//guidomaciocci P O R T F O L I O THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT CONTAINS A SELECTION OF SAMPLES FROM ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS BY GUIDO MACIOCCI EMAIL:GMACARCHITECT@GMAIL.COM
//PROTEUS: multisensory alternate reality MA Digital Ekistics: New Virtual Online Settlements 2009. Proteus can be described as an alternate reality; a term first cited in G.S. Elrick’s Sci-Fi handbook published in 1978. It is defined as “another way of experiencing existence”. The project proposes an altered experience of the virtual and physical environment mediated by a neuro haptic interface. It seeks to question the current models of use, occupancy and habitation of 3d virtual worlds and the devices that afford us access to these spaces. The central concern of the project has been the relation and reconciliation between the haptic/physical and the retinal/electronic. This has demanded two clear tactical approaches: for the haptic/physical the design of open source systems of hardware and software have been proposed. This approach seeks to enable emergent uses for those technologies rather than constrain or control behaviour, as is the case with proprietary technologies. The retinal/electronic environment was developed through a process of design research and development, which involved an assessment of current provision and speculations on how digital spaces might afford unique opportunities for spatial interactions. 2
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//flowscape Graduate Diploma in Architecture thesis proposal. Situated on the riverfront of the the Medway River in Chatham, Kent, Flowscape is a project that investigates the potentials of hybrid urban programs that emerge from the coexistence of infrastructural, social, ludic and environmental conditions within a single integrated matrix. Flowscape developed through a bottom-up design research process where initial exploration of abstract origami tesselations provided the basis for the development of material systems and a conceptual basis for the project that investigates artificial landscapes as inflections of the ground plane based on underlying global logics (tesselation patterns) and localised conditions (hydrology, topography, land use). Flowscape is a generative, self-similar, differentiated modular landscape that populates the riverfront site based on the gradient distribution of surface flow and polluted run-off from the city in relation to site topography in order to ameliorate the quality of the local mudflats and river--a protected natural habitat and ecological niche threatened by the levels of pollution and erosion caused by run-off and a hardedged flood system. The distribution and orientation of the modules that compose the landscape attempts to slow down, redirect, filter and clean surface run-off as well as increasing sedimentation of the mudflats by softening the flood defenses in relation to the river’s edge. Flowscape povides a public space freely populated by local species of flora and fauna increasing the site’s biodiversity whilst creating an urban agricultural program through the provision of punctually situated semi-subterranean mushroom grow-pods. 2
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//tiberian(e)scape ROME City Vision Competition entry, 2010. HONOURABLE MENTION Design Team: Guido Maciocci, Matthieu Gabay The project proposes to reinstate the once essential relationship of Rome with its river Tiber through a diffuse network of capillary connections across the river. Intensifying in areas of increased pedestrian flow the network is formally characterised by a suspended web of interconnected walkways and vertical tower clusters puntually situated and nodal intersections. The growth of the network is generated parametrically and based on a mapping of pedestrian intensity gradients along and around the river. Three systems are proposed in order to allow the connective network to become alive as a hybrid, biotechnological landscape. The landscape operates as a filter cleaning the river’s highly polluted waters by pumping (tower clusters) water through the rootsystems of specifically selected plant species hosted on the planted walkways--thus feeding the vegetation--and back into the river again. The towers rise above the landscape and dematerialise into interwoven structures that function as dormitories for the migrating starlings in the fall (a spectacle for which the city is famous). Part of the energy to drive the system is obtained via hydroelectric turbines at the base of the towers. The underside of the walkways is populated by an articulated piezo-electric skin that exploits the air currents resulting from tunneling effect of the river and differential temperature gradients to generate energy through the deformation of its surface (background image). 2
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//appellux : custom lamp design The project explores the emerging potentials of small scale digital craft and fabrication in the context of the mass customisation and algorithmic design. APELLUX is a design concept for a laser cut, slot-in assembly, LED ceiling lamp constructed from sustainably sourced birch ply. The form of the lamp is generated by an algorithm that produces unique lamellar surfaces within predefined limits of heigth, inner and outer diameter (to house the light source). The form is driven by the buyer’s name and birthdate which are interpreted as a string of numbers that drive specific parameters of the resulting lamellar surface. Hence the name, APPELLUX; a combination of two latin words; appello (name) and lux (light). Each lamp is therefore totally unique, yet recognisable as part of a set; generated and fabricated to order. As lamps are fabricated, their iconic representations are published online so as to provide a catalogue of all previous iterations to all buyers (reinforcing the concept of owning something unique whilst sharing a collective interest with others). As an example of the capacity of the algorithm, the names of some of the best rock guitarists in history are used to generate a series of unique lamps (see images above and right). The design process attempts to create an (almost) infinite set of self-similar objects exploiting the potential of generative design to maintain coherency whilst generating incredible variety. 2 0 1 2
//augmented:ecologies Augmented Ecologies is an interactive installation that brings together living plants and sensing technology in a biotechnological, kinesthetic human interface that seeks to generate new relationships between man and nature, nature and technology, body and space, space and information. Within the highly mediated technological and data rich world in which we currently operate, Augmented Ecologies immerses users in an environment where their perceptions of “nature” and “technology” are questioned, remixed and expanded. Living plants are combined a variety of sensors to create a hybrid, biotechnological living interface for the manipulation of video and sound. The video consists of a dynamic real time simulation of two co-existing flocks of agents whilst the soundscape is composed continuously by a generative synthesiser with various shifting sonic patterns of droning bass and high frequencies. The two combined create a dynamic soft space defined by light and sound. Users may influence, but not control, the characteristics of these two elements through their tactile and spatial interactions with the living plants resulting in diverse emergent behaviours within the system. Full immersion emreges through learning and understanding the interface. Surpassing the tool, the user is fully exposed to the effects. VIDEO: AE @ Destelheide Vormingscentrum, Dworp, BE. http://vimeo.com/19100808 PHOTOS AND LINKS: http://goo.gl/8oIbE 2
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