VOCAB
Trends - a general direction which something is developing or changing.
Trend Forecaster - concept of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information. eg Li Edelkoort
Sustainability - is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.
Propaganda - Information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view
Rhetorical - The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, esp. the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques
Dissonance - A tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements
Critique - Evaluate (a theory or practice) in a detailed and analytical way
Mainstream - The ideas, attitudes, or activities that are regarded as normal or conventional; the dominant trend in opinion, fashion, or the arts
Minimalism - A trend in sculpture and painting that arose in the 1950s and used simple, typically massive, forms
Ephemeral - Lasting for a very short time
Disarray - Throw (someone or something) into a state of disorganization or untidiness
Poignant - Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret
Nostalgia - A sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations
Idealism - The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, esp. unrealistically
Theorists - A person concerned with the theoretical aspects of a subject; a theoretician
Contradicts - Deny the truth of (a statement), esp. by asserting the opposite
Cognitive Dissonance - We don't willingly 'read' a message that contradicts our strongly held beliefs.
Attribution theory - do we attribute the cause of certain events to internal or external influences.
Rhetoric theory - a theory that supports the idea that we construct our reality with communication 'this is how it us'.
Social cognitive theory - social learning, narrative intended to teach. For example, discouraging teen smoking.
Substructure - includes non-economic factors such as religion, politics, art and literature.
Dehumanisation - Deprive of positive human qualities
Meta theory - the underlying beliefs about reality, knowledge and values that structure and guide scholarship.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Week 1
"Writing about design is understanding design"
_____ Kenya Hara
(born 1958) is a Japanese graphic designer and curator. Hara is art director of Muji since 2001 and desgined the opening and closing ceremony programs of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Hara
Form and Meaning
-------------------------------------- Semiotics
is the study of cultural sign processes (semiosis), analogy, metaphor, signification and communication, signs and symbols. Closely related to the study of the structure and meaning of language.
-------------------------------------- Connotation and Denotation
are often described in terms of levels of representation or levels of meaning. Denotation refers to what is literal, while connotation refers to the meaning behind what id described in denotation. Normative is how we describe what is "normal" for our culture.
Li announces the concepts, colours and materials which will be in fashion two or more years in advance because,
Travelling, shopping and searching the world over, Li Edelkoort is constantly gathering information and emotions, studying the fabric of society, picking up materials, words, figures and flowers like a global beachcomber.
Li's work has evolved into the realms of education at the Design Academy Eindhoven, humanitarianism within the Heartwear foundation and ATA Europe, and curatorship as she delves into the art and design domain illuminating museums around the world, such as ARMOUR in the Netherlands (2003), Skin Tight: the sensibility of flesh at Chicago's MCA (2004),North meets South at Centre Culturel Suédois, Paris (2005) and Stockholm's Nordiska Museet (2006)." –– http://www.edelkoort.com/lidewij_edelkoort
Li studied fashion and design, she first realised her talent in forecasting when she started at a leading Dutch department store, De Bijenkorf after graduation from theSchool of Fine Arts Arnhem
_____ Kenya Hara
(born 1958) is a Japanese graphic designer and curator. Hara is art director of Muji since 2001 and desgined the opening and closing ceremony programs of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya_Hara
Form and Meaning
-------------------------------------- Semiotics
is the study of cultural sign processes (semiosis), analogy, metaphor, signification and communication, signs and symbols. Closely related to the study of the structure and meaning of language.
-------------------------------------- Connotation and Denotation
are often described in terms of levels of representation or levels of meaning. Denotation refers to what is literal, while connotation refers to the meaning behind what id described in denotation. Normative is how we describe what is "normal" for our culture.
DENOTATION- NORMATIVE-CONNOTATION
__________________________________________________________________
Lidewij Edelkoort
is a Dutch trend forecaster, recognised as one of the worlds best.
"Her work has pioneered trend forecasting as a profession; from the creation of innovative trend books and audiovisuals since the 1980s to long-ranging lifestyle analysis and research for the world's leading brands today.Li announces the concepts, colours and materials which will be in fashion two or more years in advance because,
"there is no creation without advance knowledge, and without design, a product cannot exist."
In this way, she and her closely-knit teams orientate professionals in interpreting the evolution of society and the foreshadowing signals of consumer tastes to come, without forgetting economic reality.Travelling, shopping and searching the world over, Li Edelkoort is constantly gathering information and emotions, studying the fabric of society, picking up materials, words, figures and flowers like a global beachcomber.
Li's work has evolved into the realms of education at the Design Academy Eindhoven, humanitarianism within the Heartwear foundation and ATA Europe, and curatorship as she delves into the art and design domain illuminating museums around the world, such as ARMOUR in the Netherlands (2003), Skin Tight: the sensibility of flesh at Chicago's MCA (2004),North meets South at Centre Culturel Suédois, Paris (2005) and Stockholm's Nordiska Museet (2006)." –– http://www.edelkoort.com/lidewij_edelkoort
Li studied fashion and design, she first realised her talent in forecasting when she started at a leading Dutch department store, De Bijenkorf after graduation from the
Week 2
POWERHOUSE MUSEUM EXCURSION – LOVE LACE EXHIBITION
Basically this exhibition showcased many artists works incorporating their love for lace. The traditional concept of lace is challenged in many of the works, all done in a lively and creative way. The exhibition had an inventive edge, lace was seen in almost any avenue you could thing of. Fashion, sculpture, video, jewellery, lightning, vehicles. The precise detail to the knitted works of tea sets, threaded faces and large scale installations of metal fences, are possibly the most intriguing and intricate works I have seen.
Marraine’s Memories
Jane Theau
Definitely my favourite of the exhibition, focused on the brain and how memories change overtime. Memory fades as we age, the threads and the shadows depict the lifelong weaving of memories and the consequential unravelling in old age, and memory loss.
Steeped in Memory
Linda Galbraith
This magnificent piece was made to encourage the onlooker to be captured by memories they have that involve a cup of tea. Linda aimed to create a nostalgic vision of an afternoon tea filled with reminiscences. Almost like the tea set is drenched in memories as the tea stains on the cloth represent the discussion, laughter and secrets shared over a cup of tea. The simplisity of the set together with the intricate nature of the lace allow for the reminiscent feel to radiate. I loved all the intricate pieces on exhibit, but this one reminded me of my grandma and that is what i believe it was meant to convey.Lace offers the mystery of concealment and the subtle interplay of space, light and shadows. Its layering can enhance the human body and create alluring effects in interior design and architecture. Though lace is usually associated with textiles, curator Lindie Ward broadened the definition of lace to include any ‘openwork structure whose pattern of spaces is as important as the solid areas’.
_____________________http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/lovelace/index.php/exhibition-overview
Couldn't say it any better, really.
Week 4
Design Writing
_______ Misfit by Hella Jongerius
Jongerius revives the idealism of the Arts and Crafts movement which followed the industrial revolutiom. She believes in the dignity of the crafts person and tries to introduce a personal element to the industrially manufactured object. Her strong opinions (like Li Edelkoort) influence designers today. She likes to work with firms who have a handcrafted elements to their production process. This is her reaction to the current perception of "commodity fetishism". The value of handicrafts lies primarily in the impossibility of producing perfect products. The function of design, for Jongerius is not just about use. The function of design lies mainly in it's communicative strength, in the story that goes beyond basic functionality and is at times at odds with it.
An example is the "Soft Urn" by Jongerius. Alot of her work juxtaposes the old and new, craft and industry, high tech and low tech. The "Soft Urn" has a function of being an urn but the typical perception of an urn is challenged when people touch this item, the urn is made of a soft rubber and is smooth and soft to the touch, not the traditional hard and rough surface we associate with them. The communicative strength goes beyond the functionality of the item, almost at odds with it.
________________________________________________________________
Jenny Holzer
an american conceptual artist, known for her large scale public displays, that is her billboards, projections on buildings as well as illuminated electronic displays at exhibitions. Her works often speak of issues in society that are not spoke of as much as they should because of the weight of the subject. Things such as violence, oppression, sexuality, feminism, power, war and death. "Holzer's strives to enlighten the public, bringing forth a thought in silence that was meant to remain hidden". - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Holzer
________________________________________
Adbusters
http://www.adbusters.org/
Is a not-for-profit, anti-consumerist organisation founded in 1989 in Canada. The Foundation describes itself as, "a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age." The magazine is seen all over the world, challenging consumerism with striking and shocking covers and material. It is one of the best known activist magazine and the foundry have launched many campaigns. Including 'Buy Nothing Day' and 'TV Turnoff Week', they are also well-known for their "subvertisements" that are scattered through advertisements.
The magazine brings into light issues that almost always concerns everyone in society, they confront the reader with hard honest truths and challenge the readers outlook on the issues.
http://www.adbusters.org/
http://www.realfuture.org/wordpress/?p=372
http://kc-hardingham1013-cts.blogspot.com/
Is a not-for-profit, anti-consumerist organisation founded in 1989 in Canada. The Foundation describes itself as, "a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs who want to advance the new social activist movement of the information age." The magazine is seen all over the world, challenging consumerism with striking and shocking covers and material. It is one of the best known activist magazine and the foundry have launched many campaigns. Including 'Buy Nothing Day' and 'TV Turnoff Week', they are also well-known for their "subvertisements" that are scattered through advertisements.
The magazine brings into light issues that almost always concerns everyone in society, they confront the reader with hard honest truths and challenge the readers outlook on the issues.
Week 5
Communication Theories and Social Theories
Proposition: We construct our reality in our communicating.
The simplest communication model is the "Transmission Model" based on early telegraph technology. I.e. The sending and receiving messages or transferring information from one mind to another.
NARRATIVE THEORY
Humans are storytelling people. Storytelling is the most basic of human activities. The narrative is a paradigm for human communication. It is an organising framework for communication and analysis. It works as a way of explaining how people symbolically transact who they are. Stories insulate our lives as we grow up, as a child we are told 'fairytales' that contain morals and lessons about the dominant paradigm. As children are very influential the tales that they are told shape their reality. Good VS Evil, almost everyone expects good to rival over evil but further tales in history bring us to the reality, that it's not like the 'fairytales' we know so well or we live naively.
CASE STUDY
"A Century in Pictures". Subtitles 100years of people and events who shaped Australia.
Photography i a huge part of history, a huge part in telling the details of the stories, capturing it in a still image.
Proposition: We construct our reality in our communicating.
The simplest communication model is the "Transmission Model" based on early telegraph technology. I.e. The sending and receiving messages or transferring information from one mind to another.
NARRATIVE THEORY
http://n21nunez.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/do-fairy-tales-come-true/
Humans are storytelling people. Storytelling is the most basic of human activities. The narrative is a paradigm for human communication. It is an organising framework for communication and analysis. It works as a way of explaining how people symbolically transact who they are. Stories insulate our lives as we grow up, as a child we are told 'fairytales' that contain morals and lessons about the dominant paradigm. As children are very influential the tales that they are told shape their reality. Good VS Evil, almost everyone expects good to rival over evil but further tales in history bring us to the reality, that it's not like the 'fairytales' we know so well or we live naively.
CASE STUDY
"A Century in Pictures". Subtitles 100years of people and events who shaped Australia.
http://www.tower.com/a-century-in-pictures-news-gazette-hardcover/wapi/107261661
Photography i a huge part of history, a huge part in telling the details of the stories, capturing it in a still image.
A photograph tells a thousand words, it can capture a moment in time and explain in detail what was going on in that moment. During the first world wars Australia was able to experience the war like none other, photographers brought home images of the conflict and revealed to the public the huge scale of war that was going on. The photograph has developed along with technology, originally taking months to receive an image from overseas, now it is practically instant with satellite phones, etc.
The ANZACS fought a brutal war in 1914 the cameramen tagged along on the journey and captured history. The reason it is so raw and real is because he became almost invisible to the men, he caught an important historical report through images. (Charles Bean worked for the Telegraph at the time) Ever since a camera has been taken along on these dangerous pursuits to capture the events of the men, their bravery and perseverance. The Iraq war (2003) bought back coloured images of the cold atmosphere in torture houses of Sudam Husayan. Kate, the photographer found it very important to capture the reality over there to show to Australian public and make them aware.
Within Australian history there are a lot of natural disasters, fires and droughts and floods, continuously tearing are environment up, the epic images of these events bring a reality to many citizens that anything can happen in almost the blink of an eye. The 'dingo ate my baby' story was developed into a narrative that had the best entertainment value, the public took the rumours and believed them because that was how they were told. Narratives told my word or image is hard for us as humans to ignore as a type of truth regardless of the absurdity.
There are many Communication theories. Some of them are
1) Cognitive dissonance theory - we don't willingly 'read' a message that contradicts out strongly held beliefs (eg. turning the radio off when a talk back topic conflicts with our morals, etc)
2) Attribution theory - do we attribute the cause of certain events to internal of external influences (e.g. wondering if a bf/gf hasn't called because they are just busy or with another lover)
3) Rhetoric theory - a theory that supports the idea that we construct our reality with communication (e.g. assertive voices saying things like, "this is how it is" in newspapers etc)
4) Social cognitive theory - social learning, narrative intended to teach (e.g. discouraging teen smoking with an ad campaign)
Social Theory
Karl Marx and William Morris
http://africasacountry.com/2011/03/16/the-prophet-karl-marx/osho-on-karl-marx/
Socailist = industrial revolution
Society was divided (happy and unhappy) the bourgoise (people that owns/controls the means of production) and proletariat (the people that are engaged in production for wages).
Society has a substructure (economic/modes of production) economic conditions underpins the society such as capitalism or communism. It is also underpinned by the class structure.
The substructure includes non economic factors such as religion, politics, art and literature.
Marx - prevention of humans full potential, dehumanisation. Industrial/technical alienation of society groups. There is an imbalance of the external world and the individual. Needed critical thinking of society to make sure things don't get out of hand, relentless criticism.
http://www.marxists.org/subject/frankfurt-school/
The Frankfurt School
1923 the school grew out of Marxist ideology, committed to the critical analysis of societies current state as well as to the development of alternatives which might enable humans to transcend their unhappy situation through critical thought and action (as apposed to blind following the rules). Political theory should be protected from the contemnations of commercial culture. More a moral force working towards human emancipation. (Hitler ruined Frankfurts schools progress).
Week 6
Meta Design
"Designing Design"
Paolo Antonelli says designers will be the intellectuals of the future.
http://www.alvaraalto.fi/designseminar/choices/lecturers.htm
In contemporary society, designers are the ones thinking of new ways to fix issues, such as social issues, environmental problems, etc. Instead of philosophers like Marx did in the 90's, both are helping make things easier in life. It seems Antonelli may be correct, everything we interact with has been designed, from a knife handle to a car, all manufactured with for everyone, considering every factor that is impacted by its construction.
MOVIE : OBJECTIFIED
A documentary film by Gary Hustwit
http://logoblink.com/objectified-logo/
We give an object a meaning as soon as we see it. The goal of graphic design has always been mass production (industrial design), people don't realise those things were ever designed at one point, for example, the Japanese toothpick. The toothpick within it's country is understood for it's function but the design brought to the western world is not understood unless explained. The little bit on the end of the toothpick is meant to be snapped off after someone has used it (Japanese are very concerned with hygiene) it then acts as a rest for the pick. The concept is very smart but not necessarily conveyed into other cultures. Henry Ford cleverly stated that, "every object tells a story if you know how to read it." Understanding people and their needs involves understanding a narrative.
http://www.american.com/archive/2007/november-december-magazine-contents/the-glorious-toothpick
To design a product for a range of people one must cater to the extremes within the range, and that way the middle people are taken care of. Products no one thinks have been designed actually require a lot of consideration and experimentation. The veggie peeler for an example used to be a major strain on all people, especially older people suffering from arthritis, there was a lot of alterations to get something so simple. Catering for the elderly with arthritis (the extreme) allows the product to meet everyone's needs.
All to design a better experience, make it easier to use without making the change obvious. The design can be clever but it also needs to be clear, aesthetic, honest, innovative and understandable. There are a lot of unnecessary objects out in the world.
http://bestlaptops02.blogspot.com/2011/08/apple-macbook-pro-2011.html
Apple products have a very defined personality within their product range. The form developed in relation to how the designers wanted it to look and how the look would help people interact with it. The Apple MacBook changed what was known as eight different parts to assemble the key board bottom into one shell, the one part providing so much functionality and still being as un-obvious as it's predecessors. To get a design that is practically flawless, you have to determine what is important and what is not important. For example the MacBooks battery indicator is not needed to be a bulky indicator but a simply almost undetected sensor light.
A lot of products these days that have advanced because of technology, bare no relation to the function, for example the iPhone. It is basically a form of communication, the ways to communicate on it though have change epically from the original telephone. If an alien was to come to our planet and pick it up they would have very little if any knowledge as how to use the device.
Design is the search for form - what works best - looks best - easiest for consumer to use.
http://tarabernerd.com/Blog/?p=2207
Marc Newson is a successful industrial designer who works in a range of design fields and incorporates a style that is known as biomorphism. This style tends to have an absence of sharp edges.
http://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/blog/2004/12/26/mark-newson-design-museum-london
Newson designs from a future state of mind. He looks at whats going to happen not what has happened, the designs have to stand the test of time, or at least put up a good fight against it. Somethings that well designed should cost less in Newson's eyes, but sadly for the consumer it adds value and hence costs more. Anything that is very now or very next will not last long in this society.
The trick to designing something new or improving upon existing designs, is not to look at the form but to look at the function. When the toothbrush was needed to be redesigned the designers looked at redesigning oral care rather than redesigning toothbrush. Looking at the publics needs to guarantee that the product is actually improved.
http://www.ideo.com/people/jane-fulton-suri
Jane Fulton Suri, a partner at IDEO believes that designers are becoming the bridge between people and products that are hard to understand. We have to be interested in mass communication not mass production anymore.
Good design feels undesigned, so intuitive that we are not aware of it. Another concern other than making sure the public can use the object is to consider it's sustainability, the cradle to cradle scheme is talked about. This is where the object whole life is taken into consideration. That means the manufacturing, the usage and the disposal of the object is thought through.
Digital products have now become so bightous we now refer to a chair as analogue. There is an increasing 'democratisation' of design, why does 'designer objects' mean that it is out of reach to some people.
By studying the narrative (the way people behave) makes the product have the best function.
http://grainedit.com/2009/03/05/objectified-film-poster-designed-by-build/
Week 7
Meta Theory
The underlying beliefs about realty, knowledge and values that structure and guide scholarship.
http://www.flsh.unilim.fr/lpcm/?p=1145
Culture Studies
Multifaceted intellectual area that explores the ideological interconnections amoung media, politics, economy and practices of individuals in a cultural system. It attempts to think about the mass media as elements in a whole way of life, a complex unity held together by culture, by the production and reproduction of systems and symbols and messages.
Culture is the wearing of values and beliefs that undergird a particular society or group.
EG: The London riots were led and escalated out of control through social media.
Week 8
VIDEO: The Power of Myth
The narrative is the tool that parents and the media use to teach. Life is full of many obstacles and as adults we know how daunting reality is, so we try and produce anecdotes that either make fun of the problem or bring it to light as it is overcome.
"Hero in the thousand phases" by Joseph Campbell (the speaker in the video) is typical narrative where the 'hero' goes through many obstacles and learns and overcomes.
Based on the mythology not spirituality.
There are so many stories of heroes around the world, either called that because of a physical deed (saving a life or sacrificing for a life) or a spiritual hero (learning from their mistakes). It is all about the trials - the departure, fulfilment and return learned. A lot of cultures share the same basis when it comes to narratives and heros that build morals. Society seems to run on a system.
THE NARRATIVE
REAL
The narrative ein the form of myth is interpreted through symbols and themes (departure, fulfillment and return).
The themes include:
1- facing the dragon
2- destroying the dragon
3- conquering temptation
4- denying the dark side
5- discovering yourself through the heroic journey
*Producing what we as the viewer sees as a role model.
In your design practice you may use the narrative form in advertisin (TV commercials) TV shorts informercials. All communication requires "Cultural literacy"
RHETORIC
A three part structure (tripartite structure). A picture, a headline and text organied on a central axis. Designed to sell an agenda, an idea or a product.
Will our storyboard be a combination of both? Or one or the other?
Q
What has happened to role models in contemporary films? If the model the same as tradition or just slightly modified?
A
The formula is basically the same but the content is more realistic, more than idealistic as it used to be. The main character often still undertakes challenges and overcomes adversity, but the content is no longer naive, it is very much the truth. That is the truth in a comedic, dramatic or horrific way.
Q
What is cultural literacy?
A
Knowledge of the people, places, events and concepts central to the standard and literate culture. It is the ability to converse fluently in the idioms, allusions and informed content that creates and constitutes a dominant culture. To understand and navigate through different cultures.
http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php?categoryid=83&p9999_action=details&p9999_wid=765
The narrative is the tool that parents and the media use to teach. Life is full of many obstacles and as adults we know how daunting reality is, so we try and produce anecdotes that either make fun of the problem or bring it to light as it is overcome.
http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php?categoryid=83&p9999_action=details&p9999_wid=46
"Hero in the thousand phases" by Joseph Campbell (the speaker in the video) is typical narrative where the 'hero' goes through many obstacles and learns and overcomes.
Based on the mythology not spirituality.
There are so many stories of heroes around the world, either called that because of a physical deed (saving a life or sacrificing for a life) or a spiritual hero (learning from their mistakes). It is all about the trials - the departure, fulfilment and return learned. A lot of cultures share the same basis when it comes to narratives and heros that build morals. Society seems to run on a system.
THE NARRATIVE
REAL
The narrative ein the form of myth is interpreted through symbols and themes (departure, fulfillment and return).
The themes include:
1- facing the dragon
2- destroying the dragon
3- conquering temptation
4- denying the dark side
5- discovering yourself through the heroic journey
*Producing what we as the viewer sees as a role model.
In your design practice you may use the narrative form in advertisin (TV commercials) TV shorts informercials. All communication requires "Cultural literacy"
RHETORIC
A three part structure (tripartite structure). A picture, a headline and text organied on a central axis. Designed to sell an agenda, an idea or a product.
Will our storyboard be a combination of both? Or one or the other?
Q
What has happened to role models in contemporary films? If the model the same as tradition or just slightly modified?
A
The formula is basically the same but the content is more realistic, more than idealistic as it used to be. The main character often still undertakes challenges and overcomes adversity, but the content is no longer naive, it is very much the truth. That is the truth in a comedic, dramatic or horrific way.
Q
What is cultural literacy?
A
Knowledge of the people, places, events and concepts central to the standard and literate culture. It is the ability to converse fluently in the idioms, allusions and informed content that creates and constitutes a dominant culture. To understand and navigate through different cultures.
Week 9
Assessment 1 – Issues of topical currency
This assessment requires you to research current design trends and design writing, prepare your own predictions or speculative narratives from what you learn from this and use professional presentation skills to present it with visuals to your peers.
THE BRIEF
consisting of a 10 minute class presentation accompanied by a well researched and illustrated report of 2000 words on the relationship between possible future design styles/trends and issues and the writings of current design or social theorists
SPECIFICATIONS
No of words: 2,000
FORMAT PDFs for both report and presentation
The assignment will be assessed over the following stages:
STAGE ONE
Research and summarise the work of several different social theorists and design writers.
STAGE TWO
Write a report of 2,000 words.
STAGE THREE
Prepare a presentation with movies and or images to support your theories
STAGE FOUR
Professional Presentation as if to a client of final outcome
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
• Fulfilling parameters of brief (8/40)
• Depth of research (8/40)
• Originality and entertaining/engaging content (8/40)
• Correct referencing and academic style (8/40)
• Presentation skills (8/40)
Report Due Date: Week 9 – End of Class Thursday 29th September 2011
Presentation Due Date: Weeks 10 and 11
Project Weighting: 40%
SELF ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OVERVIEW
Our population is growing and our cities are getting crowded, building costs rise because resources are deminishing. Looking at what our natural environment offers is what can save us from ourselves? The proposition is to study the bodies protein interactions of self-assembly, replication and the ability to repair and trying to mimick this into our built environment. Making things that make themselves, trying to write the code they can produce the object we desire.
METHODS
Skylar Tibbits, a researcher at MIT, and his team have looked into this theory. Proposing a few miniscale models of robots that work off sequences embedded into them to create a 3-dimensional object. He proposes with futher research, he sees new possibilities for self-assemble, replication and repair in our physical structures, our buildings and machines. Further programability in these parts and from that you have new possibilities for computing, spatial computing. Our buildings, bridges, machines, bricks could actually compute, amazing parralell distributing power, also new design possibilities.
FINDINGS
Our building industry as of now is searching for new possibilities in regards to materials and construction with sustainability and environmental impact in mind. Technology is helping the industry along with innovations in man made materials and ways of constructing to prevent damage due to natural disasters or human accidents (renovations or repairs). Tibbits research is one small step towards the ‘self-assembly’ of buildings but it is a valid step. Futher research could allow for a major change in the way people build all objects.
RECOMMENDATIONS
With further research into the relationship of our bodies processes of self-assembly, replication and repair and the building industry will expand our options when it comes to the lack of resources available to build from, the sustainability of our bilding and objects, and the impact on the environment. If the self-assembly system progresses the possibilities in the building industry will blossom. Objects that were too small to manufacture or so large it took years to plan let alone build, could now be programed into parts that will make it themselves. Not being an expert in the field I’m not sure if it will work, but the information gathered I think it is possible that in the future it will help construct buildings of all sizes to perfectly suit and adapt to their environment.
INTRO
Todays contemporary society is forever advancing and growing, getting more complex yet simpler. Design and technology together have allowed for many innovations that have helped us with everyday activities and social or economical problems. The natural world we live in now is forever changing to suit the time, the environment, conditions and needs. Physical structures; buildings, machines, toasters, phones and practically any other item or device we connect with everyday are elaborate constructions. How would the world be if we could solve the constant headache that is the creation against the elements of time, difficulty and human/machine processing power. (Skylar Tibbits, APRIL 2010)
BODY
Built Environment and Construction
“Buildings come in a wide amount of shapes and functions, and have been adapted throughout history for a wide number of factors, from building materials available, to weather conditions, to land prices, ground conditions, specific uses and aesthetic reasons.” (Wikipedia, 2011, Building [online]). A building is essential in our society to survive, provided shelter but also housing our belongings, providing privacy and space that we feel comfortable in. Since the first vision of a building used for shelter came an assortment of views on how it is to be built and look, artistic expression in the way we build, furthermore the design of buildings for work and for leisure are getting increasingly more extravagant (BBC News, 2000). Today’s society is exploring the possibility of extremes, with considering sustainability and impact on the ecosystem.
Taking into account the fast rate the population is growing, today there is approximately 6.8 billion people in the world, it will continue to grow to at least 9 billion in 30 years or so. With more people and greater prosperity it is believed that 75% of the population will live in cities, 50 of those cities will be of 10 million people or more, considering the growth in population it is clear that the construction model we have today will not work tomorrow. (Bill Ford, TED speaker, 2011). The trouble that comes along with the design of a building is what materials to use that best suit the environment and will last the longest with minimal costs to our pocket and to the ecosystem. The world offers challenges in the form of natural disasters that alter the original foundation. Buildings get damaged by these natural disasters, renovations, any upkeep on the property and even accidents (Matt Bennett, 2006, Building Damage [online]).
Building materials are heavily considered in the planning process, a variety of mediums can be used for a range of different structures. Many natural substances are used (such as clay, rocks, wood, sand, etc) and also many man-made products some more and some less synthetic. The process of testing what will work best under the conditions is extensive, quite often expensive and highly time-consuming. “Modern building is a multibillion dollar industry, and the production and harvesting of raw materials for building purposes is on a world wide scale. Environmental concerns are also becoming a major world topic concerning the availability and sustainability of certain materials, and the extraction of such large quantities needed for the human habitat.” (Wikipedia, 2011, Building Material [online]).
Experts are considering ways of building that will counteract unforeseeable complications, such as accidents or natural disasters. What is called ‘Natural Building’ places a vital emphasis on social and environmental sustainability, paying attention to the durability of materials and the possible renewable resources that are available. These structures rely on human labor rather than technology, it depends on “local ecology, geology and climate; on the character of the particular building site, and on the needs and personalities of the builders and users.” (Michael Smith, The Case for Natural Building [online]). Other methods have been looked into linked with natural building some more extreme than others, building underground, natural roofs, floors and foundations. The trouble with this is that the materials that aren’t ‘natural’ are used because they provide stronger structures and often are more reliable.
Other engineers are looking into the science of natural disasters and experimenting with ways that will anticipate the consequences of earthquakes, hurricane, tornadoes and cyclones to infrastructure and how to design, construct and maintain structures to deal with the effects and aftermath. Some experiments are being undertaken to see what works best in those conditions. This wouldn’t necessarily need to apply to every ones plans when building but in areas that are prone to such natural disasters this could change the way they live for the better. With ‘Seismic design’ and ‘wind-loading considerations’ countries have an advantage when the natural disasters occur. If structures can deal with the elements, the deaths and devastating damage to infrastructure can be lessened and hopefully not occur. Obviously the strength of the disaster will determine the damage no matter what materials buildings are made from but the possibility of decreasing the sub-sequential destruction will be worth the time and effort into the research, experiments and production.
Technological Construction
Contemporary society is advancing, the construction business highly relies on technology to determine many measurements and materials best for certain circumstances. Technology is forever moving forward and allowing for humans to consider and make objects, materials or machines that were impossible before. The computers behind certain machines are very intelligent, whilst the human brain is very smart it has it’s limitations. The systems of many high-tech computers these days can scale any information down to microscopic levels and up to macroscopic levels. The possibilities are practically endless, anything we can think of and outline the computer can write a series of commands to make it happen.
DNA Construct - Self-Assembly As of Now (in the body)
The human body is made with an amazing design, our body is able to self assemble, replicate and repair itself through protein reactions with almost little to none complications. We have proteins that can fold two million types at ten thousand nanoseconds per protein, we have DNA with three billion base pairs that can replicate in approximately an hour. There is so much complexity in our natural systems that are extremely efficient than anything we as humans can build, far more complex than anything we can build, far more efficient in terms of energy, they hardly ever make mistakes and they can repair themselves for longevity (Skylar Tibbits, APRIL 2010).
Possibility of Self-Assembly in the Future (to help build) as talked about by Skylar Tibbits.
With the damage that is done by environmental factors and even results of human fault or alterations, what if it could be fixed by self-assembly parts? Skylar Tibbits has a background in architecture, learnt how to built things for the physical world, taught himself to write computer code and generating structures in the computer and the virtual world, sending such parts to robotic machines to cut out 2D parts from aluminium, take such parts and assemble them and exhibit them as installations all over the world (voltaDom). After the extensive process he went to put it together, he tossed up the idea of something that would make itself he figured that after he worked out all this information to generate the objects in code and all the information the machines are using, there had to be a better way, possibly a way these parts can build them selves.
Tibbits continued studying computer science and digital information, self-replicating systems and combining the physical and the digital worlds. He proposes that instead of taking raw materials and sending them through a machine or processor that is fighting tolerances, efficiency, errors and hope to get the desired end product. We could take those raw materials, embed some type of information in them and allow the materials to build themselves, imitating exactly how our bodies work with protein folding and DNA replication.
MIT researcher Tibbits and his team have researched the concept of mimicking the self-assembly system within our body for the built environment that surrounds us. We will still have the concern of the environment and where these materials are coming from. Availability and sustainability, environmental concerns but Tibbits provides a few examples and mini models that he hopes will translate into the future building industry.
If we can translate something from the complexity of our natural systems to our built environment then there is a lot of exciting potential for the way that we build things. Skylar Tibbits believes the key to that is self-assembly. To translate it into our built environment we have to; decode assembly sequences, determine the programability of parts, use energy for actualisation and consider error correction. Decode the sequences, essentially having the DNA of a building, being able to program parts to understand the sequences, have energy that will allow it to activate the sequence and will need error correction to guarantee that what is built is what we want.
Decode what you want into a number of sequences.
The user can plug in what they want the bricks to do, it computes on what it was doing previously and what you said you want it to do next and starts moving in 3-dimensional space. The structures contain the blueprints of what we want to build in these sequences, they have all the information embedded in them of what is to be constructed so that means we can have some form of replication. Tibbits calls it in the ‘Logic matter’ case, self-guided replication, if you have errors you can replace a part, all of the local information is embedded to tell you how to fix it. Something could climb along and read it and can output it one:one, it is directly embedded there is no external instructions.
He proposes with further research, new possibilities for self-assemble, replication and repair in our physical structures, our buildings and machines. Further programability in these parts and from that you have new possibilities for computing, spatial computing. Our buildings, bridges, machines, bricks could actually compute with each other, an amazing parallel distributing power, also new design possibilities.
At small scales, biological structures, eventually when we get small enough we will not be able to build machines that are smart enough to be able to build those small scale intricate geometries and structures, so we want to build low level, simple intelligent pieces that have just enough information in that when they combine together they become a hard drive, reading each other and building the structures they need to build. So you build a simple of computers, small bits that can combine and build more complex structures.
‘Biased chains’ it tries to embed the same possibilities of the reconfigurable robot but completely passive. The chain is one unit you can orient into different directions and the orientation gives it the fold sequence. When you give it an energy source (like shaking) the fold sequence can fold into any 3D shape. You can fold 3D structures from a 1D chain simply by giving it energy, you build the sequence up and give it some random energy and it folds into the sequence you have created.
Space elevator, an example of a structure that we are going to need to build in the future. Anything that is far more complex, far bigger, could be far smaller, more precise, lower energy. Structures that we can’t build today, structures where we are going to need to find a new process or we won’t need smarter machines but smarter parts. Literally you have simple parts assemble themselves, depositing one after another, they can check how well they have done and tell us something about the structure rather than us forcing them to do what we want, the parts are smarter.
Disaster relief, consider Japan, the ground becomes our energy source. So you have structures that are simple mechanism like a switch, beams and columns have a simple state, so when the ground shakes the structure is literally adapting. It can be more flexible or more rigid based on the dynamic the condition. The structures are smart and they have simple mechanisms, that have a state and the energy source can switch the state. Imagine any other industry that uses dynamic geometry, the solar industry for example. the geometry could literally adapt on demand as it needed to for optimum conditions, completely passive.
The future could mean that we build in a smarter way, where our parts are smarter than the machines that built it.
CONCLUSION
Our building industry as of now is searching for new possibilities in regards to materials and construction with sustainability and environmental impact in mind. Technology is helping the industry along with innovations in man made materials and ways of constructing to prevent damage due to natural disasters or human accidents (renovations or repairs also). Tibbits research is one small step towards the ‘self-assembly’ of buildings but it is a valid step. Further research could allow for a major change in the way people build all objects.
With further research into the relationship of our bodies processes of self-assembly, replication and repair and the building industry will expand our options when it comes to the lack of resources available to build from, the sustainability of our building and objects, and the impact on the environment. If the self-assembly system progresses the possibilities in the building industry will blossom. Objects that were too small to manufacture or so large it took years to plan let alone build, could now be programmed into parts that will make it themselves. It is possible that in the future it will help construct buildings of all sizes to perfectly suit and adapt with their environment.
REFERENCES
Skylar Tibbits, APRIL 2010
http://www.sjet.us/index.html
Wikipedia (2011) Building [online]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building
BBC News (2000) World’s oldest building discovered [online]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/662794.stm
Bill Ford (JUNE 2011) A future beyond traffic gridlock [online]
http://www.ted.com/speakers/bill_ford.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_ford_a_future_beyond_traffic_gridlock.html
Matt Bennett (MAY 2006) Building Damage [online]
http://www.pb.unimelb.edu.au/emergency/emergencies/internal/buildingdamage.html
Wikipedia (2011) Building Material [online]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_material#cite_ref-6
Michael Smith, The Case for Natural Building [online]
http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/natbild.html
Wikipedia (AUGUST 2011) Hurricane-proof building [online]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane-proof_building
Wikipedia (SEPTEMBER 2011) Earthquake engineering [online]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_engineering#Prediction_of_earthquake_losses
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