To What Extent is Architecture a Derivation of Technology in Contemporary Times? TU PI LIAN (FELICIA) 0326492
Technology, had bring architecture to a new frontier where flexibility is given to design ideas, building construction, and the usage of materials. As such, architects finding new way to represent, express, generate and construct buildings. Obviously that the relationship between architecture and technologies are well linked with each other. Architecture is a combination of Philosophy and Science; where Science is the combination of technology and system. Since technology have given much impacts and influences in the field of Architecture, to what extent is architecture a derivation of technology in contemporary times? Currently, architecture is driven by climatic response, site context, projects brief, cultural, social, and political influences, and the local resources, but not technology. Will this trend changes in the near future? In this paper, I’ll be using parametric design in architecture as an example to discuss about the point of view of whether technology will be or will not be a design generator in Architecture. As also support my stands that technology can be a tool to helps in transfer motions of ideas but not as a generator for architecture design. Parametric Design Architecture is an approach on the concept of parameters based on geometric and algorithmic thinking. The parameters used to define a range of formal alternatives which is to set a relation between design elements and the parameters. The first Parametric simulation done manually by Antonio Gaudi with the physical model study on the upside-down model, the Church of Colònia Güell. Antonio Gaudi used analogue method to compute parametric model as to achieve structures which able to stand on pure compression forces. With the development of advance technology, the parametric in this digital era, analysis and simulation of the models able to obtain through software. There are few leadings architects who translate their works through parametric design such as Zaha Hadid, J.Mayer H, Kengo Kuma, and SANAA. These architects combine and forms bridge between traditional architecture productions with the new technological possibilities by using the parametric design tools. The works of Zaha Hadid shows the ways she express fluidity by using parametric design which could be seen on the building exterior, façade, interior and even on the furniture placed inside the buildings. It is clearly that the statement of the parametric design and software as a tool which helps architect to convey and express their design ideas. Patrik Schumacher, used the term ‘Parametricism’ to refer this architecture styles as the new global style of architecture and urbanism. Since the crisis of modernisms, architects keep searching on a new way forward and had bring forced the discipline into a cycle of radical rethinking. As a consequence, emerge the Parametricism as a great new style after modernism. Patrik Schumacher beliefs that the Parametricism as a style have spread widely and used by many architects currently. He mentioned in Parametricism as Style - Parametricist Manifesto, (2008) “The current stage of advancement within parametricism relates as much to the continuous advancement of the attendant computational design technologies as it is due to the designer’s realization of the unique formal and organizational opportunities that are afforded. Parametricism can only exist via sophisticated parametric techniques.” He realized that the new styles for this technology blooming era, shall be integrated with computational design technologies and hence brought the Parametricism as a new style for this contemporary times. Although Patrik Schumacher have a bright vision on Parametricism, there are still lots of arguments on it. Many architects do not accept his ideas that the Parametricism is a style of
architectural design, instead it is just a way to tackle problems relating to architectural constructions. It is hardly to be recognize as a new style as an architecture styles shall be a conceptual method for forms generations and testing design alternatives. Yassel Zarei (2012) in his paper of The Challenges of Parametric Design in Architecture Today: Mapping the Design Practice had carry out interviews with some of the architects at Manchester in the United Kingdom to understand the benefits, challenges, and concern on having Parametricism in practices. In his research paper, he concluded that represented forms that are results-driven, computers programme act as a design tools in aiding architects in their designs. However, for process-driven forms, the algorithm which generates the forms and geometries act as a design tools instead of computers programme. Although in the practice currently having lots of architects and students using the concept of Parametricism no matter as to produce a results-driven or process-driven forms, it’s roles in architectural design is more to a designing aid tools rather than a generator in architecture. In conclusion, I think that the technology acts as a designing aid tools instead of a generator for design. The technology only changes architect’s ways of expression and representation in their design but they still yet design responsive to the people and surroundings. Technology had given lots of flexibility to architects on design ideas and building construction as technology able to transfer the design ideas in minds and through analysis and simulation of computers programs, hence turn into buildable ideas instead of imaginative ideas.
REFERENCES
Patrick.S. (2008). Parametricism as Style - Parametricist Manifesto. Retrieved November 28, 2016, from https://rasmusbroennum.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/schumacher__patrik__parametricist_manifesto-2008.pdf Yassel.Z. (2012). The Challenges of Parametric Design in Architecture Today: Mapping the Design Practice. Retrieved November 28, 2016, from https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-manscw:172092&datastreamId=FULL-TEXT.PDF