CURRICULUM VITAE
Sean Hanna

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Sean Hanna, B.E.S., B.Arch.
100 De Beauvoir Road, London N1 4EN
tel: +44 (0)7779 299 340
email: s.hanna(at)ucl.ac.uk

Sean Hanna is a research engineer at University College London and currently teaches on the Bartlett Graduate School’s MSc in Adaptive Architecture and Computation, leading the Generative Space Form and Behaviour module focusing on algorithmic design. His research is mainly in developing computational methods for dealing with complex systems in architecture, and in structural optimisation and rapid prototyping technology. He has lectured publicly or presented academic results in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and North America, and his work has been featured in the national and international press, including recent articles in Architects’ Journal and The Economist.

His background is initially in design, and he holds degrees in Environmental Studies and Architecture from the University of Waterloo, where he graduated in 1998 with several academic and design awards, including the A.I.A. Student Gold Medal for the highest overall academic standing in both degrees. His application of design algorithms, structural optimization and parametric design has included major construction projects with architects Foster and Partners and sculptor Antony Gormley. He has also studied intelligent systems at University College London and virtual environments at the Bartlett School of Architecture, and published in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics and optimisation of structures and materials. He is a candidate for an Engineering Doctorate in Visualization, Imaging and Virtual Environments with University College London, sponsored by Foster and Partners.

Career Summary

2002-Present Research Engineer, under contract with Foster & Partners, London.
Sponsored by Foster and Partners to develop tools for rapid generation of architectural design proposals, and for the analysis and simulation of proposed environments at the design stage. Research involves the application of machine learning and optimisation algorithms to architectural problems of complexity.

1999-2002 Assistant Architect (ARB unregistered), Foster & Partners, London.
Held a key design role responsible for the structure and enclosure of a major public museum. This involved a close collaboration with consulting structural engineers, a high degree of modelling and visualization of design options, and development of custom software tools.

1998-1999 Artistic Director: digital media and installations, D.M.S., Toronto, Canada.
Responsible for conceptual design and visual concept, storyboarding, and supervision of complete production of video and multimedia installations.

1999 Associate Designer, Philip Beesley Architect Inc., Toronto, Canada.
Specializing in interior and museum exhibit design.

1997 Project Adjunct Designer, Ark. Kai Wartiainen Ky, Helsinki, Finland.
Collaborated with Mr. Wartiainen in the entry to an architectural design competition.

1997 Project Manager, Ehvert Engineering, Toronto, Canada.
Provided in-house architectural services and produced drawings for data and communications networks, for an engineering firm specializing in financial institutions and large technological and commercial offices.
Interviewed and trained new CAD support staff.

1992-1996 Architectural Assistant / Graphic Artist, Toronto and Berlin.
Short term contract with various architecture and design firms.

Education

Present Candidate for EngD (Engineering Doctorate) in Visualization, Imaging and Virtual Environments, University College London.
2002-2004 Graduate Studies in Virtual Environments and Intelligent Systems (non-degree), University College London.
1998 BArch (Bachelor of Architecture), University of Waterloo.
1995 BES (Bachelor of Environmental Studies), University of Waterloo.

Awards

2006 Design Computing and Cognition '06 Best Presentation
1999 Japan Design Foundation International Design Competition Gold Prize
1998 American Institute of Architects Student Gold Medal
1998 Kaderali honorable mention for House as Thesis
1996 4th year (Rome) BArch academic and design award

Publications

Books

Hanna S and Derix C. (2006) Design Computing and Cognition Workshop on Models of Machine Learning in Creative Design (forthcoming).

Beesley P and Hanna S. (2005) A Transformed Architecture. In McQuaid M (Ed.) Extreme Textiles. Princeton Architectural Press.

Refereed Papers

Hanna S and Turner A. (2006) Teaching parametric design in code and construction, In Proceedings of Sigradi '06.

Hanna S. (2006) Representing Style by Feature Space Archetypes: Description and Emulation of Spatial Styles in an Architectural Context, In Gero, JS (ed) Design Computing and Cognition '06, Springer.

Hanna S and Haroun Mahdavi S. (2006) Inductive Machine Learning of Structures: Estimating a Finite Element Optimisation Using Support Vector Machines, In Gero, JS (ed) Design Computing and Cognition '06, Springer.

Hanna S. (2005) Where Creativity Comes From: the social spaces of embodied minds, Proceedings of HI'05, Computational and Cognitive Models of Creative Design.

Haroun Mahdavi S and Hanna S. (2004) Blurring the Boundaries between Actuator and Structure: Investigating the use of Stereolithography to build Adaptive Robots, Proceedings of ICARCV 2004.

Hanna S and Haroun Mahdavi S. (2004) Modularity and Flexibility at the Small Scale: Evolving Continuous Material Variation with Stereolithography. In Beesley P. et. al. (Eds.) Fabrication: examining the digital practice of architecture.

Haroun Mahdavi S and Hanna S. (2004) Optimising Continuous Microstructures: A Comparison of Gradient-Based and Stochastic Methods, Proceedings of SCIS & ISIS 2004, the joint International Conference on Soft Computing and Intelligent Systems and International Symposium on Advanced Intelligent Systems.

Haroun Mahdavi S and Hanna S. (2003) An evolutionary approach to microstructure optimisation of stereolithographic models, Proceedings of CEC2003, the Congress on Evolutionary Computation.

Invited Papers

Hanna S. (2006) Teaching Parametric Design: Procedure before Form, Accommodating new Aspects of Interdisciplinarity in Contemporary Construction Teaching, Proceedings of EAAE-ENHSA Workshop, Venice.

Hanna S. (2006) Responsove Material / Responsive Structure. In Beesley P, Hirosue S, Ruxton J, Turner C and Trankle M (eds) Responsove Architectures: Subtle Technologies 2006, Riverside Architectural Press.

Hanna S. (2006) The Generative and Analytic Algorithm in Design. In Pavlovits D (ed) Haecceity Public Lecture Transcripts (forthcoming).

Recent Invited Lectures

2006 Teaching Parametric Design
Keynote, EAAH-ENHSA Workshop, Venice

2006 Responsive Material / Responsive Structure
Subtle Technologies, Toronto

2006 Responsive City: Engineering complexity in architecture
Jerusalem Design Forum, Jerusalem

2006 The Generative and Analytic Algorithm in Design
Bartlett Internatioal Lecture Series, London

2006 Engineering Complex Behaviour: Textiles and Architecture
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London

2004 Geometry and Algorithmic Behaviour
Bentley Architectural Research Seminar, Orlando

Recent Press Reviews

2006 Automatic for the people, New Design, 11.05.

2005 Researchers have imbued molecules with inteligence, Architects Journal, 8.2.05.

2005 Material Benefits, The Economist, 8.2.05.

Selected Exhibitions

2004 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London
Conceptual geometries for the Eden Education Resource Centre roof developed by Jason Ahmed (Grimshaw) in collaboration with Chris Williams (University of Bath) and Sean Hanna (UCL) using GenerativeComponents developed by Robert Aish (Bentley)

2004 Celebration of UK Engineering Research and Innovation, London
Optimised microstructures built by stereolithography.

2000 Roma XX. Toronto, Canada.
Proposed landscape and urban strategies for Roman aqueducts.

1999 Japan Design Foundation International Design Exhibition '99. Osaka, Japan.
Territories of Interwoven Genetic Design, a speculative project for the engineering and growth of new landscapes.

1999 Dynamic Earth, Restless Earth, & Two Views of the Rock Cycle.
Inco Earth Sciences Galleries, Royal Ontario Museum. Three computer generated multimedia installations on permanent exhibition.

1997 Smoked. Helsinki, Finland.
Catalogue and exhibition of sculpted architecture.

1996 Parco degli Aquadotti. Rome, Italy.
An exhibition of student work.

1996 Filler. Maison d'Etre.
An exhibition of student work addressing discontinuities in Toronto's urban fabric.

1992 Sight/Site Works. The Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery.
Prototype of wearable chair.

1992 Everyman. University of Waterloo.
A multimedia adaptation of a medieval morality play.