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SHoP are a young new York Architecture firm who are currently working on a 500 million dollar redevelopment of Manhattans East River Waterfront. The proposed Camera Obscura 'dark room' has a modest proposed budget of $185, 000 but it can boast that it will be the 1st 100% digitally designed and computer fabricated building. This means that it will be modeled in 3d software, the parts laser cut and sent to site to be assembled.
Frank Gehry pioneered the use of this technology in 1990 when he built the Guggenheim museum and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Without this technology neither of these buildings would have been possible.
SHoP wants to use the technology to lower the cost of building unique, customised architecture by streamlining the process and lowering labour costs. Their projects are process driven, based on information from suppliers and parameters of materials. They are looking at the building industry in a whole new light.
Catia the extremely expensive software originally designed for the aerospace industry has been shunned for the much cheaper and more accessible Rhino in an attempt to drastically drop the price of these on of a kind buildings.
SHoPs revolutionary ideas are not without risk as they are forced to take on legal responsibilities for the construction of their buildings.
Other projects include:
* Undulating wooden bench
* A museum
*Porter House
* Rector street pedestrian bridge
* Lounge for Virgin at JFK airport.