Final rendering of Valles Caldera Visitor Center proposal. Structural system generated using L-system algorithms in Processing, Houdini, Rhino 5 and 3ds Max. Final project completed with fellow student Nathaniel Bia.
Node/spatial arrangement diagrams generated in Processing. Spiral patterning based on the Fibonacci sequence; adapted from Jim Bumgardner.
The design of this center is rooted in the growth patterns of two plant species: sunflowers and ferns. Based on the work of phytologists Aristid Lindenmayer and Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, this building developed from a generative algorithm that seeks to approximate these organic morphologies. This algorithm informed the “growth” of our structural system, which we developed into an architecture based on the topography of our selected site. By placing the structure within the earth, building has a reduced visual impact on natural landscape. The orientation of the center allows for maximum views of the spectacular Valle Grande basin. The end result is a building that is both of and situated within its environmental context.
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