OTF – Review

This evening the OTF Researchers reviewed their project elaborations and prototypes, insode the research lines of Intelligent Building Constructions and Smart Urban Elements. Advisors of both research lines were present, consisting in Areti Markopoulou, Marc Viader, Silvia Brandi, Victor Iribas and Luis Fraguada, as well as Breinco Executive Director Joan Balagué, and IAAC Faculty Alexandre Dubor and Guillem Camprodon.

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. Read More »

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OTF Desk Crit with George Jeronimidis

Today the IAAC OTF researchers had the pleasure of a desk crit with Prof. Jeronimidis, checking the development of their projects and helping them with his critics. During the presentations, the researchers discussed their proposals and how these could be further elaborated. Read More »

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OTF_Presentation to the Partner Companies

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Today the IAAC OTF researchers presented their research proposals to the partner companies (KUKACRICURSASANTA&COLEDUPONTSTORA ENSOBREINCO 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?

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OTF_Lecture on Intellectual and Industrial Property

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Today at IAAC the OTF Researchers followed a lecture on Intellectual and Industrial Property & Unfair Competition, given by Ignasi EspiellSantiago 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.

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OTF_Visit to SANTA&COLE

Today the IaaC OTF Researchers visited 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.

 

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OTF_Visit to BREINCO

Today the IaaC OTF Researchers visited BREINCO.

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.

 

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OTF_Visit to CERÀMICA CUMELLA

Today the IaaC OTF Researchers visited 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.

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OTF_Visit to CRICURSA

Today the IaaC OTF Researchers visited CRICURSA.

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.

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OTF_Opening Presentation

Today we hosted the Opening Presentation of Open Thesis Fabrication (OTF), a 16 week program with an agenda that translates research into technology, working hand in hand with the industry, and seeking to develop innovative solutions in a wide range of fields.

This year the researchers will follow one of three research lines: 3D printing in Architectural Construction, tutored by Enrico Dini, Petr Novikov and Sasha Jokic; Intelligent Building Constructions, tutored by Areti Markopoulou, Marc Viader, Silvia Brandi and Victor Arribas; and Smart Urban Elements, tutored by Luis E. Fraguada, Ali Basbous and Roland Bosbach.

The researchers’ projects will be developed hand in hand with the partner companies, consisting in: KUKACRICURSASANTA&COLEDUPONTSTORA ENSOBREINCO and CERAMICA CUMELLA.

This morning, after a welcoming and introductory presentation given by Areti Markopoulou, IAAC Master Program Director, each of the Partner Companies briefly presented themselves, and outlined some of their innovation and development interests.

With the knowledge gained today, the researchers will proceed to further elaborate their Projects, based on an individual research topic based on their own interests and prior experience, and in line with the challenges proposed by the divers partner companies, and start prototyping.

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MATAERIAL – IAAC OTF project by Saša Jokić and Petr Novikov in collaboration with Joris Laarman Studio

IAAC Students developed this amazing projet within the IAAC OTF program: MATAERIAL, the revolution in 3d printing! Also published in DEZEEN.

MATAERIAL is the result of the collaborative research between Petr Novikov, Saša Jokić from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and Joris Laarman Studio. IAAC tutors representing Open Thesis Fabrication Program provided their advice and professional expertise. During the course of the research we developed a brand new digital fabrication method and a working prototype that can open a door to a number of practical applications. The method that we call Anti·gravity Object Modeling has a patent-pending status.”  Saša Jokić and Petr Novikov


MATAERIAL – a brand new method of additive manufacturing. This patent-pending method allows for creating 3D objects on any given working surface independently of its inclination and smoothness, and without a need of additional support structures. Conventional methods of additive manufacturing have been affected both by gravity and printing environment: creation of 3D objects on irregular, or non-horizontal surfaces has so far been treated as impossible . By using innovative extrusion technology we are now able to neutralize the effect of gravity during the course of the printing process. This method gives us a flexibility to create truly natural objects by making 3D curves instead of 2D layers. Unlike 2D layers that are ignorant to the structure of the object, the 3D curves can follow exact stress lines of a custom shape. Finally, our new out of the box printing method can help manufacture structures of almost any size and shape.

 

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