CAAD For Responsive Architecture | The Office for Robotic Architectural Media & Bureau for Responsive Architecture

THE OFFICE FOR ROBOTIC ARCHITECTURAL MEDIA & BUREAU FOR RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE
Copyright © 1998-2009 Tristan d'Estree Sterk

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In the late nineteen sixties through to the mid seventies a dramatic turn took place within architecture. Questions about the success of modernism and a looming energy crisis caused architects to search for new design methodologies to make buildings that better fit the needs of society. Amongst others, Gordon Pask, Cedric Price, Nicholas Negroponte, Yona Friedman and Charles Eastman explored the role that computers could play in satisfying this goal. Nicholas Negroponte proposed that three distinct roles would result: roles within design documentation systems, generative design systems, and within the production of intelligent spaces.

CAAD For Responsive Architecture:

Sterk, Tristan d'Estree (2006) CAAD For Responsive Architecture [Joint Study Report 2005-2006 Auto-des-Sys / ISBN-13: 978-0-9792943-0-3] (Columbus Ohio) April 2007, pp. 66-70 (ed., Murali Paranandi)

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Many years later in 2005, while working at Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM), I recalled Negroponte's words at a talk by Robert Diamant, a former managing partner of the office. Robert spoke of the changes that he witnessed throughout his career. He provided a vivid picture about how computers shaped the discipline by giving it a new series of design tools; tools similar to the documentation and generative ones mentioned by Negroponte. From these tools two significant developments changed our profession. Firstly, computational tools enabled architects to design for developers; a new type of client whose needs could only be satisfied by mastering rapid design development, testing and documentation procedures. Secondly, the rapid design processes that computers enabled opened the door to completely new methods of working. SOM responded to this by building new types of design methodologies suited to quickening design processes and different studio arrangements. SOM used computers to merge conceptual and technical design and enable new, more technically sophisticated, design outcomes to be produced.

Architecture isn't static. New pressures are introduced into design when social and technological values change. Innovation and advancement occurs when these pressures are answered in new ways .

It is under this light that the positive and negative aspects of building processes become visible, especially as the needs of society outgrow and come into conflict with older buildings and design methodologies. Even though today's buildings work well, they aren't perfect and they often needing adjusting and replacing. On top of this other significant problems have emerged. Very serious environmental issues now face our societies. Edward Mazria provides a brief summary of the relationship between architecture, energy and the environment in a paper called "It's the Architecture Stupid!"

Mazria says that energy use within America can be accounted for within three basic sectors, the architectural sector, the transportation sector and the industrial sector. The architectural sector consumes 48% of all energy used, while the transportation and industrial sectors consume 27% and 25% respectively. Furthermore the architectural sector generates 46% of America's annual CO2 emissions, a figure that is set to rise and that is already double that of any other sector. If these trends spread to encompass cities around the globe the architectural profession must come to address its impact. As such the primary duty of today's architects, must be to reduce energy consumption within building practice. Architects must learn how to use fewer materials more intelligently to produce environments that help people live in more sustainable ways.

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Links:

ORAMBRA: a carbon neutral office
carbonfund.org

EXHIBIT: MAKE IT WORK - Engineering Possibilities (2009)
The Center For Architecture, AIANY

PANEL: Multidisciplinary Innovation (4 Feb 2009)
The Center For Architecture, AIANY

MEDIA: Discovery Science TV (2008)
Weird Connections: Episode 10

Balkon Contemporary Art (2008)
Magazine Article: "Mechanikus ter, biologiai ido"

MEDIA: BBC World Service (2007)
BBC

MEDIA: ABC Radio National (2007)
ABC

Newsweek Polska (2007)
NEWSWEEK.COM

MEDIA: Wired (2006)
WIRED

MEDIA: The Economist (2006)
ECONOMIST

MEDIA: CNN Future Summit (2006)
CNN

MEDIA: Technik / Zeit Wissen (2006)
Zeit Wissen

MEDIA: Except from ACADIA (2006)
Link

MEDIA: ArchitectureWeek (2006)
Link

MEDIA: Radio Adelaide 101.5 (2005)
Radio Adelaide

PROJECT: Filamentosa Ultra-lightweight Skyscaper (2004)
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PROJECT: Lotus Environmental Sensor Network (2004)
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PROJECT: frais Chicago (2003)
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PROJECT: ideaCloud Grange Beach (1998)
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PROTOTYPE: Films 1 & 2 (actuated class 3)
Prototype

PROTOTYPE: Films 3 & 4 (actuated class 3)
Prototype

PROTOTYPE: Films 5 & 6 (actuated class 2)
Prototype

PROTOTYPE: Films 7 & 8 (actuated class 2)
Prototype

PAPER: Using Actutated Tensegrity (2003)
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PAPER: Structural Shape Control (2006)
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PAPER: CAAD for Responsive Architecture (2007)
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PAPER: Hybridized Control (2003)
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PAPER: User Centered Interactions (2006)
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PAPER: Cybernetic Form (2000)
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