COURSE DESCRIPTION
Computer
games enable users, to play an active part in the virtual world, they are
immersing themselves in. Recent hits like Minecraft and Fortnite have combined
player impact with massive multiplayer approaches, enabling a society of gamers
to shape the world they want to play in. We believe that such approaches of
playful design through virtual world building can also play a role in
architecture.
The seminar
aims at exploring novel collaborative design scenarios for generating modular
architectural assemblies for the city of Kassel, using immersive videogame-like
tools. This will be achieved through Project DisCo, a multi-player application
for sculpting modular aggregations in a game-like environment, and Wasp, a
discrete design plug-in for Grasshopper, both developed by the seminar leaders.
The overall
goal of the seminar is twofold: from one side, we will explore computational
tools to generate modular assemblies of large numbers of repetitive parts,
reflecting on different concepts of modularity in architecture; at the same
time, we will discuss scenarios of collaborative design in architecture to
create different kinds of public space interventions in different areas of
Kassel.
Rather than
focusing exclusively on the design of modular systems, the seminar will also explore
the process of collaboratively assembling structures within an immersive design
system, using 3d environment data as background for the development of modular
public space infrastructures.
REQUIREMENTS & ENROLMENT
Participants will need a basic understanding of Grasshopper and Rhino. Partaking in the design process with own VR devices is also possible (Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are supported. Other headsets might also work, but we cannot guarantee that).
NB: Participation in both workshop during the semester is required to complete the seminar successfully (see dates below).
Enrolment is on Moodle or via Email at rossi@asl.uni-kassel.de.
FIRST MEETING: 25.10.2021, 10:00 > 17:00
SEMINAR DATES
The seminar will consist of a mix of in-presence workshop and online reviews. Participation to the workshop is required to complete the seminar.
- Kick-off game-jam (in presence): 25.10.2021, 10:00 > 17:00
- Design Tools workshop (in presence): 08 + 09.11.2021, 10:00 > 17:00
- Review (online on Zoom): 22.11.2021, 09:00 > 12:00
- Review (online on Zoom): 13.12.2021, 9:00 > 12:00
- Final workshop (in presence): 10 + 11 + 12.01.2022, 10:00 > 17:00
- Final submission (online): 28.02.2022