Arch 678

Skills Development

• Design:
• • Understand the behaviour of any given structural system
• • Identify the main force paths and the nature of the force (compression, tension, shear, bending)
• • Understand material choice, use and distribution within the structural system.
• • Appreciate how the form and geometry in a structure should be the result of the forces acting upon the material. 
• • Finally, demonstrate critical and technical analysis in the conception of structural systems
• Construction:
• • Demonstrate abilities to apply critical and technical analysis to historical modes of construction
• • Be able to connect this analysis to design philosophies and material strategies, and relate them to manufacturing processes and construction.
• • Approach design and production as reciprocal methods of project development rather than as successive stages of a project.
• Identify how computational tools can facilitate the liaison between the design and construction phases, and be able to employ them.
• Leadership:
• • Ability to present and communicate research findings individually and as part of a group.
• • Acquire skills to contribute to interdisciplinary professional teams.

Programme

• The course is structured in three main parts: Design & Material Lectures, Fabrication Tutorials and a Final Project.
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• Design & Material Lectures: These lectures study a number of case studies representing different structural typologies focusing on the logics between structure, form and material in all types of constructions. One of these typologies is later on followed by a lecture and a series of tutorials dedicated to build up a physical model of a representative example using Rhinoceros & Grasshopper. 

• Tools and Fabrication Tutorials: These tutorials provide the students with the skills necessary to model the structural system studied in the case studies. Prior to these lectures, additional tutorials will be provided: during the first (Vbscript) and second (Grasshopper) weeks of the course.
  Following these tutorials students will explore laser cutting and/or CNC-milling as forms of design output, pursuing an opportunity to work directly with advanced design technologies reproducing one of the digital models previously prepared in the series of tutorials described above. As part of an assignment students will fabricate a scaled model using laser cutting/CNC milling. This will help students to familiarise themselves with the tools available in the prototyping lab.

• Final Project: This final phase of the course consists on the development of a structural system from design to fabrication and construction of a real scale prototype in groups.