XJTLU students explore complex geometry in architecture design

A group of Architectural Engineering Year 3 students recently created large-scale façade and roof structure models as their learning outcomes of the module ARC207 ‘Building Typology in Integrated Architectural Design’ at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

“I wanted students to get hands-on experience in the design-through-making process, an approach of learning by making,

“The target was to engage students in exploring complex geometry for rationally designing architectural components,” says Dr Iasef Md Rian who’s the module leader.

In the module, 14 students were divided into two teams who made two large-scale (2 meter x 2 meters) models of façade and roof structure: Fractal Screen and Ice-Ray Lattice Roof.

Fractal Screen adopted the concept of fractal geometry and explored the Sierpinski triangle in designing two layers of façade screens with different densities of lattices.

One layer can be moved by sliding, which creates an animated density of screen perforations and allows daylight control. The outcome provides an aesthetically pleasant pattern and animated complex shadow.

Ice-Ray Lattice Roof adopted the traditional Chinese ice-ray lattice patterns as a challenge to explore its complex geometry in designing a lattice roof.

The roof form evolved from a traditional slope roof to an origami folded roof. This unique latticed roof provides an opportunity to create a unique lattice morphology for latticed roof design.

Story provided by Dr Iasef Md Rian

Edited by Yi Qian

Photos provided by Yi Qian and Department of Architecture