Architecture Commons^™

Designing And Constructing For A Sustainable Future: Community Urban Housing In Timber: Projects By 4th. Year Architecture Students At Dit, Jim Roche

Conference papers

There is some agreement and much debate among interested parties about what constitutes ‘sustainable housing’. The term ‘sustainable’ is used somewhat liberally to mean different things to different listeners. Governments, institutions, interest groups and individual designers often address certain aspects while ignoring the bigger picture. But the bigger picture is such a multivalent issue that includes aspects outside the architect’s immediate remit such as location, transport, security, procurement policy and post-occupancy analysis and management. Or are these outside the architect’s remit?

Teaching sustainable housing within conventional architecture programmes means educators are restricted to identifying certain key issues that students should …

Behaviour-Based Wood Connection As A Base For New Tectonics, Marcin Wójcik, Jan Strumiłło

Conference papers

This paper joins into the debate on sustainable architecture and construction and the resilience of the architectural practice. It takes up the case of solid wood construction. Heterogeneity of timber is considered a disadvantage in construction. Wood industry utilises expensive processes in order to overcome rather than exploit natural wood properties. We suggest a different approach that could lead to the reduction of environmental pollution and more economic use of resources that is discussed with a proposed wood connection method based on harnessing material behaviour induced by a change of moisture relationships -- i.e. shrinkage. Two design paths are presented: …

Architecture, Education And Experience, Sarah Sheridan

Conference papers

In the early twentieth century, informed by an educational theory that meaningful experience is deeply embedded in sensory learning, open air school reformers set about creating deep learning experiences for children. They suggested that children should be exposed to nature, in order to contribute to their health, well-being and learning processes. Bad air remained a pervasive indicator of poor health, and to support the healthy benefits of fresh air, reformers openly called on parents and teachers to become ‘open-air crusaders.’ The public pressure to give children access to fresh air was on. The debate that ensued focused on the specification …

Continuing The 'Continua' I:Application Of Thin Plywood In Construction Through Biologically Inspired Approach, Marcin Wójcik, Sylwia Kłaczyńska

Conference papers

This paper investigates a possibility of application of thin (ca. 5 mm) plywood as structural material. It takes departure from the Erwin Hauer’s ‘Continua’series, and proposes how it could be developed with the contemporary digital tools and by following the biological paradigm. The objective is to develop a new system that minimises wastage as well as to test how the resulting structure performance.

Backtoback: A Bio-Cybernetic Approach To Production Of Solid Timber Components, Marcin Wójcik, Jan Strumiłło

Conference papers

This paper investigates the potential and implications of using naturally occurring material phenomena as a connecting mechanism for solid timber components. Proposed and discussed are connections based on anisotropic shrinkage and geometrical variability of trees. Using the notion of material agency in design, following the bio-cyberntic and biomimetic frameworks, solutions are devised to reduce energy usage, environmental pollution and utilise low-processed material. Finally, consequences of the fusion of the natural (analogue) and the digital realms are discussed, with an example of a workflow integrating inherent material traits with digital manufacture.

Educational Programmes For Spatial Information Sciences In The Technological University Of Dublin, William Prendergast, Eamonn Murphy, Audrey Martin, Avril Behan

Conference papers

The ever increasing spatial information needs of society, the rapid development of new surveying technologies, and the global demand for appropriately qualified surveyors, have triggered a radical re-evaluation of geomatics education worldwide. Significant enhancements have been made to the educational programmes in the spatial information science discipline in the Technological University of Dublin’s (DIT) during the last decade including the provision of a BSc in Geomatics and various masters’ programmes to cater for the increasingly specialised needs of the Geographic Information sector in Ireland.

Continuing The ‘Continua’ Ii: Application Of Thin Plywood In Construction Through Biologically Inspired Approach, Marcin Wójcik, Sylwia Kłaczyńska

Conference papers

No abstract provided.