Free Lab: Summer 2019 Dalhousie University School of Architecture ARCH 4004.03 Free Lab (B3) ARCH 6002.03 Free Lab (M1)

Calendar Description for ARCH 4004.03: To complement studio-based learning, this class is an ex-perimental hands-on workshop in design led by an instructor. Investigations of a particular architec-tural topic may include design-build, documentary work, landscape installations, community design projects and interdisciplinary work. Projects may be local or involve travel to a distant site.

Calendar Description for ARCH 6002.03: This class complements studio-based learning. It pursues an architectural topic through experimental hands-on work in a group format. Topics change from year to year and may include design-build work, documentaries, landscape installations, community design projects, and interdisciplinary work. Projects may be local or involve travel to a distant site.

FORMAT: Workshop/Lab

RESTRICTED TO: year 4 BEDS students, year 5 M.Arch students, and others with the Director’s permission.

COORDINATOR: Emanuel Jannasch Room HA 31 jannasch@dal.ca mobile (902) 225-4717

SCHEDULE:

Fri. 19 July through Thurs. 1 August Free Labs (on site) Fri. 2 August AM: Set-up of exhibits in Design Learning Commons Fri. 2 August, 1:00 PM: Free Lab exhibition, presentations, reception Sun. 4 August, 1:00 PM: Student documentation due

PRINCIPLES Free Lab is a 3-credit-hour B3 course and a 3-credit-hour M1 elective. Free Lab will be offered in several independent Lab Sections, each directed by a leader and open to students at both levels. Each Free Lab project will be conducted according to its own outline over a two-week period. Each will operate nominally Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm; Typical required contact time with the lab leader will be 5 half days or 3 full days per week.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES To gain knowledge, skills, and confidence in 1:1 research-based work. Individual poster outlines in-clude more particular objectives.

LAB SELECTION After the Free Lab leaders’ presentations, students will submit their top choices by email. The Free Lab coordinator and Director will allocate students to the labs as equitably as possible. A draft list will be post-ed. Any final changes to these groups due to unforeseen circumstances will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

DOCUMENTATION: THREE REQUIREMENTS 1) Format for team presentations in the Design Commons on August 2 will vary, and could include

artifacts and hard copy drawings as well as the usual slide-show. The Tahsis group should work with Jeremy Sutherland to present remotely. Traditionally each group restricts itself to 10 or 12

minutes, including Q and A. A midway break is anticipated.

2) Teams are required to post their work on social media, as per Anne Swan’s directions in the appendix.

3) Each group is also required to submit collective documentation of their work to Anne Swan at anne.swan@dal.ca She is amenable to most file transfer systems. This documentation in-cludes a basic description of the Free Lab, 12-20 high resolution, high quality photos and/or drawings, and some personal reflection from each group member. This must be submitted in time for the final grades to be assigned.

SAFETY All students are required to complete the B2 Safety Session organized by Regan Southcott, or to meet an equivalency as approved by Regan. They should be familiar with the student responsibilities set out in the Faculty Safety Document. Students must supply their own safety footwear, high-visibility vest, hard-hat, and/or goggles, as re-quired by their particular Lab. It is not only a right but the duty of Free Lab students to refuse work they feel is unsafe. If possible, outright refusal should be preceded by discussion with the team and the lab leader. Under NS law, no student can be penalized for refusing unsafe work. Any safety issues noted by the leader or a student should be brought to the attention of Regan Southcott, Diogo Burnay, or Jerry Aguinaga, the head of the University’s safety office. Leaders or their Worksite Supervisors are required to attend the safety session supervised by Jerry Aguinaga, Leaders should be intimately familiar with the Faculty Safety Framework and with the Pro-vincial regulations that pertain to their lab. At least one member of each Lab, usually the leader, is required to have a 1-day First Aid certificate, and the School will cover the cost of that training. If a lab entails more than one site, more than one first aider will be required.

FINANCES Travel, commuting, accommodation, and living costs vary between Free Labs and are borne by the stu-dents. Materials, use of student vehicles to transport materials, and other expenses internal to the lab itself are borne by the lab budget administered by the leader. The lab budget may include outside spon-sorships as well as the $75.00 per student provided by the School.

Leaders are responsible for all free lab costs internal to the labs, including the use of vehicles within the labs. Occasionally, students make lab purchases out of pocket or on credit cards. This is not en-couraged, but should it happen, the student must be reimbursed by the lab leader before the end of the lab. All claims for reimbursement should be made to Christina MacNeil by the leader. Other ques-tions concerning finances and bookkeeping should be directed to Christina (Room HA5: 494-6230: christina.macneil@dal.ca).

EVALUATION Free Lab is Pass/Fail. Requirements for a pass are up to each Lab leader; they should be reasonable for a three-credit course compressed in to two weeks, and must reflect safety as the first priority. Leaders will forward their recommended grades to the Coordinator on Friday August 2. Student Free Lab teams will submit their documentation by 1:00 PM on Sunday August 4. Students whose docu-mentation is complete and whose teams have met Anne Swan’s social media expectations will have their “pass” or “fail” entered on the grade sheet. Students who have not submitted their material by 1:00 PM on Sunday will be given an Incomplete.

COURSE-SPECIFIC POLICIES Late Assignments or Missed Tests These matters will be worked out by the lab leader, the student, and the coordinator. With a Student Dec-laration of Absence, a late assignment normally is accepted without a penalty. Without an SDA, the grade deduction per weekday may be a percentage; or it may be a third of a letter grade, e.g., from A to A–. Weekend days are not deducted. A missed test with an SDA may require special arrangements, so that the student does not benefit from information received from other students. A missed test without an SDA may not be permitted. UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES This course is governed by the academic rules and regulations set forth in the University Calendar and the Senate. See the School’s “Academic Regulations” page (http://tinyurl.com/dal-arch-regulations) for links to university policies and resources:

• Academic integrity • Accessibility • Code of student conduct • Diversity and inclusion; culture of respect • Student declaration of absence • Recognition of Mi'kmaq territory • Work safety • Services available to students, including writing support • Fair dealing guidelines (copyright) • Dalhousie University Library

APPENDIX: SOCIAL MEDIA

Faculty Instagram Takeover! – Free Lab 2019 Each Free Lab group should appoint a team member (or 2) to be responsible for being the group’s communications representative. This individual must:

• Have access to a mobile device that can post to Instagram remotely and can take and upload project photos.

• Agree to post to the Faculty’s Instagram account. This doesn’t mean you can not post to your own account, just that content also needs to be posted here! Login: dalarchplan password:freelab2019

• Email anne.swan@dal.ca with the following information: your name, your group, a unique hashtag to identify your group, and your contact information (email and phone number).

The communications representative will agree to:

• Posting 1-2 times per day for the duration of the Free Lab course.

• Posts should follow the following guidelines: o Contain (at least) the hashtag #freelab2019, #dalarchitecture as well

as the hashtag unique to your group. o Include an appropriate photo such as those of the project, site, or

group work, planning, etc. Photos should be a mix of those that fea-ture objects, landscape and people.

o Posts should remain positive in tone and be appropriate for the univer-sity audience at all times as these will be shared by other Faculties, the alumni office, the president’s office, and other units across campus and beyond. Please consider site safety before posting photos.

Please do you best to capture the best moment(s) from each day to feature in your posts.

URBAN CURTAINSummaryThe Free Lab is a digital design and construction investigation studying dynamic molds in precast concrete design. Dynamic molds use a single mold to build an entire structure. Designed and constructed using advanced digital technologies and methods the structure will be a temporary, free-standing structure in public space. Students will learn digital design and construction techniques using parametric design tools and methods of construction and material research as well as interfacing and communicating with construction industry professionals. Students will:

1) refine on-going research in dynamic molds through the construction of a full scale structure, and

2) refine new techniques currently under-development in M1 Design for realization in 2019.

Concepts explored in this Free Lab include:- part-to-whole relationships- digital design and construction- industrial scale production- public space design- structural performance- material conservation

DetailsLocation: School of Architecture and Strescon Ltd Precast Concrete Plant

Learning Activities: Digital modelling and scripting, Virtual and Physical Prototyping, Dynamic Mold Construction, Pavilion Construction and Assembly, Concrete Plant Tour and Casting

Tools: May include, but not limited to: CNC Mill, 3D Printers, Laser Cutter, Shop Tools, Concrete Mixer, Hand Tools

Materials: May include, but not limited to: Concrete, Elastomer, Wood. Material costs included.

Travel: There will be two visits to Strescon, Ltd. in Burnside. These will be half or full day visits, arriving by carpool. Students drivers will be reimbursed per Dalhousie University rates.

“augmented skin,” Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL

“concrete in Lycra.” Ron Culver, Joseph Sarafian

“Building Matters.” Allison Adderley

“Post-Forming Strategies.” Sean Ahlquist

“Urban Curtain.” James Forren, Aziza Asatkhojaeva, Liam Guitard, Ryan Vandervliet, Dalhousie University

ART TAHSIS MICRO CABIN

Art Tahsis is a creative campus that began its transformation from a logging camp in 2016. This free lab will focus on the construction of a seasonal accommodation.

TRAVELThe easiest way to get to Tahsis is to fly into Campbell River and drive 3 hours to Tahsis. Ground transport to and from Campbell River will be arranged with a travel cost of approximately $50/person.

ACCOMMODATIONSThere are a number of guest beds, but some students will be camping. These numbers are yet to be confirmed, bringing your own tent, and camp mattress would be greatly appreciated. The setting is rustic - be prepared!• all students must bring their own sleeping bag• access to shared kitchen with fridge - food is not provided. We will stop at the grocery store in Campbell River

on the way to Tahsis for groceries. • laundry on-site• 2 washrooms, 2 showers and 1 outhouse

CONNECTIVITYCell service ends past Campbell River, there is no cell service in Tahsis but there is high speed wifi.

The community at Art Tahsis is thrilled to be hosting a free lab and eager to see what this summer brings!

Freelab - Summer 2019Instructor: Ken Kam

Freelab description

hotogrammetry is the science of making measurements from pho-tographs, especially for recovering the exact positions of surface points. This Freelab is for students who are interested in understanding the theory in pho-togrammetry to create a three dimensional model. We will experiment with ground and ariel photographs (maybe drone camera) to collect data. Further-more, students will also learn about photo ethnography - the art and science of representing cultures/location visually. This year we will visit different site in Nova Scotia (south/eastern shore) and/or P.E.I ( e.g. Lennox Island and Tig-nish).

Objectives1. Create visual materials in field research, focusing particularly on pho-

tographic composition. (large format prints & video)2. Use photogrammetry to generate 3D imageries and models.

Process:1. Understanding photographic compositions2. Understanding photogrammetry3. Survey the environment 4. Collections of what is necessary to create the environment. 5. Photographing the environment using drone and digital camera.6. Creating the environment - (3D model) 7. Post production work on digital photographs and footages8. Create and exhibit the print/display/short film/model

Goal: Translate photographic images to create 3D model. Furthermore, students will develop research skills as well as their creative and post-production skills through the use of different technical equipment (i.e. lighting, camera move-ment/positioning, computer editing) in this project.

Results: After examining the images, large format prints will be created, a small physi-cal model, and a short video will be presented during Freelab exhibition.

What you need:- a digital camera (dSLR or mirrorless).- tripods - student with a car is a bonus!!

Traveling: This Freelab will require overnight stay at a campsite or other accommodations.

Wk 1 - various sites visitWk 2 - post production work in Halfiax.

aerial photogrammetry

close range photogrammetry

Freelab 2007 - gypsum mine

Freelab: In Additive Manufacturing III, we will be con-sidering issues of Microclimate adaption and scales of interaction, from material qualities to panel sizes. Stu-dents will be exploring microclimates through walking, and will have a hands-on introduction to clay materials. We will explore the relationship between microclimate, material, code, and fabrication with experimentation. Students will be introduced to parametric design in Grasshopper/Rhino, gCode, Arduino, and various other DI, OpenSource, or maker-based techniques. Students will also gain an understanding of 3D printing, ceram-ics, and biological-active building systems.

Aim: We will develop a prototype using 3D printed ceramics for a selected Microclimate. We will utilize 3D ceramics printing technology developed at Dalhousie and NSCAD University to fabricate our objects.

Additive Manufacturing III: Dynamic Ceramics

Dalhousie University School of Architecture FreeLab 2018

Our research bridges art, architecture and science, with Brian Lilley (Architecture), Rory Macdonald (Art) and Aaron Outhwaite (Engineering) being the core mem-bers. Special guests Elizabeth Powell and Kevin Pluck-nett will make welcome seminar contributions.

Big Picture: We will consider ceramic material, produc-tion techniques, and environmental (in-situ) interac-tions as part of a larger, organic system. Our common interests center around hybrid ceramic materials and novel production processes. Scale plays a comprehen-sive role, in that our design considerations range from microstructure of the material to constructed modu-lar systems; together with the flow of climatic factors that condition space and interact with the material. In designing for microclimatic adaptions, biomimicry is a design research tool useful for understanding living material systems and the interaction between scales, lay-ers, and surfaces. The design challenge involves dynamic material engaging environmental phenomena, and in turn positively engaging the human senses.

www.artscentre.ca

LOCATION:

555 Ross Creek Road, Canning NS20 minutes from Wolfville, 1 hr 20 min from Halifax.

Having at least one student with a vehicle would be ideal. Participants have the option of staying on the property over the weekends or returning home. Ross Creek can arrange weekend transportation from the Centre to Wolfville where there is a bus that travels between Acadia University and Halifax.

The Centre is located near some of Nova Scotia’s most popular beaches and tourist destinations: 5 minutes from the Look Off, 10 minutes from Blomidon Provincial Park, 15 minutes from Cape Split, 20 minutes from the Wolfville (and many other) Farmers’ Market.

PROVISIONS:

Students will be camping with their own gear on the Ross Creek property on a large deck with a fire-pit. WiFi, public restrooms, showers, and a meal plan are available at the Centre. There is no electrical access at the camp site itself. A small stove for the camp site will be provided as well as a bar fridge in the Centre reserved for the Lab, coolers will be needed.

The Centre is largely in use during the day, hosting kid’s camps and summer theatre but an air conditioned space will be designated inside for the Free Lab-ers to use for design time and in the evenings (this is not for sleeping).

Remember the lab is mostly outdoors, please prepare for: sun exposure, black-flies/mosquitoes, rain/wind, and physical activity.

COMPLETED 2017 LAB2017 LAB PROGRESS

2018 FREE LAB SITE

2018 TEAM

2017 LAB PROGRESS ROSS CREEK MAIN BUILDING

ROSS CREEK SAUNA 2019ROSS CREEK CENTRE FOR THE ARTS IS A NON-PROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION BASED ON 178 ACRES OF NORTH MOUNTAIN FIELD AND FOREST.THE CENTRE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH DALHOUSIE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS FROM LARGE CONSTRUCTION LIKE THE COASTAL STUDIOS LAMELLA DINING HALL, TO HOSTING ARCHITECTS IN RESIDENCE, AND HIRING BEDS STUDENTS TO RUN ARCHITECTURE CAMPS FOR YOUTH.

Lab Leader: Micah McGough mail@artscentre.ca 902 582-3842

2018 BRIEF:

Ross Creek is interested in ways to make their winter residency and off-season volunteer programs more enjoyable for visitors. A small, outdoor, stand-alone sauna would be both useful and a great opportunity to add another visually unique building to the property. Ross Creek would love Dalhousie Architecture Student’s help in designing and building an uncommon, creative structure from scratch that would be both functional as well as an art piece. Students would explore and research the functionality and material use of traditional outdoor saunas and push their findings in creating something new. Ross Creek would encourage the Lab to establish an initial form quickly and begin the structural construction while they continue to refine further design elements.

This is the imagined sea level on site. Buoys will be installed to form a plane at and above eye level.

The 3rd Obstruction THE ART OF MAINTENANCE and THE RISING SEA

“Maintenance forms an endur-ing bond between a person and a place. The bond between people and their place must be complex, reciprocal, and active—otherwise it will fall into ruin. If architecture is to be of any lasting impor-tance, then architects must broaden the scope of design to include the totality of hu-man inhabitation. Architects cannot be spectators; we must understand the dual impor-tance of inhabitation and maintenance.”William T Willoughby, Main-

tenance Art, Architecture,v and the Visibility of Time

This freelab will mark a convergence of two multi-year projects. We will address the maintenance of a per-manent cluster of buildings (The Uncertain Centre of the Mary Celeste) by moving two of them and the con-ceiving of a third iterative installation of a set of 75 buoys (The Five Obstructions) that marks an imagined sea level on site. The work resides between the fields of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Land Art. Design and construction work will be completed on site in Spencer’s Island, Nova Scotia in the refuge of a large build-ing built by Dalhousie students and community members in 2014. The pedagogical roots of this convergence situates hands on work, regular studio based educational exercises and larger issues of concept and duration of buildings as they reside in the environment of reality, time and community.

Accommodations involve camping at the Spencer’s Island Campground. The campsite stands on the edge of the magnificent Bay of Fundy, and houses washrooms, laundry and wifi. Typically students cook meals in groups. There is a well stocked store nearby and an acclaimed restaurant called the Wild Caraway. Students participating in the lab are required to arrange transport to and from Spencer’s Island, and cover personal costs for food and camping. Material costs, tools and equipment will be provided. ROGER MULLIN

“It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose should now be threat-ened by the activities of one form of that life. But the sea, though changed in a sinister way, will continue to exist; the threat is rather to life itself.”

Rachel Carson, The Sea Around Us

This multi-year project aims to make a public ammenity for media projection, theatre and artisanal work in the community of Spencer’s Island, NS. The project transposes the ruins of the historical shipyard at Spencer’s Is-land.

This year the primary work will involve fin-ishing or repairing aspects of the buildings and installing a temporary field of buoys to mark SLR (sea level rise). Work groups and design direction will be a product of group discussions and available means and methods.

Images:

1. American Gothic, Grant Wood. 2. Work site, night view. 3. Interior, work space. 4. Mock up of buoy field, Magdelen Islands 2015. 5. Buoys. 6. View of The Second Obstruction, Magelen Islands, 2015. 7. View from North, Uncertain Centre of the Mary Celeste, 2014. 8. Sectional collage, R.Mullin. 9. Campfire.

See a film about the Second Obstruction here: https://www.mattcreynolds.com/articles/second-obstruc-tion-film

See previous Design-build work here: https://rogermullin.wordpress.com/

campsite: https://www.oldshipyardcampground.comThese buildings will be lifted and moved down to ground level. The building to the right has been removed. The building to the left is the work space.

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GIANT CHAIR*

Halifax Circus is an organization cultivat-ing a wide range of circus arts, and with a significant commitment to social out-reach. (Check them out at www. halifax-circus.com). Founder Mike Hirschbach has deep roots in the field, and Halifax Circus remains intimately connected with both Cirque du Soleil and Cirque du Monde.

They are resourceful and skilfull and con-tinue to grow their successes and expand their horizons

*and other circus props , equipment and apparatuS

When Mike told me that they needed some props and apparatus built, it seemed like the makings of a very cool Free Lab. There are some items for which they have exacting specs, some clear ideas like the Giant Chair (2.5 x full size) that still need to be worked out in detail, and yet others, props for an upcomoing show, that need to be invented as well as designed and built.

To take concepts from the far reaches of our physical imaginatrion and realize them in actual material and usable form is an excellent metaphor for architecture.

Michael HirschbachRegan Southcott

I’m thrilled that Regan has agreed to act as lead builder for this Lab. Like Mike, he’s a master in his field and a committed teacher.

Introduction by EJ

REFUGE III

OBJECTIVEThis freelab revolves around place and craft within the medium of wood construction. Learning Objectives:

• Develop an understanding of the use of wood in the history of building.• Develop an understanding of wood practices unique to the region of Nova Scotia e.g., Agricultural

buildings and various vernaculars.• Gain practical appreciation of wood construction by ‘doing’.

THE PROJECTThe students will design and develop construction details and in-turn build a 400 SF warming shelter. The shelter will serve as a warming hut for public skiers, hikers, and snowmobilers. The shelter will be primarily constructed of wood obtained through local mills.

SITE OPTION 1 – MARGAREE FORKSMargaree Farm is a 1400+acre site located at Margaree Forks, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Nestled in the heart of the Margaree Valley up against the renowned Margaree River, the land sits at the historic crossroads of Margaree Forks where the Ceilidh Trail meets the Cabot Trail, and where the two branches of the Margaree River converge. The building site will be at 1000 feet in elevation overlooking the farm on the sloped site on the edge of a heritage forest.

SITE OPTION 2 – LAKE AINSLIE HIGHLANDSLocated in the central region of Cape Breton, Lake Ainslie is the largest natural freshwater lake in Nova Scotia. This glacial lake is roughly 20km long and is the start of the Southwest Margaree River. Surrounding the lake is a network of trails called the Lake Ainslie Trails available for public use for activities such as hiking, skiing, and snowmobiling. This building site will be situated along this publicly accessible trail network with views to Lake Ainslie and the surrounding Highlands.

RESEARCHMacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects have undertaken a life-long critical study of local buildings, both historical and contemporary. These studies relate to the history of how architecture has been built, rather than how its forms and styles have evolved. The work of MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple is predicated on the belief that what really matters in architecture is not fashion and form, but the material culture of building and the making of places. Building on traditional understanding, the innovative use of wood at many scales is on the forefront of our research agenda.

CONSTRUCTIONWoodwillbeusedforprimarystructure,framing,interiorfinishesandfurniture.Variousspecieswillbeusedfor their particular properties exploring hybrid systems of post and beam, platform frame and balloon frame. Studentswillperformaseriesoffieldtripsthatprovideexamplesoftoolsused,variouswoodconstructionsystems, and the natural properties of various wood species. We will be investigating a pre-fab construction of the shelters in our Margaree workshop then transporting built compenents to site.

School of Architecture Dalhousie University Summer Term 2019

Friday 19 July - Friday 2 August

Instructors: Talbot Sweetapple

With Shane Andrews and Miranda Bailey

ARCH 4004.03 B3 Free Labs ARCH 6002.03, M1 Free Labs

BACKGROUND The Deanery Project is a rural learning centre focused on the environment, youth and community, natural building, and the arts. Located in Lower Ship Harbour, 60 km. east of Halifax, the beautiful ocean front property provides educational, recreational and research opportunities through experiential, place-based activities. FREE LAB PROJECT- 2019 Over the last eight years Free Lab students have contributed in deeply meaningful ways to the growth of the Deanery Project. We are grateful for the energy and talent that the summer Free Lab cohort always brings our community. Art and permaculture design inform all of the Deanery’s work along with special attention to building connections to nature. These will provide the lens through which we will design our Free Lab program and activities. This year’s program will focus on the entrance to the property. We will explore a wide range of natural building and permaculture techniques to create small, playful structures and spaces, as well as completing finishing work on shelters constructed by two previous Free Lab teams. These shelters are structurally complete so our focus will be on cladding as well as adding transitional elements and rendering artful moments to create an integrated space that is functional, inspiring and welcoming. The entrance to the Deanery Project serves as interpretive zone to engage the public and communicate ideas important to the organization. It is a learning, play and resting space. Creation of natural playground elements will serve both visitors and the local community. Locally sourced wood, stone, found objects and earth are the materials we will use to create sitting and play structures. We will also explore active and passive solar as well as landscape design, through field trips to local natural building projects. Documentation and creation of educational resources associated with PLAY!! will be very important. Lead instructors Kim Thompson and Charles Williams along with on-site artists in residence, and a variety of skilled community resource people will create a range of well-supported Free Lab learning opportunities. Kim has been an adjunct instructor with the School of Architecture since 1998. Charles has been designing, building and teaching permaculture across the USA and Canada for the last twenty years. LOGISTICS The 25 acre property has a hall with commercial kitchen, and comfortable dorm style accommodations for 18. There are also beautiful camping sites, hiking trails and a swimming beach. Amenities include showers, wi-fi, a library, wood shop and bicycles. Students are responsible for transportation and food costs – these will be shared amoung the group. We will car pool to the site. Meals are a team effort which we will organize together. Check out our web site www.thedeaneryproject.com

PLAY!!!! NATURAL BUILDING - FREE LAB 2019 PERMACULTURE PLAY INSTALLATIONS