Bricks & Blocks

Expand your knowledge of modular systems, make your own set of building blocks and explore the creative potential of these systems.

This workshop takes a bottom-up approach, using play and collaborative research to teach design principles of modular systems. By varying the proportion and scale of the individual units within a given set, new complex structures can emerge in surprising and unexpected ways.

The workshop will incorporate discussions on the fundamentals of masonry (dimensions, proportions, static systems, forces, etc.), the history and properties of various materials and techniques of wood, brick, and stonework in construction using modular units. During the workshop, each participant will develop his or her own set of building blocks, produced under supervision during the course and further developed as a design tool. The course will finish with an exhibition of the results.

This workshop is informed by the belief that learning is best when both mind and hand are involved, and that innovation comes through play and creative experimentation. It will be useful to architects, artists, designers and anyone who wants to work with the basics to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of form and function, the relationship of the part to the whole, and how complex structures emerge from simple elements.

Hinnerk Utermann is a trained bricklayer, architect, and teacher. Dr Arryn Snowball is a visual artist. They have collaborated together to create building sets for various exhibitions and happenings.