memory // void

“The void exists not as something externally limited but rather as something internally...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:05:16 -0500

“The void exists not as something externally limited but rather as something internally animated.”

Adolf Hildebrand

“Architecture is not simply about space and form but also about event, action, and what happens in the space.”

Bernard Tschumi

“Essential is not the form, but its reversal space; the void that expands rhythmically between the walls and is defined by the walls.”

August Endell

“What distinguishes architecture from painting or sculpture is its spatial quality - no artist...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:01:37 -0500

“What distinguishes architecture from painting or sculpture is its spatial quality - no artist can emulate architecture, for the history of architecture is a history of man shaping space.”

Nikolaus Pevsner

“an algorithm is a process of addressing a problem in a finite number of steps. It is an...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:17:00 -0500

“an algorithm is a process of addressing a problem in a finite number of steps. It is an articulation of either a strategic plan for solving a known problem or a stochastic search towards possible solutions to a partially known problem. In doing so, it serves as a codification of the problem through a series of finite, consistent, and rational steps. While most algorithms are designed with a specific solution in mind for a problem, there are some problems whose solution is unknown, vague, or ill-defined. In the latter case, algorithms become the means for exploring possible paths that may lead to potential solutions.”

Kostas Terzidis Algorithmic Architecture

Basins of attraction, of self organization, show up as well in our complex social environment, in...

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:55:00 -0500

Basins of attraction, of self organization, show up as well in our complex social environment, in human organizations. Here again, while we cannot predict the result of any given input, we can say that it will likely fall within one of several areas.
-Kevin Kelly

It has become evident that the primary lesson of the study of evolution is that all evolution is coevolution: every organism is evolving in tandem with the organisms around it.
-Kevin Kelly

Everything that we are making, we are making more and more complex.
-Kevin Kelly

Midterm Review

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:26:51 -0500

Today we had the midterm review for our studio project. The fall 2011 topic studio has been challenging, more challenging and above all very challenging. Working in groups we have been using computational strategies to explore and search for opportunities in material and structural compositions. We started in groups of 6 and 7 working with strings and cups to develop a set of rules that would eventually lead us to a pavilion-like structure. This introduced, to me, a whole new approach to design. An approach that required a project to begin with individual components that would eventually produce a whole, with no idea of a final result in mind. This mindset of approach was something completely foreign to me. Learning to work with the parts of a whole and realize the part’s abilities, potentials, constraints and most of all its limitations by evaluating the properties opened my eyes to how computation can lead to results that are unexpected, unpredictable, and very systematically informative. Developing this way of thinking has been extremely valuable to me, everyday I learn a little something more about agency and how it’s the simple rules that can solve the most complex problems. Now, as a group of 13, we are encountering a more challenging task, to create a pavilion structure composed of a cellular system. Our midterm presentation to the jury was very well received, we came away with some valuable insight and a strong appreciation for the task that we are undertaking. This studio has provided me with critical thinking tools and computational strategies that can be applied to future projects as well as my current thesis research.

Abstract

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:44:00 -0500

Studying the effects of self replication through mapping the growth of mycelium by means of agent based modeling. This thesis is an exploration towards new methodology opportunities in the built environment.

Architecture freely appropriates specific methodologies from other disciplines, most commonly disciplines highly involved with technological fields and the latest fabrication advancements. While these targeted areas may offer viable answers perhaps there are alternative fields of study where opportunities can be sought.

Incorporating methods that have proven to work over years and years of evolution could be the strategy for how knowledge of the past can direct the future. Biology is the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.¹ One of the oldest and most simplistic forms of life is fungus. Fungal colonies are composed of hyphae filaments which interconnect and branch mycelium, the vegetative component. A carbon dioxide emitting/oxygen in taking organism that not only expands through self replication, but also maintains, repairs, dismantles and recycles itself. Growing in a linear branching pattern while constantly networking with itself to collect and feed off of its own energy in response to nutrient assimilation. This complex system adapts to its surroundings through expansion and contraction based on necessity in order to survive and thrive.

Agency has been chosen as the computation technique, as it allows for the intricacies of this multifaceted system to be mapped with a level of intelligence, interactivity and accuracy incomparable to traditional modeling strategies. It is able to determine scaling in the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions at multiple spatial resolutions through the mapping process. Agent based modeling simulations will track the complex network of interactions and connections that make up this intertwining organism and make it possible to observe emergent patterns and unexpected events. The agents will be assigned a set of rules based upon the growth pattern of mycelium. Mycelium is composed of a number of small parts that combine to make up a vast whole, it is important to understand what happens at the simplest level of interaction in order to obtain the ability of rapid prototyping and a further understanding of nature’s blue print. Computational mapping will determine if this gateway species could give way to future design strategies.

1. Wikipedia contributors. “Biology.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 Oct. 2011. Web. 1 Nov. 2011.

Mycelium Growth

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:26:02 -0400

Image: Australian Fungi Website http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/mycelium.html

X, Y, Z, S, S, T

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:08:00 -0400

X, Y, Z, S, S, T

Pronounced “Exist”
On the Nature of Coming into Being

This prototype explores how environmental conditions can inform material organization. A computer application determines the material’s behavior according to elements such as stress, strain, heat flow, stored energy, and deformation due to applied loads and temperature differences. The title of this piece refers to the resulting model, which is six dimensional and includes 2-D information (X,Y), out of plane deformation (Z), elastic stress (S), strain (S) and temperature flux (T).

By Neri Oxman
Exhibited at MOS (Museum of Science), Boston, MA.

Research Discussion

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:00:00 -0400

“We are not problem solving, we are seeking opportunities.”

-GMO

The purpose of a multi-agent system is to deal with complexity through simple systems while attempting to address form. Forms are created through agency, agency through cells.

Yesterday during research discussion we were all expected to explain our thesis concept in very simple terms…this was harder than expected.

For tomorrow…I will have established the simple rules by which I will begin to work.

Performative architecture, Contemporary Architecture Practice

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:41:00 -0400

“Performative is about emergent activities and behaviors, and all depend on how to operate and perform a system. The system can be dynamical in the design process or architecture that has been built. If it is the latter then performance is how the user/inhabitant performs and uses the space, I refer to literal body movements as in dance, but this can be expanded to how the performance of one body can affect the performance of other bodies in groups, and how these groups may influence larger organizations such as companies etc. It relates to social interactions that invigorate the environment…

…Space is an interesting term, but the ambiguity is formed with intention, intention to provide the most potential for emergent user behaviors within the space. Our spaces incorporate a range of issues including environmental ones…” via Architettura

Ali Rahim
Contemporary Architecture Practice

Some thoughts and concepts while reading The Self MadeTapestry by Philip Ball: Nature builds design...

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:37:00 -0400

Some thoughts and concepts while reading The Self MadeTapestry by Philip Ball:

Nature builds design by self organization.

Spontaneous patterns represent a compromise of; minimal surface areas, minimal curvature, and optimal molecular packing ordered bi-continuous phases of block co-polymers and surfactants.

Chemical reactions result from a delicate balance between reaction and diffusion.

Spontaneous patterns generally arise from a state of higher symmetry.

Why do systems break their symmetries?

Symmetry in nature:

Viruses: develop symmetry exponentially

Shells of Snails: develop logarithmic spirals

Bacteria: vortex growth mode

Rivers: carve out fractal networks

Fluid flow: five fold symmetry

Agent Based Modeling

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:37:00 -0400

After reading through several precedents of self replicating agent based models I have found that there are three ways I can go about setting up a multi-agent model to support simulation I am seeking.

Homogeneous - this system would involve all of the agents to be of the exact same make up and each agent have a large database of complex rules. I think that in order to achieve the results I want, this model would be slow in the replication process by means of time finding, pin pointing, and experimenting with appropriate rules.

Heterogeneous Stigmergy Based - This system involves a set of simple rules coupled with a small diversity between agents. By stating clear objectives and organizing limited cooperation amongst agents results can quickly be achieved.

Robosoccer Team-based - This system has the same basis as the heterogeneous multi-agent model, however it introduces a higher level of cooperation between the agents.

Although all of these will challenge my basic knowledge of script writing, I believe I am going to start with an attempt at a Stigmergy based model. I am excited to see what results will be obtained. I ultimately want to work my way up to exploring the concept of a robosoccer model…but it is best to crawl before you walk.

Terminology

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:30:00 -0400

Agent: Autonomous decision making units with diverse characteristics (heterogeneous).

Agent Based Modeling: A model which consists of: A set of agents, a set of agent relationships, and a framework for simulating agents behaviors and interactions. Unlike other modeling approaches, agent based modeling begins and ends with the agent’s perspective.

Algorithm: A very specific set of instructions for carrying out a procedure that generally includes an instruction to stop.

Emergence: Spontaneous order appearing within a system that can not necessarily be inferred or predicted from the simple components of the system and their basic relations, but has resulted from their interaction.

Fractals: Derived from the Latin fractus, meaning irregular or fragmented. A key concept in fractal geometry is self-similarity, the same shapes and patterns to be found successively smaller scales.

Inversion: A mapping of points to their corresponding inverse points.

Minimal Surfaces: A surface of zero mean curvature.

Non-linearity: systems for which output does not change proportionally to input, and effect is not proportional to cause.

NURBS [Non-uniform rational basis splines]: curves and surfaces which introduce precision to the description of free-form surfaces.

Sequence: An ordered list of objects (or events), which may be infinite.

Series: The sum of all the terms in an infinite sequence.

Sources -

Burry, Jane and Mark. The New Mathematics of Architecture. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2010. Print.

“MacalNorth.pdf”, n.d., http://www.mcs.anl.gov/~leyffer/listn/slides-06/MacalNorth.pdf.

Disappearing Architecture

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:52:00 -0400

The following are some excerpts from Disappearing Architecture: From Real to Virtual to Quantum published by Birkhäuser Architecture. The favorite of the books I am currently reading, it is a collection of ideas based around ’heterarchitecture’.

“ A new kind of architecture: Heterarchitecture; conceived as a hybrid, mixed reality environment.” (Flachbart, 8 )

“High performance information technology environments…self managing, self diagnostic, transparent to the user.” (Flachbart, 8 )

“Architecture as a quantum object that can literally be in 2 states at once; Real//Virtual — 1//0 —On//Off” (Flachbart, 15)

“Fusion Space: Digitally enabled combinations of the unexpected.” (Mitchell, 22)

‘Baroque played the game of convex and concave and investigated he Trompe L’Oeil. Neoclassicism discovered the mirror. 19th century engineering made a hero of the freestanding structure. Modernism turned the free facade and free ground plane into ideology. We are now on the threshold of a new development in the psychological game of spatial design. For this new spatial effect physical space is no longer strictly necessary, although duplication has its attractions.” (Bouman, 262)

“Currently we are striving for lighter structures, transparent and translucent walls, gravity defying, curvilinear forms; when we should be aiming for an architecture of immaterial.” (Bouman, 262)

“Relationship of human and architecture is no longer polar or dialectical, but rather immersive.” (Bouman, 262)

“The building that (re)acts as a terminal.” (Bouman, 263)

Self Replication

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:52:00 -0400

It’s amazing the processes of nature…the way in which it forms, the ways in which it has evolved. Particularly fascinated with natural systems which have the ability to expand and contract, through self replication and self absorption based on necessity. The first reading for studio – Artificial Chemistries and the Prebiotic Soup” in Philosophy & Stimulation: The Emergence of the Synthetic Reason by Manuel de Landa began to allude to some of my thoughts regarding this idea of abiogenesis. Spontaneous generation is a complex concept to wrap ones thoughts around, however through agents and coding these methods could be introduced and studied. Pushing beyond the nodes of replication and absorption, I believe exploring constraints for self organization and self repair would also be involved in generating a hypothesis. Ultimately, how can all these ideas of biopoesis relate to architectural form, is it possible to create built forms with intelligence such as nature has achieved?

Next on my reading list:

The Self -Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature by Philip Ball

Multiagent Systems: A Modern Approach to Distributes Artificial Intelligence by Gerhard Weiss

The Computational Beauty of Nature: Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos, Complex Systems and Adaptation by Gary William Flake.