PARAMETRIC MODULATIONS

Computational Design Workshop

Material Driven, in collaboration with rat[LAB]EDUCATION // Global Visiting School LONDON 2020

Level: [Basic + Intermediate]

Tools: [Rhinoceros3D+Grasshopper3D]

www.materialdriven.com/parametricmodulations-ratlab-london

www.rat-lab.org/gvslondon2020

// Level

Basic & Intermediate (Previous parametric design knowledge not obligatory).

Use Promo Code Xmas40 for a LIMITED TIME festive waiver! [ 40% OFF ]

// Agenda

Parametric Design, in the history of architecture, has defined many rules for current designers and for future practitioners to follow. One of the strongest aspects that are prominent from this style is ‘geometry’. Arguably, there is nothing new about geometry and aesthetics forming the most prominent aspect of any style or era. The language of any style, in the long history of architecture, is visually defined by geometry or shape, beyond the principles that define the core of the style. In the distinguishable style of parametric architecture, geometry has played, and is continuing to play an integral role. And with this fairly young style, there are many strings of myths and false notions associated.

The workshop aims to provide a detailed insight to ‘parametric design’ and embedded logics behind it through a series of design explorations using Rhinoceros & Grasshopper platforms, along with understanding of data-driven design strategies. An insight to Computational Design and its subsets of Parametric Design, Algorithmic Design, Generative Design and Evolutionary Design will be provided through presentations, technical sessions & studio work. Studio work will be focusing on modulation of geometry and iterative form using Parametric Design methods that will lead to explorations of spatial geometries that can be articulated as architectural constructs or abstract artistic interventions.

// Methodology

Workshop has been structured to teach participants the use of Grasshopper® (Generative modelling plug-in for Rhinoceros 3D) as a generative tool, and ways to integrate it with architectural design process. There will be a focus on parametric modulation of geometry that can lead to a design process that utilizes data to inform geometry and space through use of Grasshopper3D and its associated plug-ins that would be introduced during the 3-day programme.

The 3-day studio / workshop shall focus on inculcating the following aspects as a part of syllabus:

• Computational Design Techniques & Parametric Design
• Data, Mathematics & Geometry
• Geometry Rationalization
• Iterative Form Development
• Digital simulation of forces
• Environmental Analysis (Basics)
• Documentation and Presentation

// Cities & Dates

London, UK:  15^th, 16^th, 17^th January 2020 (Wednesday to Friday)

Anglo Educational Services

(The Montague Room) 45 Russell Square, Holborn,

London WC1B 4JP,

United Kingdom Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/YBeBqv7HCZPqSre46

// Schedule

DAY 01 [SKILL BUILDING]

• Presentations / Lectures on Parametric Design & Computational Thinking
• Talk/Presentation on use of Computational Design in architecture.
• Introduction to Rhinoceros 3D – GUI & Basic Use
• Grasshopper GUI & Basic Functionality
• Points, Lines, Surfaces.
• Parameters, Inputs, Numbers.
• Simple & Referenced Geometry, Locally Defined Geometry, Baking, etc.
• Lists & Data Tree Management
• Data Manipulation & Visualization
• Surface Tessellations

DAY 02 [IDEATION, SKETCH, COMPUTE]

• Patterns & Geometric Explorations
• Release of pre-designed tools (Grasshopper scripts) to all participants
• Functionality of tools for design explorations
• Design development (Team work)
• Discussions on submission panels & output
• Documentation

DAY 03  [DEVELOP, VISUALISE, DOCUMENT]

• Group Discussions & Preparation of Panels
• 3D Visualizations, Diagrams, Drawing Preparations
• Presentation of participant works
  • Timings for each day would be 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM.
  • There will be talks on each day by guest tutors on subjects related to computational design.
  • Each day would be followed by an optional informal session with tutors & organizers. (Not obligatory to attend).

Note:

//PARTICIPATION FEE & CATEGORIES

A- Student Category : £ 295 

Early-bird: £ 236 (20% fee waiver)

(Currently enrolled in a B.Arch. / BA / B.Sc. or equivalent undergraduate programmes)

B- Academics / Post-graduate students /PhD Researchers : £ 345 

Early-bird: £ 276 (20% fee waiver)

(Currently enrolled in a M.Arch. / MA / M.Sc. or equivalent postgraduate programmes)

C- Professionals / Graduates: £ 395 

Early-bird: £ 316 (20% fee waiver)

(Currently working / practicing architecture or similar profession)

*GROUP DISCOUNTS available on request. Contact organizers for queries.

Use Promo Code Xmas40 for a LIMITED TIME festive waiver! [ 40% OFF ]

*Please note that all participants will be required to show ID proof and student / academic status as per category. Failure to submit a proof of student status (or graduation year proof) will lead to a non-refundable cancellation.

//REGISTRATION DATES

Early-bird Registrations Open: 07^th Nov 2019

Early-bird registrations End: 2330 hrs GMT, 30^th Nov 2019 [Limited spots for early-bird]

General Registrations End: 2330 hrs GMT, 31^st Dec 2019 [Registration will close earlier if all spots are filled up]

*All registrants during early-bird period will receive an online course preparation tool-kit and access to video tutorial to prepare for the workshop in advance. An early registration is advisable to block your spot & prepare well for the workshop.

// Tutors & Speakers

• The 3-day workshop would be taught by rat[LAB] Co-Founder Sushant Verma (Architect, Computational Designers, Educator).
• Induction on ‘Innovation in Materiality’ would be given by Adele Orcajada (Partner, MaterialDriven).
• There will be guest lectures / talks during the workshop focusing on Design Technology & Computational Design from industry experts. List of guest tutors & speakers will be unveiled in due course of time.

// Software & skills 

• Basic 3D modelling skills in any software are preferred (Previous knowledge of Rhino3D is not obligatory).
• Participants should bring their own laptop with pre-installed software.

NOTE: Grasshopper does not fully function on Rhino for MAC. A windows-enabled laptop is necessary.

// Level

Basic & Intermediate (Previous parametric design knowledge not obligatory).

The workshop will cover basics and intermediate level of Parametric Design through use of Grasshopper3D. Some of the advanced aspects such as Environmental Design using Ladybug & Honeybee, physics simulation using Kangaroo, etc would also be introduced towards the end of the workshop as a demonstration.

// Software Downloads

Rhino free version can be downloaded from here.

Grasshopper free-version can be downloaded here. (Required if you have Rhino5 Version- Rhino6 comes with GH inbuilt)

Additional software & plug-ins will be provided in the workshop.

// Workshop Overview

• Studio is structured to teach participants the use of computational techniques through Grasshopper® (Generative modeling plug-in for Rhino®) and ways to integrate it with architectural and spatial design.
• No previous knowledge of Grasshopper & Rhinoceros is required for the workshop as basic technical knowledge will be provided on Day 1.
• Pre-designed customizable tools will be provided on Day 2 for design explorations & experimentations, pertaining to applications for architectural projects as per studio brief.
• The studio is flexible to basic, intermediate & advanced users of computation.
• The workshop is curated in the form of a design studio with collective learning than mere software sessions.

// Eligibility & Visa Rules

• Workshop is open to architecture and design students, academicians and professionals from all parts of UK & EU.
• Having an educational background of architecture or similar spatial design stream is a requisite. Basic knowledge of 3D modelling is important for quick learning.
• All international participants must check visa eligibility rules as per their local embassies and request for necessary documents. Organizers will provide invite letter on request.
• Travel and Accommodation costs (if applicable) are to be borne by each participant themselves.

// About Organizers

MaterialDriven is a design agency and materials library which serves as an interface between the developers of sustainable, new materials and studios, brands or institutions seeking to learn about and apply them. With a curated range of materials in their collection, the company’s expertise lies in locating and sourcing innovative materials, as well as understanding their applications, and impact across industries.

Encompassing projects that are educational, curatorial and commercial in nature, MaterialDriven delivers talks, exhibitions and workshops, market intelligence, product development, design development for interiors and project management. Serving the Architecture, Fashion, Interior and Product Design, and Consumers Goods industries, MaterialDriven has a presence in the UK, and US.

Parametric Modulations is MaterialDriven’s first collaboration with rat[LAB]EDUCATION and represents the company’s continued interest in the relationship between materials, fabrication, design and technology. MaterialDriven’s USP lies in its relationships with creative professionals and the support it provides for their growth. Parametric Modulations is another step in helping them build a strategic and diverse design toolkit.

// About collaborators & Studio Tutor

GLOBAL VISITING SCHOOL is an offshoot of rat[LAB]EDUCATION that delves into a global dialogue on Design Technology, Parametric Design & Computational Design applied in domains of architecture, art, fashion and material sciences through curation of workshops, training programmes, talks and symposiums across various geographical territories. GVS (Global Visiting School) collaborates with independent organizations, domain experts, universities and visionary institutions to engage in a dialogue on Design Technology through various mediums. Having a vast global footprint in countries such as UK, USA, Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Egypt, Philippines, Ukraine, Belarus and India, GVS continues to expand through independently organized workshops and lecture series in various cities across the globe to create a singular network of researchers, computational designers and technology experts that directly and indirectly contribute to the evolving parent organization rat[LAB]. rat[LAB]EDUCATION is headquartered in New Delhi and has successfully organized 60+ national-level workshops in India with over 1500+ students and professionals of architecture and design as its core participants through Summer-Winter School programmes. It also co-heads Smart Labs, a 6-month part-time programme on Computational Design in India which has 100+ students spread across 3 batches. GVS aims to inculcate a collaborative and open-learning culture by evolving an open-source knowledge base for all and democratising design technology education.

Sushant Jai-Amita Verma is a Design Entrepreneur, Architect, Computational Designer & Educator, currently leading rat[LAB] Studio (Research in Architecture and Technology) (www.rat-lab.org) that investigates intersections of design, art & technology through architecture, interior design and art installations. He holds a Masters Degree in Emergent Technologies & Design from Architectural Association, London and is a former architect at Zaha Hadid Architects, London & a Sr. Editor at Arch2O. He is the founder of rat[LAB] EDUCATION, which is an initiative to spread the idea of computation in design through independently-organized design workshops for profession and academia. Recipient of MAK Schindler Award from Vienna / Los Angeles and a finalist for AIA Emerging Leaders Fellowship from Chicago, his work is widely published and exhibited in London, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, San Francisco, Taipei, New Delhi, Mumbai among other places. He has been shortlisted in New Delhi among 5 architects for ’20 under 35’ Exhibition at Alliance Francaise de Delhi, featured as iGen 2017 Top 50 Gen-Next Designers in India, tagged as ‘Rising Star’ by Surfaces Reporter India, among other features. Sushant joined the elite list of TEDx Speakers by speaking at TEDxGurugram on ‘Smart Cities need Smarter Design Education’. His second TEDxTalk was recently given at the prestigious IIT KGP where he inspired the young professionals to pursue their passions in Design & Technology. He was recently selected to be a MentorOfChange for Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by NITI Aayog (National Institute for Transforming India), a policy think tank by Government of India where he shares his knowledge of design technologies to school students pursuing high school education to inculcate a culture of innovation and R&D in India. He also started and currently heads Smart Labs – India’s first 6 month hybrid programme on Computational Design that blends studio learning and e-learning using a technology-oriented approach. His third TEDxTalk was delivered at IIT Bhubaneswar on Diffusion of Technology in Architecture recently.

// About Media Partners:

ARCH DAILY

ArchDaily is the official Media Partner for Parametric Modulations : Global Visiting School LONDON 2020. Selected works of participants developed in the workshop will be showcased on ArchDaily’s media channels after the workshop.

ArchDaily (https://archdaily.com/) is a weblog covering architectural news, projects, products, events, interviews and competitions, opinion pieces, among others, catering to architects, designers and other interested parties. ArchDaily is the most visited architecture website worldwide, with over 500,000 daily readers and about 160 million page views per month as of 2016. Founded in March 2008 by David Basulto and David Assael, ArchDaily includes three regional websites in Spanish (Plataforma Arquitectura, ArchDaily México, ArchDaily Colombia, and ArchDaily Perú), Portuguese (ArchDaily Brasil), and Chinese (ArchDaily China). What started as a platform to collect the most important information to help architects create better architecture, became a fast growing technology company that delivers inspiration, tools and knowledge to the 13.6 million architects that visit and use ArchDaily each month.

PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE

PA (Parametric-Architecture) Magazine is the official Media Partner for Parametric Modulations : Global Visiting School LONDON 2020. Selected works of participants developed in the workshop will be showcased on PA’s media channels after the workshop.

PA (https://parametric-architecture.com/) is an art, architecture, and design magazine focusing on parametric, computational, and digital design. We believe that the world around us is parametric, and since we are able to define and change these parameters with computers simultaneously while in the design process, it can become one of the most interesting design approaches ever. Our objective is to push the boundaries of design by informing every designer about this phenomenon. 

More details about workshops:

www.materialdriven.com/parametricmodulations-ratlab-london

www.rat-lab.org/gvslondon2020

Queries: 

Adele Orcajada : adele@materialdriven.com

Purva Chawla : purvac@materialdriven.com

rat[LAB]EDUCATION: education@rat-lab.org

*Kindly use PARAMETRIC MODULATIONS LONDON in Subject Line, for any queries.