WS12026MSc2
Workshop MSc 2 (2026): Interactive Furniture for Arctic Environments
The Interactive Architecture Prototypes (IAP) workshop focuses on skill building in Artificial Intelligence (AI) supported Design-to-Robotic-Production and -Operation (D2RP&O) methods for the development of architectural hybrid assemblies ranging from micro levels, as material systems, to meso and macro levels as building components and buildings. In this context, hybrid assemblies will be explored by designing and robotically producing and/ or operating a structure that consists of various components assembled into an integrated larger whole.
FRAMEWORK
The focus is on an extreme environment, Antarctica, where conditions include extremely cold, dry, and windy polar desert characterized by severe temperatures (ranging from -80 to -20), strong katabatic winds, minimal precipitation, and very low humidity; extreme light cycles with months of continuous daylight or darkness, high UV exposure, reduced oxygen levels. In this context the Norwegian research station in Antarctica, Troll, consisting of containers, is struggling with the limited space that confines activities and limits various and changing needs of inhabitants with respect to work, rest, and leisure. Furthermore, health is highly sensitive to lighting conditions because of their impact on the circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone cycles, visual performance, mood, and spatial orientation. Inadequate or poorly tuned lighting may impair alertness, mental health, immunity, and safety - making advanced, tunable, spectrum-controlled lighting systems essential.
APPROACH
In order to address these challenges, the design focuses on developing reconfigurable, interactive furniture with integrated AI-supported embedded lighting for the Troll station, which is basically a collection of containers connected to each other. The task will focus on 1-3 containers and their potential for spatial and environmental reconfiguration using a Voronoi-based approach and AI-assisted illumination method. Both, will be supported by hands-on tutorials.
The design approach exploits transfer of knowledge developed for extraterrestrial to terrestrial environments involving D2RP&O methods that are explored in numerical and experimental studies implemented in groups of ±5 students.
DELIVERABLES
COORDINATORS, TUTORS & ASSISTANTS
Henriette Bier, Arwin Hidding, Lisa-Marie Mueller & Vera Laszlo
STUDENTS
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
Group 7
DOCUMENTS
Schedule: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wdQEvPvv7gUu-ZV9XkEZfpRcdz9t13LKzSTBah937-0/edit
Brief: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lwgkOkwLq_MkuHcLVb7TmrxsUspAnb1R3pm0jOyIj8c/edit
Student list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AOVUd0Er4L60kd4_d7-1HiplAooonuL7gRpy7-E8srU/edit
REFERENCES
