Dear all,

We are pleased to invite you, for the official opening of the Discursive Wall prototype (in exhibition at the ISCTE-IUL in the Assessotel coffee-shop, building 2) and Vitruvius FabLab ISCTE-IUL, (building 2, 0 floor, room D0.04).

The public opening will take place in April 23th, 2012, at 12:30am, in the FISTA context.

The Discursive Wall is a product of the first Vitruvius FabLab Workshop “a Living System – Discursive Wall”, held from March 7^th until April 1^st, 2012.

The workshop “A living System – Discursive Wall” involves three partners: VitruviusFablab-ISCTE.IUL, FabLabEDP and Rhino3DPortugal. The main goal was to explore digital technologies and their contribution to solve some of the new challenges presented to the society and architecture in Portugal.

The workshop explored the use of Grasshopper, Firefly and Arduino as creative and technical tools in all the design process, to simulation and prototype 3D interactive architecture solutions.

The theoretical and practical workshop (64 hours) taught in English and Portuguese, was composed of two modules: (1) LS_01: Firefly +Grasshopper + Arduino and Scale Model Fabrication; (2) LS_02: Design Studio – Discursive Wall.

*the certificates of all participants will be delivered at the oficial opening.

Gostaríamos de convidá-lo/a para a inauguração do protótipo Discursive Wall (em exposição na cafetaria Assessotel do ISCTE-IUL, no edifício 2) e para a abertura oficial do Vitruvius FabLab ISCTE-IUL, edifício 2, piso 0 sala D0.04.

O evento terá lugar a 23 de Abril de 2012, às 12:30, no âmbito do FISTA.

A Discursive Wall é o primeiro protótipo produzido pelo Vitruvius FabLab ISCTE-IUL, produto do workshop “a Living System- Discursive Wall” que decorreu desde dia 7 de Março a dia 1 de Abril.

O workshop “A living System” surge no âmbito da parceria entre o VitruviusFablab-ISCTE.IUL, o FabLabEDP e a Rhino3DPortugal. O objectivo central foi explorar as tecnologias digitais e os seus contributos para superar alguns dos novos desafios propostos à sociedade e à Arquitectura em Portugal.

O workshop explorou o uso do Grasshoper, Firefly e Arduíno como ferramentas criativas, técnicas de design, simulação e prototipagem de soluções 3D interactivas em arquitectura

O workshop teórico-prático de 64 horas, ministrado em inglês e português, foi composto por dois módulos: (1) LS_01: Grasshopper+Firefly +Arduíno e Oficina; (2) LS_02: Estúdio de Design – Discursive Wall.

*Os certificados de participação, serão entregues no acto da inauguração.

Aguardamos a vossa presença!!! Até breve,

Contactos | Contacts: alivingsystem@gmail.com

Morada | Address:

ISCTE-IUL,

Av. Forças Armadas,

1649 – 026 Lisboa

Edifício 2, Piso 0, Sala D0.04

We are sorry to informe you that our Workshop is Full !!

To all that will Join us, Welcome! See you next Wednesday!

Thank you.

Regards

The aim of the research in Vitruvius FabLab–ISCTE.IUL will be the exploration of new methods of approach to architectural design/as well as new applications of construction materiais. The Vitruvius FabLab–ISCTE.IUL will develop automated techniques for the production of architectural models, explore modular building systems, innovative materials applications, interventions in the area of product design and Computer Graphics and Multimedia.

“Fablab” is a short term for “Fabrication Laboratory”, or, like some people prefer to call it,, “Fabulous Laboratory”. The concept was developed in the Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) of the Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT), through a course named How to do (almost) anything, lectured by Prof. Neil Gershenfeld.

A FabLab consists of a set of digital fabrication tools for rapid prototyping, such as milling machines, laser cutter, vynil cutter machines, electronics workbench, computers and programming tools, supported by open source software. This is a concept created for the community, based on “Learn by doing” education, providing the ideal environment for invention. The projects are conceived in 2D (in the computers) and get real in 3D (by the machines).

What kind of things you can do in the Fablab? Almost anything, it is your imagination that rules! Currently the labs include computer controlled machines with spatial resolution down to microns, and electronics that have time resolution in microseconds. The ability to design and innovate in microns and microseconds puts powerful capabilities into the hands of Fablab users. Communication devices, sensing technologies, building structures, arts and crafts – all are within reach using the tools and materials in a Fablab. High profile projects made in Fablabs include: solar and wind turbines, wireless data nteworks,a press fit house (no nails, no cement), long range antennas, and sheep sensing and tracking devices. It is an exciting and empowering place to create and innovate, and most users are quite passionate about the lab.

This text was adapted from the Sherry J. Lassiter paper “On the road to the future: Mobile Fablabs for Technical Education”.

(http://fablabedp.edp.pt/)

The community Rhino3Dportugal is a project integrated in the D-Academy, advanced training center of DigitaLab_ a creative laboratory for research oriented towards the advanced digital technologies (generative design; parametric and algorithm systems; digital fabrication; etc.) working with the academic community, companies and industry.

In a reality where the digital culture emerges and spreads all over our society, the concept of community gains a new dimension as a result of the Boom effect of digital social networks. As multidisciplinary digital creators we pretend to stimulate the culture of sharing knowledge and the interaction among rhiners (Rhino3D software users) using Rhino3Dportugal as the ideal platform.

The community is based on a dynamic and interactive platform where rhiners have the opportunity to share experiences and new concepts, promote their projects and have access to an extensive computer graphics database.

Rhino3Dportugal platform, created by DigitaLab, promotes the exchange among users, developers 3D content for the areas of architecture, design and CGart. It also organizes multidisciplinary courses, workshops, events and conferences based on Rhino3D software, its plug-ins and add-ons. Our courses are taught by expert trainers and aimed at a heterogeneous audience, companies and academic institutions.

Rhino is more. Join us!

Explore, experience and share!

Grasshopper™ is a visual programming language (VPL) Plug-in developed by David Rutten at Robert McNeel & Associates, integrated with Rhino’s 3-D modeling tools and interface. It is currently in beta phase development and is offered as a free download without expiration date, although a licensed copy or un-expired trial of Rhinoceros 4.0 or higher is required to run the software.

Grasshopper requires no knowledge of programming or scripting, but still allows designers to build form generators from dragging components onto a canvas. The outputs to these components are then connected to the inputs of subsequent components.

This powerful tool is used mainly to build generative algorithms for architecture, design, cgart, BIM ststem and analysis. Many of Grasshoppers components create 3D geometry, however may also contain other types of algorithms including numeric, textual, audio-visual and haptic applications.

(http://www.grasshopper3d.com/)

Firefly offers a set of comprehensive software tools dedicated to bridging the gap between Grasshopper (a free plug-in for Rhino), the Arduino microcontroller and other input/output devices. It allows near real-time data flow between the digital and physical worlds – enabling the possibility to explore virtual and physical prototypes with unprecedented fluidity.

As a generative modeling tool, Grasshopper offers a fluid visual interface for creating sophisticated parametric models but by default it lacks the ability to communicate with hardware devices such as programmable microcontrollers or haptic interfaces. Firefly fills this void. It is an extension to the Grasshopper parametric interface; combining a specialized set of components with a novel communication protocol (called the Firefly Firmata or Firmware) which together enable real-time interaction between hardware devices and the parametric plug-in for Rhino.

A notable distinction for Firefly is that it is the first visual microcontroller programming environment designed specifically for a 3-D parametric CAD package (such as Rhino). This feature means that real-world data, acquired from various types of sensors or other input devices (arduino, video cameras, internet feeds, or mobile phone devices, etc.) can be used to explicitly define parametric relationships within a Grasshopper model. Firefly completes the communication feedback loop by allowing users the ability to send information from Grasshopper back to the microcontroller in order to incite specific actuations (ie. lights, motors, valves, etc). Ultimately, this workflow creates a new way to create interactive prototypes.

(http://www.grasshopper3d.com/profile/firefly)