Some images of our final cross-crit of the year! Our students presented their Brief03:FutureCities. Have a look at how the next generation of architects envision the future of our cities.
Thank you to Andrei Jipa, Kester Rattenbury and Lindsay Bremner. Final sprint to the portfolio submission and end of year!
Eva Ciocyte – Aral City – As the earth gets too polluted to allow the growth of any edible crop, Aral City attempts to purify the soil progressively by building giant evaporative and inhabitable greenhouses.Alex Berciu, The Algorithmic City, In the presented scenario, the natural environment in which human beings live today will no longer exist, having been replaced by fully computer generated habitation. As the Earth’s surface will have been largely damaged by pollution and natural disasters, the only solution for living pushed human society upwards in suspended structures developed through the technique of extruding concrete and drone assembly. Based on a growth algorithm that evolves with relation to continuous feedback gathered from climate data, structural qualities and population needs, the system can perform in any given location. in the generated structure, the algorithm places accordingly a selection of 8 typologies considered suitable for the needs of the future human society. These are: aliment production/farming, aliment storage, housing, education hubs, culture hubs, spiritual hubs, places of sin and production laboratories. Each typology is designed to fit within the modular grid and is placed according to density and distance rules. The ratio between the 8 typologies is also adaptable, responding to possible changes in societal needs.Garis Iu – The Inflated City – Marine Pollution has become a growing plaque as plastics are accumulated into patches within the gyres around the world, damaging the marine ecosystem and entering the marine food web. As these plastics are not biodegradable, they continue to pose a threat to the marine wildlife as well as humanity. Centuries into the future, people have begun to seek for ocean colonization in an attempt to tackle marine pollution and the rising sea level. The Fluas is a self-sufficient city that realises the potential of ocean plastics as a source of reusable material. Situated within the North Pacific Gyre and consisting of clusters of floating platforms, the city is centred on the collection and recycling of these materials into elements of the city – in the form of pneumatic structures. As plastics are salvaged from the gyre, the inflated city continues to grow while its inhabitants live a seaborne lifestyle.Garis Iu The Inflated CityJoe Leach – Cidade de Árvores The Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil has long been viewed as a vast quilt of rain forest interspersed by small river outposts. The surging population growth has seen these remote settlements transform this ancient rural vision to an expansive city scale. Cidade de Árvores (City of Trees) envisions an environment where both the city’s infrastructure and its inhabitants maintain a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding natural environment. Built entirely from locally grown timber, the Cidade de Árvores exists as a network of steam bent beams, joined to form a structural space frame. Like the forest, the frame is allowed to grow and develop organically over time with inhabitants adding to structure to meet their requirements. The city is powered through the use of micro wind turbine electricity generation which manifests as a series of towers scattered throughout the forest. For the city and the environment to function in harmony, the city access routes manifest as elevated walkways around large courtyards, allowing light to penetrate to the forest floor.Tobias Power’s Infinity Tree for Burning Man developmentThe Infinity Tree – Updated structure with the help of Format Engineers and RambollThe Origami City – Naomi Danos – This project seeks to develop a response to the combined challenges of natural disasters, the aging population and over-fishing. All three are closely connected in Japan. In Japan, where life expectancy is one of the highest in the world, 1 in 3 people will be over 60 by 2050. Unfortunately, Japan is also a country that has been hit by major natural disasters such as tsunamis, during which the vulnerable elderly suffered the most. Finally, in Japan fish is the main food source and over fishing may become a major issue in the future. Moreover, Japan has one of the highest percentages of labour force of people aged 60 and over within the fishing industry. I am proposing a self-sufficient, resilient city for the super-aging Japanese fishing community along the coast, as a response to these future scenarios. The structure of the proposal would not only act as a vertical evacuation point, and accommodation for the elderly and their families, but would also be used as sustainable fish-farming.Naomi Danos, The Origami CityLorna Jackson presenting her Burning Man proposal and future city for women only.Diana Raican – Fractal BreakCity will act as defence and breakwater structures against tsunamis and floods. Benefiting of internalised creation of food, resources and objects, a trade based economy will emerge, while the cult of product marketing will shrink to its essential. The city is based on recursive aggregation: one geometry is repeated in a self-similar way to create a complex looking aggregation, following a fractal pattern. The system consists of one module, with structures of different scales according to their function, so that the bathroom will be the smallest box unit, the bedroom slightly larger and so on. The largest box unit at the center of an aggregated module, will consist of the communal and production based spaces. Cellulose mixed with water, can be 3D printed to create structures stronger than steel and will become structural elements for the city, while aerogel wall components (made of silica, which is found in sand, across the world) will clad each unit’s sides.Jon Leung’s developments on the Bismuth Bivouac for Burning ManJon Leung’s Bismuth Bivouac updated render with latest development with the help of format engineers.John Koning’s power generating Ron Resch origami cityIrina Ghuizan’s flying cityToby Plunket’s Silent City in China
It is the end of the second term for the University of Westminster and what a term for DS10! Four projects almost completed at BuroHappold’s engineering headquarters, Three projects to build at the Burning Man festival this summer. We could not be more happy and proud of our students… And it is not finished: after having produced a timeline of the scientific discovery and science-fictional predictions, they have started designing a future city (Brief03) based on their Brief01 and Brief02 work. Here are some pictures showing the students and their current research. Happy Easter everyone!
DS10 in our studio space at the University of WestminsterJoe Leach working on the Falling Leaves, his installation for Buro Happold engineeringDiana Raican finishing the Dissolving Cubes installation at the Nervi Room, BuroHappoldGaris Iu completing the Meander, his curved Origami installation for BuroHappoldCharlotte Yates’ Jitterbug Prototype for Buro Happold Engineering. Client Meeting with Neil Billet, Andrew Best and James SollyLorna Jackson showing one of the gifts for our Kickstarter CampaignJohn Konings showing his prototype for an Origami City on Water generating electricity from the waves in Holland.Joe Leach showing his Burning Man proposal model to Mike TonkinAlex Berciu showing the environemental, structural and programatic rules for the growth of his vertical cityAlex Berciu showing the environemental, structural and programatic rules for the growth of his vertical cityAlex Berciu showing the environemental, structural and programatic rules for the growth of his vertical citySarah Stell’s African Rural and tribal mega-cityIeva Ciocyte’s Solar chimneys City made from a network of water purifying farms in a polluted land.Tom Jelley showing his Floating Solar Mirrors City.Garis Iu’s extruded plastic floating city based on curved origami.Joe Leach’s Green Corridor City in the Amazonian ForestIrina Ghuizan showing her City in the SkyLorna Jackson showing her feminist city and her winning burning man project made from SpirohedronToby Plunkett showing his cymatic city generated from sound patterns
Here we are – we have reached the middle of the academic year at the University of Westminster. Time to assess and appreciate our students portfolios and hard work during a lively “interim cross-marking” with our colleagues. Here are couple examples of the most remarkable portfolios in our Diploma Studio 10. Very excited to start our new brief03 on future cities. We will soon announce the three winners in our studio which will get the opportunity to build installations at the new headquarters of Buro Happold and students will soon post their Burning Man proposals on this blog. Oh and we are also going to our unit trip to Copenhagen next week!! Pictures by Toby Burgess.
Our Studio Space at the University of WestminsterSarah Stell’s Inhabitable Geometric TransitionsJoe Leach’s Flower of Life Curved Playful TrussJonathan Leung’s Bismuth BivouacAslan Adnan’s recusrsive explosionLorna Jackson’s Spirohedron ConfessionalMaria Vergopoulou’s copper sulfate crystals and mirrors
We had our final crit today! Great projects concluding our brief2B:Realize. Here are couple pictures. Thank you very much to our external critiques Daewha Kang (Associate Zaha Hadid Architects), Lawrence Friesen (GenGeo), Stephen Melville (Director Ramboll UK), James Solly (Buro Happold), Michael Clarke and to our colleagues Anna Liu and Roberto Botazzi.
Joe Leach’s Burning Man TempleJoe Leach’s Burning Man TempleAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed fractal cityAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed fractal cityJosh Haywood’s Pop-Up Mosque in Trafalgar SquareGaris Lu’s Mont St-Michel’s Chanting BridgeLorna Jackson’s Surreal Dali MuseumLorna Jackson’s Surreal Dali MuseumWilliam Garforth-Bless’Bamboo Tower for the Damyang festivalCharlotte Yates’ London Fasion Festival Origami CatwalkCharlotte Yates’ London Fasion Festival Origami CatwalkSarah Stell’s Zipped BuildingSarah Stell’s Zipped BuildingGeorgia Collard-Watson’s Burlesque Festival Pop-Up structureNaomi Danos’ joyful wall breaking media centre in Israel/PalestineJessica Beagleman’s Kabbalah CentreGeorge Guest’s Fringe Festival BridgeSarah Shuttleworth’s Promenade Concerts in Hyde ParkDhiren Patel’s twisting hexagons bamboo structure for Durja PurjaMark Simpson’s Artificial Diamond Funerarium
Here are couple pictures from our cross-crit today. Students are in the middle of BRIEF2B:REALISE. Big Thank You to our external crits Daehwa Kang, Associates at Zaha Hadid Architects, Stephen Melville, Director at Ramboll Computational Design, Harry Charrington, Course Leader of the University of Westminster, Gordon Shrigley, Unit Master of Diploma Studio 14.
Josh Haywood’s Pop-up Mosque in Trafalgar SquareJosh Haywood’s Pop-up Mosque in Trafalgar SquareJosh Haywood’s Pop-up Mosque in Trafalgar SquareAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed Urban Utopia modelAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed Urban Utopia modelAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed Urban Utopia modelAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed Urban Utopia modelAndrei Jipa’s 3D printed Urban Utopia modelWill Garforth Bless Bamboo TowerWill Garforth Bless Bamboo TowerJessica Beagleman’s Kabala SynagogueMark Simpson’s Synthetic Diamond CompanyMark Simpson DeBeers’ diamond control mapPaul Thorpe’s laser-cut Petal Modules for Burning ManPaul Thorpe’s Tennis Stadium ModuleNatasha Coutts’ Sami Eco-RetreatNatasha Coutts’ Sami Eco-RetreatHenry Turner’s Wavy Boardwalk in FalmouthCharlotte Yates’ London Fashion Week Origami Catwalk in Sommerset House
Very enjoyable crit day for DS10 at Westminster University. It was our second cross-crit of the year and students showed their proposal for Brief2A, building an interactive structure for Burning Man or the festival of their choice.
Here are couple images of our first Cross-Crit which concludes Brief01:Systems and marks the beginning of our brief2A:Festival. Students will now chose a festival of their choice and use their design systems to submit a proposal for it. Thank you Michael Clarke, Kester Rattenbury and Andrew Yau for the great crit today!
It was DS10’s Final crit yesterday which concludes our BRIEF03:TEMPLE. Wonderful day with a wide spectrum of temples showing the concerns and fascinations of a group of twenty-one architectural students in 2013. A myriad of political and spiritual statements on today’s society helped by parametric design tools and physical modelling. Here is the list of all the themes that emerged in the third term:
Temple to Love and Lust in Brighton, U.K. – by Georgia-Rose Collard-Watson
Temple to Revolution in Tahrir Square, Egypt – by Luka Kreze
Temple to Making in the City of London, U.K. – by Michael Clarke
Temple to Vibrations on Mount Neru, Tanzania – by Dhiren Pattel
Temple to Crowdfunding the City of London, U.K. – by Sarah Shuttleworth
Temple to Infinity in the Mojave Desert, U.S.A – by Andrei Jippa
Temple to Augmented Reality near Oxford Street, London, U.K. – by Mark Simpson
Temple to Gin, near Kings Cross, London, U.K. – by George Guest
Temple to Permaculture, in Totness, U.K. – by Philp Hurrel
Temple to Bees, in the Olympic Park, London, U.K. – by Jake Alsop
Temple against Electro-Magnetic Radiations, in Snowdonia National Park, U.K. – by Chris Ingram
Temple against Pre-Packaged Meat, in Smithfield Market, London, U.K. – by Alex Woolgar
Temple to Bio-Polymers, in Thelford, U.K. – by Marilu Valente
Temple against Consumerism, in Selfridges, London, U.K. – by Jessica Beagleman
Temple to Online Knowledge,in the Sillicon Roundabour, London, U.K. – by Tim Clare
Temple to the Awareness of Death, in Mexico – by Thanasis Korras
Temple of Illusion, in South Bank, London, U.K.- by Daniel Dodds
Temple to Water on the Thames, London, U.K. – by William Garforth-Bless
Temple to Atheism in Lower Lea Valley Park, London, U.K. – by Emma Whitehead
Temple to Light in Elephant and Castle, London, U.K. – by Josh Haywood
Temple to Sun Worshipin the Wyndham Council Estate, Camberwell London, U.K. – by Natasha Coutts
Thank you very much to all our external critiques: William Firebrace, Jeanne Sillett, Harri Lewis and Jack Munro. Two weeks more to go until the hand-in of portfolios (28th May). Here are couple pictures:
Luka Kreze’s thorned tensegrity architecture against dictatorship on Tahrir Square – A manual to start a revolution.Jake Alsop’s wax-generated temple for BeesChris Ingram’s Slate Community, away from electro-magnetic radiationMarilu Valente’s Digital/Physical experiement on elastic bio-polymerMarilu Valente’s diagramming of the bio-polymer stretchEmma’s ‘Agora’ – forum for Sunday assembly – atheist congregationSarah Shuttleworth’s Temple to crowdfunding – Kickstarter HQCrowdfunded structure for Sarah Shuttleworth’s roofJessica Beagleman’s “Atelier” on the roof of Selfridges is made of sewed pieces of plywood/William Garforth-Bless’Temple to Water using a thin fiber glass shell and floating components on the ThamesPhilip Hurrell’s Temple to the Transition Movement in Totness, DevonDaniel Dodds’ abstract for the Temple of IllustionTim Clare’s temple to online knowledge is an irregular gridshell following learning spacesThe story of a reciprocal structure and a temple to making by Michael Clarke
Above: Emma Whitehead’s convection cells sectional models
Above: Michael Clarke’s Parametric Abeille’s Vault
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