‘The Synthetic Swarms’ by Dhruvkumar Prajapati
MArchD Applied Design in Architecture (2020-2022)
Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
Key supervisors: Joel Chappell
Architecture in a way is cooking, like how chef in which a chef decides the ingredients and recipes. Here those ingredients are elements and materials, and the recipes are algorithms and reasoning we use for designing a space. We started our exploration in the initial semester of Advance architecture studio by exploring aspects behind cooking techniques and how they can relate to architectural recipes. After that, we were invited to design a pet shop in Turl Street, Oxford. The process of choosing Pet -Wasps, Epiphytes as design drivers, and Oxford city as Site, led me to determine synthetic swarms as a project to the city.
The project is a representation of research based on the behaviour of wasps, their swarm optimisation. Using confection techniques and combining the optical and tactile qualities of wasps, the project has suggested a recipe for architecture that gives series of provocative outcomes and futuristic visions towards experiential architecture. The Project amplifies the illusionary and theatrical nature of the drone swarms and relation to context and time with development. Synthetic swarms would land on the surface of assigned Spires, Domes, and Towers in the city of Oxford. During the daytime, swarms will be charged with solar rays together with solar batteries and paint. At night-time, with help of a game interface application, a type of illumination would be delivered to the users. The path of 10-20 swarms follows a fixed route along with their neighbours in the flock, depending on flock density like Starling Bird murmuration. Few of the swarm murmuration is designed to twist, turn, swoop and swirl across the sky and responding and complimenting to architectural landmarks of oxford city.
The project will use ingredients like 12000 - 20000 nos. of 15 cm Día Synthetic Swarms (quantity as per availability of designed surface), Daylight (to charge), 300 KWh Battery (as per drone quantity), and Solar Paint (as per designed surface area). The outcome of swarms works incrementally to allow the formation of units, leading to neighbourhood hives, and then to large-scale settlements where the battle of performance can happen. These settlements are mobile with a designed form that would further assist in the growth of the module. A cloud hierarchy of independent units is an abstract representation of swarms, where the system also mimics the dynamic movement of natural murmuration. The project compiles some possible outcomes like Deliveroo of illumination and Battle of students, enhancing the illusionary and theatrical nature of drone swarms.
Dhruvkumar Prajapati / MArchD / Oxford Brooks / 2020-2022
Oxford-based architectural student, Dhruvkumar Prajapati, has been doing a Masters in Architecture (RIBA 2) at Oxford Brookes University. He has experience of 4.5 years, working with well-established firms in India.
Experiential, Advanced Architectural Design, Cooking, Murmuration, Wasps, city, lights
