ROBOATRIUM The ASK Experimental Studio design problem set for this community is situated in the familiar ground. The informal back courtyard bound by Koszykowa Main Building and Oficyna building at Lwowska street serves today as casual outdoor social space, parking and garden. Here it is to be upgraded and turned to the formal academic quadrangle, kind of central courtyard used year around as multipurpose space of the faculty called for purpose of this project Atrium.
Space will be used not only winter as garden and summer outdoor space. It might be also used for congregation, lectures and exhtibitions making work of Faculty of Architecture more accessible to public. It will be accessible throughout the year and serve as prototype urban courtyard and example for other city areas. After introduction of initial design ideas students will work in groups on the project development including simulation and visualization of proposals. Then the best designs will be selected for the prototyping stage.
The focus of the studio is the schematic design of modular system for long span urban roof system and further detail resolution in form of kinetic prototype model of its fragment. FESTO support at this last phase is eagerly anticipated and welcome. The Atrium project is proposing upgrading and roofing Faculty of Architecture courtyard at Koszykowa 55 but it will also serve also as a model for adaptive urban roofs in general.
The convertible landscape enclosure will permit change of its physical porosity depending on the use, function and outdoor condition. The contemporary building enclosure of the public space does not have to be any longer solid and static but can be made dynamic and adaptive. The resulting geometry of the urban roof system is produced with mass customization tools and made out of the small modules that are performative and transformative. This ambition calls not only for algorithmically generated design, but also for its integration w/ other disciplines like classical mechanics, mechatronics, material science, environmental sciences and social context.
Design, fragment prototype and its programming will be done collaboration with ASK and Gradute Students of PW Mechatronic Faculty. ASK students are expected to participate on a regular basis and will be evaluated during the studio. FESTO participation in this proposal will be publicly acknowledged in all publications as co-author of any prototypes resulting from the project.
