In his research paper Toward a Theory of Architecture Machines Nicholas Negroponte discusses the advantages of self-developing machines particularly in the field of architecture, identifying the interaction of humans and technology as evolutionary. Negroponte suggests a hypothesis claiming that the authorship of a design work created by a machine belongs unquestionably to the designer as long as the product is based on precise information added by the designer. Certainly the question of authorship becomes cryptic whether machines are able to act independently from any human input.

Doubtlessly, computer-aided design is being relevant for architectural design processes. However, in Negropontes point of view technology can only play a significant role in human lives if machines are not only able to produce, but have superior abilities.
According to Negroponte’s work, machines can give responses to environmental changes because any random sequence will somehow contain all solutions. If future technology is able to adapt and learn how to learn it will improve human’s as well architect’s lives.
The author states that it is crucial for self-improving machines to have five main features in order to be considered evolutionary. The heuristic method will only provide the optimal solution by limiting the searching process. By rote learning technology is able to compare similar situations and associate an event with a response. The conditioning device will enable technology to deal with all non-exceptional data and give responses to standardized events by employing conditional reflexes. The reward sector will function within reviewing or observing results by the designer to evaluate the machine’s operations. The exponential forgetting appliance will allow machines to learn and forget in order to sort out irrelevant or obsolete data.
Connected with human data input and a parent machine these features will be elements of a superior machine body, the architecture machine. The parent machine will provide power, stored data and a communication network.
Furthermore, Negroponte specifies three required properties of the interface which are essentially relevant in order to authorize machines to produce individually. The event is crucial for the perception of senses while the manifestation will enable technology to analyse and evaluate the data of an event. The representation will eventually allow the mapping of information and transferring it to other machines.
According to Negroponte artificial intelligence will have the potential to challenge, question and improve human’s life.

The research paper published by Nicholas Negroponte provides an advanced vision of the future integration of technology into human’s life. The interaction between mankind and machines has been intensified over the last centuries and I can definitely imagine the world changing in a similar way as Negroponte is illustrating. Technology merges with human life already in several fields as for example communication, information, science and certainly architecture as well.
Nevertheless, even if machinery is adaptable and self-improving it will mainly provide average solutions as an optimal result of comparing a variety of individual cases. In my regard, allowing technology to make decisions on our behalf could also limit individuality. As Jona Friedman states, “The average man does not exist, there are only individuals.” In my point of view, technology can only improve human life if it is able to provide new solutions instead of optimal solutions. For example most people visiting a foreign city would follow a route suggested by Google Maps. Obviously the technical device has chosen the optimal route, but is it actually the most beautiful and most exciting as well?

The more technology is involved in our world, the less humans will be personally involved in decision processes. As an example I would like to point out war drones used for violent operations. On the one hand the use of such technologies in war will certainly improve the lives of many soldiers who could evade the danger of being physically involved in a battle. One the other hand, if drones would be self-controlled, can we be confident with an emotionally and morally incapable machine deciding about human life on a battlefield?
Nonetheless, considering that tragedies as the nuclear catastrophe in Tschernobyl are fundamentally based on human failure and obsolete technologies, could disasters like this have been avoided by using advanced technologies?
I find it very difficult to define the evolution of machines as merely good or bad. Technology will be increasingly integrated in mankind’s life eventually. However, in my opinion advanced technology should be a tool providing new potentials of exploring the world. Machinery should not be a replacement for human brains, it is supposed to be an extension.

research proposal:

In his book War in the Age of Intelligent Machines Manuel De Landa deals with the symbiotic relation between humans and machines. In his work, he focuses on diverse fields such as for example architecture and artificial intelligence. According to De Landa technology invention has to be inserted into social practises in order to achieve absolute efficiency.
As part of my personal research I would like to investigate in De Landa’s theories questioning which domains in human life can actually be improved by technology. Furthermore, I would like to discover the conditions which are crucially relevant for a symbiotic relationship between mankind and machinery.

picture: https://flic.kr/p/fBTnsK – Robots replace humans in China 2.0 by Cory M. Grenier CC BY-SA 2.0

In his writing form and function follow climate Philippe Rahm suggests a new architectural concept which differs from classical approaches such as form follows function or function follows form. Rahm claims that form has to be developed in response to climate conditions and that sustainability is due to be the guideline for architectural advancement.
Rahm investigates the relationship between human and nature. He advocates a transformation of conventional spatial organization into a free space which is not limited by specific functions.

In his work, Rahm identifies sustainable development to be the essential challenge of architecture in the 21st century. In his view we have to reconsider conventional habits and patterns to establish innovative and sustainable buildings. He considers advanced technologies as part of this changing process which will eventually affect the form and function of prospective architecture.
Rahm investigates the relationship between form and function by referring to Louis Sullivan’s statement of form follows function which simplifies architecture as a spatial expression of the functional program on the one hand and Louis Kahn’s contradicting concept of function follows form which defines the functional program as flexible in response to a system of hierarchies on the other hand.
However, Rahm proposes an alternative perception of spatial organization considering the climate as a leading factor for architectural design. He states that form and function have to follow climate. In Rahm’s point of view space has to be adaptable according to season and weather conditions as well as to human needs and desires. Rahm proves that our built surroundings can be reinterpreted and functionally changed as for example the campi in Venice which were originally meant to be catching systems for rainwater, but serve as social and cultural meeting points by now.
According to his work, Rahm considers the climate as crucial for any future architectural development.
Furthermore, he questions traditional spatial organizations and proposes a concept of interpretable architecture to liberate space from function and provide individually adaptable space instead.
In conclusion, Rahm suggests to emerge function and form spontaneously according to the climatic conditions and individual needs. Architecture has to be a response to changes of the physical and cultural environment.

The case study deals with a project called Never Never Land designed by Andrés Jaque Architects located in San José, Ibiza. About 80% of the building has been raised above ground in order to preserve the natural environment. The geometric configuration is intended to sustain most of the existing trees which indicates a positional relation.
The spatial organization of Never Never Land is very unusual. Exterior and interior spaces are strongly connected to establish an interaction between architecture and the surroundings. The rooms for intimacy and those for group actions are assembled to create an open living zone.
Reconsulting the writing of Philippe Rahm it is noticeable that some of his basic ideas about advanced architecture are matching the case study project. The Never Never Land project deals with sustainability and environmental responsibility as well as with unconventional spatial planning.
Nevertheless, the project of Andrés Jaques Architects relates to the natural surroundings only superficially which is why I would not consider it as advanced architecture.

The climate change and the greenhouse gas production are currently increasing the global warming more and more. Acting environmentally respectfully and taking concepts as Rahm’s form and function follow climate in consideration during the design process has become crucially relevant. In my opinion preserving our environment and investigating in our natural surroundings is an essential part of advanced architecture.
Architecture of cities and buildings has become an element of the “ecosystem nature”. In my point of view advanced architecture means respecting this system we live in and relating to it.
I consider it as an opportunity as well as a duty to preserve our natural environment and in the best case improve it.

personal research proposal:

Rhizome is a philosophical concept developed by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari as part of the Capitalism and Schizophrenia project. Rhizome is defined as a system of interaction based on the botanical rhizome. The Rhizome Theory provides a multiple, non-hierarchical classification system which follows no specific pattern or organizational regulations.
During my research I would like to investigate in the Rhizome Theory considering how it could be related to spatial and urban organization as well as to human society. In this context it will be challenging to discover how the Rhizome Theory can be related to the concept of Relational Logics.

photo credits: www.philipperahm.com