Philip Beesley is architect working in Toronto and Southern Ontario. His work includes public buildings, development planning, commercial facilities and offices, and residences, but his work in the last two decades has focused on field-oriented sculpture and landscape installations, with extensions in stage design and buildings.His Sculptural work has focused on lightweight ‘textile’ environments, and landscape installations. ‘Hylozoic Soil’ recently won first place for the 11th annual VIDA competition on Art and Artificial Life held by the Fundación Telefónica.

Philip is also associated with the University of Waterloo, were he is a professor of architecture and shares responsibility for the Integrated Centre for Visualization, Design and Manufacturing, a high-performance computer and rapid-prototyping facility.

Hylosoic Soil
The glass-like fragility of this artificial forest, built of an intricate lattice of small transparent acrylic tiles, is visually breathtaking. Its frond extremities arch uncannily towards those who venture into its midst, reaching out to stroke and be stroked like the feather or fur or hair of some mysterious animal. In keeping with Beesley’s own description, his enchanted environment complies with the laws and cycles that determine the millennial assembly of a coral reef, with its cycles of opening, clamping, filtering and digesting. Capacitance-sensing whiskers and shape-memory alloy actuators create a diffuse peristaltic pumping motion, luring visitors in to the every  shimmering depths of a forest of light. Hylozoic Soil implements a distributed sensor network driven by dozens of microprocessors, generating waves of reflexive responses to those drawn into its vast array of acrylic fern stalagmites. Different levels of programmed activity encourage the emergence of coordinated spatial behavior: thirty-eight controller boards produce specific responses to local action, while a bus controller uses sensor activity collated from all the boards to command an additional “global” level of behaviour. The forest thus manifests a haunting, breathing organicity, as it stirs to envelop and charm its human explorers. In keeping with the tradition of biologist artist Ernst Haeckel’s Riddle of the Universe (1899), which traced actions of organic and inorganic nature alike back to natural causes and laws, Beesley’s Hylozoic Soil stands as a magically moving contemporary symbol of our aptitude for empathy and the creative projection of living systems.

The Roadshow interview with Philip Beesley from The Roadshow on Vimeo.

Hylozoic Soil from Karen Siemers on Vimeo.

The Morning Line
This project proposes a ruin from the future, a new type of structure whose function can only be inferred not just by using it but by reading it. Combining science, art, architecture, music and film into the first semasiographic building, an architectural language that directly expresses its content through its structure. A structure that is simultaneously generating itself and falling apart.

Tiling
There are two fundamental system of visual language employed for the tiled structure. A glottographic system provides a visible representation of spoken language utterances, and a semasiographic system seeks to indicate ideas directly , like the pictogram on road signs .By tiling a visual language through a three dimensional structure a semasiographic structure is created.

Structure
The visual language is expressly developed to not only carry the physical load of the structure but to express it throughout the structure.The surface drawings express the lines of forces.

Folding
By folding the tiled visual language across and through a three dimensional structure a semiassographic structure is created.

Yesterday I stumble upon a very good one from Seth Godin, it talks about the fact that you won´t have any success by being creative youl´ll be successful by producing and delivering .It´s not about the number and quality of ideas you may have and start, its all about what you actually get finished.A great idea never finished it´s worthless,we often wait for the perfect time and conditions for making something,this will never happen , one must get stuff done with the time and resources available.

I find interesting the fact that most people or I would dare to say everyone has enough creativity to be successful , our core problem is not the lack of creativity but the percentage of ideas that we actually execute.If we get to compare the ideas that cross trough our minds every day to the ones we get done we would realize that we are not only not lacking of creativity but on the contrary we have more than enough, the problem rarely is the creativity.

At the end we all are always trying to be different to break the established ,challenge everything,find new ways to solve problems,I think that´s in the mind of almost every human being therefore that´s not what makes you special,what it really makes you an outstanding person is the way you overcome you inner fears,prejudices and external obstacles to get things done and take your ideas to a reality.

In this lecture Seth mentions something about domain our lizard brain, that is an auto sabotage system that we all have, it is related to a survivor instinct we have to protect ourselves from any kind danger,It talks about how as soon as we start to fabricate an idea and get to work on it, the sooner we are to finish and deliver it, this part of our brain speaks up , and starts measuring all the possible things could happen wrong and all the problems we could get into, this makes us stop and abandon the idea.We must pay a lot of attention when this starts to happen and learn to control our thoughts in order to get everything we start finished , only by delivering ideas you will eventually become successful.

So now you know creativity won´t take you no were unless you have the guts to confront all the fears and obstacles crossing your way.

Seth Godin: Quieting the Lizard Brain from 99% on Vimeo.

This phenomena has enormous implications in our everyday life and yet we almost never notice it,but if we are clever enough to find these patterns or conections in our lifes we could take enourmous advantages from it , in my case as a creative person I´m very interested in understanding this subjects because of the possibilites of spreading my work an ideas to the more posible people, this obiously traduces in more bussines opportunities and also as a great way to learn from others. I totally recommend you to watch this documentary and try to find the way this information may be valuable for you.

Connected: The Power of Six Degrees – Part 1 from gephi on Vimeo.

Connected: The Power of Six Degrees – Part 2 from gephi on Vimeo.

Connected: The Power of Six Degrees – Part 3 from gephi on Vimeo.

Apart from doing very interesting projects using several technologies and digital fabrication tools , this guys are documenting their experiences and work methodologies, thing that I´m finding very useful , specially because I´m in a very similar position starting with my first partnerships and consultancy services.

I really recommend to visit their site and see what they´re up to.

First Manifesto from PROJECTiONE on Vimeo.

Thesis Proposal (extract from site)

PROJECTiONE defined

We do not intend to define specialists within our group. We are not a group of individuals that coexist to form a collaborative. While we have different backgrounds that affect our perspectives, we are not completely separate parts under the label of a whole. As Wiscombe explains, this has allowed for unpredictable and unforeseen results in the synthesis of our ideas and interests. However, unlike these clear definitions of collaboration and collective, our interests fluctuate between divergent and aligned. Our ideas, skills, and interests may differ, but they also overlap toward a common goal. We do not formulate individual ideas that the group supports, rather the group reformulates individual ideas to a point where the individual is indistinguishable from the group. This is our collective. This is PROJECTiONE.

Research

Our opportunities to work together in the past have focused on using digital and analog design and fabrication tools. To frame our position in this field, we contrast that experience against current theories and the critical positions of digital designers and fabricators. We have followed trends in digital theory and executed a series of interviews in New York City to understand what current designers and fabricators consider to be relevant to their practice. Our questions highlighted their perspective on the relationship between digital and analog tools and processes.

Analysis

Some groups we interviewed, such as Tietz-Baccon, find value in the relationships of digital and analog, often using CNC machinery to create jigs for crafted analog fabrication. They exhibit their craft through the use of all tools, recognizing that creativity and precision can still occur within the analog. Others, like Gramazio and Kohler at the ETH in Zurich are exploring this relationship in a different way. Though they are experimenting with a seven-axis robot, they have no intent of eliminating the human, remaining largely integrated into the process. [West Fest Pavilion in Switzerland] In this process, the robot picks up a piece of wood and places it on a table, where a student cuts it to a CNC-specified length with a miter saw. After cutting, the robot positions that same piece of wood in a specific place, while another student secures it with a nail gun. It is a mutually constructive machine-human relationship and an integrated use of this technology.

Similar to these groups, we completed a quick design/fabrication project entitled Projection that we used to analyze our internal methodologies and help define our position. Critical relationships existed throughout the project between the analog design (measurement of Cartesian coordinates) and the digital model (insertion of coordinates in digital space). This was made possible by our understanding of the required digital inputs that informed how we modeled and measured using analog tools. During fabrication, our analog techniques (steel cutting, and welding) informed the shape and information embedded in templates (laser-cut cardboard). These templates were designed to wrap around steel angles so that they could easily be held in place while marking and cutting, but also carried with them information regarding the steel pieces’ length and orientation. An interrogation of analog and digital space in this project allowed a unique and continuous transfer of information between the two.

This example highlights the thinking that is intrinsic to our process, relying on an intimate understanding of a variety of tools, both analog and digital. This knowledge can then be applied in developing innovative relationships (coordinate mapping, and laser-cutting templates). Unlike some of the designers and fabricators interviewed, we remain open to new uses of both analog and digital tools. We don’t place any undue importance on either new technologies or traditional means, and we rethink the relationships that exist between them.

PROJECTiONE´s position

Software and hardware should not just make designing or fabricating easier, streamlining the design process. They should not exist separate from the human. They should provide opportunities to change the way designers think. They should allow us to design differently; more precisely, more creatively, and with greater intent. This can be done through an interrogation of the tool’s purpose. Every tool has a purpose or material associated with it, but that purpose should be continually challenged. PROJECTiONE was created within this framework. We find design potential in the areas of overlap and creative use of analog and digital design and fabrication methods. In every project we intend to innovate. We develop new techniques. We rethink traditional techniques. We creatively force tools to do what they weren’t intended to do. Our ideas and methodologies are based on an interrogation of relationships between the individuals of PROJECTiONE and the tools of our craft. This concept is not unique to us, but its execution and results highlight our position in digital practice. PROJECTiONE resides in the space between digital and analog.

Project Description
The applet begins with a single unfolded cell. Dragging the edge of a cell towards its center begins a fold. Right clicking and dragging an edge attaches a new cell. The applet is aware of an invisible “floor,” that causes legs to fold twice past a certain length.

You’ll see legs turning blue once they’re folded twice. Right clicking an “edge” causes that leg to become fixed, so that it is always perfectly tangent to the ground, even if the floor height changes in the future. This application was built with Processing.

Floor height & Fixed Legs
A variable floorHeight determines the point at which legs fold. Low floor heights make for larger surfaces, while high floor heights make for longer legs. As the floorHeight value changes, the arcs that make “yellow” legs stay tangent to the ground.

MOS Cells from George Michael Brower on Vimeo.

INFORMAMOS QUE LAS PLAZAS PARA ESTE EVENTO SE ENCUENTRAN AGOTADAS QUEREMOS AGRADECER A TODAS LAS PERSONAS QUE SE HAN INSCRITO Y HAN MOSTRADO INTERES EN EL WORKSHOP, ESTAMOS SEGUROS ENTRE TODOS HAREMOS UN EXCELENTE EVENTO./ WE ARE GLAD TO INFORM THAT ALL THE  SEATS FOR THE WORKSHOP ARE FULL , WE WILL  LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND INTEREST, STAY TUNNED FOR NEW EVENTS .

Bajo la utilización de distintos software se examinaran conceptos y casos de estudio que permitirán a los participantes aprender a utilizar y generar algoritmos que les permitan llevar a acabo distintos procesos de diseño , tanto para exploración de diseños conceptuales, así como para la optimización del diseño para su fabricación además del desarrollo de topologías complejas que respondan a ciertos criterios predefinidos por el diseñador.

Fecha y Lugar
5,6,7  -  12,13,14 de Marzo
Instalaciónes Plataforma de Arquitectura (151-SA)

Cupo maximo
15 plazas

Costo
Estudiantes : $ 2,000.ºº
Profesionistas: $ 2,700.ºº

Importante
*Los participantes deberan traer su propia laptop con todo el software y actualizaciones (originales o verisones de demostración oficiales) previamente instaladas.(se fijara una fecha unos días antes para revisar que todos los equipos esten en orden y listos para trabajar)

Proceso de Inscripción
El participante debera pagar la matricula haciendo un deposito bancario a la cuenta que aparece a continuación.
Banco:Banamex
Nombre:Daniel Camiro Salgado
No.Cuenta:5204 1670 5605 3697
CLABE(transferencia interbancaria):002010437100818177
El deposito minimo para reservar la matricula es del 50% el resto debera ser cubierto por lo menos 7 días antes del inicio del taller.

Una vez que el deposito se haya llevado acabo el participante debera enviar a cualquiera de estos dos correos electronicos: rodrigo@designplaygrounds.com – chidostudio@gmail.com la siguiente información.
-Nombre Completo
-Email
-Telefono
-Institución Educativa u Oficina
-Archivo adjunto de la copia del recibo del deposito bancario

En cuanto se reciban los datos inmediatamente nos pondremos en contacto para especificar los siguientes pasos a seguir.

Organizado en conjunto con:

Greg Lynn talks about the mathematical roots of architecture — and how calculus and digital tools allow modern designers to move beyond the traditional building forms.

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels rockets through photo/video-mingled stories of his eco-flashy designs. His buildings not only look like nature — they act like nature: blocking the wind, collecting solar energy — and creating stunning views.

Daniel Libeskind builds on very big ideas. Here, he shares 17 words that underlie his vision for architecture — raw, risky, emotional, radical — and that offer inspiration for any bold creative pursuit.

I also included here a simple Grasshopper definition that creates a honeycomb cladding which can be used to create the polygons for the panels, just one of the many tools you can use for design testing and integration into your workflow.

Have fun and don´t forget to send your feed back.

NOTE:The script is for the free domain feel free to use it and modify it for your personal research and educational purposes, For implementation in commercial projects you should notify the respective authors (that would be me and Toni )

Grasshopper Definition:HoneycombCladding.ghx
Rhinoscipt File:PneumaticCladdingTool_revised.rvb

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