JUST COVER IT WITH A DIFFERENTIATED SURFACE

‘It is therefore true that God makes the world by calculating, but his calculations never work out exactly [juste], and this inexactitude or injustice in the result, this irreducible inequality, forms the condition of the world.’

From ‘Difference and Repetition’ by Gilles Deleuze

This workshop is to investigate the Form of form as well as to obtain form-making knowledge. Representation has lost its role to construct organizational system, but it is replaced by actualization of Ideas. The workshop focus on generating a surface that has a certain degree of differentiations and a certain extent of articulations. It repels any meaning or any effort seeking it. It only pursues abstract differentiation with a simple purpose.

Differentiated surface is generated from quantitative degree of difference and is then to be actualized into a certain clarity. Quantitative activities in surface will contain immanent qualities. As such, surface is developed in its inherent activities and is nothing to do with its smoothness. It would look rather skeleton-like, pleated, discontinuous. Nurb surface is a ghost construct to assist differentiated surface.

Methodology

From the beginning, each student should select a material such as reed, bamboo, timber, wire, string, steel plate, inflatable gas or air, elastic band, concrete, glass, fabric, etc.

Simultaneously, you are asked to decide one parameter. Then, by following simple roles, differentiate a generic plane into heterogeneity. It could be striated, folded, origamied, undulated, cell-typed, and so on. Continuously, add another parameter, another, another. Surface could be open or closed, linear or collective, continuous or discontinuous. The workshop is in parallel with making physical models by using manual tools and machines like CNC machining, vacuum forming, rapid prototyping (3D printing) and laser cutting.

Site/Program

A 700 meter tree-lined street will be our minimum condition to base a covering surface on. It is assumed that the cover could be used for an extension of linear commercial space into the street. The studio will focus on how surfaces are manipulated/transformed/differentiated in terms of techniques. Here, technique is everything and architecture would be defined as technology. Do not think too much about context and program. Think how to use them to develop your surface with finite elements and come up with a wonderful excitement.

Outputs

3 surfaces will be on the final table which are a virtual surface, a handmade surface and a machine made surface. To forget what you read so far, however, is what I ask of you. All you need to do is indulging yourself into ‘Digital World’. Do not worry about Rhino and machines. Think about a differentiated surface you will create. Sketch it and make some interesting models by using easily-manipulable material. Then, keep working on Rhino. Do not take it seriously. Fun would be rather productive.

Schedule

Tutorials will happen on Tuesdays and Fridays. Time will vary. It will be texted in advance. Rhino sessions are likely to happen on weekends. The date will be to be confirmed.

1/4 week: Concept

2/4 week: Develop

3/4 week: Machine

• Mon 25 Jan: Testing machines and getting cost estimates

4/4 week: Portfolio

• Wed 03 Feb: Interim critic

• Mon 08 Feb: Final critic