Course Guideline

T_ADS Architecture and Urban Design

T_ADS (Advanced Design Studies) at the University of Tokyo is dedicated to interdisciplinary design research connecting architecture, engineering, and computations to explore the ecosystems of architecture and built environments. It seeks to develop and speculate upon new knowledge for architecture, where the practice of design engages in both social constructs and material performances on a number of scales. Its goal is to redefine the role of architecture as the essential element for theorizing, conceptualizing, analyzing, forming, organizing, and generating new ideas of and for sustainable future-built environments.

To maximize the potential of the advanced research laboratories at the University of Tokyo’s Engineering School, our design projects are pursued in collaboration with specialized engineers and researchers to promote a creative environment where ideas are tested with matter and information. Simultaneously, we make analog models, digital simulations, and manipulate local molecular behaviors that make up the lifelike processes of city organizations. The focuses of our research include the development of comprehensive design proposals and explorations of the interconnectivity of urban systems based on the movement of matter, energy, and information. Our research systematically examines and speculates on the rapidly emerging and evolving contemporary built environment and its design challenges through both theoretical and specific architectural design investigations leading to a rigorous design thesis project.

Prototyping Architecture is a design research agenda which explores the generation of new models of and for architecture and urbanism. It is structured as a two-phase course; the first year studio as Digital Fabrication Lab and the second year studio as Sustainable Prototyping Lab. The main goal of Digital Fabrication Lab is the development of architectural prototypes based on the investigation of material logic and fabrication systems.

Course Organization

T_ADS is organized into two main research focuses. One is based on digital fabrication, the other based on the creation of a sustainable urban prototype. Unlike many other architecture programs, T_ADS implements longer-term projects and coursework to encourage research through prototyping as opposed to researching through study. During their time in the lab, students will participate in a two year design research project which consists of an individual project, a team-based project, and a collaborative research project with engineers, a project which allows students to expand their network to other departments. Due to the international nature of the lab, students will have the opportunity to interact with students and instructors in a unique context and can compare and learn with individuals from all across the world.

Course Outline

Degree:

Master of Engineering (MEng in Architecture)

Teaching Institution:

The University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering

Duration of Course:

24 months, full-time, Master of Engineering

Teaching Staff:

Prof. Kengo Kuma

Prof. Manabu Chiba

Asso. Prof. Yusuke Obuchi

Program Associates:

Toshihiko Kiuchi

Toshikatsu Kiuchi

Kaz Yoneda

Kosuke Nagata

Alisha Ivelich

Kensuke Hotta

Kakuko Kato

Course Structure and Details

YEAR 1

Semester 1

  • Research in Architecture 1B
  • Architectural Design 2
  • Architecture and Cities in Japan 2 (suggested elective)
  • Sustainable Urban Regeneration B (suggested elective)

Semester 2

  • Research in Architecture 1A
  • Architectural Design 1
  • Architectural Concepts and Design Methodologies
  • Sustainable Urban Regeneration A or Architecture and Cities in Japan 1 (suggested elective)

YEAR 2

Semester 3

  • Research in Architecture 2B
  • Computational Design in Architecture

Semester 4

  • Research in Architecture 2A
  • Individual Research in Architecture 1A

Design Studios

  • Architectural Design 1A, 1B
  • Architectural Design 2A (Computational Design in Architecture)
  • Architectural Design 2B (Individual Research in Architecture)

Mondays 13:00 – 18:00 & Wednesdays 13:00 – 18:00

T_ADS seeks to explore the design thinking and skills needed to capture, control, and shape an endless proliferation of information within the distributed electronic realm of today’s rapidly evolving digital design disciplines. New forms of associative logic for conceptualizing and materializing comprehensive design proposals are pursued by teams of students addressing common topics through shared, information-based diagrams, models, and scripts. Design teams act as nodes within the studio’s networks, directing the development of projects across a variety of design, production, and communication systems. T_ADS focuses on new computational design systems and requires a new generation of designers able to negotiate these complex tools, interfaces, and networks.

Design studio projects are the central form of teaching and learning in T_ADS and account for a large majority of students’ time and course load.

During their two years at the University of Tokyo, students work in the studio at Hongo Campus on projects each semester.

The organization of the classes in T_ADS leads to an increasing emphasis placed upon studio design projects. Students take a combination of design seminar and workshop classes during the first semester, which provides an introduction to important theoretical issues, design skills, and software systems. These are explored within a series of linked design workshop projects. T_ADS’ larger, longer design studio classes, with their associated projects, start at the beginning of the second semester, emphasizing complex design projects that carry forward throughout semesters two and three. Semester three focuses entirely on the design studio project (Research in Architecture 2B), which is carried forward in the form of a thesis design project (Research in Architecture 2A) the following summer during the fourth and final academic semester at T_ADS.

Digital Fabrication

Research in Architecture 1A, 1B

Fridays 13:00 – 18:00

The main goal of Digital Fabrication Lab is the development of architectural prototypes based on the investigation of material logic and fabrication systems. The course is composed of three workshops that are taken by all first-year students at T_ADS. The students explore different materials and examine them both physically and digitally to understand their material properties and behaviors. The workshops are also designated as a time for students to learn digital tools such as 3-D modelling and programming, which help them to develop physical prototypes at the end of the course.

Output: Pavilion

Sustainable Prototyping

Research in Architecture 2A, 2B

Fridays 13:00 – 18:00

Sustainable Prototyping Lab expands upon the potential of architectural prototypes developed in previous semesters and applies them to an urban setting to speculate upon the life-like behaviors of urban networks, infrastructures, and material flows for sustainable building projects. All second-year students go outside the lab to develop their own networks with other labs and institutions related to their researches. The goal of the course is the development of comprehensive design proposals and thesis books.

Output: Research Document

Design Seminar

Architectural Concepts and Design Methodologies

Tuesdays 10:30 – 12:00

While the pursuit of a design project is the central focus of T_ADS, the course’s design seminar taught during semester two is crucial both for providing students with necessary theoretical and historical background of the topics and agendas relating to the studio projects, and allowing students an opportunity to more systematically reflect upon their design objectives and results in relation to large, contemporary design discourses and the advancements of other related disciplines. This design seminar consists of weekly class sessions during which teaching staff present materials and direct discussion related to weekly readings and project analysis. Typically, each week’s session includes a presentation by students, who then lead the discussion of a weekly reading. For these presentations, students are encouraged to work on topics related to (but not identical to) their design work to expand their intellectual framework.

Recommended Elective Lecture Classes

Architecture and Cities in Japan 1 & 2

Sustainable Urban Regeneration A & B

Conducted as guest speaker lecture series courses, Architecture and Cities in Japan 1 & 2 and Sustainable Urban Regeneration A & B are taught by all teaching staff in the Department of Architecture and the Department of Civil Engineering, covering a wide scope of issues concerning architecture, engineering, and urban design. Since the discipline of architecture belongs to the field of engineering in Japan, these two lecture courses provide a foundation for the necessary technical knowledge for T_ADS students to develop comprehensive design research projects in Japan.

Elective Lecture Classes Offered in the Graduate School of Engineering

The Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo offers lecture classes addressing specialized knowledge for diverse engineering research in its eighteen departments. Although much of the research is highly specific and less relevant for the discipline of architecture, T_ADS students are encouraged to maximize the intellectual resources available at the University of Tokyo and attend lectures and classes conducted outside of the Department of Architecture.

Departments offering lecture classes in English:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Urban Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Precision Engineering
  • Systems Innovation
  • Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Electrical Engineering and Information Systems
  • Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Nuclear Engineering and Management
  • Bio Engineering
  • Technology Management for Innovation

Late night working guidelines

  1. Clean up your working environment as you work. Sweep the floor and discard all rubbish once you complete your task(s). Do not pile up things around you that might restrict your movement or might cause you to trip, slip, or fall.
  2. Wear protective gear and clothing. You must wear eye protection at all times when you are operating the band saw, power tools, or handling small objects like nails, which could injure your face. Gloves, shoes, and long sleeved shirts must be worn when you are using tools that might injure you. Long hair must be tied up.
  3. Do not use the band saw when you are alone in the studio or after 10PM. No exceptions.
  4. Do not leave the Digital Fabrication Lab equipment running by itself. All DFL equipment must be attended at all times. Absolutely no exceptions.
  5. Sign-in with the late-night/weekend management system. If you are in the building any time after 10PM on weeknights, or are in the building on the weekends, you must register with the overtime management system for safety and security purposes.

Lab Keys and Print Cards

Lab keys

You will get a lab key from the staff at the lab orientation.

  • Do NOT lend the key to other people, especially people who are not lab members.
  • Keep your key with you at all times and do NOT leave it at the lab.
  • If you lose your key or find unattended keys, tell the lab staff.

Print cards

Print cards are available after registration (registration form is HERE). Print cards are required for printing or scanning documents (it is not possible to print or scan without one). Please register as soon as possible.

  • Do NOT lend your print card to others. Printing costs are tracked with the card ID, so you may be responsible for any costs incurred by someone else’s use of your card.
  • Do NOT use print cards other than your own.
  • If you lose your card or find unattended cards, tell the lab staff.

Laser Cutter Guidelines

Quick check list

    • Never leave the laser cutter running without constant supervision.
    • Turn on the air compressor and the two switches on the vacuum system.
    • If the vacuum pressure is over 2MPA, roll the paper out.
    • Clean the lens before you cut, and clean it up if it gets dirty. Clean it up after use. If the lens is damaged, the user is responsible for purchasing a new one.
    • Do not cut materials over 10mm thick.
    • Make sure to overkill doubled lines.
    • Clean the bed when you are done. Clip the board and throw it away. Recycle it if it is large enough.

Introduction

    • The laser cutter is available for students in Obuchi, Kuma, and Chiba labs to use. Students from outside Obuchi lab need to sign up on the laser cutter reservation system. The link is below, the password is “g30” (click the flag in the top right corner to change the language). The room is open 10:00-18:30 on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and students may sign up for only two hours a day. Please be sure to plan ahead.
      http://www.supersaas.jp/schedule/hironoriyh/Laser_cutter
    • All users need to attend a tutorial provided by course assistants. Please organize the date and time with your group and make an inquiry with one of the course assistants.

Safety rules

    • Never leave the laser cutter running without constant supervision; it is a potentially dangerous machine, and materials can catch fire easily and quickly. This has happened to students recently, so be vigilant.
    • Some materials produce toxic fumes when under the laser. Immediately stop cutting or engraving any material that begins to deteriorate by melting, catching fire, or producing unusual smoke (the tutorial will demonstrate what is normal in terms of smoke).
    • If something catches fire, use the CO2 fire extinguisher to the left of the laser cutter.
    • You may often find yourself in need of this type of protection in and out of the cadcam suite. It may be worth your while to purchase a mask. Some mask recommendations on the right:
    • This website will lead you to many mask purchasing and product options:
      LEMON GASUI: http://www.lemon.co.jp/

Room rules

    • The room is for laser cutting or engraving only. Do not assemble models. Do not glue materials, spray materials, or use any toxic chemicals.
    • When you’re done with the machines, clean the laser beds with the water or alcohol provided in the room.
    • If you bring food or drink into the room, clean up after yourself. Throw away your trash and wipe up spills. Do not leave trash for others to clean up.
    • Be conscientious—recycle leftover paper materials in the large blue recycle bin in the room. If you are cutting plastic please discard waste in the marked container.

Materials

    • Chipboard up to 5mm thick
    • Corrugated cardboard up to 5mm thick
    • Museum board
    • Basswood up to 10mm thick
    • Plexiglass, Lucite, and/or acrylic up to 10mm thick

DO NOT cut Lexan, foamcore, PVC, glass, or metal.

Machine preparation before cutting

    • Turn on the machine, air compressor, and the two switches on the vacuum system
    • Roll out the paper filter if the pressure is below 2MPa.
    • Check the Z height as on the right image.
    • Check the lens condition, clean it up if it is dirty or becomes dirty.
    • Clean up the XY axis.
    • Make sure the cover is correctly closed. If it is not, the red light will blink.

Data preparation (Illustrator) before cutting

    • Lines are 0.01pt thick
    • Check duplicated lines
    • Check if drawn with continuous lines
    • Change to RGB mode (File -> Color mode setting -> RGB instead of CMYK)
    • The plot area is 600 x 450 mm
    • Use red (255,0,0) for cutting and blue (0,0,255) for engraving

While/After cutting

    • Press PAUSE to stop. The laser will finish the vector it is cutting then head back to its origin. Press RESUME to continue cutting where the laser left off.
    • Open the lid to stop. The laser will continue moving without emitting a beam for a short while, then will head back to its origin. Press RESUME to continue cutting where the laser left off.
    • CLEAN THE BED WHEN YOU ARE DONE!

 

Maintenance

Maintenance before turning on the laser

      • Check the Y rail alignment
      • Clean the XY rails (section 7-2)
      • Check mirrors, lens (section 7-3)
      • Clean and adjust cone (section 8-5)
      • Clean and adjust the honeycomb cutting table (section 8-12)

Maintenance every 2 months

      • Clean air filters (every 2 weeks) (section 7-4)
      • Check the vacuum cleaner filter (every 2 months)

After turning on the laser but before cutting:

      • Open UCP
      • Z calibration (section 8-14)
      • Turn on the laser, air feeder, and vacuum
      • Check beam alignment (section 4-10)

Wood Shop Guidelines

General guidelines

    • Do not leave ANY tools, materials, or models on the floor.
    • All tools and machines should be looked after as if they were YOUR OWN tools.
    • After use, DUST OFF all working areas, and discard materials you are not planning to use. Close the windows if you are the last one in the shop.
    • Do not work by yourself with the machines after the course assistants leave.

Machine guidelines

    • There are 4 machines (band saw, disk grinder, drill press and table saw)
    • Wear glasses, roll up long sleeves, and put your hair up.
    • DO NOT use machines with gloves.
    • Clean the machines after use (band saw, chop saw, drilling machine, disk sander).
    • The table saw is only available when the course assistants are in the lab.
    • The band saw, the disk grinder, and the drill press are available until 22:00, however, do not use it by yourself. Always make sure that somebody is in the lab with you in case you are injured.

Power tool guidelines

    • The power tools are available to use only when course assistants are in the lab (usually from 10:00 to 18:30 on weekdays).
    • After use, the power tools must be stored in the cabinet in the digital fabrication room.
    • If you need to use the power tools outside the lab, please consult the assistant in charge.
    • If you need to use the power tools during the weekend or after working hours, please consult the assistant in charge. You need to fill out a request form and submit it.
    • If tools and machines are damaged due to misuse or are stolen, the borrower will be responsible for replacement.

Wood shop organization

  • If you need a temporary work space, personal storage, a new tool and/or a machine, please consult the assistant in charge.

Safety

    • All injuries should be reported to course assistants, regardless of severity.
    • If you are injured while working in the lab, please call the following contacts in the order listed below.

 

T_ADS Staff

Hiro(吉田 博則): 080-3019-8775

Toshi(木内 俊克): 080-2336-6559

Kosuke (永田康祐): 080-7008-1187

Hospital: 03-3815-5411

Campus emergency service: 03-5841-6119

Model Shop Terms of Use

Quick checklist

  • The DFL model shop has two rooms: Wood shop (open 10:00 to 22:00) and Digital shop (open 10:00 to 18:30).
  • Your safety comes first.
  • Do not work by yourself with the machines after the course assistants leave.
  • For detailed terms of use, see the DFL wood shop/digital shop guidelines

The model shop is intended for three kinds of work:

  1. Working with cutters, knives, and other hand tools.
    -> see power tools guidelines in the wood shop guidelines.
  2. Working with machines such as band saws, table saws, etc.
    ->  see machine guidelines in the wood shop guidelines.
  3. Working with materials such as chemicals, or special processes such as heating, boiling, etc. -> see the following

Working with materials and heat

  • All the chemicals must be assigned in the following system

https://utcris.adm.u-tokyo.ac.jp/CRIS_v1_0/index.aspx

  • If it is an experiment requiring the use of a material (such as a chemical) for which you do not have handling experience, please ask the course assistants to check for safe use practices.
  • For experiments requiring special procedures (especially heat and high voltage), please ask the course assistants to check safe use practices.
  • Do not leave/store any flammable objects with heating/lighting devices such as lighters, heating guns, glue guns,etc.

Safety

  • All injuries should be reported to course assistants, regardless of severity.
  • If you are injured while working in the lab, please call the following contacts in the order listed below.

T_ADS staff

Hiro(吉田 博則): 080-3019-8775

Toshi(木内 俊克): 080-2336-6559

Kosuke (永田康祐): 080-7008-1187

Hospital: 03-3815-5411

Campus emergency service: 03-5841-6119

 

Rhinoceros Installation and Set Up

Installation
To install Rhino you must register on the lab network. The registration form is HERE.

1. Download the Rhino5 installer via the Mcneel website.
2. Run the downloaded program. After extraction, the installation program will start.
3. Enter the name, email address, and organization information as follows (Do NOT enter your name and email address):
Name: Yusuke Obuchi
E-mail: digital.fabrication@arch.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Organization: 東京大学大学院工学系研究科建築学専攻 小渕研究室
License Key: (leave it blank)
- Check “Float my license on the network using the Zoo”
- Check “I agree to the terms and conditions”
- Uncheck “Send registration information to McNeel”
4. Click “next” to start installation.

License check-out
To use Rhino off the lab network, you need to check out your license in Rhino.

1. Run Rhino5 and run command “CheckOutLicense.” You will get an option window.
2. Select “current server” from the list in the window and click the “check out” button.

File Server

Access to the G30 NAS

NAS name: adsNAS

MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE “G30LAN4F” WI-FI!

Windows 7 users

      1. Go to Network and open “ADSNAS.”
      2. Login as “student.”
        Username: student
        Password: g30
      3. You may now access the “Users” folder on the server.
      4. Make a shortcut to the folder you use on your desktop for easy access.

Mac users

  1. In Finder, navigate to “Go” and select “Connect to Server…”
  2. Enter “smb://192.168.1.28” for Server Address.
  3. Login as “student.”

Username: student

Password: g30

4. You may now access the “Users” folder on the server.

5. Make a shortcut to the folder you use on your desktop for easy access.

Printer

Printing Costs
The printer is not free.
Printing charges are totalled at the end of the semester.
Printing costs are:
Black and white: 3 yen per page
Color: 10 yen per page

User Admission
You need a print card to use the printer. To get a print card, submit a registration form.
The registration form is HERE.

Printer Driver Setup

MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE “G30LAN4F” WI-FI!

Windows 7 users

  1. Download driver
    >Windows 7 32bit
    >Windows 7 64bit
  2. Install the driver and add the printer.

Mac users

  1. Download driver
    >MacOSX
    http://www.fujixerox.co.jp/download/apeosport/download/4_c5570series/prt_macx105/
  2. Double click the downloaded file and follow the directions to install.
  3. When finished installing, go to System Preferences > Print & Fax
  4. Add a printer by clicking “+”.
  5. Select “ApeosPort-IV C3370″ (MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON G30LAN4F!)
  6. Click OK to finish.
  7. Assign an ID number. Try to print something. (From Safari, for example)
  8. In the print window, there is a drop-down menu where you can see other settings. Change it to “Job Accounting”.
  9. Click “User Detail Setting” at the bottom.
  10. Change “Use Login Name” to “Use User ID”.
  11. Enter your own Print ID # in “User ID” and click OK.

Scanning

  1. On the menu window, select “Scan to PC”.
  2. Select “Address Book…”
  3. Look for your scan location, and click “Add” to set the save destination.
  4. Select “Close”.
  5. Press “Start” at the bottom.
  6. The scanned file will be saved inside your scan folder.