why is it that this silhouette of a storm-battered leafless tree at sunset
storm-battered leafless tree at sunset
storm-battered leafless tree at sunset is considered beautiful when this
is considered beautiful when this
is considered beautiful when this corresponding silhouette over
corresponding silhouette over
corresponding silhouette over multipurpose university facility is not
multipurpose university facility is not
multipurpose university facility is not the mathematician Binet Mandelbrot in
the mathematician Binet Mandelbrot in
the mathematician Binet Mandelbrot in the mid 80s said simple shapes fail to
the mid 80s said simple shapes fail to
the mid 80s said simple shapes fail to resonate with the way that nature
resonate with the way that nature
resonate with the way that nature organizes itself and as a consequence
organizes itself and as a consequence
organizes itself and as a consequence fails to resonate with the way that we
fails to resonate with the way that we
fails to resonate with the way that we as nature’s product are organized so in
as nature’s product are organized so in
as nature’s product are organized so in his mind nature is the benchmark for our
his mind nature is the benchmark for our
his mind nature is the benchmark for our understanding and if things are not
understanding and if things are not
understanding and if things are not consistent or coherent with nature then
consistent or coherent with nature then
consistent or coherent with nature then they don’t mean a great deal to us now
they don’t mean a great deal to us now
they don’t mean a great deal to us now this is Euclidian geometry and it is a
this is Euclidian geometry and it is a
this is Euclidian geometry and it is a very powerful tool that has been one of
very powerful tool that has been one of
very powerful tool that has been one of the fundamental principles of our
the fundamental principles of our
the fundamental principles of our civilization it’s the mathematics that
civilization it’s the mathematics that
civilization it’s the mathematics that we learn in high school it’s the
we learn in high school it’s the
we learn in high school it’s the relationships between points in space
relationships between points in space
relationships between points in space it’s the relationships within physical
it’s the relationships within physical
it’s the relationships within physical constructs and we also learn platonic
constructs and we also learn platonic
constructs and we also learn platonic solids cubes spheres dodecahedron these
solids cubes spheres dodecahedron these
solids cubes spheres dodecahedron these are a particular kind of object a
are a particular kind of object a
are a particular kind of object a particular kind of intellectual
particular kind of intellectual
particular kind of intellectual construct that is based on observable
construct that is based on observable
construct that is based on observable phenomena however when do you really see
phenomena however when do you really see
phenomena however when do you really see a pyramid unless it’s made by man when
a pyramid unless it’s made by man when
a pyramid unless it’s made by man when do you really see a pure sphere these
do you really see a pure sphere these
do you really see a pure sphere these are abstract ideas that don’t represent
are abstract ideas that don’t represent
are abstract ideas that don’t represent the nature of the nature that we
the nature of the nature that we
the nature of the nature that we experience every day they’re beautiful
experience every day they’re beautiful
experience every day they’re beautiful they’re profound but they’re rare and
they’re profound but they’re rare and
they’re profound but they’re rare and there is another kind of mathematics
there is another kind of mathematics
there is another kind of mathematics that explains the rest of everything
that explains the rest of everything
that explains the rest of everything the profound nature of everything and
the profound nature of everything and
the profound nature of everything and until the advent of computing it was
until the advent of computing it was
until the advent of computing it was almost impossible for us to have any
almost impossible for us to have any
almost impossible for us to have any insight into this Euclidean geometry has
insight into this Euclidean geometry has
insight into this Euclidean geometry has been the geometry that my occupation has
been the geometry that my occupation has
been the geometry that my occupation has used for thousands of years the action
used for thousands of years the action
used for thousands of years the action Greeks the Roman Empire used Euclidean
Greeks the Roman Empire used Euclidean
Greeks the Roman Empire used Euclidean mathematics to modulate and conform
mathematics to modulate and conform
mathematics to modulate and conform their architecture it was a coherent
their architecture it was a coherent
their architecture it was a coherent system that related to their religion
system that related to their religion
system that related to their religion and their ideology that explained their
and their ideology that explained their
and their ideology that explained their worldview that’s a worldview that we
worldview that’s a worldview that we
worldview that’s a worldview that we find untellable today we have progressed
find untellable today we have progressed
find untellable today we have progressed we do have computers we do have the
we do have computers we do have the
we do have computers we do have the ability to process vast amounts of
ability to process vast amounts of
ability to process vast amounts of information at this point in time that
information at this point in time that
information at this point in time that was extremely difficult
was extremely difficult
was extremely difficult so the idealized version of mathematics
so the idealized version of mathematics
so the idealized version of mathematics was something that profoundly affected
was something that profoundly affected
was something that profoundly affected the way that we built our civilization
the way that we built our civilization
the way that we built our civilization and we still use this today Euclidian
and we still use this today Euclidian
and we still use this today Euclidian geometry and platonic shapes are the
geometry and platonic shapes are the
geometry and platonic shapes are the principal geometries that we use in
principal geometries that we use in
principal geometries that we use in architecture day it’s the geometry of
architecture day it’s the geometry of
architecture day it’s the geometry of planes the geometry of surfaces it’s
planes the geometry of surfaces it’s
planes the geometry of surfaces it’s simple it’s rational and in many senses
simple it’s rational and in many senses
simple it’s rational and in many senses it’s very beautiful and simple shapes
it’s very beautiful and simple shapes
it’s very beautiful and simple shapes are easy to understand we can look at
are easy to understand we can look at
are easy to understand we can look at this and see that’s a cube that’s a
this and see that’s a cube that’s a
this and see that’s a cube that’s a curve it’s something that is relatively
curve it’s something that is relatively
curve it’s something that is relatively easy for us to have an emotional and
easy for us to have an emotional and
easy for us to have an emotional and intellectual connection to however it
intellectual connection to however it
intellectual connection to however it doesn’t really represent what’s going on
doesn’t really represent what’s going on
doesn’t really represent what’s going on here there are something very complex
here there are something very complex
here there are something very complex that clearly has an order about it which
that clearly has an order about it which
that clearly has an order about it which is not reflected in these shapes here
is not reflected in these shapes here
is not reflected in these shapes here and there’s a reason for that in 1979
and there’s a reason for that in 1979
and there’s a reason for that in 1979 Binet Mandelbrot at the time he was part
Binet Mandelbrot at the time he was part
Binet Mandelbrot at the time he was part of IBM’s pure research division and he
of IBM’s pure research division and he
of IBM’s pure research division and he had access
had access
had access to IBM’s mainframe computer the biggest
to IBM’s mainframe computer the biggest
to IBM’s mainframe computer the biggest most powerful computer in the world
most powerful computer in the world
most powerful computer in the world instead of it taking days to do a
instead of it taking days to do a
instead of it taking days to do a calculation he could do millions of
calculation he could do millions of
calculation he could do millions of calculations a second and he produced
calculations a second and he produced
calculations a second and he produced this image then it’s called a Mandelbrot
this image then it’s called a Mandelbrot
this image then it’s called a Mandelbrot set if you zoom in across scale what you
set if you zoom in across scale what you
set if you zoom in across scale what you find is the patterns repeat and as you
find is the patterns repeat and as you
find is the patterns repeat and as you continue to zoom in you begin to
continue to zoom in you begin to
continue to zoom in you begin to discover that things repeat their self
discover that things repeat their self
discover that things repeat their self similarity across scale and you start to
similarity across scale and you start to
similarity across scale and you start to find that within the nature of numbers
find that within the nature of numbers
find that within the nature of numbers within the nature of mathematics there
within the nature of mathematics there
within the nature of mathematics there is an order that is very similar to the
is an order that is very similar to the
is an order that is very similar to the forms that we find in ferns
forms that we find in ferns
forms that we find in ferns and in in sea life and many other forms
and in in sea life and many other forms
and in in sea life and many other forms of natural systems what this means is
of natural systems what this means is
of natural systems what this means is that there is a deep insight here into
that there is a deep insight here into
that there is a deep insight here into the nature of nature what this shows us
the nature of nature what this shows us
the nature of nature what this shows us is there is a profound and incredibly
is there is a profound and incredibly
is there is a profound and incredibly interesting and meaningful notion within
interesting and meaningful notion within
interesting and meaningful notion within architecture and within geometry that
architecture and within geometry that
architecture and within geometry that can be applied to the real world and
can be applied to the real world and
can be applied to the real world and this is one of our first experiments
this is one of our first experiments
this is one of our first experiments with trying to design a building that
with trying to design a building that
with trying to design a building that contains process because the nature of
contains process because the nature of
contains process because the nature of nature is about process it’s not about
nature is about process it’s not about
nature is about process it’s not about simple singular events it is about the
simple singular events it is about the
simple singular events it is about the feedback it’s about the process of
feedback it’s about the process of
feedback it’s about the process of nature and in this building we did using
nature and in this building we did using
nature and in this building we did using euclidean geometry these are sine curves
euclidean geometry these are sine curves
euclidean geometry these are sine curves we can deal with this relatively simply
we can deal with this relatively simply
we can deal with this relatively simply through mathematics but what we were
through mathematics but what we were
through mathematics but what we were able to do with this project is capture
able to do with this project is capture
able to do with this project is capture some kind of sense of emotion this is a
some kind of sense of emotion this is a
some kind of sense of emotion this is a building that is about its place it’s
building that is about its place it’s
building that is about its place it’s about its context it’s about building a
about its context it’s about building a
about its context it’s about building a building on the beach
building on the beach
building on the beach that captures the breezes that catches
that captures the breezes that catches
that captures the breezes that catches the notion that this is a special place
the notion that this is a special place
the notion that this is a special place where most other buildings are
where most other buildings are
where most other buildings are rectilinear and based on construction or
rectilinear and based on construction or
rectilinear and based on construction or efficiency in this project we were
efficiency in this project we were
efficiency in this project we were looking at trying to create something
looking at trying to create something
looking at trying to create something that meant something to people and I
that meant something to people and I
that meant something to people and I think having lived in Broad Beach for
think having lived in Broad Beach for
think having lived in Broad Beach for the last few years I have come to
the last few years I have come to
the last few years I have come to realize that many people stop and take
realize that many people stop and take
realize that many people stop and take photographs of this building they may
photographs of this building they may
photographs of this building they may not know what we are on about they may
not know what we are on about they may
not know what we are on about they may not realize that as the shadows fall
not realize that as the shadows fall
not realize that as the shadows fall across the building it becomes more
across the building it becomes more
across the building it becomes more sculptural and for us it gives us a real
sculptural and for us it gives us a real
sculptural and for us it gives us a real emotional sense of connection to place
emotional sense of connection to place
emotional sense of connection to place but nonetheless there seems to be
but nonetheless there seems to be
but nonetheless there seems to be something that people will respond to
something that people will respond to
something that people will respond to it’s not entirely parametric it’s not
it’s not entirely parametric it’s not
it’s not entirely parametric it’s not that complex but it expresses something
that complex but it expresses something
that complex but it expresses something and that’s I think what person I was
and that’s I think what person I was
and that’s I think what person I was talking about some self-evident excess
talking about some self-evident excess
talking about some self-evident excess which is extrinsic to it being a
which is extrinsic to it being a
which is extrinsic to it being a building but its intrinsic to it being a
building but its intrinsic to it being a
building but its intrinsic to it being a work of architecture and and this is the
work of architecture and and this is the
work of architecture and and this is the corner where people stand and take
corner where people stand and take
corner where people stand and take photographs and like I said they don’t
photographs and like I said they don’t
photographs and like I said they don’t really necessarily understand what we’re
really necessarily understand what we’re
really necessarily understand what we’re on about but they know we’re on about
on about but they know we’re on about
on about but they know we’re on about something and this is another building
something and this is another building
something and this is another building in Broad Beach another one of our Gold
in Broad Beach another one of our Gold
in Broad Beach another one of our Gold Coast projects and this is about taking
Coast projects and this is about taking
Coast projects and this is about taking crystalline forms like the headlands of
crystalline forms like the headlands of
crystalline forms like the headlands of Fingal and Burleigh and exploring
Fingal and Burleigh and exploring
Fingal and Burleigh and exploring organic forms and and how do we express
organic forms and and how do we express
organic forms and and how do we express what it means to be a physical object in
what it means to be a physical object in
what it means to be a physical object in a dynamic environment with waves and
a dynamic environment with waves and
a dynamic environment with waves and breezes there’s also a very obvious
breezes there’s also a very obvious
breezes there’s also a very obvious allusion to the whales that migrate
allusion to the whales that migrate
allusion to the whales that migrate along the coast so that was very
along the coast so that was very
along the coast so that was very conscious in our minds at the time
conscious in our minds at the time
conscious in our minds at the time because we felt that those marine
because we felt that those marine
because we felt that those marine mammals said something meaningful about
mammals said something meaningful about
mammals said something meaningful about the place and while the ground plane and
the place and while the ground plane and
the place and while the ground plane and the context is very much about urbanism
the context is very much about urbanism
the context is very much about urbanism and about how people mere few places the
and about how people mere few places the
and about how people mere few places the towers
towers
towers an emotional and physical expression of
an emotional and physical expression of
an emotional and physical expression of what it is to live adjacent the ocean
what it is to live adjacent the ocean
what it is to live adjacent the ocean where these kind of activities occur and
where these kind of activities occur and
where these kind of activities occur and you can see that this is a fairly
you can see that this is a fairly
you can see that this is a fairly unusual building and it’s a building
unusual building and it’s a building
unusual building and it’s a building that people do seem to have some
that people do seem to have some
that people do seem to have some emotional connection to and we’re
emotional connection to and we’re
emotional connection to and we’re continuing to explore this in other
continuing to explore this in other
continuing to explore this in other projects we’re working on this is one
projects we’re working on this is one
projects we’re working on this is one for the Gold Coast as well where we’ve
for the Gold Coast as well where we’ve
for the Gold Coast as well where we’ve taken the confidence out of the projects
taken the confidence out of the projects
taken the confidence out of the projects we’ve done in the past to really push
we’ve done in the past to really push
we’ve done in the past to really push the sculptural power of buildings in
the sculptural power of buildings in
the sculptural power of buildings in this building we’re using really quite
this building we’re using really quite
this building we’re using really quite advanced software to help us manipulate
advanced software to help us manipulate
advanced software to help us manipulate and plot certain surfaces within the
and plot certain surfaces within the
and plot certain surfaces within the building the building’s inspired by
building the building’s inspired by
building the building’s inspired by marine life and by the context of the
marine life and by the context of the
marine life and by the context of the place and there’s a very obvious
place and there’s a very obvious
place and there’s a very obvious allusion to oceans and sea creatures in
allusion to oceans and sea creatures in
allusion to oceans and sea creatures in this but there’s no way we could have
this but there’s no way we could have
this but there’s no way we could have delivered this building 20 years ago
delivered this building 20 years ago
delivered this building 20 years ago when I was a student there was we could
when I was a student there was we could
when I was a student there was we could not have drawn it on a drawing board
not have drawn it on a drawing board
not have drawn it on a drawing board when I went to university we did a
when I went to university we did a
when I went to university we did a subject called computing where we spent
subject called computing where we spent
subject called computing where we spent weeks writing code to draw a square
weeks writing code to draw a square
weeks writing code to draw a square which is about as exciting as licking
which is about as exciting as licking
which is about as exciting as licking wallpaper you know but now we have the
wallpaper you know but now we have the
wallpaper you know but now we have the power in our computer systems to be able
power in our computer systems to be able
power in our computer systems to be able to not only explore these beautiful
to not only explore these beautiful
to not only explore these beautiful formal environments but also include
formal environments but also include
formal environments but also include very complex and very sophisticated
very complex and very sophisticated
very complex and very sophisticated environmental responses in our work this
environmental responses in our work this
environmental responses in our work this is an incredibly sustainable building
is an incredibly sustainable building
is an incredibly sustainable building that rejects heat admits light and does
that rejects heat admits light and does
that rejects heat admits light and does extremely clever things so this diagram
extremely clever things so this diagram
extremely clever things so this diagram in the background there you can see what
in the background there you can see what
in the background there you can see what we call a parametric system so a
we call a parametric system so a
we call a parametric system so a parametric software is a software where
parametric software is a software where
parametric software is a software where the parameters are defined by ours we
the parameters are defined by ours we
the parameters are defined by ours we simply put a series of numbers into
simply put a series of numbers into
simply put a series of numbers into these equations and the computer works
these equations and the computer works
these equations and the computer works out what it is if we put in the right
out what it is if we put in the right
out what it is if we put in the right number if we’re subtle about it then we
number if we’re subtle about it then we
number if we’re subtle about it then we can suddenly change the form however if
can suddenly change the form however if
can suddenly change the form however if we put in the wrong number it goes
we put in the wrong number it goes
we put in the wrong number it goes berserk and you get insane things we’ve
berserk and you get insane things we’ve
berserk and you get insane things we’ve 3d printed models that are just a
3d printed models that are just a
3d printed models that are just a massive plastic spaghetti one of the
massive plastic spaghetti one of the
massive plastic spaghetti one of the most exciting and thrilling things for
most exciting and thrilling things for
most exciting and thrilling things for us is the advent of 3d printing but the
us is the advent of 3d printing but the
us is the advent of 3d printing but the real power of this I think and what
real power of this I think and what
real power of this I think and what thrills us is the capacity to explore
thrills us is the capacity to explore
thrills us is the capacity to explore and develop systems and ideas that mimic
and develop systems and ideas that mimic
and develop systems and ideas that mimic nature these are some of the prototypes
nature these are some of the prototypes
nature these are some of the prototypes we’ve been working on in our
we’ve been working on in our
we’ve been working on in our explorations or our practice and this is
explorations or our practice and this is
explorations or our practice and this is a building that is being 3d printed
a building that is being 3d printed
a building that is being 3d printed using crushed building rubble and cement
using crushed building rubble and cement
using crushed building rubble and cement and natural fibres
and natural fibres
and natural fibres it’s Euclidian geometry straight lines
it’s Euclidian geometry straight lines
it’s Euclidian geometry straight lines simple curves but it’s not far away that
simple curves but it’s not far away that
simple curves but it’s not far away that we can start doing this with 3d printing
we can start doing this with 3d printing
we can start doing this with 3d printing and I sincerely think that it is not
and I sincerely think that it is not
and I sincerely think that it is not long before that kind of technology will
long before that kind of technology will
long before that kind of technology will support us in building buildings that
support us in building buildings that
support us in building buildings that are entirely bespoke that are
are entirely bespoke that are
are entirely bespoke that are constructed in situ in place so they
constructed in situ in place so they
constructed in situ in place so they indelibly connected to place and our an
indelibly connected to place and our an
indelibly connected to place and our an authentic expression of place so why is
authentic expression of place so why is
authentic expression of place so why is it that this storm-battered leafless
it that this storm-battered leafless
it that this storm-battered leafless tree at sunset is considered beautiful
tree at sunset is considered beautiful
tree at sunset is considered beautiful and this corresponding silhouette of any
and this corresponding silhouette of any
and this corresponding silhouette of any multipurpose university
multipurpose university
multipurpose university it is because simple shapes fail to
it is because simple shapes fail to
it is because simple shapes fail to resonate with the way that it nature is
resonate with the way that it nature is
resonate with the way that it nature is organized and therefore as a consequence
organized and therefore as a consequence
organized and therefore as a consequence fails to resonate with the way that we
fails to resonate with the way that we
fails to resonate with the way that we as nature’s product are organized and I
as nature’s product are organized and I
as nature’s product are organized and I think that we stand right now at the
think that we stand right now at the
think that we stand right now at the thrilling and enthralling precipice of
thrilling and enthralling precipice of
thrilling and enthralling precipice of having the computing power to replicate
having the computing power to replicate
having the computing power to replicate nature in our architecture in our built
nature in our architecture in our built
nature in our architecture in our built environment and I think that will
environment and I think that will
environment and I think that will profoundly affect the nature of our
profoundly affect the nature of our
profoundly affect the nature of our lives thank you
lives thank you
lives thank you [Applause]
”
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