Geodetic workshop – Local scale
ATTENTION: THIS WORKSHOP IS THE EVOLUTION OF THE WORKSHOPS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAUGHT SINCE 2012, OF THE RESEARCH WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING STRAIGHT FROM THEN ON AND FROM THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT WITH THE TECHNIQUE DURING THIS TIME. IT IS ADVISABLE TO STUDY ALL THESE ASPECTS TO HAVE A MORE COMPLETE VISION OF THE TOPIC.
From 6 to 9 October 2015, the International Architecture Workshop “Local Scale” (e:L) was held in Malaga, with the aim of theoretical and practical experimentation with materials and technologies that are conceived from a local context.
The workshop aimed to transcend the constructive materiality itself by incorporating reflections on how the choice of a material or a construction system must be consistent with the environmental, urban, social and economic reality in which it operates.
“Escala Local” accompanied the discussion panels and conferences, three practical workshops. Ctrl+Z was invited to develop one of them in collaboration with German López of Architects Without Borders.
Approach and logistics
Initially, the construction of a water collection tower had been planned, similar to “A Gota d'água” built in another workshop the previous week in Brazil, in this case to be built from shutters. Finally, due to an incident in the management of municipal recycling centres, these were not available.
This last-minute change has forced us to rethink our proposal in real time. We have decided to take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with the application of the mathematical and constructive bases of one of the nine technological systems applicable to geodesic geometries that we are developing and at the same time to test the teaching protocols, which although in the embryonic phase, we are developing on the same.
Luckily, over the past few months we have been collecting blinds for the construction of preparatory prototypes for the doctoral research that we are planning to do and to provide solutions to some of the needs of the ecological or social projects that are being carried out in our immediate surroundings.
Approach and logistics
Initially, the construction of a water collection tower had been planned, similar to “A Gota d'água” built in another workshop the previous week in Brazil, in this case to be built from shutters. Finally, due to an incident in the management of municipal recycling centres, these were not available.
This last-minute change has forced us to rethink our proposal in real time. We have decided to take advantage of the opportunity to experiment with the application of the mathematical and constructive bases of one of the nine technological systems applicable to geodesic geometries that we are developing and at the same time to test the teaching protocols, which although in the embryonic phase, we are developing on the same.
Luckily, over the past few months we have been collecting blinds for the construction of preparatory prototypes for the doctoral research that we are planning to do and to provide solutions to some of the needs of the ecological or social projects that are being carried out in our immediate surroundings.
The blinds at our disposal were of the thin type and in fact several rolls had been discarded during the construction of The Tree, but they could perfectly serve for the construction of small-scale educational models.
We reviewed several models used in the past, but finally decided that the only way to truly empower the students would be to develop with them all the steps of the process, from design to assembly.
Workshop development
The students were offered two different possibilities, the “zomes” (zonohedron + dome) and the geodesic domes, conditioned by the time and materials available, and also the possibility of making both if they had worked hard.
We begin with a brief theoretical class to present the parametric calculation tools for the measurements of the pieces and their specific adaptation to the proposed construction system.
By the end of the first day, the geodesic had been built, despite the fact that it was not possible to maintain a very high pace of work, since part of the morning was dedicated to introducing the work dynamics and safety protocols in the use of the tools involved.
The second assembly developed much more quickly since the group was already familiar with the work dynamics and the experience of the first day allowed them to develop the same tasks but in a more conscious way.
The second assembly developed much more quickly since the group was already familiar with the work dynamics and the experience of the first day allowed them to develop the same tasks but in a more conscious way.
The Zome was assembled with the 50% bars provided in its design, as there was no more room, but that does not change the value of learning and the transmission of knowledge of the activity.
Assessment
Experiences such as the Local Scale workshop, with the construction of two structures measured by the group in terms of their complexity, dimensions and times, demonstrate that it is not necessary to build large structures for a basic introduction to geodesic geometries and that this technology can be learned while having fun.
Future
Now that the workshop is over, we have committed to donating the structures to some initiative that can add value to them and benefit from them, for example urban gardens that could use them as a greenhouse.
We want to use them in Malaga with the students of the course who want to continue with their commitment and with the journey started in the workshop. The design will be developed with them and the assembly will be carried out. In this way we want to encourage their contact with the initiatives that are being developed around them, and of which they are not aware at the moment, and on the other hand give their promoters an operational tool without the need for other operations to put it into use.
We believe that this is the best way to successfully close the educational circle started with the workshop, to value its results, to create a community and contacts with similar initiatives and of course to have a good time!
Students:
Alvaro Medina Torres, Juan Galvan Villalba, Juan Navarro Diaz, Jorge Sanchez Rubio, Juan Manuel Aragon Tellez, Maria Jose Calderon Vazquez.
Students:
Kike España Naveira, José Manuel López Osorio, Paloma España Naveira, Sandra Cordoba de la Cruz, Maria Dolores Ciudad Borrallo, Antonio Francisco Ramirez Rueda.
Students:
Alvaro Medina Torres, Juan Galvan Villalba, Juan Navarro Diaz, Jorge Sanchez Rubio, Juan Manuel Aragon Tellez, Maria Jose Calderon Vazquez.
Students:
Kike España Naveira, José Manuel López Osorio, Paloma España Naveira, Sandra Cordoba de la Cruz, Maria Dolores Ciudad Borrallo, Antonio Francisco Ramirez Rueda.
