Freeform Construction Update...

An example of a 3D Freeform Construction 'print'...

Before commencing our work here in Kuwait, we were involved in a number of R & D projects in the UK. Amongst these is one that I have special affinity to, dealing large scale version of Rapid Manufacturing called Freeform Construction, a more voluminous rendition of 3D Printing. Currently the project in being run by Dr. Richard Buswell (which he started a few years back in collaboration with Dr. Rupert Soar) at Loughborough University's Rapid Manufacturing Research Group (RMRG). This set-up is quite spectacular, particularly in comparison to the usual Rapid Prototyping machine (which are usually the size of a large photocopier), with the rig roughly 5 by 5 by 6 meters in size.
The accuracy and refinement of the test prints have also improved remarkably in the last year or so, in this still evolving discipline which entails a very gracious balance and logistic coreography between mechanical engineering, material science and architecture (to mention a few of the realted practices) in its realization.

The Freeform construction mega scale 'printer' (with Dr. Richard Buswell in black in the background)...

A few additional examples od Freeform Construction 'prints'...

A few examples of more recent test 'prints' (all images provided by Dr. Richard Buswell)...

With its ample supply of raw material (sand) and an affinity to concrete in its construction projects as well as a surprisingly uniform template (size & shape) for its usual residential plot, this is the type of research which should be done here, as it would suit Kuwait to a 'T'.

Mark our words, this is where the 'magic is going to happen' (paraphrasing 'MTV Cribs') within architecture and the construction industry in a few years (perhaps decades) time...

(A version of this blog submission was also included on the smArchitecture blog)

Presentation by Artist Alia Farid...

Alia Farid's adaptable monument - movable and customized to respond and reflect the interest of a particular community in Boston (Photo provided by Alia Farid)...

The other day, Artist Alia Farid gave us a wonderful presentation at Kuwait University. She has a Fine Arts degree from the Escuela de Artes Artes Plasticas, in Puerto Rico, as well as a MSc from in Visual Studies programme at MIT. Along with being a practising artist, she is also currently working as a Curator and the Cultural Director of the Al Sabah Art & Design Collection.

A short synopsis, in her own words, of her interests and approach to practising her art(s).

“I began my experimental practice as an artist/curator somewhere in between the lines of art, architecture, and the public realm. Today I’m still interested in exploring these areas, but with a much more focused point in telling how informal networks are forced to compensate for lack of formal structure, as one of the things I value most is the subversive quality of work that goes unnoticed.” She identifies her role as a curator with that of a mitigation planner by acknowledging, “There’s a duality in dealing with art – a disconnect between who we are and what we see that can either mean death to the work or a strike in change. My job is to mitigate, or make up, for this disconnect”. The risk factor involved in re-presenting art is a challenge Alia readily enjoys, however instead of handling the work with gloves, she’s more likely to want to figure out ways in which the audience can engage with the art directly.

It is this aforementioned engagement that is sorely needed in Kuwait, where the value of ideas - engaging, exploratory, novel and occasionally even polemic ideas - are still largely undervalued.

An additional view of her mobile and adaptable monument/ sales & service stand (Photo provided by Alia Farid)...

'Icon Meets Icons' Exhibition at the Al Sabah Art & Design Gallery...

Postcards of the displayed work...

Managed to finally visit the 'Icon Meets Icons!' exhibition at the Al Sabah Art & Design Gallery yesterday, which consisted of a number of, predominantly Western, designers interpreting the classic Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle. In many ways it's a nice exhibition, with the various bottles, or bottle compositions, displayed on what seemed to be burned or charred wooden trellises, scattered around the gallery space. Many of the pieces are quite '7elo' (pretty) and do provide their fair share of eye-candy...

On two points, however, the exhibition was somewhat of a lost opportunity.

Firstly, it would have been great to include a bit more of an explanation why the bottles were manipulated and interpreted the way they were. There were a set of postcards by the stand of each individuals stand, but these, beyond including the designer's name, didn't include much more. It would have been helpful to to know, for example, what Pepe Heykoop attempted to say or explore with his expanding foam coated perfume bottles, or why Hassan Abdallah decided to cover his bottle with artificial flowers and enclose it within a hermetic vitrine. This wouldn't necessarily have to entail a set of essays justifying the work, but at least something that would illuminate the guiding ideas and processes involved in their realization.

Secondly, for an exhibition examining a perfume, there's a surprising lack of exploration of the fragrance itself. Even though the Chanel No. 5 scent itself is probably protected to the hilt, there's still ample space to fiddle with how the perception of its smell, the most elusive and primal of our senses, is perceived. If the Chanel No. 5 bottle represents the recognizable physical form of the perfume, which in the context of this exhibition has been abstracted in various ways by the designers involved, how could the fragrance of Chanel No. 5, the protagonist of the product, be played with in a similar manner? Perhaps by manipulating the context in which the fragrance is experienced, or even by varying the physiology of the person exposed to the aroma. As most of our senses are inherently connected (or overlap) how we sense a smell can be influenced by modifying some of the other senses. Thus, the way we perceive a smell can be varied by controlling the size, degree of air moisture (to smell something moisture needs to be present), the temperature, or even the air movement in a space. Also, by combining different sensations the overall impression can be affected. Taste and smell are intimately linked, so is memory as smell (a scent from the past can trigger a stream of recollections). This last notion would also allow one to question the connection between appearances and expectations - as the glass-bottle of Chanel No.5 is so intimately linked to its particular fragrance, i.e. the bottle and the scent are considered unified, part of the same package, what would happen if this link was dislodged? If, say, the bottle was filled with gold coloured gasoline, or something that looks correct, but smells of baked-beans? Would this act of intentional 'mixed-messaging' allow one to view Chanel No. 5 in a different light? All such elements could have been used to provide a more enriched and multi-dimensional (sensational) expression of the exhibition's fragrant icon...

Why Not [Us] No. 2 - Hybrid Disciplines...

This blog entry, classified here as the second rendition of the 'Why Not [Us/ Here]' submission, is mainly consistent of a variety of, topic-wise disperse, youtube clips. They are mainly targeting my students at Kuwait University, and form a summary, or continuation of sorts, to our conversations during today's class regarding the evolution and cross-fertilization of cultures, and the definition and development of their unique characteristics (but hopefully others will find them of interest too). What recognizable elements define the identity of contemporary Kuwait? Which are the notions that are unique to this particular locale, makes it stand out from its neighbours and other nations further afield? We also dwelled upon the almost osmotic quality of creative practice, where two or more distinct disciplines occasionally overlap and merge, forming a new 'being' that is unique, and more than the sum of its initial components - a syncretic hybrid that, once established, will form yet again an element for a future amalgamation in this continuous dynamic process. The clips below, presented in no particular order, can be defined to belong to a variety of specific 'arts' (architecture, sculpture, fashion, (art) performance, dance, music, film, engineering, etc.) however, they all contain elements that have clearly been influenced by another art/ discipline that's distinct from their own.

Enjoy...

Issey Miyake






Richard Wilson




Michel Gondry




William Forsythe and Sylvie Guillem




Peter Zumthor




Hussein Chalayan




Jean Pierre Jeunet




Nitin Sawhney




Buckminster Fuller




Matthew Barney




Tetsuo - Iron Man




Anish Kapoor



Alhambra




Alexander Calder

Why Not [Here] No. 1 - 'Collaging' Innovation...

This is the initial instalment of the 'Why Not [Here]', or 'Why Not [Us]' rants... This numbered series of polemic sound-offs aim to provide short, biting, snippets of, usually quite impulsive, reactions to notions we come across that relate to issues done, or things we think should be done, in Kuwait to clarify, improve or even solve various topics we find of interest or relevance. These will usually be design related (here the term 'design' is considered in the widest sense of the term), however this link might occasionally be tenuous, but that OK, as long as opinions are provided and justified...
This initial 'blog-frolic' deals with inspiring research done elsewhere (at MIT), which we think is the type of research that should be done, both in spirit and implementation, here in Kuwait...

Why Not [Here] No. 1 - 'Collaging' Innovation...

The TED clip below introduces an update to some of the ideas initially introduced by Jeff Han a few years back. This type of touch based GUI, sometimes referred to as Minority Report type control panels (after the sci-fi movie starting Tom Cruise), has by now become much more common and familiar thanks to the i-phone and other similar contraptions. In it Dr. Pattie Maes, and some members from the Fluid Interfaces Group, present not only an updated rendition of the aforementioned touch based interface, but also suggest new ways for how such devices could be adapted to fulfil a number of additional functions.

What makes the device described in this clip so remarkable is the, almost ad-hoc, way it has been put together, with all its components being 'off the shelf', pre-existing pieces of technology (only about 350 Dollars worth) which, in conjunction with a fair bit of very perceptive and innovative assembly and programming, has resulted in something quite impressive. What's also striking is how this project seems to feed off a number of different, often separate, disciplines - engineering, computer science, interaction design, industrial design, etc.

This type of design, research and exploration should be done in Kuwait, there is no reason why it couldn't. The foundations are already being laid, with the Department of Architecture and the Department of Art & Design at Kuwait University being combined into a new College, scheduled to take place in 2010. This is probably also the only institution of higher-education where related pursuits can take place, as the private universities in Kuwait are, in their current capacities, too small (and perhaps too focused on more 'profitable' popular courses) to conduct such research. What becomes imperative in the set-up of this new college will be how it is organized both in approach and practice. Some form of hybrid approach similar to how the departments are interlinked at MIT's School of Architecture and Planning could be used as a model, where a number of disciplines work, if not necessarily under the same roof, nevertheless within the same extended 'embrace' of the University and its fellow institutions (such as Harvard). There are a few additional precedents, both in this instance London based, that could also be used as templates for how such aims could be logistically achieved.

The Architectural Association (the AA), the UK's oldest architectural school, has a unique system referred to as the 'Unit System' according to which most of its programmes are structured. Here only a few courses, such as technical studies and general studies (the latter which are elective), are common to all architectural students. Instead of having the each year's student population divided into studios, as is usually the case in most architectural schools, the students have a chance to choose which school of (architectural) thought they have most affinity with. At the beginning of each academic year, the (usually two) tutors of each 'Unit' present their particular programme or theme for pursuing an architectural discourse that year. These might range, say, from very hands-on Units that build something at a 1:1 scale, to Units which only do computer scripting (most Units usually establish some form of a middle-ground). These 'Unit Presentations', as they are called, usually last a day or two, after which the students have to provide a first and second choices for which Unit they would wish to join. The Unit presentations are followed by a day of intense interviews where the final Unit set-ups are decided (consistent of usually 10 to 15 students each). They pursue the aims of their chosen Unit throughout the academic year and present their findings and work at the End-of-the-Year Show which, at the AA, is open to the public most of the Summer.
This approach has been successful enough to have been adapted by most London based architectural schools.

Another example, and perhaps one that would be easier to adapt in Kuwait, is the set-up according to which the Royal College of Art (the RCA) has been organized. Here a number of different subjects, even though functioning as separate programmes, nevertheless take place under the same roof and share workshops and communal areas (cafes, libraries, etc.). They also allow, even encourage, cross-fertilization between each student's main discipline and other branches of studies.

What these approaches have in common is an emphasis on allowing individuals to pursue interests and fields of knowledge beyond their range of specialization, and even encourage them to work and discover things from beyond their usual comfort zone. This blending, (or 'collaging') and occasionally even clashing, of ideas is a great way to test the validity of a proposal, and to develop approaches that benefit from know-how outside ones usual paradigm of though. It is also an essential component in innovation.

Kuwait is a financially wealthy nation, why not aim to make it also one rich on a cultural level? Particularly considering that these two strands of 'wealth' usually develop hand-in-hand...

The Kuwait School Manifesto in the Al-Watan Newspaper...

Yesterday's (Thursday's) Al-Watan newspaper, one of the country's leading English newspapers (affiliated with the Herald Tribune) had almost a full page article about the Kuwait School Manifesto, which is great, and we sincerely hope it will introduce some of the presented ideas to a wider audience. Whether it will catalyse a discussion regarding the related issues remains to be seen. Let's hope it will...

In regards to the article itself, if a bit of criticism is allowed, the piece would have benefited from including the headings of the eight maxims in the text. As it stands, the pacing of the text is quite difficult to decipher as the manifesto's eight maxims aren't partitioned form each other, resulting in the points being read as a continuous extended paragraph. The inclusion of the pictures from the presentation help with conveying the overall message, but as their locations within the piece aren't synchronized with the text, they end up adding to the confusion.
It brings to mind Kenya Hara's (the Japanese graphic designer's) dictum found in his book 'Designing Design' (2007), in which he informs us that, "verbalizing a design is another act of design" - the composition of the message is not complete until its reconfigured into its final format (in this instance the framework of the newspaper page). The layout and the pictorial structure of a written piece plays a fundamental part in how successfully it will communicate its intent.

Please click here for a link to the Al-Watan article.

The Kuwait School - The Gulf's First Design Manifesto...

The 'Kuwait School', is an eight point design manifesto (first of its kind in the region) outlining some key nodes and the spirit in which Kuwait, and perhaps even some of its neighbours, could/ should remodel their priorities and tackle various design related undertakings. This call-to-action was first announced at Kuwait's inaugural Pecha Kucha Night, which took place at the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah Cultural Centre on March 11, 2009. Below is a summary of the manifesto's eight interrealted points, unveiled in the images in both English and Arabic, that aim to establish a recognizable cultural identity for contemporary Kuwait, something that still, as it stands, remains largely undefined...

The Kuwait School Manifesto aims to be critical, without being cynical, of where Kuwait currently stands, and aspires to provide a catalytic starting point for rekindling a more multifaceted, resonant, dynamic and self-sustaining Kuwait.

Maxim 1

We learn everything form history, this doesn't mean we have to duplicate it...

Image: A small hinged clog attached onto the inside frame of a window, which allows one to wedge the window open...

Our past contains the clues for how to conduct our present. However, these lessons need to be more suggestive rather than dictative in character. Excessive reverence for the past, without a smitten of demur, is never healthy. Thus, retaining and preserving samples of ones heritage is of key importance, recreating it less so. Our actions need to be reflective and in character with prevalent sentiments, social & cultural positions, environmental settings and perceptual preferences. The present, due to its capriciousness, makes the apparent certainty of a defined past attractive. It's a bias we should aim to resist, as the present-day is ours to shape, and that's very exciting and inspiring in itself...

Image: A design for a 3D printed mashrabiya customized to a specific location and particular condition...

Maxim 2

Admire Dubai's ambition and 'can-do'ness – avoid its lack of forethought, substance and interconnectedness...

Dubai is often cited as the default example of a successful reinvention of a city in the Gulf and Middle-Eastern region. Whilst there is much to applaud in Dubai's achievements, its determination, drive, and the sheer scale and zeal of the endeavour, much irredeemable harm has also resulted from its breakneck evolvement, be this in the removal of historical precedents, or the forcible application of, in the long run, excessive dependence of unsustainable interventions (mechanical air-cooling, desalination of sea water, lack of transport options, subsidized electricity & gasoline...), or the sheer impetuousness according to which the whole development has been managed. However, as useful a PR tool such an undertaking might be as an initial attention grabber, the biggest and the most outrageous usually has a short shelf-life, that, as a rule, is soon surpassed by another project more superlative in scale and aspiration. A successful design, regardless of size, needs to include a more multi-dimensional and comprehensive contextual approach from its foundations that verifies that the individual elements work, and are simultaneously considerate of the bigger picture.

Maxim 3

The value of good ideas needs to be acknowledged

A notion that is perhaps obvious to most readers, but it's surprising how often, be it due to convenience, ignorance, lack of imagination, or just plain apathy an existing rendition of dubious value is applied, and re-applied, without much forethought in the realization of a design. Perhaps one of the problems is that, be it considered in reference to industrial or urban design, often a successful design remains invisible, and we only notice them when they don't work, or when a comparative project is badly designed. An i-pod can be appreciated due to how well its technology seems to be inherently entwined, through its user interface, to the engineering of the piece as well as, maybe more importantly, to the tectonics of the hand (and pocket) and the way such physical factors are matched with the patterns of intuitive usage (the scrolling and matching 'clicking' sound of the device's circular control wheel). Cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, Kyoto or Hamburg get, year after year, voted as the most habitable and interesting places to live due to their ability to successfully balance and integrate the myriad of interconnected elements, from cleanliness, safety, access/ public transport, expense of living, green areas, etc., that make a city prosperous and a pleasant to inhabit. A notable design needs to consider all such , both positive as well as any more negative, aspects in its implementation. This requires, along with stimulating ideas and know-how, an abundance of perseverance, commitment and credence...

Maxim 4

Kuwaitis already have a fascination with 'newness', this should be reformulated from a mere material(ist) sentiment into a desire for innovation and the creation of the novel.

Image: The plastic is left on the seats of an, assumedly, recently purchased car.

The excessive 'hoarding' and consumerist impulse (buying for buyings sake), which is currently particularly prevalent in Kuwait, will eventually become, if it isn't already, a counter-productive endeavour. An act which involves no personal commitment beyond the desire for possession is inevitably impossible to satisfy. In the end, it's what one does, not what one owns, that matters. Achieving something that requires effort and perseverance is always more satisfying than gaining something by default. This requires a mindset adjustment, where the notions of 'homo faber' (man the maker) and 'homo ludens' (man the player) unite and are adapted into more craft oriented pursuits where the process of making something, making something original, and making it well, is an aspiration and worthy avocation in its own right (and, who knows, it might be a first step towards lessening Kuwait's excessive dependence on imports)...

Image: A weathered salt sculpture on display in the courtyard of the nous Gallery, London, April – May, 2008.

Maxim 5

One can have faith in technology without being a slave to it. Develop know-how and expertise whilst remaining receptive and open to alternatives...

Image: Archipelago Mashrabiya – a privacy & shading screen made out of three matching, laser-cut, sandwiched layers of canvas...

How far could one get in Kuwait without the use of a personal car? Even though today a generic car is not necessarily the epitome of advanced technology, it is, however, in the context of Kuwait, a appropriate illustration of a nation in utter dependence on a particular technology – a necessity without which the country would come to a (literal) standstill. It's important to establish a less loop-sided balance between us and the objects and environments (tools, devices, means of transport, habitats) we use and occupy. In the context of the aforementioned example, it's important to provide for alternate means of transport (trains, metro, trams, buses), transport usage formats (bus lanes, congestion charges), as well as the enforcement of the most beneficial usage patterns (the rules & laws) such operations entail to be successful - with particular allowances for walking, and aim to do so whilst recognizing, understanding and retaining some of the qualities that have made the act of driving so essential, and occasionally enjoyable, in Kuwait in the first place.

However, on a more general level, the notion of technology needs to move beyond such limited semantic affiliations and definitions, refocusing the noun of 'technology', into the verb of its Greek origin, 'techne', that entails the practical application of a craftmanship, skill or art. This approach doesn't limit development to a particular discipline (such as engineering or science), but commingles a variety of branches of knowledge and practice, preferences and sensitivities into a more inclusive and multi-dimensional whole. This syncretic approach can be applied to a design regardless of size or purpose, and is an essiential component in the development of a culture where variation, individuality and experimentation is allowed, even encouraged - a spirit and approach that is key in the development and maintenance of a dynamic and prosperous society.

Image: Bubble Mashrabiya (explanation as above)...

Maxim 6

Tomorrow's traditions, customs, and are created today... What kind of legacy do we wish to leave our future generations..?

A contemporary Kuwaiti adage holds that one of the best things about Kuwait is how easy it is to leave Kuwait. This sentiment seems to be quite prevalent, as the country becomes quite a solitary place around the holidays. Why isn't Kuwait considered a worthy destination by residents and non-residents alike? How could Kuwait be amended to become a more attractive and dynamic destination to visit and place to inhabit? This form of insipidity can be interpreted as a dearth of imagination and a general stagnation in getting proposals implemented. The current situation is unfortunate, as it also reflects an inherent lack of faith, and a fair dollop of laissez faire-ness, in the nation's ability to manage and develop itself. If Kuwait, from a design perspective, is to become a city and nation of an internationally respectable standard, a place its future habitants will willingly occupy, it needs to tackle its entwined debilities on the micro, meso and macro scale. This would involve fixing the unreasonably entangled and rigid bureaucracy that seems to ensnare all branches of governance (as well as the lax attitude that allowed it to become such a quagmire in the first place), to resolving the somewhat blurred allocations of responsibility and chains-of-command at the higher echelons of decision making. For only through such actions of accountability can viable and considerate designs, regardless if its for a park-bench or the UDP (Unitary Development Plan) for a new township, come about. These actions require time and interdependent thought and design, making it essential, for the sake of Kuwait, these are considered immediately rather than later. Our futures are made today.

Maxim 7

Why shouldn't the notion of 'Made in Kuwait' be a label representing worldclass innovation and quality?

There is no reason why Kuwait couldn't internationally be known for more than its oil. There is no reason why Kuwait couldn't become the producer of worthwhile and inspiring designs of various scales and intents, and do so in a fashion that would retain a distinct 'essence' (a Kuwaiti 'look', 'sound', 'flavour') of its own. There is no reason for why Kuwait couldn't be leading the way, rather than a following in the (branded) footsteps, in realizing praiseworthy, intellectually challenging and inspiring, architecture and design. Why couldn't the local industry and know-how, in all stages of the production cycle, be re-configured according to a more effective and affective template? What should a diwaniya of the 22^nd century be like? How could the streamlined properties of a dhow be utilized in the design of a carbon-fibre hull of a speedboat? How will the flavour of majboos change, or be adjusted, with times? How will sawt sound like when interpreted by individuals of alternate backgrounds and sensitivities? How could the unique qualities of the local social settings, cultural particulars and habitable vernacular be learnt from, and be utilized and eventually even be exported, to benefit a wider scope of individuals..?

Maxim 8

Kuwait – the design capital of the Middle-East?!

In the eyes of the world, and in the context of its neighbouring nations, there's still a position free for Kuwait, as the Design Capital of the Middle-East. If Dubai (with all its 'over-the-topness') is defined as the Las Vegas of the Middle-East, Sana'a (which still retains a substantial quantity of traditional buildings and narrow pathways) as the Venice of the Middle-East, and Cairo as the Hollywood of the Middle-East, there is nor reason why Kuwait, with its established craft heritage and existing pool of skilled craftsmen, carpenters and builders, couldn't develop into the 'Milan' of the Middle-East.

No nation wellbeing should be so dependent on the price fluctuations of a single product. It's time to diversify and to begin building alternative paradigms of know-how and industries. Design, through all its renditions, of product, furniture, fashion, literature, graphics, architectural design (to mention a few) is a brilliant place to start. There is genuine talent and skill in Kuwait and the region, this needs to be acknowledged, celebrated, developed, promoted, and supported. Who knows, perhaps in a few decades the analogy can be inverted, where Milan will be referred to as the 'Kuwait of Europe'...

Thank you...


Click here for a youtube video of the original Pecha Kucha presentation. Click here for a review in the (British) Building Design magazine, and here for a piece in Artvark...

For a PDF version of the above, please contact the author...


Copyright - Thomas Modeen 2009

Initial Submission - Breaking the Ice...

This is the first entry of the Kuwait School blog, which was set-up as a medium through which to advance, as well as to develop a related discourse, to the Kuwait School Manifesto initially presented at Kuwait's inaugural Pecha Kucha Night, that took place in March, 2009 at the Dar Al Athar Al-Islamyyia. It is a sister-site to the smArchitecture blog, however whereas the smArchitecture blog relates only to pursuits and activities related to their particular (and often somewhat idiosyncratic) endeavours, the Kuwait School blog aims to debate and discuss, and create a polemic, around issues on a more general level related to Kuwait and its neighbours. Please feel free to suggest and submit material as well as comments - the more related issues and concerns are debated, and the more general awareness is brought to the attention of a larger scope of interested individuals, the more likely it becomes that some positive changes might actually come about.
The Kuwait School Manifesto, which can be read through the link above as well as in the following blog entry, aims to be a starting point for such a discourse...