Form and Performance

Natural Models for Environmental Fitness

Form and Performance

Nancy Cheng

Univ. of Oregon Architecture Department head Nancy Yen-wen Cheng, RA, LEED AP researches how design tools and approaches shape outcomes, with a specialization in how craft and computation can stimulate the creative process. She has developed expertise in manipulating sheet materials to create light-modulating structures and has researched how surface relief patterns can increase convective cooling. She has developed fold and slot joints that give structural rigidity to foldable sheet structures and is eager to apply them to rapidly deployable refugee shelters.

Homepage: http://blogs.uoregon.edu/nywc

Jan 13 class notes

Posted by  on Wednesday, January 13th 2016     

NEW AMENDED HOMEWORK for next Wednesday 1/20 class in the Friday lab session.  (We will show you how to do this in class on Friday. 1B SKIN : Parametric Patterns with Paneling Tools  i. Use Paneling Tools-2DMorph to wrap your shape around surfaces different surfaces.  Create a surface with the shape and bake it. ii. Solar […]

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Spring Term – Week 4

Posted by  on Thursday, April 23rd 2015     

Class Notes April 21, 2015 I. Form-Finding: Frei Otto’s Institute of Lightweight Structures, Stuttgart Digital/Material explorations : AA, Stuttgart, CITA, RMIT II. Form-Finding: meshes with Kangaroo In-class:  Create a simple structure in Kangaroo Revised Assignment 3 Use biomimetic principles to design a module for a wall system that will modulate light as well as collect […]

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Spring Term – Week 3

Posted by  on Thursday, April 16th 2015     

Case Study Assignment 2 due Wednesday 4/22 The purpose is to help you see how architects have successfully used biomimicry in their design process. Ideally you will locate someone who has approached a design problem similar to one that you are addressing. Focus on one to three projects by that person. How does the designer […]

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Spring Term – Week 2

Posted by  on Wednesday, April 8th 2015     

Branching and Lotus Example files I. John Frazier’s Evolutionary Architecture Physical computing: interaction creates electronic connections between modules > Skylar Tibbett’s project to embed intelligence Concept of creating many unexpected variations Genetic algorithms create rules for creating the next generation and then making a selection of survivors. (Natural articulated rules vs. Artificial selection through intuition). […]

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Spring Term – Week 1

Posted by  on Wednesday, April 1st 2015     

I. Course Introduction, discussion of student learning objectives II. Inspiration for Assignment 1 Marjan Eggermont’s Engineering Student Sketches of Organisms and Biomimetic Designs Biomimicry Design Challenge.  (What’s Up Dock?  created with Prezi.com) Karl Blosfeldt Archive of Nature Specimen Photos Hilla and Bernd Becher’s Water Towers III. Hands-on Demo: Galapagos Evolutionary Fitness John Frazier’s Evolutionary Architecture galapagos […]

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Design Project

Posted by  on Wednesday, February 18th 2015     

The Challenge:  Translate the structure, process or system of a natural organism into an architectural form or environmental design element. RESEARCH (visual summary) 1. Biomimetic inspiration: hand-sketches 2. Diagrams of physiological, behavioral or anotomical elements: How are the organism’s physical systems, behaviors and structures adapted to climate? How do they enable specific functions? 3. Climatic […]

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