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).

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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

The Manufacturing Material Effects Exhibition, at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, framed and displayed the design and material production work of leading international designers and fabricators who participated in the Manufacturing Material Effect international symposium, and subsequent book release from Routledge Press. Designed, fabricated, and installed by a design studio working closely with industry partners from local wood, aluminum, limestone, and plastics industries, the exhibition closely examined collaborative design and production practices from around the globe based on innovative and experimental processes of material exploration.

Each component of the exhibition display system was custom designed and fabricated. A digitally-fabricated plywood armature system was developed and optimized for efficient nesting, fabrication, and shipping in order to minimize material waste. Rear-illuminated acrylic panels were vacuum formed over CNC-milled wood patterns in close collaboration with a local plastics manufacturer. All connections and joints were facilitated by custom designed and laser cut aluminum clips. Digital files were exchanged with local limestone industry partners for the 3 axis CNC production of stone bases. Full-scale mock-ups facilitated the choreography of the vacuum forming process and connection details.

In order to test lighting effects, the studio deployed a variety of methods—both, computationally, and physically. Entire armature bays were fabricated at full-scale with lighting and wiring in order to optimize the lighting design. Simultaneously, the studio simulated the overall lighting effects using photometric light renderings and false-color illuminance studies. This coupling of digital and physical outputs allowed students to understand the successes and failures in both the design and analysis techniques.

The exhibition project was assembled and installed by the student team, using a coding system for identifying each unique component. Additionally, an interactive, touch-screen informational kiosk was developed and installed by Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts. The design process was richly enhanced by actively engaging and participating with the manufacturing process, along with the vetting of design schemes by industry partners, which led to a design process that was truly informed by production, cost, and material considerations, and fostering an innovative collaborative relationship between design and making.

Student Team:
Amber Agan
Matt Amore
Elizabeth Boone
Adam Buente
Lena Dodson
Brandon Hoopingarner
Joe Intriago
Adam James
Kyle Perry
Ross Smith
Rob Thompson

Faculty:
Kevin Klinger
Joshua Vermillion

Partners:
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Institute for Digital Intermedia Arts
Arrowhead Plastic Engineering
Indiana Limestone Fabricators
Mid-West Metal Products
Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association
David R. Webb Company
Amos-Hill Associates
Ball State Digital Corps
Laird Plastics

Process Photos

Catch + Release project exhibited at the opening of the “scriptedbypurpose” Exhibit at the Philadelphia FUEL Collection Gallery.
Click here for the event blog.

Originally shown at the ACADIA 2006 Conference, the DigitalXchange Exhibition was redeployed at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning Gallery.  The exhibition featured the work of 85 international designers hung on an exhibition display system which was designed and fabricated by i.M.A.D.E and University of Kentucky students.  Recent digital fabrication projects from i.M.A.D.E immersive studios and seminars were woven into the gallery space, as well.

Kevin Klinger publishes a forward in the ACADIA Proceedings entitled “ACADIA: past 15 years reflections in the mirror are closer than they appear”. Streams projects were also shown at the Digital Exchange Exhibition at ACADIA 2006.