Experimental Architecture. Computational Design and Digital Fabrication (Summer School)

Complesion of at least two academic years (equivalent to 120 ECTS) in the fields of Architecture, Engineering and Design, before the summer school starts. 

• The emerging digital technologies of fabrication, such as Additive Manufacturing (AM), robotics and CNC Machinery, their characteristics, possibilities and limitations
• The potential enabled by the use of digital fabrication technologies in the context of design and construction
• Computational tools for design, engineering and fabrication that allow the integration of material, manufacturing, and performance
  

• Design through visual programming and parametric modelling
• Use digital tools for early-stage analysis and optimization of material, geometrical and mechanical performance within the design process
• Manufacture construction systems through digital fabrication processes
• Fabricate and build full scale prototypes
  

• Evaluate the possible uses of various digital fabrication techniques in the exploration of new design solutions for architectural systems and structures
• Involve the use of computational workflows to manage the process from design to fabrication of custom construction systems
  

Digital Fabrication technologies have the disruptive potential to revolutionize the way we conceive and shape our environment. Through the use of novel fabrication techniques designers and engineers are challenged to explore innovative structures that benefit from the capacity to produce performative and sustainable architecture with, up to now, unreached levels of complexity and strategic material organization.

The Summer School will focus on exploring ideas and producing design artifacts as answer to some fundamental driving questions: what kind of tectonic configurations can be enabled by means of digital fabrication such as additive and robotic manufacturing? How do we realize high-performance architecture with it? How can we build bespoke architecture in a sustainable way?

Adopting a design/make approach, catalyzed through tailored computational techniques, various structural configurations will be investigated. The school outcomes will be contributing to the creation of an atlas of digitally fabricated tectonic prototypes: experimental architectural configurations where material/form/structure are developed in a coherent design approach which takes full advantage of the potential of emergent fabrication techniques.

The course is conceived as a highly engaging design to fabrication activity, where students will develop experimental prototypes related to specific design/research topics.

Multiple forms of instruction will be involved:

•    Lectures on the role of digital fabrication in experimental construction
•    Guided tutorials on parametric modelling notions related to a specific course project
•    Introduction and exercises for specific digital fabrication techniques
•    Supervision of group-based design activities
•    Collaborative fabrication of prototypes by students with tutors’ coordination
•    Final review on the projects development and output with invited guests

Time of classes: 2 weeks in August.

The enrollment is limited to 12 students. If more applicants than places, applicants who meet the mandatory requirements are prioritised according to the below selection criteria:

1. Undergraduate and graduate students from partner universities (exchange); international undergraduate and graduate guest students (fee-paying); undergraduate and graduate students from other Danish universities. 
   
2. Ph.D students from partner universities and other international Ph.D. students; other applicants. 

Students are prioritised on a first come, first served basis, i.e. according to the time we receive your complete application. 

In case a course is filled up, we try to offer you an alternative course from your list of priorities. All final decisions about admission will be sent out continually.