Hangzhou Tennis Center

The Hangzhou Tenni Center: A Case Study in Integrated Parametric Design

Nathan Miller
NBBJ

This paper by Nathan Miller will provide a detailed overview of the parametric methodologies which were integral to the design and development of the Hangzhou Tennis Center. The tennis center is a 10,000 seat facility located in Hangzhou, China and is a part of a larger sports and entertainment master plan which features retail, public recreation, and an Olympic-size stadium to be completed in 2013.

The design of the stadium envelope is based on a modular system of sculptural steel trusses which provide shade and house the arena’s technical systems. To design the exterior, an integrated parametric system was created to conceptualize, simulate, and document the complex geometric systems. For conceptualization, the parametric system was set up to explicitly define the control surface geometry and study formal variations. Physics simulation tools were used to test basic structural behavior.

For detailed analysis and engineering, custom scripts were used to automate the communication of centerline information to the structural engineering team. For the documentation process, parametric workflow systems were invented to link together disparate design and documentation environments for a more seamless international collaboration.

PH Newsletter

Free Weekly Scripts

Join our exclusive email newsletter and be the first to receive our free, useful Grasshopper scripts every week!

Comments