Teddy Slowik
Lecturer
Master of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, University of Illinois at Chicago
Teddy Slowik is founder of Novatona, an award winning cross-disciplinary workshop that focuses on the duality of low- and high-tech means of production and design. Novatona’s work ranges in scale from objects for space to space for objects and touches upon themes of material research, assembly and fabrication. Novatona’s work and research has been widely exhibited and published in both professional and academic mediums.
Prior to establishing Novatona, Slowik was a designer at a number of internationally recognized firms including Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture in Chicago, Goettsch Partners in Chicago, Re-D | Research + Design in Barcelona, and DIGSAU in Philadelphia
At USC Teddy teaches design studios and representation in both the undergraduate and graduate architecture programs. Teddy has served on the architecture faculty at Cal Poly SLO, Woodbury University, University of Virginia, Temple University and the University of Illinois Chicago. Slowik was a Visiting Scholar in robotics and fabrication at the University of Porto’s DFL (Digital Fabrication Lab).
- 102alArchitectural Design IArchitectural Design I
Examine the critical role of materials and methods for the design and construction of buildings. The primary focus is on materials and systems, their properties and connections, and their intrinsic relationship to structural systems and environmental performance.
Students will develop a fundamental understanding of: the relationship of materiality to construction systems and techniques, how building materials are manufactured, and how a material’s modular form, dimensions and intrinsic qualities influence the design process. Students will learn about various building systems, and how these systems assist in the expression of a design concept, through an examination of precedent projects whose design concepts were generated by material logics and systems. Students will work hands-on with building materials (concrete, wood, metal, etc.) to get an understanding of each material’s properties.
- 105ALFundamentals of Design CommunicationFundamentals of Design Communication
Key to an understanding of architecture is an ability to move between aesthetics and geometry, spatial concept and materiality, art practice and technical production. This course will introduce basic drawing, digital and physical modelmaking, and post-processing skills and encourage experimentation with these diverse methods of working, providing students with opportunities to build and expand an understanding of what constitutes architectural representation. By iteratively working through various types of representation techniques, students will not only enhance their ability to communicate both visually and verbally, but also improve the final output of their studio projects.
- 106xWorkshop in ArchitectureWorkshop in ArchitectureThis course is an introduction to the processes involved in the creation and understanding of architecture. The workshop, designed for architecture minors and non-architecture majors, is a project-based laboratory involving drawing and model making, with no previous design or drawing experience needed. The course is structured around projects executed in class throughout the semester, a series of readings and discussions, visits to sites of architectural interest and a term paper. Over the course of this class, you will develop: - A preliminary architectural vocabulary - Basic 2D and 3D technical and freehand drawing skills - Basic model making skills - An understanding of the methods through which architecture communicates ideas and intentions - An understanding of the role which architectural history plays in shaping the work of contemporary architects - An understanding of how the architect conceives, creates and executes a project Most of the learning in this course happens in class, through workshop projects and through exchange of ideas with your instructor and classmates. Therefore, participation and engagement in class are required. There is a natural progression to the classes; projects and readings build upon each other. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to meet with the instructor for instructions and materials to complete the missed assignment before the next class.