WAAS: Workshop Advanced Architectural Structures
29
Jan 2009
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For our readers in Europe, there´s a very interesting workshop taking place at the University of Technology in Eindhoven, Netherlands on March 9-13th, 2009. The workshop will focus on how to build complex structures, at a time when “can a design be built?” is not the question any more, but rather which technique is best suited to realise the concept.
The workshop will be based around lectures, tutorials and other activities on topics such as tensile, textile and membrane structures, including software, scripting and CNC techniques.
For the full list of participants, program and registration is available at their official website.
quote: The workshop will focus on how to build complex structures, at a time when “can a design be built?”
I think this workshop is really quite out of space and time. If this is their punchline then there is something really wrong going on with the world. The question for the next decade is and should be “should a design be built?”
With all those environmental and economical difficulties we are for sure in need of conservation of what is already there. Not what we could further undo of the natural environment.
I suppose that they also haven’t been in touch with the general global feeling about construction. The 3/4 of the world cannot follow the architecture to the way it has been lead by “zahaists” (lack of a better word). The technological and/or the economical and/or the industrial capabilities are not available.
It is an elitistic approach to the built environment. Please do not ever confuse it with a breakthrough or a way to advance in the sense of common good that the concept of architecture, at least for me, is brought up to serve.
Greetings from a young architect in Rethymno, Crete, Greece
obviously another wannabe trying to make a reputation by ‘designing’ algorithmic poo poo – all we need as a handfull of projects like this to kick start the economy
Dear George,
We will survive
Take Care
Greetings from a young designer in Athens, Attiki, Greece
i hope i can go to WAAS http://is.gd/hLYW, but i think its just a dream T.T
Dear George,
With no intention to be cynical, that`s the way the cookie crumbles my friend, just take a look at 3000 years of history. The pyramids were not really necessary either but…
Greetings from nowhere!
M.
The pyramids were built for reasons of ego by slaves.
It is not that I don’t admire the pyramids, it’s still humans that built them and this is something.
When commenting on something validity comes with applying your thoughts on the immediate contexts.
“With all those environmental and economical difficulties we are for sure in need of conservation of what is already there.”
The biggest energy and resource waster in most parts of the world is the existing urban fabric and the way we live in it. We need a hell of lot of intelligent design en mindset change to get us out of this mess. “Conservation” – meaning “no change” or “a stand still” – is the worst possible imaginable solution.
The mindset behind “generative and parametric design” is a understanding and acceptance of complex systems of “interrelationships” and “interdependencies”. Key know how for developing a sustainable future. Therefore the collective intuitive interest in “complexity”.
Sorry for commenting this again, but the image in the article is really outrageous. Not in the good way that delivers dialog and outcome, in the bad way, that gives me the possibility of not having a monitor for a couple of days.
Anyhow indeed Gerald, conservation under the terms you describe is a bad thing to do. Pardon me, the word should have been “renovate”. Misarticulations such as this come with the use of the second language.
The image is a project by NOX, who will participate in this workshop with a lecture on scripting.
Dear George, Architecture is beyond all moralities like yours. Sometimes the reasons for a building to be there can be supported on moral arguments. The pyramids is an example, or all those antique greek temples built for “gods” that doesn’t exist (also with slaves) I mean, architecture almost always is a vehicle of the forces that rules the world, a vehicle for the powerful. Architecture always lays besides the money and the power. If an architect only thinks of that, is not going to build anything, and will stay most of it’s career thinking and talking about that. Architecture IS NOT completely a social science. It may sound weird, but I’m almost sure that most of architects wants to build something, and, to reach that, they have to think as architects, not like antropologists, o philosophers, etc. By the way, the question NEVER should be if a design “should” be built. The workshop seems to be amazing.
Hello Nicolas, I just expressed my reaction to the seminar punchline. I never thought that Architecture must be what I think.
Apart from that, I can recognize the two following realities. 1. Architecture is tied to the time, technicality, and resources factors that exist in the governing context.
2.It is a means to move the world forward.
Too much talk too little done.
It is Sunday everyone, go enjoy the sun ;)
Just a great quote that makes up for the whole thread of comments and my reactions in particular.
http://bit.ly/vTAq
:) nice quote, but Koolhaas has a great talent at repackaging clichés. Replace architecture by doctors, engineers or any other profession for that matter, even soldiers, and you will see that the “content” remains the same. He never attempts at creating any constructive solutions. Maintaining such a cynical position is in my opinion far too easy and in fact quite cowardice.
hehe… sounds like art.
George,
Both you and I know that the concept is everything when you initiate a project. It is the genesis…the birth of a structure, garment, furniture piece, art, photograph, whatever you want it to be.
If the concept is too much of something, it either ends there…it dies, or… it waits for someone who has the courage to accept a possible failure to have it executed.
I personally think that any design can be built. Not saying it will be aesthetically pleasing, nor 100 % functional, however, when someone looks at architecture as an art of colossal proportions, that’s where it is more appreciated, for its positive and negative critiques and reactions, its what makes a work memorable.
I mean, if we’re gonna end up talking about what is necessary and what isn’t, lets all become cavemen and just grab rock slabs to have seating, trees and branches for our roofs and leaves for softer surfaces. Art and architecture should never be categorized as different things that have nothing to do with each other… I always say, Art is the liberal free-form conceptual side of design, and design the technical side of art. They go hand in hand, they should, if not…we’d all be living in a veeeeery uncomfortable and boring world.
Then again…that’s the aesthetic of some architects now, I guess it should just be left as a personal taste matter…
-Jhonnatan, 20
Mexico
Agreed, any design can be built. ;)
OK people the design is over, the sum of the workshop is that we can built anything. Thanks for attending, cookies and tee across the street, for anyone interested.
Just to clarify, in the last comment it is only the line with the emoticon I mean. I am not being serious about the rest.
amazing stuff thanx :)
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