Muddy Makings – Natural Materials in Digital Commons

This workshop will be pursued through a hybrid of theory and practice.

In WEEK 1: MATERIALS KNOWLEDGE, students will investigate and present a range of materials, techniques, and recipes, so to speak. They will engage in 3D printable models within the Rhino and Grasshopper environment and generate sapiently designed printing paths in form of gcodes (i.e., a set of commands that control the 3D printing machines), while also gaining experience on how to develop an extrudable paste with the help of material designer experts. During the afternoons, the students will start their design study by collecting precedents on communal spaces and spaces to rest in different cultures around the world.

In WEEK 2: FABRICATION SOCIALIZATIONS, students will focus on the acts of togetherness in making one collective large-scale architectural installation, selected among the different design proposals developed by the students. The fabrication phase will take place on site to assess the feasibility of the technology in real world conditions. The workshop will conclude with a community celebration, providing an opportunity to engage with and within the final installation and to reflect on the learning process. A final presentation will allow students to present and share their experiences with other members of the community and discuss future applications of low-tech technologies in futuristic craft and design. This gathering will foster dialogues between students, faculty, community members, and participants, reinforcing the importance of collective creations within domesticity of materials.