Intelligent Tectonics V2.0

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INTELLIGENT TECTONICS V2.0

DESCRIPTION

INTELLIGENT TECTONICS V2.0 will focus on the application of computational design in form-finding design strategies and fabrication methodologies for membrane typologies, stretched across spatial rod-string structures. Participants will learn to use physics simulations, panelization techniques and optimization tools to design advanced computational forms, as well as achieving their material representations through digital fabrication methodologies. Participants will revisit the compelling work of well-known architects on catenaries, minimal surfaces and tensegrity structures, to generate a series of physical and digital study models which inform a proposal for a permanent ceiling installation at the DeCode FabLab in Athens. The final outcome will be a single built, 1:1 scale, ceiling mounted structure by all the participants, which will result from the computational studies. The design will be digitally simulated and then fabricated and assembled by all students collectively. A complete journey from design, through experimentation to fabrication and construction.

This workshop is intended for architects, designers and artists at all skill levels interested in applied computational design strategies and their process from concept to reality at a 1:1 construction scale.

DETAILS

Grasshopper and Rhinoceros will be the main tools to carry out studies on the final design scheme and fabrication. Students will be guided through the writing of parametric definitions in Grasshopper 3D, in order to create digital models of spatial systems. Participants will be divided into teams to develop initial designs and one teams design will be selected to be developed and fabricated for the remainder of the workshop. The selected design may also be modified to include interesting elements of the other teams designs.

Kangaroo will be the tool to develop digital simulations with particles and springs to create tensile physical systems and explore physical and digital design intuitions. In this digital environment, participants will be shown various ways to represent physical forces and their interactions with springs and anchor points that will recreate the construction of the membrane.

Structural analysis will be performed with Karamba3D in order to understand different stresses in the elements and thus chose rods or strings. Further optimization refinements will be achieved by introducing material properties in Karamba3D and optimizing them with Octopus.

The resulting design will be digitally detailed by additional parametric plug-ins and prepared for fabrication, using laser cutting and 3d printing technology to have accurate control on the final components.

An important scope of the workshop will be the understanding of fabrication implications and structural practicality not as a final design stage but as part of the design process, the system will inform the outcome. In particular, the integration process will include merging different materials as well as two fabrication techniques for the development of component-based systems with a combination of flexible/rigid/locking joinery.

During the workshop participants will receive both theoretical knowledge of the relevant topics and a practical demonstration of material samples and fabrication methods.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Advanced Parametric Modeling

3D modeling in Rhinoceros 5.0
Introduction to Grasshopper and computational design
Creating complex geometries and advanced computational strategies
Panelization, subdivision and patterning with additional add-ons
Structural optimization based on material behaviours and geometrical constrains
Practical understanding of innovative techniques in computational design and digital fabrication

Form-finding and digital simulations

Digital form-finding techniques with particle-springs using Kangaroo
Digital structural simulation with Karamba3D
Digital Fabrication techniques of complex geometries
Digital simulations of built forms

Digital Fabrication

Understanding material behaviour and its impact on the design process
Data management for fabrication purposes
Producing physical prototypes through digital fabrication
3d printing and laser cutting techniques
1:1 scale construction and installation

REQUIRED SOFTWARE

Each Participant should provide their own computer with the following software installed. If you do not have a software, trial versions can be found on each software company’s website. We will send participants links to the required software, trials, and plug-ins for download. Please have the software installed prior to workshop start. If you have issues installing software, we may be able to help you during the workshop.

Rhinoceros 5.0
Grasshopper 0.9 (Plug-ins: Kangaroo, Weaverbird, Lunchbox, FabTools, MeshTools, Karamba3D, Octopus, Mesh Edit, Bifocals)
Keyshot
Adobe Suite

LOGISTICS

Intelligent Tectonics V2.0 will expand from 08 – 15 July, 2017.

Daily meetings will take place from 10:00 to 18:00 at DeCode FabLab – Agiou Thoma 9 and Halkidonos 52 corner, Athens, Greece.

Participants will first work in groups and then combine to build one 1:1 scale ceiling installation.

There will be a final presentation of the work containing renderings, diagrams, and physical model on 14 July, 2017.

There will be 3D Printers and Laser Cutters on site to fabricate the 1:1 scale design.

The project will be published on DesignMorphine’s web page.

All participants who complete the workshop will receive a certificate of completion.

For attending the workshop there is no previous software experience required.

Participants need to bring their own laptops or workstations.

Please note that places are very limited on a first pay first serve basis!

TUTORS

Alejandro García Gadea

Spain

Member @ DesignMorphine

ARB Part III Registered Architect @ Zaha Hadid Architects
MArch AA Design Research Lab

Alejandro García Gadea is an Architect interested in computational building strategies that couple algorithm-driven design and digital fabrication as a new approach to Architecture.

Alejandro is currently employed as a Part III ARB Registered Architect at Zaha Hadid Architects (London), working on computational workflows from design to construction on several ongoing projects. He is also collaborating as an expert in computational design and digital fabrication on several computational workshops at Architectural Association and Design Morphine. He has previously worked in several architectural offices in the United Kingdom and Spain such as HKS Architects (London), Grimshaw Architects (London), Robert Stuart-Smith Design Ltd (London), b720 Arquitectos (Barcelona), Eneseis (Alicante); and has co-funded the ‘Reclaiming Heritage’ NGO (Berlin) for emergent design proposals to reconstruct houses after natural disasters in Chile and Haiti. Moreover, he worked as a researcher and consultant in digital fabrication at the FabLab of Alicante (Spain) and as a student assistant at the Architectural Association Digital Prototyping Lab.

Radul Shishkov

Bulgaria

Associate @ DesignMorphine
Associate @ Architecture Construction Association
PhD Student @ UACEG
MArch Interior Design UACEG

Radul is currently working on his PhD thesis concerning applications of the parametric design in interior spaces. He has completed with Honors his master’s degree in Architecture in the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, in 2013, Department of Interior Architecture and Design. He has been actively practicing as an architect, designing and realizing various projects such as restaurants, TV studios, office and residential buildings. Since 2014 until present, Radul participated in Design Morphine’s workshop Generative Morphologies V1.0, assisted the workshops Generative Morphologies V2.0 and Intelligent Tectonics V1.0, and tutored the workshops Computations Matters V1.0, Vertical Variables V1.0, and Algorithmic Accessories V1.0 . His project “Evolution of the square” was published and exhibited as part of The City Exhibition 2014 which took place on Blv. Vitosha, Sofia.

Alberto Lago
Italy

Master in Computational Design @ University of Stuttgart

Ph.D. in Structural Engineering @ University of Pavia

Master in Structural Engineering @ UCLA

Alberto Lago (1982) is a freelance designer with interests that goes from architecture to engineering till computational design. Alberto Lago holds a bachelor in Architectural Engineering (2004 – University of Padua, Italy), a master in Civil Engineering (2007 – University of Padua, Italy and of California Irvine, USA), a master in Structural Engineer (2008 – University of California, Los Angeles, USA), a Ph.D. in Structural Engineer (2011 – University of Pavia, Italy) and a master in Computational Design (2015 – University of Stuttgart, Germany). He has several working experiences in Engineering/Architecture since he worked in 2008 for Englekirk and Sabol Engineering, 2010 for Werner Sobek, and from 2011 to 2014 for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in San Francisco. Since 2013 is a freelance architect and engineer trying to merge his engineering specialties with an international flavor gained through his experiences around the world. His expertise varies from computational design, digital fabrication, structural engineer and architecture. His philosophy is to achieve beauty with a thorough understand of the physical behavior of the constructed system, without a separation between form and function. He has published several scientific articles as well as participating to innumerate design competition all around the world.

ASSISTANTS

Martin Petrov
Bulgaria

Member @ DesignMorphine

Martin has participated in numerous competitions, gaining various awards. His primary focus in the field of parametric and generative design is structural analysis, form optimization and agent-based design. His inspiration is gained mostly through mathematics and quantum physics, which he started learning intensively in high school. Martin has experience in many workshops and courses as a participant and assistant. He has participated in Generative Morphologies V2.0 Workshop and Visual Machine V1.0 Workshop and was an assistant in Computation Matters V1.0 Workshop, Intelligent Tectonics V1.0 Workshop, and Generative Morphologies V3.0 Workshop. Martin has also worked briefly in studio GRID, expanding his knowledge in parametric design. He has few projects developed through the parametric principles and has been lecturing for DesignMorphine.