I’m an assistant professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. My teaching and research focuses on architectural applications of computational design methods, digital fabrication tools, robotics and responsive systems, advanced materials, and other emerging technologies. During the spring of 2014, I was the invited Taylor Seminar Lecturer in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary.
Prior to my appointment at UNLV, I taught design studios, seminars, and lecture courses in the Department of Architecture at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. While at Ball State, I co-founded i-MADE, an applied research + immersive learning institute focused on bringing students, faculty, and design professionals together with regional industry partners to work on mutually beneficial projects utilizing design, computation, and fabrication.
I have published and presented peer-reviewed research at ACADIA, SIGRADI, eCAADe, ACSA, NCBDS, and ARCC conferences, as well as the International Journal of Architecture Computing. As well, I co-authored and edited the recently published book “Digital Design Exercises for Architecture Students” with Jason S. Johnson (Routledge, 2016).
In my free time, I enjoy exploring, hiking, and photographing the American southwest; playing games with my wife and two children; and compulsively checking news, email, and social media on my smart phone.
This program is a new spin on beginning architectural design, introducing digital skill sets and parametric thinking through drawing, modeling, and prototyping. The exercises progress from two-dimensional drawings and graphic compositions, to three-dimensional spatial studies, to physical and material investigations. At each step, computational design tools and digital information are used to generate, analyze, prototype architectural design propositions. The exercises can be performed with an array of software, however the course demonstrations make use of Rhino3D and Adobe Illustrator (no prior experience with Rhino and Illustrator is required, in fact, the exercises are structured for students to learn how to deploy these tools from scratch). Regardless of specific software tools, the principles that are introduced and applied in this course make it suitable for a range of audiences—beginners, as well as professionals who wish to retool their skills in digital design.
Learning Outcomes
- Understanding of different drawing types and produce these drawing types with software.
- Ability to model surface and volume studies digitally as well as physically.
- Understanding of basic computational design concepts, terms, and techniques.
Overview
- Session 1: Line Drivers – Rules-based Drawing with Line Weights
- Session 2: Ordering 2D Modules – Geometric Operations
- Session 3: Algorithmic Field Drawings
- Session 4: Digital Collage Compositions
- Session 1: Ordering 3D Modules
- Session 2: Aggregating Modules
- Session 3: Breaking the Cube
- Session 4: Interlocking Spatial Systems
- Session 1: Parametric Thinking
- Session 2: Materializing Components
- Session 3: Component Phylogram
- Session 4: Immersive Spatial Component System
Featured Coursework
- Draw a range of architectural drawing types
- Build physical and digital models
- Design and build a differentiated component system
Requirements
Prior Knowledge: Prior knowledge of Rhino3D, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop is helpful, but not required.
Materials: Textbook: Johnson and Vermillion (2016), Digital Design Exercises for Architecture Students, Routledge.
Equipment: Computer
Software: Rhino 3D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
- A verified Specialist Certificate that prove you completed the Program and mastered the subject.*
- A verified course Certificate for each individual course you complete in the program.*
* Each certificate earned is endorsed by Kadenze and the offering institution(s).
Price: $500 USD *
Specialist Certificate
Why join a Program?
Becoming a specialist in a subject requires a highly tuned learning experience connecting multiple related courses. Programs unlock exclusive content that helps you develop a deep understanding of your subject. From your first course to your final summative assessment, our thoughtfully curated curriculum enables you to demonstrate your newly acquired skills.