WORKSHOPS

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Workshops will run for three full days, 9am–6pm, with online workshops taking place October 21–23, 2023 and in-person workshop taking place October 23–25, 2023.

Registration has ended.

Registration opens July 24, 12:00 EDT, Noon

Selected workshops in collaboration with ︎︎︎CAADRIA

Transcending Green: Achieving Sustainability Outcomes in Design

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A sponsored workshop by Autodesk for the Inaugural Autodesk ACADIA BIPOC Student Scholarship
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Organizers:
Cesar Escalante, Autodesk Inc.

Zach Kron, Autodesk Inc.

Heather Smilkstein, Autodesk Inc.



In an era marked by heightened environmental awareness and pressing concerns over climate change, integrating environmental performance analysis into architectural design is not just a responsible choice—it's an ethical imperative.  By leveraging cloud computing and machine learning, Autodesk Forma provides a platform that supports and enhances sustainable design practices, contributing to developing more sustainable buildings and urban environments. In this workshop, you will learn Forma's capabilities to conduct rapid site studies informed by analytical metrics and apply the concepts learned in class to a real-case scenario in Denver, Colorado.


Workshop Format

To foster a rich environment for learning for future leaders, experienced industry professionals will be paired with architectural students working as a team in developing a mixed-used design solution informed by performance data-driven analytics. 


The Sun Valley is a neighborhood in central Denver, Colorado, bordered by I-25 on the east, Federal Blvd. on the west, 6th Avenue on the south, and 20th Ave. on the north. Located in the area known as West Denver, the Sun Valley Neighborhood displays the lowest income community in the state with over 50% youth and is currently undergoing a massive redevelopment into a next-generation community, one that is a mixed-income, mixed-use community built around an interrelated set of environmental, economic, and social performance areas: energy, equity, health and wellbeing, identity, habitat, and ecosystem restoration.

Our job is to develop a mixed-used proposal that embodies informed sustainable design practices using Forma’s real-time performance analytics.

Teams are anticipated to begin working on this site at the commencement of the workshop, progressively develop a design solution, and ultimately present their work by the workshop's conclusion.


Software
Forma is a cloud subscription service; we will walk you through securing a free trial during class.

The computer lab is equipped with Windows PCs, and will have Rhinoceros 7, Revit 2024 installed.

You are welcome to bring your laptop, but you will need to secure Rhino 7 and Revit via trial or an educational license.


Previous Knowledge Required

Some proficiency with Revit, Rhino, and Grasshopper is recommended, but not required.


Workshop Schedule
Wednesday, Oct 25th, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM MST

Habitat Formation

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Organizers:
Dr Nic Bao, RMIT University
Dr Xin Yan, Tsinghua University 

In collaboration with CAADRIA

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$175

Since the introduction of computational-aided design technology in the late 20th century, form-finding based on structural performance has gained momentum in architecture. This evolution is intertwined with the development of structural morphology, from ancient Greece and Rome's barrel arches and domes to the Byzantine and Gothic periods' pendentives and flying buttresses. Architectural design has evolved from the physical models employed by visionaries like Antonio Gaudi and Frey Otto to the utilization of the topological optimization method proposed by Mark Burry and Mike Xie, reinforcing the relationship between architectural morphology and structural optimization.

This workshop introduces a novel approach to generative architectural design for human habitats. Participants will enhance their skills by applying topological optimization algorithms. The workshop emphasizes structural performance and draws inspiration from Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. It explores building element form-finding, optimization, and ornamental design.

Participants will tackle progressively challenging tasks, working on small and large-scale projects. They will design and optimize buildings or specific segments. The workshop concludes with a collaborative construction of a virtual exhibition space on an online platform. Its aim is to bridge the gap between architectural design and structural optimization, empowering participants to explore new frontiers in generative design and push the boundaries of traditional approaches.

Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, Ameba, ZBrush and KeyShot

Previous Knowledge Required:
Proficiency in Rhino + Grasshopper & Good Internet environment.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 21st-23rd
2:00 PM - 8:00 PM MST
(7:00 AM - 1:00 PM Melbourne Time AEDT)

Exploring Building Topology Through Graph Machine Learning

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Organizers:
Wassim Jabi, Cardiff University
David Andres Leon, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
Abdulrahman Alymani, Alfaisal University
Selda Pourali Behzad, Cardiff University
Michelle Salamoun, Cardiff University

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$175

Graph theory offers a powerful method for analyzing complex networks and relationships. When combined with machine learning, graph theory can provide valuable insights into the data generated by 3D models. This workshop integrates advanced spatial modelling and analysis and artificial intelligence, highlighting the importance of technological advancements in shaping the future of architecture and design. It introduces participants to novel workflows that link parametric 3D modelling with concepts of topology, graph theory, and graph machine learning. We will use TopologicPy, an advanced spatial modelling and analysis software library designed for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction, paired with DGL, a powerful machine learning library that provides tools for implementing and optimizing graph neural networks. In essence, this process blends cutting-edge technologies and architectural principles that will shape the future of design. Participants will learn how to use these workflows to convert 3D models into graphs, analyze their properties, and perform classification and regression tasks. Participants will also learn how to create synthetic datasets based on generative and parametric workflows and build and optimize graph neural networks for specific tasks.

Software: Topologicpy, DGL, Jupyter Notebook and Google Collab.

Previous Knowledge Required:
Computational Design.
Python programming is helpful, but not required.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 21st-23rd
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM MST
(3:00 PM - 9:00PM GMT)

Towards a Low Carbon Additive Manufacturing

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Held at Sika’s NJ headquarters and online (in person 23rd of Oct) the rest of the workshop (22nd-24th) will be virtual.
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Organizers:
Gary Boon, Sika
Haripriya Nekkanti, Sika
Mania Aghaei Meibodi, DART laboratory Taubman College
Dominique Corvez, XtreeE
Alban Mallet, XtreeE
Romain Duballet, XtreeE
Ali Seyedahmadian
Ester Lo
Abdullah Kamhawi

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$175

In this workshop, the DART laboratory, Sika, and XtreeE are collaborating to showcase the potential of 3D printing in reimagining the design-to-fabrication process, with a strong emphasis on rethinking concrete elements and enhancing their performance. More than a decade of digitization of concrete through 3D printing has primarily focused on labor reduction and process automation, often overlooking ways to enhance the quality of the output. The goal of this workshop is to raise awareness on the untapped potential of 3D concrete printing in advancing architectural possibilities and elevating the overall construction landscape.

Sika is a Swiss multinational specialty chemical company that supplies to the building sector and motor vehicle industry, headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. As a technology leader in its industry, Sika focuses its R&D activities on the development of more sustainable, user-friendly, and at the same time better-performing product solutions. With its concrete admixtures, Sika enables to incorporate calcined clay in concrete, and reduces the carbon footprint.

Digital Architecture Research and Technologies (DART) is a research laboratory at Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, founded in 2019 by Prof. Dr. Mania Aghaei Meibodi. DART research streams focus on developing novel computational design, robotics, and 3D printing technologies to enable creation of the next generation buildings and infrastructures with extraordinary structural performance, unseen architecture, and sustainable waste-free construction.

XtreeE , the large-scale 3D company designs and manufactures large-scale 3D printers for construction. The company’s mission is to shape a low-carbon living environment while increasing construction productivity. XtreeE is a technology platform that allows project owners, architects, engineers, product designers, construction, and precast firms to design & manufacture optimized building and infrastructure elements thanks to advanced large-scale 3D printing.

Through the course of this workshop, the participants will learn from leading voices in academia and industry about cementitious materials, low-carbon construction, and robotic additive manufacturing.

Software:
Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper

Previous Knowledge Required:
Rhino experience is required, Grasshopper experience is highly recommended and basic knowledge of 3D printing principles is highly recommended.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 22nd-24th
7:00 pm - 4:00 am MST
(9:00 am - 6:00 pm EST)

Today Once More: Filmmaking with photogrammetry and NeRF

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Held at University of Hong Kong and Online
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Organizers:
Haotian Zhang, The University of Hong Kong

In collaboration with CAADRIA

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$175

Photogrammetry and Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) are methods of volumetric capture that allow for high-fidelity documentation of spatial and chromatic details of an existing environment. These methods, alternative to canonical architectural drawing as characterized by the abundance of textural data, open up uncharted space for representation that may alter our perception of the city. The workshop searches for their medium specificities. Out of their various representational attributes, it particularly tackles the gap between the faithful reference to the real world and speculation in the digital realm and harnesses the tension in between.

This workshop will introduce the two techniques and relevant tools in the context of filmmaking, deliver tutorials of NVidia Instant-ngp (NeRF), COLMAP (photogrammetry), and Blender geometry node (point cloud manipulation). It will unpack the tools to understand their mechanism and room for action and work toward a collective film that features Hong Kong and other cities that online participants are joining from.

Software: Blender, COLMAP, Instant-ngp, Polycam and Luma AI

Previous Knowledge Required:
No specific skills are required, but participants are recommended to learn Blender basics on their own. 

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 21st-23rd
8:00 PM - 5:00 AM MST
(10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Hong Kong time HKT)

Immersive Realities: Transforming Architectural Design Workspaces for the age of XR

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Organizers:
Abdullah Sheikh, University of Hong Kong
Kristof Crolla, University of Hong Kong

In collaboration with CAADRIA

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$465

This workshop, aims to provide participants with an introduction to the potential of extended reality (XR) made possible with a virtual design review environment. By immersing themselves in an immersive virtual workspace, architects and designers can gain valuable insights into their parametric designs and explore the spatial relationships, scale, and overall experience within their creations. This virtual review tool enables a more comprehensive understanding of the design, ultimately leading to more informed decisions and refined outcomes. The integration of XR offers the possibility to visualize projects in real-time, navigate designs as if they were fully constructed, and adjust details effortlessly. The workshop will demonstrate the tool's functionality and guide attendees through its basic usage and potential applications. This workshop is suitable for any advanced Rhinoceros and Grasshopper 3D designers who are interested in exploring the potential of XR technology in their work. The workshop presents an opportunity for attendees to explore the potential of integrating XR extended workflows into their design processes, using a tool with a familiar interface that simplifies the transition into the world of virtual design in the coming age of spatial computing.

Software: Rhinoceros 3D, Grasshopper, Unity, and Visual Studio

Previous Knowledge Required:
Proficiency in Rhino + Grasshopper.
Familiarity with Unity and Visual Studio is recommended but not required.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 23rd-25th
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM MST

Hybrid Making: Physical Explorations with Computational Matter

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Organizers:
Dr. Aileen Iverson-Radtke, ai-r architecture
Dr. Augusto Gandía, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr. Andrew Payne, LIFT architects, Robert McNeel and Associates

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$465

This workshop explores the concept of the Anthropocene, viewing it as an opportunity for empathy with the external world through physical engagement. The workshop highlights how advancements in technology, particularly in the field of architecture, are leading to the automation of design processes and the marginalization of human intelligence. To counter this trend, in this workshop we will use simple electronics and microsensors to construct hybrid analogue-digital models, physical models embedded with microsensors electronically linked to digital models. 

Transferring real-time environmental conditions and manual manipulations the microsensors create a ‘live’ digital media responding based on its material properties. Handling and tooling this dynamic digital media through its analogue counterpart moves towards handcrafted digital objects. Hybrid modeling requires fine-tuning both analogue and digital modalities until they merge as one modeling behavior, aligning digital and physical worlds. Participants will learn to adjust parametric code and integrate electronics into architectural materials, disrupting digital making by replacing mouse with model.

IMPORTANT NOTE: a PC laptop is required (Firefly is not supported on Apple Mac)

Software: Rhinoceros 3D (version 7), Grasshopper, Arduino IDE, Firefly and Fritzing

Previous Knowledge Required:
Familiarity with Rhino 3D and Grasshopper.
Familiarity with microsensors and Arduino microcontrollers are beneficial but not required.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 23rd-25th
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM MST

Task and Motion Planning for Robotic Assembly

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Held in Hong Kong with online option
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Organizers:
Victor Leung, ETHZ
Dr. Yijiang Huang, ETHZ

In collaboration with ︎︎︎CAADRIA

︎︎︎ Registration has ended.
$175

Delve into the convergence of robotics and architecture at an exclusive three-day workshop at the remote ACADIA workshop event in Hong Kong. This interactive session, steered by leading researchers from ETH, invites you to explore the dimensions of robotic assembly for architecture and construction.

Day one initiates with a lecture on robotics limitations, kinematics, collisions, task planning and motion planning, combined with practical Rhino / Grasshopper exercises. The workshop unfolds with insights into digital workflows for task and motion planning. The subsequent day extends these foundations to real-world applications — you'll be designing a simple assembly and experiencing the intricate negotiation between robotic assembly and creating a design.

On the final day, you'll have the opportunity to refine your design and produce a simulation video of your own robotic assembly. If hardware allows, your planned actions could even become a tangible reality. This workshop aims to empower participants with the knowledge and skills to independently design and plan simple robotic fabrication projects.

Join us for this unique experience that blends technological ingenuity with architectural aesthetics. Be a part of this transformative journey that molds the future of robotics in architecture.

Software: Windows 10 or above (Responsibility of participants), Rhinoceros 3D (version 7), Grasshopper, Anaconda / Python (Specific Python libraries will be installed during workshop), GitHub Desktop for Windows and VSCode.

Previous Knowledge Required:
Basic knowledge in Rhino + Grasshopper and in Python programming (Syntax, Loops, and Conditionals).

Experience with digital fabrication concepts such as fabrication-aware design, fabrication limits, design to production.

Tentative Workshop Schedule:
Oct 21st-23rd
8:00 PM - 4:00 AM MST
(10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Hong Kong time)