Algorithmic Abuse
PLAT 1.5 has just been released, and with it my critical essay entitled Algorithmic Abuse, which I’m sharing below. It’s a short attempt to raise awareness towards several gaps in computational architecture’s theory as well as practice. Please support the journal by purchasing a copy! A recurring concern among the practitioners and promoters of what [...]
Constructal Theory and Infrastructure
Recently, I’ve been digging around in Constructal Theory, mainly because it provides a “predictive” framework for natural growth unifying – in a sense – physics and life. As it is now, constructal law theoretically accounts for all design phenomena in nature. It states that “For a finite-size system to persist in time (to live), it must evolve [...]
Swarm Behaviours Workshop Material
Recently I’ve tutored a Processing workshop for the Hyperbody department at the TU Delft. I’ve decided to share the sketches with the open world – who knows, maybe someone will find them useful. There’s quite a few variations included – clustering, attractors, collision avoidance, etc. Read below for the download link and some screens of [...]
Border Conditions: F/RF
Project team: Manuel Torres, Dimitrie Stefanescu Studio Leader: Sang Lee This is the final studio (Border Conditions) project for msc2. Though quite a lot of parametric techniques went into the making of it, they were subservient to rather than defining the project’s outcome. This project embodies a virtual study of the process of folding with [...]
[GH] SuperConnect
![[GH] SuperConnect](http://improved.ro/wp/wp-content/uploads/improved//2011/06/superConnect-150x150.jpg)
A nifty little tool for creating connectors between pretty much any kind of planar surfaces which intersect themselves at the edges. What it basically does is to output in a ordered structure the intersecting faces (as tree branches) and their intersection line. From there on you can continue to build up your own connectors however [...]
Ornamatics [2/2]: W*Facade
![Ornamatics [2/2]: W*Facade](http://improved.ro/wp/wp-content/uploads/improved//2011/05/wfacade8-150x150.jpg)
Course tutors: Jack Breen, Martijn Stellingwerff, Robert Nottrot Second part of the previous project, this time exploring the possibility of scaling up the same design process to the level of a facade design.
Ornamatics [1/2]: W*Tile
![Ornamatics [1/2]: W*Tile](http://improved.ro/wp/wp-content/uploads/improved//2011/05/wtile0-150x150.jpg)
Course tutors: Jack Breen, Martijn Stellingwerff, Robert Nottrot Project focused on the formal exploration of ornament and tiling, mainly based on the formal language derived from the wetgrid experiments. The projects explores the possibility of creating a structurally sound three dimensional lattice which can present multiple stacking and tiling possibilities. This results in several possible variations which [...]
COMP{M}UTATION
COMP{M}UTATION: Parametric design workshop @ Faculty of Architecture, Brno (CZ) for architecture students, starring Patrick Bedarf, Dimitrie Stefanescu, Rhinoceros and Grasshopper. Thanks to Thomas for the invite! Check here for more information on registration (Czech only).
Post-Parametric Impressions
The following article was written for arhiforum.ro in response to the CLJ02: Parametric Design Workshop. Click here for an unsanctioned translation in Romanian. A few weeks ago CLJ02, the second workshop centered around parametric design, happened in Cluj. Setting it alongside previous similar events in Bucharest and Iasi, we can clearly see an increasing attention being [...]
C:Strip
Project Team: Patrick Bedarf, Dimitrie Stefanescu C:Strip is best described by an attempt to translate the environmental qualities of the proposed site into a meaningful architectural geometry that can accomodate and maximize the performance of an adaptive and fluctuating programme which focuses on producing and distributing information through the use of informal societal behaviour.
f* Voronoi
A symbolically critical pamphlet For the hip architectural public, there surely isn’t any need of introducing the (in)famous Voronoi diagram. If there is, then you probably shouldn’t be reading this text and you’re better off doing something else. Nevertheless, I find myself under increasing pressure to express my thoughts regarding what I find to be [...]
![[research] wetgrid 2!](http://improved.ro/wp/wp-content/uploads/improved//2010/10/1-150x150.jpg)
CLJ: Parametric Design Workshop
DTAL is very pleased to announce a new workshop taking place at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism in Cluj during 17-20 May, which is very nicely timed with Neil Leach’s conference there (20 May). It all happens under the umberlla of the +/- Cluj Center of Architecture. Thanks to AStA Cluj for the invitation. [...]
Bucharest Culture Clash
Keywords: fragmentation, cracking, violence, earthquake, identity crisis, culture. Initial explorations: Culture Cracking. Bucharest never had a coherent image in any point in history. Its only true comon denominator would be the highly despised disorder generated by the struggle between western rigor and local chaotic impulses. It is one city where conflict is strikingly out in the open, [...]
Cultural Cracking
Exploring Bucharest and its intrinsic properties in our latest school assignment. Cultural Cracking. Collapse. Fragmentation. Earthquake. Crisis.
4*HTL Plevnei
Latest school project: four star hotel in a not that nice area of Bucharest. Does what it says on the tin. What’s nice is that there are a lot of embedded parametrics inside: the canopy structural system, terrain modding (site), shape cracking of the canopy. Sometime ago there even was a def for controlling room [...]
Urban Developement Proposal
This project is a collaboration with Dragos Mila. We parametrically explored possible future configurations for the study area (450ha large, at the intersection of two main planned road-infrastructure extensions) and tried to push for a solution that would maximize performance (density, height, shading, access to natural elements and connectivity) of the whole region while leaving [...]
Making you more curious
Winning entry for DuPont + igloo‘s Changing the Face – Casa Poporului. Idea sparked off with Raresh Dragoiu of drr_____ fame. Jury was composed of: prof. arh. Dorin Stefan (DSBA) arh. Bruno Andresoiu (igloomedia) Anne-Line Citrene (DuPont France) Gabi Rottes (DuPont Germany) Some pictures from the exhibition, which can be seen at the University Underground [...]
4h metro
Recently we were allowed the use of computers at one of our one-day-long exams – so my school is finally living up to the attribute change in my about page – it used to be horrible, now it’s damp. A real improvement in life quality. Here’s the outcome: judge it lightly since the overall design [...]
LPSCN Implant
The assignment was loosely formulated so as to allow maximum freedom in identifying problems and needs in the Lipscani area and proposing an architectural (built) solution that would tackle the aforementioned points. My vision concentrated on issues relating to the poor visibility/readability of the overall area (and the necessity of a landmark) and the lack [...]
Grasshopper Boids/Agents
Call them what you will, but there’s been a huge hype about them some time ago. Grasshopper’s scripting capabilites are now a huge super cool feature, especially if you’re coding in visual studio (c#) and then pasting the shit or making dlls. I did this some time ago when i suddenly realized that you can [...]
Rule Based Design Symposium TU Berlin
I’m on the speaker list at the Rule Based Design Symposium at the TU Berlin. Thank you Christophe for the invite! (27.05.09) The Symposium takes place at 18:00 in the Geodätenstand 6 O.G. TU Berlin Hauptgebäude, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin. The Rule Based Design Symposium highlights contemporary academic and practice based research [...]
3d Voronoi in grasshopper
Deprecated. Here’s the new version. More as a scripting experiment, when i was mucking about trying to make the delaunay triangulation work in grasshopper i somehow found the wonderfully complex qhull library which i promptly set to push and pull to get it to work with grasshopper. As advised on their website, the best way [...]
Collective Housing – part 1 review
Team project with Veronica Popescu. Our solution proposed the creation of several interlinked interior and exterior courtyards that both encouraged interaction with the surrounding busy streets while at the same time offering an intimate place to retreat to. Various social and commercial functions requiring different visibility/exposure levels can occupy this space at ground floor level. [...]
