After successful completion of the course, students are able to perceive and name artistic qualities and peculiarities of a work. They will be able to independently discover and name general and special qualities of objects, forms and materials. They are able to develop creative solutions from their own observations and to translate them into three-dimensional design work. They learn to develop ideas in a process-oriented way and to integrate them into design processes. Self-criticism and the ability to perceive one's own creative work have been sharpened.
'The typical facade of a building… is made of discrete parts fulfilling distinct functions. Stiff materials provide a protective shell, soft materials provide comfort and insulation, and -in buildings- transparent materials provide connection to the environment. In contrast, human skin utilizes more or less constant material constituents for both barrier functions (small pores, thick skin on own backs) and filtering functions (large pores, thin skin on our face). Barriers and filtering functions are integrated into a single material system that can at any point respond and adapt to its environment.'Integration over segregation, Neri Oxman (2021)
Inspired by state-of-the-art computational concepts and fabrication techniques, this course aims to work on understanding and exploring material qualities that can be applied in custom structures. Thus, the course will focus on material scale, and more specifically in developing functionally gradedmaterials1. Quality-variations integrated within the volume of a material can be obtained by either using an additional material (e.g. infusion) or by diversifying the deposition of the material itself (e.g. extrusion). The goal is to ‘hack’ existing low-tech materials (materials that can be found in everyday products) to create custom ones with variable properties, such as density and stiffness. In addition, attention will be given in developing custom fabrication techniques, relying on computational design thinking, which will be employed to create heterogeneous 3D experimental structures that could find applications in art and design.1 Materials that vary in composition and structure gradually over volume, resulting in corresponding changes in the properties.
Reference projects
- development of an individual research project
- hands-on material experimentation
- discussions and conversations within the group
- reading of state-of-the-art articles related with the research project
- Computational design thinking
Schedule: The course takes place on Wednesdays in the Modelliersaal (Main building, Karlsplatz 13, 4 Floor, Entrance through Hof 1 Stiege 10).
Seminar dates:12/10/22 10:00-14:00 (Introduction)19/10/22 10:00-18:00 (Workshop 1)9/11/22 10:00-18:00 (Workshop 2)23/11/22 10:00-18:00 (Midterm presentations)7/12/22 10:00-18:00 (Work session and desk-crits)21/12/22 10:00-14:00 (Desk-crits)11/01/23 10:00-18:00 (Work session and desk-crits)25/01/23 10:00-14:00 (Final presentations)
Language: The course will be held in English.
COVID19: If, due to requirements of the federal government or the Vienna University of Technology, it is not possible to hold the course and the examination or the partial performances in presence, the online format will be used. By changing to the online format, the dates announced for the face-to-face course and examination (partial performances) may change. In the event of a change to the online format, the course will be held via zoom meetings and the examination mode will take the form of an oral final presentation.
Through a chronological workbook as the basis for weekly meetings on the progress and development of work. Through the presentation of the work done within certain periods of time over the course of the semester. A final presentation of the experimental work will takes place.
Immanent (In case of change to online format, see "More information" above)
Interest in material experimentation, computational thinking and innovation.
Visiting exhibitions.
