News / Events 2017

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21-12-2017

C-Biom.A end-of-term Crits, Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / IaaC, Barcelona Spain.
VenueIaaC Barcelona
Critics: Areti Markopoulou; Maria Kuptsova; Kunaljit Singh Chadha; Valentina Toscano; Marcos Cruz


8-12-2017 
Interview by Elizabeth Pagliacolo for the Azure magazine, Toronto Canada.


7-12-2017
BiotA Lab exhibits at Biofabricate 2017, New York USA.
VenueNew Lab
Chief OrganiserSuzanne Lee
Exhibition curatorAmy Congdon
ExhibitsBiotA Lab / Shneel Malik - Viscous Biomaterials for Application in Architecture; BiotA Lab / Hoda Eskandar Nia, Eleni Dourampei, Yuan JHuang, Ziwei Zhao with Dr Paolo Bombelli and Dr Brenda Parker - Architecture Biophotovoltaics

BiotA Lab / Shneel Malik
Viscous Biomaterials for Application in Architecture
BiotA Lab / Hoda Eskandar Nia, Eleni Dourampei, Yuan JHuang, Ziwei Zhao
with Dr Paolo Bombelli and Dr Brenda Parker
Architecture Biophotovoltaics

Photo credit: Core77


5-12-2017
Workshop/seminar session with Bartlett students held at the Shukhov Lab, Moscow Russia.
VenueShukhov Lab
OrganiserElena Mitro



Photo credit: Shukhov Lab


December 2017 
Published interview "La imperfeccion como oportunidad" (by Martin Cobas), in Entrevistas 3, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo Uruguay, pp.70-91 
Editor: Sandra Moresino
Other interviews: Giancarlo Mazzanti, Pekka Korvenmaa, Felipe Correa, Francesca Zampollo, Jose Rosas Vera, Benoit Peeters, Marcelo Ferraz


27-11-2017 
Interview by Carlos Aguirre Diez for the Radio Circulo - Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid Spain.
Venue: The Bartlett School of Architecture


23/24-11-2017 
Jury member of the selection panel for the Professorship 'Bildnerische Gestaltung und Entwerfen' Leopold-Franzens University, Innsbruck Austria.
Chair: Prof Marjan Colletti
MembersProf Barts Lootsma (Dean); Prof Kristina Schinegger; Prof Gabriela Seifert-Kavan; Clements Plank; Rames Najjar; Maria Sadner; Verena Rauch; Simone Rautschek; Prof Marcos Cruz


15-11-2017 
Interview by Jordi Vivaldi and Chiara Cesareo for the journal IaaC Bits / Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Barcelona Spain.
Venue: IaaC Barcelona


26-10-2017 
Interview by George Bull for the Bartlett Review, London UK.
Venue: The Bartlett School of Architecture


19-10-2017
Keynote lecture at the Stone Design Show, Antalya Turkey.
HostOsman Arayici


10-10-2017
Lecture 'Bio-integrated Design', as part of the Future Making / Future Materials talks, Royal College of Art, London UK.
VenueRoyal College of Art
SpeakersChris Lefteri and Marcos Cruz
ModeratorEvan Raskob
OrganisationMA Design Products and the School of Design


05-10-2017
BiotA Lab / rC7 MArch Architectural Design, Bartlett UCL, London UK.
Start of Biotechnology and Architecture Lab 2017/18 - Extreme Environments
Tutors of rC7: Prof Marcos Cruz, Richard Beckett, Javier Ruiz
Thesis tutor: Shneel Malik
Students: Qi Cheng; Tian Du; Wenxuan Li; Yufei Lin; Dian Liu; Yixin Liu; Junpeng Lyu; Chen Shen; Lingwei Shi; Xiaoqi Wang; Yanghui Yan; Xiaoqing Yu; Kexin Zhang

04-10-2017
C-BIOM.A - computation, bio-materials and architecture 
Kick start of Marcos Cruz studio MAA 02, at Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / IaaC, Barcelona Spain.
Tutor: Marcos Cruz
Synthetic Biology: Nuria Conde Pueyo
Students: Catalina Puello; Johana Monroy; Shalini Brahma; Zina Alkhani; Antoniette Elchidiac; Evelina Ilina; Fabio Rivera


29-09-2017 
Unit 20 MArch Architecture, Bartlett UCL, London UK.
Kick-start of 2017/18
Tutors: 
Prof Marcos Cruz; Prof Marjan Colletti; Javier Ruiz
Students: Shi Qi Tu; Yi Liong; Fadhil Fadhil; Yinghua Chen; Daryl Brown; Cristina Manta; Yulia Amaral; Christina Grytten; Daniel Krajnik; Egmontas Geras; Hong Lien Tran; Hsin Fang Tasi; Naomi de Barr; Sophie Tait; William Ashworth; Yan Cheung; Levent Ozruh; Tobias Petyt; Jevgenij Rodionov; Howell
Photo credit: Alexander Semenov (Cyanea Nude)

NATURE 2.0

CONSTRUCTING THE AVANT-GARDE 
In a time of radical change, we architects are asked to develop a new attitude in which design adjusts to a new world order, determined by environmental transformations, socio-political confrontations and technological advances. We need to rethink our practice in search of a new disciplinary Avant-garde that is in tune with the challenges of the 21st century. 
This year's field trip across the vast Russian landscape, from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, will act as departure point for our investigations. Historically, we will take the Constructivist legacy as a key inspiration for how to break away from outmoded or simply obsolete traditions. We will delve into its visionary approach, investigating the proclaimed social agendas, and explore the conceptual and formal influence that this pivotal movement had on so many leading contemporary architects. Most notably, Deconstructivism finds some of its roots in early 20th century Soviet Constructivism... 
As one of the few real Avant-garde moments of our history, Constructivism was obsessed with abstract and dynamic compositional values that were embedded within a mechanistic culture. Today, however, we live in a post-digital era where cultural and technological parameters have fundamentally shifted. Instead of 'machine' we have machine-learning, AI (artificial intelligence) and robotisation. In parallel, 'nature' has taken on a new role on the frontline of design, research and innovation. 
Unit 20 has looked for many years into nature as source of inspiration and subject of design. We have explored it with the use of physical model making and advanced digital tools, searching for new environmentally-driven designs that are typologically and tectonically novel. 
This year we are asking students to define the emergence of their own architectural Avant- garde. We will embrace design paradigms that look at nature 2.0 as an open toolbox of and for innovation and area of action. We will explore nature’s extraordinary geometric and material complexity; find environmentally-sensitive solutions in the extreme climate of Russia; work with its unpredictable and adaptable intelligence; and make use of its immense beauty. Programmatically we will focus on projects that will tackle various critical contemporary issues: from artificial to natural, from mobility to housing, from industry to landscape, from high-tech to low-tech, from State to Church... The projects will be sited in Saint Petersburg - Russia’s cultural hub and imperial city (for 4th years), and Moscow - Russia’s sprawling capital of mighty power (for 5th years). 


29-09-2017 
Filmed Interview: Marcos Cruz on future architecture for the Venice Biennale, Bartlett UCL, London UK.
Interview by Tom Kovac


26-09-2017
BiotA Lab at B.PRO Final Exhibition, London UK.

GOLD AWARD for Bioreceptive Hydrogel Photovoltaics (tutors: Prof Marcos Cruz and Dr Chris Leung with support of Dr Brenda Parker, Dr Paolo Bombelli, Prof Mario Carpo and Oliver Wilton)
HONOURABLE MENTION for Bioreceptive Acoust Wall (tutors: Prof Marcos Cruz and Javier Ruiz with support of Ruby Law, Paul Bavister, Gary Grant and Shneel Malik)

Installation design: Javier Ruiz, Marcos Cruz; Richard Beckett
Students:  Hoda Eskandar Nia; Wei Ziwei Zhao; Mirella Eleni Dourampei; Yuan Huang; Hao Ding; Jeng-Ying Li; Idil Seren Yucel Inal; Sara Eljamal; Marisa Dewi; Yi Li; Sung Min Rhee; Ciao Xiao; Mia Leyi Qi; Jian Zhou; Lingyu Gou; Xinyu Wu; Gang Mao; Xu Si; Bowen Zhang; Shengtao Luo; Mu-Ching Tsai
BIOTA LAB EXHIBITION SPACE
BIORECEPTIVE HYDROGEL PHOTOVOLTAIC COMPONENTS
Hoda Eskandar Nia; Wei Ziwei Zhao; Mirella Eleni Dourampei; Yuan Huang
BIORECEPTIVE ACOUSTIC PANEL WITH MOSS GROWTH
Yi Li; Sung Min Rhee; Ciao Xiao; Mia Leyi Qi
Photo credit: Chris Leung


14-09-2017
Lecture at International Symposium 'Polycephalum City', Tallinn Architecture Biennale 'BioTallinn', Estonia.
VenueBalti Jaam Pavilion
Speakers (Day 1)Lucy Bullivant (moderator); Bart Lootsma; Marco Poletto; Marcos Cruz; Mitchel Joachim
Speakers (Day 2)Emmanouil Zaroukas (moderator); Rachel Armstrong; Areti Markopoulou; Heather Barnett; Renee Puusepp; Matias del Campo 
Photo credit: Claudia Pasquero



13-09 to 27-10-2017
BiotA Lab exhibits at Tallinn Architecture Biennale 'BioTallinn', Estonia.
VenueMuseum of Estonian Architecture
CuratorClaudia Pasquero
ParticipantsBiotA Lab, London; Experimental Architecture Lab, Newcastle; Ecologic Studio, London; IaaC, Barcelona; Urban Morphogenesis Lab, London; Linkscale; Heather Barnett
PavilionGilles Retsin 
VISCOUS BIOMATERIALS FOR APPLICATION IN ARCHITECTURE
Algae-laden hydrogel scaffolds: Shneel Malik - Supervision Prof Marcos Cruz and Dr Brenda Parker
Bioreceptive Biophotovoltaics: Hoda Eskadar Nia; Eleni Dourampei; Yuan Huang; Ziwei Zhao - Supervision Prof Marcos Cruz and Dr Chris Leung with support from Dr Brenda Parker (UCL) and Dr Paolo Bombelli (Cambridge)

Photo credit: Shneel Malik


29-06-2017
C-Biom.A group exhibits at 'Living (in) Future Cities exhibition - End of Year Exhibition', Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / IaaC, Barcelona Spain.
VenueMUHBA Oliva Artes, Poblenou
OrganisationMathilde Marengo; Maria Kuptsova
SupervisionMarcos Cruz
StudentsJessica Dias; Thorahafdis Arnardottir; Noor Elgewely; Yasamin Khalilbeigikhameneh; Inthat Useasakaree; Nikolaos Argyros; Christopher Wong
Hyper-articulated Mycomorph
Jessica Dias
Inlucent Resin and Cellulose Manifolds
Noor Elgewely
Photo credit: Jessica Dias; Noor Elgewely

23-06-2017 
Opening of Unit 20 exhibition at Bartlett Summer Show 2017, London UK.
Guest opener: 
Ross Lovegrove
Venue: 22 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0QB
Unit 20 tutors: Marcos Cruz; Marjan Colletti; Javier Ruiz
Installation design: Javier Ruiz; Marcos Cruz; Marjan Colletti
Unit 20 installation with work of: Matthew Pratt; Patrick Mawson; Helen Siu; Tom Bush; Mon Thi Han Han; Man Chung Wong; Ching Yiu Wong; Shi Qi Kiki Tu; Yi Liong; Fadhil Fadhil; Yinghua Chen; Daryl Brown; Cristina Manta; Yulia Amaral
Photo credit: Marcos Cruz


16-06-2017 
Final Crits of C-Biom.A / Marcos Cruz Studio at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia / IaaC, Barcelona Spain. 
Students: Jessica Dias; Thorahafdis Arnardottir; Noor Elgewely; Yasamin Khalilbeigikhameneh; Inthat Useasakaree; Nikolaos Argyros; Christopher Wong
Assistant Tutor: Nina Jotanovic
Technical Support: Khunaljit Chahda 
Synthetic Biology: Nuria Conde Pueyo
Critics: Manuel Gausa, Martyn Dade-Robertson, Areti Markopoulou, Maria Kuptsova; Mathilde Marengo; Maite Bravo; Carmelo Zappula
Photo credit: Marcos Cruz

14/15-06-2017
External Examination, Royal academy of Fine Arts / KADK, Copenhagen, Denmark.


06-06-2017
Presentation at VISION 2017 Future of the Built Environment, London UK.
Venue: Olympia London
TheatreMaterials Innovation & Technological Insights 


01-06-2017
Presentation at the Responsive Matter conference: De L'impression 3D 'a la matiere 4DCentre Georges Pompidou, Paris France.
Organisation CommitteeDominique Peysson, Samuel Bianchini, Emanuele Quinz
SpeakersEduardo Kac (artist); Roger Malina (Chair of Physics, University of Texas); Jerome Bibette (Director of Biochemistry, ESPCI); Stefane Perraud (artist); Teresa can Dongen (designer); Benoit Roman (Director of Research, CNRS); Corentin Coulais (University of Amsterdam); Jean-Marc Chomaz (physician, Ecole Polytechnique Paris); Aurerie Mosse (designer); Dominque Person (artist); Emile de Visscher (designer); Ianis Lalemand (artist); Lia Giraud (artist); Jeanne Vicerial (designer); Selma Lepart (artist); Marcos Cruz (Bartlett).


28-03-2017 
C-Biom.A Crits, IAAC, Barcelona Spain.
Critics: Alex Dubor; Maite Bravo; Mathilde Marengo; Maria Kuptsova; Marcos Cruz

23-03-2017 
Guest Lecture 'Biointegrated Design' at Leicester School of Architecture, UK.
Venue: de Montfort University
HostBen Cowd and Mary Johnson

17-03-2017 
BiotA Lab / rC7 CritsBartlett School of Architecture, London UK. 
Critics: Richard Beckett; Javier Ruiz; Chris Leung; Marcos Cruz

06/08-03-2017
BiotA Lab exhibits at ECOBUILD 2017, London UK.
Organisers: ARCC/UKCIP
Venue: Excell Centre / BRE area
Sponsored: EPSRC
EPSRC funded research on bioreceptive materials (front left); Bioreceptive MPC casts (Z.Wang; Y.Jiang; X.Lin; Q.Zeng - middle back); Robotically printed hydrogel prints (J.Hagopian; S.Mohite; X.Zhou;  H.Qian - back right)
Photo credit: Marcos Cruz

02-03-2017
Seminar Talk for the 1st year History and Theory at the Bartlett School of Architecture, London UK.
HostMario Carpo


01-02-2017
BiotA Lab exhibits at Super Material exhibitionThe Building Centre, London, UK.
Organisor: The Built Environment Trust
Venue: The Building Centre, Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT
Participants: 4D printed programmable materials - Self-Assembly Lab/MIT; Prototype glass brick section, MVRDV's Crystal Houses - Poesia Glass Bricks, Delo Industrial Adhesives, TU Delft, Rosso Dotto; Transparent Wood - KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm; Bioreceptive Concrete - BiotA Lab, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL; Silk Pavilion - Mediated Matter Group, Media Lab, MIT; Digital Grotesque Grotto - Michael Hansmeyer with the ETH Zurich and Voxeljet AG; Urban Algae Folly / Plaited Microbial Cellulose / Microbial Cellulose Structure Prototype - ecoLogicStudio, London; Shrilk Bioplastic - Wyss Institute, Harvard University; Black Graphene Radiation Protecting Paint - GraphenStone with The Grapheme Company; Torsional Stone Floor Slab - Webb Yates Engineers and Interrobang with the Stonemasonry Company and Artisteel Ltd.; Aluminium Foam - Cymat Technologies; Facade made of pollution - Made of Air, Elegant Embellishment, Berlin; Electricity-generating floorboards - University of Wisconsin-Madison; 3D Printed Steel Nodes - Arup with WithinLab, CRDM/3D Systems and EOS; Silk Violin - Luca Alessandrini with Imperial College London, Royal College of Art, Oxford Silk Group, ANLAI and Taroni srl.; Interactive Printed Graphene drum poster - Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge with Novalia; Biologically transformed Venice Brick Fragment - Rachel Armstrong, University of Newcastle; Airflow Bioplastic - Urban Morphogenesis Lab, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL; Radiant Heat Basalt Fibre Concrete - Techniker, London and Cornish Concrete Products, Truro; Agar Plasticity (Bowls and Tiles) - AMAM, Tokyo; Nanocellulose Samples - Aalto University, Helsinki; Bamboo-reinforced Concrete - ETH Zurich; Stabilized Soil from Peru using Aggrebind - Aggrebind, Connecticut; Aerogel Particles - Structura; Aerogel Insulation Wall Panel - Kalwall and Structura; Fire-retardant Plywood - Specialised Panel Products; Crustic Bioplastic Casings - Jeongwon Ji, London; Coconut Husk Board - Goodhout, Delft; Bullet-proof Film - Rosso Dotto, C-Bond; Photovoltaic Transparent Glass - Polysolar; Stone Wool Insulation - Rockwool
Bioreceptive concrete facade component - EPSRC funded (panels on left) Marcos Cruz, Richard Beckett, Sandra Manso, Chris Leung, Bill Watts (components on right) Taehyun Lee, Wen Cheng, Soo Hyung Kim, Dan Lin) 
Photo credit: Marcos Cruz


13-01-2017
BiotA Lab prototypes installed at Camley Street Natural Park, London, UK.
VenueCamley Street Natural Park, Camden, 12 Camley Street, London N1C 4PW
OrganiserKarolina Leszczynska-Gogol
InstallationMarcos Cruz and Richard Beckett with Hao Ding, Yi Li, Jerry Jian Zhou, Leo Bowen Zhang, Steve Shengtao Luo, Wei Ziwei Zhao, Kyle Ciao Xiao 
Bioreceptive Calcareous Composites facing Regent's Canal
Crystal Xinhe Lin, Yuxin Jiang, Andy Zhili Wang, Qungyue Zeng
Bioreceptive Calcareous Composites
Crystal Xinhe Lin, Yuxin Jiang, Andy Zhili Wang, Qungyue Zeng
De-carbonated concrete column with Canal in the background
Hillier Yue Li, Tommy Zheng Tang
Bioreceptive Claycrete panel
Jiarui Liu, Chong Hong, Yi Liu, Nan Huang
Bioreceptive concrete facade component EPSRC funded Marcos Cruz, Richard Beckett, Sandra Manso, Chris Leung, Bill Watts
Photo credit: Marcos Cruz