Instructor(s)
The course is structured as an introduction to digital representation techniques for the purpose of visually developing and communicating spatial ideas and architectural design concepts. Students will engage in the use of the computer, specifically through a series of applications, intended to be added to their already existing representational toolkit. Rhinoceros 3D will be the primary software used for Computer Aided Drafting/Modeling (CAD), with V-Ray being used for rendering. Adobe Creative Suite will serve as the graphic applications in the workflow.
As you have learned in your first semester, the practice of drawing and model making are central to the architectural practise. This being said, there has been a massive shift towards digital tools in architecture, to the point of ubiquity. In this new digital realm, there are nearly infinite softwares and workflows the can offer efficiency, and expand creative boundaries However, with each opportunity presented by digital tools, a pitfall is also opened. While a 3D model can be an invaluable tool to quickly develop formal relationships in your building, getting absorbed in the in minutia of a digital model can be distracting and crippling. While the ability to produce photo-realistic renders can be a convincing method to communicate a project, it can ignore the architect’s ability to establish visual hierarchy and evoke specific atmospheres.
This course looks at the practise of digitally drawing, modeling, and rendering, and equips students with the ability to navigate and utilize digital tools in nimble, efficient, and productive manner. Thus, the course seeks to not only equip students with technical skills, but with criticality and insight on the use of these tools in their work.
Throughout this course, two goals of digital representation will be explored: inquiry, and communication. Inquiry refers to using drawings and models for oneself to test, learn, understand, and reveal, while communication refers to expressing established architectural motives and subtleties to someone else. These are by no means separate approaches, but both are key to consider in the practise of drawing.
