Archinect - News

Princeton University explores algorithm-based construction design with New York-based research group The Living

2019-07-18T13:51:00-04:00

Commissioned by Princeton University, this project is simple in form but sophisticated in function. It involves an “open source building” to host research on the future of construction and computation. Just as biologists use an electron microscope to study organisms, architects will use this structure to study buildings.

The idea of algorithms designing buildings may sound exciting to some and concerning to others. However, after decades of attempts at harnessing this process, companies like The Living may have cracked the system to automatically generating building designs. The New York-based research studio focuses on computation, sustainability practices, and biology to explore variations of building prototyping.

Image courtesy of Pablo Marvel/Nova Concepts

Image courtesy of Michael Moran/Michael Moran Photography, Inc.

In a recent news release from the studio, the team shares their new collaborative project with Princeton University. "The Embodied Computation Lab is a building that includes new sustainability and low-carbon features, and the facade involves the use of custom algorithms trained to detect knots in wood—bringing the power of machine learning to the physical world."

With technology rapidly changing the way architects, designers, and construction teams work together, The Living has i...

David Benjamin of The Living and Kate Orff of SCAPE make Rolling Stone's list for the "25 People Shaping the Future in Tech, Science, Medicine, Activism and More"

2017-11-29T20:27:00-05:00

Architect David Benjamin of The Living and Kate Orff of SCAPE have both been selected by Rolling Stone as some of the "25 People Shaping the Future in Tech, Science, Medicine, Activism and More."

Benjamin, a previous YAP winner and "socially conscious mad scientist" according to Rolling Stone, is known for his innovation and experimentation in building materials. Past notable projects have included organic bricks made from mushrooms and unusually light airplane parts made from algorithms based off mold growth.

Also making the list, Orff, who runs the landscape-architecture and urban design firm SCAPE, is a recent recipient of the 2017 MacArthur Grant. The Genius is known for her eco-sensitive approach that integrates urban design, landscape design, and architecture in order to address issues of climate change, loss of biodiversity, resiliency, and culture. She is currently working on a project in Kentucky that will turn the footprint of a polluted creek into an interactive path spot...

Interview with David Benjamin, creator of MoMA PS1's "Hy-Fi" Mushroom Tower

2014-07-01T14:18:00-04:00

"[...] In this project, we're using a living organism as a factory. So the living organism of mycellium, or hyphae, which is basically a mushroom root, basically makes our bricks for us. It grows our bricks in about five days with no energy required, almost no carbon emissions, and it's using basically waste— agricultural byproducts, chopped up cornstalks. This mushroom root fuses together this biomass and makes solid bricks which we can kind of tune to be different properties."

Here are a few more photos of Hy-Fi, the locally-sourced, virtually waste-less biostructure by The Living, which just debuted in the courtyard of MoMA PS1.

Photos by Andrew Nunes.

In the video below, David Benjamin talks with The Creators Project about building the structure from agricultural waste and mushroom root, MOMA PS1's interest in sustainability, and how the Hy-Fi could revolutionize waste-less architecture.

The Living and Surfacedesign Inc. give first lecture in 2014's Emerging Voices series

2014-03-07T17:46:00-05:00

Emerging Voices is an annual award given by the Architectural League. It is an invited portfolio competition, identifying eight firms in North America that are influencing the current condition of architecture, landscape design and built environments. To see a full list of this year’s award recipients, click here. The winners will present their work weekly in a lecture series hosted by the Architectural League of New York during the month of March. For more information about these events, click here.

The Emerging Voices lecture series kicked off last night with presentations by The Living (David Benjamin) and Surfacedesign Inc (Geoff di Girolamo, James Lord, and Roderick Wyllie). Despite the differences in the scope of work between both offices, the pairing offered complementary insights into alternative approaches to designing built environments. David Benjamin’s work is inspired by experimentation and synthetic biology, employing a cross-disciplinary approach to undertake responsiv...

YAP winner The Living selected to re-design MoMA PS1's courtyard this summer

2014-02-05T15:20:00-05:00

After winning the 2014 Young Architects Program out of five finalists, emerging architect David Benjamin and his firm, The Living will temporarily transform the outdoor courtyard of MoMA PS1 in Long Island City, New York when the summer season rolls in.

YAP projects had to provide seating, shade, and water, and also follow guidelines that address environmental issues and sustainability. The Living's proposal, titled "Hy-Fi", will feature circular organic brick towers made of corn stalk and living root structures. Set to open in late June, the temporary installation will be a memorable summer spectacle.

Here's more detail into the project's design:

"Using biological technologies combined with cutting-edge computation and engineering to create new building materials, The Living will use a new method of bio-design, resulting in a structure that is 100% organic material. The structure temporarily diverts the natural carbon cycle to produce a building that grows out of nothing but earth an...