Ball State University “speedwaystudio” designs addition scheme for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum

INNOVATE :: In celebration of the centennial of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ball State University graduate students in architecture accepted the challenge of exploring new ways of revealing the innovation, story, and heart of the Indianapolis 500 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As a part of the College of Architecture and Planning’s Master of Architecture degree program, a six-week architecture design studio project included proposing a hypothetical renovation and expansion of the existing Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum. The intentions were to spark a discussion about how architecture can align with the legacy of innovation inspired by the Speedway and display the incomparable collection of the Hall of Fame Museum.  To conclude the project, the students presented their team-based design scheme at IMS and presented the museum with a scaled model mounted in a digital designed and fabricated kiosk.

REVEAL :: The exterior of the designed addition celebrates the fabrication methodologies seen throughout the history of the automotive industry as the interior begins to reveal all aspects of racing history and innovation. The building, collection, and narrative of the brickyard’s incredible impact on our Hoosier heritage is gradually revealed as the visitor approaches and circulates through the space. Upon entering the museum, visitors are guided through two paths of exhibits in which cars are positioned, manipulated, and exploded to display an intimate level of detail. The goal of this new exhibit space is to provide a more in-depth experience taking you, the visitor, from the stands to the driver’s seat.

SPECIAL THANKS :: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, particularly Ellen Bireley, Terry Gunter, and Mel Harder.

STUDENT TEAM :: Jared Burt, Majdi Felah, Matt Flamm, Eric Gerding, Mo Han, Madeline LaPlante, Adam Miller, Kevin McCurdy

FACULTY :: Kevin Klinger and Mahesh Senagala

EXTERNAL CRITICS :: Kevin Frank and Alexi Karavokiris [RTKL Associates, Chicago]; Matty Bennett and Bendan Fox [SEQUENCES DESIGN, Indianapolis]; Donna Sink [MWHarris, Indianapolis]; Harold Baker [Harold Baker Architects, Brazil, IN]; Torrey Dawley [Sandpaper Studio, Indianapolis]; David Russick [Indianapolis Museum of Art]

Indianapolis Star Article: here.

As part of the ninth edition of the BEYOND MEDIA festival in Florence, Italy, the SPOT ON SCHOOLS exhibition explored the didactics in the field of architectural design and of the new media of communication, while focusing on the most recent development of the use of digital technologies for design research in the field of education. Invited to show work at SPOT ON SCHOOLS, i.M.A.D.E installed various exhibit pieces on the mezzanine in the Stazione Leopolda, including Morpholuminescence, Bodhi Tree, and Veneer Luminaires.

Comprised of custom laser-cut “petals”, “stems”, and hinges, Morpholuminescence was pre-assembled for testing prior to shipping in pieces. Petal movements and LED hue variations were driven by Arduino microcontrollers via data from proximity sensors. Assembled completely on-site and illuminated with spot lighting, the Bodhi Tree required laser cutting of over 10,000 components from hardwood veneer. The Luminaires were also constructed on-site from hardwood veneer along with lightweight acrylic armatures and fluorescent lighting.

In addition to the show, Kevin Klinger and Mahesh Senagala were invited to speak about the work at the simultaneous symposium. Senagala’s presentation related to the pedagogical goals of “An Inconvenient Studio” and the resulting student-made prototypes, including Morpholuminescence and Arcus Animus. Klinger’s talk centered around the topics of digital fabrication and material effects, with examples of projects from innovative professionals from around the globe and from i.M.A.D.E including Bodhi Tree, reBarn, SmartScrap, and the MMFX Exhibition (all described in print in the exhibition and catalog).

Click here to visit the BEYOND MEDIA or SPOT ON SCHOOLS websites.

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Student Design/Management/Installation Team:
Elizabeth Boone
Eric Brockmeyer
Adam Buente
Kyle Perry

Print Layout/Design and Component Production Team:
Ben Greenberg
Greg Hittler
Eric Laine
Austin Lucari

Faculty:
Kevin Klinger
Mahesh Senagala
Joshua Vermillion

Kevin Klinger delivers the keynote lecture at the 2009 Iberoamerican Society of Digital Graphics (SIGraDi) Conference on November 18, 2009 at the FAU Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Sao Paulo, Brasil. Klinger’s lecture was entitled: “Manufacturing Material Effects: Rethinking Design and Making in Architecture.”

Additionally, Klinger presented a paper at the conference entitled: “Digital Design through Production Pedagogy: Cases Involving Student/Industry Collaboration.”

Kevin Klinger gives a lecture at California Polytechnic State University’s (San Luis Obispo) College of Architecture and Environmental Design on October 9, 2009. More information on Klinger’s lecture and Cal Poly’s lecture series (entitled: “Integrated Practices”) can be found here.

The latest hardwood veneer Luminaire prototypes were exhibited at the Tech Point 2009 Innovation Summit.

Students:
Eric Brockmeyer
Kyle Perry
Austin Lucari
Rudy Arroyo
Ariel Aurellano

Partners:
Tech Point Indiana
Indiana Hardwood Lumbermens Association
David R Webb Co.