EKA Studios

Since the establishment of PART in 2015, Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam have been instructing the students of architecture and urban design as well as interior architecture at the Estonian Academy of Arts and supervised several studios and workshops.

Pihlak and Tuksam’s academic work aims at merging research and practice based on the conviction that by combining algorithmic design, planning and production under the architect’s leadership allows to boost the role of the architect back from the mere executor of standards and regulations to the pioneer of constructional processes.

Inclusive methods are employed to kick off the term either in the form of an introductory task, field visits or experiments with models that are further developed into algorithmic tools. The students learn to transform geometry into complex and structurally solid bodies. In the second half of the term, students learn about the digital production possibilities both in the form of models and prototypes that are often constructed in cooperation with the timber industry. The aim is to introduce students to their supervisors’ vision of modern timber architecture in which an important role is played by a good command of algorithmic tools and rapid prototyping and the supporting theoretical concepts.

Toomas Tammis, Professor at EKA Department of Architecture and Urban Design:

“Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam represent the young generation of EKA lecturers who seamlessly combine research with their daily practice and instruction. One of their research focuses is on finding and applying new possibilities in the local timber industry and in the specificities of the use of wood. Here architects are often at the forefront in manipulating space and material by means of highly refined digital skills that in reasonable combination with the enhanced technological capabilities provide the opportunity for a considerable leap in development. The systematic use and development of digital means with the respective possibilities in spatial thinking and structure as well as in the materialisation of the design is undoubtedly an area that has changed and will change for some time the ways of creating architecture and its physical representation. Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam are definitely pioneers on this road.”

Form Study 2

[organized chaos]3

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Department of Architecture and Urban Design

Fall 2015, 2016, 2017

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

By organised chaos we mean the taming of seemingly chaotic geometry pursuant to physical laws, material qualities and manufacturing technologies. The first part of the studio is focussed on the systematic generation of form while the second part deals with the conceptualisation of the created form by rational geometry and the adaptive rules. The aim of the task was to find a balance between the aesthetic and conceptual goal and its final optimized form. During the course, students create an algorithmic tectonic architecton realised in the form of a model measuring 40x40x40 cm.

 

Guest reviewers: Gilles Retsin, Jakub Klaska, Kristy Balliet, Renee Puusepp, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari, Toomas Tammis

 

 

Form Study 3

[organized chaos]proto


Estonian Academy of Arts, departments of Architecture and Urban Design and Interior Architecture

Spring semester 2016, 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

This semester is focused on using algorithmic modelling tools to generate complex timber structures and execute them in various locations all over Estonia. The studio looks into challenges in geometry and fabrication in order to find a novel approach for local renewable material – timber. The projects are executed in collaboration with timber house manufacturers.

Guest reviewers: Antoine Picon, Tobias Nolte, Toomas Tammis, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari

 

 

Studio Project, semester 6

Better Futures

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Architecture

Spring semester 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Bernhard Sommer, Galo Moncayo, Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

The large-scale energy efficient building studio investigates algorithmic design tools and novel concepts for the society. The studio deals with building programs that have an impact on society at large. While the previous programs included the Estonian Ministry of Environment and school buildings in Austria, this studio is looking into capabilities of renewable materials, algorithmic structures, fabrication and energy concepts for public buildings.

Guest reviewers: Theo Lalis, Veronika Valk, Katrin Koov, Toomas Tammis, Andres Ojari

 

 

EKA Studios

Since the establishment of PART in 2015, Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam have been instructing the students of architecture and urban design as well as interior architecture at the Estonian Academy of Arts and supervised several studios and workshops.

Pihlak and Tuksam’s academic work aims at merging research and practice based on the conviction that by combining algorithmic design, planning and production under the architect’s leadership allows to boost the role of the architect back from the mere executor of standards and regulations to the pioneer of constructional processes.

Inclusive methods are employed to kick off the term either in the form of an introductory task, field visits or experiments with models that are further developed into algorithmic tools. The students learn to transform geometry into complex and structurally solid bodies. In the second half of the term, students learn about the digital production possibilities both in the form of models and prototypes that are often constructed in cooperation with the timber industry. The aim is to introduce students to their supervisors’ vision of modern timber architecture in which an important role is played by a good command of algorithmic tools and rapid prototyping and the supporting theoretical concepts.

Toomas Tammis, Professor at EKA Department of Architecture and Urban Design:

“Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam represent the young generation of EKA lecturers who seamlessly combine research with their daily practice and instruction. One of their research focuses is on finding and applying new possibilities in the local timber industry and in the specificities of the use of wood. Here architects are often at the forefront in manipulating space and material by means of highly refined digital skills that in reasonable combination with the enhanced technological capabilities provide the opportunity for a considerable leap in development. The systematic use and development of digital means with the respective possibilities in spatial thinking and structure as well as in the materialisation of the design is undoubtedly an area that has changed and will change for some time the ways of creating architecture and its physical representation. Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam are definitely pioneers on this road.”

Form Study 2

[organized chaos]3

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Department of Architecture and Urban Design

Fall 2015, 2016, 2017

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

By organised chaos we mean the taming of seemingly chaotic geometry pursuant to physical laws, material qualities and manufacturing technologies. The first part of the studio is focussed on the systematic generation of form while the second part deals with the conceptualisation of the created form by rational geometry and the adaptive rules. The aim of the task was to find a balance between the aesthetic and conceptual goal and its final optimized form. During the course, students create an algorithmic tectonic architecton realised in the form of a model measuring 40x40x40 cm.

 

Guest reviewers: Gilles Retsin, Jakub Klaska, Kristy Balliet, Renee Puusepp, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari, Toomas Tammis

 

 

Form Study 3

[organized chaos]proto


Estonian Academy of Arts, departments of Architecture and Urban Design and Interior Architecture

Spring semester 2016, 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

This semester is focused on using algorithmic modelling tools to generate complex timber structures and execute them in various locations all over Estonia. The studio looks into challenges in geometry and fabrication in order to find a novel approach for local renewable material – timber. The projects are executed in collaboration with timber house manufacturers.

Guest reviewers: Antoine Picon, Tobias Nolte, Toomas Tammis, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari

 

 

Studio Project, semester 6

Better Futures

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Architecture

Spring semester 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Bernhard Sommer, Galo Moncayo, Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

The large-scale energy efficient building studio investigates algorithmic design tools and novel concepts for the society. The studio deals with building programs that have an impact on society at large. While the previous programs included the Estonian Ministry of Environment and school buildings in Austria, this studio is looking into capabilities of renewable materials, algorithmic structures, fabrication and energy concepts for public buildings.

Guest reviewers: Theo Lalis, Veronika Valk, Katrin Koov, Toomas Tammis, Andres Ojari

 

 

EKA Studios

Since the establishment of PART in 2015, Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam have been instructing the students of architecture and urban design as well as interior architecture at the Estonian Academy of Arts and supervised several studios and workshops.

Pihlak and Tuksam’s academic work aims at merging research and practice based on the conviction that by combining algorithmic design, planning and production under the architect’s leadership allows to boost the role of the architect back from the mere executor of standards and regulations to the pioneer of constructional processes.

Inclusive methods are employed to kick off the term either in the form of an introductory task, field visits or experiments with models that are further developed into algorithmic tools. The students learn to transform geometry into complex and structurally solid bodies. In the second half of the term, students learn about the digital production possibilities both in the form of models and prototypes that are often constructed in cooperation with the timber industry. The aim is to introduce students to their supervisors’ vision of modern timber architecture in which an important role is played by a good command of algorithmic tools and rapid prototyping and the supporting theoretical concepts.

Toomas Tammis, Professor at EKA Department of Architecture and Urban Design:

“Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam represent the young generation of EKA lecturers who seamlessly combine research with their daily practice and instruction. One of their research focuses is on finding and applying new possibilities in the local timber industry and in the specificities of the use of wood. Here architects are often at the forefront in manipulating space and material by means of highly refined digital skills that in reasonable combination with the enhanced technological capabilities provide the opportunity for a considerable leap in development. The systematic use and development of digital means with the respective possibilities in spatial thinking and structure as well as in the materialisation of the design is undoubtedly an area that has changed and will change for some time the ways of creating architecture and its physical representation. Sille Pihlak and Siim Tuksam are definitely pioneers on this road.”

Form Study 2

[organized chaos]3

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Department of Architecture and Urban Design

Fall 2015, 2016, 2017

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

By organised chaos we mean the taming of seemingly chaotic geometry pursuant to physical laws, material qualities and manufacturing technologies. The first part of the studio is focussed on the systematic generation of form while the second part deals with the conceptualisation of the created form by rational geometry and the adaptive rules. The aim of the task was to find a balance between the aesthetic and conceptual goal and its final optimized form. During the course, students create an algorithmic tectonic architecton realised in the form of a model measuring 40x40x40 cm.

 

Guest reviewers: Gilles Retsin, Jakub Klaska, Kristy Balliet, Renee Puusepp, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari, Toomas Tammis

 

 

Form Study 3

[organized chaos]proto


Estonian Academy of Arts, departments of Architecture and Urban Design and Interior Architecture

Spring semester 2016, 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

This semester is focused on using algorithmic modelling tools to generate complex timber structures and execute them in various locations all over Estonia. The studio looks into challenges in geometry and fabrication in order to find a novel approach for local renewable material – timber. The projects are executed in collaboration with timber house manufacturers.

Guest reviewers: Antoine Picon, Tobias Nolte, Toomas Tammis, Martin Melioranski, Andres Ojari

 

 

Studio Project, semester 6

Better Futures

 

Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Architecture

Spring semester 2017, 2018

Supervisors: Bernhard Sommer, Galo Moncayo, Siim Tuksam, Sille Pihlak

The large-scale energy efficient building studio investigates algorithmic design tools and novel concepts for the society. The studio deals with building programs that have an impact on society at large. While the previous programs included the Estonian Ministry of Environment and school buildings in Austria, this studio is looking into capabilities of renewable materials, algorithmic structures, fabrication and energy concepts for public buildings.

Guest reviewers: Theo Lalis, Veronika Valk, Katrin Koov, Toomas Tammis, Andres Ojari