Generative Elements- analogue procedures

Time to get busy, everyone - here is the first exercise in the project proper - lots to do, so I thought I would post it here. This is pretty straightforward - just follow the instructions and attend the tutorials - I am assuming you all want to do incredibly well, so you can start as soon as you like. I expect to see everyone with at least some ideas on how they will proceed on Monday morning - ideally you will have work in progress. BTW, the images are not to be taken as literal guides to what is required, they are stages of an AA thesis project which embodies some of the aspirations I have for this phase of the work. Your initial constructs should preferably be relatively simple, to allow for systematic analysis and development. Don't worry - just do it.

life - what life?...enjoy this instead!
J

This brief is and all subsequent briefs will be available as downloadable pdfs from metametric.net

Generative Elements

In this set of operations and elaborations you will develop an aspect of your project outside the envelope of programmatic speculation, which will inflect the organisation of your emergent design from a material–morphogenic axis. You will undertake the development of a material system which will be elaborated and tested in a series of exercises which are to be extrinsic to but parallel with the development of the functional brief for your project.

Both the physical–analogue and digital-analogue phases of the work will be conducted rigorously and to the highest standard.

Each stage of the work must be comprehensively documented and formatted to professional quality.

You will produce all paper based work at A2 size, landscape format outputted through InDesign. Each stage of the process should be documented photographically, with video as necessary. Photographs will be made under controlled lighting and environmental conditions to avoid extraneous information in shot - use backdrops!

The Task

At a convenient size - preferably no larger than 600mm on the longest side, construct a minimum of 3 material instruments; choose no more than 2 materials , which may include, but are not limited to:

wire
plastic rod or sheet
timber
latex or other elastic material
paper


Choose 1 method of assembly, which may include, but is not limited to:

bundling
weaving
cutting
folding

Definition

The Material instrument will be defined as the systematic organisation of a chosen set of materials to form a scaleless construction. The material instrument is an analogue through which morphogenic strategies can be developed. It is not a model, it is a constructed system with dynamic and formal properties with respect to imposed criteria.

You must, therefore choose to combine materials and assembly technique in such a manner as to produce a construction which may or may not be self supporting, but which can be analysed as a component within a possible, though as yet untheorised system. Folded, slotted, bundled or woven constructs are all suitable, cutting slots, bending elements, flexing or stretching materials are all appropriate to consider. Try to define through making, the beginnings of a performance through testing the constructs as you make them - evaluate and present as many as you feel appropriate over the minimum of 3. Components may contain a single repeated element or 2 complementary or antagonistic materials. Consider terms such as flex, opening, density, extension in your project development.

Operations

the material instrument will be interrogated through:

stage 1

light
air movement
imposed load

stage 2

digital translation
dynamics, soft bodies, rigid bodies

stage 3

repetition: self similarity
iterative deformation: gradual change

environmental responsiveness 2

light
air movement
imposed load

Timetable

construct material instruments, conduct environmental testing and record/layout table presentation for seminar discussion
19/02 10.00 - 13.00

attend digital translation class 1
19/02 14.00 - 17.00

develop digital models for interim tutorial discussion
22/02 10.00 - 12.00

present finished stage 1 digital models and experimental data for review
26/02 10.00

attend digital translation class 2
26/02 14.00 - 17.00

develop digital models for interim tutorial discussion
01/03 10.00 - 12.00

final public review of all material with invited guests tba
05/03 10.00

Reading list
Corporate Fields: New Office Environments by the AA DRL Ed B Steele
Techniques and Technologies in Morphogenetic Design (Architectural Design) Ed M Hensel
more to follow.

images from Dae Song Lee
AA dip4 06