Smart Geometry 2012 - Day 1 (5)

Going to try and live blog as much of the event as possible. Keep checking back for this post to update.

3/23 - Talk Shops

Watch them live here - http://smartgeometry.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170&Itemid=157

Talk Shop Agenda - http://smartgeometry.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=166%3Asg2012talkshopagenda&catid=47%3Asg2011-talkshop-sessions&Itemid=157

9:30 - Event is kicking off! Smart Geometry is a global network. 

• Session 1 | Shifting Attitudes
• Talk Shop discussion
  • Should architects make materials?
  • "parametric models are a material vacuum"
  • Ana  - Interscaler exploration. What can we learn from exploring techniques to study materials in variable scales?
  • Branko - Students can deal with geometry quite well. What they need to get a better sense of is thickness and tolerance.
  • Branko - We should look to other fields of research to expand what we do. BUT we also need to focus on fundamentals. In Academia, we need to make sure students are getting material fundamentals.

• Session 2 | Energy, Environments and Conflicts
  • Panelists  - Sal Craig - Foster+Partners,  Dru Crawley - Bentley Systems, Kiel Moe - M O E
  • Sal Craig
    • side note - Sick Presentation!
    • We are already creating responsive systems with the materials we're using. We need to better understand it.
  • Dru Crawley
    • We should not use technology if we don't know what we are looking for.
    • had a friend call CFD "Colors For Designers" - Awesome!
    • Q - is software serving us well?
      • Are the physics well presented
      • Does it represent the information?
      • Is innovation promoted - some tools are restricting us.
    • Need to be critical of the tools
  • Kiel Moe
    • Talking about the SANAA Toledo museum 
    • Extensive use of Low E glass for transparency 
    • Height and width of glass forced for the panels to be built outside of the US (China)
  • Discussion
    • What makes and expert. Hows does a student, make the transition to a specialist?
    • we should not make things more complex to fix bad design. Just do better design
    • Architecture is an "iatrogenic" profession - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iatrogenesis
    • We give too much credit to the technology 

• Session 3 | A Matter of Scale
  • Marie O'Mahony - OCAD University, Zbigniew Oksiuta - RPI, Peter Stark - CASE
  • Marie O'Mahony
    • nano technology for architectural materials
  • Peter Stark
    • Teraform house - + and -
    • how do we embrace the fantastical 
    • Issues with the practical
    • SOM - Burj Kalifa
  • Zbigniew Oksiuta
    • create new types of spaces with bio materials
    • creating materials in simulated weightlessness 
  • Discussion
    • How can scientist communicate the material implications to architects? Start with basic principals.
    • working at different scales we can control different things
    • Mis-use of technology could be quite damaging. One must really understand the implications of using tools to get the most out of them. Why are they being used? What value and information do they truly provide?

• Session 4 | Innovation in Practice
  • Kasper Guldager Jørgensen - 3xN | GxN, Zoe Coombes - Cmmnwlth, Jan Knippers - Knippers Helbig
  • Kasper Guldager Jørgense
    • Take on projects to learn.
    • work on projects at various scales
    • .. more to come
  • Zoe Coombes
    • Thirst for New-ness
    • Revive the lost domestic arts
    • Bringing together design cultures
    • Presenting 3 projects
    • Using Autodesk Mudbox to model gypsum lamps. Allowed them to create textures.
    • By working with traditional craftsmen they are able to merge the digital with traditional forms of making.
  • Jan Knippers
    • In these times we need different types of digital models
    • working on how to transfer the data between models.
    • It's difficult to integrate engineering tools into the design workflow
    • Complex geometry, uniform material.
    • Working with composite materials
    • researching pliable materials and simulating the movement in digital models
    • region constraints to innovation. Building panels possible in Korea, tough in Germany
  • Discussion
    • Are engineers better positioned to innovate?
      • Knippers - Architects are taught to think outside the box. Thinks architects are better positioned
      • It's not about "better" it's about the collaboration to truly innovate
    • What is the role of research in the practice?
      • Guldager Jørgense - Exploration opens up the opportunity for innovation
      • Coombes - it allows up to make variations. the pressure to produce perfection is too much. Perfection is a driver of annonminity.  We don't need to go back to rustic materials (boars bristle tooth brushes) but we do need to better understand the implications of modern materials (Plastics, composites, etc).
      • Classic materials can still be pushed, we have hit a limit to what can be done with natural materials.
    • Materials are expensive, forms are cheap. We can't do design without considering materials. We need to deal with shape, structure, form and concept.
    • How do we simulate material feedback in a digital environment?

HUGE thanks to Bentley Systems for hosting me at Smart Geometry 2012.