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  Digital Design Fabrication Group
    Physical representation of digital design information
  courses  
 
 
4.501
Architectural Construction and Computation

A course taught specifically for juniors and seniors to introduce the relationship of computers to design building. The course starts with a pre-prepared house design and computer model. The model is used for hands on testing and process investigation in construction leading the students through the process of construction from all sides of the practice: detail design, structural design, legal and computational issues. Through this course students explore the application of a new software type know as Building Information Modeling or BIM. Gehry Technologies “Digital Project” will serve as a platform for BIM and CAD CAM construction. We will explore many aspects of real world construction through field trips to existing home manufacturing companies and organizations that work with CNC processing as a practice. Starting with CNC manufacturing of plywood sheets for walls, floors and ceilings we will start the class with full scale digital mockups of house details. The course ends with a presentation of construction methods that support creative design initiatives. The working style of the workshop is hands on with machinery, software and presentations to class collaborators. There will be weekly assignments leading to a final project.

 

 

Undergraduate Level
   
 
MIT