Net-Materials

01/24/2013, by palacepalace.com

Model Milieus

PA/LA/CE led a workshop—Model Milieus—with first year students at the Architectural Association in London on Monday 21st January. The aim of the workshop was to stimulate ideas for architectural projects based on a few parametres (namely social and cultural prerequisites) whilst looking at structures in nature that could be linked to the social practices occurring within their projects. The workshop also explored the history of ordering spaces (the changes from sensualism in medieval mapping to today’s hyperrational demarcating; from Australian Aborigines to the EU), and to design in reflection of contemporary understandings of space and structure.

The students translated their ideas into 1:100 physical models and used them as tools to embed their own theories/ideas, exploring the physical and tactile representations of their early ideas.

The initial brief of the day.

A more detailed brief with shopping list and the outline of three small talks.

The voting sheet for the models that best fulfilled certain criterion.

At work.

Students had an hour for each model.

The models examined nature as capable of informing architectural technology, and some were seen as experiments that had no clear end.

Thanks to John Ng from the Architectural Association and the Book of Elsewhere for his generosity and contribution on the day, and to the AA First Year students for their enthusiasm and energy.