2. D
1
AA VS Innsbruck
WINTER ROBOT
Architectural Association School of Architecture
in collaboration with
Institute for Experimental Architecture - Hochbau

3. D
2
CONTENTS
Brief 3
Robotic Fabrication 5
Innsbruck 6
Vision 7
AA Visiting School Program 8
AA School of Architecture 9
Schedule & Info 10

4. D
3
BRIEF
AA VS Innsbruck marks the beginning of a
research initiative around robotic prototyping
methodologies that would allow rapid and cost‐
efficient fabrication of non‐regular geometrical
topologies. Driving from observations of natural
environment and the Tyrolean extreme winter
conditions that formulate ephemeral
geometrical figures of snow or ice, the aim is to
research on ways to reproduce them, in an
accelerated yet non‐liquid process.
The ABB industrial robots of REX‐Lab
programmed in combination with custom
designed apparatuses will form a framework for
a proficient, flexible and universal process
describing and fabricating implicit topologies
found, observed and documented in nature.
The incentive derives from the observation that
despite the increasing popularity of natural
morphologies within the architect’s agenda, the
fabrication techniques are mostly confined
through 3d‐printing, which does not contributes
to any advancement towards larger scale
fabrication. In large scale projects that include
paneling or cladding with constant change of
shape or curvature without any standardization
or breakdown into repeatable components, the
material waste for one‐time‐usage molds can
exceed by far in volume the actual product.
The Innsbruck Visiting School raises, therefore,
the question of whether a robotic fabrication
method could be developed having significant
advantages over other known rapid procedures,
yet maintaining an adequate level of accuracy
and being superior in terms of cost‐efficiency,
material waste and production pace.
Programme Directors
Pavlos Fereos
Georg Grasser
AA Visiting School Director
Dr. Christopher Pierce
UIBK Academic Coordinator
Dr. Marjan Colletti
UIBK Administration
Christina Maget
Teaching Staff
Pavlos Fereos
Georg Grasser
Pedja Gavrilogic
Philip Rust
Information
http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/STUDY/VISITING/Innsbruck
Contact
T +44 20 7887 4014
F +44 20 7414 0782
E visitingschool@aaschool.ac.uk
E innsbruck@aaschool.ac.uk

5. D
4
FORMS OF NATURE

6. D
5
Robots in Architecture
Innsbruck VS speculates on the use of
Robotic Arms into the rapid fabrication of
geometrical forms found in the extreme
winter condition of the Tyrol landscape. The
utilization of the Robots only makes sense if
it accelerates time‐consuming natural
formations while providing an accurate
fabricated result.
Forms of Nature
Innsbruck winter is specifically chosen as a
time‐frame for the Visiting School as it
transforms the Alpine area of Tyrol through
snow and ice formations. By exploring
nature’s landscapes, students are introduced
to geometrical figures that will analyze in
order to reproduce in the robotic lab.
ROBOTIC FABRICATION
Material Experimentation
The transition between natural formations
produced over a period of time and the
robotic fabricated prototypes requires a
material shift. As casting is a time‐consuming
process, a dry process via flexible, easily
manipulated materials is preferred, in order
to reproduce the natural geometries.
Material Choice
On Annual basis the VS works around a
specific material selected in relation to its
architectural applicability and its flexibility
and ability to deform/reform under
pressure. Material properties will be
researched thoroughly in order to feed‐back
the digital‐to‐fabrication loop process.

7. D
6
INNSBRUCK
Institute for Experimental
Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol, situated in the Inn
valley that splits mountain peaks along the
way of the Brenner crossing, provides a rare
landscape in the heart of Europe where
extreme natural conditions are mastered
through the centuries. A combination of
continental weather and high altitude
mountain region, Innsbruck provides a rare
case of an urban industrial and educational
center situated right in the heart of Europe’s
highest peaks.
UIBK – Hochbau - Rex.Lab
Innsbruck University hosts 3 ABB Robots, a
rare case for a Robotic Lab where the usual
case is a one as‐large‐as possible robotic
arm. Composed of a transportable tri‐ABB
IRB2600 multimove system, the UIBK
Rex.Lab is one of the first multi‐robot setup
to be integrated in an architecture school.
This provides the possibility to researchers
to combine simultaneously three different
movement‐paths in space, which can
manipulate materials in a way that one
single robotic arm could not. It is this multi‐
axis multi‐directional ability of REX.LAB that
the Winter School will utilize.
Architecture – Hochbau

8. D
7
VISION
The adoption of computational tools by
architects over the past two decades has
generated a large spectrum of digital to
fabrication processes that materialize the
research in digital means. While industrial
Robots have been present in the manufacturing
industry for more than four decades, hey have
only become accessible to designers the past few
years, mostly due to the advances of the robotic
industry in terms of accuracy the adoption of
open standards for controlling, programming
and communicating with the robots.
The adoption of robotic fabrication into
architecture reassesses the whole design‐to‐
fabrication process, and architects invest into the
flexible nature of the robotic arms in order to
rethink its application via constructing varying
extension ends. Being that 3D‐Print heads,
folding grippers, cutters or welding heads, the
ability of the Robot to navigate with millimeters
precision in every coordinates of a set Cartesian
space container, generates an applicability
discussion that intrigues the architectural
community.
Yet industrial robotic arms are not an established
fabrication tool, not even close especially by the
numbers of them being used by architectural
practices. High expectations though arise from
their “extendibility” nature and this Visiting
School intends to explore it on annual basis,
aspiring to become an annual Innsbruck
gathering for robotic experimentation that
attracts students and innovators to discuss and
share expertise on the future of robotic
applications in architecture.

9. D
8
AA Visiting School
All courses within the Visiting School are
modelled on the AA’s famed unit system of
teaching and learning architecture – through
the pursuit of agenda‐driven project briefs
shaped by students working intensively in
small groups in studio tutorials with AA
tutors. In the Visiting School, the agendas of
each course offering relate closely to the
geographic and cultural conditions of each
course setting. This provides a rare
opportunity for participants from near and
far to engage with local forms of expertise,
providing the kind of unique, globalized
learning experience only possible when an
international group is brought together.
Visiting students from the local regions and
much further afield make up the student
body of each course.
Visiting School courses are led by AA tutors
who serve as course directors setting
agendas and organizing local [and more
distant] teachers and contributors. With the
exception of Visiting School courses in
Bedford Square and at Hooke Park, all Global
Schools are organized to allow AA tutors to
teach jointly alongside teachers from the
partner school and organizations that serve
as host venues for each course.
In the past six years, AA Global Schools have
been held in more than 100 of the world’s
leading schools, cultural centers and other
settings. Each year the work from these
Global Schools is brought back to London
and presented at the AA.
Programme

10. D
9
Architectural Association
The Architectural Association was founded in
London in 1847 by a group of young articled
pupils as a reaction against the prevailing
conditions under which architectural training
could be obtained. Unlike continental
models which imparted a degree of state‐
direction and control on architectural
education, Britain with its liberal democracy
and traditional fear of powerful centralized
government had adopted a system of
articled pupilage, whereby large premiums
were advanced to private architects in return
for imparting an education and training.
All learning in the AA School is very much
project‐ and portfolio‐driven. Students learn
architecture and address the broad
spectrum of associated professional and
political issues by embedding these realities
within the scope of a single, resolved design
portfolio. In addition to the innovative team‐
and group‐based studio work of the
graduate school, individual undergraduate
student projects and portfolios are assessed
by a panel of unit tutors, who collectively
discuss and debate the strengths,
weaknesses and results of each project.
Taken together, our decades‐long
commitment to these essential features
helps to explain how it is possible that a
single small and independent school such as
the AA can continue so consistently discover,
define, promote and disseminate new
architectural agendas across the world.
2014/15, the AA's 167th year, offers an
ambitious array of new and returning
undergraduate units, established and
experimental graduate programmes and
public activities.
School of Architecture

11. D
10
SCHEDULE & INFO
VS Schedule
Saturday 28 Feb Day 1 10.00 Students registration – Ground floor hall
10.30 Introduction to workshop scope
12.30 Break
13.30 Lecture by Alessandra Swiny / Michael Georgiou
15.30 REXLab Induction
Sunday 1 Mar Day 2 10.00 REXLab – Studio work
13.00 Ski Exchursion !
Monday 2 Mar Day 3 10.00 REXLab – Studio work
Tuesday 3 Mar Day 4 10.00 REXLab – Studio Work
18.00 REXLab – Preliminary Reviews
Wednesday 4 Mar Day 5 10.00 REXLab – Studio Work
19.00 Lecture by Robert Vierlinger
20.00 Lecture by Nathan King
Thursday 5 Mar Day 6 10.00 REXLab – Studio Work
19.00 Lecture by Stefan Holst (Transsolar Munich, www.transsolar.com)
20.00 Lecture by Michael Reifer (Frener Riefer, www.frener-reifer.com)
Friday 6 Mar Day 7 10.00 REXLab – Studio Work
13.00 Groud Floor Hall – Exhibition setup
18.00 Final Review
19.00 Keynote Lecture – Greggory Epps ROBOFOLD
Eligibility
The workshop is open to architecture, design and Ph.D. students and young professionals worldwide.
All applications must be submitted at the AA VS online system: http://innsbruck.aaschool.ac.uk/apply/
For existing AA members, the total fee will be reduced automatically by £60 by the online payment
system. Fees are non‐refundable and do not include flights. Although University of Innsbruck will provide
access to Rex.Lab and studio spaces, students are required to bring their own laptops and digital
equipment. Please ensure this equipment is covered by your own insurance, as the AA takes no
responsibility for items lost or stolen at the workshop.
Software requirements
Students need to have pre‐installed on their laptops before arriving at Innsbruck (trial versions suffice):
Rhino 5.0 ‐ http://www.rhino3d.com/download/rhino/5/latest
Grasshopper3D Plugin – http://www.grasshopper3d.com/page/download‐1
HAL Robot Programming & Control ‐ http://hal.thibaultschwartz.com/

12. D
11
VENUE
Institute for experimental Architecture
Unit Hochbau
Faculty of Architecture
University of Innsbruck
Technikerstrasse 21c
6020 Innsbruck
Austria
+43 512 507 64610
www.exparch.at
CAMPUS MAP

13. D
12
ACCOMMODATION
Garni - Technikerhaus
Fischnalerstraße 26, 6020 Innsbruck
+43 512 282110
http://www.garni-technikerhaus.at/
Youth Hostel Innsbruck
Reichenauerstraße 147, 6020 Innsbruck
+43 512 34 61 79
www.youth-hostel-innsbruck.at
Gasthof Innbrücke
Innstraße 1, 6020 Innsbruck
+43 512 281934
www.gasthofinnbruecke.at/
Penz Hotel West
Fürstenweg 183, 6020 Innsbruck
+43 512 22514
www.penz-west.at/
TRAVEL
Bus – Journey Planner
http://efa.ivb.at/ivb/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en
By plane
Innsbruck Airport
Salzburg Airport + 1:50 by train (www.oebb.at)
Munich Airport + 2:30
by AirportShuttle (https://www.tirol-taxi.at/) or bus (http://meinfernbus.de/)
By train
ÖBB – Austrian Railway (www.oebb.at)

14. D
13
ACTIVITIES / PLACES TO VISIT
Hungerburg_Funicular (by Zaha Hadid)
Bergisel Ski Jump (by Zaha Hadid)
Nordpark Cable Railways (http://www.nordkette.com/)
Altstadt von Innsbruck
The Golden Roof
Ski-Area-Patscherkofel
Restaurants and Bars
Café Central
Part of the Hotel Central****
A classical viennese Café, with excellent food.
Gilmstraße 5, Tel: +43/512/5920
Stiftskeller
An old traditional Restaurant, with excellent Tyrolean food.
Stiftgasse 1, Innsbruck 6020, Österreich
+43(0) 512 570 706
Thai‐Li‐Ba
Excellent asian food from China, Thailand, Indonesia,
Vietnam…
Adolf Pichler‐Platz 3, Tel. +43 512 56 78 88
Kenzi
A nice Sushi Bar in the Old Town Centre next to the Dome
Herzog Otto Ufer 8
Solo Pasta Solo Vino
SOLO PASTA: the "spagettheria" near the university of
business studies
SOLO VINO: 500 different wines
Universitätsstraße 15b, Tel. +43 512 58 72 06
WEINHAUS HAPP
dates from 1484 and is beautifully located with a direct
down‐ward view of the Goldene Dachl, the City tower and all
the performers in the square. The restaurant takes pride in
serving fine regional and international dishes prepared by
the owner himself. Extensive list of 110 different wines. Hot
meals are available until 10.45pm.
Herzog Friedrich Straße 14, Tel. +43/512/582980

15. D
14
5th Floor
Part of Hotel Penz *****, Soft music, a drink, a roof terrace
with a spectacular view, a conversation,...in the best Hotel in
town
Adolf‐Pichler‐Platz 3, Tel. +43 512 575657 0
Café Bar Moustache
A nice Café/ Bar
Herzog Otto Ufer 8 next to Kenzi
Treibhaus
A nice Café / Bar with Concert Space
Check Program http://www.treibhaus.at/
Angerzellgasse 8
Tel 0512 572000
Innkeller
A nice small Bar with good music, a lot of architects to be
found there
Innstraße 1,
Tel 0512 291508
Krahvogel
Nice Gastropub. Extensive beer selection. Regional &
international cuisine and snacks
Anichstrasse 12,
Tel. +43 512 58 01 49
Elferhaus
Extensive range of beers. Hot meals served all day. Serving
solid and inexpensive Austrian standards. Daily specials.
Enduringly popular venue for the studenty, arty set.
Herzog‐Friedrich‐Straße 11, Tel. +43 512 58 28 75

16. D
15
MAP OF INNSBRUCK
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zOBxuwIACx6s.kGivK2cKVmZ0
SPONSORS