(^296) | dEsiGninG for EMErGinG tECHnoLoGiEs
begin with a metaphor and work to fit client requirements into physical
forms that represent their vision. Tomorrow’s spaces will be formed
from interconnected and intelligent components that are aware of the
human presence, able to communicate, assess, and act. The role of the
designer must evolve to incorporate both sets of skills—architect and
interaction designer—so that we can create meaningful places that
support systems of linked intelligent devices. This mix of methods and
sensibilities can be termed hybrid design practice.
Hybrid design practice will augment metaphor or context awareness
with maps of information and communication from digital sources
and delivery systems. The work of hybrid design calls for new theo-
ries to help us create meaning from electronic communications and
digital resources as well as physical ones. As McCullough observed,
“The more that principles of locality, embodiment, and environmen-
tal perception underlie pervasive computing, the more it all seems like
architecture.”^19
TRAPELO ROAD CASE STUDY
Figure 13 - 2 shows a rendering of Autodesk, Inc.’s Trapelo Road^20 office
just outside Boston. This fit-out is an example of a project that aspires
to integrate Internet monitoring and control systems in the architec-
tural design of a commercial office interior. Sensors that collect data
about comfort and energy utilization are linked to the building auto-
mation system, which taps into weather data from an external system.
Data provided by the sensors helps facility managers realize energy effi-
ciency improvements by refining the sequence of operation for build-
ing HVAC equipment while continuing to meet temperature require-
ments at business start time each day. Experimental projects applying
sensor data at Trapelo illustrate how designers can become smarter
about the way space and systems need to be laid out to enable sophisti-
cated measurement and increased efficiency. Better data gained from
interconnected devices embedded in architecture enables continu-
ous diagnostics and automated commissioning so that anomalies in
the system can be flagged more quickly and addressed sooner. The
19 McCullough (2004)
20 Autodesk’s East Coast Headquarters Draws Accolades for its Sustainable Design and “
Collaborative Building Process,” EDC Magazine, August 2010, http://bit.ly/1nTBik8.
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