Monoceros online workshop

presents Monoceros online workshop

In 4 days of lectures and hands-on exercises, you will be introduced to the wider architectural context, explained the basics, guided through real-life examples and revealed advanced concepts of a controlled discrete assembly.

The first complete workshop on Monoceros by its makers from Subdigital

A week after the main workshop you can discuss and troubleshoot your individual Monoceros project with the workshop tutors. In another week you will present your personal project in front of a renowned jury and receive a signed certificate.

The entirely online workshop will take place in the virtual environment of Gather town and will consists of lectures, tutorials, demonstrations, individual consulting, exhibitions, networking and parties.

Can't wait to welcome you in our virtual hub!

Workshop overview

• Level:
  intermediate & advanced grasshopper users
  beginners may apply too
• Duration:
  30+ hours workshop
  after hours support
  13 hours of free bonus tutorials
• Certificate & awards: final presentation
• Main tutor: Ján Pernecký | Subdigital
• Language: English
• Online platform: Virtual venue in Gather town designed in Monoceros
• Software: Rhinoceros 6 or 7 for Windows

When

27^th – 30^th May 2021 – Monoceros workshop

• 3_pm to 4_pm CEST/UTC+2 – optional catch-up session
• 4_pm to 6_pm CEST/UTC+2 – theory
• 6_pm to 9_pm CEST/UTC+2 – hands-on

4^th June 2021 – Desk crits

• 4_pm to 8_pm CEST/UTC+2 – optional individual troubleshooting sessions

11^th June 2021 – Finals

• 4_pm to 6_pm CEST/UTC+2 – 5+5 minutes each project

Prices

• Tutorials: 20 hours
• Feedback sessions: 10 hours

• Early bird price (1^st – 18^th April 2021): 285€ + 20% VAT
• Regular price (19^th April – 11^th May 2021): 375€ + 20% VAT
• Last minute price (12^th – 24^th May 2021): 465€ + 20% VAT

Scholarships for exceptional talents

Exceptionally talented people with a challenging background can apply for a free seat at the workshop! Write a 3600 characters long essay about the meaning and potential of computational design. Include your short CV and submit it before 7^th May 2021 (midnight) at workshop@arxace.com. We will review all contributions and announce the winner on 10^th May 2021.

What is Monoceros

Monoceros is a legendary animal living in the huge mountains in the interior of India. Monoceros has the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant and the tail of a boar.

Monoceros is also a suite of tools for optimally occupying an Envelope with discrete Modules, where the spatial relationship between those Modules can be constrained by a set of user-defined Rules. By using the Wave Function Collapse algorithm, it provides an innovative and fast solution to the emerging architectural problem of Discrete aggregation for purposes of design, architecture and urban planning. Monoceros is a plug-in for Rhino / Grasshopper created at studio Subdigital by Ján Tóth and Ján Pernecký, and is available to download for free.

Monoceros implements WFC in a way natural to Grasshopper and democratizes its use across all groups of computational designers – from beginners to experienced Grasshopper users. It delivers results with minimum effort and at the same time allows for control beyond any other discrete assembly approach.

What is Discrete aggregation

Discrete aggregation is one of the hottest approaches of computational design, along with the emergent swarm intelligence and AI. It recognizes small distinct parts that can be assembled into larger aggregates according to certain requirements. The parts are often represented by material components assembled using connectors. Most prominent discrete approaches are voxelization, discrete growth and constraint modeling, such as Wave Function Collapse.

Discrete approach benefits from breaking down the problem into small parts. The parts are often represented by real physical components with real physical connectors. That allows to combine prefabrication with computational design, which is approachable with the current conventional technology. Discrete aggregates also scale well, so it is easy to prototype a small sculpture, scale up to a pavilion and eventually produce a large installation.

What is Wave Function Collapse

Wave Function Collapse was developed for the game industry by Maxim Gumin and brought to the attention of architects by Oskar Stålberg with his game Townscaper.

WFC is an algorithm that fills an entire spatial envelope with Modules in a meaningful way. The envelope is divided into discrete box-like Slots. The algorithm selects and places Modules into the Slots, making sure any two placed Modules can become neighbors (do have a common connector) according to specified Rules.

WFC is not a growth algorithm – it always generates a complete valid aggregate (or no solution at all), leaving no Slots empty. It has important implications for design, architecture and urban planning: the aggregates are not branching, but create rhizomatic structures, there is no overlapping, there are no untreated areas.

It also requires a certain sensitivity and usage strategies, which makes WFC and Monoceros a methodology rather than just a tool. It can be used for projects of various scales and types and the use can be partial and shallow as well as thorough and informed. It is a great approach to materialize big data distributed in space into meaningful volumetric assemblies.

Who is the workshop for

The workshop is designed for students of architecture and industrial design as well as for eager professionals. The WFC method works best for experimental projects of all scales but can be used as an optimization method in architectural and design practice.

What experience is expected

The main Monoceros workshop is intended for intermediate and advanced Grasshopper users. All workshop participants will obtain a free access to basic Grasshopper tutorials. Grasshopper newcomers are strongly recommended to go through the tutorials prior to the Monoceros workshop.

Some knowledge of the contemporary discourse in the computational design in architecture is recommended.

What technology is required

The workshop will be held online. You will watch the lectures and tutorials and talk to the tutors when needed. You will need a:

• computer preferably with two screens (one for watching, another one for work) or two computers. Watching from mobile devices is not supported,
• webcam, microphone and headphones,
• working installation of the latest Rhinoceros 6 for Windows or Rhinoceros 7 for Windows (Rhinoceros for Mac is not supported by Monoceros).

Rhinoceros is reasonably priced for both, students and professionals. The educational version can be used for commercial purposes even after graduation. McNeel also offers a generous 90 days evaluation license for free.

Subdigital: the makers of Monoceros

Monoceros was programmed by Ján Pernecký and Ján Tóth of studio Subdigital.

In Subdigital we embrace the power of computation to create architecture, design and art. We produce sophisticated material objects that embody our clients' vision. We are a team of architects, designers and programmers, who believe that the design of things around us should reflect contemporary society, art, science and technology. We participate in academic research, collaborate and teach at universities. This constantly offers us new perspectives on our projects which is something we also benefit from in our studio practice. We connect academia with the business world.

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Brought to you by a proud partnership of:

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• Subdigital
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Contacts

at: www.arxace.com Facebook Instagram @arx.ace

Email inquiries: workshop@arxace.com

Workshop organizer: Eva Blsakova