CCA News
Architectural Association Global Visiting School and CCA Offer Biodynamic Structures Workshop July 12–21
Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010, by Brenda Tucker
The Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA) San Francisco Global School: Biodynamic Structures is a 10-day intensive Global Visiting School workshop, hosted by California College of the Arts (CCA) from July 12–21, 2010, on CCA’s San Francisco campus.
Students in the course will explore active systems in nature, extracting logics of organization, geometry, structure, and mathematics. They will investigate biomimetic principles, then analyze, design, and fabricate prototypes that respond to electronic and environmental stimuli.
The course will be cotaught by AA and CCA faculty members and distinguished architects from around the world; it will also feature a dynamic roster of guest lecturers. Enrollment is open to the entire Bay Area community; to enroll, visit sanfrancisco.aaschool.ac.uk or mlab.cca.edu, the CCA MEDIAlab website.
Biodynamics is the study of the force and energy of dynamic processes on living organisms. Through simple mechanisms embedded within the material logic of natural systems, specific stimuli can activate particular responses.
Jason Kelly Johnson, CCA assistant professor and workshop leader, says, “The CCA/AA collaboration emerged out of a mutual interest in pushing the boundaries of architecture through cutting-edge technology and inventive design research. The workshop this year will focus on extracting design principles from biological systems and applying them to real-world design problems.”
Andrew Kudless, also a CCA assistant professor and workshop leader, adds, “The Biodynamic Structures workshop is an incredible opportunity for participants to work one-on-one with some of the most innovative and experimental architects and educators in the world. It will bring together designers from around the globe for intensive workshops, lectures, and hands-on training.”
Faculty
Michael Weinstock (academic head and director of the Emergent Technologies Programme, Architectural Association, London), Christina Doumpioti, Evan Greenberg (tutors, Architectural Association Emergent Technologies Programme); Jason Kelly Johnson, Andrew Kudless (CCA MEDIAlab cocoordinators); George Jeronimidis (director of Center for Biomimetics, University of Reading UK); Andrew Payne (LIFT Architects, Harvard University); Daniel Segraves(ASGG Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Chicago); and Daniel Piker (Kangaroo Project Live Physics, London)
About CCA Architecture
CCA’s Architecture programs take place on the San Francisco campus—the hub for design innovation and experimental architecture in the Bay Area—and currently have an enrollment of 250 students. The five-year Bachelor of Architecture Program was established in 1986, and the Master of Architecture Program was launched in 2004. Both programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
Most recently the CCA Architecture Program placed third overall in the 2009 Solar Decathlon, competing with Santa Clara University as Team California. The team placed first in the Design category and second in Engineering.
About California College of the Arts
Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts is noted for the interdisciplinary and breadth of its programs. It offers studies in 20 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing. The college offers bachelor of architecture, bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of arts, master of fine arts, and master of business administration degrees. With campuses in San Francisco and Oakland, CCA currently enrolls 1,800 full-time students. Noted alumni include the painters Nathan Oliveira and Raymond Saunders; the ceramicists Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, and Peter Voulkos; the filmmaker Wayne Wang; the conceptual artists David Ireland and Dennis Oppenheim; and the designers Lucille Tenazas and Michael Vanderbyl. For more information about CCA, visit www.cca.edu.
Public Contacts (and to enroll):
sanfrancisco.aaschool.ac.uk
mlab.cca.edu
Press Contacts:
Sarah Owens, 415.703.9549 or sowens@cca.edu
Brenda Tucker, 415.703.9548 or btucker@cca.edu