Architecture, Technology, and Change

Oz Volume 23 Article 2 1-1-2001 Architecture, Technology, and Change Rob Kronenburg Follow this and additional works at: https://newprairiepress.org/oz This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Kronenburg, Rob (2001) "Architecture, Technology, and Change," Oz: Vol. 23. https://doi.org/10.4148/ 2378-5853.1358 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by New Prairie Press. It has been accepted for inclusion in Oz by an authorized administrator of New Prairie Press. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Architecture, Technology, and Change Human Associations with Architecture and the Machine Rob Kronenburg “Replicants are like any other machine— Carolyn Grace owns and flies a war- they are either a benefit or a hazard.” time Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX that In this statement from Ridley Scott’s her husband restored before his death: 1982 film Blade Runner, Deckard, the assassin of androids (or android Every time I see the Spitfire it thrills assassin), defines the relationship with me, it’s such a beautiful thing. When the artifacts human beings make in you climb up on the wing and slide unequivocal positive and negative the canopy open you get this won- terms.1 However, in Philip Dick’s book derful, seasoned smell, a mixture on which the film is based,Do Androids of aviation fuel, hydraulic fluid and Dream of Electric Sheep, the character’s oiled metal. The cockpit is very statement is more fuzzy: “A humanoid narrow, and when you climb in, it robot is like any other machine; it can sort of encases you within it. It’s a fluctuate between being a benefit or a very secure feeling. I’ve met many hazard very rapidly.”2 The use of the wartime pilots who describe that terms “fluctuate” and “rapidly” in this same feeling—of becoming one quote are used by the author to reinforce with the aeroplane.3 the variable humanistic characteristics Toyo Ito, Egg of Winds, 1989. Moving images projected onto the city street—in this case the still is from which machines that are intended to Usually though, when people have a Ridley Scott’s film,Blade Runner. ©Toyo Ito duplicate human beings must adopt—the relationship with a machine it is of machine being predictable and constant a curiously dated kind. We believe whilst humanity is unreliable and that machines are a grade above our changing. This paradox lies at the heart tools, that they are like servants, and of the kinetic object—it is defined as and continuity. Out of all human made of the fascinating relationship that people it is hard not to believe that a ser- such on the basis of movement between physical artifacts the building is the have with all the things they make, vant who prevents your tasks being its component parts, and though most longest lasting—it is how we judge the including of course, architecture. completed is not doing this simply to machines are designed to operate in civilizations of the past not because it thwart your ambitions—you become just one place, the most charismatic was their most important achievement Architecture is an artifact, a thing, angry with it, distrustful, resentful. machines of the industrial age are but because it is frequently all that is and yet because of its significance to Similarly a reliable tool/servant is vehicles, which operate from place to left. Even so, architecture can also human beings we frequently assign rewarded with loyalty and affection. place. In many cases the kinetic power of become a hazard—physically, when it with human associations. This People imprint their own personali- machines is amplified by their ability to poorly constructed buildings collapse also occurs with other manufactured ties onto the relationship and identify operate as autonomous artifacts outside or poison their inhabitants, or socially objects, in particular machines, which good performance with cooperation, the immediate control of humans and when poorly designed places exacer- have a semblance of animation and inadequate performance with poor some would argue that it is at this point b a t e u n s u i t a b l e e c o n o m i c , p o l i t i c a l , o r autonomy; for example automobiles, behavior. Though the relationship when Philip Dick’s benefit/hazard line environmental conditions. ships, and aircraft, and to a lesser people have with architecture is related is most usually crossed. Architecture, degree anything that people operate. to this characteristic master/servant it could be argued, is the ultimate However, to propose the categorizations In very special circumstances the one there are significant differences. manufactured manifestation of the of the kinetic machine and the static human relationship with a machine static object—built to last, to engage the building is provocative, as something as 4 may become especially significant. The machine is the ultimate manifestation human need for permanence, stability complicated as technology—the method a machine for dwelling in—however, plants—in other words we serve the lives. We may go to work in an office this core perception of the relationship house so it may fulfil our needs. These or a factory and we are the servants between buildings and people was fun- activities build up an understanding of to the activity that takes place there, damentally wrong. It implies that we the needs of the house and are similar but these buildings also provide the operate a house in much the same way to those we do for our children—feed- venue for our friendships, the source as we operate an appliance. Take for ing, dressing, bathing. In return we of our income and they protect our example the washing machine, a device expect comfort and protection from activities from weather and danger invented in the nineteenth century by inclement weather, from danger and as before. the North American Shakers religious from unwanted visitors. Also it pro- group to remove the worst aspects of vides a refuge, the repository for our Surprisingly, the concept of the build- this largely unrewarding task in order sleeping and waking life. We have an ing being a machine for living in has to improve the life of their community.4 intimate servant/master relation- been adopted most ruthlessly by the The modern automatic washing machine ship in which the roles are switched multi-national companies who have Integrated circuit design for a computer operated carries out this same task in a family around depending on the activity. This attempted to reduce their restaurants, robot—apparently static, the movement is at an atomic scale. ©Franceschini, N., Pichon, J.M. Blanes, situation. We learn how to operate analogy of an alternating servant/ hotels and shops down to a completely C., C.N.R.S. Marseille, France the machine and use it when neces- master relationship operates for the prescribed entity where entry into each sary. When unused it is dormant. If it other buildings associated with our of its outlets, no matter where it is in gives reliable service we are pleased with it but at the back of our minds by which we shape our world—cannot we know that some day it will break really be understood by such simple down and then it will need attention. generalizations. The recognition of the If we want to use it but it is broken, we machine as an object of moving parts are frustrated and annoyed and resign is now completely outmoded in an age ourselves to the extra cost of having it of solid-state electronics and smart repaired or replaced—alternatively we materials where the only things that go to the launderette and rent someone are in motion are invisible electrons else’s machine. From this scenario it is and chemical compositions. And even easy to see that the human relationship permanent buildings contain movable with a washing machine is restricted elements—at the simplest level doors, t o t h e b a s i s o f w h e t h e r o r n o t i t i s a windows, shutters, furniture, at a good servant. more sophisticated level the ability to change size, shape, color—in some Our relationship with a house is dif- specialized cases buildings can also ferent. A house is not operated, it is be physically relocated as required. inhabited. There are activities related to operation, turning lights and taps Comprehension of the comparative rela- on and off, opening and shutting doors tionships humans have with machines and windows, but we also clean it, and buildings is complex. The mod- paint it, and furnish it. We make a Festo “Airtecture” prototype portable active structure building—a computer controlled air-supported ernists maintained that a house was fire, restock the refrigerator, water the structure designed for relocation. ©Festo Corporate Design 5 Montealegre Castle, Vallodolid, Spain. Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird—beautiful and menacing. the world, is identical. In the case of a our more deep-rooted relationship merce, leisure, and community space. architecture is redolent of the age and hamburger chain restaurant, you can go with architecture. However, though Innovative technology has in the past though undoubtedly challenging, it is there and “operate” the system quickly we can now see that this assertion by resulted in new building types—in not necessarily something that leads and efficiently with a commensurate the modernists was wrong, their fun- the twentieth century amongst others to confusion in our understanding of reward in culinary satisfaction, but damental desire to come to terms with we saw cinemas, motels, garages and what architecture means.

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