PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE:

TOTAL FLUIDITY
Submitted by
Devashri Shrigadiwar
Guided by
Prof. Tanisha dutta
In fulfilment of requirement for the award of degree
of
B. Arch
Report submitted to
PRIYADARSHINI INSTITUTE OF
ARCHITECTURE AND
DESIGN STUDIES, NAGPUR

Priyadarshini Campus, Digdoh Hills, Off Hingna Road, C.R.P.F., Nagpur-440 019 India
October 2020
© Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design Studies, Nagpur (PIADS) 2020-21
 DECLARATION
I, hereby declare that the Report titled “Parametric architecture-total
fluidity” submitted here has been carried out by us in the Priyadarshini
Institute of Architecture and Design Studies, Nagpur. The work is
original and has not been submitted earlier as a whole or in part for the
award of any degree /diploma at this or any other Institution /University.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date: Devashri Shrigadiwar
 

 
 CERTIFICATE
The Report titled “Parametric architecture: total fluid” submitted by Devashri Shrigadiwar for the award of
degree of B. Arch has been carried out under my guidance at the Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and
Design Studies, Nagpur. The work is comprehensive,complete and fit for evaluation.
   
Prof. Tanisha Dutta
Guide
PIADS, Nagpur
 
Forwarded by –
Prof. Nishant Manapure
Principal,
PIADS, Nagpur.
 
Ar. Habeeb Khan
Director,
PIADS, Nagpur
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my indebtedness and gratitude to the guide of my
project, Prof. Tanisha Dutta, for their constant guidance, encouragement and
valuable suggestions without which this research project who gave me the
golden opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic “Parametric
architecture- Total fluidity”, which is a very sensitive and crucial topic. Her
support and contribution are highly appreciable. I am overwhelmed in all
humbleness and gratefulness to acknowledge my depth to all those who have
helped me to put these ideas, well above the level of simplicity and into
something concrete .Secondly, I would like to thank everyone who had
helped me a lot in gathering different information, collecting data and
guiding me from time to time in making this project, despite their busy
schedules, they gave me different ideas in making this project unique. Special
thanks to my parents, teachers, and friends, for their constant support and
guidance which helped me in the satisfactory completion of the research.
Thank you
Sincerely yours,
DEVASHRI SHRIGADIWAR

 
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION
1.1 ABSTRACT
1.2 INTRODUCTION
1.3 AIM
1.4 OBJECTIVES
1.5 METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER 2-LITERATURE STUDY

2.1 PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE
2.2 PARAMETRIC DESIGN TOOL
2.3 BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF FLUID SPACE

CHAPTER 3-DATA COLLECTION

3.1 FLUIDS, FLOW AND FLUIDITY
3.2 FLUIDITY IN ARCHITECTURE
3.3 WHERE IS FLUIDITY
 
CHAPTER 5- CONCLUSION

 
 1.1 ABSTRACT
This research is entitled on ‘Parametric Architecture Total Fluidity’. Parametric design is a
new approach to architectural design based on the concept of parameters. It utilises
parameters to set relations between design elements in order to define a range of formal
alternatives. In this sense, parametric design provides great opportunities for architects to
engineer the design process more efficiently. As, many practicing architects talk about the
challenges of this type of design approach. Similarly, inside academia parametric tools are
quite popular among students of architecture. Some students like to apply parametric
methods to their design projects using software packages such as Grasshopper. However,
they may not always be aware of the challenges of these methods because student projects
are not real design situations as experienced by practicing architects. It is essential to
explain two issues here, before introducing the aim and objectives of this research. Firstly,
‘parametric design’ is a term employed in this research due to its frequent usage in
architectural practice. It refers to the use of parameters in creation of form in the design
process. Secondly, it is worth referring the CAD since they are used in this research.
Computer-aided design or CAD is simply the deployment of computer to assist the
designer in design. . However, in this research ‘traditional’ CAD is actually the point of
reference. It echoes the concepts of computer as a drawing tool and a device for
representation rather than computation.
1.2 INTRODUCTION
Parametric architecture is a new and evolved style of architecture. Its computer and technology aided design which is
used as a tool for various design projects. It is defined by parametric which are set by the designer be it in form of a
small scale project or a major urban scale design. It’s a form of computer aided design which helps designers in
optimising and improving their designs. Over the year various design interfaces have been developed to revolution
parametric modelling and allowing freedom in design. The design develops according to the set parameters. The final
form is a result of the parameters selected for the design process. The range of parameters can vary from natural
environment dealing with a building or the software aiding in designing a structure. Parametric designing allows easier
three- dimensional modelling and gives the freedom of modifying the design at any stage of design depending on the
convenience of the designer. During the process of design, one may need to change certain things used in the earlier
stages of the design process. The introduction of the “Fluid” in the definition of architecture, which still seems to be
helplessly clinging to an old fashioned notion of tectonics both in functional and economic terms, is new and
innovative. Buildings today no longer be viewed as being merely the visible three dimensional result of a linear solution
– seeking process. In our increasingly complex society, solutions as difficulty they are to find are what we should aim at.
Method involves a consistent formto-program heuristics, i.e. form-selects-function instead of function- selects-form.
Development of project thus extensively relies on post rationalization. The projects oscillate between play and analysis
and aim at elaborating new form-functions relations. Hence for my research, I have decided to consider fluidity as a
parameter in the building constructor in India. The main idea is to understand how a building, in simple terms behave
like fluids. What are the elements that can be modified or manipulated to achieve a free flowing behaviour and how
this behaviour can affect the building typology and built environment. Parametric architecture helps a designer to
manipulate spaces or forms in ways which are difficult to imagine visually. And as it is the age of contemporary and
digitalised architecture, the change from linear models to experimental and innovative forms and expression is
inevitable. By using a parametric approach, I believe that I can have a thorough understanding of the parameter and in
the future can implement this concept.
RESEARCH OUTLINE

1.3 AIM
Parametric Architects deal with parameters ranging from program,
through site context, user interface and environmental factors to material
technologies and manufacturing. The aim of the research is to observe CASE STUDIES
and study how to push the boundaries of what we are able to do with
 Building typology for
contemporary technology.
every building
 Which element of the
1.4 OBJECTIVE building resembles
fluidity
a)To understand parametric architecture  How is the relation
b)To see how forms can be manipulated between form and
c)To understand concept of fluidity function
d)To understand how fluidity works in architecture  What are the other
e)To understand how spaces and aesthetic behave with each parameters used with
other fluidity
f)To understand how this concept is implemented in design  Soft wares used for
designing the building
 What materials are
1.5 METHODOLOGY used to construct the
•Understanding parametric architecture building
 Impact of the building
•Usage of technology as a design tool  
•Study of algorithm generation in grasshopper
•Creating different kinds of geometry and forms using
grasshopper
•Finally how to create fluid surfaces using grasshopper
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE STUDY
2.1 PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE
Parametric architecture is defined by the following: Blending complexity and variety, thus rejecting homogenous
utilitarianism. Shared priorities involving urbanism, interior design, an architectural wonder, and even fashion. The idea
that all design elements are interdependent and adaptable.

2.2PARAMETRIC DESIGN TOOL

Contemporary designers are working with various Algorithms as the model of computation to use it as a tool for design
challenges. An Algorithm is a set of rules and instructions in a step by step procedure to calculate, process data and do a
defined task. For any form of data given as input, an algorithm will perform its predefined operations and calculate the
required result. Similarly, a design algorithm will also provide a design output if being given relevant data as input. There
are different parameters like Site, Area program, Building type, Facilities, Beauty, Structure or even Bye Laws which
should be considered while going through the process of design. In algorithm processes it is attempted to transfer these
parameters into algorithm to generate design solutions. What is currently known as algorithm, parametric or Generative
design software is the platform to do such design processes in computers via Computer Aided Design Software.

Parametric designing is possible with the use of software which can take in data set by the designer and process it to
form various shapes. Such flexibility in design is not possible through all design software. The most important software
for parametric design is Grasshopper, which is a plug in of the 3D modelling software Rhinoceros. Grasshopper is a visual
programming language developed by David Rotten at Robert McNeel & associates which was released in September
2007.
 Grasshopper is primarily used to build
generative algorithms, such as for
generative art. Many of Grasshopper's
components create 3D geometry.
Programs may also contain other types
of algorithms including numeric,
textual, audio-visual and haptic
applications.

Advanced uses of Grasshopper include parametric modelling for structural engineering,

parametric modelling for architecture and fabrication, lighting performance analysis for
eco-friendly architecture and building energy consumption.
The first version of Grasshopper, then called Explicit History, was released in September
2007.Grasshopper has become part of the standard Rhino toolset in Rhino 6.0 and later.
Grasshopper 3D was created in a perspective to extend in those area where Rhino 3D
could not! It is a versatile plugin that takes design complexities to a new-found level by
exceeding the limit beyond Rhino 3D. Although, Rhino 3D is a strong software tool in itself
that has the capability of editing, analysing, and dealing with some of the most intense of
architectural design and detailing.
 
2.3 BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF A FLUID SURFACE
So the first step is to open rhino modelling software and then in the
command box type ‘grasshopper’ and command box opens.

The grasshopper canvas

On the left background is the viewport in rhino and the right

side box is the grasshopper plugin. On the top in the plugin,
those are the different tools with which one can work and the
grid in the bottom is called the canvas.
 Setting and dividing the curve
So this is the first algorithm in which a
curve is made in rhino. Then using
grasshopper, the curve can be copied on
the z-axis using the ‘Move’ component.
Then the curve can be divided using
‘Divide curve’ component to get a series
of point.

Creating the surface out of curve

The next step is to make the surface
using the curves. For that the
‘Loft’ component can be used and to
make the surface we just need to
Join the different lines with the loft.
 Creating the geometry
Now we need to extrude some
elements for the base and the soffit.
So the ‘Extrude’ component is used
here with a number slider to
Increase or decrease the extrusions.
Dividing the surface for windows 
Now to make a panel on the surface for glazing, we
use ‘divide surface’ component and attach it with
‘isotrim’ which has SubSrf Written on it. This divides
the surface in the number of segments and That can
be controlled using the number slide.
 Modelling the final form
Now the segmented surface can be designed using a
component called ‘Culln’ which creates patterns in the
segments and that also can be parametrically controlled
using number sliders. All we need to do Now is group all this
together and bake it to get a final rendered image Of what
we have created here.

Rendered initial stage
Rendered computing façade pattern
Rendered final façade pattern
Rhino Grasshopper - Digital Research Hub |
The following series of figures shows the
rendered images of the fluid surface at every
stage of creation. Although this is a very small
zone but the idea needs to be cleared before
we proceed.
This representation can be manipulated more
so flexibility in the software gives us an upper
hand. More we experiment, more ideas can
emerge through various geometries.
Through commands like twist, scale, move,
rotate, loft, and extrude, Brep, Deconstruct, etc.
one gets a complete control over the
parameters on which the design is based on.
Hence it is termed so evidently as Parametric
Architecture.
Apart from the modelling, Rhino is an excellent
software for simulation of the grasshopper
model. Finally a model can be rendered using a
lot of renderers. Available for Rhino such V-Ray
which is considered as the best rendered apart
from Maya
DATA COLLECTION
WHAT IS FLUIDITY IN ARCHITECTURE
3.1FLUIDS FLOW AND FLUIDITY
Before understanding fluidity in architecture, we should understand fluid. A fluid is a
liquid, gas, or other material that continuously deforms (flows) under an applied shear
stress, or external force. They have zero shear modulus, or, in simpler terms, are
substances which cannot resist any shear force applied to them.
Although the term fluid generally includes both the liquid and gas phases, its definition
varies among branches of science. Definitions of solid vary as well, and depending on
field, some substances can be both fluid and solid
This movement of particles which happens in different ways in different matters can be observed
to be very diverse and unpredictable. We cannot say how the particles will move by just simply
looking at the particles. Though mathematicians and physicists are able to do that through
multiple permutations and several combinations, but a regular person instead of looking at how
the fluid is moving, will appreciate and notice the beauty of matter. The emotions and feelings
which gets created due to fluids is something very vivid and amazing. Since centuries water has
been considered as an element of calmness and soothing. There is a reason why people enjoy
waterfalls, beaches, lakes and rivers. All have fluidity but all have their own individual and distinct
aura. The atmosphere that gets created due to fluids is one of the reasons that this fluidity style
got involved in architecture.
 
 3.2 FLUIDITY AND ARCHITECTURE
If we look back in history, the Egyptian designers while
constructing their palaces always made sure that there
was a flow of water in the interiors which would come
from the river Nile so that the water can be used for
domestic chores and also could be used for cooling the
interiors.

Rolex learning centre

While under modernism, architecture had developed according to various tropes of
progress from the dialectical to that of the machine, the past two decades have seen the rise of
architectural generation based less in models of progress than in ones of fluid models of
ongoing formation that reject both production as repetition or the drive towards predetermined
ends. A paramount model of this is the Rolex Learning Centre on the Lausanne campus of the
Cole Polytechnique Fédérale, by the architectural firm of SANAA which upon its opening “The
Independent” proclaimed: ”In Lausanne yesterday, the feted Japanese architects Kazuo Sejima
and Ryue Nishizawa – aka Sanaa – became the profession’s anointed artists of the floating
world. Their new SF110m (£65m) building is a fluid exercise in glass and concrete.”1 With its
continuous, undulating floor plane, ever varying oval voids and effortless expanses, there is little
doubt as to the writer’s reference, yet amassing under fluid architecture’s smooth surfaces,
questions abound.
FLUIDITY IN ARCHITECTURE
With all the questions that started this style, more questions emerged as in how will
this concept be applied, how can buildings be designed to resemble fluidity, how will
those buildings be constructed, how will it affect the building psychology but the most
important question that still needed to be answered was why we needed fluidity in
architecture.

Heydar aliyev center

The main challenge with concept was how to design function with the form.
Traditional architecture involve a process in which the functionality of the design
was understood before the worked out. But the form was first developed, so
arrangement of spaces so that the function requirement of building is met
becomes the fun part. To work out unpredicted conditions with form and spaces
that normally would be difficult to visualize. So through software one can create
3d models efficiently.
3.3 WHERE IS FLUIDTY
As this concept started developing, designers thought where all fluidity
can be used apart from form. Till now only the building form could get
inspired from water shapes and patterns. So the architects and
designers started looking into more fields and experimented with them
to incorporate this style.
 
FORM AND BUILDING PROFILE
URBAN DESIGN AND URBAN PLANNING
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
INTERIOR DESIGN It should be observed
how the fluidity aspect
is being incorporated in
these design. The
different elements of
every design are linked,
stretched, scaled and
finally integrated to
incorporate the fluidity
aspect. A beautiful
social expression gets
generated from this
style portraying the
integration of the
various individuals to
form one big society.
PRODUCT DESIGN AND MORE
CASE STUDY
AQUA TOWER, CHICAGO

The skyline of Chicago can be seen as the

timeline of skyscraper history, which
started in 1885 with the Home Insurance
Building.
 
The new Aqua Tower by Studio Gang is a
highlight along this timeline, not just
because of its height (250m tall) but also
because of its sculptural condition.
 
The design was inspired by the striated
limestone outcroppings common in the
Great Lakes area (see photo below). But
this sinuous shape is not just a mere
formal gesture, but it is also a strategy to
extend the views and maximize solar
shading. And by looking at the plans we
see a rational structure, true to the Mie’s
legacy in the city.
 BUILT- 2007-2009
COST- US$300 million
OWNER- aqua reality holdings
FLOOR COUNT- 82(1 below ground)
HEIGHT- 859ft (262m)
FLOOR AREA- 1,990,635sq ft
LIFTS/ELEVATORS- 24
NO. OF APARTMENTS- 739
NO. OF HOTEL ROOMS- 215
NO. OF PARKING SPACES- 1557
ARCHITECT-
Jeanne gang of studio gang architects
 
 

The building’s name comes from two ideas embodied in its design: the idea of establishing
dialogue with the water present in the city (The Park at Lake Shore East, Lake Michigan, Jay Pritzker
Pavilion, BP Bridge, Cloud Gate), and the idea of giving the building a wet look on all four sides.
These two key ideas come together to produce different exposure of the walls over the course of
the year, creating a series of microclimates which are much easier to control, ensuring better
performance of the building compared to a more regularly shaped prism.
The study of the impact of the wind also had some important surprises in store, because the jutting
patios and wavy protuberances on the building create a windbreak effect which is very useful for
reducing overall
The concrete forming technology behind
aqua’s unique exterior design is Aluma’s
revolutionary Hi-Flyer system column
hung shoring system capitalizes on the
advantages of traditional column hung
systems, while introducing new features
that deliver significantly greater
efficiencies. Used in combination with
speciality cast elite beams, the hi-flyer has
enabled engineers to cantilever up to 14
feet without transmitting any load onto
the balcony below.
As the building floor plans shifted
between retails, hotel and residential
levels, design changes have created new
complicated concrete formwork
requirements. The hi-flyer is flexible
enough to accommodate the transitional
mechanical changes while fulfilling
demanding time schedules. Aluma
systems is also intricately involved with
the project to help maximize the hi- flyers
performance.
LONDON AQUATIC CENTER

 Location-London Borough of Newham, United Kingdom

 Operator- Greenwich Leisure Limited
 Capacity- 17,500 (2,500 post-Olympics)
 Broke ground- July 2008
 Built-- 27 July 2011
 Construction cost- £269 million
 Architect- Zaha Hadid Architects
 Structural engineer- Ove Arup & Partners
 General contractor- Balfour Beatty

The centre was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid in 2004 before London won
the bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. It was built alongside the Water Polo Arena and opposite the
Olympic Stadium on the opposite bank of the Waterworks River. The site is 45 metres (148 feet) high,
160 metres (520 feet) long, and 80 metres (260 feet) wide. The wave-like roof is stated to be 11,200
square feet (1,040 m2), a reduction from the previously stated 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2).
The complex has a 50-m competition pool, a 25-m competition diving pool and a 50-m warm-up pool.
The 50-m pool is 3 metres deep, like the one in the Beijing National Aquatics Centre, in order to be
fast. Its floor can be moved to reduce its depth. There are also moveable booms that allow its size to
be changed. The diving pool has platform boards at heights of 3 m, 5 m, 7.5 m, and 10 m and three 3m
springboards. For the television coverage of the Olympics, the pools were also equipped with
innovative cameras in order to present the action from multiple angles. Because the centre was
designed before the Olympic bid was completed, the spectator wings were not part of the original
design. They were later added to fit the estimated audience.

Elevation along north-south axis facing east
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
An energy model was built early on in the
design to assess the detail the building
energy loads and to assist in understanding
where the predominant loads were and
which were less significant. The model
evolved with the design and formed the basis
of both the part L carbon emission calculation
and of building energy modelling in use in
accordance with ODA requirement.
 Section along the north-south axis

It must be noted here that the roof of the

building was designed to forma fluid
structure inspired by the notion of
swimmers breaking the water but the
functionality of the design has been
carefully achieved.
 

Ground floor plan

 AIRPORT DESIGN, INNSBRUCK,
AUSTRIA
The very basic workflow was:
1.) form-finding
2.) Rhino and geometrygym to send data
to Oasys GSA for structural analysis
3.) Rhino and geco for environmental
analysis
4.) Refine the shape
A new passenger terminal for Innsbruck
airport is the project of Thomas Buseck
for its structural design course at
University of Innsbruck, institute for
experimental design, the main focus of
the project lies indeed in structural
optimization, rather than a whole
architectural project. Nevertheless,
following the rules of parametricism it
was possible to inform the design
process to achieve a coherent overall
design. The most interesting thing I
found about this project was the
integration of different design platforms
to create a coherent design workflow
for structural and environmental
optimization.
 ROOF PLAN OF THE PASSENGER TERMINAL
His main work in this project is with the
roof and how it can be made to form like
waves. As it can be observed that there is
a variation in the densities of the units.
This clearly says that wherever the density
is more, there is trough and where its less,
crest is created.
With the help of geometrygym and
grasshopper, the designer was able to create
a lattice structure which consists of small
shells alternatively.
The columns are located between every two
troughs making them points of vertical loads.
The density of lattice gets concentrated
between every two troughs to transfer the
loads to the columns.
 LAYER WISE ISOMETRIC VIEW
Through the diagram the designer
explains through layers, how the roof gets
formed. The façade follows the crest
trough arrangement as is made of acrylic
glass. The roofing system above the
platform consists of three layers: shell
cladding, shell structure and the glazing
sheet all arranged in such a way that the
gaps formed due to the lattices gets
retained for natural sunlight.
VIEW OF THE FAÇADE FROM FRONT
It should be observed that the
daylighting conditions are excellent
in this design and the façade just
blends with the roof. This is a very
important feature of fluid
architecture. The roof and facade are
two different designs but at the end
they get integrated and becomes
one.
CONCLUSIONS

The parametric design presented in this paper addressed Computational

concepts of architectural designing that influence theRecent development of
architectural production.In this fluid architecture has been introduced and the
concept took Sometime for people to understand. Now more and more people
are Adopting fluidity in their designs due to its advantages features. Due to
software, designers can easily visualise complex in a design And also get better
understanding of their own design. The software Now allows a designer to
design a structure while it automatically Does the calculation for that structure.
This gives an advantage on Control of the designer on control of the design
parameters. The use of digital parametric tools allowed the participants to
design Within an environment based on rules and generative descriptions. This
amplified their design understanding and learning outcomes. The Students
connected their knowledge with their ambition to create Their own design
proposals. Fluidity is a style of architecture and not a method. The design
Process always had critical stages which every designer must follow. Now
architects and designers are exploring more into this concept Attempting to
discover new methods and techniques. Fluidity is a Broad and wide subject
which can be candidly explored, studied and Implemented.
 REFERENCES

What Is Parametric Design in Architecture? How Is It Shaping ...

Grasshopper 3D: A Modeling Software Redefining The Design
Grasshopper 3D - Rhino's Parametric Modelling Tool
Grasshopper 101 - Introduction to Parametric Modelling
Architecture and the Image of Fluidity
Parametric Architecture - Fluidity by Arturo Tedeschi - Pinterest
Fluidity in Architecture - BlARROW
Fluidity in spaces - Adaptive trends in architecture - TFOD
Aqua Tower - Studio Gang
Aqua Tower / Studio Gang | ArchDaily
Aqua Tower | Studio Gang | Archello
London Aquatics Centre - Zaha Hadid Architects
London Aquatics Centre | Zaha Hadid Architects - Arch2O.com
London Aquatic Center Case Study by Bintou Carly Coulibaly
 

Thomas Buseck: New Airport Innsbruck - Designboom

 

Innsbruck Airport by Thomas Buseck - Designplaygrounds