condition. Actually, traditional tectonics emphasizes the
interaction between architecture, environment and people. However, digital
architecture takes this a step further and reflects this view in a dynamic

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 TECTONICS? A CASE STUDY FOR DIGITAL FREE-FORM ARCHITECTURE

structure, allowing the building to be more that just a structure, but to posses
a body with life. Maybe this is the ultimate goal of digital architecture.

Case- Case- Case-

Figure 9. Case-3, Case-4 and Case-8: The constructions from digital tectonics are not only
the expression of form but also emphasize more sensibility capacity to interact with
surrounding world.

3.3. PHENOMENA OF DESIGN MANIPULATION IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

From this case study it can be seen that in a digital environment, form can be
seen early in the dynamic design manipulation process. Abstract thought and
abstract from can coexist. Changes can be made directly on the object, by
manipulating materials, components, structure, etc. replacing traditional
design habits. Because the thinking related to the manipulation of digital
design is very strong, the finished product is usually a space that reflects a
unity of the simple and the complex, quite different from what is emphasized
by traditional thinking: spatial form of orderly functions. Spaces weaved
together make for a very complicated state, boundaries become blurred
status. There is even the possibility of creating an interaction between many
more spaces.

4. Conclusion

Digital tectonics: an extension of tradition and a brand-new spatial form. By

means of computer design manipulation, what is emphasized by traditional
architecture — the corresponding relationship between material, joints,
detail, structure, etc.—undergoes a complete transformation in a digital
environment. Regarding digital free-form design production with the logic it
produces, a special characteristic is that it uses dynamic architecture logic
and thus, in a most direct fashion, can produce form. Only by a study and
understanding of digital architecture can one comprehend the complexity of
forms created by means of digital free-form.
The process of manipulating design by computer can be viewed as
digital tectonics. It’s a display of digital design thinking. The demonstration
of knowledge relative to the technique and mechanism of the process of

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digital architecture production proves that computer technique is not just a

tool for design, but is also a medium for inspiring thinking in the realm of
design, a means of producing the logic behind even more complex forms.
Digital tectonics and traditional tectonics have already had a profound
influence on each other. In this information age, we could say that computers,
the home of material reborn as information, are the means of displaying a
very special spatial form. It does this by means of a dynamic process. Digital
architecture not only carries on in the knowledge and intention of traditional
architecture, it also extends the vision of traditional tectonics. It extends
manipulation of the static plane, causing it to posses a dynamic vision.
Architecture design is not just the manipulation of form. Actually,
traditional tectonics is concerned with context. Later studies could have the
goal of exploring how computer manipulated design affects other types of
digital architectural forms, and the making of a spatial structure in a physical
environment.

Acknowledgements

Most study materials are selected from FEIDAD Award web-site and publications.
I especially like to thank Prof. Yu-Tung Liu for extending my vision to look into this
theme. Besides, thank Dr. Chen-Cheng Chen and Dr. Teng-Wen Chang for giving
me digital design view and computing concept.

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