Digital Logics – Towards a Theory of Architecture Machines
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Digital Logics – T2
Form has been one of the most important elements for architects to achieve. There will be a set of perimeter in the sense of form that architects always want to excel at or push beyond. Has been said on my previous critical thinking that architecture is one of humans’ attribute, thus as long as it exists in a functional manner to human, I am agreeing that any kind of form should be always advanced progressively according to human’s growth of needs. Architects spent their entire lives to work against gravity and climate,but sometimes in a ambitious manner that it put itself away its main purpose of existence.
Digital Logics_T2
Digital Logics T2 – Ayaan Barodawala - click to view pdf
THEORY OF ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE – DIGITAL LOGICS
ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDY: ROLEX LEARNING CENTER, LAUSANNE
A space designed for people to explore and interact by walking, exploring and choosing their own comfort zone to work, read, interact and rest. The undulated floor in the interior generates a form that plays with human movement, by creating smooth curved ramps and with each space overlooking to the flat landscape around. Daylight is the most important factor considered while designing this learning center. Although the curves, load bearing capacity of the roof and floor, rigidity of the structure were tested through digital tools, the building does not merge with the space around.
ANALYSIS OF TEXT: De Landa, M. Deleuze and the Genesis of Form
The text helps us in exploring the myth that persisted in the western philosophy in regard to ‘form’. It gives us an insight about what the western philosophers considered ‘matter’ to be. They believed that material had hardly anything to do with the derivation of the form. Conceptualization of form was also given a spiritual / divine connection. It was stated that any natural shape / form was not a result of science but was creation of God. I feel that this might be the reason for the growth of ‘organic architecture’. Taking inspiration from natural forms and substituting the original material, we tend to prove that material has hardly anything to do with the formation of natural forms. We tend to treat form as a creation of God.
But, Deleuze had a different take on it, he said that the process of achieving a form is very endogenous and is within the material itself. According to him, there is a constant reaction taking place between different forms of matter and they tend to react endogenously and exogenously. I feel that, this process of deriving form is more logical and is very natural. This process always creates a balance between materials and forms. But, the modern theory of “far from equilibrium” theory suggests that the materials should be left imbalanced so that they react and a new form emerges. Such a process is also natural, but I think, it’s not a controlled one.
“The genesis of form” is very well described and categorized by Deleuze, 1) Strata (homogenous materials) and 2) Self – consisting aggregates (heterogeneous materials). I feel that strata are more simplified processes than the latter one. But, self-consisting aggregates tend to be more sustainable, as different materials / matter settle and react with one another over time, this provides more stability to a given structure / form.
TOPIC OF PERSONAL RESEARCH: Form Follows Function
I have always believed that conceptualizing a given design has three approaches. 1) Form follows function, 2) Form and function are one and 3) Function follows form.
I personally feel that “form” helps creating the aesthetics, while function addresses practical issues. Given a design, I feel it’s very important to create habitable spaces which will provide comfort and pleasant atmosphere to the ones residing / occupying / utilizing that space. Form will add to the beauty quotient of that space, but it won’t solve practical issues of the users. For that, functionality is of utmost importance. With a practical approach, where functions are given priority, form tends to fit in perfectly, thus giving a better looking functional space. While a form oriented space might have to compromise with the functionality.
Ayaan Barodawala
B2, E4
Iaac MAA01 2014-15
Transmuting Supremacy
The complexity of human brain to be introduced into a machine to produce the utmost artificial intelligent. Highly ambitious but if it works, will there be a species more intelligent than man?
Preamble
The theory of Architecture machines by Nicholas Negroponte, written in 1969, is a visionary scheme by the architect, about designing intelligent machines of architecture to ease out the process of attaining optimum design interpretations. It discusses about architecture machines that can learn about learning architecture which function in partnership with the designer through a dialogue.
Frame
Nicholas Negroponte describes that there is a need for machines to learn, understand, associate courses with goals, to be self-improving, to be ethical, in short, to be intelligent. A design machine must have an artificial intelligence because any design procedure is questionable when used out of context or in disregard of context of reasoning. He ingeniously explains that machines must understand the context before carrying out any procedure using their own wisdom learnt over time. He states that architects cannot handle intricate large scale problems and tend to overlook the small scale problems. Consequently, this causes a distinct manoeuvrability gap that exists between the scale of the mass and the scale of the individual, the scale of the city and the scale of the room. The architecture machine’s therefore come into play to exhibit alternatives, distinguish conflicts and make smart suggestions beyond the comprehension of the architect in the given time. The architect-machine partnership would form a perpetual iteration between form and principles.
According to Negroponte the 5 particular subassemblies of an architecture machines would be:
- A heuristic Mechanism – The machine provides with solutions based on thumb rules. Though not very accurate, it serves as a solution for the time being
- A rote apparatus – This mechanism stores events circumstances of events and when similar situations are encountered, it uses information from past
- A conditioning device – Consequently, repeated responses become a habit and machines will respond with a combination of rote apparatus and a heuristic mechanism to develop its own conditioned reflex.
- A reward selector – The designer must express his degree of satisfaction in order for the machine to understand when the process has been successful
- A forgetting convenience – The machines should be able to forget in order to remove the inflexibility of functions and to adopt new ways of addressing to situations
These five items are only pieces; the entire body will be an ever changing group of mechanisms that will undergo structural mutations, bear offspring, and evolve, all under the direction of a steersman.
Conclusion
Negroponte’s theories were far ahead of his period and we can see functional examples of his theories in the contemporary time. Machines and softwares used today have eased out the complex mathematical tasks and refined the process of production, however, they do not provide absolute design solutions unless programed to. Primarily, this is because machines possess only logical thinking and no emotional quotient, much required to design spatial character. My area of research will intervene the understanding of the possibilities of artificial intelligence, capable of combining of both emotional and logical decisions. The characteristics of intelligent machines should be attachment with goals, the self-critique, innovative thinking, common sense and most importantly the consciousness of comparing the right and wrong.
Will this evoke a possibility of machines being much better architects than humans? Or the creator will perpetually be the superior creature producing limitless solutions?
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