The intersection between the natural and the creative is subject of profound debate.
This places production at the crossroads of a pending reconfiguration that will invariably transform the way we formulate reproducible ideas, if giving consideration to material, cultural and environmental economies is that which can no longer be ignored.
Specific, collaborative revisions of existing productive practices may lead to visual and mechanical innovations that may foster these reconfigurations along.
This workshop will convene a transversal selection of experts from various fields and institutions including Cambridge University, ETSAM and MIT who will provide its participants an experimental, multidisciplinary platform of lectures and exercises combining stonemasonry, mediterranean building techniques, and bioclimatic construction filtered through the lens of contemporary design. Artifexbalear, a promising stonemasonry and bioclimatic design school of Inca, Mallorca, founded and directed by Miguel Ramis, master stonemason, researcher and sculptor will serve as site for this two-week event. For more details please visit www.artifexbalear.org

The workshop’s objectives are:
To survey stonemasonry and brickvaulting as re-emerging alternatives for innovative, costeffective, ecological design;
To review a range of stonemasonry building solutions, that, through discussions and collaborative research, will lead to the design and construction of a full-scale prototype;
To introduce the Artifex Workshop as an annual summer initiative directed and coordinated by Luis Berríos-Negrón, Michael Ramage and Miguel Ramis to spur continued contemporary dialogues between architecture, construction and the creative practices.

The workshop will bring the expert participation of:

Tatiana Bilbao
Philippe Block
Carson Chan
Yung Ho Chang
Lukas Feireiss
Juan Herreros
Santiago Huerta
Enrique Rabasa
Alfonso Ramírez

The attendees will also have the rare opportunity of meeting a selection of local experts and artisans who will offer first-hand look into their crafts, on-site feedback, providing the artisan & builder’s voice to the design process.

To apply for the 14 available spaces please send a statement of interest (no more than 250words) and CV (PDF or Text no more than 2MB) to: artifexworkshop@gmail.com
Rolling admissions until the application deadline: May 10th, 2009
14 – 28 of June 2009