XI Seminario Internacional: The Digital Reveal | Architecture in the Post-Digital Age

XI International

Symposium of Architecture

2016

01 / 02

September

Centro de Convenciones G贸nzalo Jimenez de Quesada Bogot谩 / Colombia Cra. 13b # 26-10

COLOMBIA / NORWAY / USA / UK / AUSTRIA / CANADA / PERU

XI International

Symposium of Architecture

1. INTRODUCTION There has been great interest in incorporating the use of computational technologies in the field of architecture over the past couple of decades. These integrations have catalyzed innovative changes in the way one thinks about, designs and makes architecture. Digital tools are not only being used to expedite traditional processes, but have also impacted the creative process. Simulation, visualization, programming, coding and scripting have become the means to enable the designer to engage in iterative processes more fluidly. At the level of making, significant advances have been made in terms of the technology available to the general population. Digital fabrication equipment, new materials and a craftsman mindset have fostered physical modelling and prototyping.

Furthermore, these tools potentiate the designer by allowing for a more direct relation with detailing and the construction process.

With these advances, the handling digital tools has become indispensable for architects. Therefore, academia must promote the incessant practice of adoption and adaptation of new hardware and software to prepare the next generation of designers, architects, engineers and planners to be proactive, agile and innovative. This pedagogical stance is necessary to ensure that students become proficient at this level so that they make meaningful contributions to the contemporary practice.

The architecture program of our university, Universidad Piloto de Colombia, was founded over 50 years ago by students who sought a new form of education that would more deeply reflect the local context. The programme has grown and is now the largest in the country. Over the past decade, two new undergraduate programmes have been formed; graphic design and spaces and stage design.

We also have the M Arch programme and a master’s in Urban Management.

Nowadays, within the immediate context of Bogota, several academic programs are implementing design and fabrication processes using digital tools for pedagogical purposes. However, there is not a clear trajectory in terms of research nor a systematic use of these tools inside the academic curriculum are evident. Therefore, this symposium aims to be an important instrument for the appropriation and critical maturation of digital thinking in the local design context. Through the event, The Digital Reveal, we will expose students, professors and practitioners to selected pioneering work being realized around the world which we hope will inspire a critical dialogue to advance both education and practice in Latin America.

2. SUBJECT DESCRIPTION Well into the 21st century and the advent of the computer a century behind, designers are confronting the post-digital information age , and as architects we are exploring how to integrate new technologies into the design and construction practices. At the same time, continued development and new discoveries constantly appear in an open source networked global community which aim to not only expedite traditional processes but further extend the capabilities of the discipline in a quest to embrace our role of addressing the complexities of our contemporary problems. Nonetheless, in architecture, the image basis found in the search for creating icons still profoundly undermines the possibilities that the “digital”, “parametric”, or “computational” have to offer.

By illustrating current practices of architects, engineers and researchers that explicitly take advantage of computation beyond the purely aesthetic, and actually revealing how computation is

2016

XI International

Symposium of Architecture

enabling more integrated developments of design and production for them, we intend to build a platform that demonstrates how the contemporary context is variegated due to the plethora of directions one can pursue architectural projects digitally. The ultimate hope is that students gain a critical eye towards tendencies and look to discover deeper levels of engagement beyond representation and the image.

3. OBJECTIVES This conference has three main objectives: · To present a global panorama of computational supported architectural design to a general audience of over 1500 architecture students, and some 200 external professionals. · To instruct a selected group of 30 students about specific techniques and tools (Parallel Workshops). · To support links between the School and external academic and industry experts, towards the construction of academic (research and post-graduate programme) collaborations.

4. INVITED SPEAKERS · Arch. Michael Hensel / The Oslo School of Architecture and Design / Norway · Arch. Marc Fornes / THEVERYMANY™ / USA · Ing. Shrikant Sharma / Buro Happold Engineering / UK · Arch. Sean Ahlquist / University of Michigan / USA · Ing. Clemens Preisinger / Bollinger-Grohmann / Austria · Arch. Brady Peters / University of Toronto / Canada · Arch. Michael Szivos / Softlab / USA · Arch. Daniel Cardoso / Carnegie Mellon University / USA · Arch. Pablo Herrera / Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas / Perú · Arch. Ingrid Paoletti / Politecnico di Milano / Italia Other peer-reviewed national and international presenters. The conference will also include 20 selected presenters, explaining architectural projects where digital tools have been implemented to support and improve performance, time and-or final costs.

5. INTENDED PUBLIC The audience of this conference can be classified into four types of participants: · Students: They make the bulk of the public, and will both attend the conference and the Workshops. · Academics: Invited academics from leading institutions in latin-america. · National and international presenters: Professional or academic project actors, selected by peer reviews. · General public: Local professionals interested in the technologies, to attend the conference and visit the exhibition.

2016

XI International

Symposium of Architecture

6. MAIN TOPICS · High performance architecture. · Information flows and new design processes. · Integrated design, fabrication and production.

7. PUBLICATION The presented projects and a summary of the main presentations will be compiled into a book, edited in Spanish to allow for a wider local audience. The information will be published in these formats: · Web: Open access downloadable .pdf · Printed: Booklet of 23cms*16cms with 200 pp, available to conference participants and the general public.

8. IMPORTANT DATES · Call for projects / 30 March 2016 · Project proposals due / 20 April 2016 · Authors informed of results of project reviews / 30 April 2016 · Workshop proposals due / 30 April 2016 · Authors informed of results of poster and workshop reviews / 15 May 2016 · Accepted revised project documentation due / 15 May 2016 · Workshops / 29, 30, 31 August 2016 · Conference / 1-2 September 2016

2016