GSS23 EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is glad to launch a new edition of the Global Summer School (GSS), novel online experience that connects participants from all over the world with IAAC extensive network of faculties and renowned lecturers in the main online educational program of summer 2023.

Over more than 10 years of GSS editions, IAAC experts and students have been physically and digitally connected, sharing knowledge and exchanging expertise in a unique global learning environment for innovators and change makers.

For 2023, IAAC opens to its participants a flexible workshop model that enriches the digital routes within an agile format. The GSS23 features 4 online courses led by IAAC faculties, experts in the latest digital tools toward the definition of a new Advanced Architecture at different scales.

Every GSS workshop represents a celebration of future education, welcoming students in a virtual class environment to investigate new design solutions for our cities, architecture and technology while facing emerging challenges of the new world and society.

Thanks to its dynamic format, the GSS23 participants can trace their own learning path by selecting a single or more online modules taking place in the month of July. Each GSS workshop is run by IAAC faculties and Alumni, guiding participants through projects investigation, development and interaction. On a weekly basis, GSS participants will be granted exclusive access to the Global Lectures, online weekly meetings with international experts of the AEC industry.

Join IAAC this summer, choose one or more workshops to become part of the GSS community!

GSS23 WORKSHOPS OVERVIEW

GSS23 MODULE I   

Key topics: Grasshopper, Machine Learning

– teaching, mentoring, exercises review activities
– 1 IAAC Global lecture
– GSS diploma certificate of completion

SYLLABUS & SCHEDULE – here 

ADVANCED STEREOTOMIC   
Computational descriptive geometries

“Stereotomy” is the art and science of cutting three-dimensional solids into particular shapes. Formulated in the 16th–17th century, stereotomy is valuable in contemporary architecture, and research about it continues today in various centers around the world. The reason for this is a sense of constructive rationalisation inherent to the discipline of stereotomy which permits the optimization of structural form through the knowledge of geometry and cutting techniques and to simplify it using advanced technologies and techniques for design and production of building elements.  

The course will focus on the design of shell structures with discretised building blocks for 3d printing technology. With the help of computational design workflows and optimization processes, we will deal with form finding exploration with live physics simulations, FEM analysis and stereotomic subdivision for the production of rationalised interlocking structural elements that can self-support structural loads. 

Learning objectives

  • Understand fundamentals of computational design
  • Be introduced to logical algorithm thinking 
  • Have knowledge of basic concepts of generative design
  • Be capable of generating parameterised processes
  • Learn how to create dynamic modelling and fabrication workflows
  • Learn basic concepts of funicular structures and basic structural analysis methods
  • Learn about  Stereotomic subdivision and voussoirs generation

FACULTY: Rodrigo Aguirre // IAAC Computational Design Expert
FACULTY ASSISTANT: Ashkan Foroughi // IAAC Computational Designer

Full Syllabus & Schedule 

GSS23 MODULE II

Fabrication through remote controlled robots

– Teaching, mentoring, exercises review, robotics fabrication
– 1 IAAC Global lecture
– GSS diploma certificate of completion

SYLLABUS & SCHEDULE – here

DESIGN FOR ROBOTICS 
Fabrication through remote controlled robots

Although reusing reclaimed material can significantly reduce the environmental impact in building construction, current design processes are not set up for this shift in thinking. Contrary to conventional practices, designing within the constraints of available material means that geometry and topology cannot be fully pre-determined. What if an industrial robotic arm had to perform different tasks in unknown environments? 

In order to challenge the conventional conceptual framework posed by notational systems, this workshop will focus on the design and fabrication of 2D no-standardised elements, offering the opportunity to develop experience on working with robotic sensor data and integrate the data into the computational design. The students will explore different design intentions through the definition of performance criteria parameters, which are constantly evaluated and adjusted in real-time.  The application generated at the end of the workshop will be the assembly of a mosaic using recycled leftover pieces where the closed-loop system will guide the robotic arm to choose the right piece in each step of the process. Participants will have the unique opportunity to remote control robots in IAAC and will learn about the necessary technology to execute the project while having the possibility to design and make their own assembly processes.

Learning objectives

  • Be introduced to integrated computational design and robotic fabrication
  • Be introduced to robotic fabrication
  • Learn the concepts of sensor feedback and machine vision
  • Learn how to perform online robotic control methods

FACULTY: Soroush Garivani // IAAC Robotic Fabrication Expert
FACULTY: Seyed Mobin Moussavi // TWE and EDEK Robotic Fabrication Expert

Full Syllabus & Schedule 

GSS23 MODULE III

Key topics: spatial metrics, data processing, mapping.

– live teaching, mentoring and exercises review activities
– 1 IAAC summer lecture
– GSS diploma certificate of completion
SYLLABUS & SCHEDULE – here

URBAN ANALYTICS
Understanding cities through big data mapping

Data is everything, and is everywhere. From our social interactions to the way we work, there is not a single moment of our days that isn’t propelled nor generating some sort of data. These bits of information have saturated our cities radically transforming their productive sectors, and are now food for training models and AI, which are promising to drastically alter our perception of society. It became clear that quantity does not stand quality and data ownership, interoperability, scalability, and – more important – objectivity are key topics around which the future is currently being debated. 

These challenges call for designers and creative thinkers to reconsider our interactions with data. They demand innovative solutions that hack the current status quo and switch the paradigm from a mere bits-to-product extraction to a real citizen empowerment. Participants will be introduced to geospatial data analytics with a specific focus on the understanding and representation of urban patterns, following the question of what is the nature of the city through the lens of its services and urban fabric. 

Main toolsRhinoceros, Grasshopper 3D.

Learning objectives

  • Manipulate and combine data from different data source and data typologies
  • Set up a flexible protocol to analyse different urban contexts in the world
  • Learn the fundamentals of APIs
  • Learn how to creatively represent geospatial data and how to create a web map

FACULTY: Iacopo Neri // IAAC Computational Urban Design Expert
FACULTY: Eugenio Bettucchi // IAAC Engineer & Computational Design Expert

Full Syllabus & Schedule

GSS23 MODULE IV

Key topics: computational modelling, simulations, environmental design.

– live teaching, mentoring and exercises review activities
– 1 IAAC summer lecture
– GSS diploma certificate of completion
SYLLABUS & SCHEDULE – here

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN   
Computational modelling and simulations

Over the last years, sustainability has become a key topic in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Professionals involved in AEC have the opportunity to impact change within the environment, and thus the responsibility to do so from a standpoint of knowledge and diligent evaluation. Aligned with the necessity for performance-aware design, a growing suite of environmental analysis and simulation tools are developed and readily available within mainstream CAD frameworks. Literacy around environmental data analysis and the ability to use environmental simulation as drivers of the design process is key to the toolset of the emergent architects, urban planners, and decision-makers. This workshop aims to take students through the complete workflow of evidence-based environmental design supported by a generative optimization framework to enable the exploration of vast design spaces.

Starting from the analysis of an existing unused plot or a site selected for rehabilitation, students will formulate the design problem, develop an optimization hypothesis, parametrically explore the wide solution space and propose an optimal solution supported by data. This hands-on investigation will enable students to apply state of the art analytical techniques to complex problems in real context.

Learning objectives

  • Learn key concepts of environmental analysis using parametric tools
  • Understand concepts of multi-objective optimization
  • Understand how to define sustainability goals as measurable design parameters
  • Learn to setup a generative optimization process
  • Be capable to perform multi objective optimization on a parametric model
  • Be able to set out an optimization strategy on a given problem

FACULY: Oana Taut // IAAC Computational Design Expert
FACULY ASSISTANT: Ivan Marchuk // IAAC Computational Designer

Full Syllabus & Schedule

APPLY

Are you looking for a multidisciplinary experience on architecture, computational design, robotics fabrication, urban planning and environmental design?

Applications are open – book your seat in one or more GSS23 workshops!

COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN

Date: From the 3th July until the 7th July
Tools: Grasshopper

Apply now 

URBAN ANALYTICS

Date: From the 17th July until the 21st July
Tools: Grasshopper 3D / Rhinoceros

Apply now 

DIGITAL FABRICATION

Date: From the 10th until the 14th July
Tools: Rhinoceros / Grasshopper / Fabrication / Robots

Apply now

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

Date: From the 25th until the 28th July
ToolsGrasshopper / Rhinoceros

Apply now

Requirements: GSS is open to all applicants with a bachelor degree (also in progress) related to the fields of Architecture, Design, Arts and Engineering willing to apply to the program. No previous extensive knowledge is required. Participants will be introduced to the workshops topics, softwares and tools through lectures and reviews.

PRICING FEES

GSS23 Applications are open!

Applicants have now the possibility to apply for 1 or more online modules with discounted early bird fees within May 28th June 5th!

Pick your preferred GSS workshop(s) to save your seat. Applications deadline on June 28th. You can apply -3 days before each workshop’s beginning. 

  • 1 WORKSHOP

  • 350
    EURO
  • € 275
  • APPLY
  • 2 WORKSHOPS

  • 595
    EURO
  • € 450
  • APPLY
  • 3 WORKSHOPS

  • 735
    EURO
  • € 545
  • APPLY
  • 4 WORKSHOPS

  • 910
    EURO
  • € 675
  • APPLY

Applications will be accepted until the maximum number of students is reached and considered valid once all required fields mentioned in the online application form have been submitted. The GSS enrolment fee is a NON-refundable payment. Mainland China Partner: Studio Alpha

GSS FACULTY TEAM

GLOBAL TEAM

IAAC GSS NETWORK

IAAC has an active Alumni community distributed around the world, allowing a decentralized expansion of IAAC expertise and knowledge.

Thanks to the Alumni collaborations, IAAC empowers the bonds with the community members placing them in strategic countries to allow the GSS program global extension in different Nodes-cities around the world, such us: Barcelona, New York City, Hong Kong, Pune, Manila, Tehran, Melbourne, Beirut, Budapest, Shanghai, Quito and more.

Counting on this network, the GSS participants can therefore choose the node to which apply to between the ones present in the IAAC GSS nodes network.
Explore our GSS nodes and APPLY to one of them from the list below! Coming soon nodes will open soon.

IAAC Global Summer School 2020 dates are from the 29th June to the 11th July 2020. You can submit your application until the 31st of May 2020 // seats are limited.

Applications will be accepted until the maximum number of students is reached and considered valid once all required documents mentioned in the online application form of each node, including the receipt of the fee payment, have been submitted. Find detailed information about the fee payment and requirements within each node’s webpage.

FAQ

  1. Can I apply to one GSS online course?
    The GSS online courses are tailored for participants willing to improve their skills in just one or any tools proposed in the GSS online courses.
    Participants can therefore choose to apply for one GSS online course or more than one (see EARLY BIRD OFFER > APPLY section).
  2. Does each GSS online course provide a certificate?
    Yes, it does. After the completion of a GSS online course, the GSS participant will receive from IAAC a GSS diploma to certify his/her attendance to the program.
  3. How can i get the full GSS certificate?
    By applying and attending to the full set of GSS online courses, the GSS participant will receive a full GSS diploma stating all the courses attended during the program.
  4. There will be presential classes with instructors?
    During the GSS online courses, participants will attend classes, lectures and final presentations connected into a unique online platform with IAAC faculties and international keynote speakers.
  5. How can I interact with other participants?
    The GSS program makes use of the Zoom video meeting & conferencing platform, a very powerful tool which allows participants to interact during the classes with faculties and invited lecturers. A specific Slack channel will be available for chat support for the students during the workshops.

CONTACTS

Pujades 102 baixos, Poble Nou, 08005 Barcelona

Direct phone:
(+34) 93 320 95 20

IAAC GSS info at:
applications.gss@iaac.net