Designing Spaces in Steel

Vernacular craft skills developed through long traditions of working with familiar materials have frequently resulted in the making of beautiful structures, that were unique to each location and culture. The architecture and engineering today, can push further these traditionally developed techniques through science and industry made materials with new physical properties, that enable the conception of new architectural forms and design expressions. This studio is focused on exploring the potential of steel, perhaps the most remarkable of these industrial materials invented in the later 19th century. Students will study the work of modern masters of architecture and engineering in steel to gain an understating of how their work depended on a profound understanding of the physical, chemical properties and structural potential of steel. They will then progress to design their own steel structures through the development of scaled models, sketches, prototypes models, structural drawings and 3D models backed up by engineering proof of concept and calculation. The studio will challenge student engineers to explore their role in architectural design by creatively applying science and calculation to their design expression.