Digital Fabrication HS 2019

Digital fabrication is a process that merges design and manufacture through the use of digital tools (software) and computer-controlled manufacturing processes. Such processes position "digital natives" in the forefront of craft and form generation. Today, engineers, designers and artists are leading the development of new sculpting, construction and manufacturing strategies. Methods such as CNC milling, laser cutting, robotic fabrication among others, allow us to materialise radical new forms inspired by biological processes, mathematics and computational geometry.

Lecturers: Luke Franzke, Clemens Winkler

Course Goals

In this course, students gain an insight into methods and techniques that blur the boundary between digital and analogue, virtual and physical. Students gain insights into principles from geometry and formation processes from nature. The course provides a number of skills that are highly transferable to various aspects of prototyping for interaction designers.   

Course Structure

The course is Monday to Friday over two weeks, with the first week focuses on basic skills, and the 2nd week focuses on the main project. In the first week, students work individually to acquire basic skills. In the 2nd week, students form teams of 2 to 3 students to complete the main project.

Contents 

• Project Briefs
• Software
• Tools
• Readings
• Documentation Template Week 1 (individual) 
• Recipe Documentation Template (Week 2)
• Input Presentation week 2 (Clemens and Luke) 

Topic 2019: Future Food

This years topic is Future Food. How does the digital fit with a supremely analogue experience of experiencing flavours and aromas? Emerging technologies will change how we work in the kitchen, how we experience eating, how we gain nutrients and how our food consumption impacts the environment. Current food production methods are polarised with highly mechanised industrial fabrication on one side and intimate, small scale artisanal practices on the other. Digital Fabrication has allowed industrial processes to become bespoke and more accessible, could this also be the case for food? Will we be working together with robots in the kitchen, will we design our own food on the genetic level? How might digital fabricated food give us new sensory experiences, or play with or perceptions to give us fulfilling experiences while making us healthier or less consuming of natural resources? 

Possible subtopics:

• Digital fabricated food
• Lab-Grown food 
• Hybrid Fabrication in food production (new paradigms for food production between artisan and mass production) 
• Automation 
• New mechanism of nutrition (Intravenous? Aerosols ? Soylentgreen?) 
• Generative design of aromas, textures, flavours and forms. 

Topic Links and References :

• Astronaut food: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vVle67Tfjc
• https://space10.io/project/future-food-today-a-space10-cookbook/
• http://www.fluxmagazine.com/molecular-gastronomy/
• https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/robotics/robots-kitchen-at-the-table
• https://the-dots.com/projects/dinnerdata-future-food-speculative-design-242917
• http://www.likecool.com/The_3D_printed_Drink--Projects--Gear.html
• The Futurist cookbook: http://www.sternberg-press.com/index.php?pageId=1545&l=en&bookId=439&sort=year
• Synesthetic Design: Handbook for a Multi-Sensory Approach 
• Multisensuelles Design. Eine Anthologie Herausgegeben von Peter Luckner
• Great summary of the multisensory quality of flavour. We should try the sonic chip experiment: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867415002603
• Food for the Eyes exhibition, C/O Berlin https://www.co-berlin.org/food-eyes
• Food Revolution exhibition at Gewerbemuseum Winterthur https://www.gewerbemuseum.ch/ausstellungen/food-revolution
• Food: Bigger than the plate at V&A London https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/food-bigger-than-the-plate
• The Dutch Insitute of Food and Design https://thedifd.com/articles/an-exhibition-about-the-future-of-food/
• Inspiration on Food Narratives: https://www.instagram.com/thisismold/?hl=de 
• Amazing food production machinery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqHfGyQfanE
• Highly realistic simulations of baking processes https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=268&v=iBpolaB4DqA&feature=emb_title
• Japanese 3D printing food startup: http://www.open-meals.com/
• 3D printed fruit https://www.dezeen.com/2019/12/07/meydan-levy-neo-fruit-4d-print-design/

Expectations and Grading

Grades will be based on group presentations, class participation, documentation and final work. An attendance of min. 80% is required to pass the course.

• Individual Work and Documentation (week one)
• Group Work in the main project (week two)

Individual Work (40%) 

1. Workbook documentation of exercises and minor projects from week 1
2. Presentation of Minor Exercises 

Group Work (60%) 

1. Exhibition of process and outcomes
2. Final Presentation 
3. Standard IAD Documentation 
   • Videos (Making of, Final Prototype) if appropriate
   • Image selection
   • Recipe Documentation in the template provided (PDF and original InDesign files)

Final Presentation notes:

• The exhibition of the workshop results will take place in 3.E07-A. The tables will be set up for this on Thursday afternoon. 
• 5 minutes for presentation, and 5 minutes for feedback and discussion
• Live demonstration of your project when suitable
• Explanation of the process and the thinking that brought you to this outcome 

Homework for Monday 13.01.

1. Find one provocative image or video about food and/or digital fabrication
2. Bring one edible liquid (a favourite drink, flavour(soup) or food additive)

Time Plan

Room for all days: 3.E07-A