From imaginary formations to performative aggregations

Formation is a way of organising individual parts spatially. Aggregation is a fundamental method of construction. In his essay ‘From Material to Architecture,’ Moholy-Nagy uses the term ‘accumulation’ or “heap” as the fourth category of ‘material structure’ alongside structure, texture and facture. [1] In the context of short-term design, we will combine these two principles into a design method for constructing vertical structures (construction space of approximately 1x1x2 metres). To do this, we will use a simple basic element with specific material properties, which develops aesthetic, architectural and structural properties when aggregated in spatial arrangements. We will use model building studies to understand why these properties emerge based on arrangement principles, in order to apply, improve and refine them in iterative design steps to construct surprising and innovative spatial installations. The ‘part-to-whole relationships’ will be developed at different scale levels and in relation to aesthetic, spatial and structural criteria. Accompanying the physical material studies and models, digital methods are taught, from prompting (Stable Diffusion) as a digital method of sketching initial ideas, to 3D modelling and the graphical presentation of the results in diagrams and plans. The submission consists of the installation object presented in a review and a brochure containing the design and construction ideas, the design process with all its intermediate steps, and photographic documentation of the model studies and the final installation.
[1] https://www.bauhaus-bookshelf.org/bauhausbuecher-14-moholy-nagy-von-material-zu-architektur-pdf-1929.html