The seminar is intended to prepare students for the application of complex construction materials in load-bearing structures, building envelopes as well as in other diverse architectural contexts.
The seminar covers a wide range of different materials going from traditional materials, i.e. concrete, steel, wood and glass, to nowadays lightweight materials, i.e. bio materials, composites, textiles and polymers.
Furthermore, understanding of the properties, characteristics and structural behaviour of these materials and related knowledge of compounds, layered elements as well as fibre reinforcement possibilities shall allow proper and intentional usage in architectural and structural applications.
A number of concepts of applying these materials in different design/structural and interactive contexts will be tackled in details throughout an experimental approach.
The students will actively work in groups, with real materials and will have the chance to integrate an interactive system in their prototype.
Architectural students will design and explore the structural functionality and the responsiveness of their materials’ systems in one of four different folding concepts that will be integrated in this course framework.
This is considered an experimental approach towards design, how to integrate materiality, structure and responsiveness in a new format.