We have been overwhelmed with requests for the paper and exhibition project submission deadline to be extended. This is a busy time of year for everyone so we have extended the deadline 1 month! Please submit your papers or projects by Friday, May 23, 2008.

Another question that has been asked by many of you is whether you can submit both a paper and a project for the exhibition. The answer is YES. We would love to have a strong correspondence between the papers presented and the exhibition posters.

If you have any questions please email conference@acadia.org.

Click to Submit Papers and Projects

Paper abstracts are due April 04, 2008. (Optional, but encouraged)

Full papers are due April 25, 2008.

Project submissions for exhibition are due April 25, 2008.

Submission Guidelines
Abstract: Should be less then 500 words. Please use the “Abstract” field in the submission form to submit your abstract (no upload is necessary). Abstract submissions will only be used to ascertain the number of reviewers and session topics. Authors who are unable to submit abstracts may still submit full papers for review.

Full Papers: Use standard 8.5″x11″ or A4 format saved as PDF. Should be less then 2500 words. Images w/ captions can be included. If the paper is accepted, the author will be asked to make revisions based on the blind review comments and to reformat according to a more specific set of formatting guidelines for publishing. Your paper and filename may not include any identifying marks or author’s name.

Projects: A slide presentation, maximum of 10 slides, 96dpi each, in .pdf format. One of ten slides must include a project description, 500 words or less. Your slide presentation and filename may not include any identifying marks or author’s name.

Featuring one of our Keynote Speakers:

Stephen Wolfram
Wolfram Research
CEO

Stephen Wolfram was educated at Eton, Oxford, and Caltech, receiving his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in 1979 at the age of 20. His early work in physics and computer science was recognized by a MacArthur award in 1981. In the early 1980s he made a series of now-classic discoveries about systems known as cellular automata, leading to numerous applications in physics, mathematics, computer science, biology, and other fields. In 1986 he founded Wolfram Research, Inc. and began the creation of Mathematica—now the world’s leading software system for technical computing and symbolic programming (and tool which made A New Kind of Science possible). Over the past decade Wolfram has divided his time between leadership of his company and pursuit of basic science. The results of Wolfram’s fifteen years of work were presented for the first time in his book, A New Kind of Science (May 2002). An instant bestseller, A New Kind of Science constituted international science news and quickly emerged as one of the most-discussed science books in decades.

Featuring one of our Keynote Speakers:

Francois Roche
R&Sie(n)
Co-founder and director
Paris, France

The architectural office R&Sie(n) was set up in 1989 and is lead by Francois Roche (1961, France), Stephanie Lavaux (1966, France) and Jean Navarro (1971, France). The office is based in Paris. The organic, oppositional architectural projects in the practice are concerned with the bond between building, context and human relations. Roche explains his concept of spoiled climate chameleon architecture, which links and hybrids the human body to the body of architecture by a re-scenarization on the rules of all the natures, even artificial. They use speculations and fictions as process to dis-alienate the post-capitalism subjectivities, in the pursuit of Toni Negri. R&Sie(n) consider architectural identity as an unstable concept, defined through temporary forms in which the vegetal and biological become a dynamic element. R&Sie(n) are currently undertaking a critical experiment with new warping technologies to prompt architectural “scenarios” of cartographic distortion, substitution, and genetic territorial mutations. This kind of attitude and work is not fully understood in France where R&Sie(n) is mainly maintained on the side of the production. R&Sie(n) hold(s) several professorships with Francois Roche, in London at Bartlett School, in Vienna at TU, in Barcelona at ESARQ, in Paris at ESA, in Philadelphia at UPenn, and is teaching now in advanced studio at Columbia NY, USA. With speeches at MIT, Havard, AA School, UCLA, Sci-Arch. Their projects have been exhibited at the Tate Modern (London 2006), Columbia University (New-York, 1999-2000), UCLA (Los Angeles, 1999-2000), ICA (London, 2001), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, 2004), Pompidou Center (Paris, 2004), MAM / Musee d’Art Moderne (Paris, 2005, 2006), MIT’s Media Lab (Cambridge 2006), Pavillon de l’Arsenal (Paris, 2006), Orleans/ArchiLab International Architectural Conference (1999, 2001, 2003). R&Sie(n) were among the architects selected by France for the 1990, 1996, 2000 and 2002 (refused) Venice Architectural Biennale, and were also featured in the 2000, 2004 international selection.

Featuring one of our Keynote Speakers:

Michael Weinstock
Emergence and Design Group, Founding Member
Architectural Association, Academic Head
AA Emergent Technologies and Design Master’s Program, Director
AA Master of technical Studies

Michael Weinstock is an Architect. Born in Germany, lived as a child in the Far East and then West Africa, and attended an English public school but ran away to sea at age 17 after reading Conrad. Years at sea in traditional wooden sailing ships, with shipyard and shipbuilding experience. Studied Architecture at the Architectural Association 1982/88 and has taught at the AA School of Architecture since 1989. Founding Member of the Emergence and Design Group, formed in 2002 as a multi-disciplinary research practice. Personal research interests lie in exploring the convergence of Emergence, Natural Systems, Evolution, Computation and Material Sciences, and has taught and published on these topics in Europe and the US since 1998. At the Architectural Association School of Architecture, Michael Weinstock serves the Academic Head since 2006. He is also director of the Emergent Technologies and Design Master’s program since 200 and master of Technical Studies since 1997.

Edited the following AD issues:

Featuring one of our Keynote Speakers:

George Jeronimidis
Director of Center for Biomimetics
Center for Biomimetics
University of Reading

Director of the Centre for Biomimetics, The University of Reading;
Professor of Composite Materials Engineering, School of Construction Management and Engineering, The University of Reading.

Prof. Jeronimidis is a Visiting Professor at the following institutions: Architectural Association, School of Architecture, London; Dipartimento di Architettura, Politecnico di Bari, Italy and the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Zhengzhou University, China.
Member of the Smart Materials and Structures Committee of the Institute of Materials, Metallurgy and Mining, IoM3
Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science

Career

PhD in Physical Chemistry, University of Rome (1970)
Scientific Officer, Laboratorio su Tecnologie dei Polimeri e Reolgia, CNR, Naples (1970-1975)
Research Fellow, Department of Engineering, University of Reading (1975-1980)
Lecturer, Department of Engineering, University of Reading (1980-1990)
Senior Lecturer, Department of Engineering, Reading University (1990-1995)
Director of the Centre for Biomimetics, Reading University (since 1992)
Professor of Composite Materials Engineering, School of Construction Management and Engineering, University of Reading (since 1995)

Research interests

Current research interests cover biomimetics, plant and animal biomechanics, smart materials and structures, and mechanics of composite materials and structures. The Centre of Biomimetics was the first research centre in the world looking at biology for inspiration and technological solutions. This research activity has received funding from various sources including UK Research Councils, Industry, European Union and Defense Agencies in the UK and the USA. Biomimetic projects have included developments of smart textiles, muscle-type actuators, integral strain sensors, impact-energy absorbing materials, natural fibre based composites, development of cellular materials from renewable starch sources and bio-inspired air-flow sensors. In recent years he has developed strong links with the architectural community in various parts of Europe where there is a growing interest in bio-inspired solutions in relation to sustainable architectural design. Professor Jeronimidis’ research in composite materials, structures and design is aimed at exploiting fibre systems for added functionality. Nearly all biological structures are composites and the way in which nature exploits composites for adaptive, functional and responsive structures can provide ideas for integrated performance in materials and structures in sectors such as construction, transport, etc. He has been involved in several research projects in composite structures for smart wind –turbine blades (self-regulating), friendly suspension systems for road and rail transport which minimize damage to infrastructure, composite flywheels for energy storage with funding from UK end EU sources. In parallel, the interest in renewable and sustainable materials for engineering applications, from transport to buildings, has been supported by several grants to investigate the possibility of using plant fibres, such as flax and hemp, for structural composites competing with glass-fibre systems. Professor Jeronimidis has published extensively in his various research fields of interest and has been invited to give Keynote Lectures at several international conferences, meetings and schools on Biomimetics, Smart Materials, Composite Structures and Architecture.

We are extremely excited to host a great list of keynote speakers that have already confirmed their talks. We have decided to group the speakers into three clusters: Design and Design Theory, Engineering and Science. The lectures will be distributed such that over the course of each day during the conference we will feature a range of talks by designers, engineers and scientists. Below please find the list of keynote speakers; updates regarding the final list will follow. Over the next couple of weeks we will feature our speakers to give you a better idea about their work and research. Stay tuned.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS LIST

Designers and Design Theorists

Sanford Kwinter
Writer
School of Architecture, RiceUniversity
Department of Architecture, MIT

François Roche
Founder and architect
R&Sie(n)

Michael Weinstock
Academic Head
Architectural Association School of Architecture
Director, Emergent Technologies and Design
Master of Technical Studies

Cristina Díaz Moren
CERO 9
Co-founder and Architect

Engineers

George Jeronimidis
Director of Center for Biomimetics
Centre for Biomimetics
University of Reading

Scientists

Stephen Wolfram
Founder and CEO
Wolfram Research, Inc.

Please refer to the” Keynote Lectures” section on this blog to view additional related information such as short biographies and references to related work.

Welcome to the website for the 2008 ACADIA conference. We will be using this space to update you on the planning of the conference as well as provide information related to the conference themes of biology, design, and computation. Over the next few months we will be finalizing many details of the conference including the keynote speakers, workshops, and exhibition details. Please check back often or subscribe to our RSS feed. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact the organizing committee by emailing us at conference@acadia.org.