Nexus Biota – IAAC BLOG

Team member(s): MuHuai Liu, Jacob Lettl, Zhixing Tian, Sebastian Oliver Dahl, Sunny Chopda and Darkhan Kadirov
Modified by MuHuai Liu on December 21, 2022

– Nexus –

an important connection between the parts of a system or a group of things.

– Biota –

the animals and plants living in a particular place (…).

**—FUTURE WORK SPACE 2045—**

Hello! I’m Antoni, a student at IAAC in Barcelona.

Enrolled in the design studio ‘The future workspace’. And here I am. In the year 2045. On my way to visit the state-of-the-art hotspot center of ‘Heura Foods’ in La Escocesa to conduct research for my studio project and also to meet a senior named Joseph, who works at one of the co-working hubs shared by ‘Huera’. However, my operating system (OS) calls it ‘Nexus Biota’ a place for all living organisms; doesn’t it sound therapeutic? Anyway, I should make a move now.

Walking along Carrer De Pere IV, the warmth of the sun repelling from the glazing facades illuminates the flora of the neighborhood. Old historical structures seem to be juxtaposed with contemporary nodes. I notice an enormous, old graffiti art wall. Approaching it, it transformed into an AI painting, embodying shapes and patterns associated with nature, popularly known as a fluid art wall. This technology enables us to create stunning visual dialogue, all-in-all forming a multi-
faceted reflection of the nuanced relationship between technology, humanity, and culture! I felt paralyzed. As I try to process what I just experienced, my OS alerted me, saying: “you have arrived at the destination”, and it seems as though it has transported me into a tropical ecosystem.

I strolled around for a while and ended up at the front of the smart desk. Smart Desk: “Good afternoon! How can I help you today? Antoni: I’m here to meet Joseph from the robotic department. Smart Desk: Oh, I see. Joseph already has a message for you – Hey! Antoni, I’m going to take a few extra minutes to end this session, in the meantime why don’t you have a view of the ongoing open-house exhibitions? The smart desk will guide you through it. Smart Desk: “There is an open-house exhibition introducing native food products by ‘Huera’, with a focus on hyper-local food production. Antoni: Sound intriguing. How may I proceed? Smart Desk: “Follow the illuminated path and soon you’ll end up at the venue. Also, you will get a notification from your OS once Joseph is ready to meet.” Antoni: Great! Appreciated… Following the illuminated path, a holographic screen called out to me;

Heura is a globally active company that is developing 100% hyper-local food.

I get introduced to the company’s long-term protocols and ongoing vision. I look forward to visiting the research lab by getting to know how critical the company’s R&D was in re-establishing the global market of the food industry. Shortly after killing some time at the exhibition, I get briefed by my OS that Joseph is ready to meet. As I wander into the outdoor space, I see a network of pathways crisscrossing to multiple breathing skins, bringing a whole new envelope to this lush green tropical ecosystem. Eventually, I see Joseph getting up from his seat, which morphs back into the room structure as he makes his way towards me. After a few minutes of formal conversation, we stepped into the R&D lab.

The best way to describe the workspace for the research department is a part chemistry lab, and part test kitchen where they experiment, create and craft all the ‘Huera’ food products. The movement is around the morphed floor, serving the kitchen island with nooks and spaces across the area for cultivation and incubation. Everything about this place was sterile. And as we walk past the lab, we ended up being at one of the co-working spaces, having intellectual skin that responds and morphs to create the surfaces through the help of soft robotics. By asking Joseph I got to know more about the integration of soft robotics and he, later on, starts elaborating on the workings of the breathing skin having nanotechnology to supplement the HVAC system that reduces the energy required for heating and cooling the structure from the inside which is protected by the fiber connections from the outside layer of the skin. It is important and helpful to know about the overall structure in-depth. By taking one of the connecting paths to the rooftop cafe we talk more on the topics of sustainability to reflect on how such practices like Nexus Biota go beyond reducing the harm we inflict upon the earth and can work to heal the planet and our bodies to healthier conditions.

–HEURA —

Company Strategies

Food Strategies

Collaborative System

**—LA ESCOSESA—**

**—URBAN LAYER—**

—ARCHITECTURAL LAYER–

Accessibility

Gradient adaption from C. de Pere and C. de Bolivia by transitioning from street to green space, by opening the ground floor of the the historical structure. Adding nature based structure to lead the way into the site.

Respacing

Dismantling the historic structure to open the site for more surface area and natural lighting as well as interlink the overall approachability
?

**—RULES—**

Column Logic

Gradient adaption from C. de Pere and C. de Bolivia by transitioning from street to green space, by opening the ground floor of the the historical structure. Adding nature based structure to lead the way into the site

The Framwork

int columns
float distance
bool is_corner
bool connected

class workspace_unit
{
basic = [1,1]
dual = [1,2]
big = [2,2]
long = [1,3]
}

Future Workspace

The existing column structure of La Escocesa creates the Nexus. This system is providing the Area of for the future workspace, the Biota. Inside this closet determined area the workspace is flux. It will adapt to the surrounding as well to the special needs of the research and development. The composition of different floor layouts adapts to the special requirements of each individual research topic.

Environment

Nature and built environment create a symbiotic network. New building structure growing around the existing concrete framework. Nature is spreading in and in between the fertile environment.

Atmospheric Section

First Floor Programming

Scematic Section

Explosion Drawing

**—INTERIOR—**

Workspace Unit

The workspace unit forms the basis for the interior concept. The workspace unit is a dynamic node that will transform itself to fit the immediate needs of its users. This may include connecting to other nodes in its near proximity.