Architecture in the Age of Information Technology
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Ain Shams University Faculty of Engineering Departement of Architecture ARCHITECTURE IN THE AGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY By Hazem Mohamed Talaat El Daly B.Sc. Architecture. Ain Shams University A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements of M.Sc. Degree in Architecture Supervised by Prof. Dr. Sayed Madbouli Departement of Architecture Ain Shams University Faculty of Engineering A. Prof. Dr. Khaled Dewidar Dr. Ashraf Abd El Mohsen Lecturer of Architecture Lecturer of Architecture Departement of Architecture Departement of Architecture AinShams University AinShams University Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Engineering Part I: Architecture before the IT. Chapter 1: Architecture before the Twentieth Century Cairo,Egypt 2004 ABSTRACT Digital technology is rapidly transforming the field of architecture. Architecture design concepts start to be based on computational methods, which make a radical change in architectural forms, from simple platonic ornamental or maybe fragmented disassociated manually generated forms through physical models or sketches, to unexpected extraordinary forms computationally generated. Digital technology brought to architectural design various types of devices which support architect in his design studio. This support a basic level (digital design media), an intermediate level (geometric modeling and rendering), or an advanced level (performance simulation,…etc.). The previous levels of support to the architectural design studio change the ordinary studio a radical change, from a studio of ordinary methods in design, to a new digitally based studio. This new digitally based studio could be classified to; CAD studio, CAD-plus studio, Virtual studio, cyber design studio …..etc. The new types of design studios start to create, and shape new concepts in architecture based on computational methods generated from the previous studios. These concepts are Parametric, Topological, Animate, Isomorphic, Metamorphic, Performance, and Evolutionary architecture. The aim of this thesis is to study in an analytical comparative method the radical change brought by the information technology to the architectural concept. Masters of contemporary architecture, there concepts, there architecture and its classifications will be presented at the end of the thesis. I LIST OF CONTENTS Abstract Introduction List of figures Part I: Architecture before the Information Technology. Chapter 1: Architectural Movements. 1 1-1 Modern architecture. 1 1-1-1 Ideological aspect. 2 1-1-2 Stylistic aspect. 3 1-1-3 Design ideas. 3 1-2 Late-Modernism architecture. 5 1-2-1 Ideological aspect. 5 1-2-2 Stylistic aspect. 6 1-2-3 Design ideas. 7 1-3 Post-Modernism architecture. 8 1-3-1 Ideological aspect. 9 1-3-2 Stylistic aspect. 9 1-3-3 Design ideas. 10 1-4 Deconstruction. 11 1-4-1 Ideological aspect. 12 1-4-2 Stylistic aspect. 13 1-4-3 Design ideas. 13 II LIST OF CONTENTS Part II: The Interfere between Information Technology and architecture. Chapter 2: An Interface about Information Technology. 17 2-1 Historical background. 17 2-2 Describing the phenomenon of IT. 18 2-3 Investigating the essence of IT. 21 2-4 Watching modes in which the essence of IT appears. 24 Chapter 3: New design tools in the age of Information Technology and its applications in the design studio. 29 3-1 Information Technology devices. 29 3-1-1 Computers. 29 3-1-2 Networking. 30 3-1-3 Devices based on Integrated Circuits technologies. 30 3-2 Classifying and evaluating the IT applications used in a design studio. 31 3-2-1 Basic level. 31 3-2-2 Intermediate level. 31 3-2-3 Advanced level. 32 Chapter 4: The influence of Information Technology III LIST OF CONTENTS devices on the design studio. 37 4-1 The CAD studio. 38 4-1-1 Types of software used. 38 4-1-2 Explanation. 38 4-1-3 Application of a CAD studio. 39 4-2 The CAD-Plus studio. 41 4-2-1 Types of software used. 41 4-2-2 Explanation. 45 4-2-3 Application of a CAD studio. 46 4-3 Virtual and Web design studio. 47 4-3-1 Types of software used. 48 4-3-2 Explanation. 48 4-3-3 Application of a CAD studio. 49 4-4 Cyber space studio. 57 4-4-1 Types of software used. 57 4-4-2 Explanation. 57 4-4-3 Application of a cyberspace design studio.62 4-5 Intelligent Buildings Studio. 63 4-5-1 Explanation. 63 4-5-2 Application of an Intelligent building. 66 Part III: The change of Architectural design as affected by Information Technology. Chapter 5: The new tools change the concepts of design. 70 IV LIST OF CONTENTS 5-1 Algorithmic form generation. 70 5-1-1 Support for algorithmic form generation. 72 5-1-2 Examples for Algorithmic forms created by architects. 76 5-2 Digital Morphogenesis. 78 5-2-1 Parametric architecture. 78 5-2-1-1 Definition. 7 8 5-2-1-2 Explanation. 79 5-2-1-3 Examples for the parametric 82 architecture. 5-2-2 Topological architecture. 85 5-2-2-1 Definition. 85 5-2-2-2 Explanation. 85 5-2-2-3 Examples for the Topological 94 architecture. 5-2-3 Animate architecture. 97 5-2-3-1 Definition. 97 5-2-3-2 Explanation. 97 5-2-3-3 Examples 102 . 5-2-4 Metamorphic architecture. 5-2-4-1 Definition. 107 5-2-4-2 Explanation. 107 5-2-4-3 Examples 111 5-2-5 Isomorphic architecture. 5-2-5-1 Definition. 113 5-2-5-2 Explanation. 114 5-2-5-3 Examples 117 5-2-6 Performative architecture. 5-2-6-1 Definition. 121 V LIST OF CONTENTS 5-2-6-2 Explanation. 122 5-2-6-3 Examples. 124 5-2-7 Genetic Algorithms (Evolutionary architecture) 5-2-7-1 Genetic Algorithms in design 134 5-2-7-2 Genetic algorithm and architecture 138 5-2-7-3 Examples 140 Chapter 6: The masters of architecture in the age of information technology. 6-1 Bernhard Franken. 6-1-1 Digital Ideology 149 6-1-2 Digital conceptual projects of Bernhard Franken during the period, 1995-2003. 150 6-1-3 Conclusion of Franken' s architectural movements during the period of (1995- 2003). 157 6-2 Kolatan/MacDonald. 6-2-1 Digital Ideology 1 58 6-2-2 Digital conceptual projects of Kolatan/MacDonald during the period, 1995-2003. 1 60 6-2-3 Conclusion of Kolatan/MacDonald ' s architectural movements during the period of (1995-2003) 164 6-3 Oosterhuis associates. 6-3-1 Digital Ideology 1 65 6-3-2 Digital conceptual projects of Oosterhuis during the period, 1995-2003. 1 67 6-3-3 Conclusion of Oosterhuis' s architectural movements during the VI LIST OF CONTENTS period of (1995-2003) 177 6-4 Greg Lynn. 6-2-1 Digital Ideology 1 78 6-2-2 Digital conceptual projects of Greg Lynn during the period, 1995-2003. 180 6-2-3 Conclusion of Grag Lynn ' s architectural movements during the period of (1995-2003) 187 6-5 OCEAN. 6-5-1 Digital Ideology 1 88 6-5-2 Digital conceptual projects of OCEAN North during the period, 1995-2003. 1 89 6-5-3 Conclusion of OCEAN North' s architectural movements during the period of (1995-2003) 193 6-6 dECOi. 6-6-1 Digital Ideology 1 94 6-6-2 Digital conceptual projects of dECOi during the period, 1995-2003. 1 95 6-6-3 Conclusion of dECOi ' s architectural movements during the period of (1995-2003) 201 6-7 Conclusion. 202 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 203 REFERENCES 205 VII LIST OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page no. Fig. 2.1 A Timeline for the information technology 18 industry. Fig. 2.2 IS is IT in- the- world 23 Fig. 2.3 The Globe Hanging Suspended in Space. 26 Fig. 2.4 The Globe as it is. 27 Fig. 4.1a, 4.1b The architect created the main form using 40 the conventional methods. Fig. 4.2 Digitizing the form using the hybrid media. 40 Fig. 4.3 The final digitized model. 40 Fig 4.4 Cross section was done using the drafting 40 software. Fig 4.5 Final project of Restaurant Georges. 41 Fig 4.6 The structural model of Georges Restaurant. 41 Fig 4.7 Interfaces of the most commonly used energy 43 simulation software. Fig 4.8 Interfaces of the most commonly used energy 44 simulation software. Fig. 4.9, 4.10 Swiss RE Headquarters building. 46 Fig. 4.11 Studying the wind and its effect on the building. 47 Fig 4.12 The Virtual Design Studio participants from 50 three institutes in three different continents. Fig 4.13 The Interfaces of designing the first phase. 53 Fig 4.14 The Interfaces of designing the second phase. 53 Fig 4.15 The Interfaces of designing the third phase. 54 Fig 4.16 The Interfaces of designing the fourth phase. 54 Fig 4.17 The Interfaces of designing the fifth phase. 55 Fig 4.18 A genealogy of designs, shows each student 56 and the project he selected. Fig 4.19 The diagram shows the Relationships between 58 VA, FC, VS and DM. VIII LIST OF CONTENTS Fig. 4.20 Interface of the virtual architecture museum. 62 Fig. 4.21 A diagram shows the main parts in designing 65 an intelligent building. Fig. 4.22 Shows the main unit used in deigning the 67 surface. Fig. 4.23-4.24 The same surface in different states. 67 Fig. 4.25 A process of deforming the Aegis surface. 67 Fig. 5.1 Support for algorithmic form generation. 73 Fig. 5.2 FormWriter design enviroment. 75 Fig. 5.3 (a) A row of boxes; (b) turning boxes; (c) twisting boxes; (d) boxes helix, created using 75 FormWriter.