Research

R3M1X 3CH0 L00P - Solo und it's completely kollektiv but auch still solo


Systematic media translation as a teaching method

Architectural design involves translating ideas into sketches, spatial programmes into plans and plans into buildings. In an era of algorithmic planning tools and AI-generated content, the ability to reflect on and consciously control transformation processes is becoming a key competency. The experimental seminar R3M1X 3CH0 L00P (R3M1X 3CH0 L00P) at the Research Area Three-Dimensional Design and Model Making/Institute of Art and Design at TU Wien explicitly teaches these translation mechanisms.

The methodology is based on cyclical transfer between teams of students. Each step of the cycle results in one piece of art per team, created using various specified media. First, a found object is passed on to fellow students, who then translate it into another medium using 3D scanning. This process is then repeated five times, with each team producing an artistic work in a different medium: drawing (3), sound (4), photography (5), performance (6) and sculpture (7). At each step, the team's own work is passed on to a different team. Each translation and change of medium forces a reinterpretation of what has gone before, leading to the development of new forms of expression. Each double page of this booklet documents one cycle.

The course combines analytical-digital and performative-analog approaches. The accompanying literature on translation theory and authorship provides the theoretical foundation for the practical experiments. This method cultivates essential future skills, such as intuitive work with foreign media, empathetic decision-making, and collaborative authorship.
The ability to consciously navigate media will be essential in the future, including in architecture. R3M1X 3CH0 L00P makes translation a transferable method for planning processes, team coordination, and the critical use of generative tools.