Course syllabus
Adaptation to Future Environments; Interdisciplinary Work on a "Live" Smart Building Project
TRA 335 & TRA 400, Adaptation to Future Environments
LP3+4 2024, 7.5 hp (TRA400) or 15 hp (TRA335), Course is offered by Chalmers Tracks
Contact details
Examiner and Coordinator: Yutaka Goto, yutaka@chalmers.se
Objective
The Adaptation to Future Environments TRACKS course aims to address the emerging challenges of adaptation to the rapidly changing technological, social and natural systems. The very nature of our predicament requires trans and interdisciplinary collaborations between experts in all fields, therefore, this course brings students together from various disciplines to collaborate and solve real-world challenges through 'live, smart building projects'. In this course students solve a challenge by taking an idea from concept to implementation where a broad range of expertise is required to evolve the way we rethink the physical environment and our place in the world in order to create a more sustainable built environment. The course engages the monumental challenge of transforming a concept and sketch to the thrill of realizing a building project together as an interdisciplinary team. Ultimately, the course aims to foster innovation through the direct interdisciplinary collaboration between students, teachers, researchers, consultants and the manufacturing industry.
Learning outcomes
After completion of the course the student should be able to;
- demonstrate an ability to critically and creatively identify and formulate architectural or engineering problems,
- demonstrate an ability to address problems with open solutions spaces which includes being able to handle uncertainties and limited information,
- lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process,
- work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions,
- demonstrate an understanding of cultural/ethnic differences and to be able to work sensitively with them,
- identify ethical aspects and discuss and judge their consequences in relation to the specific problem.
Project description and brief
In this Tracks course, we will build a pavilion to address the sustainability of the construction industry by Robotic Construction, Digital Manufacturing and Offsite Construction incorporating with material efficiency, and circularity. We build the pavilion with polymer composites sourced from biomass in combination with innovative timber structure with a robotic construction and digital manufacturing technique.
The challenge of the course is;
- to define the ambitions in various aspects of the pavilion,
- to co-develop the design of the pavilion among various work groups,
- to develop and construct the aesthetic and safe timber structural frame,
- to optimize the additive manufacturing process and produce elements for the pavilion,
- and to construct and exhibit the pavilion in full-scale.
Examiners and teachers
Examiner and Coordinator: Yutaka Goto, yutaka@chalmers.se mobil-0729937022
Other Teachers:
Jonas Lundberg, jonas.lundberg@chalmers.se
Robert Jockwer, robert.jockwer@chalmers.se
Bruno Goncalves, bruno.goncalves@chalmers.se
Elin Ouchterlony, elin.ouchterlony@chalmers.se
Samuel Norberg, samuel.he.norberg@gmail.com
Diana Bernin, diana.bernin@chalmers.se
+ others
Schedule information
Schedule will be decided and set based on students’ availability and the requirements of the course/project deadlines and activities. Be aware that this is a live project course and it is important to be flexible and adapt to the needs of the project and course as it progresses and evolves. The overall schedule and timetable is based on a preliminary meeting and a form of availability that needs to be completed by each student.
SEE CANVAS CALENDAR FOR SCHEDULING UPDATES.
KEY DATES:
February 7th - Course kick-off, 17:00 in SB3-S53
May 24th (provisional) - Exhibition in FUSE or on Johanneberg Campus
Course’s location
Chalmers Johanneberg Campus, TRACKS Teaching Hall.
See TIME EDIT for rooms and times booked: https://cloud.timeedit.net/chalmers/web/b2/ri1X5006Z1003vQQ3fZ5766Y56yY5Y67QQ.html
Course Webtools
To be discussed at the kick-off.
Course Literature
Kara, H., & Georgoulias, A. (2012). Interdisciplinary design: new lessons from architecture and engineering. (see selected chapters in files>Literature)
Brause, C. (2016). The Designer's Field Guide to Collaboration (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315753584 Links to an external site.(see selected chapters in files>Literature)
Hausladen, Gerhard, Liedl, Petra and de Saldanha, Mike. 2011. “Building to Suit the Climate; a Handbook" (available online at chalmers library)
Pressman, A. (2014). Designing Relationships: The Art of Collaboration in Architecture (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315852355 Links to an external site.(see selected chapters in files>Literature)
Hadin, E., Emily-Claire Nordang, E.C. (2017). Plastic Island Three Structures based on Transformed Ocean Plastic. Master thesis at Chalmers. https://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/254818/254818.pdf
Assessment & Examination
Grading: 5, 4, 3, Fail
To pass the course the following is required:
- Attendance and active participation at lectures/seminars
- Active participation in group work, presentations and cross critics
- Delivery of course assignments of sufficient quality (fulfilling the requirements regarding content and presentation of the assignments)
- Attendance and active participation in construction of the building
Course Design
The first week will be entirely focused on settling in the course’s main operations, including:
- The general introduction to the course
- Group forming
- Specification of the project’s ambitions.
The following weeks are entirely dedicated to the building of the project and are structured with several check-points and supported with regular tutoring as well as a continuous evaluation of the outcomes.
3 working groups are planned as follows. However, as this is a live project it is important to be flexible and adapt as the course and project progress. There are tasks which the participation of everyone is expected. The workplan shall be coordinated by the coordination group.
ARCHITECTURE working group
To work on the following and other tasks:
- Define the specific functions of the structure.
- Design the overall form of the structure.
- Integrate the elements to an aesthetical and functional object by communicating with other WGs. etc.
STRUCTURE working group
To work on the following and other tasks:
- Define the structural safety (short and long term) for the structure.
- Guarantee the structural safety (short and long term). etc.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING working group
To work on the following and other tasks:
- Design the material mix.
- Define the limitation of the additive manufacturing at the Robot Lab.
- Designing and modelling of the 3D-oriented parts.
- Optimize of the production.
- Production of the 3D-printed parts. etc.
Additionally, a coordination team will be formed for a structured and efficient communication among work groups, teachers and external experts. It is planned to have one representative from each working group and these two people will form the coordination team. Those students will be rewarded with 15 pts of the credit (TRA335) upon the successful completion of the course.
COORDINATION TEAM (Site operations/Logistics/Assembly)
- Project Management (Coordinate work between working groups, maintain and update schedule, coordinate with teachers and partners, run coordination meetings, update budget, document progress and work etc.)
- Site Supervision (Coordinate building work, ensure safety protocols, Material ordering, coordinate organization of tools).
Course summary:
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