Students:

Marcel Schoolz, Amelia Wells, Briener Yu, Lifeng Zhao, Jun Ming Kong, Xueyang Ding, Chun Sang Leung, Hao Lin Wang, Satpal Singh Ranjit Singh Nagi, Alexander Stein, Ziyi Yang, Xiaocheng Wei, Yue Zhao, Jiahao Yang, Andrew Lee, and Himali Hareshbhai Jajal

Year

2019

Tutors:

  • Sean Guy (Fologram)
  • Melissa Iraheta (Fologram)

SYNECDOCHE

Synecdoche, meaning a part representative of its whole, will attempt to close the gap and examine the crossovers between the virtual and physical; representation and actuality; existing and fiction, with the objective to physically construct a scaffolding and stage for a virtual performative world within the Maker Space at the Melbourne School of Design.

The workshop will investigate the relationship between timber & woodworking craftsmanship and mixed reality construction techniques at architectural scale. Students will be experimenting with advanced design algorithms through Rhino & Grasshopper to collectively design a large scale scaffolding and stage. Students will be using the HoloLens, an augmented reality headset, to view and build the scaffolding at a 1:1 scale, shattering previous reliance on drawings and 2D representation in architectural construction and fabrication. The scaffolding will be made from scrap timber offcuts, recycled and repurposed using the HoloLens’ ability to act as a guide, enabling an ad-hoc mass-customized and sustainable scaffolding.

Students will then use scenographic strategies and cinema, within the virtual and digital process, as an agent to develop a new visual experience. The site will be a testing ground to repurpose the space into a stage for an architectural act, and the HoloLens will become a medium for a twofold application – one of construction, and the other as an immersive experience.