Imagen:  Atrio central del nuevo edificio para Cooper Union, Nueva York (2009).

Organiza: Centro de Estudios de Arquitectura Contemporánea
Presentación y comentarios: Anna Font

Drone Series
[castellano]
Un Drone es una nave no piloteada. Su vuelo es controlado autónomamente por una computadora, o a través de un control remoto por parte de un piloto en tierra. Hay una gran variedad de drones, distintos en su forma, tamaño, configuraciones y características. Se usan principalmente para aplicaciones militares pero son cada vez más comunes en usos civiles, de control policial, bomberos y seguridad no militar. Una de las aplicaciones civiles del Drone, de naturaleza mucho más lúdica, consiste en una pequeña nave con cuatro hélices que captura imágenes y videos de calidad hd. La imagen es transmitida y grabada directamente a un smart-phone o tableta, que a su vez controla el movimiento de la nave.
 
La Drone Series opera en el campo del espionaje, no literalmente sino como metáfora, eso es, como un espacio donde desplegar la curiosidad intelectual y el deseo de conocer los avatares de la práctica, con la intención de infiltrarse en el día a día y las dinámicas de trabajo de algunas de las más importantes oficinas globales de arquitectura actualmente. Como el Drone, el objetivo es ver sin ser vistos, en tiempo real, desde una privilegiada y conveniente distancia, para aprender desde la experiencia que nos permite tal intrusión mediada. El proyecto consiste en participar en conversaciones activas en una interfaz virtual y compartir las experiencias y pensamientos de nuestros invitados –operando por lo demás como nuestros anfitriones–. En continuación con esta idea, la serie construye al mismo tiempo una dislocación de los sujetos y una sensación de “estar en la piel” de los actores reales –diseñadores y consultores– que operan anónimamente en oficinas de arquitectura en todo el mundo, para así poder desafiar las preconcepciones sobre las atmósferas de trabajo y el desconocimiento sobre los procesos de diseño, programas de investigación y otras iniciativas que se llevan a cabo en las oficinas de arquitectura contemporáneas.
 
Las conferencias están programadas al mediodía, en el espacio del Taller de Arquitectura de la Escuela de Arquitectura y Estudios Urbanos de la Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, en un formato relajado de hora-del-almuerzo, y con la intención de anticipar discusiones que se puedan presentar en los talleres de la escuela durante la tarde posterior al evento. En el curso 2013 se planean seis conferencias –una por mes–, con una estructura de 20 minutos de presentación, 20 minutos de discusión guiada y 20 minutos de preguntas abiertas de estudiantes y docentes.

[english]
A Drone is an aircraft without a human pilot on board. Its flight is controlled either autonomously by a computer, or under the remote control of a pilot on the ground. There are a wide variety of drone shapes, sizes, configurations, and characteristics. They are deployed predominantly for military applications, but also used in small but growing number of civil applications, such as policing, firefighting, and nonmilitary security. One of the civil applications of a Drone, much more ludic in its nature, consists of a small aircraft with four propellers that captures hd photographs and videos. The footage is streamed and recorded directly to a smart-phone or a tablet, which works, at the same time, as its controlling device.
 
The Drone Series operates in the realm of “espionage”, not literally but metaphorically, that is, as a space to unfold the intellectual curiosity and desire of knowledge about the avatars of practice, with the will to “infiltrate” in the everyday life and work dynamics of some of the most important global architecture offices today. Alike a Drone, the aim is to see without being seen, in real time, from a “privileged and convenient” distance, in order to learn from the experience of a mediated intrusion. The project consists in engaging in active conversations through virtual interfaces, in order to share the experiences and thoughts of our guests –curiously otherwise operating as our hosts–. Along these lines, the series constructs both a dislocation of the subjects and a feeling of being in the skin of the real actors –designers and consultants–operating anonymously in architectural offices worldwide, challenging preconceptions about office environments and a common lack of information about design procedures, research investment programs and other initiatives taking place in contemporary architectural offices.
 
The events are programmed to take place at noon in the Studio Space of the School of Architecture and Urban Studies at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, under a relaxed lunch-time format, and anticipating discussions to be held in the design studios across the School during the afternoon right after. Six lectures are planned to take place during 2013 –one per month–, following a structure of 20 minute presentations, 20 minute guided discussions and 20 minute open questions with students and faculty.

Nicolas Fayad
Project Designer, Morphosis Architects
Nicolas Fayad is a New York-based architect who completed his Bachelor in Architecture at the American University of Beirut before earning a Masters in Architecture with distinction from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he won the James Templeton Kelley Prize, offered by the Boston Society of Architects for the best graduating project of the 2010 academic year. His research focuses on architecture which rises from contextual constraints, striving in the excesses of digital design. His work emphasizes the importance of research and experimental based design which combines knowledge gained from the political, social and physical contexts, with the use of the newest technology. Fayad’s academic path was furthered by professional experiences working in international offices such as Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Preston Scott Cohen, Inc. He joined Morphosis Architects in 2010 as a project designer and has been involved in the design and construction of large scale, commercial and educational projects such as the Tour Phare in Paris and the Cornell University Tech Campus in New York City. His work has been exhibited at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the Venice Biennale, and the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture. He also was published in Wallpaper Magazine, ArchDaily, StudioPlex, L'Officiel Levant and L'Orient Le Jour. Fayad was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the '30 Under 30' in the Art and Design category and has won the Young Alumni Award for Excellence in Design at the American University of Beirut.
Morphosis Architects

Jueves 30 de mayo, 13h
Taller de Arquitectura, 2° piso. Edificio Alcorta
Actividad abierta para los alumnos y profesores de la carrera de arquitectura