For five beautiful days, a workshop theme “ICE CUBE” was held at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department of architecture , Alexandria University .ICE CUBE is simply an installation experiment located somewhere between art, architecture and communication design. It was located at the main exhibition hall at the main old building of the faculty itself. The exhibition itself contained researches and models for the “Theories of architecture” subject done by the students themselves. ICE CUBE is an attempt that focuses on the development and practices of innovative computational tools processes, theories and applying these in creative, socially meaningful responses to challenging design problems. It is all, about the planning of interpretive spaces. Rather than the additive process, where the design is a simultaneously networked, dialectical process, one which develops a dialogue between verbal-conceptual and visual-representational rhetorical techniques.

The goal of this workshop was to engage students into digital design, introducing them to Rhino’s functionalities and experience through constructing a parametric model in Grasshopper (a graphical algorithm editor tightly integrated with Rhino’s 3D modeling tools).  The intention is to create a complete playful parametric model which defines the relationships between design concept and fabrication in addition to implementation of a 1:1 model within a space where theory can be translated into practice through experimentation of an economical material (12*12*12cm Plastic cube ” ICE CUBE” ) . This is relatively new ‘low tech – high concept’ approach in architecture where digital media and material is a playful method that opens up the design process to spontaneity and surprise. ICE CUBE attempt address the Egyptian architecture community to adopt further workshops that discuss digital Design ideas, technical innovation and fabrication techniques, in addition to creation of a digital design community node.

ICE CUBE installation addressed many targets such as “Originality” where design involves the generation of ideas, the development of these ideas in sketches and drawings and the simulation of an envision reality in the form of models using design exploration and analysis which is supported by generative design tools. The “Process itself “was very important as it adopts the comprehensive design approach which includes; setting targets , exploration , experimentation, incubation and finally celebration . In addition to engaging other disciplines from other fields of illustration, graphic design, product and media design, lighting design, modeling and exhibition construction. ICE CUBE’s customized complex form is reached through “Simplexity” ; using simple modular elements using CAD and fabrication techniques . “Let the objects speak” , In this context the exhibited objects act as translators, and it is the task of the exhibition designer to make the translated knowledge tangible and accessible and that is by redefining the traditional use of materials to reach a different level of material expressivity in order to realize Innovative Design Rationalization. The lighting effects are also a vital aspect, in order to stimulate the public to get engaged with this complex theme.

ICE CUBE did not only focus on the aesthetic, spatial arrangement of objects, but also on the relationship between these objects and ” the interactivity” of the visitor that .It also embraced the historical space and consciously avoids dominating this space with additional positive installation . The architecture originality of the historical space should remain visible where this historical space have a fundamental influence on the overall impression and contribute to the atmosphere of the exhibition. Finally ICE CUBE gathered students around a single vision that embraced the feeling of responsibility towards each other, target achievement, accepting other’s ideas that led to discarding the feeling of selfishness helping them to understand the divine nature of their work.