Abstract:

This paper discusses how to incorporate new specific skills, related to Digital Design and Digital Fabrication, into the Final Degree Project (FDP) on the Building Engineering course at the University of Seville, that are not currently included in the degree syllabus, but are increasing their presence in certain professional sectors.

This new form of architectural production will mark a change in the way this subject is taught. It is a question that forces us to pay attention to new technologies, without forgetting the theoretical foundations of the discipline, in our case, the geometrical and the technical aspects of architecture, which support the design of Digital Fabrication.

The FDP is an autonomous and individual work which amounts to 12 ECTS (300 hours of personal work). As it is the last subject of the degree, the student will have already acquired the generic competences through the execution of Technical Projects, Security, Industrialization and Prefabrication (related contents), but generally, contact with Digital Fabrication Projects, and how to carry it out will be minimal and they are most likely not familiar with the professional and research possibilities offered by the subject. In fact, it is really difficult to develop an intrinsic motivation in this discipline.

To face these challenges we will need to incorporate the experience gained within the last three years through the Teaching Innovation Projects, such as; "New technologies of digital design and manufacturing in the teaching field" (2014-2015) and "Mathematics and Geometry" (2015-2017), which we will explain briefly.

In addition we will look at the theoretical and practical processes used in the design, fabrication and construction of seven pavilions of ephemeral architecture. These projects were built in five countries through the international framework of collaboration between the University of Seville and the National Universities from Colombia; University of Litoral, Argentina; Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Universidad del Norte and Chile; Bio-Bio University.

The FDP will develop a methodology around project-based teaching, tutoring, personal coaching and development of self-learning, among others. We propose the students review previous work done by the teaching team, which is to be analyzed, discussed and reused in the classroom. There are digital production and innovation projects in geometry, financed and built on very different academic and cultural fields, which try to promote the links between education and research. These projects will support the student and in many cases be their first experience with Parametric Design and Digital Manufacturing and how to develop it and the professional possibilities that are offered. Furthermore, the proposed methodology will give the student freedom to innovate and develop their creativity. The student can choose their objectives, whether these are professional or research based, and decide to start a project from scratch or analyze an already existing project and propose lines of improvement on any of the phases of the Digital Manufacturing project.

Finally, we will discuss the project conducted by Helena Santos Calvo, entitled: "Ephemeral Pavilions of Digital Fabrication and Light Materials. Optimization of Mounting Phase”, as an example of how the methodology can be applied.

Keywords:

Final Degree Project, Geometry, Digital Design, Digital Fabrication, Workshops.