The Glitch as a Design Language

After studying how the glitch has been present within Architecture and other precedents, I started to research how it could be present within my project. I did this by researching methods of Glitch – which lead me to the discovery of Nick Briz’s thoughts on Glitch Art. In his online essay, Nick Briz covered a method of glitch called Data Bending – which is where we take the data of an image and modify it in an incompatible software, which would give us unpredictable results when re-displaying the data as an image (Briz. N. 2015). Figure 4 shows the results of my own attempts at data bending an early spatial concept for my observatory.

Adopting Metis’ approach - I extracted, from the glitch, a matrix in which I can discover a spatial arrangement. Figure 5 shows the process of layering and rotating the glitched grid onto an existing architectural plan – where I identified “Virtual Zones” in which post-di occur, signified by the yellow shaded areas. I then adopted the approach of these zones into 3-dimensions, as it was done in Drawing Futures, to create circulation routes that permeated in and out of these zones.

I was interested in creating an emphasis on the transition between virtual and reality spaces after researching the theory of In-between spaces and Void. My design thinking is heavily based on Eisenman’s thoughts on voids – where he states that this spatial ambiguity of in-between zones provides a flexibility for architecture, creating a responsive experience between the user and their environment (Eisenman, P. 2008).

By defining the virtual zones through isolated, free-standing walls – I can create large openings in between the circulation routes and the viewing areas. Including these transitional spaces helps my design to be more responsive in how users interact with the digital environment – it creates an uncertainty within my architecture that encourages people to explore and interact with the virtual zones (Eisenman, P. 2008) (Chard, N.J. 2012).

Implementing ambiguity and in-between spaces through the use of digital glitching into my architecture helps to highlight the relationship/ use of Digital technology into contemporary Architecture. My design encourages users to travel in-between the virtual and reality zones, with no clear definition of an intended route. This indeterminacy of space responds to the nature of humans – encouraging exploration, curiosity, and observation to take place (Chard, N.J. 2012).

By creating unclear definitions of what space is intentional or not, I can introduce flexibility in how the space is used. For example, the virtual zones (screens) could be used as a tool to watch seminars remotely or display educational lectures for students to come in and watch. Alternatively – it could also act as a means of display for design students to show their work e.g., Presentations, end of year degree shows, or even as a tool for students to reinterpret their work through the glitches within the display screens.

In conclusion, the architecture of my design draws from Eisenman’s Deconstructivism design approaches by utilizing the nature of the Digital as a design process and language. This essay showcases why I decided to utilize the philosophies and theories about the Digital and how it has impacted the experience and the engagement of the users within my building. I hope that this project has highlighted the relationship between post-digital education and Interior Architecture using glitches and transitional space, and provided a rich proposal in how we can tackle the issue of integrating technology into Contemporary Architecture.