GDC 2001: Current Architecture and Potential Approaches to Level Design
New York
Presbyterian Church - Garofalo, Lynn and McInturf
Description
The New York Presbyterian Church in Queens,
New York was completed in 1999 and was designed by Greg Lynn in
collaboration with Michael McInturf and Doug Garofalo. The building sits
amidst used car lots and shopping malls off Northern Boulevard in Queens,
and is a renovation of a 1930's industrial laundry. The new complex is
integrated with the original construction, and is combination of stucco
and sheet metal cladding. The building houses a school, meeting rooms and
a large sanctuary for members of the local Korean community.
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The New York Presbyterian Church in Queens, New York, is a renovation of a 1930's industrial laundry. |
Background
Greg Lynn is preeminent in a new generation
of architects who are using the computer as a design tool. He worked for
Peter Eisenman for a number of years, and the clearly documented process
of logical transformation is also a part of his work. He has lectured and
published extensively and has seen a number of his projects
completed.
Lynn has developed a process using Alias software to set up simulations of site and program forces. Site forces like solar path, or pedestrian movement are used to deform a skeletal framework. The same forces are also used to develop a skin or cladding for the structure.
In his exhibit at Artists Space in New York, he gave a series of five nodes different weights and intensities of attraction relative to each other. These were then merged into a single volume to create the installation.
In his project for a canopy to the Port Authority bus terminal in New York, he mapped the flow of pedestrian, car and bus traffic across the site. Particles were used to represent the influence of these forces. A secondary structure of tubular frames was superimposed on these, and then a tensile surface stretched across the frames to create the canopy.
Process
The church design comprises a number of
elements; the original building, new sanctuary and circulation tubes. The
main sanctuary space is formed from a series of simple nodes or rooms
fused together into a single volume. Another volume is offset within this
envelope to create the sanctuary interior. Structural ribs are created
between the folds of the two skins. Tubes for entry and circulation then
grow around the sanctuary and structure of the existing
building.
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The main sanctuary space is formed from a series of simple nodes or rooms fused together into a single volume. |
Potential Application
Of the three projects
described, Lynn's approach has the most potential application. While the
original forms have a fairly high polygon count, through the construction
process, they almost have to go through the same reduction that they would
do for a game.
What are the
forces within our games that would shape form? Their effect is largely
invented but in the game world that is the case too. You can imagine a
virtual sun and winds, or AI routes acting on digital buildings to shape
the level design.