Week 1: Analogue to Digital
Over the course of history architecture has always been evolving alongside technology, although design was always limited by the analogue tools available. However, the introduction of digital tools have drastically changed the design process. Eventually architects began to distinguish themselves as designers instead of builders, separating the profession into 2 more specific ones. With the introduction of standardised materials, architects now strive to explore new possibilities with the aid of digital visualisation tools.
However, the introduction of digital fabrication methods have slowly bridged the gap between design and making. Manufacturing methods such as CNC Milling and formative fabricating as described by Kolarevic, will allow architects to produce physical models with ease. Kolarevic also mentioned that in the future is it highly possible that eventually the manufacturing process will be replaced by fully automatic methods, integrating "making" into design even more.
Digital technologies not only changed the manufacturing process but fundamentally evolved how designs are created. The "drawing" stage is now defined by algorithms and computer generated patterns. Parametric designs allow architectures to create complex tessellation patterns such as facades, manipulating numbers and sliders to create unique designs.
Readings:
Kolarevic, B. (2003). Information Master Builders. Architecture in the digital
age : design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY, Spon Press:
55-62
Mitchell, W. (2003). Design Worlds and Fabrication Machines. Architecture
in the digital age : design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY,
Spon Press: 73-80
Starkey, B. (2005). "Architectural models: material, intellectual, spiritual." Arq
: Architectural Research Quarterly 9(3-4): 265-272
Week 2: Design to Production
With the shift from analogue to digital, the process from design to production have undergone fundamental changes. The separation of architecture into digital and physical worlds have made communication between the designer and producer essential.
The introduction of parametric modelling have became a key component in modern architecture. Communication between architects and specialists in other related areas such as construction and engineering help streamline the process from design to production.
Organic designs known as "blob" architecture became popular due to the increased use of parametric modelling. Splines and NURBs were integrated into CAD and CAM softwares allowing architectures to design structures that were otherwise impossible to be done with analogue methods. However, such designs would have stayed as concept art if the current manufacturing technologies weren't able to produce such complex models. Fortunately, digital fabrication tools such as CNC milling were introduced in time to allow architects to quickly manufacture prototypes as well as mass scale production. The highly automated process lowers the cost and manual labor needed to manufacture such complex geometries.
Readings:
Scheurer, F. (2014). Materialising Complexity. Theories of the digital in
architecture. R. Oxman and R. Oxman: 283-291.
Kolarevic, B. (2003). Information Master Builders. Architecture in the digital
age : design and manufacturing. B. Kolarevic. New York, NY, Spon Press:
55-62
Klinger, K. (2008). Relations: Information Exchange in Designing and Making
Architecture. Manufacturing material effects : rethinking design and making
in architecture. B. Kolarevic and K. R. Klinger. New York, Routledge: 26-36.
Week 7: BIM and new technologies in practice
BIM(Building Information Modelling) has become an essential part in architecture, it allows for a more streamlined collaboration and extreme efficiency. It enables us to filter out errors and flaws of the design easily, cutting down on production costs and increasing efficiency.
However, no system is perfect and in the case of BIM, it limits many design choices as well as causing architects to be over-reliant on it. In the reading BIM's seven deadly sins, it explains this as sin of being technolocentric, which means focusing more on the BIM software rather than the design itself, letting it sway our direction into creating a more sustainable structure instead of innovative designs. The results are generic and dull designs.
Readings:
Holzer, D. (2011). "BIM's Seven Deadly Sins." International Journal of Architectural Computing 9(4): 463-480.
Benjamin, D. (2012). Beyond Efficiency. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 14-25.
Marble, S. (2012). BIM 2.0. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 72- 73.
