IRT 201 - Materials Technology

Materials Technology

A course designed to introduce Material properties through lectures, studio fabrication and experiential learning. 

Project 1: Details

This is a compilation of 100 curated details recorded and documented by 2nd year students. The objective is to  apply an understanding of materials technology by observing design details in the built environment, then producing working drawings in a scaled and formatted sectional view.

To view the archive, download the PDF in the Practice:Research section, entitled 100 curated details.

Project 2: Composition Cube

A crafted 4" cube is conceived and developed in tandem with a CSI - formatted materials investigation. The Composition Cube may embody transformative effects: moving parts, combined hybrid materials, temporal states or a designed manipulation of properties derived from the construction. Timeline: research - 1 week; construction with working drawings: 1 week.

Project 2A: Material Structure

This project investigates inherent material properties, with structure and surface intent. The objective is to design an apparatus to carry, levitate, or hold a standardized concrete brick, with no more and no less than the materials can convey in its form and function. The material choices are informed by a site-specific context. A charrette kicks off the project to explore cellular design. Tension, compression, and torsion are examined as challenges and opportunities. Timeline: 3 week group project.

Project 3: Case study Research 

Students are asked to research prominent architectural sites in Toronto to analyze the relationship of the interior design and the context of the program. Sites such as the Sharp pavilion (OCADU), the TD tower centre, the AGO and others were investigated by researching the history and design, interpreting the drawings, measuring, photographing and documenting materials and details, and recreating a section of a focal point in a scaled model. Timeline: 3 weeks for research document and scaled model. Group research.

Project 4: Thresholds

Building on Project 3, students were asked to develop a threshold to fit within the design intent of the site they researched. A model, working drawings, materials  and anthropometric analyses were documented.