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.