TBK

Research summary

Nowadays, the plethora of information channelled by digital communication tools mainly targets our sense of vision, weakening our perception of space.
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This artistic research project focuses on triggering the other senses (e.g. movement, sound and orientation) generating knowledge through our body.

The medium of choice to achieve that, are computationally fabricated haptic wearables, which act as playful, sensorial instruments.
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These wearables will be used to raise awareness about the impacts of digital technology within:
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a) architectural education, through artistic teaching methods.
b) society, through multimodal performances that combine analog and digital workflows and media.

The interdisciplinary team (architects, engineers, artists) aims to critically promote the physical nature of digital technology, which can ultimately bring people closer to themselves and their environment.

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Funding information

" TRANS - BODIED KNOWLEDGE - Augmenting spatial perception through haptic wearables" is an artistic research project hosted at the Research Unit of Three-Dimensional Design and Model Making - Institute of Art and Design - Vienna University of Technology and has received funding by the Austrian Science Fund.

The core team consists of architects, artists and engineers. Efilena Baseta focuses on computational design and material experimentation. Marco Palma, works in the intersection of arts and design with expertise in computational fabrication. Florian Rist has long teaching experience with architectural students and high expertise on technical aspects of digital processes. Finally, Christos Marantos, is a piano performer and educator with strong skills in transmitting embodied knowledge. A student assistant, which comes from different disciplines along the project, compliments the team giving valuable feedback from the perspective of the new generation.

Efilena Baseta is an Architect Engineer (NTUA) with a Master in Advanced Architecture (IAAC) and a Doctorate from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. From 2014 until 2022 Efilena was a co-founding partner of Noumena, a multidisciplinary practice which merges computational strategies with advanced manufacturing techniques from urban to wearable-scale. As part of Noumena she has designed and coordinated ‘Advanced Construction’ exhibitions and has led various educational and research programs internationally. During 2016-18, Efilena was a Marie-Curie researcher at InnoChain program. In 2014 she received the “Innovative Structure” award by IAAC and in 2018 the Autodesk Emerging Research award in Mexico City. In 2019, she received a scholarship from the Academy of Arts in Berlin as part of the Young Academy. From 2019 until 2023 she was a computational designer at the Vienna based architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au where she worked in large scale public buildings and at the research project Deep Himmelblau. She was a Post Doc researcher at the research group of Applied Geometry in TU Wien in 2021 and at the Faculty of Architecture at the TU Brno in 2023. Currently, she is a Senior Artist at the institute of Arts and Design at TU Wien.

Website

Christos Marantos, born in Athens, teaches piano at the mdw- University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and at the J.S.Bach Music School of the Diakonie Bildung. He studied concert piano at the Athens Conservatory and, as a scholarship holder of the “Tokyo Foundation”, he recieved his bachelor and master in instrumental pedagogy at the mdw with distinction. As a piano duo with Harald Ossberger, he has given concerts in Europe and Asia, and their CD with works by Schumann has been released by Gramola. As a soloist, Christos Marantos has given several world premieres of works by Austrian and Greek composers such as Herbert Lauermann and Rene Staar, as well as Anestis Logothetis in “Wien Modern 2021”. Other collaborations include performances with the Ensemble for New Music exxj and with violinists Mario Hossen, Alexander Steinberger and Erich Schagerl. Christos Marantos has made television (e.g. ORF 2) and radio (e.g. Ö1) appearances and is regularly invited to give master classes at educational institutions, e.g. University of Music in China, Dance and Theatre Anton Bruckner Linz, the Academy of Arts Aswara Kuala Lumpur and Music College of Mahidol University in Thailand. Finally, he has initiated several events on current problems of society, such as the Film Festival ViennAthens 2019 and he is a Bösendorfer Artist since 2021.

Website

Marco holdsa MSc in Architecture from Politecnico di Torino and was visiting scholar atR.P.I. School of Architecture. In the last ten years he has been collaborating with several companies in the development of computational tools for the fabrication of complex architectural geometries and for the automation of industrial production processes (Bodino Engineering, Comau Robotics, Ferrero among others). The outcomes of a 3-years artistic research project done with Co-de-iT - Computational Design Italy, received international exposure for their contribution in the field of creative technology, and were exhibited in venues such as Ars Electronica Centre Linz, Centre Pompidou Paris and Bildmuseet Umeå. His interests in robotics and material research led him to Gramazio & Kohler Chair at ETH Zurich where he contributed to the development of several architectural scale demonstrators. In 2019 he joined the Institute of Art and Design at TU Vienna as a University Assistant. Since then he's been contributing to education in the fields of computational design and fabrication. Since 2023, he's been working on his doctoral research, focused on sensor-adaptive fabrication processes involving non-linear material behaviors.

Website

Florian Rist’s main research areas are computational and parametric design, complex free-form geometry and digital fabrication in free form architecture, design and art. He is a founding member of the Center for Geometry and Computational Design at TU Wien. He is a member of the Chamber of Architects in Bavaria, Germany and has worked for various international well-known architectural firms.

Website

Yannick is studying architecture at the TU Vienna since 2019. In his studies, he is mainly interested in the interconnection between digital and physical space. He will help the team as a student assistant.

Born in 1964 in Wipperfürth, West Germany. Trained as a machine fitter, studied architecture at TU Stuttgart and Curtain University Perth, Western Australia. Worked for Stirling and Wilford Stuttgart, Ken Yeang Malaysia, Behnisch und Partner Stuttgart, Auer + Weber Stuttgart, Meier- Scupin&Petzet Munich. Research assistant at the Chair of Building Theory and Product Development, Prof. Richard Horden, TU Munich. Since 1998 own office in Munich, 2001 foundation of BLAUWERK Architekten with Michael Schneider, since 2008 with Tom Repper. Board member of Europan Deutschland e.V. Since 2007 university professor at the Vienna University of Technology, head of the department for three-dimensional design and model making.

Website

Univ. Prof. Dr. Michael U. Hensel is a registered architect. In the early 1990s he co-founded the pioneering practice OCEAN and is partner in OCEAN Architecture | Environment. He is professor at TU Wien where he leads the department for Digital Architecture and Planning. At TU Wien he is also is board member of the Centre for Geometry and Computational Design, and co-chair of the Special Interest Group Knowledge Discovery in Architecture - Addressing Complexity in Architecture and Planning at the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. His work unfolds along an interdisciplinary trajectory at the intersection of architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, complexity science, environmental science, and data- and computer-science, focusing on questions of environment and sustainability at higher levels of complexity. He is book series editor of the Springer Nature series Designing Environments and initiator and organiser of the international Architecture and Environment symposia series.

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Website

The project belongs to a broader international research network consisting of academic institutions and independent practices which focus on various fields such as design, music, art and digital fabrication. This network complements the work of the researchers and highlights the multidisciplinarity of the project.

Eva Sommeregger is a registered architect, researcher and educator based in Vienna. She is co-founder of eyetry architecture practice, senior researcher at the LMDA (institute for contemporary art, design and architecture) at the Art Academy of Latvia and a senior scientist at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Eva received Masters Degrees from the Bartlett UCL London and the TU Vienna and a PhD from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. She was Schütte-Lihotzky Research Fellow 2010 and Architect in Residence at the MAK in Los Angeles 2011.In 2018, she co-founded the Magazin exhibition space for contemporary architecture in Vienna. Her research deals with thought models, human bodies and digital spaces. Her practice involves writing, curating and developing experimental digital spaces that have been exhibited at venues such as the MoMa New York City and the Venice Biennale of Architecture.

Website

Annegret Huber is the head of the department of "Composition Studies and Audioproduction" at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw – one of the world's largest and most renowned universities specialised in the performing arts of music, theatre and film). She mainly supervises students of composition and music theory, as well as the doctoral students for artistic research. One of her field of expertise is on Interdisciplinary dispositives such as music psychology. Beyond the department's boundaries, she is interested in inspiring encounters and collaborations with students from other institutes in the framework of project-related collaborations. In addition, she is currently a (deputy) member of the working group for equal opportunities issues and active as a reviewer and jury member for specialist periodicals, research funding institutions and composition competitions. As a pianist, premieres of contemporary music were already a major concern of hers during her student days; today she devotes herself (if her time budget allows) to the revival of overlooked music - for example music by female composers of the 19th century.

Website

Grace Jun is a professor at the University of Georgia (UGA) researching design processes inclusive of disability. She also serves as founding board member of a Smithsonian National award-winning nonprofit organization called Open Style Lab (OSL). Grace has been asked to speak about disability and design in numerous settings around the world and has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post and NYTimes. She is a proud alumnus of both Parsons School of Design and RISD majoring in Design & Technology (MFA) and Graphic Design (BFA) respectively. Grace has previously held positions as a UX Designer at Samsung Electronics and as an Assistant Professor at The New School, Parsons School of Fashion. In her free time, Grace also serves on jury committees and organizations that advance the arts & design. Her anticipated book on Fashion, Disability & Co-design will be released in May 2024 by Bloomsbury Publishing UK.

Website

Aldo Sollazzo is an Italian entrepreneur and technologist with expertise in the fields of robotics, computer vision, and computational design. He currently holds the role of CEO at Noumena Group, a consortium of companies dedicated to innovation and sustainability.At Noumena Data, Aldo leads a team focused on leveraging artificial intelligence to study spatial dynamics. Through the implementation of computer vision and machine learning, Noumena Data provides valuable insights into sectors ranging from agriculture to urban planning, retail, and hospitality.Aldo's leadership extends to PURE.TECH, a company within Noumena Group that champions sustainability driven by material technology. PURE.TECH approach centres on a natural material with the capacity to absorb and eliminate CO2 from the environment. This material is the foundation for a range of eco-friendly products, including paints, textiles, carton materials, wood varnishes, and cement coatings.Aldo serves as well as CEO at LAMÁQUINA, one of Europe's largest 3D printing factories. This facility is at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and computation, pushing the boundaries of architectural solutions, especially in retail and exhibition spaces.Beyond his corporate roles, Aldo directs the Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalunya in Barcelona, where he plays a vital role in nurturing the next generation of innovators. His commitment to scientific and technological progress has earned him recognition and honours, including the prestigious title of Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, bestowed by the Italian President for his contributions to promoting national prestige abroad. Aldo Sollazzo's journey is a testament to the possibilities of innovation and sustainability.

Website

KlangBildKlang Festival

Sound<Space<Wearables

19-20th June 2024

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria

Description

The exhibition displays the outcomes of the course ‘Artistic Project K’, a joint effort between TU Wien and mdw. Multidisciplinary teaching methods borrowed from artistic and scientific research converged in the process of imagining, designing, and producing playful wearables which address the urgent topic of re-connection between the human body and the physical environment. Sound improvisations through movement as well as kinaesthetic and haptic feedback through material experiments contributed to expanding the students’ vision-dominated architectural perspective. By directing the focus towards the rich multi-sensorial aspects of the spatial experience, architecture students were called to use their tacit knowledge as the keystone of their productions. In addition to the physical prototypes of the wearables and their related‚ worldized’ sounds, mixed media showcasing the unfolding of the students’ creative process are presented.

Vernissage: 19/06 18:30 – 21:30
‍Opening hours: 20/06 10:00 – 19:00

Credits

Students:
Eleftheria Biliani
Aikaterini Brouma
Yannick Datzer
Ilektra Vasileiou
Laura Keiblinger
Borbala Luca Kovacs
Vit Kucerovsky
Angelina Papachristou
Sebastian Sottner
Kleopatra Vergini

Teaching staff:
Efilena Baseta
Christos Marantos
Marco Palma
Eva Sommeregger
Georg Misch

Student Assistants:
Sebastian Lettner
Hongshang Bi

Institutions

Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)
University of Music and Performing Arts (mdw)

Organizer

mdw - University of Music and Performing Arts

Photo credits

Links

Exhibition video

KlangBildKlang webpage

Course Artistic Project K

From Space to Wearables

01/03/2024 - 30/06/2024

Vienna/Austria

Brief

Within the framework of our research project, the teaching semester focuses on the transformation of spatial experiences to haptic wearables. The spatial experiences will be approached through sound improvisations and acoustics. These performative music improvisations will be based on graphic notation scores. From these embodied experiences wearables will emerge, which will be designed and produced based on material qualities, and not on electronics. These sculptural wearables will act as playful, sensorial instruments. Once attached to the body, they will mainly trigger the senses of touch and kinaesthesia, and thus stimulate the users’ movement and perception of space. The results will be showcased in a public exhibition in the end of the semester.

Structure and Tutors

The multidisciplinary character of the seminar is highlighted by 5 tutors coming from various disciplines and consists of 4 interconnected, equally important parts:
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1. Observation workshop / Grace Jun /Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, University of Georgia
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2. Spatial experience through music / Christos Marantos / Pianist, Lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
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3. Discursive sessions / Eva Sommeregger / Senior researcher at the Art Academy of Latvia
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4. Design and fabrication / Efilena Baseta & Marco Palma / Senior researchers at the TU Wien

Students

Eleftheria Biliani
Aikaterini Brouma
Yannick Datzer
Ilektra Vasileiou
Laura Keiblinger
Borbala Luca Kovacs
Vit Kucerovsky
Angelina Papachristou
Sebastian Sottner
Kleopatra Vergini

Institutions

Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) / Institute of Art and Design / Research Unit of Three-dimensional Design and Modelmaking

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) / Department of Composition Studies and Audioproduction

Links

Course video teaser

Course process and results video

Image credits

Efilena Baseta
Marco Palma
Sebastian Lettner
Gregor Titze
Course participants
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Contact

Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)
Institute of Art and Design
Research Unit of Three-Dimensional Design and Model Making

Karlsplatz 13, 4th floor;
1040, Vienna, Austria
Office AD 04 21
+43 (0) 1 58801 26424

tbk@tuwien.ac.at

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Impressum

Technische Universität Wien
Institut für Kunst und Gestaltung E264/2
Abteilung für dreidimensionales Gestalten und Modellbau
Karlsplatz 13
A-1040 Wien
Österreich

UID: ATU37675002
DVR: 0005886

Telefon: +43 1 58801 26402
Fax: +43 1 58801 26490
Email: tbk@tuwien.ac.at

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Trans-Bodied Knowledge

TRANS - BODIED KNOWLEDGE

Augmenting spatial perception
through haptic wearables

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Trans-Bodied Knowledge

TRANS - BODIED KNOWLEDGE

Augmenting spatial perceptionthrough haptic wearables

About

Team

Network

News

Contact

Augmenting spatial perception
through haptic wearables