150 YEARS OF SHIP DESIGN

As part of writing a short article entitled “Ship Design – From Art to Science?” [1] for the Institution’s 150th anniversary celebratory volume [2], the author consulted the Institution’s centenary book by K C Barnaby [3] to get a feel for the formative first hundred years of ship design recorded in the learned papers presented to the Institution. This consultation was motivated by consideration of the papers in the first volume of the Transactions of 1860, which, surprisingly, contained no papers directly on ship design, either on ship design in general or through describing the design intent behind a specific new ship. Rather, like the very first paper by Reverend J Woolley, the remaining 1860 papers concerned themselves with what could be called the application of science (and mathematics) to the practice of naval architecture as an engineering discipline. However this initial focus broadened out in subsequent volumes of the Transactions so that both technical descriptions of significant new ship designs and, more recently, papers on the general practice of ship design have also figured, alongside the presentation of progress in the science of naval architecture. Given that the vast bulk of ships built over this period have been designed like most buildings to a set pattern, or as we naval architects would say based on a (previous) “type ship”, those designs presented in the Institution’s Transactions, and the few other collections of learned societies’ papers, are largely on designs that have been seen to be of particular merit in their novelty and importance. Therefore this review looks at the developments in ship design by drawing on those articles in the Transactions that are design related. In doing so the papers have been conveniently broken down into the three, quite momentous, half centuries over which the Institution has existed. From this historical survey, it is then appropriate to consider how the practice of ship design may develop in the foreseeable future.

Biological Algorithms for Digital Manufacture

<p>Computational simulations are generally built upon a form or design that is near or mostly complete. Agent-based simulations are ones where the rules and behaviours are designed, creating an unpredictable output. In this research, these rules are derived from the complex systems in nature, utilising cross-disciplinary principles between architecture and biology. The abstraction of data and rules from biological structures are used to inform computational rule-sets for modelling 3D printed structures. The simulations in this paper explore the concept of emergence: where systems have an irreducible complexity and adaptability - a series of smaller parts combined acting as a whole. The concept of agent-based simulations as a form of emergence is a tool used greatly within many areas of research as a speculative method to build form and space. Computation rule-sets define a design intent for each simulation, demonstrating the ability to use agent-based systems and a spatial design driver. Informing the agents with design intent, allows them to adapt to their environment and to the ability and limitations of a freeform 3D printer. The focus in this project is the design of emergent principles in nature and how they can be applied to optimize structures for use with digital fabrication methods, thus producing a new approach to designing fabricated forms. Using a design by research approach, this research demonstrates the potential of free-form 3D printing as a technique for an integrated fabrication system. It outlines computational design techniques including the simulation of emergent phenomena to define a digital workflow that supports the integration of both emergent structures and free-form printing.</p>

Biological Algorithms for Digital Manufacture

<p>Computational simulations are generally built upon a form or design that is near or mostly complete. Agent-based simulations are ones where the rules and behaviours are designed, creating an unpredictable output. In this research, these rules are derived from the complex systems in nature, utilising cross-disciplinary principles between architecture and biology. The abstraction of data and rules from biological structures are used to inform computational rule-sets for modelling 3D printed structures. The simulations in this paper explore the concept of emergence: where systems have an irreducible complexity and adaptability - a series of smaller parts combined acting as a whole. The concept of agent-based simulations as a form of emergence is a tool used greatly within many areas of research as a speculative method to build form and space. Computation rule-sets define a design intent for each simulation, demonstrating the ability to use agent-based systems and a spatial design driver. Informing the agents with design intent, allows them to adapt to their environment and to the ability and limitations of a freeform 3D printer. The focus in this project is the design of emergent principles in nature and how they can be applied to optimize structures for use with digital fabrication methods, thus producing a new approach to designing fabricated forms. Using a design by research approach, this research demonstrates the potential of free-form 3D printing as a technique for an integrated fabrication system. It outlines computational design techniques including the simulation of emergent phenomena to define a digital workflow that supports the integration of both emergent structures and free-form printing.</p>

Cabin Fever: Exploring the Possibility of a Wilderness Experience

<p>New Zealand’s backcountry huts do not stimulate a meaningful connection between the occupant and their surrounding natural environment. Generic solutions provided by the Department of Conservation are dictated by a nostalgic frame of mind, rather than evolving from the intrinsic qualities of nature. This exploration is for those who seek to find and feel a sense of wilderness in our modern times. Despite our inherent desires to be amongst nature, our architecture does not facilitate our fascination. The intimate scale of interiors provides an insight that is detailed and intuitive, allowing for the emotive experience of the occupant to be the primary concern of the design intent. This thesis investigates the potential for a new wilderness experience by exploring and critiquing past and present backcountry huts. By focusing on the necessities needed for survival in a manner that dissolves the physical and mental barriers that these factors can implement, the outcome provides a vison for alternative habitation in the wild.</p>

Quality Assembly: Designing to offsite fabrication for medium density living in New Zealand

<p>This research portfolio looks at how consciously activating prefabrication into the design process early, and subsequently designing to the onsite assembly stage by using three key design principles, can contribute to a responsive design that embodies quality medium density living in New Zealand. Prefabrication is at the forefront of the New Zealand Government’s conversation about its residential construction industry. The potential attributes of this efficient construction method of fast on-site installation time, reduced cost, improved construction safety, and improved construction quality, have the potential to positively impact the issues that our housing industry faces. However, the intrinsic limitations that come with prefabrication being based on the ideals of efficiency, carry the risk (as seen throughout its history) of compromising the design quality. With the motivation to integrate this construction process into New Zealand’s commonplace residential construction industry based on its positive attributes, it is essential to address its relationship to the designed outcome, and consequently the design process. Ryan E. Smith of Washington State University in Prefab Architecture expresses that prefabrication is a construction process not a product so a poor design results from a poor designer. He specifies that for a prefabrication project to achieve quality construction and aesthetics the design process must be directed to “quality assembly”. This idea endorses the integration of this chosen construction process in accordance with the design intent and guide the design through various scales to the detailing of assembly. For this integration of ‘quality assembly’ into the design process three principles have been interpreted from founding literature as being key drivers: standardisation, repetition, and personalisation. Standardisation is the act of simplifications to efficiently design. Based on chosen factors measurements are controlled allowing pieces, elements, and/or units to relate to one another cleanly. Repetition is the act of reducing variances within the construction, maximising the efficiency of prefabrication. Traditionally this can improve quality. Personalisation is the principle that relates the desirability of the outcome with the necessity appropriately suiting its site and occupancy. This research is positioned within New Zealand’s residential climate, which is seeing a growing demand for medium density living. The defined programme accommodates two key demographics within this density of first-home buyers and homeowners downsizing. The focus is to design a system that assists quality living – giving an alternative archetype – for New Zealand’s evolving climate. Key findings from this research support the design intent of ‘designing to assembly’, whereby the construction process and the outcome are integral to one another. By focussing collectively on standardisation, repetition, and personalisation, a responsive design that is suitable to various sites and occupancies can be realised. The challenge lies within balancing flexibility with restriction efficiently.</p>

SpaceSheets: Design Experimentation in Latent Space

<p>Computational design tools enable designers to construct and manipulate representations of design artifacts to arrive at a solution. However, the constraints of deterministic programming impose a high cost of tedium and inflexibility to exploring design alternatives through these models. They require designers to express high-level design intent through sequences of low-level operations. Generative neural networks are able to construct generalised models of images which capture principles implicit within them. The latent spaces of these models can be sampled to create novel images and to perform semantic operations. This presents the opportunity for more meaningful and efficient design experimentation, where designers are able to express design intent through principles inferred by the model, instead of sequences of low-level operations. A general purpose software prototype has been devised and evaluated to investigate the affordances of such a tool. This software — termed a SpaceSheet — takes the form of a spreadsheet interface and enables users to explore a latent space of fonts. User testing and observation of task-based evaluations revealed that the tool enabled a novel top-down approach to design experimentation. This mode of working required a new set of skills for users to derive meaning and navigate within the model effectively. Despite this, a rudimentary understanding was observed to be sufficient to enable designers and non-designers alike to explore design possibilities more effectively.</p>

Quality Assembly: Designing to offsite fabrication for medium density living in New Zealand

<p>This research portfolio looks at how consciously activating prefabrication into the design process early, and subsequently designing to the onsite assembly stage by using three key design principles, can contribute to a responsive design that embodies quality medium density living in New Zealand. Prefabrication is at the forefront of the New Zealand Government’s conversation about its residential construction industry. The potential attributes of this efficient construction method of fast on-site installation time, reduced cost, improved construction safety, and improved construction quality, have the potential to positively impact the issues that our housing industry faces. However, the intrinsic limitations that come with prefabrication being based on the ideals of efficiency, carry the risk (as seen throughout its history) of compromising the design quality. With the motivation to integrate this construction process into New Zealand’s commonplace residential construction industry based on its positive attributes, it is essential to address its relationship to the designed outcome, and consequently the design process. Ryan E. Smith of Washington State University in Prefab Architecture expresses that prefabrication is a construction process not a product so a poor design results from a poor designer. He specifies that for a prefabrication project to achieve quality construction and aesthetics the design process must be directed to “quality assembly”. This idea endorses the integration of this chosen construction process in accordance with the design intent and guide the design through various scales to the detailing of assembly. For this integration of ‘quality assembly’ into the design process three principles have been interpreted from founding literature as being key drivers: standardisation, repetition, and personalisation. Standardisation is the act of simplifications to efficiently design. Based on chosen factors measurements are controlled allowing pieces, elements, and/or units to relate to one another cleanly. Repetition is the act of reducing variances within the construction, maximising the efficiency of prefabrication. Traditionally this can improve quality. Personalisation is the principle that relates the desirability of the outcome with the necessity appropriately suiting its site and occupancy. This research is positioned within New Zealand’s residential climate, which is seeing a growing demand for medium density living. The defined programme accommodates two key demographics within this density of first-home buyers and homeowners downsizing. The focus is to design a system that assists quality living – giving an alternative archetype – for New Zealand’s evolving climate. Key findings from this research support the design intent of ‘designing to assembly’, whereby the construction process and the outcome are integral to one another. By focussing collectively on standardisation, repetition, and personalisation, a responsive design that is suitable to various sites and occupancies can be realised. The challenge lies within balancing flexibility with restriction efficiently.</p>

Cabin Fever: Exploring the Possibility of a Wilderness Experience

<p>New Zealand’s backcountry huts do not stimulate a meaningful connection between the occupant and their surrounding natural environment. Generic solutions provided by the Department of Conservation are dictated by a nostalgic frame of mind, rather than evolving from the intrinsic qualities of nature. This exploration is for those who seek to find and feel a sense of wilderness in our modern times. Despite our inherent desires to be amongst nature, our architecture does not facilitate our fascination. The intimate scale of interiors provides an insight that is detailed and intuitive, allowing for the emotive experience of the occupant to be the primary concern of the design intent. This thesis investigates the potential for a new wilderness experience by exploring and critiquing past and present backcountry huts. By focusing on the necessities needed for survival in a manner that dissolves the physical and mental barriers that these factors can implement, the outcome provides a vison for alternative habitation in the wild.</p>

SpaceSheets: Design Experimentation in Latent Space

<p>Computational design tools enable designers to construct and manipulate representations of design artifacts to arrive at a solution. However, the constraints of deterministic programming impose a high cost of tedium and inflexibility to exploring design alternatives through these models. They require designers to express high-level design intent through sequences of low-level operations. Generative neural networks are able to construct generalised models of images which capture principles implicit within them. The latent spaces of these models can be sampled to create novel images and to perform semantic operations. This presents the opportunity for more meaningful and efficient design experimentation, where designers are able to express design intent through principles inferred by the model, instead of sequences of low-level operations. A general purpose software prototype has been devised and evaluated to investigate the affordances of such a tool. This software — termed a SpaceSheet — takes the form of a spreadsheet interface and enables users to explore a latent space of fonts. User testing and observation of task-based evaluations revealed that the tool enabled a novel top-down approach to design experimentation. This mode of working required a new set of skills for users to derive meaning and navigate within the model effectively. Despite this, a rudimentary understanding was observed to be sufficient to enable designers and non-designers alike to explore design possibilities more effectively.</p>

Virtual Gas Turbines Part I: A Top-Down Geometry Modelling Environment for Turbomachinery Application

The gas turbine engine design involves multi-disciplinary, multi-fidelity iterative design-analysis processes. These highly intertwined processes are nowadays incorporated in automated design frameworks to facilitate high-fidelity, fully coupled, large-scale simulations. The most tedious and time-consuming step in such simulations is the construction of a common geometry database that ensures geometry consistency at every step of the design iteration, is accessible to multi-disciplinary solvers and allows system-level analysis. This paper presents a novel design-intent-driven geometry modelling environment that is based on a top-down feature-based geometry model generation method. The geometry features in this modelling environment are organised in a turbomachinery feature taxonomy. They produce a tree-like logical structure representing the engine geometry, wherein abstract features outline the engine architecture, while lower-level features define the detailed geometry. This top-down flexible feature-tree arrangement enables the design intent to be preserved throughout the design process, allows the design to be modified freely and supports the design intent variations to be propagated throughout the geometry model automatically. The application of the proposed feature-based geometry modelling environment is demonstrated by generating a whole-engine computational geometry model. This geometry modelling environment provides an efficient means of rapidly populating complex turbomachinery assemblies. The generated engine geometry is fully scalable, easily modifiable and is re-usable for generating the geometry models of new engines or their derivatives. This capability also enables fast multi-fidelity simulation and optimisation of various gas turbine systems.