The Pylos Research project, developed by IAAC Fabrication Researcher Sofoklis Giannakopoulos, supervised by Areti Markopoulou, with the Robotic Supervision of Alexandre Dubor, is currently being exhibited in the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens as part of the 3D Printing Exhibition ”An exhibition from the future… now”.

3-D printing, of everything from houses to hearts and pretty much all you can imagine in-between, is the coming revolution. And not only for industry, but culture and creativity too.

In the first major exhibition in Greece dedicated entirely to this amazing technology, more than 100 pieces by luminaries of Art, Architecture, Fashion, Science, and Product design combine to hint at the transformed commercial, public and private spheres of tomorrow.

In the first stages of the Pylos research project a new protocol has been set up towards the investigation of the material chosen, soil, and the relative science, both physical and chemical, connected to this material.

Earth, or Soil, as a construction material, has been used since Neolithic times. The advantages of an earth – soil structure are primarily related to both environment and economy, being both secure and environmentally friendly. These constructions also offer the benefits of natural insulation, fire protection, air circulation and more, with regards to their comparison to conventional building techniques and typologies.

The project focused on the behavior of the soil when mixed with other ingredients, towards a better understanding of the material and potential composites. Each sample developed showed different behaviors, all of which have been recorded, also through the testing of their tensile strengths, to then compare these results towards the development of a prime material. So as to fulfill this phase of the research, a crash machine was developed and built. Graphs were then implemented showing the results of the relative material testing, generating a comprehensive analysis of the materials and results.

The interest to develop additive manufacturing, specifically 3d printing, as a construction method, moreover when printing with natural materials, particularly in this time of economic and environmental crisis, is undeniable. The material results obtained through the development of the first phase of this research project are extremely promising, and consequently push the interest towards the further development of the machine itself.

TEI presents the latest research results, developments and challenges in the fields of human-computer interaction, multimodal interaction design, interactive art, user experience, and the latest technological tools and developments. TEI is presented as a unique forum for the exchange of ideas and presentation of innovative work through talks, interactive exhibits, demonstrations, workshops, posters, art installations and performances.

On Sunday, February 10, 8 workshops will take place at Fab Lab Bcn, taught by specialists from around the world, where participants can implement various technologies and activities related to the theme of the conference, such as experimenting with conductive paints and fabrics to build interactive clothing, experiment with different types of sensors, designed and built small robots, programme and design applications for future smart cities, develop applications  for special interactive tables, tablets and smartphones, etc.

Fab Lab Barcelona will present the Studio 13: From Microcontrollers to Cities and will be hosting, on tuesday 12th, the exhibition of the final projects.

More info at www.tei-conf.org

IaaC’s work in Mumbai explored current conditions and dynamics of the territory. Changing coastal conditions, learning from slums as the largest housing type, critiquing the unjustified escalation of land value and the various actors that work within this mechanism were part of the study as well.
Rapid growth in the population of cities and hurried development in second tier and third tier cities of India which ape their metropolitan contemporaries, were also part of the exploration.
“My India” Exhibition Presented by the IAAC MAA is a sum of all these experiences caught on movie and photograph. It started with students Films presented at the IaaC conference hall, and continued with the photographic exhibition at Corretger5 Gallery Barcelona