Neil Katz: Origami and Architecture

July 12th, 11am EST
Event was be held on ZOOM

There’s more to origami than the paper crane. Despite its association with simple, folded constructions, the intricate practice has a growing history of being utilized in technical, real-world settings. And with the advent of new fabrication technologies, origami is seeing a new life beyond paper.

Neil Katz, SOM Associate Director, will present how origami structures, both derivative and true-to-form, can be scaled to be useful in architecture and interior design.

Brooklyn native Neil Katz has been practicing Architecture with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill since graduating from Pratt Institute. Neil applies a computational design methodology in developing geometries both simple and complex and as a way of analyzing and articulating forms in response to environmental, sustainable and structural goals. Computational design encompasses algorithmic and parametric strategies as well as building information modeling (BIM) and is as much a way of thinking about design as using and developing tools for design.
Neil has taught at several schools in New York and Chicago, and currently teaches at the Spitzer School of Architecture at CCNY. Neil is often invited to speak about his work in the field of computational design including sharing concepts around Origami and Architecture.
His publication “ORIGAMI-INSPIRED FAÇADE DESIGN: Parametric Studies for Architectural and Structural Efficiency” with Joshua Shultz, was presented at Facade Tectonics 2018 World Conference in Los Angeles, CA.

top: photo © SOM