Courses

Overview of Seminars and studios

Seminar for Master students

Time: Friday, 9:45 am
Room: 10.08, Keplerstr. 11, 10th floor

The seminar focuses on the investigation, abstraction and transfer of biological strategies into technical applications. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to investigate biological role models within a bottom up process and will be searching for solution strategies towards specific aspects by exploring biological role models within a top down process. Computational simulation and analysis tools are used to find model representations for biologic processes and investigate functional principles.

Evolutionary processes in nature generated manifold solutions in respond to environmental and performative demands, where various functional and form generative aspects have to be integrated in a coherent system. While a number of those aspects can be easily transferred to architectural aspects, natural organisms are working radically different from today’s construction and planning practice. While nature evolved highly energy and material efficient solutions, based on geometrical and material diff erentiation, today’s construction industry and design processes are mostly based on the standardization of elements and the addition of mono functional subsystems. Recent developments of computaional design and digital fabrication processes have initiated a fundamental paradigm shift from industrial
production of standardized elements towards an integrated design processes. This development opens up the possibilities to create architectural systems which are characterized by multifunctional geometrically differentiated structures, which can match the capacity of nature’s performative morphologies, and thereby enables us to transfer functional principles of natural organisms into architectural applications.

Contact: Dr. Axel Körner

Vorlesungen

Zeit: Dienstag 9.45 – 11.15 Uhr
Ort: Tiefenhörsaal 17.02, Keplerstr. 17
Beginn: nach dem Einführungskurs

Anmeldung auf Campus und Ilias erforderlich

Übungen
Dienstag 11.30 – 13.00 Uhr in den Arbeitsräumen des ersten Semesters, Keplerstr. 11
Anmeldung auf Campus und Ilias erforderlich

Die nächste schriftliche Prüfung im Modul Tragkonstruktionen 1 findet am Dienstag, den 4. März 2025 um 16 Uhr statt.

Wo?  2.00, 2.01, 2.02, Breitscheidstr. 2A 

Außer nicht programmierbarem Taschenrechner und Zeichenwerkzeug sind keine Hilfsmittel zugelassen (kein Vorlesungsmitschrieb oder Tabellenbücher etc.).
Die notwendigen Tabellen werden Ihnen zusammen mit den Aufgaben ausgehändigt.

Der Rücktritt von dieser Prüfung ist bis zu 7* Tage vor dem Prüfungstermin ohne Angabe von Gründen möglich.

Zur Vorbereitung auf die Prüfung finden Sie Übungen und Lösungen und alte Prüfungen auf ILIAS.

* Beachten Sie dazu die aktuellen Erklärungen des Prüfungsamts.

Kontakt: Dr. Axel Körner, Akademischer Rat

Vorlesungen

Zeit: Donnerstag, 9:45 - 11:15 Uhr
Ort: Tiefenhörsaal 17.02, Keplerstr. 17

Pflichtfach mit 3 Leistungspunkten (WS + SS)
Vorlesungen und Hausübungen

Die Downloads enthalten nicht den vollständigen Inhalt der Vorlesungen, sondern nur Arbeitshilfen und Berechnungstabellen. Der Bezug zur Architektur wird in der Vorlesung mit zahlreichen Anwendungsbeispielen, Arbeitsmodellen und weiteren Zahlenbeispielen hergestellt.

Kontakt: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Knippers

Studio for Bachelor and Master students

Time:  Monday 10:00 -13:15
Room: 10.08, Keplerstr. 11, 10th floor

Designing for Urban Biodiversity: A Comprehensive Approach

The transdisciplinary studio course will be held between the programs of Architecture and Urban Planning and Master planning and Participation.

It will focus on codesign of architectural adaptations for support of urban biodiversity with a more-than-human perspective. This ‘systemic design’ studio will be based on teamwork where every student will take their role based on their background. The adaptations will be physically prototyped and placed in the real-life environment as ‘prototypical urban interventions.’ This will enable real-life reflection. Actually, urban biodiversity refers to the diversity of life forms in urban environments, which provide valuable ecosystem services and enhance human well-being. However, urbanization poses many challenges to the conservation and restoration of urban biodiversity, such as habitat loss, fragmentation, pollution, climate change, and human-wildlife conflicts. Therefore, designing for urban biodiversity requires a comprehensive approach that integrates scientific knowledge, creative thinking, and participatory methods.

In this course, students will learn how to design a product for supporting urban biodiversity, using a variety of tools and techniques. They will start by diagnosing the microclimate of a chosen urban site with the use of DIY mobile sensor trackers, which will help them to empathize with the climate situation from a non-human perspective. They will then contrast this information with digital simulations, which will allow them to explore different scenarios and design options. Next, they will design and manufacture a prototype with responsive materiality, that suits the preference of one selected species. They will use additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques, and iterate from digital to real scenarios. Finally, they will evaluate the impact of their product on urban biodiversity and present their results.

By the end of this course, the students will have gained practical understanding of systemic design and codesign methodologies and also skills and theoretical insights on how to design for urban biodiversity in a sustainable and innovative way. They will also have contributed to the global efforts of creating biodiversity-friendly cities that are resilient and enriching for both humans and nature.

Literature:

Davidová, M. (2021). Breathing Artifacts of Urban BioClimatic Layers for Post ‐ Anthropocene Urban Environment. Sustainability, 13(20), 1–36. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su132011307 
Davidová, M. (2020a). Introduction to Systems Thinking (No. 1; p. 57). Cardiff University. https://xerte.cardiff.ac.uk/play_11953
Davidová, M. (2020b). Multicentred Systemic Design Pedagogy Through Real-Life Empathy Integral and Inclusive Practice-Based Education in the Research-by-Design Context. FormAkademisk - Research Journal of Design and Design Education, 13(5), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.7577/formakademisk.3755
Davidová, M. (2019). Intelligent Informed Landscapes: The Eco-Systemic Prototypical Interventions’ Generative and Iterative Co-Designing Co-Performances, Agencies and Processes. In M. H. Haeusler, M. A. Schnabel, & T. Fukuda (Eds.), Intelligent & Informed - Proceedings of the 24th CAADRIA Conference (pp. 151–160). Victoria University of Wellington. http://papers.cumincad.org/cgi-bin/works/paper/caadria2019_242
Davidová, M., Sharma, S., McMeel, D., & Loisides, F. (2022). Co-De|GT: The Gamification and Tokenisation of More-Than-Human Qualities and Values. Sustainability, 13(20), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU14073787
Sanders, E., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. CoDesign, 4(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710880701875068
Sevaldson, B. (2018a). Visualizing Complex Design: The Evolution of Gigamaps. In P. Jones & K. (Kyoichi) Kijima (Eds.), Systemic Design (pp. 243–269). Springer Japan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55639-8_8
Sevaldson, B. (2018b). Beyond User Centric Design. In S. Barbero (Ed.), Relating Systems Thinking and Design 2018 Symposium Proceedings: Challenging complexity by Systemic Design towards Sustainability (pp. 516–525). Systemic Design Association. https://rsdsymposium.org/beyond-user-centric-design/

Contact: Marie Davidova, IntCDC

Block Course only in summer semester

For ITECH students only

In this course we visit different leading companies of building and other key industries, ground-breaking buildings, interesting building sites, and world heritage spots in Baden Württemberg or bavaria, 

Program on Ilias.

 

 

Seminar for Master students

Time: Thursday, 9:45 am
Room: 6.04, Keplerstr. 11, 6th floor

The seminar focuses on the interplay between geometry and structural behaviour of different structural types categorised with respect to the load bearing mechanism. In particular on form-active and surface-active structures. Beginning with an introduction from ancient to the newest form-finding approaches a holistic overview is provided.

First experimental approaches are used to determine
the shape with respect to a certain initially wanted structural state. Followed by the detailed introduction of the latest numerical form-finding methods. With the aid of digital modelling software and scripting tools. An overview of the mathematical background is provided to enable the participants to understand and evaluate of the applicability and limits of each method.

The state-of-the-art form-finding methods are put to use on practical examples where form and structural states are investigated and manipulated. The detailing and the
realization of the designed systems are discussed.

Prerequisites

Rhinoceros skills. The seminar is taught in English. The students should be familiar with the architectural possibilities of membrane and shell structures in order to use them in their design projects.

Literature

Construction manual for polymers and membrane; J. Knippers, J. Lienhard, M. Gabler, J. Cremers; Detail Munich; ISBN: 978-3-0346-0726-1
Shell structures for architecture; S. Adriaenssens, P. Block, D. Veenendaal, C. Williams; Routledge New York; ISBN: 978-0-415-84059-0

Contact: Mykhaylo Kazmiruk

ILIAS

Seminar for Bachelor and Master students

Not in winter semester

The seminar is intended to substantially prepare students for the application of complex construction materials in load-bearing structures and building envelopes. The seminar covers a wide range of different materials going from traditional materials; i.e. concrete, steel, wood and glass; to nowadays lightweight materials; i.e. bio-materials, composites, textiles and polymers.

Furthermore, understanding of the properties, characteristics and load-bearing behaviour of these materials and related knowledge of compounds, layered elements as well as fibre reinforcement possibilities shall allow proper and intentional usage in architectural and structural applications. Particular attention will be paid to the structural systems and architectural applications achievable by using such materials and compounds.

Resuming, the seminar imparts profound and practical knowledge concerning selected building materials and their use in structural applications and building envelopes. Thus, it continuous on the seminar “Form and Structure” in the winter term of 2023, which focused on form-finding and load bearing behaviour of complex structures including free-form shaped and lightweight constructions.

Contact: N.N.

Design Studio for Bachelor students (in German)

Time: Tuesday 2 - 8 pm
Room: will be announced later

Einladende und freundliche Lernumgebungen fördern kreatives Denken. Holzgebäude eignen sich hierfür ideal. Sie strahlen Wärme und Geborgenheit aus und sorgen für ein gesundes Raumklima. Die Verwendung des nachwachsenden Rohstoffs Holz in Gebäuden trägt dazu bei, den ökologischen Fußabdruck zu reduzieren. Durch moderne Fertigungsmethoden können Decken- und Wandelemente oder ganze Module aus Holz in kontrollierter Umgebung präzise und witterungsunabhängig vorgefertigt werden, was die Bauzeit und die Belastungen vor Ort deutlich reduziert. Diese Prinzipien sollen im Entwurf „Prefabrication.Timber.Innovations“ untersucht und anhand eines zweigeschossigen Erweiterungsbaus für eine Grundschule in Künzelsau angewendet werden. Neben Klassenzimmern, einer Mensa und weiteren Räumen soll auf einem Teil der Dachfläche eine Terrasse mit Platz für ein „Grünes Klassenzimmer“ entstehen.

Neben den architektonischen Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten soll ein Schwerpunkt des Entwurfs auf der Holzmodulbauweise und der Vorfertigung von Elementen liegen. Gleichzeitig sollen das Tragwerk und die erforderlichen Verbindungen so entwickelt und optimiert werden, dass ein effizienter und ressourcenschonender Einsatz der Materialien und Bauprodukte entsprechend ihrer jeweiligen vorteilhaften Eigenschaften gewährleistet ist. Für die weitere gesellschaftliche und politische Akzeptanz von Holzkonstruktionen ist deren Dauerhaftigkeit und Wartungsfreundlichkeit von entscheidender Bedeutung. Hierzu sind die Grundsätze des konstruktiven Holzschutzes konsequent anzuwenden. Nicht zuletzt sollen auch die sortenreine Rückbaubarkeit sowie das Wiederverwendungspotenzial am Ende des Lebenszyklus untersucht und im Entwurf berücksichtigt werden.

Im Rahmen von zwei Exkursionen werden moderne Methoden der Vorfertigung von Elementen und Modulen im Holzbau unter die Lupe genommen und bereits realisierte Bauwerke besichtigt. Anhand von Analysethemen sollen unter anderem Entwurfs- und Konstruktionsprinzipien der Holzmodulbauweise und Elementvorfertigung, geeignete Verbindungen, effiziente Montageprozesse und Wiederverwendungspotentiale untersucht werden. Der Entwurf „Prefabrication.Timber.Innovations“ wird in Gruppenarbeit (2er oder 3er Gruppen) angeboten.

Contact: Simon Mönch

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