Open Thesis Fabrication 2014 // Applied Research Program

Monday, 19th of January 2015 // 16h00 – 19h00, IaaC Auditorium

Advisors:

Silvia Brandi

Alexandre Dubor

Luis Fraguada

Jury:

Areti Markopoulou – IAAC Academic Director

Lucía Pérez Cerezo – ASCAMM

Josep Maria Serra – Santa&Cole

Toni Cumella – Cumella Cerámica

Paolo Bombelli – University of Cambridge

Collaborative Companies:

ASCAMM

Cumella Cerámica

Santa&Cole

Breinco

Cricursa

Today the Open Thesis Fabrication 5.0 gave their Mid term review, with an internal IAAC jury, as well as representatives from the collaborative companies, in particular Claudia Roselló, Santa&Cole, and Toni Cumella, Ceràmica Cumella.

The OTF program pushes the development of a specific research agenda in the field of digital design and fabrication, in an experimental environment that provides the spatial and technological means to execute it, finally aiming to develop and complete full-scale prototypes using advanced CNC machinery, innovative material solutions, and smart energy applications.

Some of the proposals presented included energy generative prototypes using moss or vibrations as an energy source, additive and subtractive manufacturing with a series of natural materials, as well as smart materials focussing on conductivity and refraction.

CRICURSA was founded in 1928 with the intention of bringing form, material and processing into high technology glass bending, in order to explore the possibilities of bent glass as a decorative element. After more than 8o years of experience, now offers architectural glass, curved and flat interior and exterior glass, and is present in many of the most famous architectural works around the world.
introduction of new glass-made solutions. Passionate about architecture, creativity and innovation, their aim is to continue inspiring the best engineers and architects in the world, in close collaboration with Facades and installers and all professionals, partnering CRICURSA to the efficiency and capacity to deliver ideas and concepts of the designers.

BREINCO is a Catalan company dedicated to the production urban elements and urban furniture using concrete.
Its phylosophy is oriented to define a new generation of products which are set to improve our surroundings
thanks to their sustainability, while constantly striving for eco-efficiency in the manufacture of products,
using recycled materials and incorporating new technology in the design of multifunctional spaces.
Following these strategic guidelines, BREINCO has evolved its product research and development, and has
created a new line of products, eco-logic®, being the first Spanish company to produce air clean® concrete
pieces with photocatalytic properties, which cause a decontaminating, self-cleaning effect and which reduce
the emission of environmentally-harmful NOx.

by Sofoklis Giannakopoulos

in collaboration with Enrico Dini (d-shape) and Slow Life

This abstract portrays the development of a research project with the final objective of designing and fabricating a large scale 3D Printer using natural clay as the printing material. The project focuses on the difficulties of the concept itself, that needs to be further developed, however after the first stages already revealing impressive results.

In the first stages of the 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 choice of the diverse composites mixed with the soil evolved according to the different needs encountered through the development of the material: different viscosity, different deflocculates…etc. Some of the composites tested included salty water, cement, alcohol, cellulose, wood powder, gelatin and sodium carbonate.

The main goal of this phase of the research project was to investigate and record the importance of material behavior. This process consequently generated rules and guidelines towards the final fabrication of the 3d Printer to be used with the developed material.

The development, starting from basic composites towards more elaborate ones, contemporarily to the development and manufacturing of the machine, driven by the research and results on the material behavior, reveals the protocol towards the fabrication of the final machine.

In this sense, one of the more impressive material results that illustrates the power of material science was chosen, and an extruder was then developed to print with this particular material.

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.

Ceràmica Cumella

The family workshop CERÀMICA CUMELLA, founded in 1880 in Granollers (Barcelona), originally devoted
to the manufacturing of traditional ceramics and pottery for daily use, has finally become the central core
of an intense public and professional activity. Ceràmica Cumella has lately experienced a notorious increase
in the industrial production of serial pieces -floorings, socles, lattices, coatings, steps, modular elementsundoubtedly
specific in many cases, since they are ordered pieces. Cumella with the conviction of a necessary
integration of technical tradition and innovative process, encouraging with a steady hand and continued
research, for example, on the definition of colours and the manufacturing of the corresponding glazes, both
for mechanical or manual applications; or on finding solutions on how to keep up with present technological
requirement. Toni Cumella spontaneously associates craftsmanship with serial production, personalization,
adaptability, history and culture, not necessarily by this order. He sees it all as a use of concepts, techniques
and processes so as to achieve a specific form of life.

Santa&Cole

For 28 years now, Santa & Cole has lived for industrial design, an art consisting of focusing on everyday
objects in order to seek a better use experience, thereby leading us to reflect upon material culture.
Santa&Cole generate elements of domestic and urban furniture and lighting, plant elements (living matter)
and books (likewise alive). A range that is only apparently dispersed, converging upon a single concern: not
to accumulate, but rather to select; not to enjoy quantity, but rather quality. Santa & Cole is organized around
four core themes : 1. Strategy, Structure and Knowledge, 2. Editing Policy, 3. The Importance of Design for
Santa & Cole and 4. Policy Knowledge Management.

The projects and prototypes gave way to an open discussion focusing on the potential outcomes of each OTF project, as well as the potential of envisioning further research on the topics.

Today the IAAC OTF researchers presented their research proposals to the partner companies (KUKA, CRICURSA, SANTA&COLE, DUPONT, STORA ENSO, BREINCO and CERAMICA CUMELLA), as well as the research line advisors, to discuss the next possible steps towards the development of their experimental prototypes.

9 projects, presented by 10 OTF researchers, in total were presented inside the research lines of INTELLIGENT BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS, and SMART URBAN ELEMENTS, bringing forth great interest on behalf of the partner companies, and an interesting discussion in general.

The research proposals presented various aspects and themes of interest:

_How can buildings meet the needs of public space, adapting continuously to the changing conditions posed by the environment and the interaction between public and private space? What is the potential of a building to interact and adjust to its physical, environmental and social context?

_What are the potentialities of embedding responsive technologies into various materials to generate smart materials, and dynamic products, finally a dynamic and responsive city, potentially generating constant evolution in the spatial context of these material applications, according to the real time needs of these contexts?

_What is the potential of parasite architecture towards the rehabilitation of obsolete infrastructure in the dense urban scape?

_How can invisible elements, such as pollutants and sound, become the basis for the interaction with space, creating new spatiality, according to urban and social needs, and potentially generating energy for these?

Today at IAAC the OTF Researchers followed a lecture on Intellectual and Industrial Property & Unfair Competition, given by Ignasi Espiell, Santiago Nadal, and Mònica López, vibrant young and experienced lawyers from Volartpons and SNAbogados.

This lecture gave the OTF Researchers the opportunity to understand and fully grasp the potentials, limits, the path to be undertaken, and possible problematics that can be encountered regarding Patenting, Industrial Design, Trademarks, unfair competition, and copy rights, as well as a final discussion on general Intellectual and industrial property doubts.

For 28 years now, Santa & Cole has lived for industrial design, an art consisting of focusing on everyday
objects in order to seek a better use experience, thereby leading us to reflect upon material culture.
Santa&Cole generate elements of domestic and urban furniture and lighting, plant elements (living matter)
and books (likewise alive). A range that is only apparently dispersed, converging upon a single concern: not
to accumulate, but rather to select; not to enjoy quantity, but rather quality. Santa & Cole is organized around
four core themes : 1. Strategy, Structure and Knowledge, 2. Editing Policy, 3. The Importance of Design for
Santa & Cole and 4. Policy Knowledge Management.