The course has two objectives. Firstly, it aims at informing students of the various tools and techniques involved with technologies that are currently becoming increasingly relevant for design, architecture and urbanism; such as game technologies, mixed reality (AR, VR, etc), machine learning, 3D scanning, sensors, data and creative code. Secondly, it seeks to engage with these technologies and themes in a critical fashion, through open-ended exploration, play and error. The course aims to expose students to emerging technologies, tools and methodologies, and the content of the course will therefore be updated each year. Through these objectives, the course seeks to teach master students at AHO the various possibilities that lay in emerging technologies that are available for design-processes and which might guide their studio work. As such, the course has a theoretical and practical approach to technology. It involves a series of lectures, as well as individual case work among students.

The themes and exercises of the course will cover:

• Creative exploration of new or emerging technologies.
• Making use of technology in creative processes
• Interdisciplinary exploration of technology as materials and tools for creative processes.
• Hands-on exercises
• Larger in depth project for the final week with an individual project from each student or in a group.

Each year the course will explore a new technological theme or topic. In 2024 the course will focus on games and game-technologies. The course will be led by Nadja Lipsyc, a game-designer working with virtual reality and immersive experiences. The course will look at games and game-technologies and -techniques broadly to uncover what designers and architects can learn from gamedesign.

Teacher: Nadja Lipsyc