Week 10 - Digital Fabrication & Robotics

The advance of technology has introduced different modes of communicating design intent and the conceptualization of projects. Technological advances, in particular, Digital fabrication has prevailed and risen into todays methods of design to production. Wigley expresses this process to where the initiation of the design to fabrication begins with the mouse. The mouse is described as a medium to "connect us to the digital landscape and bring the digital in". (Wigley, M. 2010). The mouse has been the direct connection of the physical to the digital, where the human input and the relationship with rising digital technologies has allowed a more complex conceptualization of design and communication. "The mouse is a patent prosthetic. When placed in front of our desktop we do not even have to think consciously about reaching for it. Mark Wigleys Eulogy to this seemingly humble but transformative technology highlights the power that such a discrete device can have on the human ecosystem, providing a seamless interface between body and brain that is till only to be dreamt of in architecture" (Wigley, M. 2010).

Wigley further discusses the use of the mouse in an architectural setting, where ht is a connection between space and the input of the designer. "In the moment that the mouse connects the circuitry of the computer, the architecture in the room is hinged to the architecture to the screen" (Wigley, M. 2010). The computational technologies and the integration of digital fabrication (such as robotics and CNC) has lead to the integration of itself into daily practice within Architecture.  Within the design process within Architecture, softwares are used to perform a multitude of tasks to create fabrication ready files and tasks. Robotics have been implemented mainly in the mass production industry such as the production of Cars and its components. By implementing the use robots in architecture, paired with computational softwares, possibilities have been opened up to a semi-autonomous pre-fabricated Built Environment. This area of robotics is still in research with the integration into Architecture, and will slowly be implemented into future projects.

References:

Wigley, M. (2010). "The Architecture of the Mouse." Architectural Design: EcoRedux: Design Remedies for an Ailing Planet 80(6): 50-57. 

Week 9 - Materiality

Alongside the development of technology, materiality and the utilization of materials in architecture has become a major component in the design process. The movement from traditional building materials of bricks, concrete and steel, has been left behind and there has been an introduction and movement with the use of dynamic materials that utilize properties of two materials and combined into one to create stronger and more efficient materials respective to their use. The innovation of new materials are able to "...produce a collective behavior, where the materials have to be confronted or tested with non-metric properties of our built environment. These properties are defined by degrees of temperature, pressure, tension and capacities called intensive properties." (Trummer, P. 2011). Morphogenic forms are derived from this process, where Trummer describes this as inspiration from the structural properties of organic structures seen in nature.

History has showcased little consideration in the development of materiality within architecture and the formation of materialism within the design process. However there has been progress in the past century of this process. Achim Menges furthers this by stating that there has been "...progress over decades of computer aided design and manufacturing" (Menges, A. 2011). This movement has produced complex forms and the consideration of materials and the way architects and designers design. These smart materials are constantly being developed and being utilized, predominantly on exteriors of a building. "Experimental building skins with dynamic, adaptive behaviour are also beginning to materialize, challenging prevalent assumptions about tectonics and the permanence of material conditions in buildings (Kolarevic, B. 2008).

Readings:

Trummer, P. (2011). Associative Design: From Type to Population. Computational design thinking AD reader. A. Menges and S. Ahlquist. Chichester, UK, John Wiley & Sons: 179-197.

Menges, A. (2011). Intergral Formation and Materialisation: Computational Form and Material Gesault. Computational design thinking AD reader. A. Menges and S. Ahlquist. Chichester, UK, John Wiley & Sons: 198-210.

Kolarevic, B. and K. R. Klinger (2008). Manufacturing/ Material/ Effects. Manufacturing material effects : rethinking design and making in architecture. B. Kolarevic and K. R. Klinger. New York, Routledge: 5-24. 

Bernstein, P. G., A. Inc and Y. University (2008). Thinking versus Making: Remediating Design Practice in the Age of Digital Representation. Manufacturing material effects : rethinking design and making in architecture. B. Kolarevic and K. R. Klinger. New York, Routledge: 61-66. 

Week 8 - Visualisation and the Image

The paradigm shift of design from analogue to digital has seen major advance in communicating design intents through digital renderings. Within Architecture, digital renderings have been utilized to communicate models and plans that are not built, showcasing the conceptualization of design and possibly to production. Eisenman states that this movement has "...allowed the projection... hence understanding of a three dimensional space in two dimensions" (Eisenman, P. 2013). Similarly, 3D models, in conjunction with renderings, has created opportunities to communicate design intent in a physical environment, allowing for physical interaction, critiques through real time perception.

Within todays Architecture practices, digital renderings are a major component in communicating design intents to clients and a way to represent conceptual ideas. "Man made artifacts could always be imitated by men" (Benjamin, W. 1936) Benjamin highlights the flaws of this approach where he states that "even the most perfect reporudction of a work of art is lacking on element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence at the place where it happens to be" (Benjamin, W. 1936). There is an important relationship between time and place to where the renderings are in relation to the physical environment. These iterations are described as "seductive and misleading" and is led by a persons unfolding perceptions. "The electronic paradigm which directs a powerful challenge to architecture because it defines reality in terms of media and simulation, it values appearance over existence, what can be seen over what is" (Eisenman, P. 2013).

Perez Gomes discusses and opens up to a more knowledgeable understanding of digital imagery and its concurrent relationship with Architecture. Where Gomez states that "Control is essential in our world: drawings, prints, models, photographs and computer graphics play diverse roles in the design process" (Perez, G. 2007).

References:

Eisenman, P. (2013). Architecture After the Age of Printing. AD reader: The digital turn in architecture 1992-2012. M. Carpo. Chichester, Wiley: 15-22.

Perez-Gomez, A. (2007). Questions of representation: the poetic origin of architecture. From models to drawings : imagination and representation in architecture. M. Frascari, J. Hale and B. Starkey. London ; New York, Routledge: 11-22.

Week 7 - BIM and New Technology

The integration of BIM and its technologies has impacted the Built Environment and the Design industry. It has created new ways of analyzing and collaborating between designers, engineers and clients, becoming a more efficient medium of communicating design between industries and disciplines. This merge of Building information into one platform has become an important aspect in all levels of the built environment. In "Digital Workflows in architecture" Marble S. discusses the inefficiencies that BIM has brought to the design indeustry. "BIM and IPD were not developed to encourage innovative design, but rather to address procedural ineficiencies" (Marble, S. 2012).

Benjamin D discusses the new revolutionized method of the design process, where the traditional design methods have become an "asynchronous manner" (Holzer, D. 2011). The new processes introduced with this method has had designers, consultants, contractors, clients, and trades of the sort to collaborate and synchronize tasks within the design to construction phases through the utilization of BIM. Communication between the industries through BIM has revolutionized the inefficiencies of the Built Environment, from Design to Production. Holzers "asyncrhonous manner" is supoprted by Marble, S statement of "BIM and IPD were not developed to encourage innovative design, but rather to address procedural ineficiencies". The focus of this movement was the integration of "an entire process change that impacts nearly all activities related to the planning, delivery and operation of buildings on a social, a business and even political level" (Holzer, D. 2011). Integrating this can optimize and refine the stages of design and communication.



References:

Holzer, D. (2011). "BIM's Seven Deadly Sins." International Journal of Architectural Computing 9(4): 463-480.

Benjamin, D. (2012). Beyond Efficiency. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 14-25.


Marble, S. (2012). BIM 2.0. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 72- 73.

Week 2 - Design to Production

3D computational softwares, digital modelling and its influence within architectural design has developed to become an efficient tool, which has expanded not only into architecture, but also into many other industries. Digital information has risen to be the essential component within the architecture and building industry, where computational design is influenced and incorporates multi-layer complexities of system generated computational design. With the development of new software coupled with developing hardware, complex designs are formed through the collaboration between design and information. Although technology is developing at a rapid rate, and designing starts to seem like an “autonomous” process through the complex calculations of non-linear splines, ultimately humans still control the selection of parameters and exchange of information within technology.

The relationship between the designer and the builder has fluctuated, where architect and constructions have parted ways. Kolarevic states that “building contractors were reluctant to take on projects they saw as –unbuildable- so designers became closely involved in the digital making of buildings.” Architecture before the digital turn, was seen to have a distant relationship between architecture and construction, with very little to no communication between the two. Through to the digital age, there is more sense of collaboration between architect and construction. Kolarevic states that “The close relationship that once existed between architecture and construction could potentially re-emerge as an unintended but fortunate outcome of the new digital process of production.”

Fabrication and its processes have been developed through the introduction of new technologies. These New technologies include CNC fabrication and CAM technologies, which allow for mass customization at the cost of traditional mass manufacturing methods. The relations between architect and machinery operators mirrors the relationship between the master builder, or the architect, and the artisians in the pro-renaissance era. The gained interdisciplinary knowledge has increased the efficiency and has the designer and constructor more involved with the whole process from design to production.

Readings:

Scheurer, F. (2014). Materialising Complexity. Theories of the digital in architecture. R. Oxman and R. Oxman: 283-291.

Klinger, K. (2008). Relations: Information Exchange in Designing and Making Architecture. Manufacturing material effects : rethinking design and making in architecture. B. Kolarevic and K. R. Klinger. New York, Routledge: 26-36. 

Kolarevic, B. 2003. ‘Digital Production’. Architecture in the digital age: design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY, Spon Press: Pp. 40-68

Week 1 – Analogue to Digital

Architecture and its processes has developed substantially through the integration of technology and its continual progressive nature over time. Expanding on this progression; Information Master Builders (Kolarevic, B), Design Worlds and Fabrication Machines (Mitchell, W) and Transgression from drawing to making (Sheil,B), delve into the nature of the progression from Analogue to Digital, revolutionizing the processes of designing to the physical making in a range of industries, including architecture.

New technologies have played a major input into the creation of a plethora of conceptual shapes in architecture; shapes that are only possible with the use of data and computers, shapes beyond the human capacity to calculate. Computers have furthered possibilities and increased the efficiency and accuracy of the design process. Prior to the renaissance, the architect is the “master builder” controlling both the design and construction processes of a building. Soon after the Renaissance, architects disassociated themselves with the “building” phase of the process and focused solely on the “design”. In the architects eyes, technological advances in CAD and data management increase efficiency, and allows the architect to envelope a range of work covered by other disciplines. For example, the introduction and the combination of CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) has allowed architects to not only “design” their product but also “produce” or “make” a physical model, thus, reconnecting an architects role to a “master builder” and bridging the ever so distant gap between designing and making.

The continual progression of technology over the past decades have also seen the introduction to the development of new materials and its limitations with its application into the architectural and construction industry. Materials are continually developed, improved or even simply replaced in a building depending on the nature of use, ultimately creating buildings enhanced according to their environment.

With the move from Analogue to digital, the introduction of technological advancements in the 20^th century and the bridging between designing and making, it is evident that architectural processes have since been improved and enhanced with efficiency.

Readings:

Kolarevic, B. (2003). Information Master Builders. Architecture in the digital age: design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY, Spon Press: 55-62

Mitchell, W. (2003). Design Worlds and Fabrication Machines. Architecture in the digital age: design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY, Spon Press: 73-80.

Sheil, B. (2005). "Transgression from drawing to making." Arq : Architectural Research Quarterly 9(1): 20-32.