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BitForms: Local |
| Course Title |
BitForms: Local |
| Year & Term |
2006 Fall |
| Session |
1 |
| Location & Time |
Fayerweather Thursday 6:00pm-8:00pm |
| Instructor |
Liubo Borissov // Dana Karwas |
| Prerequisites |
None |
| Department |
Visual Studies GSAPP |
| Dean |
Mark Wigley |
| School |
Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation |
| Instructor's email |
dlk2115@columbia.edu, liubo@music.columbia.edu |
| Web Site |
http://www.dk22.com/columbia |
| Help Hours |
By appointment: Tue 1-6, Thurs 1-6, Friday 1-6 |
| PDF |
Download Syllabus as PDF |
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| Course Description |
The increased presence and prominence of new media in the context of architecture justifies a
separate study of the forms that arise at the intersection of the two fields. We will regard such
generalized entities as bitforms, existing in their own right, avoiding hierarchies of cause and effect,
concept and application. We will follow a unified eclectic approach towards the study of bitforms,
combining theory and practice. We believe that the rapid development of new technologies and
quickly shifting cultural conditions necessitate such a phenomenological approach of
conceptualizing and realizing ideas in tandem to ensure relevance and impact.
To this end, we will use the Max/MSP/Jitter environment, a flexible versatile interactive visual
programming framework enabling rapid prototyping of ideas and integrating rich media
applications, traditional visualization and production software, as well as generic and custom-built
hardware and electronics. The technical core of the workshop will introduce through case studies
and examples, a genealogy of bitforms, techniques of morphogenesis and transformation.
Students will work in groups or individually towards a final project existing within a shared framework
of new media and architecture. We support integration with work done in other workshops or studio
classes as long as the presented work has substantial relevance to the class. Students are
encouraged to collaborate with each other or with students outside the class as long as they
account for and document individually their contribution and demonstrate full understanding of the
project in its entirety.
Bitforms I: Local will focus on creating immediate, local intersections between new media and
architecture. Topics include real- time production and manipulation of two, three and four-
dimentional media, interactions with responsive living and environmental systems.
No prior programming or scripting experience is required.
Students should bring (if they have one) laptops and storage devices to every class.
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| Labs/Projects |
Each lecture will focus on a case study. Students will be expected to complete a weekly lab exercise in response to the presented case study. Students will develop a free-form final project based around ideas and applications of new media in the context of architecture. The projects can be architectural concepts, systems, animations, physical interfaces, performances or installations that demonstrate creativity and versatility of a BitForm at the local level. The projects can be stand-alone or combined with work from another workshop or studio, as long as they have a significant new media component. The weekly assignments can be individual, however students are encouraged to collaborate in small groups (up to three people) for their final project (with other students from the class or students from other classes or departments). In collaborations, each student must document the work individually outlining their particular contribution and bearing the responsibility to understand the workings of the entire project.
Students are expected to briefly present their weekly labs in class and discuss and critique their own work and the work of others in the class.Students are also expected to email links and documents supporting their labs to the instructors.
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| Goals |
This course will provide students with the necessary skills and theoretical background to create a Bitform. Upon completing this course students will be able to add the intersection of new media and architecture as a natural element of their palette of means of expression.
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| Help/Tutorials |
Since this is a large subject to tackle we will be available outside of class for individual help/ tutorials/ and feedback upon request and based on availability. One tutorial session on Max/MSP/JItter: How to make your own program will be held within the first two weeks of class (TBA).
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| Course Schedule |
| WEEK 1 |
intro / programming environment / mixing + remixing
A basic introduction to the Max/MSP/Jitter programming environment
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| WEEK 2 |
2D media / Live Video Processing / Surveillance / Analysis
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| WEEK 3 |
Interactive 3D Programming / Exchange with traditional modeling and visualization software
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| WEEK 4 |
Producing Physical Media / Rapid Prototyping / Exporting + Importing
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| WEEK 5 |
Sensors / Hardware / Micro-Controllers / Input + Output
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| WEEK 6 |
Special Topics based on Student Interest |
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| Suggested Readings |
Required readings and reference will be provided in lecture and will span a range from theoretical writings to software manuals.
The following texts are recommended, but not required:
Max/MSP/Jitter Documentation
Art&D: Research and Development in Art V2_NAi
Digital Art, Christiane Paul
Everywhere: The Dawning Age of Ubiquitous Computing Adam Greenfield
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