Parametric Principl
As the project developed, so we began to articulate it in terms of parametric
principles, and we initially modelled these principles in Rhinoceros to discuss
them with the other consultants, principally the engineers, Ove Arup. This
resulted in a series of parametric ‘diagrams’ that helped clarify
the principles underlying the sketch ‘paramorph’. In this we tried
to think through the range of variables that the project seemed to require:
variability of the direction and proportion of the glazing; variation of the
structural depth of each solid element; variability of the depth of glass
from the façade surface (to avoid a thermal bridge); variability of
the overall form to limit height or overhang (anticipating complaints by neighbours
in terms of form or right to light), etc.

Latterly the project has been modelled in Bentley’s new
‘Generative Components’ software, which gave a simple parametric
model that could allow global variancy of the form: a central axis that can
be displaced like a joystick gives a malleability to the basic form; all elements
can then be twisted differentially around this axis to vary the facetting.
Each of the legs can be varied locally to open view or deepen the structural
form.

Currently we have moved to modelling the form in CATIA
where we are concentrating on the detailed level of articulation. Here we
combine parametric modelling with scripting to speed the generation of meta-components
(the legs and their associated glazing are built automatically via a generative
script), prioritizing the quadrilateral glazing panels and measuring their
discrepancy from the ideal complex-curved base ‘blob’. We are
currently using these to produce prototype assemblies that will be tested
for their performance by Arup.