The Dune

What was the concept behind the project?

The Dune project was conceptualized as a Pavillion to mark the interconnection between vernacular and technocratic methodology. Along with that it also hopes to question the hegemony of occularcentrism and generate a multi-sensory experience.

I knew I wanted a challenging environmental context as the pavilion needed to be optimized for solar gain reduction. I wanted to do this computationally and build upon the design from there. 

 What was the intent behind the organization of elements across various levels (Architectural, Site, Urban)? 

The organization of space is rather straightforward. the pavilion provides seating spaces and a few entry points. The smaller modules that are assembled together to occupy the pavilion volume are generated algorithmically.

How many iterations were tried to arrive at the final outcome? 

The modules went through at least 10 stages of development. the constraints on the modules were its 3d printability, the size limitation on terracotta 3d printing. it had to be able to contain a medium-sized atomizer for the cloud machine.

The volume itself went through maybe 5 iterations as the volume is optimized algorithmically first. It is only altered to generate interesting moments / allow wind through the pavilion.

Which methods of design investigation?

There were physical sketches, theoretical research of design methodology(discrete), construction techniques( 3d printing + aggregation), material research and finally a dive into computational algorithms.

How will the project transform with the passing time? 

The project was designed such that its parts can be re-assembled into different configurations and compositions to respond to different contexts. I would imagine that after the pavilion is disassembled from its proposed site it lives its life as a vagabond travelling to other interesting hot and dry places all over the world.