AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
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Al-Qadisiyah Journal for Engineering Sciences
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* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: shamms51@yahoo.com ( Shams A. Ameer)
https://doi.org/10.30772/qjes.v13i2.657
2411-7773/© 2020 University of Al-Qadisiyah. All rights reserved.
Void Formation in Digital Architecture Interfaces
Basim Hassan Almajidia , Shams Abdul Ameer Kafi a*
a University of Technology / Department of Architecture, Baghdad, Iraq
A R T I C L E I N F O
Article history:
Received 03 May 2020
Received in revised form 16 June 2020
Accepted 26 June 2020
Keywords:
Void
digital formation
interfaces
digitization
A B S T R A C T
In the last era of the digital revolution, architectural outputs with distinctive void formations appeared.
The development in digital technologies, which adopts solid geometry in the formation of its interfaces.
So the void became an integral part of the design at the level of three dimensions, to serves as a fourth
dimension of architecture. By connecting architecture with the time, the limits of length, width, and height
fade away and change from the limits of place to those of time, and this void shifts out from achieving the
aesthetic needs to achieving functional and structural needs. The direct correlation of the architectural void
with the process of forming the interfaces led it to be considered as a basic architectural formation unit,
and in light of this, the research problem was presented as (insufficient knowledge about the importance
and role of the three-dimensional architectural void and the mechanisms of its formation in the interfaces
of contemporary digital architecture as a void that generates or creates the design within the needs of the
designer and the receiver ). The aim of the research came to reveal the concept of architectural void at the
three-dimensional level, as well as revealing strategies and mechanisms for shaping the void in the
interfaces. The research adopted the descriptive and analytical research methodology in proposing
theoretical knowledge extracted from previous studies of building the theoretical framework for the
geometry terms which contains (strategies for forming digital void, characteristics of void in digital
output, features of digital spatial structure), and applying it on contemporary architectural models with a
qualitative measure that is aimed at knowing the effect of terms on the selected samples and the
percentage of their effectiveness in the characteristics of the digital output, and verifying the main
research hypothesis which stipulated the adoption of the strategy of forming the digital void to combine
the mechanisms of digital formation that is used to create void formation to meet the needs in
contemporary architecture. The results indicated that the disappearance of the boundaries between the
interior and exterior over time led to the use of the void in the formation of the building’s outer mass at the
three-dimensional level so that the formation of the mass is based on that void which is called (design-
generating void) and the structure which is created by the void called (the spatial structure), as its
formation depended on "geometry" and its methods of formation.
© 2020 University of Al-Qadisiyah. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
The new prospect of digitization was reflected in various fields of
architecture, including the architectural void, which is considered as a
generator of design in the interface, in order to create dynamic space
configurations that are compatible with the era of the digital revolution in
which the boundaries between the exterior and the interior fade away. So
the void that the research deals with is emerging from the interference
between the exterior and interior voids. It is related to the context on one
hand, and inside the building on the other hand, so the architectural void
appears as a dialogue area between fragmented or segmented pieces, or as
a spatial interlock and merging area to convey the state of architectural
formation to a state of permanent formation to achieve interactive output
through the idea of formal manipulation and the principle of deletion and
interference between mass and void, thus impedes the monotony to create
new relations between the contradictory parts. When the void participates
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110 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
in the formation of the interfaces, it works within the fourth dimension
which is represented by the time. Thus, there is a need to clarify the
connection between the void and the digital architectural formation, up to
the role and importance of the void in the digital architectural formation.
Accordingly, the research problem has been stated as follows:
(insufficient knowledge about the importance and role of the three-
dimensional architectural void and the mechanisms of its formation in the
interfaces of contemporary digital architecture as a void that generates or
creates the design within the needs of the designer and receiver). For the
purpose of solving the research problem, the approach has been divided
into five parts, the first of which was to study the basic concepts of the
research "architectural void, and architectural formation in interfaces".
The second: included building the knowledge framework for the
formation of a digital architectural void. While the third focused on
building the theoretical framework through the analysis of the literature
and previous studies. As for the fourth: it dealt with the elected projects
for the purpose of application. And finally, the fifth presented the
conclusions and recommendations.
2. The Conceptual Framework of the research:
The theme discusses the concepts of architectural void and digital
formation in an attempt to understand its effect on shaping the interfaces
of contemporary digital architecture and its characteristics.
2.1. Architectural Void:
The paragraph explains the concept of void in two main aspects and as
follows:
First: Linguistically and Idiomatically: the void in English is defined
as the empty space or everything is empty and not filled or does not
contain anything, or the state of being without something and a complete
absence of the contents [1] and is defined by Al- Mawrid dictionary as the
meaning of vacuum in the sense of loss or emptiness. Or void is a thing
which is free or vacant. Al- Jami dictionary defines it as a vacancy or
empty place and the plural form is voids. Al-Musbah al-Munir dictionary
defines it as emptying something of another thing or removing it. [2]
Aristotle mentioned in his definition of void as "a container for things".
As for Plato, the void is considered in his theory as a continuous and
constant quantum. Whereas the later theories of void were adopted on the
basis of Euclidean geometry more than Aristotle’s hypothesis and defined
void as an absolute and infinite homogeneous element and one of the
fundamental dimensions in the universe. After 1800 years, “Kant”
considered the void as a kind of human understanding that differs and is
independent from the subject, but in the twentieth century, «Descartes»
gave an approximately clear concept of the physical space and this
concept is still important as he considered any engineering is a human
establishment more than being something in nature. Void is an intangible
thing that has an emotional relationship with the human which controls it,
expressing its thought and attitude towards the circumstances surrounding
it. Thus, the theory of relativity replaces the three-dimensional idea with a
four-dimensional idea in which the time factor directly participates. [3]
Secondly: The void in architecture: the architectural void is defined as
the embodiment of the absolute general void interacting with human
existence. Cheng says that the elements of form and void constitute the
truth of architecture [4]. Lawson believes that the value of architectural
work comes from the value of void, architecture and architectural voids
accommodate, separate, structure, organize and celebrate human spatial
behavior. "The role of architecture is to regulate the void and its
structure," Lawson says. [5] The philosophy of void lies in considering it
as a created void that the architect arrives to with a type of abstraction that
creates a distinctive view that can be felt, and its influence, which
increases in strength and weakness, changes depending on the nature of
the formation of the void, and this is the essence of the architecture that
the architecture should mainly seek. As for Lewis Khan, architecture is
also known through the role of void in it and says: “it is a studied
formation of void” [6]. Void is also considered as a three-dimensional
space that surrounds us or an area of an architectural form. [7] Al-Dahwi
explains that the effect of the abstract school on the concept of a void was
through two aspects: an expressive abstract aspect and a material abstract
aspect; the first called to reduce drawing to a group of a few signs of
slight intensity, generating void through the interference between the
inside and the outside and from a study of the relationship between void
and time, which aims to abolish " the inside and outside dualism” as well
as the non-identical and unstable formation; and dealing with void in
continuous, interrelated or intersecting relations. While the "material"
abstract side appears in achieving open and transparent void and achieving
overlap between the inner and outer spaces [8]. From the above, it
becomes clear that the void in architecture represents a framework for
social and cultural forms, determined by the elements surrounding it and
is within the formation of the mass at the three-dimensional level, and it
results from studied relations of architectural formation with the aim of
enriching the function or symbolic significance.
2.2. Formation:
The paragraph clarifies the concept of formation in two main aspects:
First: Formation in Architecture: the architectural formation is
represented by the outside sensory appearance of materials which consists
of a system of properties for the formative elements and sensory relations
between them, whether in the horizontal level or volumetric or spatial
formation. Architectural formation begins with knowing the sensory
characteristics of the various regular forms, from which we conclude
some values that control the relations between masses and architectural
voids. The formative process is defined as the organizing of a set of
elements within a ruling framework of relations and foundations that
define how these elements exist in relation to each other and they are
linked to two main goals, which are the utilization and beauty, where
architecture represents a usable spatial space that meets human
requirements. Modern technology strongly influenced those formative
elements and gave a great deal of freedom and flexibility to the
architectural formation. Architectural formation means formulating the
architectural form in a way that results in new features and new relations,
similar to the artist when sculpts the block, to bring out organized forms
and areas that change the ambiguity and illusions into forms with distinct
meanings and spirituality that are compatible with modernity and achieve
communication between the formative elements and modern systems. [9]
It is clear from the above that formation, in general, is the process of
creation and innovation, that is collecting elements and placing them in a
specific formation to give something with a specific function or meaning
and unique characteristics, in which human thinking and personal
experiences interfere.
Second: Digital Formation: the digital formation is seen as a set
of methods which employ the computer not as a display tool, but as a
generator for finding and transforming the form. The goal is to make the
computer a designing tool in order to find a generating system that helps
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 111
in architectural design, where the difficulty lies in finding the boundaries
and variables that define the design process, as there must be a
cooperative relation between the human mind of man and computer
systems, and this cooperation can be achieved only through the use of
logarithmic strategies that emphasize an integrative and dialectical
relation between a person and a computer. [10] The digital formation is
defined as the generative processes based on parametric values, the role of
the designer is limited to deciding on the main axes that define the form,
then unleashing the program in order to perform the computational
operations which produce the final form. [11] Digital forms are defined
as those forms which their design depends on the use of the digital
language and the computer as a basis for the design. Later, these forms
spread in various engineering and technical fields, so they came as an
expression of experiences for a new generation of renewed theories of
sculpture, architecture, and forms. They represent a new trend that is
increasing and spreading, and this new idea has been reflected in various
fields of architecture. [12] From the above, it is clear that the change in
the design process due to the use of digital means has provided new
design capabilities for the production of free and dynamic forms with
endless capabilities in finding the form generated by digital tools. The
architect in the digital design process uses computer models to manage the
design process and the generative internal logic of the model generates the
form, then the architect chooses the form from among the various possible
forms that the program produces and this moved the architectural design
from (making the form into choosing the form), as the digital generation
process of the form opens up new horizons for architectural thinking and
the resulting form.
3. The Cognitive framework of the research:
it discusses the formation of the architectural void from several basic
areas which are the dimensions of the digital void, the architecture of its
formation at the two-dimensional and three-dimensional levels, and
explaining the strategies, mechanisms and rules of digital void formation
in the interfaces of digital architecture, in addition to explaining the most
important features and characteristics of void creation.
3.1. The structural dimension of the architectural void:
The void and mass represent an integral unit. They are inseparable.
The structure of the void can only be formed by knowing the mass, and
vice versa. By forming mass through the physical elements, the void is
formulated, and by the difference in the relation between the void and the
mass, several voids are produced (internal, external, and middle voids).
The level of the relation between the void and the mass, i.e. the strength or
weakness of this relation, can be determined by what is between the
specific surfaces of the void. The flatter it is, the weaker the relationship
and vice versa whenever the middle void emerges through its elements,
that relationship strengthens. [13] The non-physical nature of the void
gave it multiple capabilities for its relation to other voids, which allowed
for a variety of design relations in different architectural works. [14] The
idea of overlap and transparency appears in the formation of the void
structure through the overlap in the future glass architecture. Interference
weakens hierarchical models at all social and architectural levels, so
interference is a multiple character. As it is possible to achieve the void
formations in the design based on the basic design elements which include
(rhythm, unity, proportionality). Technologies have a great role in
achieving the architectural orientation, whether in terms of simplicity or
complexity. With the required speed in construction and for the ability of
some materials to form regular or irregular forms, they played a role in
shaping the structure of the architectural void, and this was reflected in
architectural works, complex configurations, and free and dynamic forms.
[9] So, the term of void formation is used to refer to the capabilities of
three-dimensional lines in interacting with the voids surrounding and
within them. The linear formations which are characterized by being a
separate entity in a void have a void activity that may appear as an
element in which it is able to find a void. The three-dimensional spatial
structures in addition to the spatial dimension, give a sense of the formal
composition (volumes) and motion in a continuous integrated building
unit and an unordered rhythm of its being in a specific environmental
form and conditions. [15] It is clear from the foregoing that the structure
and formation of the void result from spatial interference through the
closure or openness between the mass and size, so the formed void is of
high transparency and contributes to achieving integration and
interference between the interior and exterior, and the use of the
architectural void represents an evocation of the entire symbolic meaning
as it gives the idea of division and expresses an idea in the mind of the
designer and these ideas are multi-meaning to the recipient, thus the void
exceeds the physical needs to achieve sensory and emotional needs. This
led to the creation of an emerging corrective style that works within the
three dimensions of the building without breaking the main composition
of it, and employing these voids to achieve needs further than the aesthetic
needs such as environmental needs to achieve vitality of the structure and
creates interaction between visitors through motion and interference
produced by the voids in the composition of the building.
3.2. Geometry at two- dimensional level (2D):
Geometry is the science that searches in mathematical concepts
related to line, surface, square, congruence, equivalence ... etc. as well as
looking at the application of these relations in the practical aspects of life.
It is also a science that studies space and magnitude, and it is concerned
with the position, form, area, and size of form and solids without
addressing their physical properties. The term solid geometry is the
engineering that deals with forms and solids in a three-dimensional void.
Dr. Khaled Mahmoud proposes the geometry, or what he calls (the
architecture of void forms) by explaining the link between the
architectural formation of buildings from ancient times with the basic
geometrical special forms. With the emergence of the digital revolution
and its applications through that trend in the fields of architecture and
design, the innovative treatments for these basic geometrical spatial forms
and in order to achieve various purposes and goals, ranging from
activating the building’s functional efficiency or raising the efficiency of
its climate and environmental treatments, or even just to those same
formative and visual goals, as well as other purposes and objectives. [16]
Four basic vital relations can be distinguished to form an architectural
void, including the following:
First/ Void within void: A large void can contain a smaller one
within its volume. Therefore, we find that the spatial and visual continuity
of the two voids is easily embodied, but the smaller content void depends
on the larger. [4]
Second/ Interlocking or overlapping voids: A spatial
interrelationship is produced by overlapping two spatial domains, which
results in an area of a common void. The intersection of two void forms
creates a common void, with characteristics that differ from both voids.
This intersection somehow affects the properties of the two voids as well,
112 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
and the area formed by the intersection can be equally dependent on both
voids, so that the three voids appear to be of one space, or the common
space can be part of one of the two voids and completely taken out from
the other void. [4]
Third/ The adjacent voids: The degree of visible and spatial
continuity that appears between two adjacent voids depends on the nature
of the surface that separates them and connects them together. It may
include a change in the level of variation in the surface material or in the
fabric (structure) between the two voids. [4]
Fourth/ Voids associated with an intermediate void: Two
voids separated by a certain distance can be linked to a third, intermediate
void. Here, the visual and spatial relation between the two voids depends
on the nature of the third which is connected with them by a general link.
The intermediate void can differ in terms of formation and orientation
from the other two voids to express the Fig. 1-b Void as a kinetic optical
link element in the 3D plane [14] interconnection function between them,
and the formation of the intermediate void may be residual in nature and
specific as a result of the configurations and directions of the other two
interconnected voids. [4]
According to the foregoing, it is clear that the formation of the void at
the two-dimensional level involves clear rules between the elements, out
of the idea of simplifying the components, preserving the form of the
voids, and making use of those voids without waste. Therefore, geometry
must be studied and understood to be adopted as a generator of design and
an architectural formation unit which shapes the outputs of contemporary
architecture.
3.3. Geometry at The Three-dimensional Level (3D):
Void is defined in geometry as what is determined by three
orthogonal dimensions, so it is known to have dimensions of length,
width, or height, and the proportions that link these dimensions are
recognized, as well as the ratio of the dimensions of the void to the ratio
of its human dimensions [14]. In this context, three-dimensional forms are
defined as forms which contain points, lines, surfaces and bodies in a
blank image, among which is the solid form which is considered one of
the strongest forms as it is a mass that is handled by sculpting, removing
or adding and it can be called a structural form or complex compound
which is based on a group of connected bars together in the horizontal,
vertical, diagonal or any other direction to make the final form, and
finally, the surface form which consists of a group of horizontal, vertical,
inclined or rotational surfaces that can be separated from one another or
interlocking. [9] The space can be defined in the interfaces as being the
incubator of the mass in coexistence and harmony so that the mass does
not overwhelm the space and the space does not weaken due to the
strength of the mass. Burnham believes that the void is an effective and
positive element for its ability to connect volumes to each other as if it
were a connecting force or a communication link like any other solid
material with its properties and effectiveness because it is a structural part
of the same form. The void is not only part of the cosmic space that
surrounds only the form, but rather a substance itself. [17] The void
resulting from the positioning of forms must be treated with the same
importance of the forms, so it is called the Negative Space when it does
not represent a certain dimension after the forms are positioned in it, and it
is called the Positive Space if the form of the void that is trapped between
the forms has a certain form. [6] The three-dimensional theory (solid-void
theory) shows that the volumetric voids formed by the positioning of solid
forms are of a higher importance than these forms themselves. The three-
dimensional void is considered a positive space if it has a specific form
and gives a sense of borders or is a threshold for moving from the outside
to the inside. [6] The void is formed by deleting the space of the elements
that it is defined by. If the boundaries of the void are clear, defined, and
identifiable between the inside and outside, then the void formed is called
a defined space. Otherwise, it is considered as an undefined space. [14]
There is a great diversity in the methods of organizing building mass to
confirm the spatial dimension between them. It is necessary to know the
organization of the masses and the relation between void and solid, to
reach the required design goals. The following figures illustrate some
methods of organizing the mass in order to reach the required level. [18]
When two closed voids intersect, the result is the volume formed by the
merging of the two voids together, and there are major possibilities for the
result of the intersection, so sometimes the void forms a central
connecting element between the other elements. Sometimes, the void is a
visual kinetic element when it is in the three-dimensional plane, often
extending over the entire height of the building and is often characterized
by coverage of a different nature in terms of form or transparency or the
possibility of opening to the outer void from the rest of the voids, which
gives the void distinct characteristics. The true value of this void does not
come from its utilitarian only, as it is not of a necessarily major function,
but its role in connecting the voids and the volumetric and visual
composition of the design is what gives it the value for being the heart of
the work or the engine of the design. [14]
Figure 1-b. Void as a kinetic optical link element in the 3D plane [14]
Figure 1-a. Sculpture in the Block [18]
It is clear from the above that the role of the three-dimensional void
with its various forms in the design process is to connect and regulate the
relation between other voids and form elements. So this process is
affected by the nature of the geometrical form of the void, so each form
has its own characteristics and controls the relation between the elements,
so the form of the void affects the relations between the void and the
design elements.
3.4. Interfaces and formation of digital architecture:
Displaying a module of external structural elements in the interfaces
of free formations enriches these interfaces and organizes the formation
and helps to define the non-standard form of the curved walls by
emphasizing the three-dimensional curves, accordingly, our understanding
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 113
of these formations increases. [19] The spatial formation system has
changed from being central to multiaxial design and formation and
deviated from the traditional design network. It has also shifted mainly
from the regular and the basic geometrical forms to the irregular, folded,
deformed, and disjointed forms to shape a new, stand-alone non-
Euclidean system which was reflected on the interfaces. [20] The use of
the modular system which is clear on the interface gives the envelope
layer several characteristics, including:
The ability to amend and configure the interface modules.
The module allows manipulating the scale of the building "change
the beholder's perception of the scale of the building".
The module generates styles that regulate the outer envelope, enrich
it with rhythm and hierarchy, and make it visually enjoyable.
Shows the structural elements in buildings.
In free and irregular formations, the display of structural rib modules
leads to organizing the formation and determining the nonstandard
form of the building.
As for the types of the modular network, they include: (the systematic
modular network - linear - diagonal - radial circular - the modular network
which follows the geometric form - the spatial modular network). [19] If
the depth and the modular characteristics are combined in the structural
elements on the outer envelope, they give the building spatial formations
and a dynamic interface in the formation. [21] The irregular void
formation led to the generation of the concept of vital, malleable void,
which is embodied by the flexibility to organize and liberate the elements
of the void from explicit geometric relations, where the malleable forms
are related to dynamic effects, and thus the void is full of motion and has
no specific systemic form or any geometric axis. [22] The void is formed
by combining two volumes or two closed voids which gives a distinction
to the void and is often added to attract attention to an important point of
the design. This void is directly related to the axes of external motion, and
therefore makes a transportation void between the outside and inside of
the building. When an open void intersects with a volume, the result is the
process of cutting off the joint part of the two forms. In other words, the
process of the intersection of mass and void, is a process in which the
mass is being emptied to fit that void, and the dimensions of the void are
close to the dimensions of the internal volume so it is highly dynamic and
has a central polarization point. When the dimensions of the void are
greater than the dimensions of the volume, it becomes more dynamic
information, and the architectural ties between the surrounding masses are
weakened and the design becomes closer to the urban formation. The void
creates a space and a dynamic link between the volumes that have less
openness to the void. [14]
Figure 2. Forming a Void in Facades [14]
3.5. The digital dimension of architectural void (digital void):
In physics, the structure of the digital void consists of an added void or
a separation area (a void between masses), the formed void is related to
the mass, whereas the separation area is related to kinetic energy, so the
separation void collects about three different forms: (the non-mixable
area, binary partition area, and the binary grid area of the three-
dimensional void). [23] In the digital architecture, the importance of
adopting (CAMCAD) has been noticed to create hypothetical forms that
combine natural forms (organic and inorganic) and engineering (irregular
and nonlinear) with correlations similar to those in biology and cosmic
science to create free forms with unique spatial configurations or so-called
spatial creation, through containing the void of the event and adding the
time as a fourth dimension to the void, as architectural ideas are
developed in digital data by interactive and dynamic means which enable
the designer to explore the relation between the technique of the form and
its development by computer, as well as the choice of components,
materials, texture, and structure of the form, in addition to the ease of the
processors for the designer. [24] The digital model which is formed
according to the concept of self-organization, for basic units over which
energy is projected to overlap with each other to form a specific pattern of
the form, is subject to transformations at multiple levels of the form
pattern at the level of the parts and their relation between them and all
others with the diversity of the relations between them by attraction or
repulsion. Transformations occur in the relation of the part to the part of
identical elements from states of repetition and transit. As for the
transformations of the level of the relation of the part to the whole, it
produces positive and negative elements. As for the positive elements,
they represent the emergence of a specific formation (addition), and the
negative parts work as the background of the elements which generate a
void which is considered a container and organizer for the rest of the
elements by (deletion). This is what happens in real life, with the growth
of spatial geometrical forms from simple rules in which the parts are
formed with high engineering at the level of the part and coherence at the
level of the whole. [25] The digital void is considered as a part of the
imaginary reality of the building, as it creates the different three-
dimensional spatial formulations according to the factors of time and
motion, and clarifies the form of one of the applied tools of the virtual
reality. These applications fall within the scope of how to show
architectural work as well as to evaluate the design process in greater
depth for creative persons and judge them before the implementation. The
digital void is formed by two states of static and dynamic. [26] According
to the above, it became clear that the elements of architectural formation
are affected by digitization, especially the architectural void, as its
dimensions have changed due to its association with time and has become
a fourth dimension of architecture, and therefore the dimensions of the
digital architecture outputs have changed from the traditional dimensions
of (length * width * height) to the digital dimensions represented by
(length * width * height * time).
First/ The Static digital void: The static void is designed by
organizing the void elements in a formal relation, i.e. symmetry can
control the whole void, as it is an independent void with respect to
adjacent voids, and does not usually give a sense of direction and does not
suggest any motion in it. The static void may be a memorial measure
independent from the viewer, but it may be influential in its size, and the
viewer can realize all the void at the same time from one standing point.
[22] Avoid is formed by the deletion or cutting off of space by surfaces or
elements that define the void and give to its properties. Thus, the formed
114 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
void becomes of the same of even more important than those elements
forming it. [14]
Second/ Effective dynamic digital void: The effective dynamic
void is designed by freely organizing the elements of the void away from
any formal constraints such as symmetry. The dynamic void gives the
viewer a sense of excitement and expectation i.e. the entire void is
intended to suggest motion and diversity, as the void is characterized by
the flexibility that has become a requirement and a necessity to face the
accelerating rate of change, that is, elements can be added or removed
without affecting the cohesion of the void, and it means that the elements
and their mutual relations are variable. The flexibility can be easily
achieved by means of a void division or closure degree and through the
presence of strength and motion in time. [22] The force is considered as
the condition or the reason for every motion, especially the twists,
distortions, and voids in the architectural form that provide a dynamic
model based on Animation and Morphing. It is possible to take advantage
of the software of digital moving entities to generate the form and its
transformations based on the cinematic model, to exclude power and
motion from the articulation of form through the mechanisms and
techniques of visualization and the use of options and full menus of
motion-based modeling techniques such as keyframe, key form,
Kinematics, Inverse kinematics and forward kinematics and others. [27]
As per the above, it is clear that the digital void creates the different three-
dimensional spatial formulas through adding the two factors of time and
motion, and is considered one of the applied tools of virtual reality, which
makes the architectural elements more light, transparent and graceful, and
features the outputs with the absence and fading of boundaries between
the inside and outside in the digital architecture. And therefore, the
importance and the role of the void have emerged in the digital
architectural formation in contemporary architecture.
3.6. Strategies of void formation in the digital architecture
interfaces:
Form generation strategies rely on the structure of the rules governing
the form generation to allow the architect to explore meaningful bodies
within more complex engineering formats that depend on the hidden
capabilities and commands of digital software. [28] The digital
generational approach is characterized by providing mathematical
techniques for formal generation processes, in which the designer interacts
with complex mechanisms that deal with the emergence of forms derived
from rules, principles, and generative relations. Bodies and forms are the
result of pre-formed and preformed generation processes, providing
control and options for the designer to choose solutions. Often these
processes are based on evolutionary rules and principles of natural or
engineering generation. Both approaches may be combined in some
formation models to produce complex models which combine them both.
[29]
First/ Void strategy as a generator of the design: The design
according to "CHING" is a deliberate act or intended attempt that starts
from recording the problematic properties and studying their content since
the nature of the solution depends on how the architect sees the problem.
[4] According to “Wong,”, the design is a purposeful visual formation
process, which means it has a utilitarian purpose and good design is the
best possible visual expression for the essence of “something”, whether it
is a message or an output, and to complete this achievement efficiently,
the designer must search for the best possible method to form, design,
distribute, use, or link this “thing” to the surrounding environment, so the
design is not only expressive but rather functional. [30] From the
definition of design, it is possible to conclude the location of the void in
the process, starting from the process of analyzing the problem by the
void, which will lead to finding the appropriate void solution, as void is
the generator of the solution proposed by the architect for the design
problem. [14] The void which link the architectural work and collect the
rest of the elements is often the one which evaluates the architectural
work, i.e. gives it an architectural value, since the architectural work is
evaluated through it. It carries the message of the architect which wants to
communicate through design, and it also gives a character to the building,
as it is the title or identity of the building as a whole, and that’s why this
void is considered important. We cannot be certain that such a void exists
in all buildings, but looking at the distinctive and valuable architectural
works, we must find that generative void, and its function and location of
the designs differ from one work to another as per the calculation of the
architect vision and the dominant intellectual concept of his time. [14]
Second/ Void strategy as an architectural formation unit:
The void is the essence of the architectural work and a major component
in the formation. It is not just a result but the starting point of the design
process. [14] Void is a concept that is perceived in large dimensions such
as “nothingness” or “infinity”. An architectural void is a concept viewed
based on “human scale,” and it has architectural characteristics [7]
Moreover, avoid is a unit of formation which participates in the design of
work and becomes the main generator of the void relations between the
other formation units. The formation unit in the architectural design is a
void unit and consists of elements that form the boundaries of this void.
[14] The void itself is a flexible element and this element is used as a
method of void formation, and the outside form of the building includes
the following variables: (boundaries, motion, construction system,
envelope, type of construction, construction process, energy,
environmental control and general perception). Form is one of the
variables of the design problem, and it is the variable that is controlled by
the designer, and we must remember that solutions to design problems are
an agreement between need, environment, and form, in addition to the
costs. [31]
Third/ Void strategy as a mechanism for forming the
interfaces: Mass and void in are among the most important formation
elements in the work, followed by the motion and color, then balance and
rhythm, and diversity in forms and sizes of the formative components of
the work, which gives the void model formative, expressive and aesthetic
values that can be felt and perceived by the viewer. [32] The void
specifying elements and what is contained within are not a plate within a
frame but rather a field that has a variable balance force, and these forces
grow when the format of the boundary is adequate or go with one axis
instead of being independent. The human being does not need to
accurately record all the elements and parts to form an embodied idea of
the void. [22] The void which lies within the outer body of the mass is not
just a part of the cosmic void but rather a substance itself, in the sense that
it is a structural part of the form which can connect the parts of the work
to each other as if it were a connecting force like any other solid that
enters in the formation of work. It is the void that specifies the form,
properties, and dimensions of the form. [15] The model today includes
many elements such as the identity of the designer, ideas, and any image
or concept that he wants to show, in addition to design decisions and
functional requirements. In the process of digital formation, different
methods can be followed to form the model, one of them is that the
designer defines a concept and designs the surrounding model based on it,
so the model reflects a specific idea or symbol in the mind of the designer.
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 115
[7] The main way to solve the design problem begins with analyzing of
the concepts related to the problem, and one of the most important steps
that must be taken is visualization, where the thought refers to a specific
concept, which is an important means that gives way to think and then to
design. [7] Some designers create the model using voids, thus "the void"
appears as a concept that has priority in the main idea. It can be said that
this method can be described as "a concept using design " or "conceptual
design" where the thought comes before the form. The most important
point is to ideally reflect the concept which is needed to be emphasized.
During the conceptual design process, "void" is one of the prominent
elements in the formation of the model. When designing forms with voids,
designers express the concept that they want to reflect through the use of
"the void", which generates the so-called void configurations. [7] The
spatial three-dimensional form is known as the three-dimensional body,
and is present in the space of the void, and it is characterized by mutual
interactive relations with all its types such as the penetrating, surrounding
and permeable voids. The void is considered one of the form types, as it is
not something different from form, but an ethereal form in which motion
is easy, and the concept of the void has evolved to go beyond being an
intangible field in which forms are perceived to be considered an element
of the same importance as the form. [32]
As per the above, it became clear that digital technologies and the
development of materials have contributed to the possibility of making the
architectural void one of the mechanisms which create the void formation
in the interfaces. Furthermore, we find that there is an emphasis on the
aesthetic role of void formations in enriching the creative and expressive
values of the contemporary sectors and different types of voids in the
interfaces of contemporary outputs, including the following:
1. The Penetrating Void: It is the void that penetrates the form and
extends beyond it, so appears what is behind, and this type of void is
called the absolute or endless void, which its end cannot be tracked
by the eye, and allows the passage of light through it, and reduces
the weight of the masses and gives new dimensions to the form and
it works within the third dimension. [15]
2. The Formed Void: It adopts the mass as a determinant and creator
for it, considering the void as a result of the architectural design. Or
the design starts from the void as a basic formation unit emphasizing
on showing the void and hiding the structure.
3. The Structured Void: It consists of the formation of the structural
structure, where the basic structural system of the building exists, or
the structural system is more visually controlling in the building.
[21] The innovation and creativity in determining the form of the
structural formation, whether it is a separate or continuous
construction terms, gives flexibility in the design idea and gives
creativity in the formation and consistency of the masses that make
up the output. [19]
4. The Surrounding Void: The void which exists within the external
body of the mass is not just a part of the cosmic void but rather a
substance itself, which means it is a structural part of the form that
has the ability to connect parts of the work to each other as if it was
a connecting force like any other solid that enters in the formation of
that work, which is the void that determines the appearance of the
form as well as its properties and dimensions. [15]
5. The Four Dimensional Void: The four-dimensional void is a highly
visualized manipulation of forms that gives the feeling of time
distance. [15]
6. The Creative Void: The concept of the creative void refers to
ignoring the void of the spatial environment in which the elements
exist, and creating another void, so we a kind of conflict occurs with
the nature of the spatial natural environment of the elements. [33]
From the above, it becomes clear that the role of the void as a mechanism
in forming interfaces is through the manipulation of solid forms and
bodies in a free or formal way, and there is more than that behind this
formation, as this process came not for form or aesthetic purposes only,
but rather to achieve a specific goal or need.
3.7. Mechanisms of void formation in the interfaces of digital
architecture:
Architecture is a two-component formation between masses and voids,
and each element has its own visual characteristics of the final formation.
The architectural formations also reflect the principles controlling the
relation between its elements, which are considered the basis for this
formation. [9] Among the most important mechanisms for finding the
architectural form in the outputs of contemporary digital architecture are:
1. The superposition mechanism between architecture and computer.
2. The reduction mechanism in the reference or the elements or data
entered using the digital technology.
3. The abstraction mechanism which contradicts the traditional forms
of architecture.
4. The interpretation mechanism using sculptural and ambiguous forms
to express the designer's thought in designing and communicating
with the recipient through multiple interpretations.
5. The amplification mechanism on the scale by exaggerating in the
creation of extreme forms to produce works similar to the memorial
text.
6. The communication mechanism between the inside and the outside
to achieve the characteristic of transparency in design work.
7. The addition mechanism, i.e. adding elements or shapes with the
aim of increasing the expressive strength of the building. [34]
8. The deletion mechanism for an object that is been disintegrated into
its engineering elements and provided through a simple form to
create a relation between the mass and the void. The architect may
interfere in the deletion of the projection, the interface, or an
architectural form to create a contradiction between the positive
mass and the negative void resulting from the deletion. In the
projection of the Arabian building, a middle or side part of the mass
is deleted to produce an interior yard to enjoy the sky through it,
unlike its other beneficial advantages. In the interfaces, parts of them
are emptied into open terraces, as in the National Bank of Saudi
Arabia in Jeddah. [9]
Figure 3 Design with deletion - The National Bank in Jeddah [9]
9. The deletion and addition together, i.e. forming one mass by
deleting some parts of it, and adding complementary masses over it
or adjacent to it. This mechanism is frequent in Islamic architecture
116 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
to create a unified mass formation without tending to the single
simplification. Addition and deletion which can also be called
negative and positive, give a contradiction in formal treatments, and
this treatment has become a distinguishing feature of contemporary
architectural form by combining the two opposites, and addition and
deletion may be intertwined. [9]
As for the mechanisms of finding the digital structures, they
include flexible wrapping, bending and adopting innovative structural
systems through reorganizing the structure in a new method and
mechanism of penetrating, fragmentation, transformation, separation,
structural synergy, employing the laws of nature, playing with tracks
through the mechanism of manipulating the relation between the elements
that make up the structure, or manipulating the structure and changing it,
or adopting structural lightness depending on the nature of the material
used. [35] According to the above, t turns out that with the increase in the
ability of material and construction systems technology or digital
technologies, the lightness and transparency of the construction and
architectural elements increase, and some elements become able to change
their characteristics to achieve technical and technological goals. So the
development of building materials in contemporary architecture, in
addition to many inventions has given new horizons for the architectural
ideas as some new architectural materials, such as steel, aluminum, and
titanium, with their advanced properties and great flexibility, have helped
in covering spaces and surfaces of various formations and areas.
3.8. Features and characteristics of the spatial structure in the
interfaces:
The quality of the form lies in its organization, so the model is
produced through the possibility of achieving large voids with less
support so the aesthetic value of the formation of the output depends on
the continuity of the relation between the inside and outside and is
generated through the balance of structural components, and by relying on
several factors to achieve continuity through the continuity between the
outside and inside and the continuity of light and shade. [36] The change
in the spatial formation was through its representation in a two-
dimensional dot matrix (the projection of void or formation), as it was a
regular formation from one of the basic forms (square - circle - triangle),
changed to regular but less central forms of representation and then non-
central formations followed by spatial formation with two different spatial
grids so that the representation becomes partially or completely irregular,
up to the fragmented spatial formation which characterize the void,
composition and design of the architecture of the last century from the
middle to the present. [20] All these factors, building materials, and
contemporary construction methods have affected the features and
characteristics of the architectural void, and therefore affected the
characteristics of the output. The most important characteristics of the
resulting form of the void formation are the following: (symbolism and
abstraction in the digital void formation of the interfaces, the absurdity in
the digital void formation of the interfaces, the visual anxiety in the digital
void formation of the interfaces, the dynamic formation in the interfaces
of contemporary digital architecture, Solid and Void and interstice).
3.9. The digital architectural void as a needs achiever:
Scientists classify human needs according to a pyramid called the
pyramid of needs, or what is known as the Maslow pyramid. It divides
these needs into ranks according to their importance to humans, and
architecture comes to meet higher needs more than those essential. [5] The
nature of these needs and how the architectural void will handle them, will
be addressed. If the adoption of the void as a generator of the design or as
an architectural formation unit in the outputs of contemporary architecture
did not come without a reason, it came to achieve an objective or specific
need. There is a diversity in the use of the void which forms the interfaces,
according to the different methods of formation and the need that it
achieves, as "the form and the void are complementary to each other to
achieve a specific job or need".
Scheme 1 Integration between shape and space to achieve a functional
need (Prepared by the researchers)
First/ The void as a symbolic and aesthetic need: The void
here is being formed to express a specific idea and highlight aesthetic
aspects in the formation of the building. King Abdullah House for Culture
and Arts in Ras Al-Ain region, in the Jordanian capital (Amman), is
considered as a meeting place for the advancement of the artistic and
cultural scene in the Kingdom, so the design of the building was made
featuring Al- Petra pink rocks. On her inspiration about the design of Al-
Petra rock, Hadid said “Petra is an ideal symbol for the successful
architectural interplay between architecture and nature”. The
contemporary architecture seeks to emulate nature by constructing the
building through to interplay with the detailed aspects and elegance of
nature. Hadid sought to simulate the beauty of the pink rock, which was
drifted and drilled to get along with nature, and make natural waterways
to interact with the nature of the place. From this natural aesthetic element
in Petra, the natural passageways were designed to connect the building
with the public square and connect the outside with the inside. Hadid
wanted to give a distinctive brightness to the building through the void
which extends to the height of the building to show the interior parts, and
reflect a sense of dynamism to the shape of the building from the outside.
[37]
Second/ The void as a functional need: The function of the
voids in the designs of Zaha Hadid is considered a special function as she
used them for design purposes to link the exterior design of the building
with the interior design, as she depended in her designs on the irregular or
striped openings that show the light from the inside in a way connected to
the external shape of the building, such as buildings with full glass
interfaces to enrich the inside of void with the different natural lighting
effects and the associated thermal effects of the space . In the Cotai-
Macau, a Tower and Hotel project, designed by the architect Zaha Hadid,
which was constructed of steel structures, with a mesh wrapped on the
interfaces that form a series of organically- shaped voids. The exposed
exoskeleton of the tower enhances the dynamics of the design, and the
structure forms a void at the front of the building and encircles it. To
achieve the creative aesthetic values. [37]
(Form) (Space)
Complementary
(FUNCTION )
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 117
Figure 4 King Abdullah House for Culture in the Jordanian capital
Figure 5 Tower and Hotel Project in Kutai – Macau
Third/ The void as a structural need: digital technology and
digital manufacturing techniques contributed to the creation of modern
construction systems which are considered as a revolution on old
construction systems such as geodesic domes, spatial structures,
extravagant structures, inflatable structures, cable systems, metal
framework structures, fabrics, and light films. They enabled the architect
to show the main construction elements, whether in a void or a mass, and
to use them as final elements in the building without hiding them or
covering them with other materials. [38] The void was formed here to
reduce the weight of the facility by removing the extra loads through the
digital technologies and algorithmic design programs, and the expression
of the "structural system function" that achieves flexibility in the limits of
the void, and making the building a mass that defies gravity. [16]
Fourth/ The void as an environmental need: The void has
been used to achieve a specific environmental need by providing
ventilation and lighting for the facility and taking advantage of the
surrounding environment to reduce the buildings ’energy consumption
and integrating the building with nature and making architecture part of
the natural environment. As environmental formation is achieved through
several methods with the aim to take care of the energy and utilize it in
buildings and the outer envelope (interfaces) by employing energy sources
and sustainable materials in the formation of interfaces. Among these
methods, is the vertical void, which can be achieved through emptying
some of the built-up areas and preparing them for agriculture. [9] The
Bahraini Trade Tower project in Manama is an example of this. The
formation method of energy sources has been applied in the Tower
through placing the turbines in the space designed between the two sides
of the tower, as the buildings were designed in the form of a sail on both
sides to direct the winds through the gap to provide the acceleration of
winds that pass through the turbines. [9]
Figure 6 vertical discharge in tower buildings
Figure 7 The vacuum as a structural need
Figure 8 Bahrain Trade Tower project
4. Theoretical framework:
This topic deals with the presentation of a set of previous studies to
extract the terms of the main and secondary theoretical framework and its
possible values, and as illustrated in the Table 1. below:
118 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
Table 1: It illustrates the previous literature and its main and
secondary and its possible value. (source: prepared by the two
researchers).
S.
The
study
title
The Knowledge Framework
Most important
Terms.
1
(K
u
lo
ğ
lu
&
Ş
a
m
lıo
ğ
lu
)
،
2
1
0
2
It dealt with the concept of the void in
architectural form, as the form, space, and voids
are the basic elements in the architectural design
process, and presented the features of
transparency and permeability. Where the voids in
the architectural form are classified into two main
titles through the method in which the model was
created: cognitive and functional voids. Cognitive
voids are related to the perception and used to
create different visual effects, while functional
voids are created to meet specific needs and
desires. The study further classified the cognitive
voids into three sub-titles: (conceptual,
perceptual/visual, sculptural/memorial), and
showed that the perceptual voids are associated
with the transparency. While the visual voids are
related to permeability.
Void types
Transparency
Permeability
Adoption of
digitalization
Spatial
formation
Deletion
Reduction
Void as
functional need
2
K
h
a
lil S
tu
d
y
2
0
1
2
The study emphasized the role of digital
technologies and technological development at the
design and implementation levels. It led to the
emergence of new formation rules in architecture
called (digital formation rules), which affected the
architectural output, so its transparency and
dynamism increased in the light of these
developments and the lack of weights of
construction materials used for the ability to
simulate them.
Transparency
Dynamic
output
uniqueness
Abandon the
standardization
3
A
l-H
a
y
b
a
S
tu
d
y
2
0
1
3
As a result of the state of architectural creativity
presented by contemporary digital technology in
the fields of terms for the architectural formation,
such as the orientation towards the production of
(deconstructive) architecture, (basic geometric
voids) and others. The innovative treatments such
as deconstructing, reconstructing, overlapping,
and shattering these basic geometrical voids with
the aim of achieving various purposes and goals
which range from activating the building’s
functional efficiency or raising the efficiency of
its climate and environmental treatments.
Absurdity and
chaos
Visual anxiety
Deconstruction
and
reconstruction
Overlap and
shattering
spatial structure
Digital
formation
4
A
l-K
a
n
a
w
a
ti S
tu
d
y
2
0
1
5
The study emphasized that void is the generator of
volumetric and functional formation relations, and
therefore it is the beginning of the proposed void
solution to the design problem. The void is an
architectural formation unit and is the most
important unit in formation, considering it as an
organizer of the relations of other units and thus a
generator of the design. The void acts as the
organizer of the linking relations between other
elements in the design. The void acts as a
functional need, and it acts as the organizer of the
formal linking relations between the elements, or
as an aesthetic need, thus serving as a framework
for the urban scene behind it.
Void strategy as
an architectural
formation unit.
(Void/Solid)
(Absent-present)
The void as a
functional or
symbolic need.
5
(S
A
M
L
IO
G
L
U
) S
tu
d
y
2
0
1
6
The study covered the analysis of the effect of the
void in space, in terms of the circumference of the
void and the things surrounding it. The effect and
importance of the void on the architectural design
as well as the structural, functional and
environmental effects of the resulting voids in the
architectural (forms/voids) were emphasized and
explained at three levels depending on the form
and function: The effect of the void on the form.
The effect of the void one the interior space.
The effect of the void on the exterior/urban space.
Permeability.
Interactive.
Unit.
Complexity and
contradiction.
Sculpture.
Deletion and
addition.
6
S
tu
d
y
o
f A
l-M
a
jd
i a
n
d
o
th
e
r
s 2
0
1
8
The study gave a clear conception of the
expressive relation between the external formation
and the internal void and its effect on the
recipient, and studied the intellectual approaches
to the relation between the external formation and
the internal void at the philosophical and design
levels. The study also showed that employing the
principle of integration in architecture requires an
expressive relation between form and void that
confirms this intellectual compatibility and
achieves the visual enjoyment for the recipient.
Void
morphology.
Static and
Dynamic voids.
mass and void.
Mechanisms of
integration or
contradiction
Based on the foregoing, the terms of the main and secondary theoretical
framework and the possible values can be clarified as they were extracted
from the knowledge framework and previous literature, as shown in the
Table 2.:
Table 2: the terms of the main and secondary theoretical framework
and the possible values. (Source: Prepared by the two researchers)
Main
Terms
Sub-term Possible variables and values
Digital
Void
Formation
Strategies
Void strategies as a
design generator
Computer Generation (Algorithm
Engineering)
Digital Modeling (Self-Improvement)
Simulation
Synchronization (time as a fourth element of
the void)
Void strategy as a
mechanism for
forming interfacing
Void formation
Manipulation
Reduction
Void strategy as an
architectural
formation unit
Hide and show
Deletion (hiding some parts of the mass)
General
mechanisms for
forming a void in
the interfacing
Binaries (Solid/ Void)
Deconstruction and reconstruction (Mikano)
Sculpture
Penetration (Void penetrates the mass)
Breaking-in (Void breaks into the mass)
Free separation (mass separating from Earth)
Displacement
Void
characteris
tics in
digital
output
Void as needs
achiever
The void as a symbolic and aesthetic need
The void as structural need
The void as functional need
The void as environmental need
Features
of digital
spatial
structure
Features intended
by the designer
Interactions between the structure and nature
Visual penetration
Porosity
Interstitial
Transparency and permeability
Structure dynamics
Structure flexibility
Dynamic abstraction (non-correlation)
Features intended
by the recipient
Interactions between the structure and user
Absurdity and chaos
Visual anxiety
Symbolism and abstraction
Enjoyment and excitement
Brilliance, uniqueness and synchronization
Artistic sculptural properties
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 119
4.1. The application on the samples:
In order to verify the research hypothesis which states “adopting the
digital void formation strategy to combine digital formation mechanisms
which are used to create a void formation that meets the needs in
contemporary architecture interfaces". The application will be performed
on architectural samples of a different nature with the aim to find a large
area to show the effect of void on the formation of interfaces which will
eventually show the characteristics of digital spatial structure. Samples
were selected within spatial contexts (global, Arab and local) to clarify the
possibility of the impact on them despite the change of times.
4.1.1. China Central Television Project CCTV
The project
China Central Television
Sample Code
Location
China/ Beijing /2012
A
Design
Rem Koolhaas & Ole Scheeren -
OMA Company
Project Description
It was designed with 473 m2 of floor space. The building is a symbol for
China and a potential for digital design, as the need of the void design was
aesthetic and symbolic. The conceptual process was based on a three-
dimensional concept of architecture. It was designed with 473 m2 of floor
space. The building is a symbol for China and a potential for digital design,
as the need of the void design was aesthetic and symbolic. The conceptual
process was based on a three-dimensional concept of architecture. for in
order to understand the distortion of its forms, we need to look at it in three
dimensions at the same time, that is, to introduce the dimension of motion,
by using modeling with a computer program, where the classic rules of
formation are destroyed, and new digital rules of formation are adopted to
bring architecture closer to sculpture. [39] The construction of this structural
building is a challenge because it is located in a seismic zone, so the void
here was generated by the design to achieve a structural need that includes
the durability necessary to resist potential seismic activity, by adopting
advanced non-linear simulation. [40] A "diagrid" system of a network of
triangular steel tubes was adopted for the external structure, to give a
structure that resists gravity and side forces, by adopting the manipulation
mechanism on the force paths, so that the interface itself becomes an
impressive architectural appearance of the structure. The void here is
structural, that is, emerging from the structure. [39] The building design
depends on achieving integration in the design process architecturally,
structurally and mechanically.
4.1.2. Opus Tower in Dubai
The project Opus Tower Sample Code
Location United Arab Emirates 2019
B Design Zaha Hadid, Patrik
Schumacher and Christos
Passas Omniyat Company
Project Description
The opus building in Dubai is an iconic architecture in the Middle East
and the world, designed with a space of (84345.0 m2) with the latest
international models to serve as a cityscape of the Middle East, taking the
form of the cube. The cube is then ‘carved’, creating a central void that is an
important volume within the building, providing views to the exterior from
the center of the building. The free-formed fluidity of this eight-story void
contrasts with the precise orthogonal geometry of the surrounding cube.
The building is comprised of two structures that are linked by a height of 21
floors, with a hidden base that makes it appear floating above the surface of
the earth, and with a night view different from the day, as it appears during
the day as shinning full cube due to the sunlight. At night, the lights fill the
voids, as its glass interface absorbs light and shines a wonderful artificial
lighting. The design shows the brilliant innovative quality of Zaha Hadid's
work, expressing a sense of sculpture that reinvents the balance between
solid and void, dark and transparent, inside and outside. So organic void is
considered as the focal point of the design, which contrasts beautifully with
the surrounding architecture, while presenting unexpected views for outside
from the center of the building, giving the building a high aesthetic and
interactivity with the outside environment. [40]
4.1.3. The Project of Iraqi General Secretariat of the
Council of Ministers
The project
Iraqi General Secretariat of the
Council of Ministers
Sample Code
Location Iraq/ Baghdad / 2010
c
Design Manhal Al-Haboobi – CAP Office
Project Description
A contemporary architectural work which represents the Mesopotamian
civilization. The project is unique and special. The building space is
178,000 m2 with a height of 12 floors. The form consists of two main parts:
the “seal” building which is topped by a tower, and the “ring building”
which forms the base of the building with four main entrances to the project.
The building is characterized by achieving sustainability with the latest
technologies. Form generation was processed like the biological process in
which the organism develops physically after birth or hatching. [41] The
formal reference, represented by meanings and symbols, was chosen to
discover a specific symbol to the civilization of Iraq, to gain dimensions
represented by the infinite motion of the structure of this two-dimensional
symbol and transform it into a three-dimensional composition using the
method of formal impossibility, in addition to employing contemporary
digital technologies in the design, production, and modeling of the project.
[42] Making a slight curve in the building implies dynamism, continuity,
and an expression of infinity. As for the void formation mechanism, it was
applied through the contrast in the relation between (solid / Void). [40]
https://www.google.com/search?sa=X&biw=1366&bih=625&sxsrf=ALeKk027_JIEJ1p2zMv1cZdsrBJ9crzN2Q:1585992527109&q=Rem+Koolhaas&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MC7JsCxT4gAxzdILjLXUs5Ot9JNKizPzUouL4Yz4_ILUosSSzPw8q7T80ryU1KJFrDxBqbkK3vn5ORmJicU7WBkB2TODglIAAAA&ved=2ahUKEwici8fJus7oAhVHPcAKHRGRBJAQmxMoATAOegQIDRAD
120 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
Table 3: Applying the terms on the samples (A, B, C), (Source:
Prepared by the two researchers)
M
a
in
T
e
r
m
s
S
u
b
-te
r
m
Possible
variables
and
values
Achieved
values in the
projects
V
a
lu
e
s T
o
ta
l
The
ratio
of
possi
ble
valu
es
Discus
sing
the
results A B C
D
ig
ita
l V
o
id
F
o
rm
a
tio
n
S
tra
te
g
ie
s
V
o
id
stra
te
g
ie
s a
s a
d
e
sig
n
g
e
n
e
ra
to
r
Computer
Generatio
n
(Algorith
m
Engineeri
ng)
0 0 0 0 0%
Not
achiev
ed
Digital
Modeling
, Self-
Improvem
ent
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Simulatio
n
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Synchroni
zation
(time as a
fourth
element
of the
void)
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
1 1 2
4
33%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
25
%
25
%
50
%
V
o
id
stra
te
g
y
a
s a
m
e
c
h
a
n
ism
fo
r
fo
rm
in
g
in
te
rfa
c
in
g
Void
formation
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Manipulat
ion
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Reduction 1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
3 3 2
8
88%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
10
0
10
0
66
Void
strategy
as an
architec
tural
formati
on unit
Hide and
show
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Deletion 1 1 1 3 100 Highly
(hiding
some
parts of
the mass)
% achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
1 1 2
4
66%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
50
%
50
%
10
%
G
e
n
e
ra
l m
e
c
h
a
n
ism
s fo
r fo
rm
in
g
a
v
o
id
in
th
e
in
te
rfa
c
in
g
Binaries
(Solid/
Void)
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Deconstru
ction and
reconstruc
tion
(Mikano)
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Sculpture 1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Penetratio
n (Void
penetrates
the mass)
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Breaking-
in (Void
breaks
into the
mass)
1 0 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Free
separation
(mass
separating
from
Earth)
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Displace
ment
0 0 1 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
4 3 5
1
2
56%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
57
%
42
%
71
%
V
o
id
c
h
a
ra
c
te
ristic
s in
d
ig
ita
l o
u
tp
u
t
V
o
id
a
s n
e
e
d
s a
c
h
ie
v
e
r
The void
as a
symbolic
and
aesthetic
need
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
The void
as
structural
need
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
The void
as
functional
need
0 1 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 121
The void
as
environm
ental need
0 1 1 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
2 4 2
8
66%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
50
%
10
0
50
%
F
e
a
tu
re
s o
f d
ig
ita
l sp
a
tia
l stru
c
tu
re
F
e
a
tu
re
s in
te
n
d
e
d
b
y
th
e
d
e
sig
n
e
r
Interactio
ns
between
the
structure
and nature
0 1 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Visual
penetratio
n
1 1 1 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Porosity 0 1 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Interstitial
ity
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Transpare
ncy and
permeabil
ity
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Structure
dynamics
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Structure
flexibility
0 0 0 0 0%
Not
achiev
ed
Dynamic
abstractio
n (non-
correlatio
n)
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
5 7 4
1
5
62%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
62
%
87
%
50
%
F
e
a
tu
re
s in
te
n
d
e
d
b
y
th
e
re
c
ip
ie
n
t
Interactio
ns
between
the
structure
and user
1 0 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Absurdity
and chaos
0 1 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Visual
anxiety
0 1 0 1 33%
Poorly
achiev
ed
Symbolis
m and
abstractio
n
1 1 0 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Enjoymen
t and
excitemen
t
0 1 1 2 66%
Partiall
y
achiev
ed
Brilliance,
uniquenes
s and
synchroni
zation
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Artistic
sculptural
properties
1 1 1 3
100
%
Highly
achiev
ed
Total of achieved
values of each sample
4 6 3
1
3
61%
The achieved
percentage of each
sample
57
%
85
%
42
%
4.2. Analyzing and discussing the results:
The paragraph explains the most important results of the application
on the selected samples:
4.2.1. The results related to the term of digital void
formation strategies:
The results of void formation strategies in digital architecture
interfaces revealed that (void strategy as a mechanism for forming
interfaces) achieved the highest percentage within the four main strategies
by (88%) compared to the lowest percentage of (void strategy as a design
generator) which is (33%). While the strategy of (void strategy as an
architectural formation unit) achieved (66%), followed by (the general
mechanisms for forming interfaces in digital architecture) by (56%), as
shown in the chart (1-2).
First: Void strategy as a mechanism for forming
interfaces: Which is classified into three main mechanisms (void
formation, reduction, and manipulation). Both of (void mechanism) and
(reduction mechanism) achieved the highest percentage of (100%), while
(manipulation mechanism) achieved (66). As for the single results of each
project, we notice a difference in the achieved results, as results showed
similar percentages in the results of the selected samples (A, B) by
achieving a percentage of (100%), followed by the sample (C) with a
percentage of (66) %). Therefore, we conclude that the samples (A, B) are
the most creative as they included the use of the three mechanisms (void
formation, reduction, and manipulation) to achieve a unique and creative
spatial structure.
Second: Void strategy as an architectural formation unit: it
is classified into two main mechanisms (hide, show, and deletion). As the
term (deletion) achieved the highest percentage of (100%) compared to
(33%) of (hide and show). As for the single results of each project, we
notice similar results for the selected samples (A, B) by achieving a
percentage of (50) %), compared to (100%) for the sample (C). Therefore,
it is clear that the sample (C) relied on the void strategy as a first-order
architectural formation unit.
Third: General mechanisms for forming a void in the
interfaces: they are classified into several main mechanisms of binaries
(solid/void), deconstruction and reconstruction (Mikano), sculpture and
penetration (void penetrates the mass), breaking-in (void breaks into
mass), free separation (mass separating from Earth) and displacement.
122 BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2020) 109–124
The binaries (solid/void) and sculpture achieved the highest percentage
(100%), while deconstruction and reconstruction (Mikano) achieved a
percentage of (66%). Whereas penetration (void penetrates the mass),
breaking-in (void breaks into mass), free separation (mass separating from
Earth), and displacement achieved (33%) for each. As for the single
results of each project, we notice a difference in the achieved results, as
the results showed that the highest percentage of (71%) of the sample (C)
was achieved, followed by sample (A) with a percentage of 57%, while
sample (B) achieved (42) %).
Fourth: The void strategy as a generator for the general
design: it is classified into several sub-terms which are computer
generation (algorithm engineering), digital modeling (self-improvement),
simulation, and synchronization. The results showed that digital modeling
(self-improvement) achieved the highest percentage of (66%), compared
to (0%) for (computer generation). While (simulation and
synchronization) achieved a percentage of (33%) for each. As for the
single results of each project, we notice a difference in the achieved
results, as the results showed that the highest percentage of (50%) was
achieved for sample (C), followed by samples (A, B) with a percentage of
(25%).
4.2.2. The results related to the term of void characteristics
in the digital output:
The feature of void as a needs achiever in the interfaces of digital
architecture revealed the superiority of (void as a symbolic and aesthetic
need) by achieving the highest percentage (100%) compared to the lowest
percentage of (void as a functional need) which is (33%), while both of
(void as structural need) and (void as environmental need) achieved (66%)
for each, as shown in the chart (1-3). As for the single result of each
project, we notice a difference in the achieved results. As the results
showed that the highest percentage (100%) of the sample (B) was
achieved, while the samples (A, C) achieved a percentage of (50%) for
each, which indicates that sample (B) formed the void in the interface to
achieve the functional, aesthetic, structural and environmental needs.
4.2.3. The results related to the term of features of digital
spatial structure:
the results showed the superiority of (interstitially, transparency,
permeability, dynamic abstraction, brilliance, uniqueness and sculptural
properties) by achieving the highest percentage (100%) compared to (0%)
for the term (structure flexibility), while (visual penetration, structure
dynamics, symbolism, abstraction and enjoyment and excitement)
achieved a percentage of (66%) for each. The values of each of (the
interaction between structure and nature, porosity, and the interaction
between structure and the user, absurdity, chaos, and visual anxiety) were
similar in achieving (33%) for each. As for the single result of each
project, we notice a difference in the achieved results, as the results
showed that the highest percentage (85%) of the sample (B) was achieved,
while the sample (A) achieved a percentage of (57%), followed by the
sample (C) with (42%). This indicates that the sample (B) was
distinguished by achieving most of the features that the void gives to the
output, such as the interaction between the structure and nature, visual
penetration, porosity, interstitiality, transparency, permeability, and
structure dynamics in addition to brilliance, uniqueness, synchronization
and other sculptural and artistic properties.
88%
66%
56%
33%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90 %
100%
Vacu um strategy
as a mechanism
fo r for mi ng
inter faces
Space strategy as
an archi tectu ral
fo rmatio n unit
General
mechanis ms f or
fo rming a vacu um
in th e facade
Space strategy as
a generator of
des ign
Scheme 2: ratios achieved strategies void forming digital (Prepared
by the researchers)
a symbolic and an environmental
100%
66% 66%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Scheme 3: ratios achieved strategies of the void property as a needs
investigator (Prepared by the researchers)
5. Conclusions:
5.1. Theoretical part conclusions:
The idea of the emergence of an architectural void within the
formation of the mass started in the outputs of the modern
architecture, as it began to reduce the elements and generate
unexplained voids as a result of reduction and simplicity only. As
for the deconstruction architecture, the emergence of an architectural
void was a clear and distinctive through the adoption of the
deconstruction and the non-correlation that led to the formation of
voids which directly affected the body of the building.
The disappearance of boundaries between the exterior and interior
over time led to the use of void in the formation of the building's
outer mass (at the three-dimensional level), and sometimes the
formation of the mass is based on that void which is called (design-
generating void) and the name of the structure which is created by
void is (spatial structure) as its formation depended on "geometry"
and its methods of formation.
The perception of the void concept has changed by acquiring new
properties such as flexibility and dynamism due to the technologies
provided by digitization, as void is connected to time by integrating
the inside and outside and adding time as a fourth dimension of
architectural output.
It is necessary to rely on the capabilities provided by technology as a
basic form generator to look for strength and durability in order to
create void configurations that are consistent with the era of the
digital revolution and characterized by dynamism, abstraction and
high symbolism.
BASIM HASSAN ALMAJIDI AND SHAMS A. AMEER /AL-QADISIYAH JOURNAL FOR ENGINEERING SCIENCES 13 (2019) 109–124 123
The various forms of the three-dimensional void served as a
regulator of formal interrelations in the design process, i.e. to
connect and organize the relation between voids and form elements.
Therefore, this process is affected by the nature of the geometrical
form of the void, and each form has properties distinguishing it and
controlling the relation between the elements, so the form of the
void affects the interrelation between void and other design
elements.
Formulas of creating the architectural void included several forms
through the relation between the binaries (solid-void), (absent-
present), (positive-negative) and (hide-show), as the void appears as
a spatial output after withdrawal or removal or the deletion of the
solid mass, or a vacant space for form, or absence of the form, or it
appears as a spatial interference in the variants, such as the
convergence zone between two forms, so it is defined as
convergence or collision between two forms, where a void or middle
space is created by the overlapping of two solid elements.
5.2. The practical part conclusions
The strategies for void creation differentiate in the interfaces of
digital architecture according to the idea of the project or the
purpose of finding the void for in the interface. To achieve this,
architects tend to integrate more than one strategy to reach a
distinctive void formation that reflects the high sensory and visual
effects and achieves the formal and functional needs for which it
was designed. The results showed a primary focus on the void
strategy as a mechanism for forming interfaces of digital architecture
for the purpose of adding unique aesthetic features and improving
the formative properties of the digital void according to the
requirements of each project.
The void is formed to achieve several needs such as (symbolic and
aesthetic need, structural need, functional need, and environmental
need). The application result showed more than one need was
achieved in the same project, since all projects achieved the
symbolic and aesthetic need to give symbolism and multiplicity of
meaning to the outputs of contemporary architecture and make the
output as an attracting force to building and a framework for the
urban scene which follows, in addition to other needs.
The void achieves the structural need in the architectural models by
reducing the building weight and achieving balance and stability,
and generating economical and highly efficient outputs.
The formation of void in the interfaces of digital architecture enrich
it with features such as the interaction between the structure and
nature, visual penetration, porosity, interstitiality, transparency,
permeability and structure dynamics in addition to the brilliance,
uniqueness, synchronization and other sculptural and artistic
properties.
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