::: CEFAD : Intelligent Algorithms for Architecture, Computing and Design :::

CEFAD is the Formative Centre for Academic Teaching at the Universidad Anahuac. CEFAD was founded in 1988 with the scope for academic teachers and researchers to aim an educative development and humaneness. By late last year (2008) CEFAD opened a competition for teachers and researchers from Universidad Anahuac to write an essay or an article related to their applied research, teaching interests and/or work. R[e]thinking Academic Series was one of the selected participants in CEFAD book a 20 years collection of Academic Research and Teaching experiences. Our paper was focused in Logic and Evolutionary processes for Architecture , Computing and Design and it was titled "Intelligent Algorithms for Architectural Design".

Regarding the taught workshop I explain you a bit more: during the summer last year we were invited by Bernardo Gomez Pimienta (dean of Escuela de Arquitectura - Universidad Anahuac) and prof. Enrique Etchegarray (Architectural Projects Coordinator at the Escuela de Arquitectura) to teach a summer workshop related to Digital Medium and Fabrication Technologies.

It was not easy at all to begin this particular workshop, due to students in Mexico are not quite related to advanced technologies for design or automatization processes, so the workshop started with a couple of seminars. The first one was focused on explaining the theory at CAD (Computer Aided Design), CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) systems and data driven productions and the second one was focused in Programming Languages. From then on, we all concentrated in a couple of paradigms :

a) Digital Technologies - geometric exploration through programming languages

b) Material Techniques - material experimentation and exploration

In order for the students to understand and see the potentialities of that specific way of design I did invite different architects and professors from such as different environments. For a previous stage before the final deadline, Gerardo Broissin from Broissin Architects, Jose Munoz from SOM New York participated during the jury review. 

For the deadline I decided to invite architects and professors engaged with these kind of technologies and some that were not. Deadline jury reviewers was composed by:

a) MArch. Prof. Enrique Etchegaray 

b) Gerardo Broissin (Broissin Architects)

c) Carlos Bedoya y Wonne Ickx (Productora)

d) MArch. Prof. Armando Reyes

e) EmTech MArch. Pablo Kobayashi

f) Marcos Betanzos (Obras Magazine) a very special invited jury

Also in both of the sessions we got the opportunity to collaborate with Fabian Del Valle and Luis Echegaray from RadioArquitectura. It was an amazing experience not only for the students engaged with the program but else for all of us engaged with Architecture and Academic Research.

Through this medium I want to thank to Bernardo and Enrique to make this happen, to all the students for their hard endeavor and patience and finally to all the jury and RadioArquitecture for their constant support.

::: R[e]thinking Academic Series in Mexico [Universidad Anahuac & ITESM-CEM] :::

Hello there! It has been a while with no blog writing... but I´m back with new and upgrade material regarding both R[e]thinking Architecture and R[e]thinking Academic Series. Currently I am teaching in different undergraduate programs in Mexico City and overseas.

We are exploring different research situations depending on students' profile. For example in the Escuela de Arquitectura Universidad Anahuac we are exploring Physical and Natural systems in order to generate material structures as an integral concept to design. There is no form or function following one to the other but an integral embedded design between material, form and function. At the genotype level there is a correlation between geometry, component and material rules. On the other hand, at the phenotype level, the rules from genotype variation become transformational objects in the physical environment.

Also in Anahuac University we are exploring CA cellular automata models. A cellular automata is an evolutionary system based in mathematical models. Very simple rules, similar to those encapsulated in the Game of Life designed by John Conway, act as the main framework of the undergraduate studio titled "Digital Medium and Fabrication Technologies".

Another undergraduate studio in which we all are pushing forward our design criteria and mental capacities is the one taught at the Department of Architecture and Industrial Engineering ITESM - CEM. Here researchers are investigating the main relationships between material, material techniques, material assembling and these relationships when interfacing with a physical environment.