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Decoding and recoding informal settlements: exploring shape grammars and parametric resources for housing and urban design
Computational Design | Online Workshop | English | North-South Americas
Description:
Key Words: shape grammars,parametric design,informal settlements,affordable housing
Required Skills: Rhinoceros/grasshoper basic knowledge
Required Software: Rhinoceros/grasshoper
Required Hardware: -
Maximum number of participating students: 10
Population growth in dense urban centers - most notably in regions referred to as “the global south” is increasingly impacted by population growth and development that occur faster than formal governing bodies (or the formal sector) can anticipate or accommodate with infrastructure and services. Numerous urban and social problems develop when the formal sector does not provide adequate housing for these growing populations, leading to the emergence of informal settlements, such as ghettos, slums, favelas, and other poor residential neighborhood types. Nevertheless, informal settlements are spatially rich, although they lack proper infrastructure and sanitation. Conventional approaches to tackle the problem rely on repetition and standardization, leading to monotonous urban environments. On the other hand, computational resources and parametric procedures are increasingly being adopted to tackle problems like these and develop flexible urban planning and design approaches. This workshop explores the use of shape grammars, a formalism based on simple visual rules used to transform one shape into another, and parametric design tools (within the Rhinoceros/grasshopper framework) to address an informal settlement in Ahmedabad, India. The goal is to decode and recode its urban patterns and improve urban quality while keeping the essential features valued in informal settlements, including spatial richness and a lively community life.
Schedule:
Jun 28 - Jul 2
  • Day 1 / Jun 28

    9:00 - 16:00 (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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    09:00 - 16:00 (EST)

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    15:00 - 22:00 (CET)

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    21:00 - 04:00 (China)

    Initial modules - Intro to Shape Grammars
  • Day 2 / Jun 29

    9:00 - 16:00 (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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    09:00 - 16:00 (EST)

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    15:00 - 22:00 (CET)

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    21:00 - 04:00 (China)

    Intermediate modules - Parametric implementation of Shape Grammars
  • Day 3 / Jun 30

    9:00 - 16:00 (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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    09:00 - 16:00 (EST)

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    15:00 - 22:00 (CET)

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    21:00 - 04:00 (China)

    Site Presentation and analysis, program and strategies definition
  • Day 4 / Jul 1

    9:00 - 16:00 (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

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    09:00 - 16:00 (EST)

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    15:00 - 22:00 (CET)

    |

    21:00 - 04:00 (China)

    Work sessions
  • Day 5 / Jul 2

    9:00 - 16:00 (GMT-4:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

    |

    09:00 - 16:00 (EST)

    |

    15:00 - 22:00 (CET)

    |

    21:00 - 04:00 (China)

    Work sessions + Final presentations
Instructors:
  • FERNANDO T LIMA Pennsylvania State University | Federal University of Juiz de Fora,Visiting Scholar | Professor
    Fernando Lima is a visiting scholar in Stuckeman Center for Design Computing – Penn State University, United States. He completed a Ph.D. in Urbanism at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 2017, having attended a doctoral exchange period at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Lisbon, Portugal. He was awarded the Brazilian CAPES Foundation Thesis 2018 Honorable Mention for his Ph.D. thesis. He is currently the vice director of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, where he is a professor in the Department of Design, representation, and technology and a permanent professor in the master's program in built environment.
  • Jose Duarte The Pennsylvania State University,SCDC Director, Chair in Design Innovation
    José P. Duarte is the Stuckeman Chair in Design Innovation and director of the Stuckeman Center for Design Computing at Penn State, where he is Professor of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and Affiliate Professor of Architectural Engineering and Engineering Design. After obtaining his doctoral degree from MIT, Duarte returned to Portugal where he became dean of the Lisbon School of Architecture. A former president of eCAADe, the European association for education and research in computer-aided design, his research interests are in the use of computation to support context-sensitive design at different scales. Accordingly, one of his areas of research address the study of the relationship between urban form and urban performance. Recently, he co-edited the book "Mass Customization and Design Democracy" (Routledge, NY, 2019) and his team was awarded 2nd place in the finals of the "NASA 3D Printed Mars Habitat Challenge."
  • Arpan Johari AIIA, AIIID, Fellow - IMI, Fellow IGBC,Principal Architect. AW Design
    Arpan Johari is the founder and Principal Architect of AW Design, Ahmedabad, India. His professional & lecturing experience spans on projects in the US, UK, Libya, Oman, Mexico, Russia and India. His areas of research interest are Sustainable Architecture, transportation design, design thinking, sustainable urbanism and industrial design. Johari was invited by Stuckeman School at Penn State University, USA (2019) to deliver lecture on Urban Edges and Sustainability, as Jury for social housing design for Studio Brasilia, now AW Design and Penn State are conducting 3 year joint studio course (2020) on Sustainable Informal Housing. He was also invited jury for Urban Design Program at GSAPP Columbia University, USA (2019). Arpan Johari also interacted with students from Queensland University – Australia (2019), discussing on transforming rurality and urban sustainability. He successfully delivered CADI program on Urban Sustainability & Resilience for Professors at Tec De Monterrey, Puebla - Mexico (2017) and was a jury member for their program on ‘Sustainable Transit Oriented Design’ (2018), he was also a judge for ‘Final Battle for Design 2018’ at TEC, Mexico. He has been on jury panel for Bangalore International Airport for Designing of a ‘Non Aerobridge Experience’ (2018). Johari was also invited to speak at 'Urban Edge Symposium' by UWM, USA, proceedings of have been published by ORO, USA (2017). Johari was also an invited jury for Water Urbanism at Columbia University, held at Indian High Commission New York (2018). He has interacted with students and Professors on Architecture, Sustainability, Urban design and Industrial design programs at University of Sheffield, UWM – Milwaukee, USA, NCHU – Taiwan, CEPT – India, NID – India, CCA – India. He has been selected from global alumni pool to mentor students from University of Sheffield, UK. Arpan Johari has been covered for five years in a row by MGS Architecture Magazine in their annual issues titled ‘Buildings & Beyond’ (2021), ‘Design & Strategy’ (2020), ‘50 Architects reimagining Architecture & Design’ (2019) ‘50 Architects that are changing the face of Indian Architecture’ (2018) and ‘50 Architects – One mission - Greening India’ (2017). AW Design was awarded as the ‘Most promising Architect and Green Building consultant of the year in Gujarat for recognition of his contribution to the Green Building Industry in Gujarat (2016) and Zonal winner for Cera WB Design Challenge (2018). He also won Cera – Design for tomorrow. (2020) and Covid 19- Call for Ideas by Ethos and Indian Institute of Architects (2020). AW Design also has the distinction of being first single architect led practice in Gujarat state to receive Platinum rating for their own office under IGBC Green Interiors in 2018. Arpan Johari won IGBC Fellow Award 2020.