DigitalFutures Lab

Digital Futures Lab

The Digital Futures Lab (DFL) affords the School a powerful computational resource dedicated to extending the capacity of students, designers and researchers in their pursuit of next-generation integrated design techniques and solutions at and between the urban, landscape, architectural and product scales. High-end, networked hardware delivers the power to drive complex heavy multi-dimensional modeling with quick refresh rates (approaching real-time feedback) and to associate those models and designs with performance-based analysis and simulation applications. The lab enhances visualization with dual 23” monitors at each station. Multiple projection options include screens that drop down in the center of the room to split the space into two working areas.

The 30-station DFL is dedicated to high-end computationally intensive design applications that complement the ubiquitous, strategic engagement of laptop-based computation in the architecture curriculum through a combination of scheduled classes and seminars, the assignment of some stations to a dedicated upper-level, computation-intense studio and school of architecture student access.

HARDWARE

• 16 Dell Alienware Area 51 ALX
• Intel Core i7 980 Extreme w/ 6 dual-cores (3.33GHz, 12MB Cache)
• 24GB Triple Channel 1333MHz DDR3
• NVIDIA RTX2070 graphics card
• Dual 23” Dell P2311H LCD Monitors w/ 2 USB ports

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Four Projectors to support multiple lab-use configurations.
• Storage Server – 2 terabytes of online storage available as a mounted network drive at all workstations.
• Dual 23” Monitors with VGA ports to connect student laptops.

APPLICATIONS

• Rhino 8
• Grasshopper for Rhino
• V-Ray for Rhino
• V-Ray for Maya
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Autodesk – Autocad, Revit, Maya, PowerMill
• Fluent

EXTERNAL GPU WORKSTATIONS

• External graphics power attaches to student laptops
• Compatible with all RPI Mobile Computing Program laptop models
• 16 Razer Core X Chroma™ External GPU Units
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX3080 Video Cards
  • Connects 2 monitors, Ethernet, and 4 USB 3.1 ports via one Thunderbolt 3 cable

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