Seeing the world through a philosophical point of view, concepts such as toughness or rigidity are emergent properties of metalic materials that result from the complex dynamic behaviour of its components. Also dynamics of population of dislocations are closely related to the population dynamics of every entity, despite the big difference in nature and the behaviour of the components, a population of interacting entities, will dispay same collective behaviour as long as the interactions are non linear and also as long as the population operates in a non thermodynamic equilibrium.

The use of tools coming from non linear dynamics and non equilibrium thermodynamics is crucial. By using techniques corresponding to strong non equilibrium conditions,  then we can achieve conditions of non thermodynamic equilibrium and process different kinds of materials. The study of material complexity as well as the awareness of the self organising capabilities of matter tends to emerge in the field. James E. Gordon  said:

“The widespread use of steel for so many purposes in the modern world is only partly due to technical causes. Steel might euphemistically be described as a material that facilitates the dilution of skills.”

Gordon is looking at how the double danger is affecting creativity for structural designers. The first danger as he states is that a singe universal material is appropriate for all different kinds of structure, either deling with compression or with tension. He is sugesting the use of biological materials such as bones and that suggests that new structures will achieve continues variation with parts of the structure apripriate for each property, either compression or tension.

My opinion is that the ‘bio-materials’ are a source of inspiration for the designers as well as the use of them in big structure can open new possibilities in the design itself. On the other hand i think there are ethical constraints that are against the use of these materials, such as bones. The cominity is not ready to adapt to the demand of the structural change and the change of materiality in every day use.

On this essay Manuel DeLanda is trying to investigate and interpret the work of Gilles Deleuze on the genesis of form. In general the essay is about the generation of form. in particular, Deleuze differentiates form into two categories. the first is the “strata” and the “self-consistent aggregates”. Strata is the concept of the tree. Trees are synthesis of homogeneous elements and provide a form that is predictable and can be explained through mathematics. The self-consistent aggregates are heterogeneous and dynamic mechanisms based on the rhizomes that provide a form which is not predictable in anyway and form dynamic connections to become a collection of mechanisms.

Deleuze’s philosophical thinking is greatly based on mathematics and on physics to understand and to decompose the virtual form as well as a tool to help to the actualisation of the virtual. In this text, DeLanda is also writing about how form emerges from organisational structures of biological, molecular as well as socioeconomic environments. these organisations can provide a form wich can be described in diagrams.

To conclude, I think that Deleuze’s tools (mathematics and physics) are in a way the tools to disassembly what happens in nature, but the concept based on the rhizome and the emergence of form and organisational structures are far more interesting to investigate.

Saint Jerome at the Grotto

The Habitats of Jerome. The author (Alison Smithson) is trying to analyse and conceive the allegory of the habitats of saint Jerome. People realised that the three habitats can be perceived as allegories came a thousand years after Jerome’s death, during the renaissance. At the time, the habitats became o topic of interest for lots of painters trying to depict the habitats themselves and also the allegory.

The Desert. The habitat that saint Jerome chose to start his journey was the desert. In the desert he became distant with the civilised world as well as the interaction with other people. He went there to think and pray. The desert symbolises the nature – the wild. During that time he became one with the nature, he embraced it.

The Study. The study was the second environment of saint Jerome. In the paintings he is depicted  in a cave with many books. After the desert, Jerome wanted to become part of a community as well as enjoy a closed environment without being exposed to weather phenomena – man-made. he started socialising as well as embracing environments completely opposite of his previous one, the desert.

The Grotto. The grotto was Jerome’s last environment. The grotto is the the desert and the study combined. After experiencing the two ends of the spectrum and tried to find what is the best environment in between. The grotto symbolises both the wild and the man made. It is the idyll environment to live.

Possible Research Topic. How architecture interact with its natural environment as well as how the user embraces the architectural environment in relation to the natural environment.