ACAW Team Feature: SHoP Architects

This August, Boston Valley Terra Cotta and University of 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 first of our ACAW Team Features, starting with SHoP Architects.

Team: SHoP Architects

Unlike some ACAW teams, which are formed with professionals from diverse industries, this team is comprised entirely of members from a single firm and advised by representatives from Boston Valley Terra Cotta. Led by team members Brad Goff and Berardo Matalucci, the SHoP Architects team is investigating ceramic as a roofing element in an effort to better understand the material in this application. Research has been conducted on the relationships between terra cotta and water to determine how the element is affected by manipulations of pattern, color, and texture. Through the design of the unit shape, profile and the development of the system the team is exploring additional functions of the roof tile assembly and its role in the definition of a variety of spatial configurations.

Team Members:

Brad Goff – Senior Associate, SHoP Architects
Berardo Matalucci – Building Technology Specialist, SHoP Architects
Victoire Saby – Senior Associate, SHoP Architects
Justin Oh – Associate, ShoP Architects
Sameer Kumar – Director, Enclosure Design, SHoP Architects
Seanna Drew – Designer, SHoP Architects

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