The TEX-FAB initiative is featured in the May/June issue of Texas Architect
New Harmony Grotto
The New Harmony Grotto (aka Cave of the New Being) has reached substantial completion and is installed next to the Architecture Building at UHCOA.
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DigiFAB@UHCoA meets ANT FARM
The DigiFAB seminar at UH finished their final project for a parametrically designed and digitally fabricated inflatable wall. The PneuFrame is a deployable system of hinged X-braces and interconnected diaphragms that expand into a symbiotic structural system. Ant Farm members Chip Lord and Curtis Schreier were guest panelists who spoke to the students after the public premier of “What If, Why Not?”
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Grotto build session 2
Work on the Grotto resumed today with much more of the forming accomplished. The digital model helps to organize the parts and locate them within the complex assembly.
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Inflatable Wall
The students at University of Houston College of Architecture in the current DigiFAB seminar are developing an inflatable component wall system. Ant Farm has been the source of inspiration to the class brought on by the forthcoming world premier of the documentary What if, Why not? Underground Adventures with Ant Farm directed by Laura Harrison and Elizabeth Federici at the College. Cinema Arts Society and Aurora Picture Show are curating the event. Ant Farm member, Doug Michals was based on and off in Houston and infamously taught at UHCOA. The structure is composed of hard and soft bodies that form an interdependent structure when inflated through the base plenum. The deployable frame modules are hinged on the sides and unfold in unison as the internal inflatable is charged with air pressure. The wall will be rear projection surface to screen videos during the after-party on the night of the opening (11/12/09). The class aspires to channel the collaborative work ethic of Ant Farm and apply it to contemporary notions of mass customization and kit-of-parts assemblies.
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New Harmony Grotto assembly begins
The students at University of Houston College of Architecture have started the assembly process to build the New Harmony Grotto. The Keeland Center will be site for forming and fitting of the components to aggregate into ribs and connectors of the structure.
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AAFAB conference and exhibition
Metalab made the trip over to London to the Architectural Association to present the Ceiling Cloud project. Other presenters included our friend from GSAPP days, Ben Aranda of Aranda/Lasch. The discussion was moderated by Alan Dempsey of the AAFAB Cluster along with Brett Steele the Director of the AA. We had a look at the exhibition afterward which was part of the London Design Week events. Joe Meppelink and Andrew Vrana went over via New York and presented the project at Columbia and caught up with Scott Marble, our visiting critic on the project… More images… Bustler
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AMBOX visit
Students in the DigiFAB Seminar at the UHCoA toured the fabrication shop at AMBOX, Limited. They have extensive stamping and forming capabilities shown here. One product is the Kevlar helmets worn by the US military. They can produce 70 per day and have made over 100,000 of them since production began. Their 4000W CNC laser will cut the components for the New Harmony Grotto project later this month.
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TEX-FAB Collaborative Studio
Students from UHCOA and UTA worked together as a Collaborative Studio this past Spring on a “nested” development project. The UH students designed the Transit Hub and the UTA students worked on the mid-rise mixed use complex attached. Sean Garrison and Evan Sheets worked on an impressive scheme that shared some parametric skin systems and formal organization. Sean’s final review and model.