Digital Hinterlands features a diverse range of work by some of the best recent architecture graduates from London’s Architectural Association, Bartlett, Royal College of Art, and University of Westminster. Organised by Ruairi Glynn and curated in consultation with Arup, this exhibition reveals how the latest computational design and rapid manufacturing processes are providing new ways of understanding and designing space. From built models, 1:1 fragments, material experiments and installations, to interactive devices, virtual worlds and robotics, this exhibition presents the ideas of a wave of young designers, operating on the speculative hinterlands of architectural design.
The Private View of the Digital Hinterlands Exhibition is on the 21st September to coincide with the Digital Architecture London Conference, as part of London Digital Week
August 27th, 2009
Last minute places are still available for the Advanced CADCAM & Rapid Prototyping Training Course at the Bartlett School of Architecture in September.
The Bartlett School of Architecture has the most comprehensive digital fabrication suite dedicated to education and research out of all UK Built Environment Departments and Faculties. The suite includes a £500,000 3D printing and laser sintering facility and advanced 3D digital fabrication machinery for wood, plastic and metal.
The Bartlett is offering places on this cutting edge course for up to 50 qualified applicants. Students will learn how to export handmade models into a digital format, and how to construct digital models for 3D printing or prototyping in nylon, wood and metal.
Students are expected to bring a design proposal to the course that can be used to explore different modes of 3D digital representation and fabrication. The design proposal can be in the form of a physical model, 2D digital drawings or 3D digital representations. Possible design proposals include a building, a fragment of a building, a component, a piece of furniture, a piece of jewellery, a sculpture or a decorative item.
The course lasts for 4 weeks, is full time, where the majority of learning is project based and developed in tutorials. The first 4-week course includes free attendance to the Digital Architecture Conference 2009.
Workshop Website
August 24th, 2009
I’ve been busy over the past couple of weeks putting the final touches to the first Digital Architecture London conference and I’m pleased to say that I’ve got everyone I really wanted to speak at the event to agree to join in. If your in London on September 21st, I hope you can make it. Speakers include Patrik Schumacher, Neil Spiller, Brett Steele, Tony Dunne, Geoff Manaugh, Usman Haque, Murray Fraser, Hanif Kara, Rachel Armstrong, Bob Sheil, Charles Walker, Tobi Schneidler, Marcos Cruz, Alvin Huang, Matt Webb, Stephen Gage, Alan Penn, Marjan Colletti and Daniel Bosia. Check out the programme for more details on the speakers http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/programme/. The event is being held as part of London Digital Week which will be occurring alongside the London Design Festival.
Below is the press release.
To celebrate London as a centre of design and innovation, the ‘Digital Architecture London’ Conference will take place at the Building Centre on 21st September 2009. Presenting a selection of London’s leading architects, artists, designers and engineers, the conference will examine how London is shaping the digital future of the built environment.
Introducing the latest developments in digital design practice, the conference will explore new spaces, social interactions, design and fabrication processes, and speculate on architecture’s post-digital futures.
Book now to secure your place:
http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/tickets/
Speakers include:
Patrik Schumacher, Director and Partner, Zaha Hadid Architects and Co-Founder, Design Research Laboratory, Architectural Association.
Neil Spiller, author of Digital Architecture Now [2008], Visionary Architecture [2007] and many more; Professor of Architecture and Digital Theory; and Director of AVATAR at the Bartlett School of Architecture.
Brett Steele, Director of the Architectural Association School of Architecture and AA Publications; and Co-founder and former Director of the AADRL.
Tony Dunne, Professor and Head of the Design Interactions Department at the Royal College of Art; and Co-founder of Dunne & Raby.
Geoff Manaugh, Author of the popular website BLDGBLOG and recently of The BLDGBLOG Book, Chronicle Books [2009].
Usman Haque, Director of Haque Design; Research and founder of Pachube.com; and recent recipient of the 2009 World Technology Award (Art), Design Museum, 2008 (Interactive) Design of the Year Award and Wellcome Trust Sciart Award.
As well as Murray Fraser, Hanif Kara (tbc), Rachel Armstrong, Bob Sheil, Charles Walker, Tobi Schneidler, Marcos Cruz, Alvin Huang, Matt Webb, Stephen Gage, Ruairi Glynn, Alan Penn, Marjan Colletti and more.
http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/programme/
Ticket Price: £55 inc VAT
A Limited number of Student Tickets are available at £15 inc VAT
Book at http://www.digital-architecture.org/london/tickets/
August 16th, 2009
Following on from Ruairi’s recent post on the Gantenbein Vinery Facade, I thought it would be nice to draw attention to another very cool robo-technique – robotic perforation. Students from ETH Zurich have been working with Architects Gramazio & Kohler to create architectural screens based on different grids, variations and forms only realistically possible with some robotic assistance.
“Robots build! At their program in architecture and digital production at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich), the architects Gramazio and Kohler have installed a research facility that is unique in the world. It is based on a computer-controlled industrial robot that produces construction elements directly from design data. The robot works flexibly with a tremendous range of tools and materials.”
“With the help of algorithmic tools, we were able to manipulate the contours, dimensions, angles, and the sequence of openings, which could take any regular or irregular form.”
A bit of a ‘chicken or egg’ situation, I’m always interested to see how new techniques arise to make new design technically and economically feasible. Buying slaves to build your grand visions is so yesterday. Thanks robotics. I can’t imagine (nor hope) such techniques will ever replace human craftsmanship. They will (are) however opening some very interesting new doors.
Robot assistant? I want one.
http://www.gramaziokohler.com/
http://www.dfab.arch.ethz.ch/
August 10th, 2009