Papers by Yannis Zavoleas

Extending the Virtual Environment Into the Physical Space: A Reversal of the Digital/Physical Analogy Into Spatial Perception
Despite its apparent lack of physicality, the virtual environment produces real experiences to it... more Despite its apparent lack of physicality, the virtual environment produces real experiences to its users. In its intangible context of digital operation, the virtual setting can be a meeting point for individuals to interact and to gain experiences that have an impact upon their lives. After more than three decades of broad accessibility and use of the internet and various digital platforms, the virtual experience has also prompted to rethink many of the assumptions commonly attributed to physical space. From a practical point, the virtual world has been an extension of the real one as a new site that can host people’s activities without many of the limitations associated with the material world. Given its absence of physical restrictions, the virtual space appears as a boundless one, whose potential of evolution is still unclear. This sense of limitedness has caused to shift our common sense about physical space as well, including architectural perception and the methods and practi...

Extending the Virtual Environment Into the Physical Space: A Reversal of the Digital/Physical Analogy Into Spatial Perception
Despite its apparent lack of physicality, the virtual environment produces real experiences to it... more Despite its apparent lack of physicality, the virtual environment produces real experiences to its users. In its intangible context of digital operation, the virtual setting can be a meeting point for individuals to interact and to gain experiences that have an impact upon their lives. After more than three decades of broad accessibility and use of the internet and various digital platforms, the virtual experience has also prompted to rethink many of the assumptions commonly attributed to physical space. From a practical point, the virtual world has been an extension of the real one as a new site that can host people’s activities without many of the limitations associated with the material world. Given its absence of physical restrictions, the virtual space appears as a boundless one, whose potential of evolution is still unclear. This sense of limitedness has caused to shift our common sense about physical space as well, including architectural perception and the methods and practices applied to design it. In response, this present study focuses on the ways in which elements and concepts of the virtual world may be transferred to physical space and enrich architectural aims and the broader design discourse.
Fountain Mediated: Marcel Duchamp’s Artwork and its Adapting Material Content
The International Journal of the Arts in Society: Annual Review, 2009
... He has practiced architecture since 1996; meanwhile he has worked in film post-production at ... more ... He has practiced architecture since 1996; meanwhile he has worked in film post-production at SONY Imageworks Los Angeles, as Art Director for the “Games-to-Teach” research program at MIT/Microsoft and as video artist. ...

This thesis examines how Marcel Duchamp's artwork Fountain has been reproduced and evaluated over... more This thesis examines how Marcel Duchamp's artwork Fountain has been reproduced and evaluated over time. The original piece was made in 1917 and was lost soon after it was created. Fountain has become renowned through its representations, descriptions, and copies and replicas of various scale; consequently, any later artistic critique was directed at the reproductions, rather than the original piece. Considering the fact that the original no longer exists, Fountain's reproductions somewhat reflect the artistic aura of the original, especially when Duchamp was personally involved in their creation. Fountain's reproductions may be viewed as originally (re-)produced artworks on their own. This thesis studies the processes of artistic evaluation applied to Fountain's reproductions. Fountain is a special example for the following reasons: When it first appeared in 1917, it openly posed the question of whether objects mass-produced by manufacture can be given artistic value. Moreover, since Fountain's artistic evaluation has been attributed to the reproductions, Fountain extends the question of attributing artistic value to reproduced objects, to artistic value attributed to reproduced art, in turn also raising questions about the relationship between original and copy. Finally, the artistic evaluation of Fountain has changed radically over time, further 'bourgeois' art and 'intellectual' art, between 'traditional' art and 'avant-garde' art." 3 Bourdieu discerns that despite the changing of the art world, artistic standards may still be directed by art's institutional agents. Mechanisms of abandonment of the exclusive relationship between art and aristocracy and in its release toward the broader audience of the masses. Such power of art has proliferated over the circulation within the media networks. Walter Benjamin, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction,"

Computational Thinking with Analogue and Digital Means
Proceedings of the 19th Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA), 2014
By elaborating on the significance of the drawing in the architec-tural avant-garde of the 1960s,... more By elaborating on the significance of the drawing in the architec-tural avant-garde of the 1960s, the paper’s primary scope is to weave a thread between late modernism and contemporary re-search in computational design. The architectural drawing is pre-sented as an abstract means aiding design research. The more re-cent notion of performative drawing evokes adaptability, being a critical precondition that responds to diverse design aims in inter-active manners. Performative drawing's function may further be linked to patterns, a recurring research theme during late modern-ism. Thinking in (and with) patterns recalls approaching design problems through malleable schemas that hold design data, ac-cording to which they are being transformed. In respect, the pre-sent paper delves into the analogies between the manipulation of patterns with the use of drawings during late modernism and par-ametric processes developed through simulation patterns of the current era. Through this comparison, it becomes possible to stress out the operative significance of methodologies and conceptual means in the architectural making as tools that are being used pri-marily for the exploration of form’s dynamic behaviour

Post-Anthropocene_2.0: Alternative Scenarios through Nature/Computing Coalition Applicable in Architecture
Journal on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, Dec 1, 2022
Concepts of the Post-Anthropocene often depict dystopian futures where land is occupied by giant ... more Concepts of the Post-Anthropocene often depict dystopian futures where land is occupied by giant machines performing repetitive tasks and replicating and fixing other machines. This speculation amplifies what is to be today’s solution for the efficient management of available assets, supported by hardware, software, and Artificial Intelligence technologies. However, it also portrays a dehumanising future where Earth has totally been succumbed to the machinic dogma, and for which architecture is no longer made for people. In response to this unsettling scenario, an alliance between nature as a source of references and computing explaining its systemic logic is considered, offering a pathway to reharmonize architecture’s scope with the greater ecology. Moreover, semantic analogies are drawn between holistic models of physical space and nature’s operational and organisational principles developed since early modernism. This sums up to a paradigm shift that employs cross-disciplinary concepts, cultural knowledge, political ideologies, technology and computing altogether to respond to critical challenges of sustainable thinking for the Post-Anthropocene introduced in architecture’s core discourse.

CAADRIA proceedings, 2019
This paper investigates ecologically-inspired computational strategies for the intelligent perfor... more This paper investigates ecologically-inspired computational strategies for the intelligent performance based landscape design of urban rooftop gardens. Plant communities in nature form resilient layouts that maximise use of available resources through a process of competitive pressure. Simulating these processes could allow us to design vegetation systems for the built environment that are adapted to variables on site, while meeting our design goals. This paper uses an agent-based model to ask if simulated ecological competition can be used as a computational method for producing effective planting layouts for urban roof terraces. A case study will be conducted to review the performance of the simulation. Through further research we will examine whether these strategies can also optimise for benefits including increased biodiversity, favourable microclimate, and reduced energy and water use.
The paper exemplifies possible traces of transition towards Post-Anthropocene that is envisioned ... more The paper exemplifies possible traces of transition towards Post-Anthropocene that is envisioned as non-hierachical system. It is taking Morton's discussion on 'hyperobjectivity' further into multi-layered codesign performed in real time and real life across bio-digital agents, including humans. Though our planet might be recently experiencing drastic times and one catastrophic scenario follows the other, a natural succession often comes after most disasters.
eCAADe proceedings, 2019
The paper discusses the design and testing of sustainable recycled materials for large scale 3D p... more The paper discusses the design and testing of sustainable recycled materials for large scale 3D printed construction in a marine context. This research is part of a 3-phase project involving a multidisciplinary team of designers, architects, material specialists and marine ecologists. The Bio Shelters Project uses an innovative approach to designing and fabricating marine bio-shelters that ecologically enhance seawalls, by promoting native biodiversity and providing seawater filtration, carbon sequestration and fisheries productivity. The design of the 3D print structure is a data-driven approach that incorporates ecological data to optimise the form for growth and survivorship of marine species under the environmental conditions of the installation site as well as being an integral part of the design project and the site.
Drawing Recognition - Integrating Machine Learning Systems into Architectural Design Workflows
eCAADe proceedings, 2020

Generative design (GD) is the process of defining high-level goals and constraints and then using... more Generative design (GD) is the process of defining high-level goals and constraints and then using computation to automatically explore a range of solutions that meet the desired requirements. Generative processes are intelligent ways to fast-track early design stages. The outcomes are analyzed simultaneously to inform decisions for architects and engineers. Whilst material properties have been defined as a driving agent within generative systems to calculate structure, material performance or structural capacity are not linked with early decision-making. In response, this paper sets a constrained approach upon traditional and non-traditional materials to validate the feasibility of structures. A GD tool is developed within Grasshopper using C-sharp, Karamaba3D, Galapagos and various engineering formulas. The result is a script, which prioritizes the structural qualities of material as a driving factor within generative systems and facilitates communication across different expertise.

eCAADe proceedings, 2019
This research explores how to improve the opportunities for augmented reality technologies as a d... more This research explores how to improve the opportunities for augmented reality technologies as a design communication tool, through developing criteria to test user interface and user experience in an interior design context. The process involves the development of three conceptual user interfaces created using Adobe Experience Design CC (Beta) 2017, and a simulated experience through the InvisionApp platform. The software was chosen on the basis that they are quick prototyping tools to adhere to time constraints. By testing prototypes against a series of customised heuristics, this research can reflect on ways to design MAR interfaces for use in the design industry. Heuristics refers to an existing technique of evaluating application effectiveness following a set criteria. Due to the general nature of heuristics, it is important to define a set that is unique to the project objectives (Nielsen, 1994). By designing and testing the user interfaces with 15 participants from PTW Architects targeting the appropriate demographic, this study outlines strategies of effective mobile augmented reality user interface design, and explores methods of measuring application effectiveness. The experiment uses inspection methods to better understand how to apply heuristic evaluation with appropriate consideration of the iterative design process.
Buildings, Jan 14, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

eCAADe proceedings, 2017
This paper outlines a critical approach to computation in architecture by using multi-agent syste... more This paper outlines a critical approach to computation in architecture by using multi-agent systems and dynamic simulation tools. Such methods reinforce viewing design as a data-driven process, whereby a problem is analysed to a set of agents and their properties. The related actions assume extensive modelling techniques, recursive experimentation and testing to assist design since the early stages until completion. In reflection, similar methods are employed to tackle problems of content other than architecture. The experiment being discussed is Bio-shelters. It involves designing artificial coral reefs to be placed at the Sydney Harbour, aiming to improve the living conditions of seashell and other endangered organisms. This paper first describes reefs as highly sophisticated ecosystems; then, it proposes methods for designing and constructing ones, further commenting onto their shape, fabrication, materiality and on-site placement, consequently reinforcing that extensive modelling techniques currently applicable in architecture may also respond to different scenarios about our settlements and the environment.

Building Bio-Shelters Using Industry 4.0 Data-Driven Hybrid Fabrication Technologies
Impact of Artificial Reefs on the Environment and Communities
This chapter describes the innovative design and fabrication of a complex reef system for Sydney ... more This chapter describes the innovative design and fabrication of a complex reef system for Sydney Harbour, Australia. The Bio-Shelters project is an ongoing collaborative investigation into the application of computational design and Industry 4.0 hybrid technologies to create site-specific artificial reefs. The location of the artificial reefs is Blackwattle Bay in Sydney Harbour. The Bay has been used for heavy industry for over 100 years, resulting in polluted water and severely damaged natural marine ecosystems. The chapter discusses the design approach to the Bio-Shelters, the marine species targeted, the iterative computational design, and sustainable material investigations that took place during the development. The authors then detail the hybrid fabrication processes using laser-cut steel waffle structures and shotcrete surface treatments. The chapter concludes with the current status of the ongoing project and defines the next steps using robotic fabrication.
Nexus Network Journal, Feb 13, 2021
Nexus Network Journal guest editors Yannis Zavoleas and Mark Taylor introduce the papers in vol 2... more Nexus Network Journal guest editors Yannis Zavoleas and Mark Taylor introduce the papers in vol 23 no. 1, a special issue dedicated to patterns and spatial organisation. In this introduction they discuss the role of patterns in architecture, from the early uses through to recent applications and future possibilities. Especially since the integration of computers and computing into design practice, a comparative discourse on the eras before-and-after their arrival seems imperative, so that the qualities of the past are selectively tailored to support those of the future. To that aim, the theme of this issue provides a vehicle to address many of architecture's key challenges from both a humanistic perspective and a technical/technological one.
Facilitation of non-indigenous ascidian by marine eco-engineering interventions at an urban site
Biofouling

Computational Thinking with Analogue and Digital Means
CAADRIA proceedings
By elaborating on the significance of the drawing in the architec-tural avant-garde of the 1960s,... more By elaborating on the significance of the drawing in the architec-tural avant-garde of the 1960s, the paper’s primary scope is to weave a thread between late modernism and contemporary re-search in computational design. The architectural drawing is pre-sented as an abstract means aiding design research. The more re-cent notion of performative drawing evokes adaptability, being a critical precondition that responds to diverse design aims in inter-active manners. Performative drawing's function may further be linked to patterns, a recurring research theme during late modern-ism. Thinking in (and with) patterns recalls approaching design problems through malleable schemas that hold design data, ac-cording to which they are being transformed. In respect, the pre-sent paper delves into the analogies between the manipulation of patterns with the use of drawings during late modernism and par-ametric processes developed through simulation patterns of the current era. Through this comparison, it becomes possible to stress out the operative significance of methodologies and conceptual means in the architectural making as tools that are being used pri-marily for the exploration of form’s dynamic behaviour

Sustainable, Smart and Systemic Design Post-Anthropocene: Through a Transdisciplinary Lens
Concepts of the Post-Anthropocene often depict dystopian futures where land is occupied by giant ... more Concepts of the Post-Anthropocene often depict dystopian futures where land is occupied by giant machines performing repetitive tasks and replicating and fixing other machines. This speculation amplifies what is to be today’s solution for the efficient management of available assets, supported by hardware, software, and Artificial Intelligence technologies. However, it also portrays a dehumanising future where Earth has totally been succumbed to the machinic dogma, and for which architecture is no longer made for people. In response to this unsettling scenario, an alliance between nature as a source of references and computing explaining its systemic logic is considered, offering a pathway to reharmonize architecture’s scope with the greater ecology. Moreover, semantic analogies are drawn between holistic models of physical space and nature’s operational and organisational principles developed since early modernism. This sums up to a paradigm shift that employs cross-disciplinary co...

Buildings
By studying Aboriginal maps, this speculative research discusses world heritage concepts about la... more By studying Aboriginal maps, this speculative research discusses world heritage concepts about land and merges them into western urban contexts. Assumptions concerning spatial allocation and demarcation such as boundaries, divisions and geometric patterns are being contested by ideas pertaining to Indigenous narratives expressing holistic views about community, and the ecosystem as integrated components of broader organisations. First, this paper introduces principles of the Indigenous culture spurring viable land management by shared, equal and inclusive schemes as ones that also respond to global socio-environmental challenges. Alternative strategies are being considered relating to the soft demarcation of distinct areas understood as malleable aggregates merging with each other and with the landscape’s topological features, with reference to the Aboriginal culture. The techniques being proposed are further compared with original approaches in architecture and urban design develop...
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Papers by Yannis Zavoleas