We've updated the branding of our solar powered pedestrian LED lighting and system to be installed soon in the Greater East End of Houston at the Navigation Blvd. Esplanade.  Stay tuned for installation updates later this summer.  With Philips Hadco (engineering and manufacturing) and Ameresco (solar system).

METALAB [Architecture / Civic Art / Product Design] is seeking a self-motivated designer and detail-oriented project manager who has compelling academic AND pertinent professional experience in applying parametric design and digital fabrication on architectural projects, civic art commissions and/or product design from concept through production. Based in Houston, Texas, you will work with our team and within a network of capable regional fabricators ranging from heavy sheet metal and machine shops to polymer thermo-forming manufacturers.  This requires communication skills that understand how to direct the language of design toward the reality of making and implementation.  These communications skills must also be tailored to and translated for basic client relations ranging from well known civic artists to manufacturers to private clients.

You will need to move adeptly between digital platforms and the challenging and exciting field conditions and manufacturing environments where we work.  We seek an individual who will apply themselves and grow within a team that provides these services and skills to our clients and within our closely-knit organization.  Primary required skills include:

Flexible design sensibilities with interest in large scale civic art and product design as well as architecture

Parametric design skills in Rhino to build associative kit-of-part assemblies and manage workflow

Fabrication, Prototyping and Construction documentation (Rhino to AutoCAD)

Working knowledge of assembly fabrication processes, material constraints, finishing, methods and logistics of installation and construction

Skills in basic Construction Management and subcontractor and vendor coordination, i.e. a familiarity  and comfort within the blue collar world of manufacturing and fabrication

Working knowledge of 2D and 3D CNC fabrication processes

Experience in creating interactive environments and programmable LED lighting projects

Understanding of building codes and permitting issues

Ability to maintain budgets and schedules for project delivery

As a successful candidate for this position, we expect contributions to office management in addition to design and project management. 

Additional skills include:

Ability to coordinate business development through graphic communication (Adobe Suite, Wordpress) and expanding the network through web and social media outreach

Office organization and amicable client and project team communication skills

Please e-mail a letter of intent that outlines your skills and relevant professional experience, CV and portfolio as one PDF document no more than 5MB to info@metalabstudio.com.   Please include “Metalab Job Application” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Anticipator for Matthew Geller has been installed at the Florence Griswold Museum in Connecticut.  Design and fabrication in Houston with Crow Corp and Merge Studios.  The art work consists of three prostetic limbs laser cut from Corten steel, attached to a felled tree lying prone on the ground.  It is plumbed with misting heads and LED lights to create a whimsical display of fog.  This anticipates the Miami Zoo Project we have been working on with Matthew for three 32' misting trees permanently installed in the Children's Play Area.  We'll be starting the parametric design and digital fabrication of those soon.

Memory Cloud in FabriKator

Architect's Newspaper (AN) profiled Memory Cloud in its Fabrikator subtopic newsletter. Link to article

TEX-FAB's APPLIED: Research through Fabrication competition received 68 submissions from around the world. Cast Thicket, by Kenneth Tracy and Christine Yogiaman of yo_cy, was selected as the winner.  FabriKator is a weekly newsletter written by Architect's Newspaper product editor Emily Hooper. 

We used Rhino + Grasshopper to develop the geometry of the Memory Cloud.  Beyond qualitative spatial and aesthetic criteria the tools were used for developing quantitative data sets for the lighting purchase orders and assembly inventories.  The waffle structure of the diagrid canopy was developed using FEA software at Insight Structures and feedback from that analysis drove the varying depth of the profiles.  The notches were calibrated based on a full scale prototype that tested the material welding.  We especially benefited from the use of the Lunchbox plugin for Grasshopper developed by Nathan Miller of CASE, Inc.  The diagonal structure tools created clean data structures that retained their organization as the geometry was projected into the cloud.

Arch Daily publishes daily architectural news from around the world. In March 2013 Alison Furuto authored a post on the installation of Memory Cloud, the winning commission for Texas A&M’s Memorial Student Center 12th Man Hall awarded to Metalab and RE:site.

Updated images of Mercado Picado fabrication drawings and siting of the market kiosks for the Greater East End on the Navigation Blvd Esplanade

Some installation photos of Memory Cloud