ACAW Team Feature: Radical Matter

This August, Boston Valley Terra Cotta and University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning will hold the third annual Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW), with support from the UB Sustainable Manufacturing and Advanced Robotic Technologies (SMART). To give an idea of the depth of exploration and the process engaged by the ACAW teams, this will offer a sneak peek into what is developing in the factory prior to the weeklong event, to be held this August 13–16.

For this year’s ACAWorkshop, the teams have come together prior to the event – as early as March and April – to begin the design and development of prototypes of their explorations. What began as an abstract earlier this year (and for some teams, last year) has been developed through sketches, drawings, models and discussions in meetings between the architects, designers, façade engineers and the manufacturers. Initial prototypes of the designs have been produced in the factory and are at one or more stages of production.

This is the fifth of our ACAW Team Features, continuing with Radical Matter

Team: Radical Matter

Participants come together from many different backgrounds to form Team Radical Matter. They’re here at ACAW 2018 to represent The Matter Factory, Dataclay, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, Szerelmey Ltd, Iowa State University, Alfred University, and the University of Michigan with a collective goal to push the limits of architectural terra cotta. Team Radical Matter has been working closely with Alfred University to manufacture their terra cotta prototypes. Their work for this year’s ACAWorkshop includes the use of four custom dies to create 700lbs of extrusions.

Team Members:

Andy Brayman – Ceramic Artist, The Matter Factory
Joshua Stein – Co-Directory, Dataclay
Craig Copeland – Associate Partner, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Mark Walden – Design Manager, Szerelmey Ltd
Shelby Elisabeth Doyle – Assistant Professor of Architecture, Iowa State University
Shawn Murrey – Sr. Kiln Specialist, Alfred University
Catie Newell – Director of Digital and Material Technologies, University of Michigan

Click here to register for the final presentation of ACAW and keynote address by Christopher Sharples, Principal, SHoP Architects.