(Above: OTF Program Director, Marta Malé-Alemany, introducing the 2012 OTF Program)
Yesterday, the 2011 Open Thesis Fabrication (OTF) participants gathered for the first time for a presentation by the various industrial partners for this year’s program. The 2011 OTF program has developed a non-profit partnership between IAAC and the following companies:
Santa & Cole- Design editor
Kuka- Robotic Technologies
Cricursa- Complex glass manufacturer
Escofet- Concrete and cast stone manufacturer
Industrias Imar- Metal Manufacturer
Dupont- Corian manufacturer
Finnforest- Wood company
Fupisca- Wood construction
The objective of this collaboration is to offer participants the possibility to engage in a semi-professional environment and to develop a project with the support and expertise of individuals and institutions that are commercially involved in their field of research.
(Above: Kuka, robotic technologies, presents to OTF participants)
About the Open Thesis Fabrication Program
In 2010 the Institute for advanced architecture of Catalonia launched a 16-week intensive research program for individual participants called the Open Thesis Fabrication (OTF). The goal of this program is to incorporate the use CNC fabrication equipment and technologies as part of a research agenda. Participants of the OTF Program will be asked to choose an individual research topic, connected to their own interests and/or prior experience or in response to a specific challenge proposed by the different partner companies. The research topic will be framed and evaluated together with the OTF Program directors, who will help participants to establish the specific research goals, potential methodologies, and concrete work calendar for the development of a the project.
The OTF is led by Program Director, Marta Malé-Alemany and Program Co-director, Luis Fraguada. Advisors for the program also include IAAC faculty, Victor Viña, as well as Tomas Diez, Manager of the Fab Lab BCN which is equipped with several large scale CNC machines, providing participants with an infrastructure for the development of material tests and full-scale physical prototypes.
Learn more about the Open Thesis Fabrication Program, here.