Lecturers: Roman Kirschner and Anthea Oestreicher
Contents and Objectives
The seminar is an introduction into designing (with) spaces. „Soft Architecture“ differs from the classical idea of architecture in that it does not aim to build permanently habitable spaces. It rather encourages students to experiment with existing spaces, to ask what they offer and how they can be adapted to communicate and afford specific atmospheres, narratives, rules, actions and interactions.
Experimenting with spaces comprises experimentation with structures and materials that give these spaces character. Through trial and error, bodily experiences and discussions, students develop their sensitivity and intuition as designers.
This year we will approach this experimentation with an ecological twist. Since spaces are neither abstract nor clinically pure, we also always have to take microbiological lifeforms and entropy into account. In this year’s issue will deal with microscopic/planktonic life forms, growth processes, environmental conditions, microcosms, and technically mediated connections between micro ecologies in playful settings.
Schedule
Course: 16.09. – 10.10.2024, Monday – Thursday: 9-17
Week 1
(Introduction, Excursions, Ideation and Team Building)
| Monday (16.09.) | Tuesday (17.09.) | Wednesday (18.09) | Thursday (19.09) |
9:00-11:30 Introduction (4T31) [(11:00) 1st semester welcome ??] | tbc - Visit ZHAW Aquaculture Systems Wädenswil | 09:15 Hardhof 9 Visit Grundwasserwerk Hardhof | 9:00 - 11:30 Group discussion/meeting (4T06) |
13:00-14:30 Equipment & Facilities tour ZHdK 15:00-16:45 Aesthetics of Interaction: Introduction (4T09) | Ecological Ideation exercises [Semester Overview with Jürgen ? ] | 13:00-17:00 Limmat field research | Ideation exercises in groups |
Week 2
(Concept development (Topic/Goal/Spatiality), Prototyping, Game Development (Rules/Realisation))
Monday (23.09) | Tuesday (24.09) | Wednesday (25.09) | Thursday (26.09) |
09:00 - 11:00 Presentation of ideation Exercises + Discussion (5F02, 9–12) 11:00-12:00 Input microcosms (AO) | 09:00 - 12:00 Concept Development | 09:00 - 12:00 Prototype Development + Individual Mentoring | 09:00 - 12:00 Prototype Development + Individual Mentoring |
13:00 - 17:00 Concept Development | 13:00 - 17:00 Concept Development | 13:00 - 15:00 Prototype Development + Individual Mentoring 15:00-16:45 Aesthetics of Interaction: Material and Environmental Dynamics (4T06) | 13:00 - 14:30 Presentation Mockups, Experiments and Ideas. (4T06, 13-17) tbc - Martina (Experimental Ecology) |
Week 3
(pr)
| Monday (30.09) | Tuesday (1.10.) | Wednesday (2.10) | Thursday (3.10) |
Individual Mentoring Project Development | |||
| 13-15 | Project Development | 15:00-16:45 Aesthetics of Interaction: Systems and Bodies (4.T06) |
Week 4
| Monday (7.10) | Tuesday (8.10.) | Wednesday (9.10) | Thursday (10.10) |
| Mentoring Project/ Exhibition Execution Details | Individual Mentoring - Zurich project Project Development | Feedback Round | |
15:00-16:45 Aesthetics of Interaction: Anthropocene | Project Development | 15.00 Exhibition Vernissage | Documentation & |
Locations
Indoor:
16.09. – 03.10.: Room: Projektraum 4.K22-1 + Werkstatt
other rooms for occasional presentations (see schedule above)
7.10. - 10.10. Kunstraum ZT 5.K12
Outdoor: various locations at Limmat and lake Zurich.
Exhibition Vernissage: 9.10. 15:00
Things to bring for field days or working on site
Tools for documentation, water equipment that might be needed (swim suit, rubber boots),
basic construction material by preference (tapes, cable ties, strings, small tools, saw (?), knife (?), textiles (?)),
Field Research task
tbc
Design task
tbc