Research shows that sea levels around the world have been rising for many decades due to global warming. The consequences of this will put hundreds of cities at risk of being flooded. Similarly, water levels in the Mamori Lake vary greatly between the dry and wet season, when the river can grow up to 14 meters flooding the forest and changing the physiognomy of the land. Currently, local houses are built on stilts to deal with tidal variations but in recent years, this has not always been enough to prevent the river from causing devastation. Conversely, there are several floating plants in the Amazon that have developed clever buoyancy strategies to adapt to this ever-changing environment. Through physical and digital modeling as well as biomimetics, the workshop will investigate new types of floating architecture that can adapt to tidal variations and rising water levels while responding to extreme weather conditions. While the proposed new typologies will be highly adapted to the area of Mamori Lake, the proposals will also be evaluated as a global response to the pressing demands of world sea-level rise.
Prominent Features of the workshop/ skills developed
The workshop will take place in a simple but comfortable wooden lodge by the Mamori lake shore, in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. The initial exploratory days of analysis and data collection will offer the participants the possibility to discover the astonishing Amazon ecosystem and interact with the local communities. A series of lectures about design, architecture, and biology will provide students with an understanding of innovative concepts at the forefront of architecture.
- Students will receive a certificate from the Architectural Association.
- Students will develop skills in parametric modeling using Rhino and Grasshopper.
- Students will gain an understanding of concepts like biomimetics, emergence, self-organization and, material and biological systems.
- Past students have described the workshop as a “once-in-a-lifetime learning trip”, “awesome immersive experience”, “new method to learn”, “another way to make architecture”, “an amazing way to connect with nature”.
Applications
1) You can make an application by completing the online application found under ‘Links and Downloads on the AA Visiting School page. If you are not able to make an online application, email visitingschool@aaschool.ac.uk for instructions to pay by bank transfer.
2) Once you complete the online application and make a full payment, you are registered to the programme. A CV or a portfolio is not required.
The deadline for applications is 18 August 2017.
All participants traveling from abroad are responsible for securing any visa required and are advised to contact their home embassy early. After payment of fees, the AA School can provide a letter confirming participation in the workshop.
Location
Mamori Lake, Amazonas, Brazil.
Fees
The AA Visiting School requires a fee of £995 per participant, which includes a £60 Visiting Membership fee.
Fees include tuition, full-board accommodation and local transportation for the duration of the workshop. Flights are not included. Students need to bring their own laptops, digital equipment and model making tools. Please ensure this equipment is covered by your own insurance as the AA takes no responsibility for items lost or stolen at the workshop.
The meeting point for all participants will be Manaus City Centre, from where the group will travel by boat to Mamori Lake. Accommodation in the rainforest is a comfortable wooden lodge with double bedrooms with private bathroom. Bedrooms are equipped with air conditioning, beds, sheets, and towels.
Eligibility
The workshop is open to current architecture and design students, PhD candidates, and young professionals.
Program Head's Biographies
Nacho Marti graduated from Elisava School of Design and obtained a Master’s in Science in Emergent Technologies and Design from the Architectural Association. He runs his design studio in London while teaching at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
Marko Brajovic graduated from Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia and obtained a Masters’s in Digital Arts at Pompeu Fabra University and a Master’s in Genetic Architecture at Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, both in Barcelona. Marko Brajovic is the founder and Creative Director at Atelier Marko Brajovic based in São Paulo, Brazil.
Sponsors
Rhinoceros
ArchDaily
Eleven
Download the information related to this event here.
Title
AA Visiting School AmazonType
WorkshopWebsite
Organizers
From
August 25, 2017 11:03 AMUntil
September 02, 2017 11:03 AMVenue
Mamori Lake, Amazon, BrazilAddress