ARCH 481 THESIS 2020 ADAPTIVE AND RESPONSIVE SYSTEMS
Thesis Studio
Instructor Dale Clifford Cal Poly Department of Architecture CAED ARCH 481 MWF 1-6, 5cu Office Hours M/W/F 12-1
"If all the insects were to disappear from the Earth, within 50 years all life on Earth would end. If all human beings disappeared from the Earth, within 50 years all forms of life would flourish.”
NOTE: Before we begin, through thesis, we have the opportunity to open new vistas of research and practice. We have the opportunity to diverge from some of the constraints of traditional educational models and engage the rapid pace of change in architecture and determine the best path to building future careers that are field by empathy, broad interdisciplinary thinking, and creativity – be those careers within architecture, on its fringes, or beyond.
Jonas Salk
IAAC
MacKay Lyons Ghost 6
“In an increasingly globalized world it’s nice to reaffirm a way of making architecture about place – its landscape, climate and material culture.”
MacKay Lyons, Ghost Studio, Experiments in Wood Framing.
481 Studio Description_ F|W|S The studio “engages the development and employment of a design project (most often - but not limited to - a building proposal) that demonstrates the findings, proposals, and challenges resulting from the thesis inquiry. In essence, the studio consists of a hypothetical, built demonstration of the thesis inquiry.” Prof. Jonathon Foote. 481 supports open-ended architectural research and reflects the plasticity of the process of design, a process that is continually refined as a result of acquisition of new knowledge via experience. Our work balances research and practice and challenges the perceived boundaries of architecture. Projects may be developed individually or collectively, and in either case, the studio serves as a design collaborative that supports the free exchange of ideas. As a studio we will focus on developing creative processes with application to current societal needs. The umbrella topic is ‘Adaptive Architecture’ and posits that a more resilient and systems-based approach to design will better serve humanity. Under this umbrella, we will develop thoughtful and radical interventions in environmental contexts, be they densely urban conditions, postindustrial cities, the depths of the ocean, or other areas that could benefit from exploratory design thinking. At the intersection of architecture, ecology and related disciplines, the coursework draws from the creative application of both vernacular and emergent building technology. Site, environment, infrastructure, culture, morphology, materials and fabrication process are key drivers for project