Innochain announces the international conference Expanding information modelling for a new material age. It will take place in Copenhagen on 8th and 9th November 2018 at the Danish Architecture Centre in the new Blox building by OMA.

The conference is organised in collaboration with the Danish Bloxhub organisation and aims to create a forum for transdisciplinary and entrepreneur driven research. The conference asks: What’s at stake when advanced computation and fabrication enters architecture? How can research advance practice? What are models for embedded research?

The conference uses open formats to foster debate and exchange. Key notes from leading industry innovators will shape and guide the discussion. A central part of the conference will be 10 case presentations of innovative projects, that showcase results from new types of collaborations between “research in practice” and “research in academia”.

We invite individuals and teams to submit proposals. Subsequently selected presentations and conference content will be invited to develop extended papers and content for The Innochain Book entitled “Expanding information modelling for a new material age” published by UCL press.

CONFERENCE CALL

Information modelling challenge the way we think, design and build architecture. By creating a shared digital platform it enables the emergence of a new hybrid practice in which otherwise separate tools and methodologies of design, analysis and fabrication can intersect. Current design practice is invested in the prototyping of these new methodologies. Across the building industry and in research we see a collective push for understanding how this new digital chain can be structured, what are productive exchanges and how a new sense of feedback can lead to smarter design solutions.

What is at stake here is the future of the information model. Expanding simple BIM with more complex requirements to engage and capitalize on analysis, to steer multi objective design spaces and to interface and control fabrication necessitates new kinds of representations that can handle data rich design enquiries, enable collaboration and manage the complex and cyclical nature of feedback.

BASIC INFO

2 Day conference 8-9 November 2018, BLOX, Danish Architectural Centre.
1 day Bloxhub pre-conference workshop: 7 November 2018, Bloxhub space.

IMPORTANT DATES AND SUBMISSION

April 2018 – announcement of call and conference
19 th August 2018 – submission of cases via webportal (500-1.000 word abstracts. Details tba)
June – registration opens
15th September 2018 – notification of selected presenters
7th November 2018 – 1 day Bloxhub pre-conference workshop
8th-9th November 2018 – Conference at BLOX

The InnoChain ET Network is a Marie Curie Horizon 2020 shared research training environment examining how advances in digital design tools challenge building culture enabling sustainable, informed and materially smart design solutions. With a strong inter-sector focus, InnoChain connects “research in practice” with “research in academia”. Assembling 6 internationally recognised academic research environments leading research into computational design in architecture and engineering and 14 innovation pioneering industry partners from architecture, engineering, design software development and fabrication, the programme will establish a shared training platform for 15 early stage researchers.

Industry partners: Fosters+Partners, White Architekts, BIG, Henn, ROK, Cloud 9, Buro Happold, Str.ucture, Design To Production, Smith Innovation, Blumer Lehmann, SForm, Mc Neel, Fibre

Academic partners: CITA (KADK), ITKE (University of Stuttgart), Bartlett (UCL), IAAC (Barcelona), IOA (Vienna), KTH (Stockholm)