Apo Mechanes Computational Design Studio

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Apo Mechanes studio and workshop to be held in Athens this summer. Apo Mechanes is an intensive 2.5 week computational design studio dedicated to furthering the techniques and concepts of computation as means for the production of spatial environments. Apo Mechanes will investigate the modes of algorithmic processes in architectural design and fabrication. Apo Mechanes is derived from “από μηχανής”, literally “from the machine”, and refers to the machinic nature of the studio in both an abstract/diagrammatic and a literal fabrication sense. It will run from the 27th of July till the 11th of August. At present computational techniques are predominantly employed in the optimization, rationalization or surface decoration of more traditionally created wholes. This research will instead focus on the inherent potential of computation to generate space and of algorithmic procedures to engage self-organization in the design process. Participants will create their own custom algorithms leading to the fabrication of full scale working prototypes appropriate to their research trajectories. Additionally, Apo Mechanes is inviting the participants of the studio as well as a curated group of emerging designers to a week long sailing symposium around the greek islands. This initiative is seeking to formalize, through a series of records of proceedings, an on-going dialog around the future of contemporary methodologies in architectural design and fabrication technologies. The Apo Mechanes Instructors have a wide range of international teaching experience including teaching design studios and seminars in algorithmic design at Columbia University, the Architecture Association, SCI-Arc, Pratt Institute, UPenn, USC, UCLA, RMIT and the University of Michigan. Apo Mechanes is now accepting applications, further information is available at: http://www.apomechanes.com The coordinators: Ezio Blasetti, Dave Pigram, Roland Snooks Ioulietta Zindrou