Chocolate and Other Powders

AA Lyon Visiting School 2015

Inner Paradise
AA Riau Island Visiting School 2016

AA Mud & Digital Lab 2012-2020

Applying Digital Technologies to Earth Construction

AA Mud & Digital Lab 2012-2020

Applying Digital Technologies to Earth Construction

Chocolate and Other

Powders
AA Lyon Visiting School 2015

Inner Paradise
AA Riau Island Visiting School
2016

Necessary change
The construction industry of the future will need to depend on sustainable materials and processes. We
believe that earth could provide a viable range of cheaper and available local materials while associated
with computer aided machines that would allow easier labour and innovative forms.
The aim of the Mud & Digital Lab is to renew earth construction processes and opening up a diversity of
sustainable techniques applied to general construction.
This includes creating a diversity of formwork's at a very high pace to revisit the wattle and daub
techniques, and challenge new earthen geometries such as thin shells by casting methods.
In addition, were using CNC machines to pour earth layer per layer with the goal to 3d print earth at the
scales of furniture and house.
In Lyon well be fabricating real scale prototypes.
In Indonesia well use local earth, local knowledge and transportable digital prototyping machines in
remote areas. Well design and build high end furniture and small architectures that will become
permanent features in the resort.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE AA
2. INTRODUCTION TO AA MUD & DIGITAL LAB 2012-2020
3. LOCATION
4. LYON VISITING SCHOOL
1. AGENDA
2. FACULTY BIOS
3. SCHEDULE
4. AIM
5. RIAU VISITING SCHOOL
1. AGENDA
2. FACULTY BIOS
3. AIM
APPLICATIONS
6.
7. TEAM

AA VISITING SCHOOL PROGRAMME

AA Mud & Digital Lab 2012-2020

Applying Digital Technologies to Earth Construction

Introduction
The AA Mud & Digital Lab investigates since 2012 the potential of using Computer Aided Machines for the renewal of Earth
Construction.
The potential of this work is to open up a diversity of sustainable techniques applied to general construction.
It also has a social aim as the cost of material is reduced to a minimum.
We invite any Architecture or engineering student or professional, Researcher or environmental specialist to join us in order to work
together ahead of our times in this necessary new international field.
The Lab is structured over 2 intensive real scale prototypes construction 2 weeks long workshops in France and in Indonesia.
In addition we organize a series of talks during the year around this new subject.

Kuka Robot
carving some material

The AA VS Lyon, France: Testing Phase: Chocolate and Other Powders 2015
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/lyon
The Visiting School workshop in Lyon France happens at the Grands Ateliers de lIsle dAbeau where all the materials and machines are
available for large constructions experimentation.
Were exploring two main families of structures: 3d printing and Moulding
-3D Printing Earth (No Formwork)
Were using Kuka robots, CNC machines, and house made robots to 3d print earth.

Kuka Robot
3D printing Clay

-Non Standard Earthen shells (Lost or Removable Formwork)

Were also using CNC milling machines to produce at a fast pace a large range of different and non-regular wooden formworks
associated with stretched fabric to prefabricate earthen casted structures ranging from 20 cm tile to large 2 m high structures.
The AA VS Riau Island, Indonesia: Construction phase
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/riauisland
Construction phase in a remote area using local material and transportable digital prototyping machine.
Construction of furniture and small architectures: permanent structures in the tropical resort.
Opportunity for the students to be in direct contact with local Indonesian artists.

Transportable Digital
Prototyping equipment

AA Mud & Digital Lab 2012-2020

Applying Digital Technologies to Earth Construction

Location

Chocolate and Other Powders 2015

Inner Paradise 2016

AA Lyon Visiting School

AA Riau Visiting School

The Grands Ateliers Villefontaine, 10 km from Lyon

have been built in 2000 and welcome since then
different architectural schools to test and build real scale
prototypes.

Telunas Resort, Riau Island, Indonesia

Tropical Resort, middle to high end resort, built on stilts.
3 hours by boat from Singapore

Chocolate and Other Powders

AA Lyon Visiting School 2015

Mud & Digital Lab Ongoing Research

Thursday 25th June Saturday 4th July 2015
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, there is a rapture on the lonely shore,
there is society, where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love
not man the less, but Nature more.
-- George Gordon, Lord Byron

Agenda
During Chocolate and Other Powders 2015, participants will embark on a journey to design and built
some real scale Earthen Parametric structures for a remote island and its resort in Indonesia using the
past years specific processes developed during the AA Mud and Digital Lab.
For the 3rd edition of our Mud & Digital AA Visiting School, We will keep on cutting our way through the
pathless woods and work together as an experimental lab, to define new structures that never were
before.
Well continue our quest for the Holy Grail to lead on using the CNC machine as a giant 3D printer for
earth.
Using fabric as a formwork to establish thin earthen shells of different geometries and morphologies
has reached new paradigms for us.
Well maintain the intensity and develop this field.
Finally, using earth to fabricate prefabs is a domain that has been rarely investigated.
Were proud of continuing the 1m earthen tiles weve started last year to reach manufacturing
perfection and patents potential.
We will build up on last years Workshop ---Synchronized Movements 2013+ Mud Body and Scripts
2014---knowledge and processes renewing Wattle and Daub and putting in place new methods.
Thin Earth shell,
Double curvature Earthen Tiles,
3D printing Earth
Here are the themes we will focus on this year and building up on the knowledge gained during our
previous Workshops:
FormWorks
Thin Earthen Shells
Exploring different morphologies
Producing the formwork's at faster pace and with more diversity using new computer aided machines such as
Kuka Robots
No FormWork
Giant 3D printing
We will keep on exploring the use of the CNC to be used as a 3D giant Printer for Earth

Agenda
For the 3rd edition of our Mud & Digital AA Visiting School, We will keep on cutting our way through the pathless woods and work
together as an experimental lab, to define new structures that never were before.
We will embark on Experiments using our body,
letting our inner child go free and get dirty,
and our natural tendency
to enjoy touching the material when it is paste, when it is powder, when it is sprayed, when it is stretched.
Well define new verbs together.
Well continue our quest for the Holy Grail to lead on using the CNC machine as a giant 3 D printer for earth.
We will use Elvis the small robot to pour and spray mixes of earth, fibres, sand, olive oil, washing liquid.
Well define new ingredients to improve the taste of our recipe together.
Using fabric as a formwork to establish thin earthen shells of different geometries and
morphologies has reached new paradigms for us.
Well maintain the intensity and develop this field.
Finally, using earth to fabricate prefabs is a domain that has been rarely investigated.
Were proud of continuing the 1m earthen tiles weve started last year to reach manufacturing perfection and patents potential.
Our energy will be deployed to re-invent new social realities, and to explore new alternatives in Emergen(t)cy sustainable housing.

Collage by Students group S from Mud,

Body and Scripts 2014: using the
automated robots from the Grands
Ateliers Ceiling to 3D print giants
structures of earth

Faculty Biography
Stphanie Chaltiel studied in France Spain and Uk.
She worked in Madrid, Mexico, French Guiana, Paris, New York,
London, Singapore. She was recently teaching at SUTD (Singapore
University of Technologies & Design) in Singapore. After working for
Bernard Tschumi, OMA and Zaha Hadid, she completed her
Emergent Technologies & Design Master at the AA in 2010. She
currently teaches in various universities in the UK and has her own
practice: CaliSSon DeSign
Marie-Perrine Placais holds Masters from cole dArchitecture ParisMalaquais (2000) and Sciences Po-Paris (Urban Planning, 2001). She
joined Zaha Hadid Architects in 2008 after working in Paris, Rouen and
Shanghai. Her experience has ranged in scale from large urban
design projects to hand-made prototypes and includes competitions,
workshops and design juries in France (Europan 6, Grand Projet de
Ville de Rouen), China (Shanghai Tongji University) and Brazil
(Architecture sans Frontires).

Angie Cos firm, Studio Co, is an architectural initiative in pursuit of

possible worlds through critical inquiry into our natural and constructed
ones. Her research includes a collaboration with Aeolab on the
Weather-Making Balloon media installation and nomadic pavilion,
which has been exhibited at the Eyebeam Art and Technology Atelier
in New York City. Co has also worked on theoretical and built projects
with Bernard Tschumi Architects and Asymptote Architecture.
Zubin Khabazi is the founding director of the Laboratory of Algorithmic
Architecture [Morphogenesism]. He holds a Master of Emergent
Technologies & Design from AA and graduated from IAUM
Architecture School in Iran. He has taught in UK and Iran including
workshops like Tehran AA Visiting school. His work includes material
system and algorithmic solution development and publication of ebooks like Generative Algorithms on Grasshopper website.
Suryansh Chandra is an architect working with the Code Research
Group in Zaha Hadid Architects since 2009. He completed is post
graduation from the AA in 2009 and graduated from New Delhi, India
in 2004. He has tutored the AA Emergent Technologies masters
program in the past and been a part of Visiting Schools in London,
China, India and the US. His work involves exploring computational
design on a variety of aspects such as embedding fabrication
intelligence into the digital design process, form finding, multiparametric optimization and locally intelligent systems of bottom up
growth.

Schedule
Chocolate and Other Powders
Mud & Digital Lab Ongoing Research
Thursday 25th June Saturday 4th July 2015
25th June
9 am - Welcoming breakfast.
9.30 am - Mud and digital introduction lecture
10.30 am - Detailed presentation of the brief: Design and build a small
architecture or some innovative furniture for Telunas
12.00pm - groups of 4/5 people and roles attribution
12.30pm - Welcome lunch
2pm - 6pm - Immersion into the earth architecture world, Physical experiment
with CRATerre specialist Wilfredo Carazas
26th feb
9.30am - 12pm - Grasshopper beginners and intermediate level running
simultaneously
2pm-3pm - Quick brainstorming on first ideas for project. Prize for the most
promising
3-6pm - Earth construction training
27th June
Choice of Lyon+ Local Earth Architecture sight seeing or
earth/digital experiments at the GA ( the teaching team will splits in 2)
28th June
9.30-12 pm - Grasshopper and ecotect beginners and intermediate level
running simultaneously
2pm-6pm - Applying earth and grasshopper techniques to proposals for
telunas
29th June
9.30-12pm - Evolving scripting definitions to suit very precise aims for the
telunas structures.
Towards patented digital definitions applied to natural material manufacturing.
2-6pm - earth/digital prototyping structures
6-8pm - evening talk

30th June
8.00-12pm - Finishing the current 1/1 scale structures
1pm-6pm - Intermediary Crits - CRATerre personalities as external jurors
1st July
9.30-12pm - Evolving scripting definitions to suit very precise aims for the telunas
structures. Towards patented digital definitions applied to natural material
manufacturing.
1pm-6pm - Construction
6-8 pm - Evening talk
2nd July
9.30-12pm - Evolving scripting definitions to suit very precise aims for the telunas
structures. Towards patented digital definitions applied to natural material
manufacturing.
1pm-6pm - construction
2pm-7pm - mini workshop with contemporary dancer Sylvie Guillermin to see how the
structures can suit her choreography and the weight of the dancers. (performance at
the grands ateliers using the built structures Saturday the 4th of July)
3rd July
Real scale construction continues
4th July
Final Crits
Talk and Contemporary Dance Performance

AIM

During Chocolate and Other Powders 2015, participants will embark on a journey to design and built some real scale Earthen
Parametric structures for a remote island and its resort in Indonesia using the past years specific processes developed during the
AA Mud and Digital Lab.
Here are the themes we will focus on this year and building up on the knowledge gained during our previous Workshops:
FormWorks
Thin Earthen Shells:
Exploring different morphologies
Producing the formworks at faster pace and with more diversity using new computer aided machines such as Kuka Robots
No FormWork
Giant 3D printing
We will keep on exploring the use of the CNC to be used as a 3D giant Printer for Earth

AIM

Thin Earthen Shell 2m High

Earthern Tiles Prefabs 20cm to 1m side

3D Printing Earth

-Testing the different consistencies of the earth

paste, proportion of water, sand, olive oil etc.
-Testing the friction (type of paste/type of pipe) when
the paste is channelled to the CNC
Testing the Sausage maker and trying to apply a
constant mechanical action.

Inner Paradise
AA Riau Island Visiting School 2016

Mud & Digital Lab Ongoing Research

January 2016
A feeling of being at the other end of the world, on a paradise island.
Almost nothing, almost no one around.
Nevertheless a comfortable familiarity is provided.
The resort creator of this island will be our client for a short while.

16

Agenda
During Inner Paradise 2016, participants will embark on a journey to design and built some real scale
Earthen Parametric structures for a remote island and its resort in Indonesia using the past years
specific processes developed during the AA Mud and Digital Lab.
This new location of our Mud and Digital Lab about Applying digital technologies to earth construction
will challenge the use of local natural materials found on site for the fabrication of permanent structures
in the Telunas resort in collaboration with local artists.
Thousand different gradients of gold and sand, luxurious tropics along some tidal sea and a very
strong local Indonesian community.
Thousand different gradients of gold and sand; Thousands hermits finding all kind of shells to build up
their mini architectures.
Taking advantage on the very local richness.
The culture before anything else.
We'll work with local craftsmen to reach new strategies in marrying mud techniques and digital
technologies.
Stressing the very traditional with the very contemporary, defining new realities.
Well bring our transportable digital fabrication equipment on this remote island -although only 3 hours
from Singapore for those who know how to navigate its waters on the long wooden boats- Well
fabricate screens, walls, roofs, pergolas and other types of furniture for the Telunas resort. This unusual
client will choose from our built work, pieces and fragments of architecture that will remain in the hotel
permanently.
With key parametric specialists from SUTD and FCL and the constant influence from CRATerre for
earth architecture knowledge we will start writing a new chapter in the history of using transportable
machines synchronized with local materials to create new matters and new structures.
The focus will be mostly on sustainable and innovative furniture and small earth and fibres architectures
with the aim of becoming permanent in the resort.

Aims
Indonesia has a very strong earth architecture culture.
We will take advantage on the traditional methods to reinterpret them through the use of
transportable digital prototyping manufacturing.
Theres also a very interesting culture on bamboos structures in Indonesia.
We will revisit some of these techniques to apply earth on them and challenge their
geometry.
The aim of Inner Paradise will be to test on site the techniques explored during AA VS Lyon,
earthen think shells, 3d printed earth technologies.
During AA Riau Island 2016 Inner Paradise, we will work closely with Mike Shubert: the
owner of the tropical resort to fabricate furniture and small architectures that will remain in
the hotel. We will also work with Paul, local Indonesian artist in residence in Telunas to
enhance the dialogue between Indonesian identity and the processes were developing.

Applications

Chocolate and Other

Powders
AA Lyon Visiting School 2015

Inner Paradise
AA Riau Island Visiting School
2016

Applications

Chocolate and Other

Powders
AA Lyon Visiting School 2015

Location
Les Grands Ateliers de LIsle dAbeau
Impasse du Pont, 38090 Villefontaine, France
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 11th June 2015.
All participants travelling 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.
Fees
The AA Visiting School requires a fee of 695 per participant. The fee includes a 60 Visiting membership fee. If you wish to
enhance your membership, a Subscribing Membership is available at an additional 70 (130 in total), full details of which can be
found at: https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/MEMBERSHIP/JOIN/becomeamember.php
Fees do not include flights or accommodation, but accommodation options can be advised.
Here is a list of hotels who work often with the Grands Ateliers and where you can ask a significant discount as we have special
rates for our workshop participants.
Village Hotel
University sharing accommodation. Please contact us for this one
Mercure Isle DAbeau
La Bicyclette Fleurie
Hotel Ibis Isle DAbeau
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.
Workshop/ Skills developed
Our past talks include Martin Rauch, Marta Male Alemany, Philippe Block, Christopher Pierce, Rowland Keable Keng Hua chua.
Talks 2015 to be announced soon.
Regular local collaborator: Patrice Doat Director of CRATerre Unesco, Wilfredo Carazas and Philippe Liveneau.
Eligibility
The workshop is open to current architecture and design students, phd candidates and young professionals. Software
Requirements: Adobe Creative Suite, Rhino (SR7 or later)

Applications

Inner Paradise
AA Riau Island Visiting School
2016

Riau Island Visiting School works in connection with Lyon Visiting School.
Please refer to LYON VISITING SCHOOL for updated information:
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/lyon
http://lyon.aaschool.ac.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lyon-AA-Visiting-School-MudDigital/317637008392880
Participants can choose to enrol for both Lyon and Telunas visiting school. The first one is the prototyping phase and the latter is
the On site. People registering for both workshop pay a total fee of 1000 instead of 1390.
Both visiting school can also be booked separately.
Accommodation will be directly in the Telunas resort for both participants and faculty for a price of about 18/night.
The deadline for applications is 1st January 2016.
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. All participants travelling 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.
Fees
The AA Visiting School requires a fee of 695 per participant, which includes a 60 visiting membership fee. If you wish to
enhance your membership, a Subscribing Membership is available at an additional 70 (130 in total), full details of which can be
found at: https://www.aaschool.ac.uk/MEMBERSHIP/JOIN/becomeamember.php
The fees are discounted to 550 per person for groups of 2 or more. Fees do not include transports.
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.
Part scholarships for the workshop will be available - please follow the Mud and Digital visiting school website.
Location
Telunas, Batam Kep, Riau Island, Indonesia
Eligibility
Well use Rhino, Rhino Script, Grasshopper, Ecotect, in addition to Earth construction techniques. Participants will be divided in the
professional or student category according to their level on the subject.

Inner Paradise
Mud & Digital Lab Ongoing Research 8th January-19th January 2016
Tutors Biography

Stphanie Chaltiel graduated as an architect from France and Spain. She worked in
Madrid, Mexico, French Guiana, Paris, New York, London. She was recently teaching at
SUTD (Singapore University of Technologies & Design) in Singapore. After working for
Bernard Tschumi, OMA and Zaha Hadid, she completed her Emergent Technologies &
Design Master at the AA in 2010. She currently teaches in various universities in the UK
and has her own practice: CaliSSon DeSign
Marie-Perrine Placais holds Masters from cole dArchitecture Paris-Malaquais (2000) and
Sciences Po-Paris (Urban Planning, 2001). She joined Zaha Hadid Architects in 2008 after
working in Paris, Rouen and Shanghai. Her experience has ranged in scale from large
urban design projects to hand-made prototypes and includes competitions, workshops
and design juries in France (Europan 6, Grand Projet de Ville de Rouen), China (Shanghai
Tongji University) and Brazil (Architecture sans Frontires).
Zubin Khabazi is the founding director of the Laboratory of Algorithmic Architecture
[Morphogenesism]. He holds a Master of Emergent Technologies & Design from AA and
graduated from IAUM Architecture School in Iran. He has taught in UK and Iran including
workshops like Tehran AA Visiting school. His work includes material system and
algorithmic solution development and publication of e-books like Generative Algorithms
on Grasshopper website.
Toni Kotnik
Jessica Leong and Ker How Wong.

AA Mud & Digital Lab 2012-2020

Applying Digital Technologies to Earth Construction

Team and Partners

AA Visiting School Programme.
Architectural Association, London UK
Stephanie Chaltiel and Marie-Perrine Placais
Director AA Visiting School Programme: Christopher Pierce

Teaching Team:
Rowland Keable- Ebuk
Zubin Khabazi- Morphogenism
Angie co- Syracuse University
Suryansh Chandra- Zaha Hadid
Chiara Pozzi- Poytechnica de Milano
Priji Balakrishnan- Singapore University of Technology and Design
Clover Chen Yutong- Singapore University of Technology and Design
Sarah Hussein- Jordan University of Science and Technology

Partners
Architectural Association: Brett Steele
Paris Malaquais: Nasrine Seraji
CRATerre Unesco: Patrice Doat
Les Grands Ateliers: Michel-Andre Durand

Contact:
Stephanie.Chaltiel@aaschool.ac.uk
placais@aaschool.ac.uk
visitingschool@aaschool.ac.uk
Tel Mud&Digital Lab:
+44 7 590481301
+44 7530396162
links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38wm9vfRMPc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GuXsAixM4Y
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/riauisland
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/lyon