‘Low cost construction, induced through climate, environment, earthquake but also economic impact’ - Post Graduate Programme of Architecture at Hindustan University along with the Goethe Institute conducted a workshop with Artist Markus Heinsdorff at Hindustan University, experimental possibilities in textile mobile and permanent structural design for diverse climates were investigated with students of Architecture. This blog acts as base for larger discussion and public awareness.
After Markus’s Initiation in
the design, he periodically reviews the student’s design from Germany via
Video-Conferencing. This keeps the
students in track with design process without them drifting away from the
initial start. Reviews are made every fortnight. An open review with all
students is held, so that the student have a better understanding of each
other’s design ideas and design shortfalls. This is brings about healthy design
development phase.
The place of never ending education to humanity, teaching the basis of simple living, living close to nature & sustainable technologies. It is quite hard for anyone to even realize how they fit in perfectly with nature.
Day One: Mr. Ayyappan, of Auroville Earth Institute has more than 25 years’ experience working with compressed earth blocks. He guided us through the Earth Institute Lab, where the preliminary lessons of identification of the soil, description on its constituents & soil identification techniques by merely touching it were conducted.
This was followed by presentation sessions through Mr.Satprem, Director and Founder of the Auroville Earth Institute. He presented the mission, activities, R & D’s in and around Auroville. We were introduced to CSEB (Compressed Stabilized Earth Block). Projects with CSEB were shown and later on the economics of production of CSEB was also presented. In the afternoon session we were introduced to research carried out in the earth institute premises. An outdoor visit to the CSEB project Vikas apartments with Ar. Lara who explain the various construction techniques, waste water treatment and water reservoir at the community center.
Day Two: Mr. Ayyappan explained the procedures of how the entire unit functions. And then we had our hands on workshop, building a rammed earth wall, producing CSEB blocks, constructing arches and domes in the production yard. The theory of the procedures was explained and we all were engaged in the execution of the various techniques.
We were all finally happy to see our works come into shape through common effort. We could actually mark this time as ever remembered in our calendar, and not just a day. We all returned back with full satisfaction & got something to take back in our life not only construction & technology, but to sit back and enjoy the joys of nature. To me more than technical, going philosophical, we got to know how to mix the thoughts & work giving priority to link the ancestral tradition of raw earth building with the modern technology of stabilized earth with simplicity & purity in life.
To respect our Mother Earth, while using its natural resources to build a sustainable future.
In this exercise I have folded paper in Regular Geometric Pattern and
the canvas was made created
?? Further this canvas can be molded in various
forms. The Folding which I have developed is “Spot or Facet Folding”.Spot or facet folding requires that
several folds intersect like a bunch in one single spot. This results in
pyramidal folds with crystalline or facet-like planes.
Techniques and Principles:
Folding the paper in Regular
Geometric shapes gives a regular and parametric forms. The Folding exercise can be iterated to
refine the forms and to create interesting structures. The principle of folding
as a tool to develop a general structural shape has been known for a long time.
Folded structure systems which are analogous to several biological systems such
as found at broadleaf-tree leaves, petals and foldable insect wings, are
adopted to be employed in a new, technical way this principle to create
self-supporting wall, mould and slab elements with a high load capacity out of
flat and thin semi-manufactured metals. This stands in contrast to the building
industry, where the principle of folding has played a secondary role so far.
Folding systems
represent one category of plane structural surfaces, alongside with plates and
slabs. Their special structural behavior is due to their structural subdivision
arrangement in pairs which correlate with each other and so they are connected
through a shear connection. The structural characteristics of folding
structures depend on the shape of the folding (longitudinal or pyramidal), on
their geometrical basic shape, on its material (concrete, timber, metal,
synthetics), on the connection of the different folding planes and on the
design of the bearings. The characteristics of the folding structures are
interactive and are related to each other. The Transfer of Loads:
The external forces are
transferred due to the structural condition of the plate to the shorter edge of
one folding element. There, the reaction as an axial force is divided between
the adjacent elements which results in a strain of the structural condition of
the slabs. This leads to the transmission of forces to the bearing.Regular folding
structures can be described mathematically and geometrically and are therefore
easy to tessellate and based on this easy to unfold.
The School of Architecture in cooperation with Goethe Institute Chennai
organized a guest lecture on “Mobile Spaces: Works of Markus Heinsdorff”
at Hindustan University on 22.07.2013 in the Andromeda Lecture Hall,
Hindustan University..The lecture was attended by students of School of
Architecture and the Civil Engineering Department. The guest, Mr. Markus
Heinsdorff was introduced by Dean, PG Arch. Ms. Kerstin Frick. Nature
and space in permanent and mobile structures were the main topics.
During the two hour lecture Mr. Heinsdorff displayed and discussed his
approach to the design for his recent works in India and China. The
dynamic lecture was well received and ended in a lively discussion with
students and faculty.
Mr. Heinsdorff met The Vice Chancellor Dr. Sarukesi and the Advisor Dr.
Ramachandran and expressed his intention to extend his cooperation with
Hindustan University.
The work of architect and installation artist
Markus Heinsdorff is characterized by his artistic exploration of spaces and
nature. Markus Heinsdorff has become an internationally acclaimed artist,
winning several awards for his works that link design, art and architecture,
together with technical innovations.
Workshop
The workshop was held
for Masters & Undergraduate Students, the
workshop was intended to bring out of box ideas by working forms for the
shelter & structure through paper folding techniques. The workshop happened
for two days.
First Day, presentation on different works of Markus Heinsdorff based on exploration of spaces and nature. Quite a mesmerizing showcase of various alternate building material and techniques were discussed. The presentation casted inspiration to various unexplored ideas. The second session involved primary sketches on the paper folding system was developed. Collabration of German thoughts with indian practice.
Second Day was an interactive session with
hand on experience for the students to work on paper and to come up with their
designs. With Markus Heinsdorff assisting through each and every step of their
work various forms & design started to take shape.
The workshop was quite a unique experience by
itself as it did make the students take unconventional methods & practice towards
design form exploration.
Day Two: Mr. Ayyappan explained the procedures of how the entire unit functions. And then we had our hands on workshop, building a rammed earth wall, producing CSEB blocks, constructing arches and domes in the production yard. The theory of the procedures was explained and we all were engaged in the execution of the various techniques. 
In this exercise I have folded paper in Regular Geometric Pattern and
the canvas was made created
?? Further this canvas can be molded in various
forms. The Folding which I have developed is “Spot or Facet Folding”. Spot or facet folding requires that
several folds intersect like a bunch in one single spot. This results in
pyramidal folds with crystalline or facet-like planes. 
Folding systems
represent one category of plane structural surfaces, alongside with plates and
slabs. Their special structural behavior is due to their structural subdivision
arrangement in pairs which correlate with each other and so they are connected
through a shear connection. The structural characteristics of folding
structures depend on the shape of the folding (longitudinal or pyramidal), on
their geometrical basic shape, on its material (concrete, timber, metal,
synthetics), on the connection of the different folding planes and on the
design of the bearings. The characteristics of the folding structures are
interactive and are related to each other.
The School of Architecture in cooperation with Goethe Institute Chennai
organized a guest lecture on “Mobile Spaces: Works of Markus Heinsdorff”
at Hindustan University on 22.07.2013 in the Andromeda Lecture Hall,
Hindustan University..The lecture was attended by students of School of
Architecture and the Civil Engineering Department. The guest, Mr. Markus
Heinsdorff was introduced by Dean, PG Arch. Ms. Kerstin Frick. Nature
and space in permanent and mobile structures were the main topics.
During the two hour lecture Mr. Heinsdorff displayed and discussed his
approach to the design for his recent works in India and China. The
dynamic lecture was well received and ended in a lively discussion with
students and faculty.
Mr. Heinsdorff met The Vice Chancellor Dr. Sarukesi and the Advisor Dr.
Ramachandran and expressed his intention to extend his cooperation with
Hindustan University. 
