Archinect - London Metropolitan University

[113] this took a long time didn't it?

2006-11-25T08:26:55-05:00

I'm gonna now try to condense the last 5 months of university in one post...that's gonna be a laugh!

Anyway, when we got back from sweden, the project was already taking shape.
The idea for a winter research center for the car industry fitted quite well with the socio-conomic situation in the area. It was kinda funny to design a non-building, underground and invisible.

(in a nutshell: the centre is an underground building in a hilly area around kiruna, sweden, used to develop new automotive technologies related to extreme-condition driving. The roof of the building creates a new landscape flush with the existing one, and its shape and texture are modeled to control the way the snow accumulates on it, keeping certain area covered and certain others relatively free.
internally the building is organized as a series of layers that bends into ramps and slopes following the different programs and interactions. The structural system is one for the roof and the floors, and copes with ...

[112] sweden photoblog 1

2006-02-07T11:19:20-05:00

let's set the tone...

a few shots of stockholm

abisko national park research grounds@ASCIA

random ice hotel shots

a bunch of people with wet feet walking in the sunset

[111] anyone in stockholm?

2006-01-14T09:56:14-05:00

apologies to all my fans for not keeping this thing updated, but i have been home for three weeks, during which i managed to:

go online only 2 times for about 15 minutes each time

not do ANY productive work whatsoever (jonas, i hope you are not reading this)

so now it's catching up time, with two hand in's at the end of the month (digital design techniques and the portfolio hand in), which are being cut by a week or so because we're leaving for sweden on the 24th (the actual hand in would be the 30th).

I'll try and post an update before the end of the month, and then when we get back, a couple of huge photographic posts.

[110] don't eat yellow snow

2006-01-10T09:33:55-05:00

lagopede, val thorens, france, 3110 meters asl.
at -20Âº, when you have to go, you really have to go.

[109] allnighter mouse

2005-12-08T23:52:26-05:00

[108] rapid protyping/2 and some updates

2005-12-06T04:58:13-05:00

this is how it went
Basically after the styrofoam model was finished, i casted in clay, and after some material testing i decided to go for fiberglass. my throat has just recovered from the fumes. high times.

The initial part of the project is coming to a close, we'll be presenting the research and the improvement to our shelter/material systems.

5ft years are also presenting their briefs for the next part of the project (which will be our thesis project). As far as I am concearned the site will be in Lapland, possibly around the Kiruna area. It's a site with incredible environmental/topographic issues to be addressed, and it's also a european development area in need for social and economic improvemnt.

I have become increasingly interested with the specialized industry of winter testing, mainly for the car industry, most of which is based in the north provinces of sweden. It would be interesting to see how Achitecture can accomodate the need of engineering/scientific processes...

[107] dritsas lecture

2005-11-25T19:17:10-05:00

usually, thursday night lectures at the met are an easy going, packed, minimalist-and/or-rammed-earth-touchy-feely-lick-the-stone-affairs.
drinks and canape's are on offer, and you've usually underslept, half drunk and really looking foward to the pub and the thai food across the road.

Obviously, this time around it was going to be different. The little enclave that is unit 4/UFO gathered with a few others to watch a lecture byStylianos Dritsas, former MIT student, and collaborator on a number of decoi projects.

The lecture was in eresting, even though it was incredibly hard to follow. It presented dritsas' work toward the rationalization and prototypying of computer generated form. Scripting "translators" and creating applications is a job that involves in depth knowledge of euclidean geometry and mathematical analisys.

It is a specialized job, and it got me wondering how that is going to impact the profession. If new manufacturing techniques will have the predicted impact, the...

[106] "rapid" prototyping

2005-11-17T12:00:30-05:00

since our "in house" prototyping facilities are not opened yet (apparently the technology is so advanced the technicians need 3 months to catch up) i had to resort to good old hand work to produce the shelter's model...and it's almost finished.

[105]Advanced Architecture is Child's Play

2005-11-09T10:04:54-05:00

Wow, it's been 2 weeks since my last post...boy, i suck!
So, the state of the nation at this point in time is...Unit work-wise, we're about 2 weeks behind schedule, the initial shelter project still being thhe center of attention.
I guess in many ways you would be made to think that they were expecting a bit more from us, and from our part we felt that this wold be a rather smooth intro to the unit's ideas and agenda.

What i have noticed, and found quite puzzling, is the continous shift in the level of attention paid to our scientific research background. "Blob" Architecture that claims to be responsive should have a solid backing, yet we are constantly reminded that with ignorance comes the ability to think outside the box, and make propositions that go beyond the usual engineered responses to extreme natural phenomena. It's about find a ballance i guess.

The other thing we are working on at the moment is our digital design elective, which pretty much runs along the same lines...

[104] why

2005-10-24T18:54:43-04:00

why does one make stupid yet devastating mistakes when handling drivers in one's pc?

why does one feel the need for a bicycle just as soon as he has sorted out his wheels of steel, and is ready for a rampant collection of speeding tickets, bus lanes infractions and burned traffic lights?

why does one get the feeling that all this talking about performative structure is actualy one way of not having to deal withthe real problem of Architecture, who is, was, and always will be, people?

why does one (another one) think program is overrated? can we assume, up to a certain point, a bottom up self-organization in buildings, in the use of space? autopoieisis, anyone?

(no, professor, i am not, for one minute, supposing you and your crew of disciples might be right. i think you are the half eaten remains of what was, and is no more. i believe we are not even doing the same thing. one thing is construction, one thing is Architecture, one thing is polished concrete. i believe we are both ...

[103] my life in rain state

2005-10-21T13:54:53-04:00

first two weeks of studying done, two presentations in two weeks, good average i would say.
the unit runs at full steam, we're allocated 20 minutes slot to present and discuss, the idea being that each week we should have some stage of finalized work. this helps for the portfolio obviously, but also keeps us on our toes.
the usual useless work image is displiyed below

i've been watching way too much scrubs lately...it's funny the way all the 5th year students are developing their own ways of taking time off...some people watch tv series, others go to the gym, others (my housemate) bake cookies (yes, it's good!). it almost seems like we live life with two gears: studying, doing something else (one of the above). nothing else. just that, work and then let your brain cool down, so you can work again. i guess it's just normal, but it's a strange sensation when you take a snapshot of your average week and look at it.

saw a lecture by FOA on wed, with a discussion between them, rem a...

[102] photo blog

2005-10-11T10:20:51-04:00

a few pics from a recent visit to the siza/souto de moura serpentine pavillion. which, is by the way, per's idea made flesh (well, gluelam).

the strange thing about it is that it is quite insignificant...it's almost like the office got a copy of CATIA off the net and started going crazy with it. parametrc design...wuohoooo! no standardization, which is not a good point for a temporary structure, and a space which is not that interesting at all...well, my personal opinion.

which kinda links us to this. it's the liebskind building in london. why? i don't know. but i noticed that if you stand next to it on a hot day, the air is about 3 degrees warmer.

The unit is marching full steam, we had our first digital design workshop yesterday by steve hardy of UFO.it started out as a rhino overview, and it's then going to develop into advanced modelling in both rhino and 3ds, scripting for animation/simulation and animation. altogether, between the university-run workshops and the unit-run o...

[101] riding the mean machine

2005-10-06T07:35:29-04:00

from the unit 4 description:

"adverse weather; deep freeze
sound, light, texture, porosity, space in climatic and topographic extremes

UNIT4 will be examining the possibilities for the built-environment to affect and be affected by natural systems in places of topographic complexity. Natural Phenomena are incredibly complex in cause, effect and experience. A single pattern or systemic logic is inadequate for modelling/simulating a contextualized (or system within system/environment) natural phenomenon. In areas exposed to the hazards and the potential of extreme natural conditions and disasters most funds tend to be channelled into disaster relief. With pre-emptive design strategies, much more could be done to maximize the architectural effect of natural phenomena whilst minimizing the effects of the natural disasters on both lives and infrastructure.

UNIT 4 will ask students to investigate material and spatial systems that are affected by natural phenomena. The aim is for the s...

[047] my Met, your Met!

2005-07-19T07:15:37-04:00

I guess i had to write a bit on this first year at the Met.

The university' strongest point is that there is not one attitude, one agenda, but a series of (sometimes contrasting) programs. This fosters variety, but it also means a lot of individualism and internal politics between some of the units (among the tutors, as the students get along just fine). It does make for an entertaining viewing, to see them fighting and badmouthing eachother.

The year at CHORA (unit 8) was good, a steep learning curve, but with a lot of help, from Raoul and all the people gravitating around the office.

Despite the terrible burocratic structure, the individuals working at the ASD are always very helpful. There are assholes, as anywhere, but not in huge numbers.

All in all, a careful party!

[046] forty winks for the soul

2005-07-14T09:11:52-04:00

Back home, back to Italy.
Everybody i know in london seems to be ok, and it's a blessing in the tragedy. funny how close it feels when you walk past the places they show on tv, even if you're not there now.

Here it's bliss, a slower pace of life in the sunshine, the hills make a good job of looking good and protecting the city from the wind coming from the higher pressures of the south.
i managed to find a job, small place, as good as it can get here, really. A dead scene in the old boot, i am sorry to say. The ideas floating around have risen, grown and died ten years ago in the rest of europe. no research, no avantguard, a headstrong dealing with the day to day, the missed deliveries on site, the bureaucracy, the clients.

suddenly the important things in life are others, my girlfriend, my friends, going to places. it almost feel like the attention has shifted back from what will (the future) be to what it (the present) is to be, to live in the "now", to feel good, and to be ab...

[045] so much to do

2005-05-20T07:45:32-04:00

i've just come out of my final presentation, very heavy.
everybody was nice, the criticism was great, by my work just did not cut it. i set myself a huge task, a task to be accomplished with skills that i did not have yet, and the learning curve was too steep.

my prototype failed to engage with its contest, and there were ideas that i could have easily developed which just did not come up. all of this was mixed with the lack of specific drawings illustrating the final product.

time was wasted learning new skills, trying to figure out stuff or just, you know, wasting time.

result: i just did not complete the task as i should have. i do not feel like i have let myself down actually, but rather happy (in a strange way) that i have a task ahead of me.

the idea is there, and so is the potential. now is just a matter of learning the skills which are still missing (technical, analitical, architectural) and completing the task.

i will try to do as much as possible in the 9 days left, ...

[044] time is an illusion. lunchtime doubly so.

2005-05-10T19:43:43-04:00

ah, the picture posts...lately i have taken the habit of coming to the 24h internet caffe around the corner to have a break during those sleepless nights(no internet at home, in case you wondered)since my body clock has moved foward about 12 hours, and let me tell you, the characters around here...i just put my ipod on, and try not to look at the scary things on other people's screens.

some pictures of paper models i have been working on, they could be formal explorations of a folding surface, or the result of too much time spent on the GSAPP website

now applied technology. i decided to develop the structure of the building as a prototype...and it's a bitch.

the first model shows a cross section through the roof.

while this one is a series of sequential sections off the rhino model, shaped in alluminium (spot the packet of cigarettes if you can...they are there for moral comfort, rather than actual consumption)

and finally, a bucolic scene of southern england (since i'm always...

[043]coffee mug mug mug mug mug!

2005-05-08T20:23:23-04:00

aaaaah, the final hand in's...

isn't it gorgeous? that cathartic feeling of sleeplessness, caffeine overdose and shaky hands?
c'mon, you love it...

anyway, i deceded to take a break to update the blog a bit.

A word on the Metropolitan as the year draws to a close? well, unless there is a unit that captures your immagination, it's only as good as the people you will meet, just like every other place. I was lucky to meet some great people. tim, louis, you guys made this thing a lot better than it could have been, thanks!

and if there is a unit that captures you, well, think about it...i mean, be judgemental, highly critical and a bit of an asshole, it always helps. just try and do the same with yourself and your work every once in a while.

Now, the important stuff:
the final project!

the concept:
along a proposed train line, to develop each station as a piece of a shopping centre, as if it was split into sections and distributed alond the railway line. The idea being that if...

[042]resuming work

2005-04-27T10:10:44-04:00

Finally the secret competition has been secretly mailed to the secret location in secret fashion, so after disposing of our trenchcoats amd hats we were able to return to work on our funny little schemes.

As the end of year approaches, my metabolism is setting itself up for sleepless nights, and so i keep on staying awakwe till early morning. It's almost a natural porcess, possibly the result of generations of architectural body modification. amazing.

Yesterday night i finished work and started tidying up the room ( a bit of a fetish of mine, it helps me unwind) and so i took some random shots to make this blog less boring, if not more graphically appealing.

Tomorrow night everybody around the london area should come and check the opening of the"Can buildings Curate" exhibition at the AA, it's gonna be a bash! (your drunken picture in the next issue on Icon is not included in the price).

See you there!

the desk, with the bastard on the left and the little one hiding behind the ...

[041] fridays at rauol's...

2005-04-22T17:42:52-04:00

good night!

[040] ipod problems

2005-04-15T12:58:55-04:00

according to my buddy louis, who believes in electronic hinuism, my ipod has commenced a new life and has reincarnated in a lower life form: a 1.3 gb external hard disk.

why? well, according to him it because it had been playing guitar based music for too long...

the competition is almost done, coming along nicely!

[039] sneak preview

2005-04-15T11:20:38-04:00

i just realised that if i had an internet connection at home i would be posting everyday.

it's probably a good thing that i don't have one, then.

a sneak preview...

don't you love programmatic diagrams?

[038] it's getting late

2005-04-14T17:19:04-04:00

oh, i love mobile phones with cameras and bluetooth...
10:20 pm

and for some reasons, the ipod on the desk (mine) hasn't worked for the last 3 days!

[037] at chora, day two

2005-04-14T09:44:21-04:00

here we are gain, we're working on a competition, which just like all other competitions, is secret, so i can't talk about it.

but we do look pretty concentrated, don't we?

[036] working at Chora

2005-04-13T15:43:06-04:00

working at chora.org

laters...

[035] the monster

2005-04-11T09:30:27-04:00

oh, by the way, the monstrous bastard

AKA the rendering machine

AKA the ugly beast that lives under the desk

AKA shut that fucking thing down i cant sleep the fans are too noisy (that's my girlfriend)

AKA my self built (as in i have built it, it did not build itself)

is up and running. and suddenly, just because i can use rhino, blobchitecture seems so cool...

the planes are folding, the blobs are merging, the sun is shining but i dont care.

hail to the beast:

[034] the notorious ASD blog

2005-04-11T09:16:39-04:00

So, this thing seems to be popular around here, for good or for worst...

advice for all you bloggers: if you want to make your blog popular at school, be one of the cool kids and get that date with the prom queen, just start publishing pics of random people and projects with funny captions, and SHABAM! everybody will read your blog! none has tried to kick my ass, just yet.

Anyway, the project is going, but really not going anywere. the site is too big, there are too many problems and i am constantly shifting between wanting to address all of them on one side and wanting to do something purely architectural on the other. oh well.

Thing around here are shaping up,slowly, for the end of year. The met takes a lot of pride in the final year show, and there is a lot of competition between the units (two in particular, mainly because of their similarities in brief)

There has been talk of selecting only certain projects for the show, and not all of them as in previous years. This is obv...

[033] italy good uk bad.

2005-04-04T11:45:46-04:00

Back from the spring break, damn it was good...alcohol consumption was high, wheather was too and getting back on that stansted express train crossing the barren wastelands of east london was a knock back to reality i could have done without.

yes, i study Architecture and yes,

i do it in england.

Anyway, buried in my hard drive i found some pictures of the celebration week we had just before the break so i thought i might post them.

some people have very large aspirations, and site models to match (roughly 3x2 meters)

others fiddle with cutouts. mail your architectural explenations of this to my email, please.

"how many cathedrals can you fit on this site?" or when the historical references have the better of you.

in the mean time we were making (some last minute adjustment to) the presentation.

the screen reads :"imagine they are all naked"

olly on the decks, end of week party

...

[032] London as you never saw it before (picture/2)

2005-03-08T08:06:56-05:00

We rented a car (a 2.0 VW beatle, expensive if you chash it),

i had very little experience of driving on the left side (exactly),

we clocked 85 miles in a day around our huge site (i had to get drunk to shake off the nervous tension...no, really!).

It was amazing to see how different and non-lurban london looks if you travel 10 minuts on a car in the wrong direction.

this is the result in pictures...

no diving...ok...

does that include shopping trolleys/carts?

A few panoramic view of the marshes along the thames...

the thames barriers (and yes, it was cold as feck)

acting like idiots on a memorial pavillion (good old skateable modernism) (i'm the one on the left, the handsome one)

postcard shot

[031] pictures/1

2005-03-08T07:59:32-05:00

First a bit of mobile phone camera bonanza...

you know, when you loose scale...

the determination of indetermination of randomness

A lecture on the state of italian Architecture...an autopsy, perhaps?