The Acre Moat Canopy 2013
Lightweight Membranes 2013 || The Architectural Association VS, Tel Aviv
This year, the Tel Aviv Visiting School will face a unique challenge to become part of a building project – the construction of a tensile canopy for a new horse-racing arena in the ancient port city of Akko [also known as Acre]. The importance of ancient Akko – a well-protected, fortified city – is reflected in its eventful history during the periods of crusaders’ rule in the Holy Land, Napoleon’s conquests and the ottoman empire. The canopy project, located within the historic moats [Akko’s defense belt ] which surround the ancient walls of the city, will recharge Acre with a contemporary interpretation of its past traditions. Engaging with the contextual constraints of a world heritage archaeological site, the workshop shall propose a contemporary lightweight intervention within the solid fortified walls of the citadel. Joining an in-depth collaboration with experts in construction, fabric manufacturing and advanced digital design techniques and engineering, we will set out to explore the translation of an architectural idea into a durable and innovative canopy structure. This intensive 10-day laboratory will expose participants to diverse design techniques, from form-finding and materialisation to prototyping and fabrication techniques. Students will engage with both analogue and digital techniques, with emphasis on Rhino,Grasshoper and the Kangaroo plugin. The workshop will be complemented by a series of public lectures and reviews which will be hosted in multiple public venues across Tel-Aviv.
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