Studio 11

Disruption

Chris Barnett

Studio Description

With COVID continuing to disrupt your University years, this studio sets out to ‘Keep Looking Up’ and consider the changes the climate change impacts and a carbon constrained economy are going to make to your careers.

Starting with the premise that DISRUPTION is simply ‘change that has not been planned for’, this studio will seek look ahead of the curve and investigate scenarios for what life and the profession may look like in 2050.

For the planet to have any chance, you will have to be building with new materials and likely to be designing with AI based systems in an advanced manufacturing world. The studio will investigate what these materials may be based on and focus on how modular and prefabricated manufacture are set to modernise our building and housing industries by that time.

DISRUPTION will look at the design implications of how manufactured and prefabricated buildings can be kept flexible enough to respond to place, site and nature. We know these buildings will have to withstand harsher climates and the studio will focus on the science of building and human comfort to understand the performance requirements the building fabrics of 2050 will need to achieve.

Architects are visionaries of what can be, so if you have the intellectual fortitude to ‘Keep Looking Up’ and not ignore the big questions, come and explore the role architects can play in allowing society to imagine a more balanced, viable and sustainable society and built environment.

Studio Outcomes

You may wish to bring your site and brief to the studio, or participate in creating a likely 2050 context for an infill multi-use urban precinct. Studio participants will be expected to work as a group in establishing the social and technological contexts of a site in 2050 and design a building or building typology within it. This may include using envisaged design tools and materials that may become available to you by that time.

The studio will include research and investigation of:

• The Future of Work – AI, wealth distribution and work/life balance by 2050?
• Our relationship to nature - what can we learn from nature?
• Designing with the environment – systems based design and analysis
• Building Fabric & Human Comfort Science - the climate just got a whole lot harsher
• Zero emission building futures – impacts of a carbon constrained economy
• Modernisation of Housing – manufactured and prefabricated systems and futures
• Design Interfaces & Flexibility - the likely future role of architects
• Materials Revolution - zero emission and sustainable materials
• Manufacturing Technology – architects engaging up the supply chain
• Architects as visionaries in selling a more sustainable future as a better life

Studio Leader

Chris Barnett has practiced architecture and delivered design & construction based projects across Australia and New Zealand. His career spans from sustainable timber activism, through practice to specialisation in sustainability and prefabricated construction.

Chris worked with David Oppenheim in establishing the multi-disciplinary practice Sustainable Built Environments, during which time he led an architectural collaboration with Six Degrees Architects in delivering the award winning UTAS School of Architecture building in Launceston.

In 2006 Chris established Third Skin as an innovative sustainable design and consulting firm. Evolving out of R&D projects undertaken by Third Skin, Chris then used his residential and sustainability experience to found Habitech Systems, an innovative Melbourne company that designed and manufactured a panelised construction system. The company delivered over 65 innovative, modular, super strong and insulated houses in Australia and New Zealand over the past 9 years, including some to Passive House standards.

Chris has sat on the Australian Institute of Architects National Sustainability Committee and currently sits on the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council - Sustainable Housing Task Group.

Readings & References

• Rutger Bregman – Humankind: A Hopeful History
• Rutger Bregman – TED Talk - Poverty isn't a lack of character; it's a lack of cash - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydKcaIE6O1k
• Grand Designs New Zealand – Series 2,  Episode 8 - "Earthquake Rebuild"

Schedule Mondays and Wednesdays 15:15-18:15

Contact Handbook