samedi 30 mai 2009

# Pedestrian Times Square

New York is trying a one year long experiment by closing Times Square to the cars and offer it to pedestrians. Good thing is as long as it is a time limited experiment nothing seems to have been really adapted for pedestrians so it looks like a sit-in invasions against the evil-poluting darl forces of cars (!)



vendredi 29 mai 2009

# Rapid prototyping PHD by Norbert Palz


Norbert Palz is currently working on his PHD in CITA (see former post) about Rapid prototyping and manufacturing technologies for digital material specifications.
Most people in design are using CNC just like they're using digital tools, as an alternative of representation regular (former) tools like the pen or the cutter. Some others like Norbert are directly considering the specificity of those tools to invent something which was not possible before they got created. This research is thus very important for the architecture world as long as very few people already worked on it because of the novelty of those tools...

Contemporary techniques of layered fabrication can alter the abilities of designers to engage with the material properties and performance. Increased geometric control, digital production methods and a stronger implementation of material science offer the potential to constitute a new material behaviors of future building components. These processes can be used to address local changes in the building component´s definition that alter material organization, structural behavior and performance over time. The material consequences have the potential to change the way we will construct and design buildings. Rapid Prototyping technology evolved in less than 30 years from a proof of concept state towards an elaborated manufacturing technology. Recent Innovations allow the simultaneous print from two source model materials and can create a total of 21 interpolated types of digital materials that contain specifically addressable physical properties as e.g. tensile and flexural strength or modulus of elasticity. The technology operates with a steering technology that allows the synchronisation of eight print heads (6 for material and 2 for the support structure) heads with 96 individual nozzles. The implementation of physical properties shifts the role of the model further away from mere representation towards a manufacturing process. This investigation of a future implementation of RP technology for 1:1 applications seems therefore justified. These innovations can be synchronized with present-day 3D CAD modeling tools that allow the successful implementation of performance data derived from Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or energetic simulation. The research is centered on how these recent developments in the field of Rapid Prototyping Technology can be employed for a study on performance based material composition with different structural systems. The research has accomplished the first phase that was centered on gaining parametric control over a series of material compositions (including weaving; knitting etc.). The next step will assign the performance based digital materials to probes that are tested by Institute of Plastics Processing at RWTH Aachen University and the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung in Berlin
The research develops a parametrically driven foam structure that has auxetic properties. Auxetic material expands under pulling forces contrary to common materials. The research parametrically drives a spacefilling component derived from metallic foams ( see also: Negative Poisson's Ratio Polymeric and Metallic Foams adapted from Friis, E. A., Lakes, R. S., and Park, J. B., "Negative Poisson's ratio polymeric and metallic materials", Journal of Materials Science, 23, 4406-4414 (1988).)


RP Prototyping of Auxtetic foam structure

RP Prototyping of Auxtetic foam structure

Multi material printing allows for an implementation of internal geometries that control movement constraints without additional building components as hinges etc. The material itself contains structural qualities that block or allow certain dynamic properties.

Modells generously sponsored by Objet Geometries

Internal Pneumatic system (with Bernhard Sommer, Energy Design, Die Angewandte Wien) To combine inflatable structures with the RP technology introduces dynamic qualities to highly customized building parts. The quality of the structural performance, the appearance, the transparency and the permeability of such parts can be changed continuously. These changes reveal and exploit the digital structure in a unique way. Rapid Prototyping thus is used not anymore as “proto” typing, but becomes a production method in its own, which leads to complete new applications in building construction. Looking at the development of Rapid Prototyping technology from its earliest phase in the late 1970ies to its first commercial application in the late 1980ies and to the diversity in print materials we encounter today, we can expect to leave behind the usual scope of a model´s scale. The impact of this material integration will leave its traces in the applications, concepts and processes of design creation.

Study on material organization that is derived from particle animation.

jeudi 28 mai 2009

# Thrilling Wonder Stories in the AA

Geoff Manaugh (BLDG BLOG) is everywhere nowadays ! Tomorrow, friday he'll be organizing with Liam Young an all day long symposium in the AA called Thrilling Wonder Stories: Speculative futures for an alternate present.
Will be participating, Sir Peter Cook, Francois Roche and Stephanie Lavaux (R&Sie), Liam Clear, Ian McLeod, Jim Rossignol, Viktor Antonov, Warren Ellis and Squint/Opera.
Read the article on BLDG BLOG for more information.

mercredi 27 mai 2009

# Eduardo McIntosh's Autonomous living units

Eduardo McInstosh sent me another very interesting work he did, questionning the contemporary human as an individual and providing him the ideal tool for this purpose:

Autonomous Living Units is a somewhat satirical project that stands at the intersection of the current housing crisis, the tendency of people in developed countries to live on their own and the trend of turning architecture into a consumer product. The project poses a scenario in which living units ( homes) have evolved into the most minimal yet visually alluring objects that can still provide for the basic needs of the 21st century human being. Because of the morphing of architecture into furniture, the Living Units could be inserted in derelict areas and ruined housing projects.

This project was exhibited among others at the d3 Gallery in New York for the "Future Cities: Past, Present" exhibition in April 2009


mardi 26 mai 2009

# CRAZY MUMBAI /// Temporary prefab buildings

Those municipal buildings are located in the core of Mumbai and host families in transit between two housings. They are entirely made of prefabricated elements such as gypson panels and steel structure and introduces an interesting urban insertion.




lundi 25 mai 2009

# When even litterature get controlled...


Even Palestine Festival of Literature is being held as hostage of the good will of Isreali authorities...I do not want to comment too much, here is the article in the guardian.

dimanche 24 mai 2009

# Imagining Recovery by Eduardo McIntosh


Eduardo McInstosh (whose former work has been already published here and here on boiteaoutils) kindly sent me his last work which was his entry to the Imagining Recovery Competition. This time architecture is used as self-metaphor of an existing Plato's cave system and a fictional one both assumed as keeping their statute of "prisons". Nevertheless one imply a difficult active involvement of its actors who are invited to participate to act in the field of possible just like Borges describes it in the Babel Library.

As I told him, I just have a little discrepancy of opinion as far as the "Beaubourg effect" is concerned. As a former post was showing, thirty years after its construction Pompidou Centre is still hated by a lot of people in France and its presence within Paris' core is a continual question about architecture, art, public space and urbanity.

However I really egg you on reading the whole text, because it tackles some issues which may be less politically correct in a era which is trying to impose ecology and mediatization as architectural dogmas...





samedi 23 mai 2009

# Tagore Chair by Shamir Panchal and Ray Wang

This musical chair has been designed by two students from Waterloo University in Toronto, Shamir Panchal and Ray Wang:

The works of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), the Bengali poet, novelist, and composer, have traveled far beyond the boundaries of the subcontinent and have become a spiritual guide to those who have experienced it. Tagore composed numerous poems and songs steeped in a constant personal and national struggle.

The Tagore Chair, dedicated to this mystic and visionary man, is a seat of sublime action, a platform of energy and music upon which knowledge and understanding rest, but only momentarily until they are uttered to the world. The chair is a place for Tagore to work both spiritually and physically. A system of pistons, springs, and guitar strings turn a seemingly static piece into a dynamic instrument sensitive to the movement body. Although strange and unbalanced at first, the chair and user achieve a state of equilibrium, creating a space of harmony and silence in which to explore the innermost worlds. It is the seat of the deepest emotions and creative powers, where musical perfection abounds, where the beauties of language persist, and where the visions of the mind take form.







vendredi 22 mai 2009

# Hear Heart Earth by Yi Zhou

Since last post, Yi Zhou has work on new projects which are quite interesting to look at...

jeudi 21 mai 2009

# Wild Style City

Here is an article on Wired.com about a google street like program called Wild Style City where you can draw graffiti with impunity in the virtual streets of San Francisco. The issue is then that most of graffiti interest comes from the fact that it is a form of transgression towards the constituted system which obviously is not the case here...

mercredi 20 mai 2009

# Michel Macreau

Michel Macreau could be said to be the French Jean Michel Basquiat, drawing and painting on the walls of Paris far before the re-born of graffiti. An exhibition currently introduces his work in La Halle Saint Pierre in Paris until August 28th.

mardi 19 mai 2009

# Virtual space

here is a short 3D animation "Voxel" , directed by Ubik of the agency Not to Scale.
This animation shows voxels (3D pixels) evolving in a real space, but it's actually a picture in the background, a flat non moving background, but the 3D animation create a real deph in this flatness... Enjoy!


# Zoarchitect / Lasercut archeology

Peter Jellitsch aka Zoarchitect sent me some pictures of his last Angewandte work called Laser Engraving, hl series. He uses old wooden surfaces (old doors, used tabletops etc.) to engrave his bichrome project's representation in it just like we used to do in school with a pen or a knife. Results are some kind of fossils belonging to an unknown past.




lundi 18 mai 2009

# House of Laminar Torrents by Jintana Tantinirundr & Belle Tang

Here is a project I wanted to publish for a long time, House of Laminar Torrents is a project designed by Jintana Tantinirundr and Belle Tang for Richard Sarrac's Pratt Institute studio which was tryingto investigate how to optimize the introduction of natural light by the mean of standard manufactured VELUX products.

Here is Jintana and Belle's presentation text:
A dialogue between a system of shifting angles to generate a filtration surface that begins to suggest the collection of water. The gradual shifting of the skylights starts to propose an outline of continuous flow through the surface and allows for an intake of different intensities of sunlight and ventilation.There are several different types of flow; turbulent, vortex, laminar and viscous, that are illustrated within the subway map. Text boxes shown at selected subway stations explain the specific concept and feature of the architecture at the site. For an example, in the 40 Bond St building, one of its main features is the structural elements wrapped in cast glass, allowing light to illuminate and vary constantly depending on the time of day. In light of this perception, we decided to use wall panels that peel away, forming pocket spaces within the panels which allows light to be filter into the spaces. As it peels away, it begins form a curve that directs circulation into those spaces. The curves are done intentionally as a way of directing circulation into the program. The spaces are connected to allow for a smooth transition of flow and, more important, education.