Elbphilharmonie: When Algorithm Designs Architecture

Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron used computer algorithms to design one of the most unusual concert halls in Germany.

Wired reported about an amazing new concert hall, which was designed by a Swiss firm Herzog and De Meuron. The amazing building called Elbphilharmonie is full of crazy Escher-esque stairways, funny looking elevators and boasts a neat looking roof. The best thing is that the main auditorium with 10,000 was designed using a parametric design.
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It’s a special process, which lets designers use algorithms to develop an object’s form. This is not the first time, algorithms were used to build things. They have successfully been used to create bridges, parts, and even furniture. With the help of the algorithm, Herzog and De Meuron managed to ‘a unique shape for each of the 10,000 gypsum fiber acoustic panels that line the auditorium’s walls’. It creates an effect of the huge puzzle, which was connected together.

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The main auditorium is situated right at the center of this edifice.  To build the perfect acoustics the engineers invited Yasuhisa Toyota (on the left), who created the sound map of the place. The whole project was very expensive, costing over $843 million.

Computer technology was explored not only to achieve the amazing stylistic effect. Every panel has a function. Here’s a little explanation:

The 10,000 panels feature one million “cells”—little divots that look like someone used a seashell to carve out a chunk of material. These cells, which range anywhere from four to 16 centimeters across, are designed to shape sound within the auditorium. As Koren explains it, when sound waves hit a panel, the uneven surface either absorbs or scatters them. No two panels absorb or scatter sound waves alike, but together they create a balanced reverberation across the entire auditorium. This technique has been used for centuries (most famously with Vienna’s Musikverein, whose ornate, neoclassical detailing creates the same diffusion effect), but the Elbphilharmonie does it in an entirely new, visually arresting way.

We’d love to see more of this technology being used in game production. With the help of these clever elements, you can definitely build more interesting environment. While not limited by function, game world could definitely benefit from spaces, that don’t just look good, but also possess some function.

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