Physical & Digital Modelling

Physical & Digital Modelling is a series of workshops which ran for two years, focussing on the similarities and differences between physical and digital model making and form finding. Crucial for this studio was the notion of the model as an explorative medium.  Models can not only be used to communicate design intentions to other people involved in the building process but is instrumental in shaping the design itself. The question behind this workshop was whether digital and analogue models could be used as working models, playing an active role in the design process, rather than presentation models.

 

In this we followed the ideas of an agile design1 : focusing on small, proto-architectural sub-assignments, both limited in scope and time. It took the form series of intensive seminars in which we strongly encouraged a learning by doing & making approach. Students were asked to design an exhibition pavilion within the school’s courtyard by modelling directly in 3D (both physical and digital). We limited the programmatic scope of the design, so students could freely explore physical / digital modelling as a design tool, and be conscious of their design decisions.

 

Each workshop started with a theoretical introduction followed by an exercise that needed to be completed within a short time span. The first four weeks were focused on individual experiment with both physical and digital modelling techniques, the last four to integrating different techniques and finalizing the design, in groups of four students. Students kept a weblog, in which the different techniques used and crucial steps in the design process where documented.

 

More images of the 2009 and 2010 workshop.

 

role: tutor, organiser

collaborator: Tiemen Schotsaert

 

Jun 2009 | category: Workshop | tags: digital, exploration, model, pavilion, physical, play