Michael Hansmeyer: Building unimaginable shapes

Translator: Morton Bast Reviewer: Thu-Huong Ha

翻译人员: Li Li 校对人员: Sophie Zhao

As an architect, I often ask myself,

作为一个建筑师，我经常扣心自问，

what is the origin of the forms that we design?

我们设计出来的造型的来源是什么？

What kind of forms could we design

如果不去参考别人的作品

if we wouldn't work with references anymore?

那么我们会设计出怎样的造型呢？

If we had no bias, if we had no preconceptions,

如果我们没有偏好，没有先入之见，

what kind of forms could we design

我们又会设计出怎样的造型呢？

if we could free ourselves from

如果我们将自己从

our experience?

积累的经验中解锢出来呢？

If we could free ourselves from our education?

如果我们能挣脱教育的束缚呢？

What would these unseen forms look like?

这些前所未有的造型会是什么样子的？

Would they surprise us? Would they intrigue us?

会让我们眼前一亮吗？会激起我们的兴趣吗？

Would they delight us?

会让我们感到愉悦吗？

If so, then how can we go about creating something that is truly new?

如果是这样的话，我们要怎样去创造真正新颖的东西呢？

I propose we look to nature.

我建议在大自然中找答案

Nature has been called the greatest architect of forms.

大自然一向被称为是伟大的造型建筑师

And I'm not saying that we should copy nature,

我意思不是去仿造大自然

I'm not saying we should mimic biology,

也不是去模仿生物

instead I propose that we can borrow nature's processes.

而是借鉴大自然的方法

We can abstract them and to create something that is new.

我们能取其精华然后创造出新的东西

Nature's main process of creation, morphogenesis,

大自然的主要造物方法，所谓的形态建成

is the splitting of one cell into two cells.

就是一个细胞分裂成两个

And these cells can either be identical,

这些细胞或者形态相同

or they can be distinct from each other

或者通过不对称细胞分裂

through asymmetric cell division.

而彼此形态各异

If we abstract this process, and simplify it as much as possible,

如果我们提取这个过程，并将它尽可能地简化

then we could start with a single sheet of paper,

那么我们可以从一张纸开始入手

one surface, and we could make a fold

在一个面上我们对折

and divide the surface into two surfaces.

使它形成两个面

We're free to choose where we make the fold.

我们可以随意选择在哪对折

And by doing so, we can differentiate the surfaces.

这样做后，我们就能制作不同的面

Through this very simple process,

通过这一简单的过程，

we can create an astounding variety of forms.

我们就能创造出无数种变化的造型

Now, we can take this form and use the same process

现在，我们用这种形式，用相同的过程

to generate three-dimensional structures,

来生成一个三维的结构

but rather than folding things by hand,

但不再是手工折叠

we'll bring the structure into the computer,

我们就在电脑里操作

and code it as an algorithm.

然后用运算法则写下代码

And in doing so, we can suddenly fold anything.

这样做的话，我们就能瞬间对折任何东西了

We can fold a million times faster,

我们能将速度提升到一百万倍

we can fold in hundreds and hundreds of variations.

我们能折出成千上万种变化

And as we're seeking to make something three-dimensional,

正因为我们试图做出一些三维的东西出来

we start not with a single surface, but with a volume.

我们没有从单一的平面入手，而是转向立方体

A simple volume, the cube.

一个简单的立方体--正方形

If we take its surfaces and fold them

如果我们将它的各平面对折

again and again and again and again,

并且不断地对折

then after 16 iterations, 16 steps,

反复进行16次，16个步骤后，

we end up with 400,000 surfaces and a shape that looks,

我们得到了400，000个面，和一个这样的形状

for instance, like this.

比如说，像这样。

And if we change where we make the folds,

如果我们改变一下对折的地方

if we change the folding ratio,

如果我们改变下对折的比率

then this cube turns into this one.

那么这个立方体就会变成这样

We can change the folding ratio again to produce this shape,

我们还能通过调节对折比率做出这种造型，

or this shape.

或这种

So we exert control over the form

所以我们能通过指定对折的位置

by specifying the position of where we're making the fold,

从而对造型进行控制

but essentially you're looking at a folded cube.

但事实上你们看到的只是一个经过折叠的立方体

And we can play with this.

我们也能这样做

We can apply different folding ratios to different parts

我们可以对不同的部位采用不同的对折比率

of the form to create local conditions.

从而调节出不同部位的特色

We can begin to sculpt the form.

我们就能开始进行造型了

And because we're doing the folding on the computer,

由于这些对折是在电脑上进行的

we are completely free of any physical constraints.

所以我们完全不收任何物理禁锢

So that means that surfaces can intersect themselves,

这也意味着这些面能相互交叉

they can become impossibly small.

也能变得极其的微小

We can make folds that we otherwise could not make.

我们能摆脱常规进行折叠

Surfaces can become porous.

表面可以变得多孔

They can stretch. They can tear.

可以延伸，也可以撕扯

And all of this expounds the scope of forms that we can produce.

所有的这一切都证明了我们造型的范围

But in each case, I didn't design the form.

但在每个实例中，我并没对造型进行设计。

I designed the process that generated the form.

我只是设计了创造造型的过程

In general, if we make a small change to the folding ratio,

总之，哪怕我们对对折比例做出小小的调整

which is what you're seeing here,

正如你目前所见到的

then the form changes correspondingly.

这个造型也会相应做出改变

But that's only half of the story --

但故事到这里只不过才进行了一半

99.9 percent of the folding ratios produce not this,

99.9%的对折比例产生的不是这种形态，

but this, the geometric equivalent of noise.

而是这种形态，在几何学上等同于噪音

The forms that I showed before were made actually

那些我刚展示的造型

through very long trial and error.

其实是经过了长时间的试验和挫折

A far more effective way to create forms, I have found,

进行造型时，我发现了一种效率极高的方式

is to use information that is already contained in forms.

就是利用已经包含在造型里的信息

A very simple form such as this one actually contains

在一个简单的造型里，比方这个

a lot of information that may not be visible to the human eye.

它就包含了很多我们肉眼看不到的信息

So, for instance, we can plot the length of the edges.

所以，我们可以标绘出边缘的长度

White surfaces have long edges, black ones have short ones.

白色表面的边缘较长，黑色的则较短

We can plot the planarity of the surfaces, their curvature,

我们能标绘出这些面的平面度和曲率

how radial they are -- all information that may not be

它们有多放射状--所有的这些信息

instantly visible to you,

不一定立马就能被你看到

but that we can bring out, that we can articulate,

但我们能发现它，我们能将之描述出来

and that we can use to control the folding.

我们能运用这些信息来控制如何折叠

So now I'm not specifying a single

所以我不再指定一个

ratio anymore to fold it,

单一的折叠率进行对折

but instead I'm establishing a rule,

相反，我确立了一个规则

I'm establishing a link between a property of a surface

我将一个面的属性和它怎样被折叠

and how that surface is folded.

给联系起来

And because I've designed the process and not the form,

也正因为我设计的是方法而非造型

I can run the process again and again and again

所以我能够一次又一次地使用这种方法

to produce a whole family of forms.

以此得到一个族系的造型

These forms look elaborate, but the process is a very minimal one.

这些造型看起来很精细，但制作的方法却很简单

There is a simple input,

一个简单的输入

it's always a cube that I start with,

我一直都从立方体着手

and it's a very simple operation -- it's making a fold,

而且操作也简单--就对折

and doing this over and over again.

不断对折

So let's bring this process to architecture.

所以我们不妨将这个过程引入建筑学

How? And at what scale?

怎么做？以什么准则？

I chose to design a column.

我决定设计一根柱子

Columns are architectural archetypes.

柱子是建筑的基模

They've been used throughout history to express ideals

纵观历史，柱子被用来表达

about beauty, about technology.

美感，科技

A challenge to me was how we could express

我遇到的挑战是我们要怎样

this new algorithmic order in a column.

在柱子表达这些新的算法

I started using four cylinders.

我一开始用了四根圆柱体

Through a lot of experimentation, these cylinders

通过大量的试验，这些圆柱体

eventually evolved into this.

最终进化成这个样子

And these columns, they have information at very many scales.

而且这些柱子蕴含信息的范围很广

We can begin to zoom into them.

我们放大来看

The closer one gets, the more new features one discovers.

你越靠近，就会越发现新特点

Some formations are almost at the threshold of human visibility.

一些构造几乎就要超出人类的视觉范围

And unlike traditional architecture,

这不像传统的建筑学

it's a single process that creates both the overall form

它只需一个简单的方法就能同时获得

and the microscopic surface detail.

整体的造型和显微的表面细节

These forms are undrawable.

这些造型是画不出来的

An architect who's drawing them with a pen and a paper

建筑师如果想用笔和纸把他们画出来

would probably take months,

可能要画上好几个月

or it would take even a year to draw all the sections,

想把各个部分，各个正面图都画出来

all of the elevations, you can only create something like this

甚至得画上一年，你只能通过

through an algorithm.

运算法则得到这些东西

The more interesting question, perhaps, is,

更有趣的问题，也许是

are these forms imaginable?

这些造型是可以想象出来的吗？

Usually, an architect can somehow envision the end state

大多数情况，建筑师都能在脑海里浮现自己所设计的

of what he is designing.

最终效果图

In this case, the process is deterministic.

而在这种情况下，起决定作用的是那个过程

There's no randomness involved at all,

毫无随意性的存在

but it's not entirely predictable.

也非完全可预见

There's too many surfaces,

有太多太多的平面

there's too much detail, one can't see the end state.

有太多的细节，谁也看不到最终效果

So this leads to a new role for the architect.

这也就赋予了建筑师新的角色

One needs a new method to explore all of the possibilities

他们需要一种新方法去探索各种可能性

that are out there.

而它们就在那里

For one thing, one can design many variants of a form,

一方面，建筑师可以设计出一个造型的不同变体

in parallel, and one can cultivate them.

同时，他又可以让它们发展出其他的形态

And to go back to the analogy with nature,

当回到利用大自然进行类比时

one can begin to think in terms of populations,

建筑师可以参照种群进行思考

one can talk about permutations, about generations,

他们可以从种群的变换，世代

about crossing and breeding to come up with a design.

相交和繁衍中寻找创意

And the architect is really, he moves into the position

而且建筑师真的变身为

of being an orchestrator of all of these processes.

整个创作过程的管弦乐演奏家

But enough of the theory.

理论说的足够多了

At one point I simply wanted to jump inside

我曾一度想跳进这个画面中

this image, so to say, I bought these red and blue

打个比方，我买了些红蓝3D眼镜

3D glasses, got up very close to the screen,

凑到屏幕前去看

but still that wasn't the same as being able to

依然得不到那种

walk around and touch things.

漫步其中亲密接触的感觉

So there was only one possibility --

所以就只有一种做法

to bring the column out of the computer.

把它从电脑里带到现实中来

There's been a lot of talk now about 3D printing.

其实现在有很多3D印刷的理论

For me, or for my purpose at this moment,

但对我来说，或就我目前的想法而言，

there's still too much of an unfavorable tradeoff

依旧是有太多在比例上不尽人意的权衡

between scale, on the one hand, and resolution and speed, on the other.

一方面，是比例，另一方面，则是分辨率和速率

So instead, we decided to take the column,

所以，我们决定把柱子

and we decided to build it as a layered model,

以层级模式给做出来

made out of very many slices, thinly stacked over each other.

以多切割，薄层叠的方式展现出来

What you're looking at here is an X-ray

你们目前看到的是刚刚那个柱子

of the column that you just saw, viewed from the top.

的x射线图，从上往下看的

Unbeknownst to me at the time,

我当时感到很新颖

because we had only seen the outside,

因为以前都是从外面去看

the surfaces were continuing to fold themselves,

那些面还在不停地对折

to grow on the inside of the column,

而且是在柱子的内部对折

which was quite a surprising discovery.

这个发现是个惊喜

From this shape, we calculated a cutting line,

从这个模型中我们算出了一条切割线

and then we gave this cutting line to a laser cutter

然后我们用激光切割机进行切割

to produce -- and you're seeing a segment of it here --

从而制造--你现在看到的是一个部分

very many thin slices, individually cut, on top of each other.

有很多相互堆积而成的很薄的切面

And this is a photo now, it's not a rendering,

这是一张照片，不是绘制出来的

and the column that we ended up with

在付出很多心血后，

after a lot of work, ended up looking remarkably like the one

我们得到了这个振奋人心的柱子

that we had designed in the computer.

就如同我们在电脑中设计的一样

Almost all of the details, almost all of the

几乎所以的细节

surface intricacies were preserved.

几乎所有的复杂平面都得以保留

But it was very labor intensive.

但这相当地耗费劳动力

There's a huge disconnect at the moment still

目前，虚拟空间和物理存在之间

between the virtual and the physical.

仍存在巨大的断层

It took me several months to design the column,

我们花了好几个月去塑造这根柱子

but ultimately it takes the computer about 30 seconds

而运算这个1600万个表面

to calculate all of the 16 million faces.

电脑只需简单的30秒就搞定

The physical model, on the other hand,

另一方面，这个实体模型

is 2,700 layers, one millimeter thick,

有2700层1毫米厚的叠层

it weighs 700 kilos, it's made of sheet that can cover

重约700公斤，是用可以覆盖这整个礼堂

this entire auditorium.

的薄板做成的

And the cutting path that the laser followed

激光所切割出来的路径

goes from here to the airport and back again.

够从这里到机场一个来回

But it is increasingly possible.

但这一切变得越来越有希望

Machines are getting faster, it's getting less expensive,

机器不断地在加速，价格也不断地在下降

and there's some promising technological developments

一些有希望有前途的高科技发展

just on the horizon.

也即将面世

These are images from the Gwangju Biennale.

这些是光州艺术展上的图片

And in this case, I used ABS plastic to produce the columns,

在那里，我用了丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯塑料来做原料

we used the bigger, faster machine,

我们采用了更大更快的机器

and they have a steel core inside, so they're structural,

柱子中心都内置钢铁核心，所以不单有结构性

they can bear loads for once.

还能负重

Each column is effectively a hybrid of two columns.

每根柱子都是两根柱子的混合体

You can see a different column in the mirror,

你能在镜子中看到不同的柱子

if there's a mirror behind the column

这些柱子后面的镜子

that creates a sort of an optical illusion.

能产生一种视觉错觉的效果

So where does this leave us?

这些都说明什么呢？

I think this project gives us a glimpse of the unseen objects that await us

我觉得这个项目让我们得以一瞥那些等待我们去发掘的前所未见的东西

if we as architects begin to think about designing not the object,

作为建筑师的我们不妨思考一下，我们不是要设计物品

but a process to generate objects.

而是去设计一种方法来创造物品

I've shown one simple process that was inspired by nature;

我已经展示了受大自然启发的一个方法

there's countless other ones.

但方法是无穷尽的

In short, we have no constraints.

简而言之，我们不受约束

Instead, we have processes in our hands right now

相反，此刻我们手中掌握着的是各种方法

that allow us to create structures at all scales

能使我们创造出以前不敢想象的

that we couldn't even have dreamt up.

不受任何比例的约束的构造

And, if I may add, at one point we will build them.

我希望，在某个时候我能将之付诸实践。

Thank you. (Applause)

谢谢（掌声）