Research - LABA - EPFL

Research - LABA - EPFL Research - LABA - EPFL

06.12.2012 Views

Research digital technologies application fish farming in Mediterranean sea GIS visualisation laba manifest - august 2012 Bifurcation of the Digital Chain This research investigates contemporary digital technologies and how they are influencing architectural design and production. The parameters affecting architectural design are becoming increasingly complex and interrelated. In contemporary society, digital tools are used to mange the complexity of information, and digital technologies have changed the way people interact with information and the world around them. This thesis investigates the use of contemporary digital technologies in design and production to determine if they are also being used effectively to manage the increasing complexity of architectural design projects. The research explores this topic at the level of both design theory and technology theory, and then employs practical design and production investigations as “proof of concept” for the developed theories. The research work concludes by providing an answer to the question: “do current digital technologies constitute a paradigmshift in architecture?”. The role of ocean space in contemporary urbanization Pressure on ocean space for energy production, extraction of resources, residential, infrastructural and logistical development is increasing. Although research has shown that almost no part of the global ocean remains unaffected by human impact, as yet few architects are involved in this process and physical structures in the ocean seem to be determined by engineering and world market logistics. The objective of this research is to propose a position for ocean spatial typologies within the contemporary urban debate in relation to networks, landscape, ecology and technology. Ocean activities characterized by a quantum shift in intensity, scale and technology will be the focus of the examination. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the majority of spatial decisions about the ocean apply planning instruments directly comparable to those used on land. Interaction with water in the form of planning implies particular operational conditions and responsible treatment of a valuable resource and a complex habitat. Which forms of urbanisation, and which planning strategies can be developed with the ocean itself as an “active” agent? GeoDesign as an approach to Architecture In architecture a variety of 2D and 3D CAD software solutions are used for design and design rendering to create a virtual representation of architectural projects. Although these tools have a great capacity of handling large amounts of data, they fail in integrating the project in it’s urban and environmental context. Geographic Information Systems and their software application can offer the missing support in designing a well-integrated project. Laba thus investigates the possibility of creating a GIS Decision Making Software Model for Architecture, both using existing software and new software development. laba’s existing and extensive methodology of site investigation will be expanded through a GIS DMM (Decision Making Model). This model will incorporate a multitude of data layers, from climate data up to political administration information, which will enable the designer to grasp the local situation in one central location. 11

Research LiDAR model population density map urban portrait from studio basel Mumbai laba manifest - august 2012 Programming Interfaces and Google’s keyhole technology. Laba is also starting to investigate the usage of high resolution LiDAR technologies for site investigation and urban fabric analysis. Using LiDAR architects will be able to stay in touch with the project site even if it is far away from the architectural office. Integrating this knowledge in the laba investigation model (LIM) will provide the architect with extensive knowledge of the site’s condition. CH2048 Within the framework of a larger research project initiated by the ALICE lab under Professor Dieter Dietz, laba will conduct research on the urban morphology of a hypothetical Switzerland in 2048. This will be the focus of our 2012 / 2013 studio. Even though the current official projected number of inhabitants for 2048 is lies between 6.5 and11.5 mil.), the number of inhabitants would reach 14 million if we project the growth rate of the last few years into the future. This almost doubling of the population will put considerable pressure on the built and rural environment of Switzerland. We believe it will not be sufficient to simply continue with the existing regional and urban strategies, but that new approaches are needed. Given the longevity of urban developments, we further believe it to be necessary to envision them far ahead of time, rather than react step by step to immediate pressures. In our first semester, we will look at 5 different regional zones ranging from metropolitan areas to rural areas and propose ‘constitutions’ for these types of zones. In the second semester we will focus on exploring urban morphologies, that is urban and architectural interventions that test and support the urban constitutions established in the previous semester. Each architectural / urban design intervention will refer back to the urban constitution of the zone in which it is located. Sustainable built environments – Holcim Foundation Forum 2013 laba conducts research on sustainable built environments within the framework of the Holcim Foundation Forum 2013. Harry Gugger is in charge of a research group focusing on the ‘compact city’ and to what extent we can still argue today, that this is the most sustainable settlement type. Our group invited 4 experts from the fields of urban design, landscape architecture, sociology and urban planning and economics to discuss this topic. Each expert will submit a paper to be presented at the Forum in Bombay in April 2013 and to be published thereafter. Our own paper will act as a framework for the 4 12

<strong>Research</strong><br />

digital technologies application<br />

fish farming in Mediterranean sea<br />

GIS visualisation<br />

laba manifest - august 2012<br />

Bifurcation of the Digital Chain<br />

This research investigates contemporary digital technologies and how they<br />

are influencing architectural design and production.<br />

The parameters affecting architectural design are becoming increasingly<br />

complex and interrelated. In contemporary society, digital tools are used to<br />

mange the complexity of information, and digital technologies have changed<br />

the way people interact with information and the world around them. This<br />

thesis investigates the use of contemporary digital technologies in design and<br />

production to determine if they are also being used effectively to manage the<br />

increasing complexity of architectural design projects. The research explores<br />

this topic at the level of both design theory and technology theory, and then<br />

employs practical design and production investigations as “proof of concept”<br />

for the developed theories. The research work concludes by providing an<br />

answer to the question: “do current digital technologies constitute a paradigmshift<br />

in architecture?”.<br />

The role of ocean space in contemporary urbanization<br />

Pressure on ocean space for energy production, extraction of resources,<br />

residential, infrastructural and logistical development is increasing. Although<br />

research has shown that almost no part of the global ocean remains<br />

unaffected by human impact, as yet few architects are involved in this process<br />

and physical structures in the ocean seem to be determined by engineering<br />

and world market logistics.<br />

The objective of this research is to propose a position for ocean spatial typologies<br />

within the contemporary urban debate in relation to networks, landscape,<br />

ecology and technology. Ocean activities characterized by a quantum shift in<br />

intensity, scale and technology will be the focus of the examination.<br />

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the majority of spatial decisions<br />

about the ocean apply planning instruments directly comparable to those<br />

used on land.<br />

Interaction with water in the form of planning implies particular operational<br />

conditions and responsible treatment of a valuable resource and a complex<br />

habitat. Which forms of urbanisation, and which planning strategies can be<br />

developed with the ocean itself as an “active” agent?<br />

GeoDesign as an approach to Architecture<br />

In architecture a variety of 2D and 3D CAD software solutions are used for<br />

design and design rendering to create a virtual representation of architectural<br />

projects. Although these tools have a great capacity of handling large amounts<br />

of data, they fail in integrating the project in it’s urban and environmental<br />

context. Geographic Information Systems and their software application can<br />

offer the missing support in designing a well-integrated project.<br />

Laba thus investigates the possibility of creating a GIS Decision Making<br />

Software Model for Architecture, both using existing software and new<br />

software development. laba’s existing and extensive methodology of site<br />

investigation will be expanded through a GIS DMM (Decision Making Model).<br />

This model will incorporate a multitude of data layers, from climate data up to<br />

political administration information, which will enable the designer to grasp<br />

the local situation in one central location.<br />

11

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