ZiJian portfolio

In this assignment students will be exposed to the shape grammar procedure in understanding the underlying language that made up an existing pavilion design. The design language will be translated into shape rules that explain the transformations of shapes or objects that took place in the design. Using the newly established rules, students are required to produce several design alternatives of a pavilion in the same style as the original design.

Form a group of between 2 to 3 students. Each group is required to find ONE existing contemporary pavilion design from the internet which is believed to have certain underlying design principles. This could be identified especially if the design has some repetitive components, gradual enlargement or reduction in scale, gradual rotation, or other types of transformation. You may simplify the components especially if it is too complicated.

Then, the group should study the underlying design principles by analysing the transformation process within the shapes of the main components i.e. enlargement, rotation or translation of triangles, squares or hexagons, etc. and translate them into shape rules. There is no limitation on the number of shape rules that can be created.

Next, the group needs to produce FIVE pavilion designs using the shape rules that have been established. Finally, choose ONE pavilion design and show the development process of creating it and include 3D renderings of the final design.  

Project 2 – Pavilion Design Grammar

In this final project, students will be employing multiple rule shape grammar to produce new architectural designs from their own set of rules. Each student needs to recall and creatively apply all the knowledge that they have acquired from lectures, exercises and Project 1 to produce a good grammar. The shape grammar will allow students to create multiple design alternatives of the building and subsequently choose the best design to be further detailed.