Nurbs Nerds

Day 1 of Pre-Semester Studio:

We were asked to create three concepts representing our definitions of what an "observatory" is, in Rhino (a 3D modeling program), for tomorrow afternoon's homework. Three major challenges.

1. I don't have a copy of Rhino
2. I've never used this relatively complicated modeling software
3. "tomorrow afternoon."

Additionally, I have some issues with the philosphy driving the homework, namely the intent to get us to learn Rhino and use it. Rhino, for those not in the industry, is a computer program for making 3D models that primarily relies on NURBS. From Wikipedia:

Non-uniform rational basis spline (NURBS) is a mathematical model commonly used in computer graphicsfor generating and representing curves and surfaces which offers great flexibility and precision for handling both analytic and freeform shapes.

More simply, NURBS are special curved surfaces. People tend to use them to design very radically warped surfaces, rather than simply warped surfaces. For obvious reasons, NURBS are primarily used by industrial designers, aircraft designers, and shipbuilders. I have issues with architecture derived from NURBS for the following reasons:

1. NURBS architecture tends to be unbuilt architecture. I think architecture should be about the built environment.
2. Difficulty of fabrication- if the skin of a building is a wacky curve, the wacky curve does not just show up on the site. If its a concrete skin, a form work must be erected with the same curve. If its panels, each panel must be individually milled or fabricated to its own unique shape, which then must be placed in precisely one location. All of these things mean huge added costs and usually more waste material.
3. Extra structure- everything goes back to a building structure, which means that there is going to be a lot more steel, wood, or concrete to make the wavy distorted skin attach back to the secondary and primary structural elements. That's also added costs and additional material. 
4. A famous architect apocryphally looked at a brick and asked it what it wanted to be. A brick suggests brick-like buildings, or with more skill and imagination, systematic curves a la Eladio Dieste, but still with the idea of the brick in mind- moving from the material to the form. NURBs give a form fully independent from the constraints and advantages of actual materials.

However, I will stick to my own advice of "Be open to new tools" and shut up and learn the software and use it, and THEN I'll complain about it.