CHRISTOS KOURTIDIS
COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN PORTFOLIO &
DIGITAL FABRICATION
selected works 2016-2021
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// EXPERIENCE
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Christos Kourtidis interdisciplinary & computational designer DoB 17/10/1993 Address 25 Adrianothyron, 17237, Athens, Greece Mobile 0030 6971967121
April 2019July 2019
July 2018March 2019 May 2017
e-mail chriskourtidis.design@gmail.com
// EDUCATION
October 2011- University of West Attica | Athens, Greece May 2018 BSc Interior Architecture, Decoration and Product Design
November 2016
Dissertation: // Algorithm in Αrchitecture necessary tool or ephemeral trend, 10/10
September 2014 Politecnico di Milano, School of Design |Milan, Italy February 2015 ERASMUS Exchange Student studies in Italy Generative Design cource, 10/10, Prof. Soddu C.
// AWARDS - SCHOLARSHIPS September 2015 ERASMUS+ Traineeship Scholarship Internship at ORPROJECT | London, UK December 2014 IAH Rome 2014, by Archistart, Winner - 1st Place International five-day workshop about the design of a multifunctional kiosk for the city of Rome, Italy September 2014 ERASMUS+ Studies Scholarship Exchange studies at Politecnico di Milano | Italy 2
Freelancer, commercial and residential projects Athens, Greece - Concept design, 3D modelling & rendering
Volunteers' Coordinator , PLATFORMS PROJECT Independent Art Fair | Athens, Greece
Coordinator, [IN]VISIBLE SPACES workshop, Benaki Museum | Athens, Greece
- Coordinated the participants - Assistant tutor on Ephimeral Constructions section
April 2016May 2016
240 ECTS four-year, grade: 9.26/10 "excellent" (top 2% of graduates)
Thesis Project: [RE_HUB] A cultural and plastic pollution awareness hub, 10/10, Prof. Psilopoulos A.
- Interior and architectural design of residential projects - 3D modeling & rendering - construction site supervision
- Coordinated the volunteers during the Art Fair - Organised the volunteers' timetable - Assisted international exibitors to set up their artworks
October 2019- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki present School of Architecture | Thessaloniki, Greece MSc Advanced Design: Innovation and Transdisciplinarity in Design
Interior architect, Attica Diamond Real Estate Investment company | Athens, Greece
March 2016April 2016
September 2015February 2016
Design and Make, AICA HELLAS, Art-Athina2016, Art Fair | Athens, Greece - Designed the Decorative Wall Installation for AICA's exhibition kiosk for the Art Fair - Constructed the custom-made Installation parts - Set up the Installation on Site
Group Cοordinator, OPEN HOUSE Athens 2016 Athens, Greece
- Scheduled appointments with house owners and OHA volunteers - Organised volunteers' work and rehearsal meetings - Inspected OHA buildings during the OHA event days
Internship - Architectural Assistant ORPROJECT Architectural Practice | London, UK
- Designed Residential Projects, Interiors and Furniture - 3D modelling and rendering - Technical Drawings creation - Surveyed Buildings
// LANGUAGES Greek - Mother Tongue English - Fluent, IELTS 6.5 (19/01/2019) Italian - Basic German - Basic
// WORKSHOPS June 2020 Participant, YFALOS - Artificial Reef, Topotheque Digital Futures 2020 | online
- Minimal surfaces studies, module geometries generation - Aggregation and Recursion methods in Grasshopper - Cooperation with FabLab Ioannina fabrication team
December 2018 Participant, Flowing Structuralism, IOA alumni travelling workshop, AUTh AD:ITAD | Thessaloniki, GR
- 3D modelling with Rhino 3D, Grasshopper and Karamba - CNC manufacture of the generated model in dow foam - Vacuum forming PVC molds of the final physical model
October 2018 Participant, Fibrous Structures, Δe_Λab + Basic (Spain) Athens, Greece - Form-finding design of a fibrus chair using Kangaroo - Structural analysis and simulation using Karamba 3D - Constructing the fibrus chair in 1:1 scale
July 2018 Participant, Introduction to Interactive Design Δe_Λab | Athens, Greece
- Coding and physical computing of Adruino board - Design of the interaction between device and humans - Concept design and technical drawing of the device - Constructed the device and setted up the interaction
October 2017 Participant, Design for Peace Hackathon, Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts & Design | Stockholm, Sweden
- Addressed real humanitarian challenges - Designed waste management plan for Kara Tepe refugee camp in Lesvos based on the concept of circular economy - Cooperated with different professionals
July 2017 Participant, Summer school, PRODECT2017 Industrial Products Design and Product Developement Dep. of Product Design and Sysyem Design Engineering University of Aegean | Syros, Greece
- Concept developement for an new music player product - Design of the final product and 3D model making
October 2016 Participant, Humanitarian Design Workshop CORE RELIFE by LATRA | Lesvos, Greece
- Field experience, presence, work and presentation - Designed and 3D printed add-ons for Core Relife Items - Donated work to international organisation, open source - Cooperated with different professionals
March 2016 Participant, Parammetric Construction IV SPACE UNDER | Athens, Greece
- Parametric Modeling using Grasshopper-Rhino 3D - Live Physics and Interactive Simulation with Kangaroo - Construct in 1:1 scale the selected Prototype Structure
// VOLUNTEERING April 2015- Volunteer, Erasmus Student Network, ESN TEI Athens August 2015 - Guided the new International Students of TEI of Athens - Assistance in organisation of ESN events
May 2015 Volunteer, OPEN HOUSE Athens 2015 | Athens, GR
- Tour-guided visitors of Ypatia Mansion during OHA event
May 2014 Volunteer, Art-Athina 2014, International Art Fair | GR - Assisted exhibitors from Germany and Iceland - Installed artworks in exhibition kiosks
// CONFERENCES - EXHIBITIONS December 2020 Speaker, Lecture at the "circular economy" section,
Seminar: "Re" of research into our life, organised by ReCoopAuth | online https://websites.auth.gr/recoopauth/2021/01/28/
June 2015 Team exhibition, TEI of Athens student projects
PQ Prague Quadrennial, Student Section|Czech Republic
June 2015 Rapporteur, Commentator of students' Round Table Aesthetic and Ethic, Conference | Athens, Greece
December 2014 Participant, Politecnico di Milano student
Exhibition of XVII Generative Art Conference | Rome, Italy
// SOFTWARE SKILLS CAD Autodesk AutoCAD Rendering Vray 3D modelling Rhinoceros SketchUp Parametric Grasshopper Digital laser cutting fabrication CNC milling 3D printing
Adobe Photoshop Creative Ilustrator Suite InDesign Premier Programming Processing IDE (arduino) Python 3D printing Cura
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CONTENTS FOREVER PARK
page 8
S T U D Y
research community
BLUE
Coral Structures
page 6
page 14
SOUVENIRS
page 20
Plexus Morus
page 24
[RE_HUB]
page 28
Flowing Structuralism
W O R K S H O P S
A C A D E M I C
circular economy and creativity summer-school
(T)rolling machine
Parametric construction IV
page 34
page 36
page 40
A cultural and plastic pollution awareness hub 5
CORAL STRUCTURES Study: Christos Kourtidis March 2021
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This is a study on computational design strategies based on growth systems. The goal was to experiment with forms generated by the growth loop that was applied on a variety of curves. The formal experimentation resulted in a series of coral-like artifacts. Then, the selected generated model was prepared to be 3D printed by a KUKA (KR200L140) robot with an extruder attached. A singular tool-path was generated, and a robotic construction simulation for 3D printing was setted up using KUKA.prc.
generated curves
loft surface
generated tool-path
3D printed model
robotic simulation
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FOREVER PARK MSc student: Christos Kourtidis Design Thesis Supervisor: Dimitris Gourdoukis, PhD Autumn semester 2020
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component tool-box materials recyclable, natural community decentralised Forever Park is an decentralised, self-sustainable, community of researchers that are aiming to research local natural materials and novel fabrication techniques. The community is located next to Linovrochi lake at Akarnania region of Greece, an agricultural area with many wetlands. The research center is the heart of the community, hosting the materials laboratory, workshops and co-working space. Another important part is the garden were food is produced. Communal kitchen and dorms constitute the living areas. The community buildings are made with mycelium panels that were created locally by fungi and vineyards’ agricultural waste.
FOREVER SELF-SUSTAINABILITY PARK RESEARCH COMMUNITY
AREA OF INTEREST
component - physical model
photogrammetry - mesh model
CONCEPT DIAGRAM
textured digital model
surface components
MORPHOLOGY
digital model sections 9
MULTI-ZONE DIAGRAM
kitchen and dorms
LOCAL SYSTEM
LINOVROCHI LAKE research center
PROGRAM community
SITE - ISOMETRIC DIAGRAM 10
lab
garden
workshop
kitchen
study
settlement
study / co-working
laboratory
workshops
INTERIOR SPATIAL QUALITIES - ISOMETRIC DIAGRAMS
TOPOGRAPHIC PLAN
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COMMUNITY - ISOMETRIC DRAWING 12
RESEARCH CENTER - ISOMETRIC DRAWING 13
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BLUE -circular economy and creativity
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MSc students: Ariadne Kapelioti, Christos Kourtidis Praxis 02, Prof.: D. Gourdoukis, A. Telios, S. Papadimitriou, D, Kontaxakis Spring semester 2020
Activities and classes can be categorised in three basis stages: 1 - scuba diving and marine plastic waste hunting from reefs 2 - collected materials shorting and plastic recycling by upcycling toolbox 3 - individual shelter construction, and creative crafting of design and art pieces - crafting toolbox is based on Precious Plastic machines
BLUE is a concept for a summer school of circular economy and creativity, located in Naxos island, more specifically at Alikos beach. Why Naxos? Lack of recycling facilities & proper waste management. Also, there is easy access to neighboring islands’ coastlines by boat.
This summer school would run for a three-month period, while hosting various participant groups, mainly design students and young professionals. Facilities include communal kitchen, workshop, boatyard. It is organised by crafters and divers to raise awareness for marine plastic pollution in an active, educational, and creative way.
PROGRAM
Alikos beach South orientation - Not affected by summer winds “meltemia” Side beach - Not crowded by tourists Existing jetty could be extended Abandoned hotel ruins would be made good use of a temporary settlement and the summer school’s facilities
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draga-cell custom housing unit Bed & Roof Modular component - Stripe beam Stripes and Dowels connection Assemble and diasassemble - easy to store Recycled Plastic extrusioned stripe beams Energy efficiency - solar panel
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TOPOGRAPHIC DIAGRAM
EPHEMERAL HOUSING SETTLEMENT
SECTION A-A’
SECTION B-B’ 17
NEIGHBORHOOD A’
staircase and bridges
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SOUVENIRS MSc student: Christos Kourtidis Techne 01, Prof.: Dimitris Gourdoukis, PhD Autumn semester 2019
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The main task of this cource was the investigation of morphogenetic methods by parametric design tools, and the production of physical models by using digital fabrication techniques. More particularly, the generated digital designs were materialised by 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC milling router. In addition, there were analogue fabrication methods applied for model creation. Specifically, vacuum forming of PVC sheets and paper pulp molding. The aim was to genetate a series of souvenirs based on abstruction, using as starting point an architectural element from a historic building of Thessaloniki.
SU1
SU3.5
SU7
SU8
SU2
SU4
SU6
SU9
SU3
SU5
SU7.5
SU8.5 21
3D PRINTED MOLD & PAPER PULP MOLDING research & experimentation
1. cardboard waste
3. mixed with water and rice paste
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5. pressed
2. shredded
4. pulp inserted into mold
6. let to dry
PAPER PULP TEXTURES
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PLEXUS MORUS MSc students: Christos Kourtidis Panagiotis Malavazos Praxis 01, Prof.: D. Gourdoukis, A. Telios, S. Papadimitriou, D, Kontaxakis Autumn semester 2019
We have been inspired by god Hephaestus of Ancient Greek mythology to design his so called contemporary “temple”. This temple functions as a metallurgy guild that hosts practitioners and craftsmen blacksmiths, with an aim towards innovation. It is located on the mountainous side of Lemnos island, on a 10km distance from its port. The building’s form emerges as a continuous U-shape internal wall that “waves” and creates a continuous wall-floor-wall system, and two metal-plexus shells – one as external skin and another that encloses the central atrium. Overall, it appears as a semi-rusted seashell emerging from the hill. 24
On the first state of our research, we experimented with copper and clay, being inspired by Hephaestus’ copperwork ability and his chthonic nature. We aimed to create a conceptual hybrid wall system from these two different materials.
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Copper - malleable, we chose to use thin copper sheets (1mm). Clay - malleable, easy to shape and imprint it before it gets solidified. PROCESS AND TECHNIQUES Folding [1] & Hammering [2] of copper sheets to create patterns. Copper sheets’ pattern imprinted on clay [3], using pressure.
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Incisions on copper sheets to create plexus surface [4]. Pressing the copper plexus on a clay sheet, combined surface [5].
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There are workshops for various metal processes, including shorting and recycling, mechanical and machining processes, molding, and robotic fabrication. This facility is feeded by scrap metal of local industries, as well as from metal waste offered by the “devoted” community. 26
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[RE_HUB]
A cultural and plastic pollution awareness hub
Thesis project, students: Christos Kourtidis & George Kambanis Supervisor: Angelos Psilopoulos, email: angpsi@teiath.gr October 2017 - May 2018 The starting point of this project was our interest in 3D printing and our fascination for the spatial possibilities of this democratising technology. In addition, the devastating severity of global marine plastic pollution, lead us to the decision to use locally recycled plastic for our spatial intervention. In this way, the promotion of circular economy is encouraged. The process mechanical recycling of plastic
Shared on ARCHISEARCH https://www.archisearch.gr/student-works/re_hub-cultural-plastic-pollution-awareness-hub-thesis-christos-kourtidis-georgios-kampanis/
[RE_HUB] is a cultural hub located at the center of Mykonos Town with the purpose of raising awareness in the local community about plastic pollution. Therefore, it hosts educational activities, like workshops related to plastic recycling and 3D printing, and an interactive exhibition space, as well as cultural events. Why Mykonos? On the one hand, there is a huge amount of plastic water-bottle waste that is produced every year, because of the lack of drinking water on the island. On the other hand, the hub will have a tremendous visibility on a national and international level, since there are about two million visitors on Mykonos every year. The aesthetic of our space is resulting from the idea of hybridity in spatial terms and it is expressed by the solid – translucent dipole. The term solid is referring to the existing space that has stone walls with white stucco, wooden floors, ceilings (when conserved) and windows. On the other hand, the term translucent refers to the light transmitting quality of the new plastic organism that inhabits the interior space, made from 3D printed recycled PET cells. The new organism emerges from the ceilings of the interior space. Those courved forms are metaphorically flow towards the walls and to central spatial points of attraction. The image of those flowing, triangulated and translucent forms will be memorable to the visitors. We intended to create an interesting spatial impression that invites more people into this active space.
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LOBBY 29
break space
amphitheatre
lobby
NORTH-WEST EXTERIOR
SOUTH-WEST EXTERIOR
offices
craft workshop
co-work space
factory art space workshop
3DP workshop
exhibition
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ENTRANCE
café-bar
EXPLODED ISOMETRIC
3DP WORKSHOP
AMPHITHEATRE
EXHIBITION SPACE
CAFÉ-BAR
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SECTION DD’
SECTION AA’
NORTH VIEW
WEST VIEW
SOUTH VIEW
EAST VIEW
FORM EVOLUTION
3D printed panel in 1:1 scale
D1 D1 Detail of the Detail of the connection connection of of3D 3D printed printed roof panel the roof with panel wall with the wall
Isometric drawing of the exhibition’s 3D printed roof structure 33
W O R K S H O P S
Flowing Structuralism from design to fabrication
IoA travelling workshops 2018 IoA travelling workshops 2018
In collaboration with the MSc. Advanced Design: Innovation and Transdisciplinarity in Architectural Design, AUTh
Participants: Annie Theologi, Christos Kourtidis, Evgnosia Mentesidou, Kalliopi Valsamidou, Katerina Altini Location: AUTh, School of Architecture, Thessaloniki Authors / Tutors: Efilena Baseta, Lenia Mascha Organiser: Stavros Vergopoulos December 2018 34
On this five-day workshop, we challenged to explore the application potentials of computational design techniques, structural analysis and fabrication processes. The task was to design a self-supported free-form shell complex using as a reference the ongoing evolution of the ‘Endless House’ of Frederick Kiesler.
GENERATED MODEL
LOADS DIAGRAM
STRESS LINES
The selected geometry was structurally analyzed with Finite-Element-Methods (Karamba 3D) and evaluated. Selected stress lines were used as support elements for the bubbles-like form. Finally, we challenged to realise the design results in both digital and physical fabrication processes. We modeled an architectural prototype using dow foam that was milled and sliced by CNC router. The pieces were connected into one solid model, which we covered with plaster fabric to reinforced it. This model was used as a base for vacuum forming our PVC molds that form our final model.
PLASTER FABRIC COVER
CNC MILLING DOW FOAM
VACUUM FORMING
ENGRAVED-PVC-SHEET FORMED MODEL 35
W O R K S H O P S
(T)rolling machine Design team: Christos Kourtidis, Ilia Bebi, Magdalini Pertoleka, Pauline Goumenaki, Thanasis Vakasis Location: Δe_Λab, website: thelab.design July and November 2018 During the Interaction Design workshop, organised by The Lab Architecture, we inspired, and then designed and constructed the (T)rolling machine. It is an interactive device, which functions thanks to an Arduino board that coordinates a number of sensors. The (T)rolling machine consists of two basic parts, the exoskeleton and the heart. The first is made by 30 wooden beams which are connected by 3D printed PETG connection nodes. The heart has spherical shape and it is made from PETG as well. It contains all the electronics and microcontrollers, and it is suspended in tension with cables from exoskeleton’s nodes. Those cables are transferring to the heart the information gathered from the environment, meaning the touch and movement of people that interact with it. As a result, the machine transmits light and sound signals, in correspondence with people’s interaction, and according to its programming.
Yes, I am a machine, I obey to orders and rules. I am programmed to act unexpectedly, however, premeditated. You can not understand me, I am confusing you.
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(T)rolling machine is placed in Nea Smyrni square in order to interact with people. Its reactions are defined by three stages: IDLE, TOUCH, MOVEMENT. IDLE Firstly, at the beginning of this stage, the machine is sleeping (I1) and the heart light’s blue periodically. After a short time period, it wakes up (I2) and trying to attract attention by lighting bright white light from the heart and exoskeleton’s LED strips, while Morse code sound can be heard from the buzzer. Unless someone touch it, it goes in sleeping mode and then in awake mode, repeatedly. TOUCH Secondly, if a person touch the exoskeleton, more precisely an aluminium strip, (t)rolling machine’s mode stage changes. For the first 5 touches it reacts awkwardly (T1) by lighting the heart from blue to white repeatedly. Also, if there is no human touch for 20 seconds, the machine returns to the I1 mode. In case of more than 5 touches in less than 20”, it moves on to the happiness mode (T2). Now, heart lights from blue to magenta and buzzer sounds “happy” in Morse code. Again, if no one touch it for 20”, it returns to the previous mode (T1). However, when repetitive touches count more than 10, machine’s mode turns crazy, so magenta lights from the heart repeatedly, while buzzer transmits loudly and LED strips light randomly. Finally, in case counter reach 20 touches, the break down mode is activated, where the machine stops functioning for a short time period and counter goes zero. MOVEMENT When the machine is rotated or moved by a person, it reacts unexpectedly. More specifically, a mode from the above is selected randomly in order to function. 37
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EXPLODED DRAWING SCALE 1:10
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION Breadboard 1: Capacitive sensor is created by several passive components. Pin A0 of Arduino board is parallel connected to the tantalum capacitor C1 of 0.1 nF capacitance, the resistance R1 (1 MΩ), and the rectified diode D1 (1N4001 type). Capacitor C1 and resistance R1 are grounded. Tantalum capacitor C2 (10 nF) is connected to the diode D1 and the air-core inductor L. Also, capacitor C2 is connected with the wire which is soldered to the aluminium strips. Then, inductor L is parallel connected to two resistances, R2 (3.3 Ω) and R3 (10 KΩ). Finally, R2 is grounded and R3 connected to pin 9 of Arduino board. Breadboard 2: Gyroscope GY, buzzer J and four transistors Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4. Gyroscope’s pins VCC and GND are wired to the power supply and the ground respectively, while pins SCL and SDA are connected to the equivalent of Arduino board (I2C protocol). The buzzer J is connected to the ground and to arduino’s pin 11(PWM). The four transistors are used in order to control LED strips. Each transistor has three endpoints, the one links to the ground, the middle one to the ground of a LED strip, and the last one to an Arduino pin. More specifically, three transistors correspond to the RGB LED strip, one for each colour, and the fourth to the white light LED strip. 39
Parametric construction IV Participants: Angeliki Tzifa, Christina Geminaki, Christos Kourtidis, Maria-Christina Manousaki Location: SPACE UNDER, website: http://www.spaceunder.com/ March 2016 40
SELECTED GEOMETRY
TENTION ANALYSIS
STRUCTURE SECTIONING
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
On this workshop, organised by Space Under, we were involved in generative design process and CNC manufacturing technologies. The main objectives of the workshop are related to exploring architectural design through non-linear computational design methods and strategies. Learning process included testing the interrelation of architecture and materiality and how we can achieve complex geometries. Computational and physics simulation tools were part of the process, used in order to define a variety of alternative forms. The selected form-found geometry was processed to technical drawings, laser cutted and assembled on site. 41
THANK YOU
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