The Netherlands Architecture Fund and the NAI have jointly selected the Self Building Building research proposal from the many projects submitted for the open call Studio for Unsolicited Architecture, Design and E-culture. This proposal will be further developed over the autumn of 2012, with the support of the NAI and the Netherlands Architecture Fund.
The proposal responds to residents’ needs to design and customize their own living environment. Moreover, it searches for solutions to the stagnation in the building practice. The project aims to involve both end users and clients in the process of making buildings. Digital fabrication and interactive technology play an important role. Future residents will be able to translate their wishes into physical building elements, produced using a file-to-factory process, process of design and realization of design which is completely digital. This open design principle renews the interaction between client, architect, financier, owner and user. The project should lead to a new construction paradigm, from design to property, as an alternative for the usual way a building or district is established.
The idea for Self Building Building was created last year during PICNIC Festival 2011 (Platform for innovation and creativity). During this three-day festival, the NDSM Wharf saw an exceptional sculpture emerge combining ancient earth building techniques with computer-generated design: Hypermud. Built by the Open Design Lab of Waag Society. Self Building Building is supported by ‘Stichting Beheer NDSM-werf’. Director Frank Alsema is co-designing the project and is currently looking for a suitable location on the NDSM. The coming six months the first location at NDSM in the North of Amsterdam will be made ‘build ready’ in collaboration with ‘Noordwaards’. NDSM has always been a place for experimentation and focuses on the city of the future the coming years.
Team: Foundation iNSA/Hyperbody: Tomasz Jaskiewicz, Chris Kievid, Christian Friedrich Waag Society: Bas van Abel, Karen van der Moolen, Remko Siemerink Archis: Lilet Breddels, Arjen Oosterman Topika/NetworkLAB: Alexander Zeh DUS: Martine de Wit NDSM Oost: Frank Aalsema
Responsibility: Team Member