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W. Huang, M. Williams, D. Luo, Y. Wu and Y. Lin (eds.), Learning, Prototyping and Adapting, Short
Paper Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research
in Asia (CAADRIA) 2018. © 2018, The Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in
Asia (CAADRIA), Hong Kong.
PARAMETERISING PINECONE NASTIC MOVEMENT
FOR ADAPTABLE ARCHITECTURE DESIGN
B.V.D NGUYEN1, T. WATLOM2, T. WANG3 and C. PENG4
1,2,3,4 University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
{bvdnguyen1, twatlom1, tsung-hsien.wang, c.peng}@sheffield.ac.uk
Abstract. This study investigates a digital modelling process that aims
at achieving architectural flexibility and adaptability. Inspired by the
pinecone nastic movement, a flexible modular design is proposed and
evaluated through various methods including a mathematical paramet-
ric generator and origami-based fabrication simulation. The modular
design system was applied to a specific chosen site with its environ-
mental and contextual requirements. The results show how the pine-
cone-like nastic movement may be translated into design and fabrica-
tion of adaptive architecture. We discuss the likely impacts of the
kinetic features on architectural sustainability as well as the effective-
ness of parametric modelling.
Keywords. Flexibility, adaptability, pavilion, design, pinecone, param-
eter, movement, interactive.
1. Introduction: dynamic architectural adaptability and flexibility
The development of digital applications has informed a new understanding of
architecture design, in which building structures and building elements are no
longer permanent, fixed or immobile (Schumacher, 2010). As dynamic archi-
tecture becomes more popular and applicable, there have been immerging
questions about its purpose and effectivity. One of its typical employments is
to respond to changing functional and environmental requirements. Although
this viewpoint has potentials in creating more sustainable and fascinating ar-
chitecture, it requires careful researches and suitable strategies during the de-
sign process, to achieve meaningful mobility and efficient controlling mecha-
nism (Megahed, 2017).
This study proposes a design process that can be suitable to dynamic archi-
tecture. Developed from a dynamic component design, the process explores
228 B.V.D NGUYEN, T. WATLOM, T. WANG AND C. PENG
the balance between architectural adaptability and flexibility. While an archi-
tectural component needs to be flexible to be applicable to different environ-
mental and functional requirements, the adaption process applied to a specific
site transforms it and limits its flexibility. Therefore, the parametric tools were
used in both ways: to generate flexibility as well as to limit it to gain adapta-
bility. In other words, the design process becomes an information feedback
loop between idea development and (site-specific) possibility evaluation (Fig-
ure 1). The paper is organised in two parts. The first half is the flexible com-
ponent design, in which a process of finding the efficient movement and con-
trol mechanism is proposed. The second half describes the method to adapt
and apply that component into a specific site with its own contextual and en-
vironmental requirements. A conclusion and further developments are pro-
posed at the end of the paper.
Figure 1. Overview of the design process – flexibility and adaptability.
2. Flexible architectural component design
2.1. PINECONE NASTIC MOVEMENT
As living organisms, plants are strongly dependent on their surrounding envi-
ronment, because of their limitation in mobility. Therefore, the ability of ad-
aptation to environmental conditions becomes one of the most important fac-
tors affecting their survival rate (Darwin, 1880). Since there are similarities of
passive adaptation between plants and architecture, many studies have consid-
ered this phenomenon and tried to find their applications in architectural de-
sign (Hugh, 2004). However, there is one spectacular vegetative reaction
which could be better modelled as a source of inspiration in the making of
digital interactive architecture: nastic movement.
This reaction is defined as the movement of plant parts, which is caused by
an external stimulus but unaffected in its direction (Braam, 2004). In this
study, we investigate the mechanism of pinecone nastic movement as a refer-
ence model to design a kinetic architectural system which can interact with its
surrounding. To maximize the survival rate of its descendants, the pine tree
developed a structure to safely protect and distribute its seeds, which is the
pinecone (Harlow, 1964). This structure contains different arrangements of
PARAMETERISING PINECONE NASTIC MOVEMENT FOR ADAPTABLE AR-
CHITECTURE DESIGN 229
fibre which reacts differently to environmental conditions, thus makes sure
that the pinecone only opens and spreads its seed in the suitable warm and
dried weather (Dawson, 1997).
The mechanism of pinecone scale movement is complex, involving differ-
ent materials at a micro scale, which has been studied and applied into material
science (Reichert, 2014). However, in this study we propose a simple para-
metric model that provides a mechanical-based bio-mimicry in the form of a
kinetic single-material architectural system, taking in the same inputs (i.e., en-
vironmental conditions such as light, temperature, humidity, etc.) and giving
out a similar output (i.e., the movement of open and close).
2.2. PARAMETRIC MODELLING OF A PINECONE INSPIRED KINETIC
STRUCTURE
Figure 2. The mathematical formula calculating the position of the control point P given
constraints from the movement angle α and other structural variables (m, n, x) and different
variations of the component generated by the parametric model
The central to this parametric system is to control the open-and-close move-
ment by a single-directional control point moving along the centre axe. We
developed a mathematical formula to specify the location of the main control
point (Figure 2) given constraints from the angle of open-and-close (α) and
other values defining the structural size (x, m, n)
• α: the relative angle of the wing (leave) comparing to its initial stage (horizon-
tal to the ground)
• x, m, n: values that define the sizes of the various structural parts
The output of the mathematical expression is P, the coordinate of the con-
trol point, representing the relative distance of movement comparing to its in-
itial position. By implementing this mathematical formula in the Rhino-Grass-
hopper environment, a parametric system was created. This system can
generate potentially an infinitive number of architectural structures employing
the same mechanism, thus maximizing adaptability.
2.3 ORIGAMI PATTERN DEVELOPMENT
To simplify the structure and to achieve an easier controlling mechanism, we
designed a new origami pattern for the component. This pattern allows all
230 B.V.D NGUYEN, T. WATLOM, T. WANG AND C. PENG
structural elements to be interconnected in one folding surface, while still fol-
lowing the same calculating method. Benefits from this new design include:
(1) Lightweight material and less structural elements required; (2) easier con-
trolling method due to homogeneous movement; (3) providing more aesthetic
and attractive architectural shape; (4) larger and continuous shading area.
Figure 3. Five input parameters for pattern generating and relationship to the mathematical
formula and origami patterns comparison by F% value, folding angle = 5π/6
To choose the best origami pattern, a parametric function is developed.
There are five input values (p1 to p5) used to modify the shape and complexity
of the planar pattern (Figure 3). All generated patterns are then virtually folded
by kangaroo at the same folding angle (5π/6) and then compared based on
their F% value, or folded size percentage (the width after folding / the flatten
width %). The pattern with the smallest F% value (12%) is chosen, since it
will provide more efficient controlling and faster movement.
3. A test case for the component’s adaptability
3.1. THE CHOSEN SITE AND ITS REQUIREMENTS
The chosen site for this design is an old canal basin in Sheffield, England,
called Victoria Quays. The basin was a cargo port in late 20th century, which
is now transformed into a site of business and leisure spaces. With notable
quantity of tourists and citizens going to the location daily, the proposed de-
sign is a dynamic pavilion used for semi-outdoor activities and is also ex-
pected to be a new tourist attraction.
Table 1. Site analysis and design inputs.
Site characteristics
Design requirements
Design inputs
Site for outdoor activities on land
and on water with canal boats
Servicing
human activities on
multiple environmental context
A pavilion half on land and
half on water
Dynamic behaviour of tidal river
Adapting to different water levels
Movable pavilion structure
Site for leisure activities Providing playful experience Possibili
ties of interacting
with users
PARAMETERISING PINECONE NASTIC MOVEMENT FOR ADAPTABLE AR-
CHITECTURE DESIGN 231
Site characteristics
Design requirements
Design inputs
Lack of outdoor shelter and
shaded spaces
Adapting to weather conditions
Dynamic architectural
movement adapting to
weather data
Big plaza beside the river without
energy source
Self-
generated power from
renewable sources
Possibilities of using
hydropower and solar power
3.2. ADAPTABLE DESIGN FOR TOPOGRAPHICAL AND ENVIRON-
MENTAL ELEMENTS
Based on the previous parametric modelling system development and site
analysis, we carried out a test case study by applying these components to the
chosen site. The idea here is twofold: (1) to test the flexibility of the structure
if it can adapt to different topographical requirements, and (2) to preserve its
kinetic characteristics through an interactive installation at upper layer.
Figure 4. Testing the adaptability of the pavilion on different water level and structure behav-
iour of the super-structure layer.
A hexagonal grid structure is chosen due to its compressive and tensile
strength also its resemblance to the cell system (Her, 1995). To test the struc-
ture’s adaptability, a parametric function using Grasshopper and Kangaroo is
introduced to simulate different topographical conditions, which is, in this
case study, the changing datum of each column base as presented by the water
level (Figure 4). Specific input values such as the number of cells, the limit of
cells’ deformation and the maximum rotation angle between each cell edge,
are also used in the test function.
Figure 5. Perspective renderings of the final design.
232 B.V.D NGUYEN, T. WATLOM, T. WANG AND C. PENG
While the super-structure layer plays the main role in site-adaptability, an
upper layer of the pavilion can be interactive to users and the contextual envi-
ronment, either manually (open-and-close by users’ pushing and pulling the
pavilion’s ‘scales’), or automatically (open-and-close by powered-actuation
driven by environmental input, such as solar and temperature sensing).
4. Conclusion and further developments
The study proposed a new design process that started from architectural flex-
ibility and developed the adaptation to the specific contextual conditions.
Since kinetic architecture requires complex engineering task and integration
of different disciplinary (Megahed, 2017), this design process allows a mobile
component to be applied in different conditions and requirements. While par-
ametric function provides dynamic flexibility to the structural form and func-
tion, contextual characteristic limits its possibilities and increase adaptability.
To extend the scope of the design process, we will further address environ-
mental elements to the movement controlling system. This step can be consid-
ered as a development to increase the architecture’s adaptability. An applica-
tion of the Internet of Things is proposed to collect weather data, as well as to
process them into the component’s movement with parametric mathematical
tools. A user-interactive behaviour system is also expected to be integrated
into the design, to provide playful activities to the chosen site.
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