The Proof is in the Pudding

Ever since Patrick Schumacher published his manifesto for parametricism in September 2008, rumors have been spreading that parametric design has in fact been lying in its death bed for some time. This studio will examine the condition of the patient, determine a prognosis and decide on an appropriate therapy, if necessary. 

The goal of the studio is not only to master the techniques of parametric design but also to follow the process right down to the actual realization. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the proof of an architectural design method is in the things it lets us do.

The specific assignment is to design an exhibition on the 150 years of art education in Weimar. The exhibition will open in October 2010 in the Oberlichtsaal at the main building of the Bauhaus University. Here, a particular interest is to explore the curatorial practices of exhibitions from the standpoint of the materiality of vision, i. e. the grounding of sight in the physical space and the body. 

From a theoretical point of view, the main focus will be on the value conditions of parametric design. What are the qualities that would make a parametric design good? How important is consistency in design? What are the inherent tendencies of various approaches and what are their limits? What criteria are relevant in choosing the parameters and their scope of variation? To what extent does parametricism redefine the role of the designer as author? Where do parametric methods make their strongest contribution in architecture when the product is usually a unique object, rather than mass-produced and mass-customized design?

The studio will be co-taught by the Lehrstuhl for the history and theory of modern architecture and Professur Informatik in der Architektur (infAR).

Vertretungsprofessor 2007-2010
Professor für Architekturtheorie an der TU Wien

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter 2008-2010
kfaschin[at]mail.tuwien.ac.at