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Science and Technology in Cultural Context

Value Lab Asia Workshops

About the Workshops

The Value Lab Asia is a digitally augmented collaborative environment, equipped with several touch surfaces and a very high-resolution video wall, and is located at the new CREATE campus of the Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF).

DAW International in partnership with ETH Zurich's Future Cities Laboratory will be holding two half-day workshops at the Value Lab Asia on May 10 2013.

Workshop 1: Projections of Reality

Date/Time: Friday, 10.5. 10:00 - 12:00

Venue: Value Lab Asia, Future Cities Laboratory, Singapore-ETH Centre, CREATE Campus

Organisers: Eva Friedrich, Lukas Treyer, Stefan Müller Arisona

This workshop recapitulates the work realised at smartgeometry13 (London, April 15-20) and exemplifies its application in the context of the research carried out at ETH Zurich's Future Cities Laboratory. "Projections of Reality" engages in augmenting design processes involving physical models with real time spatial analysis. The work explores techniques of real-time spatial analysis of architectural and urban design models: how physical models can be augmented with real-time 3D capture and analysis, enabling the architect to interact with the physical model whilst obtaining feedback from a computational analysis. The workshop will present possible workflows that close the cycle of designing and model making, analysing the design and feeding results back into the design cycle by projecting them back onto the physical model. On a technical level, it addresses the challenge of dealing with complex, unstructured data from real time scanning, e.g. a point cloud, which needs processing before it can be used in urban analysis. We will investigate strategies to extract information of the urban form targeted for design processes, using real time scanning devices (Microsoft Kinect, hand held laser scanners, etc.), open source 3D reconstruction software (reconstructMeQT) and post-processing of the input through parametric modelling (e.g. Processing, Rhino scripting, Python).

The goal of the workshop will be to get insights into a working prototype of a physical urban model that is augmented with real-time analysis. We will work with the workshop participants to formulate a design concept of the prototype and to break down the challenge into individual modules, e.g. analysing and cleaning the geometry, algorithms for real time analysis, projecting imagery onto the physical model.

Workshop 2: Designs for life...

Date/Time: Friday, 10.5. 14:00 - 16:00

Venue: Value Lab Asia, Future Cities Laboratory, Singapore-ETH Centre, CREATE Campus

Organiser: Léon McCarthy

Registration: → here (Please register until Wednesday 8 May)

Participate in a discussion with a difference, one mediated through live audio-visuals. Engage with the topic of sustainable ecology through voice, tweet and audio-visualization. Meet researchers, activists and academics in an open forum setting.

With human settlement now dominated by urban living, it is vital that research teams addressing sustainability include architects, engineers, planners and designers. Such research teams at the Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) address topics such as territorial design, material fabrication, urban sociology, landscape ecology and transportation. Their joined-up thinking at the local, urban and a regional level is vital.

The media-enriched environment of the Value Lab Asia (VLA) will be harnessed as a transmedia space in which you (whether designer, academic or concerned citizen) can discuss current research on sustainable ecology that is emanating from the FCL.

The audio-visual performer will first seed a topic for discussion by remixing digital content taken from FCL projects. Influenced by what is seen and heard, attendees will take up the call to converse through conversation, both in the space and on twitter (via comments projected into the space). The performer will take keywords from ensuing conversations, letting them influence his audio-visual remix. This feedback will create a synergy between all in attendance; audio-visuals will summarize conversations while also seeding the next topic for discussion. This approach will create a unique forum and propel the discussion down unforeseen avenues!

The workshop will conclude with a Q&A chaired by the performer, in which he will discuss his customization of the VLA toward harnessing the space for transmedia info-discussion.

Activities

Trends in Sustainable Urban Ecology: For Digital Art Weeks (DAW) delegates and the public at large, this workshop offers the chance to engage with the varied research at the FCL, a centre hosting over 100 PhD, postdoctoral and Professorial researchers working on diverse themes related to future cities and environmental sustainability

Digital Art Practice: For digital practitioners and performers, this workshop offers the chance to engage with the performer on his harnessing of the technology at the VLA towards transmedia info-discussion.

Research Dissemination: For FCL researchers, ecological experts and stakeholders alike, this workshop offers a platform to present projects, research and opinions

Participation: Anyone with an interest in sustainable urban ecology or artist with an interest in digital storytelling will gain from attending the workshop. To attend, you must choose to partake either as an:

• FCL researchers – must commit to supplying the performer with media content that reflects their current research, no later than 31st March 2013
• Active citizens – must have a twitter account that will enable you to tweet your comments and so influence proceedings

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Page last modified on September 02, 2015, at 07:53 AM