A New Player Has Entered the Game Gaming tropes as a harbinger of architectural praxis Vincent Hui1, Tatiana Estrina2, Alvin Huang3 1,2,3Ryerson University 1,2,3{vincent.hui|testrina|alvin.huang}@ryerson.ca Video games as a medium for entertainment have evolved overtime to become impactful and relevant in current culture, industry, and education. Although architecture is a cultural commodity that has been present since the dawn of civilization, within the span of less than 50 years, video games have had an incredible impact on architectural praxis. This paper posits a dyadic relationship between computer games and architecture, exploring the influences video game design attributes have had on nascent designers within the industry. This paper documents a case study examining architectural students' studio projects from Canada's largest architecture program, identifying the influences of video games that emerge within their designs. The paper discusses the effect video games have made on architectural education through passively impacting current pedagogical practice, design tendencies, and inevitably molding the architects of the future. Keywords: Architecture, Emergent Design Trends, Education, Gaming, Digital Proxy, Experiential Learning INTRODUCTION also creating a cultural influence in design method- Video games have become a ubiquitous medium ex- ologies seen predominantly in student architectural tending well beyond recreational use and increas- work. Given the inherent cultural dynamic between ingly gaining traction in educational and professional architecture and cultural shifts as inculcated in cur- applications. Video games have rapidly expanded rent media, video games have become an emergent their versatility from recreational outlets for a range player in shaping nascent architects’ design attitudes of casual and competitive gamers of all demograph- and approaches. ics through to advanced simulation and education Architecture is a cultural commodity that has tools in a diversity of disciplines. As a tool for stu- been present since the dawn of civilization. Yet dents, video games are known to be a unique, en- within the span of less than 50 years, video games joyable, and effective way to learn about the con- have had an incredible impact on architectural praxis. cepts related to architecture when integrated with As a cultural medium, architecture has served as a educational design exercises. In additional to tech- milestone for any civilization’s technological, cultural, nical advances in video games merging with digital social, and economic zeitgeist. It is both provoca- tools used in architectural industry, video games are tive in its initial conception and taken for granted CAAD and education - Volume 2 - eCAADe 39 | 123 as it becomes acclimatized in its urban context over vius lays the groundwork in defining the architect’s time. Yet as with all cultural commodities, architec- role as more than construction and building, but in- ture evolves as each successive generation creates stead demands that it is a synthetic discipline. This a future that is literally and figuratively built upon has been refined over the centuries where architects and within the past based upon current contexts have a mandate to explicitly serve as ”cultural inter- and tools. This scaffolding has rendered the current mediaries” to this era (O’Callaghn 2017). paradigm of architecture as an increasingly collabo- Within architectural praxis, this responsibility is rative discipline. That both the technological tools of why there is such a great value (both in terms of representation and the cultural concentration in the credit, time, effort, accomplishment, etc.) ascribed video game industry have concurrently evolved with to the design of the built environment, it serves as architecture is not surprising. To find 3D modeling a cultural artifact that both epitomizes a specific era, and production tools, responsiveness from artificial demographic, technological advances, and perspec- intelligence and algorithms, and increasingly immer- tive as well as establishes the groundwork for sub- sive technologies in both industries is tacit to con- sequent generations of architects. Unlike other cul- temporary practice. This conjoined evolution over tural artifacts such as music, fashion, or literature, last half century has resulted in hidden and overt con- built architectural work is a tangible and monumen- nections between the two industries’ respective out- tal medium that serves as a milestone that persists puts. well after the societies that have erected them have Architecture is both a multifaceted, creative out- come to pass. Beyond the advances in the means let that elicits delight, and a discipline anchored in of production and visualization, there are a myriad an obligation to durability and utility. It serves as of overlaps that are increasingly emergent in these a cultural medium and mediator. Architecture has convergent mediums. Under the hood, there are never existed in isolation, as social, economic, tech- also many digital tools such as artificial intelligence nological, and ecological shifts have simultaneously (as seen in non-playable characters (NPCs) in games altered and drawn from the built environment. All and in architectural simulations), optimization (such architecture, from mundane factories to grand civic as the appropriate ways to display an entire virtual buildings, reflect contemporary cultural values. Like world of highly detailed content to determining best cultural artifacts throughout history and around the configurations to adapt to variable user traits), deci- world, architecture epitomizes the zeitgeist of any sion making (including decision-tree logic matrixes given society. In his ”10 Books on Architecture”, Vit- and customization), and procedurally generated con- ruvius presents the fundamentals of architecture as ditions that empower game developers and architec- durability, utility, and beauty. It is important to note tural designers alike. that even over two thousand years ago, the patri- What is more evident is the impact of the cur- arch of architectural discourse indicated the need rent state of architectural praxis on architectural de- for a multifaceted education to excel in architecture sign. Video games are now influencing the design of on account of the various cultural and technologi- current and future architectural work. This virtuous cal shifts currently at play when describing ”the ideal cycle between these two different cultural mediums architect should be a man of letters, a skillful drafts- is not only rapid but mutually reinforcing. If gam- man, a mathematician, familiar with historical studies, ification is the integration of elements from game a diligent student of philosophy, acquainted with mu- design in non-game contexts, then architecture has sic, not ignorant of medicine, learned in the responses of progressively witnessed this in both the production jurisconsults, familiar with astronomy and astronomi- and workflows of current praxis, but certainly in its cal calculations“ (Vitruvius and Morgan 1960). Vitru- pedagogy. The authors of the paper do not contend 124 | eCAADe 39 - CAAD and education - Volume 2 that this is a widespread or direct reaction, however cuses on the influence of video games on work by they posit that there are overt and subtle conditions architecture students through several lenses includ- where video games are seeping into and influencing ing: planar emphasis, dramatic artificial lighting, the architectural design. There is an evolving symbiosis use of ornamental versus utility assets, understand- between the two disciplines. Where once architec- ing of materials and applications, and organizational ture served as a background for video games to de- disconnect of architectural designs. velop a framework in their medium, the authors con- In order to quantify the effect video game design tend that a dyadic relationship is emergent. has had on emerging designers, the studio project‘ from a second-year architectural science class of 90 VIDEO GAME INFLUENCES ON ARCHITEC- students were surveyed and compared against typi- TURAL DESIGN cal video game attributes that emerged from an ini- tial analysis of the work against gaming tropes. The Despite video game technology contributing to the students each produced two projects throughout development of modeling, visualization, and repre- their Fall semester, a pavilion and a concert hall. The sentation of architecture, the video game industry music pavilion, sited in Grange Park, Toronto, served has also proved to be a imagination and design cat- as a warm-up project to get students re-acquainted alyst. Historically, popular media have had a signifi- with architectural tools. The month-long assignment cant impact on popular culture, and therefore design, challenged the students to design a sculptural open- and video games are not being an exception (Ata- air pavilion that allows for gathering and the enjoy- man 2000). With the growing number of generations ment of music, with a focus on formal and mate- raised by the navigation of digital spaces, the spa- rial representation of the students’ architectural con- tial design within video games has begun to trans- cepts. Due to the site’s close proximity to Frank form the way that architecture students, profession- Gehry’s AGO and Will Alsop’s OCAD U Design, the als, and the general public perceives and imagines students were expected to engage with imaginative architecture. This shift in spatial