Marc Fornes

(GSAPP, Graduate school of architecture Columbia university.)

Theverymany Series

Series: in mathematics, a series is often represented as the sum of a sequence of terms. (…) In most cases of interest the terms of the sequence are produced according to a certain rule, such as by a formula, by an algorithm, by a sequence of measurements, or even by a random number generator. (ie Wikipedia.org)

theverymany "series" are sets of primary research on design as techniques where explicit and encoded set of operations are driving forces within the design process in a very similar way than surfing: surfing - in our case "mastering" new techniques (from the French "dompter") - is a constant negotiation (starting from the moment you engaged a weave) between where you would like to go and where the constant quest (and actually fundamental need) for speed is triggering you to go... two vectors cross product of each others acting as host of those precise indetermination design processes will be illustrated through many "series" of examples (ie: theverymany.net). Where the explicit use of computation via scripting or programming allows and even push the design toward a certain complication, its digital fabrication or often its assembly is yet still pushing for a certain level of simplification: theverymany series will be organized along a crescendo going from the notion of custom (incremental growth) & many unique (LightHive project, ornamental tessellation) to similar (Aperiodic tiling) & repetitive (recursive subdivision / fractals).

Marc Fornes

(Columbia University)

Marc Fornes, Architect DPLG, is the founder of THEVERYMANY, www.theverymany.net, a design studio and collaborative research forum engaging the field of architecture via encoded and explicit processes.

In 2004 he graduated with a Master of Architecture and Urbanism from the Design Research Lab of the Architectural Association in London after having previously studied in France and Sweden.

Marc’s work experience in France, La Reunion and UK includes ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS, where he was the project architect, from competition to tender documentation, for an experimental Mediatheque in Pau. During his three years on this project he directed the material research and geometrical development for the largest self-supported carbon fibre shell to date.

Marc has led workshops and appeared as a guest critic at the Architectural Association, The Royal College of Art, Pratt Institute, Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. He continues developing his research and blog in New York City.