14 Beyond the Studio | Fabrication Lab Their public exhibition was followed soon after by the first Digital Design exhibition for MArch, bringing together diverse investigations in computational design, VR, digital fabrication and Japanese joinery, and robotic extrusion of clay architectural components. We hope this exhibition will become a regular event to celebrate this innovative work in future. Two fur ther new projects included an oppor tunity for visitors to get a first-hand experience of making in the Lab. Our first Maker’s Day was launched for attendees of the undergraduate Open Day to try out our tools and contribute to a contemporary recreation of Cedric Price’s Fun Palace. Visitors helped to create their vision of what a social, cultural centre might be with scale models using card, and metal, 3D-printed, laser-cut and robot extruded props. Finally, global events forced our hand again prompting us to create a ceramic patisserie using digitally created tools to raise funds for Ukraine. There are two fur ther workshops to come: a Finnish sauna to be built by the Thames this summer in collaboration with Sami Rintala and the Finnish Institute; and a computational design workshop in collaboration with Grimshaw Architects. It’s been an especially full and productive year. David Scott Director fabricationlab.london Fabrication Lab THIS YEAR HAS thankfully seen a welcome return to the unrestricted use of the Fabrication Lab after the lockdowns. We began with a flourish and a grand Masked Ball – acknowledging the continuing use of face masks on campus. MArch students worked in small groups designing and building spatial installations based on diverse international dances, ranging from the Viennese Waltz to the Argentine Tango. For the first time, our introductory MArch workshop took place in Ambika P3, offering a safer, socially-distanced environment as well as an extraordinary space for us to reinvent as a ballroom. Our students once again created marvellous and engaging projects and a memorable experience. The next few months saw a concer ted effor t to overcome the backlog catching up on the Essentials training courses we offer for each area of the Lab. We’re looking forward to an easier star t with many more people now trained for next year. Other projects, re-imagined as digital-only productions, also came back to physical life, notably the Kinetic Architecture Workshop for first year BA and BSc students in Architecture, and Architecture and Environmental Design. They explored the potential of dynamic elements in architectural design, testing ideas through detailed, digitally fabricated models. (top left) Students creating in the Fabrication Lab for Maker's Day; (middle & bottom left) Kinetic Architecture Workshop; (right) Digital Design Exhibition
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