Jaume Mercader
PORTFOLIO 2020
bio
Jaume Mercader I come from Barcelona, where I trained as an Architect. I spent some years working at different practices, including the Sagrada FamĂlia church construction. For a long time, I was interested in computation in Architecture, and trained myself in parametric design tools and systems. In 2018, I moved to Denmark to study at CITA’s Master’s Degree. I have become conscious about the current challenges of architecture, as well as learned some paths through which young professionals, like myself, can contribute to change our construction culture towards a sustainable future.
index
2020 2020 2019 2019 2018
CITA [KADK] Scavenging Architecture ............................................................... 4 Print fast, pile high.........................................................................15 Paper Architecture ........................................................................20 Robotic Fabrication .......................................................................30 Textile Architecture .......................................................................32
2016-18
Work Experience Sagrada FamĂlia .............................................................................42 Contact Info ......................................................................................47
SCAVENGING SCAVENGING ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECTURE
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scavenging architecture As modern construction has tended to disregard debris and demolition sites as useless waste, the notion that one can take a piece of rubble and use it [...] remains starkly unconsidered. My Master’s Thesis attempted to open a discussion about the role of waste material in modern cities, facing challenges such as material scarcity and carbon emissions. The work was inspired by traditional techniques used in nineteenth century construction in Catalonia, as irregular-tile cladding allowed the upcycling of ceramic debris and eventually flourished as the main aesthetic feature of Catalan Art Nouveau. My project assumed the challenge of designing with sets of unpredictable, irregular objects. “Current computer design tools tend towards strategic thinking decisions being made, because of the methodology that is embedded in them�. My digital methods acknowledged this understanding, and established design platforms that take tactical decisions about how to arrange discrete objects in pursuit of design goals. 5
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gen 0
gen 1
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gen 4 load-bearing discrete element
non-structural discrete
composite system
unstructured aggregate
soil
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present
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y +50 reuse
roof tiles
upcycling
corrugated steel
upcycling
broken tiles
reuse
cast iron
downcycling
masonry
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print fast pile high During the 3rd semester, we explored clay printing as a context for Frep modelling and investigation. With the design goal of erecting a clay tower, we faced challenges such as wall slenderness, buckling and other material specificities. We gained good knowledge of Frep modelling workflows, as well as familiarity with the printing process and particular properties of the material and how to inform them. 15
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paper architecture Amid growing concern for the construction industry’s extractive culture, the need arises for more efficient material usage. One underinvestigated field is that of curved-folding in architecture. The principle of curved-folding lies in the fold’s capacity to produce stiffness in more than one direction, thus enabling sheet material to perform under a variety of stresses, like those present in actual structures. One of the obstacles in the real practice use of curved-folding is the lack of accurate design tools for representing and evaluating curved-folding elements. This project aimed to bridge the gap between manual experimentation and state-of-the-art design processes. The scope of this project was to explore and expand current design methods for curved folding sheet geometries. A parametric tool was built, and its potential was demonstrated with the modeling and fabrication of physical prototypes. 21
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PAPER SAMPLES
COMPUTER SIMULATION
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SUNLIGHT HOUR ANALYSIS
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Robotic Fabrication and Assembly 30
In the span of 1 week, we designed, fabricated and assembled a simple system with cnc and robotic means. This workshop introduced us to robotic technology and provided us with tools to integrate robots in our design workflow. We were trained both in UR collaborative robots as well as in ABB industrial robots.
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textile architecture
The first semester at CITA was organized around workshop projects. In groups of 6, we were introduced to textile architecture and several investigation subjects, such as membrane structures, cnc-based knitting, kinetic structures... The collection displayed here contains, thus, not only my work, but the outcome of this team effort.
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workshop 1: inhabitated membranes Elastic membrane, GFSR rods, string, zip ties
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Workshop 2: material design knitting machine
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Generative designed patterns 1D / 2D Cellular automata
These patterns enable the designer to assign a certain parameter to a knit. We experimented with different loop sizes, materials... in order to gain control of the performance of our material. Certain yarns with different stiffnesses bind together to deform the plane of the knit, enabling us to speculate with certain approaches to shading performance and color.
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pattern explorations
laser-cut punched card
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sagrada famĂlia I worked in the Sagrada FamĂlia Construction team for two years. My mission was to provide the building teams with 3D project data, as well as auxiliary elements and theodolite layouts. I took oportunity of this chance and improved the existing workflow with a novel parametric design approach. It speeded up the CAD/CAM chores, eased design and production of special formworks and structure elements and increased the precision with wich these elements were designed and later fabricated in the workshop.
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linkedin.com/in/jaume-mercader instagram.com/jaume_mercader hola@jaumemercader.com www.jaumemercader.com
Jaume Mercader Llobera Š2021