My name is Zachary Mollica. I am a Canadian architect and maker whose work focuses on the integration of innovative digital methods and tools alongside traditional craft knowledge and natural materials. Currently I work full time as a studio tutor for the Architectural Association’s Design + Make programme – working with our team to design and produce ambitious architectural constructs.

Academic Positions

Architectural Association – Course Tutor

Course tutor for the AA’s MArch/MSc Design + Make programme. Working closely with the programme’s directors and students, I am responsible for delivering an integrated manner of teaching - providing instruction covering studio design, complex computational tools such as 3D scanning and a host of fabrication strategies in order to enable the realisation of experimental architectural constructs. Additional responsibilities include the qualified supervision of on site construction activities and facilitating campus operations through the use of heavy machinery.
(London + Hooke Park / 2016– / Link)

SummerBuild – Director

Coordinating director for the AA’s SummerBuild visiting school. Responsible for organising an international team of students and practitioners from a range of fields who join students of the Design + Make programme to help construct their work. In addition, I am responsible for the delivery of tutorials on programmes such as Rhinoceros and Grasshopper.
(Hooke Park / 2016– / Link)

Robotic Fabrications – Tutor

Tutor for the AA’s Robotic Fabrications visiting school with director Emmanuel Vercruysse. Re-inventing traditional making techniques and tools, we apply them alongside digital fabrication tools and 3D scanning to develop innovative processes for physical production.
(Hooke Park / 2016– / Link)

MakeLab – Tutor

Tutor for the AA’s Makelab Visiting School along with director Jeroen van Ameijde. A yearly five-day workshop engaging with computer-aided architectural design and fabrication aimed at developing new modes of design conception. A diverse range of software is employed.
(Hooke Park / 2016–17 / Link)

Dalhousie School of Architecture – Workshop Assistant

While studying at Dalhousie School of Architecture, prior carpentry experience enabled me to work as a teaching assistant in the school’s workshop - supervising my fellow students’ use of machinery.
(Halifax / 2011–12)

Professional

Novita Interpares – Designer

Project Manager for cultural consulting practice Novita Interpares. Working closely with the firm’s partners and clients, tasks included project management, research and design development – including for the design of five facilities for a theatre festival that takes place in Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
(Lunenburg / 2012-15 / Link)

Plant Architects – Collaborator

Plant is a diverse practice operating in the fields of architecture, landscape and design at a broad range of scales. I worked closely with the partners on the development of two installations including one for the 2012 Venice Biennale.
(Toronto / 2012 / Link)

NL Architects – Architectural Intern

Six month internship working with a diverse international team on the preparation of competition proposals as well as development work on active projects.
(Amsterdam / 2012 / Link)

Measured Architecture Inc. – Architectural Intern

Working closely with Measured’s partners, responsible for constructing both scale models and full size mock ups as well as helping to establish the firm’s model making shop.
(Vancouver / 2011 / Link)

Education

Architectural Association – M.Arch

MArch Design + Make programme completed with Distinction at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. Primary output included the Wood Chip Barn.
(London, UK / 2014-16 / Link)

Dalhousie University – BEDS

Completed the Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies (BEDS) programme at Dalhousie School of Architecture after studying physics and environmental science at Dalhousie.
(Halifax, NS / 2009-12)

University of King's College – Foundation

The Foundation Year Programme is a one year intensive liberal arts programme focused on a critical study of the foundational texts of western thought.
(Halifax, NS / 2008–09)

Papers

Altered Behaviour: The Performative Nature of Manufacture

Upcoming paper entitled ‘Altered Behaviour: The Performative Nature of Manufacture Chainsaw Choreographies + Bandsaw Manoeuvres’ to be published in conference proceedings of Rob|ARCH 2018 with Emmanuel Vercruysse and Pradeep Devadass.
(Zurich, Switzerland / 2018 (Upcoming) / Link)

Infinite Variation; Radical Strategies

Contribution to paper entitled ‘Infinite Variation; Radical Strategies’ published as part of conference proceedings by Design + Make’s Emmanuel Vercruysse and Martin Self.
(Stuttgart / 2017 / Link)

Tree Fork Truss: Geometric Strategies for Exploiting Inherent Form

Paper ‘Tree Fork Truss: Geometric Strategies for Exploiting Inherent Form’ published as part of conference’s proceeding with Martin Self.
(Zurich / 2016 / Link)

Tree Fork Truss: An Architecture of Inherent Forms

Design + Make MArch thesis
(Hooke Park / 2016 / Link)

Conferences

Fabricate

Fabricate is an international peer reviewed conference with supporting publication on the theme of Digital Fabrication.
(Stuttgart, Germany / 2017 / Link)

Advances in Architectural Geometry

(Zurich, Switzerland / 2016)

New Languages of Wood

Invited to present Design + Make’s work at the symposium with a particular emphasis on the Wood Chip Barn’s ‘Tree Fork Truss.’
(Fayetteville, Arkansas / 2016)

Ideas in Things (Ghost 13)

(Lunenburg, Nova Scotia / 2011)

Press

Architecture Graduates to Watch - Something Curated

Masters thesis work profiled on the website Something Curated.
( / 2016 / Link)

The Temple Radio Show

Discussing robots and architecture in the forest with fellow Canadian Joshua Harskamp on his radio programme the Temple Show.
( / 2016 / Link)

CNN Style

Video profile on Design + Make’s work including a feature on the Wood Chip Barn.
( / 2016 / Link)

BBC Countryfile

Wood Chip Barn project featured (20 minutes) in an episode of the BBC’s Countryfile.
( / 2016 / Link)

Dezeen

Project feature – Wood Chip Barn.
( / 2016 / Link)

AIA

Model describing materiality of Louis Kahn's Exeter Library published within an article by AIA.
( / 2015 / Link)

Dezeen

Project feature – Inhabitable Tetrahedron.
( / 2014 / Link)

Awards

IStructE

‘Tree Fork Truss’ designed and fabricated for the Design + Make programme shortlisted for the IStructE awards
(London / 2016)

Architectural Association

Design + Make MArch awarded with distinction. The programme’s first.
(London + Hooke Park / 2016)

Dalhousie University

Physics and Atmospheric Science Award.
(Halifax / 2010)

University of King’s College

In course scholarship.
(Halifax / 2009)