Climates Phase 1

1.1 Climates Phase 01 Geodesic

Project 01// Exploratory Practice// CARC7002// CIND7002 1.1.1 Brief

We will be building a geodesic dome on the quad at UCA which forms a canopy for an outdoors table area where we will be hosting an event The first project is a combination of group work, a live build project and also individual design outcomes. You will, as a team, and with other students, fabricate and assemble a large installation in the quad on the Canterbury campus of the university.

1.1.2 Requirements

You will be taking part in a full scale build project for UCA. The unversity has donated research funding for the progression of this project as the university would like to support interesting projects which help studnet learn valuable professional skills.

As a student involved in the project, you will be taking part in 5 design charettes, on Mondays, which will deal with different challenges to the design of the build. You will be divided into three groups each group will investigate and organise the delivery of a particluar aspect of the build. The charettes will be supported by workshops, held on Thursdays. Two weeks, week 5 and week 7, you will be expected to be in studio/ on site in the workshop every day apart from those sessions for other units. Its an internse period and you will find yourself putting quite a lot of hours in. Its an important project for the second year and really does cement you as a team. In this sense its a really great learning curve for you to understand how to work with eachother on a large, complex and challening project. The focus of the project is to help you develop the professional skills of planning. mobilisation and delivery of a project with a multidiciplinary team, as you might be doing in a professional environment, develop skills in making for future use and for collaboration in other making projects. You will be dealing with the challenges expected and unexpected in the planning and building stages and enjoying the satisfaction (and UCA Canterbury School of Architecture // MA Architecture // MA Interior Design // 2018-19

1.1.3 Parameters

The general form of the pavillion is a geodesic dome which is a regular mathematical lattice shell structure made from a series of slender elements with node connections.

The dome is a partial globe and meets the floor flatly. Geodesic domes are rigid and distribute the stresses in the dome evenly throughout the construction, they are therefore very strong for their size. Whilst not inventing the structure, the name geodesic and the most famous designer of the domes was R. Buckminster Fuller, and American architect, theorist and inventor in the 1940’s and 50’s. Last year as many of you were involved with taking it down, we made a hemisphere. This year we are being more ambitious with a canopy.

Geodesic domes are characterised by their shape and regular structural construction, because of their simple construction (if complex planning) and their relatively low material requirements, they are an eco-friendly method of enclosure. Llyod Kahn, pioneer of the Whole Earth movement wrote Domebook 1 and Domebook 2, exploring the self-build possiblities of dome construction, although he also pointed out some of the limitations, such as the requirement of domes used as houses to conform to building codes, the spatial challenges of a round home and the potential for maintainance issues with a complex structure. Domes, however, continue to facinate, alongside inflatables as symbols of expressive and utopic architecture, associated with living in the landscape, self-sufficiency, alternate living and a joyful architecture.

1.1.4 Outcomes

The ability to generate and present ideas for small scale temporary installation type projects responding closely to site and constraints of buildability and resources.

The ability to plan and prepare appropriate drawings for the building of a 1:1 installation and also to appropriately record and present the as build outcome.

The ability to plan and build a 1:1 scale installation that responds to material and contextual constraints and meets the needs of the brief and intended users.

The ability to generate individual design responses which work with a wider installation to contribute to the presentation of the whole.

UCA Canterbury School of Architecture // MA Architecture // MA Interior Design // 2018-19

1.1.5 Areas to work on

Canopy/ Junctions

Inflatable/ interactive canopy

Event/ coming together

Table surface/ stability/ foundations Ground/ Structure

Diag ram: Geodesic

1.1.6 Possible g roups

Man with pumpkin, https://wallace wow.com/products/whoppers-g row-your-own-giant-pumpkin-kit

GROUP 01: GEODESIC:GROUND / STRUCTURE - Site Survey and ground investigation - Vertical investigation - Foundations: Using/appropriating Sci-Fi Vernacular foundation method.

- 1:1 Material testing through prototyping - Connection to verticals (communicate with SURFACE group) - Integrated furniture element - 3D model, drawings and potential cutting list.

- Health and Safety GROUP 02: GEODESIC: CANOPY/JUNCTIONS - Theoretical research investigation - 3D model (digital) - Modelling and testing - Drawing package - Cutting list for CNC - 1:1 Material testing through prototyping - Connection points and joining - Health and Safety GROUP 03: GEODESIC: TABLE/ SURFACE/ STABILITY - System development (with GEODESIC CANOPY) - Surveying including 3D scanning of verticals - Adjustable/bespoke connection points - Connection to ground (communicate with GROUND group) - Connection to geodesic (communicate with GEODESIC group) - 3D model (digital) - Integrated furniture element - Health and Safety GROUP 04: GEODESIC: INFLATABLE/CANOPY - Theoretical research investigation - Drawing: digital/physical - Modelling and testing - 1:1 Material testing through prototyping - Connection points and joining - Interactiveness, responsiveness, coding and environment.

- Health and Safety GROUP 05: GEODESIC:EVENT MANAGEMENT - Social Media - Planning for opening event - Marketing and Advertising (local community and organisations) - Lighting - Budgeting - Communication between ALL groups - Experimental and professional documentation of processes - Health and Safety UCA Canterbury School of Architecture // MA Architecture // MA Interior Design // 2018-19

1.1.7 Prog ramme

1.1.8 Key Dates

17/09/18: Charette 01: Form 20/09/18: Workshop 01: Junctions 21/09/18 London trip 24/09/18: Charette 02: Elements 27/09/18: Workshop 02: CNC 01/10/18: Charette 03: Full Scale 04/10/18: Climates Pin-up, Inside/ Out Briefing 08/10/18: Charette 04: Build sequence 11/10/18: Workshop 03: Stability 15/10/18: Charette 05: Fabrication Week 05: w/c 15/10/17: Build Prep Week 07: w/c 29/10/17 Build Week Completion: 12:00 02/11/17, event 17:00 - 20:00

UCA Canterbury School of Architecture // MA Architecture // MA Interior Design // 2018-19

1.1.9 Assessment

Completion of the project will contribute to unit CARC7002/ CIND7002 Exploratory Practice. Assessment will be carried out during the build process and at the point of portfolio submission on 18/01/2019 at 14:00 - 15:00.

Feedback will be verbal and written at formative stages and written at the summative stage for this project.

1.1.10 Duration

The project will run from the 17/09/2018 until the end of the semester on 18/01/2019.

1.1.11 Further Reading

Dessauce, M. (1999) The inflatable moment : pneumatics and protest in ’68. (s.l.): Princeton Architectural Press.

Domebook 2. (1971) (s.l.): Pacific Domes.

Gordon, A. (2008) Spaced out : radical environments of the psychedelic sixties. (s.l.): Rizzoli.

Grossman, J. (2012) Drop City [electronic resource]. (s.l.): Kanopy Streaming.

Herzog, T. (1976) Pneumatic structures : a handbook of inflatable architecture. (s.l.): Oxford University Press.

Krausse, J. and Lichtenstein, C. (2000) R. Buckminster Fuller : Your Private Sky. (s.l.): Lars Muller Verlag,Switzerland,.

Macy, C. (2003) Architecture and nature : creating the American landscape. (s.l.): (s.n.).

Motro, R. (2003) Tensegrity [electronic resource] : structural systems for the future. (s.l.): Kogan Page Science.

Smit, T. (2001) Eden. (s.l.): Bantam.

Topham, S. (2002) Blowup : inflatable art, architecture, and design. (s.l.): Prestel.

Trumbull, D. et al. (2008) Silent running [videorecording]. (s.l.): UCA. Van Loon, B. (1994) Geodesic domes. (s.l.): Tarquin.

1.1.12 Staff/Guests

The project will be run by Lucy Jones, Owain Caruana Davies, visiting design tutor, and, Luke Jones, visiting design tutor. Technical support will be provided by Chris Settle and Ben Westacott when required and Ben Fletcher and Simon Nimmo in the workshop.

During the course of the unit we will be joined by key guests for crit reviews.

1.1.13 Lear ning Aims

The aims of this unit are to: A1 Enable you to locate your practice in relation to appropriate fields of research and develop your in-depth specialist understanding of these A2 Introduce and develop creative practice methodologies into a framework for planning future self-directed practice and theoretical enquiry A3 Introduce and develop specialist knowledge, technical skills and fabrication processes that facilitate the exploration of experimental approaches in your work A4 Develop your ability to critically appraise your own work and that of others through regular critiques and student forums A5 Support you in developing your project proposal providing a framework for the planning and implementation of your research within clear practical and theoretical parameters.

1.1.14 Lear ning Outcomes

On satisfactory completion of the unit you will be able to: LO1 Demonstrate specific knowledge of creative methodologies, critical theories and historical and contemporary precedents relevant to your design practice LO2 Identify potential areas for investigation, the formulation of clear research questions, and select and reflect upon appropriate strategies or methods of enquiry through creative practice LO3 Investigate research agendas via focused iterative testing and experimentation that has acquired advanced levels of conceptual, formal and technical skills LO4 Document your creative work as a critical methodological framework for on-going personal research agendas with clear coherent intellectual and practical aims LO5 Set goals, manage workloads and meet deadlines.

UCA Canterbury School of Architecture // MA Architecture // MA Interior Design // 2018-19