Design Computation: October 2019

Parametric Modeling in Design

Centre Pompidou-Metz

Objectives:

This project is an attempt to create a parametric model for Centre Pompidou-Matz.

The author tries to manipulate the original design based on her design intents using the Rhino-Grasshopper platform.

•Challenges in this project was parametric modeling of building components included:

–Shell Shape Parametric Design

–Building Height

–Shell Pattern

–Openings’ size and orientation

Introduction

The Centre Pompidou-Metz is a museum of modern and contemporary arts located in Metz, with 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft) divided between 3 galleries, a theatre, and an auditorium. The first piece of the building designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2006 in a 12,000 m2 site. The roof structure of this building has a remarkable design inspired by a Chinese hat found in Paris By Shigeru Ban (Figure 01). The building mass has two main components: a large hexagon structured roof, and a central spire (Figure 02).

Figure 1-https://www.centrepompidou-metz.fr/en/roofing

Figure 02-https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

The central piece reaches 77 meters and holds three rectangular galleries in different orientations that extending out over the roof with big picture windows angled towards landmarks (Figure 03). Ceiling heights are different in three galleries and riding progressively from a height of 5.7 m on the first floor to 18 m on the upper floor.

Figure 03-https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

The roof is one of the most complex structures of the time: a 90 m (300 ft) wide hexagon covering the building's floor map, with a surface area of 8,000 m² (86,000 sq ft) which is composed of glue laminated timber with wooden beams spaced 2.90 meters apart in a hexagonal pattern. This mesh enables the roof to span approximately 40 meters (Figure 04) and to makes the roof a self-supporting element, resting on only a few supporting parts(Figure 05).

Figure 04-https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 05- https://inspiration.detail.de/centre-pompidou-metz-103525.html?lang=en

The roof’s geometry is irregular, featuring curves and counter-curves over the entire building (Figure 06). Moreover, a white fiberglass membrane and a coating of Teflon cover the entire wooden structure to protect it from direct sunlight, while providing a transparent view at night (Figure 07).

Figure 06-https://balmondstudio.tumblr.com/post/104833243773

Figure 07-https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Every single beam was CNC-machined to unique proportions (Figure 08). This precise approach enabled both the production of multi-directional curves and the perforations for the final assembly (node points, pins, and braces). In February 2009, a metal ring and cone-shaped section were assembled to the top of the roof to support the roof (Figure 09).

Figure 08- Ref: Researchgate

Figure 09-ref:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324118504403558790/?lp=true

Appendix:

Figure 10- Site Plan-Figure 3-https://www.area-arch.it/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/07/Untitled-76.jpg

Figure 11- First Floor Plan- Ref:https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 12-Second Floor Plan- Ref: https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 13- Third Floor Plan- Ref: https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 14- Upper Level - Ref: https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 15- Section 01- Ref: https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Figure 16- Section 2- Ref: https://www.area-arch.it/en/centre-pompidou-metz/

Modeling in Rhino

•Drawing floor plans in Rhino using PolyLine

Figure 17-Drawing Floor plans in Rhino

•Application of NURBS curve in drawing of basic geometry makes final result a parametric model, and enables further modification on it.

Figure 18 -Drawing Roof Boundary in Rhino

Modeling in Grasshopper

Creating parametric model of building’s floors in GH

Figure 19 - GH Baked Model representation in Rhino

Figure 20-Modeling central spire in Grasshopper: “Height” is a variable

•Creating a 2D Pattern- based on Penrose alorithm- for Roof Shell in GH

Figure 21- Application of Penrose Pattern on roof projection on a flat surface

•Creating a 2D Pattern- based on Penrose algorithm- for Roof Shell in GH

Figure 22- Penrose Pattern representation on flat surface in Rhino

Figure 23- Trimming Penrose Pattern to place it inside the hexagone

•Creating a Roof Openings in GH- Need to bake the geometry for later subtract application

Figure 24- Creation of Roof openings in GH

Figure 25- Baking Roof openings

•Creating parametric columns using point input in GH

Figure 26- Creating parametric builing columns

Figure 27- Test if column parameters work properly

•Creating 3D Model for Roof Shell using NURBS curve in GH-

Figure 28-Roof mesh representation in Rhino

•Mesh Difference and Mesh Union application to create a 3D model for roof shell in GH-

Figure 29- Roof Shell

Analyze in Grasshopper

•Application of “mesh colors” to analyze vertices of the generated mesh

•Application of “Area” to calculate mass area

Figure 30- Analyze of Vertices and area

Generative Modeling in Grasshopper

•Application of “Kangaroo Physics” and “WeaverBird” using primary mesh model to create the physically-based model.

•Application of “Kangaroo Physics” and “WeaverBird” using primary mesh model to create the physically-based model.