CyPhyLab

CyPhyLab – CPL | BIAS
FG Bio-inspirierte Architektur und Sensorik
Prof. Liss C. Werner
Faculty VI | Institut für Architektur
Technische Universität Berlin
A30 | Lab Raum 609
Office Management Raum 805
Straße des 17. Juni 152
DE-10623 Berlin

CyPhyLab is part of ‘City X’

November 30, 2020

Talk Liss C. Werner: Blame the Tools (Camberwell, UAL)

October 8, 2020

Liss C. Werner lecturing at Magnus Symposium Berlin

September 30, 2020

eCAADe2020 Proceedings published

September 28, 2020

CPL | BIAS chairing eCAADe2020

September 11, 2020

“the architect is no longer an organizer of matter and space but a designer of systems –
with multi-layered components and complex relationships”

lcw

Who?

CPL BIAS | The CyPhyLab – laboratory for cyber-physical systems in architecture and urban design is an interdisciplinary research entity engaging with architecture as a changing profession that opens formerly unknown fields of research. It describes the foundations of the Chair of Bio-Inspired Architecture and Sensoric at the Institute of Architecture, Technische Universität Berlin. Our agenda is ‘Humanification of Technology’. We operate along cybernetic principles and combine them with established architectural practice. This results in a convergence of space, biology, material and cyber-physical systems. We aim at an architecture where biology and the digital is connected with the physical materials and the smart objects in the networked world of the internet of things. The CyPhyLab was founded by Prof. Liss C. Werner in 2018 and became the chair of Bio-Inspired Architecture and Sensoric in 2020 and consists of an interdisciplinary and international team. The CyPhyLab is mainly funded through H2020 third party funds.

How?

A concrete application for architecture is to create buildings that act and interact with people and the environment. We want our buildings to become familiar with our human behaviour and to behave accordingly. Within our discipline of architecture we work in the field of biological computing, material behaviour and sensor technology. Our plan is to integrate networked intelligence into our built environment. We use tools like scripting and programming, as well as methods from artificial intelligence (e.g., pattern recognition), combined with material intelligence for architecture. Topics such as Human-Machine-Networks (HMN) and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) drive our work. For architecture, this is still basic research. Especially, since we have the ambition to design buildings architecturally very well. The process from (parametric) design to computer controlled production, construction and evaluation is part of this task. Our prototypes and artefacts are guided by the “Closed Loop Digital Design Process” we developed in 2018.

Why?

We aim at a post-digital Sixth Ecology, where the virtual digital, material analog and the evolutionary biological elements converge into, for example, learning systems. The digital cannot be separated from our material world anymore. It is integrated in our physical human bodies as it is integrated in our buildings, cities and urban infrastructures. What began in the 1940s with control engineering at selected universities (including the TU Berlin) is now being implemented across the board. We create a truly cybernetic reality controlled by neural networks, whose cognitive nature is hardly distinguishable from a biological one. We follow cybernetic principles and method to enable emergent systems and space. We are trying to understand what it means to be digital and how we can create a digital physicality. We call the process of getting there cybernetification.

Projects

Teaching

Classes taught in the CyPhyLab engage with Material Behaviour and Material Intelligence. Through experimental research, we start understanding the possibilities for its application on a variety of levels and scale. The critical discussion about our novel human/machine relation in an urban IoT (Internet of Things) environment is central to the work.

Winter 2020 Studio

Studio: MORPHING ECOLOGIES I

Urban and architectural design strategies are experiencing a paradigm shift. In 1974 Constantinos A. Doxiadis stated “At present we are in the middle of the greatest ecological crisis. This is the crisis which started two centuries ago when humanity entered the era of applied science and industry.“ In 1997, during the first digital turn in architecture, Stan Allen contributed to an understanding of architecture as systemic field rather than an agglomeration of discrete objects, leading to an investigation of design methods based on biological principles paired with cybernetic concepts. In the studio we will develop and design cities of morphing ecologies. Our cities will be systemic in nature – embracing humans and no-humans alike, computationally generated urban landscapes of formally alien beauty. Our decisions will be driven by the UN sustainability goals set by the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. Tiny intro to bio-inspiration. NOTE: You will start with direct observation, monitoring and analysis of physical natural and biological organisms. their growth and morphological changes (PIV). The studio is computational driven, skills such as Grasshopper and Python are welcome.

Image credit: Antonio Maria Leicht and Niki Sidirourgou

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the semester you will know a bit better how biology works, geometries in nature are generated based on specific rules and logics and how you can translate this into computational making of architecture and urban design. Technically you will also have learned of how to digitally create, possibly fabricate your morphological typologies. As an add on, you will have gained an insight into the terminology and theory of computational (digital, parametric) architecture.

Design Outcome: Modular or fibrous architectural typologies leading to morphogenetic landscapes for our urban environment. Functions are up to your ideas.

Exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2021 as part of CityX.

Modul: MA Städtebau I, MA-UD, MA-T-Arch
Quispos: 40385, 8SWS, 12LP
Course start: early November, then Thursday 1000-1530 –> Berlin time

Max 25 students

Registration Quispos and Typeform – also see poster

Location: Zoom – United Universe of Architecture
Teaching Team: Prof. Liss C. Werner, Assist. Valmir Kastrati, Zvonko Vugreshek (LA)

Winter 2020 PIV

Studio: MORPHING ECOLOGIES EXPERIMENTS I

The PIV ‘Morphing Ecologies Experiments I’ is interrelated with the studio ‘Morphing Ecologies’. You will grow, observe, document and analyze biological and natural and/or biological organisms. Physarum Polycephalum, Algea and Mycelium are in our focus. You will depict the differences and communalities in their individual biological computation; their growing behavior, structural characteristics, function and form, surface topography, topology and appearance. Through experiments using natural and biological organisms, we tackle the beginnings of ‘computational architecture and ecology’ as an interwoven construct. You will reference and learn about the relevance of the work of Constantinos A. Doxiadis, Christopher Alexander, Stan Allen, and alike. Paired with your insights in biological (functional and formal) principles (practice) you will gain a first understanding of complex systems and their behavior (method), essential for the studio work. Tiny intro to bio-inspiration.

Image credit: Liss C. Werner

Design Outcome and Deliverables: movies, diagrams, drawings, photographs

Exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2021 as part of CityX.

Modul: MA Städtebau I, MA-UD, MA-T-Arch
Quispos: 40385, 2SWS, 3LP
Course start: early November, then Thursday 1600-1800 –> Berlin time

Max 25 students

Registration Qispos and Typeform – also see poster
Location: Zoom – United Universe of Architecture
Teaching Team: Prof. Liss C. Werner, Assist. Valmir Kastrati, Zvonko Vugreshek (LA)

Summer 2020

Urban Material Intelligence VII: BIO-INSPIRED MODULAR MORPHOLOGIES.

Bio-inspired modular morphologies are understood as 2- to 3-dimensional aggregated geometries based on biological principles. Morphogenesis, driven through a multitude of parameters such as material behavior and humidity, is the bio-computer generating the form of a static or kinetic structure. We will use this design strategy to examine material; leading to the design of topographies, modular landscapes and objects. Methods: observation, analysis, analog folding, digital 3D-printing, biological growing. Ad-on: computational theory in architecture. Tiny intro to bio-inspiration.

Pearl_Nautica source

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the semester you will know a bit better how biology works, geometries in nature are generated based on specific rules and logics and how you can translate this into computational making of architecture. Technically you will also have learned of how to digitally fabricate your bio-inspired modules. As an add on, you will have gained an insight into the terminology and theory of computational (digital, parametric) architecture.

Design Outcome: Modular objects leading to morphogenetic landscapes for our urban environment. Functions are up to your ideas.

Modul: Aspekte städtebaulicher Analyse und Entwurfsmethodik
Quispos: 4584, 4SWS, 6LP
Course start: planned May 05th 2020, each Tuesday 16:30-18:30

Registration via ISIS, OR at
jessica.luettke@tu-berlin.de

Location: United Universe of Architecture
Teaching Team: Liss C. Werner, Valmir Kastrati

2018

Architekturtheorie/Kritik II, Analog loves Digital I Post-digital Theory: learning from a Pioneer seminar on and conversation with Peter Eisenman, IDs2345645, 32020.

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL, #VI, Sensoric Urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry, From Bits to Light. ID40425.

2017

Studio Werkstatt Berlin- Malaysia, Biennal 100YC with D. Köring, I. M. Pienaru, IDs 234558, 40405. Results were presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2018 as part of 100 year city.

Thesis supervision, Slawomir Klyszcz “Disruptive Future Cities” with Prof. R. Bunschoten and Prof. Dr. I. Borrego

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL #IV,V, Sensoric urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry, BuiltbyData. ID40425.

2016

Taught Research Project, Speculative Urbanism, ID40435

Communicating Architecture, ID24010

Studio Digital Forefront with Prof. R. Bunschoten, D. Köring, IDs 234558, 40405

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL #II, III, Sensoric urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry, ID 40425

2015

Studio City Lab – City Maker, Tempelhof and Berlins Housing Crisis with Prof. R. Bunschoten, IDs 234558, 40405

Publication

eCAADe2020 Proceedings Volume 1&2

Stojanovski, Todor & Koering, Dietmar & Weissenböck, Renate & Grisiute, Ayda & Rezaeicherati, Amirhossein & Sousa, Jose Pedro & Werner, Liss & Smajli, Zeki. (2020).
eCAADe2020 Proceedings volume1. 10.14279/depositonce-10568.2.
eCAADe2020 Proceedings volume2. 10.14279/depositonce-10569.2.

Digital Twin: Vision, Benefits, Boundaries, and Creation for Buildings

S. H. Khajavi, N. H. Motlagh, A. Jaribion, L. C. Werner and J. Holmström, “Digital Twin: Vision, Benefits, Boundaries, and Creation for Buildings” in IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 147406-147419, 2019.
doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2946515

Disruptive Material Intelligence of Physarum: Liquid Architecture of a Biological Geometry Computer

Werner, L. C. (2019). Disruptive Material Intelligence of Physarum: Liquid Architecture of a Biological Geometry Computer. In: Adamatzky, A. (Ed.): Slime Mould in Art and Architecture, Chapter: 14, River Publishers, pp.227

The Origins of Design Cybernetics

Werner, L. C.: The Origins of Design Cybernetics. In: Fischer, T. / Herr M., C. (eds.): Design Cybernetics: Navigating the New. Springer International Publishing AG, 2019

Proto-Architecture and Unconventional Biomaterials. Special Issue: biomimetics

Werner, L. C. / Adamatzky, A. (eds.): Proto-Architecture and Unconventional Biomaterials. Special Issue: biomimetics, mdpi, Basel, forthcoming 2019. ISSN 2313-7673;
CODEN: BIOMJE

CONVERSATIONS Vol. I.: Cybernetics: state of the art

CONVERSATIONS Vol. I.: Cybernetics: state of the art. Berlin: Universitätsverlag der Technischen Universität Berlin, 2017
ISBN: 978-3-7983-2954-6 (online), 978-3-7983-2953-9 (print) DOI: 10.14279/depositonce-6121 (CON-VERSATIONS)

On buildings that compute. A proposal.

Adamatzky, A., Szacilowski, K., Przyczyna, D., Konkoli, Z., Sirakoulis, G C.., Werner, L. C.: On buildings that compute. A proposal. In: Adamatzky, A., Kendon, V. (eds.): From Astrophysics to Unconventional Computing. Festschrift to Susan Stepney. Springer, forthcoming 2019 – currently available preprint on arxiv

Multi-Dimensional Interface Based Spatial Adaption - A Prototype For A Multi-Sensory User Interface Employing Elastic Materials

Lohse, Theresa, Fujii, Ryuta and Werner, Liss C.: Multi-Dimensional Interface Based Spatial Adaption – A Prototype For A Multi-Sensory User Interface Employing Elastic Materials in Kepczynska-Walczak, A, Bialkowski, S (eds.), Computing for a better tomorrow – Proceedings of the 36th eCAADe Conference – Volume 2, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland, 19-21 September 2018, pp. 169-176

CYBERNETIFICATION I: Cybernetics Feedback Netgraft in Architecture.

Werner, L. C.: CYBERNETIFICATION I: Cybernetics Feedback Netgraft in Architecture. In: Werner, L. C. (ed.): CONVERSATIONS. Cybernetics: state of the art. Berlin: Universitätsverlag der Technischen Universität Berlin, 2017, ISBN (print) 978-3-7983-2953-9 ISBN (online) 978-3-7983-2954-6, DOI 10.14279/depositonce-6121 (CON-VERSATIONS)

Kybernetisches Zeich[n]en – Feedback between Gordon Pask and Frieder Nake

Werner. L. C.: Kybernetisches Zeich[n]en – Feedback between Gordon Pask and Frieder Nake [DE], Cybernetic Drawing – Feedback between Gordon Pask and Frieder Nake [EN], In: Vito Cardone (ed.): diségno N. 3, Biannual Journal of the UID – Unione Italiana par il Disegno Scientific Society. Rom: Unione Italiana per il Disegno, 2018, ISSN: 2533-2899

Form and Data-from linear Calculus to cybernetic Computation in Interaction

Werner, L. C.: Form and Data-from linear Calculus to cybernetic Computation in Interaction. In: Sousa, P. J. et al (eds.): Architecture in the Age of the 4^th Industrial Revolution. Proceedings 36th eCAADe-Conference, Volume tbc. Porto: Porto University, 2019, pp. tbc. ISBN tbc – 09/2019

Biological Computation of Physarum – from DLA to spatial adaptive Voronoi

Werner, L. C.: Biological Computation of Physarum – from DLA to spatial adaptive Voronoi. In: Kępczyńska-Walczak, A. et al (eds.): Computing for a better tomorrow. Proceedings 36th eCAADe-Conference, Volume 2. Lodz: Lodz University of Technology, 2018, pp.535-536. ISBN 978-94-91207-16-7, DOI 10.14279/depositonce-7675

HUNCH 1972: A Second Experiment in Sketch Recognition or: ‘I Know the Concept of Your Concept of interpolation

Werner, L. C.: HUNCH 1972: A Second Experiment in Sketch Recognition or: ‘I Know the Concept of Your Concept of interpolation’. In: Marcos, Carlos L. (ed.): Graphic Imprints: The Influence of Representation and Ideation Tools in Architecture. Proceedings XVII EGA International Conference. University of Alicante, Spain. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018, p. 3-11.

ISBN (print): 978-3-319-93748-9 ISBN (online): 978-3-319-93749-6DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93749-6
Download Link: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-93749-6_1.pdf

A Cloud recycling Light: human feedback matters

Werner, L. C.: A Cloud recycling Light: human feedback matters. In: Trento, A. et al (eds.): ShoCK – Sharing of Computable Knowledge. Proceedings 35th eCAADe, Education and Research in Computer Aided Architecture and Design in Europe. Rome: La Sapienza University Press, 2017, p. 699-708.
ISBN 978-3-642-23435-4 (online),
978-36-422-3434-7 (print)
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-23435-4_8

For the complete list of publication click here

Teaching

2016

Research Project, Speculative Urbanism

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL #II, III, Sensoric urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry

Alexander Brauer, Maximilian Quick, Moritz Funck, Merriam Berrima, Niki Apostolopoulou, Victor Xian-Hao Li, Doan Ba Thinh Nguyen, Marie Le Péchon, Bryan Varela, Clément Bacquet, Slawomir Klyszcz, Inês Costa Ferreira, Izabela Kutyla, Marta Mazur, Ran Li, Tomas Barbera Ramallo, Luke Hannaford, Zhang zhaoxi, Tan Jingwei, Yunke Zheng, Polina Sevostianova, Guilherm Zanoli, Antoine Bechet

Teaching

2017

Studio Werkstatt Berlin- Malaysia

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL #IV,V, Sensoric urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry, BuiltbyData. ID40425.

MA Thesis supervision, Slawomir Klyszcz “Disruptive Future Cities”

Minoo Heidari Tabar, Anna-Maria Chatzi, Lonna Al Bondakji, Lisa-Marie Wesseler, Joan Gukens Valero, Pombo Goncalo, Macur Makysmilian, Katarzyna Raczkowska, Kin Chung Marco Lau, Liam Patterson, Maria Porras Varo, Noemi Gonzales, Fujii Ryuta, Theresa Lohse, Huichao Ding, Ye Wenqia, Nan Bai, Jianan Li

Teaching

2018

Architekturtheorie/Kritik II, Analog loves Digital

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL, #VI, Sensoric Urban Prototypes, Interaction, Modularity – Material Behavior through Geometry, From Bits to Light.

Zahide Gülsah Durmaz, Narjes Ghashghaei, Undine Kimmel, Theresa Lohse, Maksymilian Macur, Louai Sameh Mesharrafa, Omar Osman Abdelhamid, Katarzyna Obarzanowska, Dayana Born, Seungak Kook, You Xiaohui, Katrina Kim, Andrés Reyes Kutscher, Carla Rojas, Eduardo Brizio, Fernanda Seoane Gomez, Ayda Grisiute, Pinelopi-Filothei Karali

STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER

Al Bondakji, Louna, Lammich, Anne-Liese and Werner, Liss C.

ViBe (Virtual Berlin) – Immersive Interactive 3D Urban Data Visualization – Immersive interactive 3D urban data visualization

Link to Paper

Teaching

2020

Urban Material Intelligence XS-XL, VII: Bio-Inspired Modular Morphologies

Bengisu Aydos, Tunca Beril Barasan, Daniel Base, Elif Civici, Esra Cümert, Mohsen Khanmohamadi, Joanna Malgorzata Kowalik, Anastasia Kuznetsova, Antonia Maria Leicht, Fatemeh Norouzzadehmahboob, Heiko Rehage, Mauritz Severin Renz, Amirhossein Rezaeicherati, Niki Sidirourgou, Merlina Stephens Dupeyron, Sebastian Johannes von Stosch, Zitong Ye

Research

2018 – Built By Data
2019 – Get Home Safely
2020 – EZY-CRD-GO

Liss C. Werner
Chair and Professor of Bio-Inspired Architecture and Sensoric
MArch UCL, DipArch UCL, Bahons University of Westminster London, Architect AK Berlin, RIBA |, ||

Liss C. Werner is the founder and Lab Leader of the CyPhyLab, Chair of Bio-Inspired Architecture and Sensoric CPL | BIAS. She is a registered architect at the architect’s registration board Berlin, Germany. Werner acted as visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University (2012) and adj assoc. Professor at Taylor’s University, Malaysia (2014-2016), ran the Master Studio Codes in the Clouds at DIA Dessau (2010-2016), lectured internationally at e.g., MIT, CalArts, USC, Texas Tech, The Bartlett, Syracuse University, Cooper Union, Nottingham Trent University, Kassel University, ESARQ, University Innsbruck, is regularly invited as jury member and peer-reviewer and publishes widely on cybernetics and architecture. She is a member of the American Society of Cybernetics Independent Expert Evaluator for the European Commission for Horizon 2020 proposals. Links: Google Scholar. ORCID.

PREVIOUS TEAM MEMBERS

Pawel Unger, Scripting and Moving Image
Intern, in cooperation with Tactile Architecture, 2019

Pedro Soares, Product Design and Visualization
Intern, in cooperation with Tactile Architecture, 2019

Stefanie Holzheu, Media Architecture and Sensoric
Research Assistant, M.S. Architecture (SUNY),
M.Sc. MediaArchitecture, Dipl.-Ing. Architecture, 2018

Sarath Sasidharan, Data Analytics
Student Project Assistant, 2018

Mouhamad Sobh, Graphics and Communication
Student Project Assistant, B.Arch, 2018

Prof. Liss C. Werner

CyPhyLab | BIAS
Technische Universität Berlin
Fak VI | Institut für Architektur
A30 | Lab Raum
Office Management Raum 805
Straße des 17. Juni 152
DE-10623 Berlin

+49 30 314-26122
cyphylab@architektur.tu-berlin.de

Who?

How?

Why?

Projects

BrightAgeing - Human Centric Lighting

Teaching

Studio: MORPHING ECOLOGIES I

Studio: MORPHING ECOLOGIES EXPERIMENTS I

Urban Material Intelligence VII: BIO-INSPIRED MODULAR MORPHOLOGIES.

Publication

Teaching

Teaching

Teaching

STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER

Teaching

Research

Liss C. Werner

Suryaveer Patnaik

Theresa Lohse

Valmir Kastrati

Martin Baier

Tunca Beril Basaran

Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Koering

Carmen Preuß

PREVIOUS TEAM MEMBERS