Week 8 - Visualisation and the Image

In the 90’s there began to be a paradigm shift from the mechanic to the electronic. This has challenged the way in which architecture is perceived because it ‘defines reality in terms of media and simulation; it values appearance over existence, what can be seen over what is’ [1]. Eisenman begins to talk about the theory of folding, which may provide a ‘new strategy for dislocating vision’ [2]. It builds on the notion of differentiating between what is interior and exterior and by ‘weakening the notational correspondence between drawing and building’ [3]. The vision of architecture changed through one point perspective of the theological and theocentric paradigm shift to the anthropomorphic and anthropocentric views, whereby ‘perspective became the vehicle by which anthropocentric vision crystallised itself in architecture’ [4]. In the Questions of Representation Alberto Perez-Gomez writes ‘the digital Avant Garde has degenerated into a banal mannerism, producing homogenous results with little regard for cultural contexts’ [5]. He argues that even though perspective became a common role in the architecture practise, it ‘remained restricted to the creation of an illusion, qualitatively distinct from the constructed reality of the world’ [6]. Even Walter Benjamin stated that ‘even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: time and space’ [7]. What is interesting however is how ‘mechanical reproduction of art changes the masses’ [8]. ‘The progressive reaction is characterized by the direct, intimate fusion of visual and emotional enjoyment by the public’ [9]. Buildings themselves are ‘appropriated in a twofold manner: by use and by perception’ [10], and are ‘gradually mastered by habit, and not by contemplation alone’ [11].

[1][2][3][4]             Eisenman, P. (2013). Architecture After the Age of Printing. AD Reader: The Digital Turn in Architecture 1992-2012. M. Carpo. Chichester, Wiley: 15-22.

[5][6]                     Perez-Gomez, A. (2007). Questions of representation: the poetic origin of architecture. From models to drawings : imagination and representation in architecture. M. Frascari, J. Hale and B. Starkey. London ; New York, Routledge: 11-22.

[7][8][9][10][11]     Benjamin, W. (1936). "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."

Week 7 - BIM and New Technologies in Practice

Phil Bernstein is a positive advocate for BIM and IPD, in ‘an attempt to address the diversive organisational structure of the AEC industry’ [1]. As BIM is becoming an important part of the architecture industry, we are seeing a shift in the way buildings are conceived and delivered. Using BIM we are able to ‘address procedural problems’ [2], however Berstein is ‘encouraging architects to capitalise and expand on this development to address design concerns’ [3]. On the other hand, by doing this it is possible that ‘the distinction between designing the design and designing the design process becomes less evident’ [4].

BIM’s Seven Deadly Sins follows on this with ‘a reality check between an idealistic view on BIM and the way it is currently applied’ [5]. One example is the idea of ‘Technoentricity – a focus on software instead of design culture’ [6]. Many people see BIM as a new and improved version of CAD, which helped in carrying out drawing at ‘higher speed, accuracy and for photo-realistic visualisation’ [7] which is still possible, however the idea of using BIM should be perceived as a tool that allows an ‘entire process change that impacts nearly all activities related to the planning, delivery and operation of buildings on a social, a business and even a political level’ [8].

In finding the balance of design and drawing with computer technology, the ‘pareto-efficient designs’ [9] were determined by the ‘set of best performing arrangements’ [10], as described by David Benjamin in Beyond Efficiency.  Although not originally developed to describe design, in can be attributed to many design fields. These ‘pareto-efficient designs’ [11] ultimately could provide one set of designs, ‘that could be understood as the exact location where computation meets design- as well as where computation meets society, politics, and even culture’ [12].

[1][2][3][4]         Marble, S. (2012). BIM 2.0. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 72- 73.

[5][6][7][8]         Holzer, D. (2011). BIM's Seven Deadly Sins. International Journal of Architectural Computing, 9(4), pp.463-480.

[9][10][11][12] Benjamin, D. (2012). Beyond Efficiency. Digital workflows in architecture: designing design -- designing assembly -- designing industry. S. Marble. Basel, Birkhäuser: 14-25.