Animation and Freeform/Artistic Expression
Elena Lukin and Shirley Dayan
Magrittes Train
Shenkar University, Israel
Elena Lukin and Shirley Dayan used MicroStation to demonstrate their knowledge and control of a variety of animation tools learned during Professor Efrat Gilboa’s semester course, “Animation and Simulation in CAD Environment.” The team created a movie that began with the famous 1938 surrealist painting, “Time Transfixed,” by Rene Magritte.
The action starts when the two-dimensional painting turns into a 3D animation. The train moves through the wall of the fireplace into a room with realistic materials and furnishings, such as a reflective mirror, parquet floor, and burning candle. MicroStation’s morph tools were used to create the melting candle effect. When the inner workings of the clock are revealed, the circular movement of the cog-wheel mechanism is created by parametric scripts.
Architectural Design
Shaun Merchant
P.L.A.Y
Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland
Working with Professor Frazer Hay, Shaun Merchant envisioned an urban play space where children gather after school instead of hanging around on street corners. His proposal was inspired by an Edinburgh neighborhood with seven schools in a one-mile radius. The design concept derived from children’s block puzzles, which form the hierarchy of the space and determine its three-dimensional form.
Using MicroStation, Merchant designed a central structure with three spaces that fit around and slot into the center like puzzle pieces. The sun path determined the arrangement of the spaces and the form of the roof to admit maximum light. The roof also controls ventilation and collects rain water for recycling. The building façade works within the streetscape, using natural and artificial light to attract children.
Computational Design
Eva Diu
Solar Urban Array
London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
Working with Professors Jonas Lundberg and Gustav Fagerstrom, Eva Diu created a system for defining dwelling geometry orientated according to solar gain and light. Diu investigated how the shape and aspect of a form allow the user to experience the best atmospheric and spatial quality. Her design system ensures that all dwellings across a site create an equal but unique experience.
Diu used GenerativeComponents to justify both variable and fixed parameters, creating a catalogue of parametric solutions for analysis. As a “component” that was dependent on a point (the sun), the dwelling related to variable controlling factors such as building height and floor area functionality. Once rules were established to control the dwelling design, the component was then applied as an urban array over a site.
Engineering
Kendall Baldwin and Jeffrey Christianson
Lingotto Bridge Station
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA
This proposal was developed during a three-week architectural design workshop led by Professor David Riebe in Turin, Italy, for students of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Politecnico di Torino. Using GenerativeComponents, Kendall Baldwin and Jeffrey Christianson created a design for a hybrid bridge and train station in Turin’s Lingotto region, where train tracks split the city into two halves with no visual or physical connection. This proposal was designed to bridge this gap.
Analyses of the site and environs revealed that the most influential attribute of the bridgestation would be circulation. Mapping existing vehicular and pedestrian patterns highlighted areas of traffic density and scarcity. To facilitate circulation, the bridgestation disrupts some paths and incorporates others. The result is a successful linkage between the two sides of Lingotto.
Sports Center of the Future
Christopher Fairfield
Fair Field
Randolph High School, USA
Having completed the architecture courses at his high school, Christopher Fairfield undertook an independent study with Professor Leffler to create the best football stadium possible based on his current knowledge and available tools. Inspired by the new Lucus Oil Stadium and Citi Field, Fairfield based his design on what sports enthusiasts he interviewed would like to see in a stadium.
The stadium had to be architecturally sound, aesthetically pleasing, and energy efficient as well as offer exceptional views. Using MicroStation PowerDraft, Fairfield created a design that followed code for seating, exits, and structural supports. Decorative column elements and circular corners added a distinctive look. Energy-efficient features include a fabric roof and open-air walkways. The circular restaurant provides a 160 degree view of the field.
Educator of the Year
Earl Mark
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
As the 2009 Be Inspired Award Educator of the Year winner, Prof. Earl Mark, Ph.D., director of information technology and chief technology officer of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia, is in many ways the quintessential academic. He holds advanced degrees from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lists multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals, and boasts an impressive list of research and teaching positions.
But he expands upon his academic work by simultaneously pursuing a private architectural practice—he is currently affiliated with Johnson, Craven & Gibson Architects of Charlottesville, Va.—and consistently relates to real-world experience as a basis for incorporating cutting-edge computer techniques into his curriculum. “My greatest satisfaction as a professor is the interaction I have with students, the continual inspiration I draw from their work and successes, and the opportunity to observe them transition from students with raw talent to productive professionals within their fields.”
For almost 25 years, Dr. Mark’s courses have attracted 100 to 150 students annually, primarily from architectural disciplines, but also from landscape architecture, architectural history, civil engineering, and other fields. He has also continuously served as a student advisor and participated on Ph.D. and Master’s degree committees. A high percentage of Dr. Mark’s students have gone on to professional practice or academic careers in architecture, and many have won design competitions using techniques learned in his courses. |