DIY dFab

All you need is:

1. a laser-cutter ( ~$6500 for materials, DIY)

2. a CNC machine ( ~$1800 for materials, DIY)

3. a 3D Printer ( ~$800 for materials, DIY)

Its amazing to see how these seemingly complex and exclusive machines can one day be a common tool for our daily use. With this future in our hands, how will it influence the way we live, consume, and shop? By bringing the manufacturing process into our very own households, which industries can we eliminate and which new ones will emerge out of it? Is this exactly what we need in a potential post-capitalist world? Just something to ponder upon.

So, any takers?

P.S. another cool DIY, presented to you by Nortd Labs too.

Grasshopper Tutorial

With our current project for studio, I know a few people have been looking for a good tutorial for grasshopper, myself included.  Thanks to some help from Jordan in the dFAB lab, he showed me this tutorial, from liftarchitects.com.  Don’t be intimidated by the 160 pages, it is pretty simple and very helpful.  I have gone through about 50 pages already and found it really useful!!  Hopefully you will to.  Just be aware, that some of the components and parameters are in different windows or changed.  Also, the end files are able to be downloaded to be used for comparison.  One last word of advice that was given to me, don’t skip ahead.  It is meant for you to go through it page by page so don’t expect to jump ahead and understand it.  Well enjoy!

Greg Coni

Patrick Schumacher and Parametricism

on Baths, and other things

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a compilation of images on inspirations, ideas, and inquiries regarding our current project

_studio Arscott

Designers and Books

A useful website for all who may be searching for something to read, over the break or next year: http://www.designersandbooks.com/.  A site of books recommended by designers and architects from around the globe. You see who recommends what; you can look up books by subject, etc. It’s a who’s who of designers… Dolores Hayden has criticized it for being to object-fixated, but that’s our culture today.

Architectural Placebo

I came upon this and although the description of the dance does not really give a lot of information on how they interpreted an “architectural placebo” (I’m assuming they used their bodies and the props to create space?), the general idea of a placebo for architecture is really compelling. Is architecture delivered to people like medicine through your bloodstream? If architecture is designing and defining space, what would a placebo for that be? Can it be achieved through dance? Can people be tricked into thinking something is architecture when really it isn’t? So many questions…

Brea

Recognition of an Idea in Architecture

Robert Harbison, in his chapter on Ideas in the book, Thirteen Ways, states “An idea is a kind of ordering or pattern-making which can be appreciated most easily in architecture through extreme and concentrated instances where the concept is not recessive, taking its place quietly, but obtrusive.”  He goes on to provide numerous examples of works of architecture and art that illustrate an  “obtrusive concept.”  These encompass the work of noted architects and thinkers such as Ledoux, Eisenmann, Hejduk, Kahn and Libeskind, to name a few.  Read through the chapter, following along with the attached references (courtesy of some of your classmates), and see what you think.

Harbison Reading References / Ideas

Future of Libraries

I came across this article in my Future of the Cities class and found an excerpt on the future of libraries as well as many other social institutions. It speaks about the ruling of technology over physical form. I highly recommend it when thinking about the future of public spaces.

-Ellie

CityOfBits_Mitchell

Morning Glory Final Video

Matt Dawson, Manuel Garber, Daniel Gehr, Ellie Hopen, Richard May