The design of the Austrian Pavilion for the Shanghai Expo 2010 made it on to the cover of the renowned Austrian architecture magazine Architektur & Bauforum. The editorial by journalist Brigitte Amort describes the history of Austria´s contribution to various World Expo´s, starting with the hosting of the 1873 World Expo in Vienna, through the various contributions such as in Sevilla, Aichi and Zaragosa to the upcoming world Expo in Shanghai 2010. The project is described extensively within the editorial. Architektur & Bauforum is available at the kiosk of your choice.
In computational design techniques we can perceive the presence of one
What we perceive, or understand as a surface grammar, can be described as the means to generate all the valid strings of a specific surface language; it can also be used as the basis for a recognizer that determines for any given string whether it is grammatical (i.e. belongs to the language). To describe such recognizers, formal language theory uses separate formalisms, known as automata.
In this sense we are using geometry as the basic grammar of the surface explorations. To rigorously investigate this condition the course relies on a contained set of geometrical rules, or strings of information. This container is formed by specific tessellations. Two conditions form the rules of the surface grammar:
Tessellation & Delamination. These two conditions alone can create a thriving array of variation.
Recent introduction and coupling of digitally mediated design and production environments facilitated a radical deviation from the traditional ways of using representations, knowledge assets, organisational forms and standards. At the core of the technological shift lies the 3D knowledge rich Parametric Design and Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools/systems. These systems offer radically new methodologies to merge design with execution. The relationship between the designer, the organisational structure of the collaborating parties and their interaction with different tools (e.g. Parametric design and BIM tools) at different stages of the design process and the extent to which this interaction contributes to innovation vary. Different tools and systems suggest different workflows and support different organisational structures and methodologies. As architectural design/production moving towards a more dynamic and process oriented model for digital practice, both the profession and the academy is in the process of coming terms with these new forms of thinking.
This International conference wants to give the state of the art of innovative design and construction technologies, with a wide perspective of all the operators involved form architect, to engineer to supplier and clients.
The themes for IDCT09 will be focused on the following areas:- Design and form finding
- Engineering and computational methods
- File2factory and mass customization
- Digital processes in construction industry
- Innovative materials
- Advanced design and construction technologies
- Technology transfer
- Multidisciplinary approach
Here are some images of the final review of the studio Sandra and I teached this semester at the Esarq in Barcelona. The studio is part of the Genetic Architecture Studio, a postgraduate course at the Universidad Internacional de Catalunya exploring novel architectural conditions emerging out of the collision of natural science and computational
We are happy to show the Austrian Pavilion for the Shanghai Expo 2010 at this exhibition...
aast///advanced architecture settimo tokyo
Generative Architecture events in Settimo Tokyo, promoter CASARTARC Settimo Torinese Association. aast is a group of events intended to spread Generative Computational Design, becoming an Advanced Architectural Research International Exhibition. aast gives the opportunity to professionals and students to test a new approach to design, using innovatory tools. aast is a survey of researches on new generations of architects oriented to understand the huge transformation of contemporary architecture perspectives. aast’s aim is the promotion of 3D parametric software, which is able to integrate all the building components and data into one parametric model. All the building information becomes highly manageable throughout all the design and construction phases. aast deals with the parametric software brand-new trend as generating design and extending design creativity. We will discuss about complex forms impossible to be generated before and also raise a series of new design theories, methods and tools.
SPAN & ZEYTINOGLU WIN THE COMPETITION FOR THE AUSTRIAN PAVILION AT THE EXPO SHANGHAI 2010
VIENNA, Austria – March 30th, 2009 – A jury of nine members today announced that SPAN & Zeytinoglu, Vienna, won the architectural competition for the design of the Austrian Pavilion at the EXPO Shanghai 2010
The Topology of Sound
„ The main driving force behind the design of the Austrian Pavilion for the EXPO in Shanghai 2010 can be described as acoustic forces, or more accurately as music. Music as a concept that reflects continuity in terms of architectural articulation that seamlessly connects the various spaces within the program. The embodiment of the sonic conditions within the space manifest the architecture of the pavilion, which resonates to the rhythm of the Video Jockeys (VJs) performance – the conductor of the atmospheres within the main space. The rich history of Austrian musical tradition makes it possible to create a performance program reaching from Baroque Music, to the classic area to the Modern age to contemporary acts. The space unfurls from within the topological body, from the main space, the audience chamber, to the exterior epidermis. This process creates pockets, pochés that include the rest of the program such as Shop, Restaurant, Office, and the VIP Area. Each one of those programmatic areas includes qualities co notated with the quality of living within Austrian conurbations: Music, Culture, Culinary expertise, urban textures, opulent landscapes and lavish foliages.“ (SPAN)
SPAN:
Vienna based Architecture Firm SPAN, headed by Matias del Campo and Sandra Manninger, is driven by a compulsive desire to speculate about architectural opportunities in the presence of animated matter, organic entities and their underlying geometrical and mathematical presence. Their award winning architecture designs are informed by specific sources within the fields of mathematics, geometry, botany, biology and life sciences. The manifold inspirations are fused into projects applying the most advanced digital design tools and casted into form by computer controlled machinery, making SPAN one of the most innovative architecture practices. Their activities include Architecture Design, exhibitions and lectures as well as teaching in various countries and institutions, such as the University of Applied Arts Vienna, the Bauhaus Dessau and the ESARQ in Barcelona.
The jury that selected the winning design was comprised of the following members:
Prof. Will Alsop – (SMC Alsop),
Dietmar Steiner – Director Architecture Center Vienna (AZ W)
Bettina Götz – architect, Artec, Vienna
Christian Knechtl – architect, Knechtl Studio, Vienna
Dr. Thomas Angyan – Director Wiener Musikverein.
Peter Rantasa – Mica, Vienna
Mag. Gudrun Hager – WKÖ
Prof. Richard Trappl – Confucius Institute, University Vienna
Mag. Gabriele Tschürtz - BMWFJ
customer:
BMWFJ und WKO
Management: EXPO Office Austria
For Press images, full project description and further information contact SPAN: press@span-arch.com
Last semester Sandra Manninger took responsibilty in teaching the Advanced Technology Seminar at the Bauhaus Dessau Institute of Architecture. The main task of the studio was the exploration of spatial ornament conditions, based on the geometry of space filling Polyhedra. Every one of the students had to explore the opportunities present in specific techniques of ornamentation and how those transformed into architectural conditions such as spatial subdiv ision structural integrity and so on. The main challenge consisted in the development of highly developed sensibilities for this combination of very rigorous geometrical framework and advanced digital design techniques. The final stage of the seminar was to actually fabricate the results by using the lasercutter in order to understand the entire production line, from the design process to the final fabrication of the piece. This is due to understand how these techniques can potentialy be used in a one to one scale environment of construction.
It´s about time to mention that the show Housing in Vienna is on show right now in the Ringturm in Vienna. The show was designed by SPAN last year and was first on show in Venice. The second stint of the exhibition was in the Polytecnico Milan, and I´m pretty sure it will be close to your home someday this year, as the tour continues. The design of this show was an important step for us as we could continue our explorations in surface tessellation systems and spatial continuity. Another important aspect for us was to gain further experience in the fabrication processes of complex curved geometries. This explorations are fully integrated in the design of the show.
Just because its so friggin cool...here is a movie of the chromatophore behaviour of an octopus. What a great camoflage! Invertebrate pigment-bearing cells were first described as chromoforo in an Italian science journal in 1819.[1] The term chromatophore was adopted later as the name for pigment bearing cells derived from the neural crest of cold-blooded vertebrates and cephalopods. The word itself comes from the Greek words khrōma (χρωμα) meaning "colour," and phoros (φορος) meaning "bearing". In contrast, the word chromatocyte (cyte or κυτε being Greek for "cell") was adopted for the cells responsible for colour found in birds and mammals. Only one such cell type, the melanocyte, has been identified in these animals.
Excellente trabajo!! read more
on Chromatophore