Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design

352 EAAE no 35 Teaching and Experimenting with Architectural Design: Advances in Technology and Changes in Pedagogy

The past

Architecture suffers lack of free will from its early beginning.
According to Vitruvius' idea with its fundamental - firmitas, utilitas, venustas

• architecture is in two thirds pragmatic (durable, useful). People build their houses
  just like bees construct nests. The beauty of the architectural object corresponds with
  the beauty of nature. It is a consequence of structural and functional logic, more than
  purposely established artistic value.
  Rediscovering ancient masterpiece De architectura in XV century Florence brings new
  strength to the theory. However, renaissance ideas are not revolutionary in deliverance
  of architecture. Alberti appreciates ancient treatise just like the majority of theorists
  throughout modern history. The so called Vitruvian man remains the proportion para-
  digm until modulor appears. Studying analogy between Greek orders and musical modal
  scales we discover profound difference. Scales create universal harmonies (moods)
  to build in musical form. Orders describe proper proportion and decoration manners.
  Load-bearing role of the column influences its formal sense in theory.
  Modernism does not change the practical principles of architectural tradition.
  Quite the opposite - functional patterns, material technology, ergonomics - dominate
  aesthetics. They reach the culmination point in the statement form is function. Mies
  van de Rohe says less is more. However, understanding of “less” is wide enough to
  embrace enormous fascination for steel structures: columns and beams.
  Finally, it is not much different in present time. Studying Rem Koolhas SMLXL
  one can feel like breaking the wall of tradition. Nevertheless - redefining context
  value, looking for new language, questioning historical patterns - do not allow to
  pass into new creation territory. Building reality remains what it was. Architectural
  “new value” still demands foundation, depends on gravity and exists only in social
  and urban context.

New perspective?

Since William Gibson “Neuromancer” appears in 1884, new category of 3D environment
gains its identity. Computer games scenery grows with (often unconsciously) use of
architectural tools. Soon cyberspace will absorb fields of architectural experiments
and practice.
Growth of Virtual Reality technologies overtakes architectural thought. We (archi-
tects) do rather deal with issue: “How to derive from existing technologies in design?”
more than solving problem: “What kind of technology could support NEW theory”.
Obviously I did not mention some examples not confirming introduced hypothesis
yet. Works of Marcos Novak, Asymptote, NOX, Kas Osterhuis and many others exploit
five ”I” environments. Some works terminate a relationship with the physical world.
Transarchitecture seems to be the hope for a pure art.
Unfortunately progressive designers tend toward beyond-architecture. Marcos Novak
visualises his manifesto very clearly. New branch of art separates from mainstream
and makes its way close but not parallel. While the clock is ticking, transarchitecture
fades away behind the horizon of “real” architecture.