Design Research Society DRS Digital Library DRS Biennial Conference Series DRS2018 - Catalyst Jun 25th, 12:00 AM Olivetti’s New Canaan Electronic Laboratory: when design meets computing ROCHA João University of Évora Follow this and additional works at: https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers Citation João, R. (2018) Olivetti’s New Canaan Electronic Laboratory: when design meets computing, in Storni, C., Leahy, K., McMahon, M., Lloyd, P. and Bohemia, E. (eds.), Design as a catalyst for change - DRS International Conference 2018, 25-28 June, Limerick, Ireland. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2018.656 This Research Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Conference Proceedings at DRS Digital Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in DRS Biennial Conference Series by an authorized administrator of DRS Digital Library. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Olivetti’s New Canaan Electronic Laboratory: when design meets computing ROCHA João University of Évora
[email protected] doi: 10.21606/drs.2018. 656 The development of computer technology and its application by architectural research centres is a recent area of study. Initial research focused on the early work in design and computation that took place in university centres, their key figures and the theoretical and practical advances. Within this context, this paper aims to unveil the historical role played by the Olivetti Company and its Electronics Research Laboratory in New Canaan, US in shaping the first fully transistorized computer in the world and also in inaugurating multidisciplinary design research within the field. Founded in 1952, the laboratory worked closely with its main headquarters in Italy, introducing many technological innovations into the design process for new Olivetti electronic products.