Exploring Hard Surface Modelling as an Architectural Style

Why Explore Hard Surface Modelling in Architecture?

A few years ago I decided to begin exploring 3D modelling techniques as part of my effort to understand parametric architectural design. During this exploration I bumped into hard surface modelling art and developed a fascination for the approach. I felt that it landed itself well for architectural adoption as it is usually used for static industrialized visual expressions. Recently, there have been efforts to revive the idea of developing modular manufactured buildings into the main stream built environment as well as the adoption of such aspects as 3d printing. In addition to this, we are seeing increasingly sophisticated industrialized, modular building components as product manufacturers look to provide competitive market solutions. I believe these aspects will be easy to integrate within a hard modelling design expression and thus have decided to explore hard surface modelling as an architectural style. I have done a bit of desktop research on whether this is already a ‘thing’ and thus far have only come upon conceptual expressions which is rather strange to me as i would have expected it to already have been popular. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it.

Introduction to Hard Surface Modelling

Hard surface modelling is a technique used for creating 3D models with smooth and solid surfaces. It is quite common in creating models of cars, armor, machines, and generally non-living products. Whilst the are no hard fast rules that define what hard surface modelling really is, there are few characteristics that are found in such models. These include:

1. Smooth, specular paneled designs
2. Rigid, structured Bodies
3. A geometric and often industrial motif
4. Usually has an axis of symmetry
5. Colors and Materials are generally delineated by mesh boundaries

Hard Surface Modelling usually begins with a geometric primitive, which is then refined in hierachy through progressive iterative operations that include extrusion, beveling, Boolean operations, edge looping, and surface subdivisions.

Relating Hard Surface modelling to Architectural Design process

Architecture is both a science and an artform therefore this section should be understood from the perspective that there are many ways to skin the design cat. That being said, I personally follow a programmatic step by step design process that has the following procedure:

1. Desktop Research
2. Site Analysis
3. Concept Development
4. Design Evolution
5. Design Refinement
6. Technical Development

The first two steps in the process build the information required to design the project and create an understanding of the working parameters, the next three create and explore the design idea and the last aspect resolves the construction aspects of the design. This is obviously simplified as design in practice is always evolving but it sets a good foundation of how we can leverage the natural qualities of hard surface modelling into the architectural design workflow.

One thing I enjoy from the 3D Modelling world is the generic to precise process that it has, you start with a blockout which you continuously refine to the final product. This sits really well with how I do things, I was never the napkin revolutionary sketch type of student, i am methodical and structured in my approach. Much like the broader modelling field, hard surface modelling usually begins with a primitive that is iterated upon with operations. If we take a closer inspection at the concept development and design evolution of the Architectural design process using the programmatic design approach, we see that we start with some form of massing element that we eventually extrapolated into a form through logical steps. And that is exactly what Hard Surface Modelling is!

For more information about architectural concept, a good read is James C Synder’s introduction to architecture

Learning from precedent movements

References

https://www.makeuseof.com/what-is-hard-surface-modeling/
https://all3dp.com/2/blender-hard-surface-modeling-tutorial/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5400254-introduction-to-architecture