Project 2.001 – Investigate . Reveal . Translate

OMA Nord See Power Generation Study

{active/reactive/interactive}

(PDF)

Landscape architecture works with an interactive, evolving medium (ecology) in the design of environments. Understanding how systems interact is an important tool in the construction of evocative, responsive, and site-specific environments. The relationship between the built/constructed/inorganic and the live/evolving/organic is in flux as new methods of inquiry and nascent technologies question old tropes. A myriad of technologies have converged in the past decade that create affordable methods to embed circuits, sense the ephemeral, and transform the physical.

In order to explore nascent technologies and materials each student will create a case study for a responsive environments project that focuses on technology, material, and/or environment through the lens of active, reactive, and interactive modes. The case study will combine each of these modes in order to build an interrelationship between each disparate piece. You will be assigned a technology from each of the following categories and develop a definition for each.

Sense

  • Acceleration (ex. accelerometer, piezo-film, piezoelectric sensor, whisker sensor)
  • Acoustic (ultrasound, sonar, microphone, hydrophone, seisometer)
  • Gas & Liquid Flow/Viscosity/Density (flow sensor, anemometer, viscometer, hydrometer)
  • Motion (radar, speedometer, tachometer, odometer, camera)
  • Optical Radiation (photodetectors, infra-red, proximity sensors, scanning laser, interferometer, scintillometer, fiber optic sensors)
  • Orientation (gyroscope, artificial horizon, GPS)
  • Pressure (altimeter, barometer, barograph, variometer, piezometer, piezoelectric sensor)
  • Thermal (thermometers, thermocouples, bolometer, calorimeter, heat flux, thermistors, thermostat)
  • Electromagnetic (ohmmeter, multimeter, galvanometer, arnmeter, electroscope, voltometer, compass, magnetometer, radar)
  • Chemical Proportions (electrodes, odor sensors)

Process

  • Processing (language)
  • Actionscript (language/scripting)
  • Java (language/scripting)
  • Arduino (hardware/platform)
  • PHP (scripting)
  • MySQL (database)
  • Max/MSP (software)
  • Phidgets (hardware, platform)
  • Pachube (platform)
  • Location Services, Google/GIS (platform)

Transform/Output

  • Shape Memory Alloy/Nitinol
  • Solenoids
  • Pneumatics/Hydraulics
  • LED Lighting Contollers (RGB, Mono)
  • Projection/Display
  • Motors
  • CAD/CAM
  • Realtime Mapping
  • Chemical Reaction
  • SMS, MMS, Email Communication

Beyond this list each student will choose 3 materials from the transmaterial database and define the materials properties and applications.

Each definition will be documented on the student’s blog and will define the material/technology and how it is used within architecture and/or the environment.  Each student will have 7 definitions posted to their blog, 4 from the above list and 3 from the transmaterial site. The class will then categorize the definitions and create a layout that contains the definitions and an iconic image for each. This will be on one or more 24” x 36” sheets.

The case study will also be posted to the blog and on an 11” x 17” landscape sheet. The case study should explain the project through the following; designer, date of project, concept/intent, site and context, definition of the technologies and how they are implemented. The case study should not only explain each of these concepts but should also diagram the essential components.

Projects:

TRANSLATE

Upon completing the case studies you will look back at the entire studio’s work and translate a series of technologies into a hypothesis regarding the application to the built environment. This hypothesis should focus on answering how the technologies are active, reactive, and interactive as well as transformative to our experience of the built environment. The hypothesis should specifically look at the built environment in terms of physical components such as; infrastructure, ecology, transportation, and interpretation. The application of the active:reactive:interactive system will attempt to address one of the following issues within the Marigny-Bywater; energy consumption, ecological fitness, navigation and/or cultural identity.

The hypothesis will be designed as a module that can be deployed within the spaces between the neighborhood, levee, and river. Consider how the module will be deployed, how it interfaces with the existing landscape, how it will change the existing conditions and how it may perform over time. Use all of the tools you have developed up to this point; the phenomena study (perspectives and sections), mapping, micro and macro scale temporal studies. How does your project impact or take advantage of your observations and research?

The hypothesis will be represented as a series of models, diagrams, photomontages, and/or details. There should be text, labels, etc in order to fully explain the ideas.

SCHEDULE

Week 7 . March 1 to March 5

Wednesday . Project 1.002 Review, Project 2.001 Assigned

Friday . Open Studio . Research

Week 8 . March 8 to March 11

Monday . Technology, Case Study and Reading Discussion

Wednesday . Pin-up, Hypothesis

Friday . Site Observation 0.005

Week 9 . March 15 to March 19

Monday . Desk Crits

Wednesday . Project 2.001 Review, Project 2.002 Assigned

Deliverables

  • Technology/Material Definitions, Blog Posts, 24”x36” Class Layouts
  • Project Case Study, 11” x 17” layout
  • Site Observation 0.005 Video
  • Relevant components of past projects
  • Translate Hypothesis, Models/Drawings/Diagrams

Due Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 @ 2.00pm.

It is important that you are ready to present with all of your work at 2.00pm. Anyone not present at 1.30 will be considered late.

Material and Technology Definitions, Spring 2010

  • Spencer McNab (PDF) : Parabienta, Portrude Flow, Luna, Optical Radiation, MySQL, LED, CAD/CAM
  • Xue Bai (PDF) : Linelight, Profilit, Underlit Flooring, Accelaration, Electromagnetic, Arduino, Projection
  • Yuting Jiang (PDF) : Steel Tongue, Lighttex, Pixel Panels, Flow, Thermal, Processing, Chemical Reaction
  • Kyle Jacobson (PDF) : Ductal, litracon, Soundproof Window, Pressure, Max/MSP, Shape Memory Alloy, Pneumatics/Hydraulics
  • Devon Boutte (PDF) : Light Fader, Green Screen, Delight Cloth, Orientation, Location Services, Realtime Mapping, Acoustic
  • Mike Petty (PDF) : Live Within Skin, Quiet Revolution, Temporal Light, Chemical Proportions, Waspmote, Java, Solenoids
  • Chase Williston (PDF) : Woodsure, Stone, InteracTable, Motion, Pachube, Motors, SMS/MMS

Case Studies and Hypotheses, Spring 2009

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