STUDIO DESCRIPTION

LaN will be returning to MSU School of Architecture to teach a a summer design studio (ARCH 458) The studio will investigate parametric design and digital fabrication through the use of Rhino software. The final outcome of the studio will be digitally designed / fabricated product that focuses on parametric production and a sustainable design to manufacturing process.

By now we are all aware that recent economic events have impacted the architectural profession. Many recent MArch graduates are
having a difficult time finding jobs in the traditional architectural setting. LaN is therefore highly passionate about stressing the need for graduate students to pursue a flexible and creative mindset that delves into industries capable of expanding the traditional role of the architect. It is clear that digital fabrication and CAD / CAM techniques have had a great impact in the fields of design and architecture. Architects are now exploring methods traditionally used in industries such as mechanical engineering, naval architecture, and industrial design among others.

It is our goal to familiarize students with all of the latest methods of digital fabrication, from rapid prototyping to CNC processes. Emphasis will be placed on collaborating with local industry to develop a relationship and understanding of how products can be manufactured simply and effectively in order to produce a marketable architectural product. The studio will integrate issues of a collaborative practice and investigate parametric design as it relates to a design approach and a digital modeling tool. RHINO will be our primary operating platform, while utilizing plug-ins such as Rhino-Cam, Rhino-Nest, and Grasshopper to support both the data and physical construction of the work.

The Studio will be co-taught by Shane Salisbury and Monika Wittig, with visits from specialists in areas of design and computation including our own Luis Fraguada.

Questions Email: connect@livearchitecture.net

STUDIO POINTS OF EMPHASIS

1. COLLABORATION (emphasized in 2 manners)
Studios have long since emphasized individual design; this studio will be entirely collaborative and integrate critical issues of collaborative practice.
1/ collaborative aspects i.e. from design-to-production (machine & file aspects)
2/ project team collaboration
a. studio organization will be similar to that of professional practice
b. inner studio groupings
c. full scale prototype production – a studio collaborative effort

2. PARAMETRIC ITERATIVE DESIGN
The term ‘parametric’ is often underrepresented as simply relevant in modeling processes. How-ever, the idea of working parametrically has just as much to do with design congruence between multiple phases of a project. Parametric design introduces a shift in architectural development-moving away from narrative driven deterministic design and towards an iterative, bottom-up process. Challenging upper level students to adapt to design process shifts has been the greatest of studio challenges in our experience and consequently the most rewarding.

3. PROCESS SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability and green design has become undeniably one of the most influential subjects in our field. We find this line of investigation especially important in response to the recent movement towards digital manufacturing techniques. Digital Fabrication can be especially wasteful of material due to the nature of designers to create complex geometries that require subtractive manufacturing processes. However sustainability is not only important in regards to material, but also in regards to process. In many digital manufacturing environments, one machine parameter can dictate whether a certain project will take hours, or days to fabricate. Due to CAD / CAM’s relatively new nature, designers often do not understand that small design changes can greatly enhance a sustainable manufacturing process. It is our goal to demonstrate methods that manufacture desirable material effects that coincide with efficient production processes.

4. NATURAL FORCES / DATA FED DESIGN
With new ways of readily analyzing and simulating natural forces this topic will introduce the potential of performance driven design strategies– context specific customized form.

5. DIGITAL FABRICATION / 1:1 SCALE PROTOTYPING
We feel that a 1:1 scale prototyping experience is crucial. The role of an architect is once again moving beyond design representation to design informed by production and material properties. Students will work using a full scale, hands-on approach (utilizing MSU CNC equipment) produc-ing physical forms from digital files and vice-versa. (creating a feedback loop).

Tools / Processes / Platforms to be Utilized

1. software
a. Rhinoceros 4.0 ( 3d nurbs modeling )
b. RhinoNEST / RhinoTERRAIN / Rhino paneling tools (Rhino useful plug-ins)
c. GRASSHOPPER ( parametric plug-in for Rhino)
d. RhinoCAM (CAM plug-in for Rhino) e. RhinoScript (how to run scripts / where to find valuable ones)
e. TopSolid (Demonstrations to understand the differences in various parametric softwares)

2. collaborative communication software
a. video conferencing platforms – via virtual LaN tutor trials
b. blog – inner studio communication / public outlet (via wordpress)
c. live streaming (via http://livestream.com)
d. online file sharing (google wave /docs) – inner studio collaboration

3. equipment (introduced and/or utilized)*FOCUS ON MSU CNC ROUTER FOR FINAL PRODUCTION
a. 3d printer
b. FDM
c. SLS
d. Laser cutter
e. CNC mill ( 3axis / 5 axis / 7+ )
f. CNC tube bender
g. Robots

4. Processes
a. additive fabrication
b. subtractive fabrication
c. formative processes

Please follow the link to last years studio results >>

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