Pure Chaos

PURE CHAOS LUKE THOMAS JUDE LATHAM 698 391 MANIFESTO // 2017 纯粹的混沌 –——— 宣言 —— 建筑的现象学解读 A Phenomenological Interpretation of Architecture Caos Puro - Una interpretación fenomenológica de la arquitectura

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0 | Preface

0.1 | Architecture as a Phenomenological System

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0.2 | Design Responsibility 9

1 | Chaos

1.1 | Chaos: A Faculty of Nature

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1.2 | The Three Pillars of ‘Pure Chaos’

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2 | Autonomy & Authority

2.1 | Autonomy: Distinctions in Societal Subsystems

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3 | Art & Science

3.1 | Science as an Objective Manifestation of Art

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3.2 | The Art and Science of Speculation

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3.3 | Breaking the Ice, 1987, Craig Reynolds

3.4 | Tron Legacy, 2010, Joseph Kosinski

3.5 | Room Vehicle (RV), 2012, Greg Lynn

3.6 | House VI, 1975, Peter Eisenman

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4 | Transience & Permanence

4.1 | Transience: The Importance of Adaptation

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4.2 | Existing Styles 4.3 | Discrete Layering 33

4.4 | Post Industrial Adaptation

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4.5 | High Tech Architecture

5 | Concluding Remarks

5.1 | Chaos: A Faculty of Nature - II

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6 | Appendix 45

7 | References 46 7.1 | Citations 47 4

Luke Thomas Jude Latham (698 391)

Completed as part of the Master of Architecture Program.

21st Century Architecture (ABPL 90117) Tutor: Caleb Choo Submitted: 16/11/2017 Word Count: 1650

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Preface

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0.1

Architecture as a Phenomenological System

The role of architecture in society is convoluted and protean. In order to establish the responsibility of the architect within this realm, the definition of society and its multiplicity of subsystems must first be explored.

The architectural discipline confounds demarcation, rather, it represents the synthesis of multiple societal systems and relationships. This amalgamation is a consequence of a tendency towards universality arising from the interpenetration of societal and cultural subsystems.1

The unified nature of this practice lends itself to Sociologist, Talcott Parson’s definition of a social system as a ‘patterned network of relationships that exist between individuals, groups and institutions.’2

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0.2

Design Responsibility

The role of the architect as a practitioner of this discipline, given the aforementioned definition of architecture as a societal system of function, is to design heuristically* in order to engender:

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Critical and rational communication.

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Emancipation; political, social or economic.

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Speculation concerning or revealing the possibility of reason.

Premise: This manifesto propounds chaos, as a defining characteristic of nature and a catalyst for growth, is integral to a successful pursuit of these intentions. Furthermore, this paper is concerned with the phenomenological corollaries of this intent, process and principle.

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Chaos

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1.1

Chaos: A Faculty of Nature

The idea of chaos will be used to critique humanity’s attempt to maintain absolute order. Chaos theory demonstrates how externalities beyond control affect initially deterministic situations, invoking the butterfly effect and variance in results.

Chaos: When the present determines the future, but the approximate present does not approximately determine the future.

- Edward Lorenz.3

It can therefore be postulated that chaos is a defining characteristic of phenomenology; the science of objects of direct experience.

Commonalities between deterministic chaos and phenomenology include unpredictability, diversity and heterogeneity; qualities vital to a functioning society.4

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1.2

The Three Pillars of PURE Chaos

The ‘Three Pillars of Pure Chaos’ refer to three dichotomies will assist in the process of defining phenomenology and its inherent relevance to a successful architectural discourse.

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On Autonomy and Authority I will discuss the blundering interventionism of Governments globally and the philanthropic qualities I believe are intrinsic in human nature.

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Permanence and Transience will analyse our misplaced desire for permanence; this desire being a function of its rarity in nature and the ephemeral qualities of our lives. Conversely, transience will be explored as a design attribute which must be embraced, in order to respond to the constantly changing and unpredictable environment.

Qualities of transience including adaptivity and receptiveness will allow architecture and society to evolve as contextual parameters change.

3.

Art and Science discusses the dialogue which should always exist between art and science and the idea that art in its purest form is an intuitive expression of an experience, experiences being the product of science.

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Autonomy and Authority

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2.1

Autonomy: Distinctions in Societal Subsystems

Premise: Autonomy exists in it’s purest form within a phenomenological interpretation of design; within a state of chaos. The societal hierarchy which engenders progress, resembles a natural hierarchy. This principle can be transposed to any societal subsystem, including the discipline of architecture.

Distinctions in societal subsystems as they exist in nature, for example, engender accountability and performance monitoring.

Bruno Leoni, in his book Freedom and the Law draws parallels between common law and the market and legislation and socialism. He argues that legislature is departing from universal principles and ethics represented by common law and this is affecting society at large, adversely.

It is important that architecture and architects are given autonomy, liberating them from heteronomy, by being made independent of union and regulatory bodies, and rather, allowing them to function under universal laws, uninhibited by the politics. Common English Law is sufficient policy as it adheres most closely to natural law; that which is immanent in human nature.5 Once autonomy, as a faculty of nature, is present, a phenomenological approach to design will ensue.

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Art and Science

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3.1

Science as an Objective Manifestation of Art

Premise: Art should be used as a communicative tool to convey ideas to a populace so they can be evaluated. Art should be a derivative, as well as a generative tool of and for science.

Art depicts the relationships between humanity and the world. In its purest form art is an intuitive expression of our perception of reality, an interpretation which exists as the synthesis of our experiences. The primary distinction between art and science is that science acts an objective reflection of the world, whilst art is a subjective analysis. This dichotomy is well surmised by Computer Scientist, Donald Knuth, who said, ‘Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer, art is everything else we do’.6

Therefore, the question of whether art is inherently selfish and whether it should be independent of building design and architecture, is essentially a discussion of whether the process of speculation has merit. In every case it does; the ability for man or woman, to realise, physically, something which either has value to them or they believe has value to society is inherent in the process of progress.

Circling Akule // 1983 20

Wayne Levin

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3.2

The Art and Science of Speculation

Representations of complex phenomena, for example, nature and human interaction, - chaos - or any subset of these, are at first represented in art, before undergoing scientific analysis.

Not only does this speculation offer imaginative insight and ideas of utopia and innovation, they offer us dialogue. The beauty and wit of these manifestations represent a derivative of pleasure and provoke social interaction and discussion. In this sense, art is a useful communicative tool.7

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Breaking the Ice, 1987, Craig Reynolds

Breaking the Ice, 1987, offered the first insight into technology being developed by the ‘Boids Artificial Life’ program. The animated short film demonstrated emergent behaviour* by programming the ‘bird-oid objects’ to follow three basic commands, effectively simulating wild behaviour as found in nature.8 The principle of ‘swarm intelligence’*, first represented in this short film has since been refined and developed for applications in Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and other processes of automation.9

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3.4

Tron Legacy, 2010, Joseph Kosinski

Tron Legacy, a film set in Tron City, a virtual metropolis power by ‘The Grid’, represents an experimental platform in which all forms of experimental research can take place at unparalleled speeds. The protagonist, Flynn, creator of the realm, attempts to use this space as a testing ground for reality.

The idea of a responsive ‘grid’ which offers live feedback and absolute receptivity in a high density, urban context, utilises and extrapolates on ideas of adaptivity, accountability and efficiency; ideas on the frontier of avant garde practice.

The concept of a universal grid was also envisaged in the 1960s by Super Studio in their ‘Continuous Monument’ and Archizoom in ‘No-Stop City.’ 10

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Room Vehicle (RV), 2012, Greg Lynn

This ‘motorised compact living cocoon’ currently realised as a 1 is to 5 scale, carbon fibre, scale model, offers three different orientations for three different programs. “For example, zero degrees is living, 90 degrees is kitchen and bath and 180 degrees is sleeping and relaxing.” - Greg Lynn11 Although it is not yet practical, as the technology becomes available, the principles underpinning this concept may be made more relevant.

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3.6

House VI, 1975, Peter Eisenman

This principle of speculation as art, applies even to the point of absurdity, for example in Peter Eisenman’s House VI, 1975. This house is demonstrative of speculation which confounds reason; an attempt at consolidating the concept of process in a built form.

Eisenman’s approach involved applying various arbitrary transformations including rotation and slicing to depart from the initial cube. The result is described by the client as dysfunctional.12 Eisenman claims success in that the user is constantly reminded of the architecture, which was his intention.

In spite of this the project offers some psychological insight derived from the user’s reactions to the space.

Furthermore, this project, as an intellectual activity, be it conceptual or pragmatic, contributes to a versatile and universal perception of reality.

Rationality is not the only constituent of evolution in a world pursuing autopoiesis.13

House VI // 1975 Connecticut, United States.

Peter Eisenman

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Breaking the Ice // 1987 Craig Reynolds

Tron Legacy // 2010 Joseph Konsinski

Room Vehicle // 2012 California, United States Greg Lynn

Continuous Monument // 2012 Super Studio 29

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Transience and Permanence

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4.1

Transience: The Importance of Adaptation

Premise: The discipline of architecture is subject to constant scrutiny, as its users immerse themselves within the spaces. As such, it is important that architecture is receptive; versatile in the sense that it can respond to the users needs or be adapted in order to co-evolve with market.

Here I wish to discuss adaptive reuse and structuralism as a way of taking advantage of the permanence of structures from previous generations, as well as the relevance of transience in phenomenology and how it is integral to a receptive architecture.

4.2

Existing Styles

The architectural styles which currently engender co-evolution include

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Structuralism: Architecture developed on the principle of structure and infill.

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Smart Architecture: A corollary of structuralism.

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High-Tech Architecture: Incorporation of the most innovative structural and systems technologies.

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4.3

Discrete Layering

Structuralism, Smart Architecture and High Tech Architecture represent a transition to systematic layering, the hierarchy of which, is defined on a temporal basis. Ed van Hinte, a proponent of Smart Architecture suggests design should be completed sequentially in the following order: location, structure, access, facade, services, dividing elements and furniture. This discrete layering, by resisting an ‘integrated’ design, allows for ease of retrofitting and enhanced legibility.14

Structuralism: Architecture in which “one differentiates between a structure with a long life cycle and infills with shorter life cycles” 15

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LOCATION

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STRUCTURE

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ACCESS

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FACADE

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SERVICES

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DIVIDING ELEMENTS

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FURNITURE

A product of Location

A product of Structure and Location

A product of Location

Representative of 1-6

- Herman Herzberger, 1973.

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Post-Industrial Adaptation

The ‘Manhattan High-line’, 2014, by Diller Scofidio and Renfro is a structuralist project in that it follows the principle of structure and infill.

This project is one of many notable urban amenities, of recent advent, engendered as part of a post industrial revitalisation and facilitated by the disuse of urban infrastructure. The High-line was modelled on the ‘Promenade Plantée’, Paris, 1993, by Philippe Mathieux.16

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High-Tech Architecture

Richard Rogers is an example of an architect who, in the age of postmodernism, embraced the elements of his building’s functional program, utilising it as the basis for the user’s experience, rather than to conceal and disguise.

His focus was instead legibility, transparency and conceptual inclusivity.

Richard Rogers’ Lloyd’s of London or Centre Pompidou, Paris for example, externalise the structure and services, and also maintain vast open areas of space which can facilitate a multiplicity of functions.17

Another proponent of the High-tech movement, Michael Hopkins and his wife Patty Hopkins, designed the Hopkins House, Hampstead, London, which demonstrates these same heuristic principles of legibility and transparency in a residential project.

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Lloyd’s Building // 1986 London, England Richard Rogers and Partners

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Manhattan High-line // 2014 Manhattan, New York Diller, Scofidio and Renfro

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Promenade PlantĂŠe // 1993 Paris, France Philippe Mathieux

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Hopkins House // 1976 Hampstead, London Hopkins Architects

“As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.� 18

- Norman Foster

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Great Court at The British Museum // 2000 London, England Foster & Partners

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Centre Pompidou // 1977 Paris, France Richard Rogers & Partners

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Concluding Remarks

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5.1

Chaos: A Faculty of Nature - II

A discussion of the convoluted and protean nature of the role of architecture in society, has found this role to encompass a responsibility to engender processes of critical and rational communication, emancipation and speculation concerning or revealing the possibility of reason.

Deterministic Chaos Theory states that even in spite of initial conditions (our intentions and environment) the outcome is beyond control as the complexity of these initial conditions confounds evaluation.

As such, a phenomenological approach to architecture should be maintained in order to progress. This represents an approach which embraces chaos and its corollaries; heterogeneity and unpredictability. This manifesto advocates for qualities of autonomy, transience and science as derivatives of a phenomenological interpretation of society and architecture.

“You know, it is life that is right and the architect who is wrong.� 19 - Le Corbusier

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Appendix

Emergence: Refers broadly to the process of becoming visible after being concealed. In this context Emergence represents the idea that where larger entities arise through the interaction of smaller entities, the larger entity, or sum of these smaller entities, will exhibit properties not present in the smaller entities.

Heuristic: A heuristic device or method is one which enables understanding and learning.

Phenomenology: The philosophical study of the structures of experience and consciousness.

Swarm Intelligence: Swarm intelligence (SI) is the collective behaviour of decentralized, self-organized systems, natural or artificial.

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1.

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References

Association for Computing Machinery. Communications of the ACM 17. December 1974. Pp. 667–673

2.

B. Leoni. Freedom and the Law. 1961.

3.

C. Reynalds. “Flocks, herds and schools: A distributed behavioural model.”. SIGGRAPH ‘87: Proceedings of the 14th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques. 1987.

4.

D. Knuth. Turing Award Lecture.

5.

E. Shalcraft, Room Vehicle Prototype by Greg Lynn. 2012.

6.

E. van Hinte. Smart Architecture. 2003

7.

E. Lorenz. “Predictability”, Talk at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 139th meeting, 1972.

8.

H. Herzberger. Architecture and Structuralism: The Ordering of Space.

1932.

9.

H. Hertzberger, Lessons for Students in Architecture, Rotterdam -No.1.

1991

10. I. Kant. Critique of Judgement. 1790 11. Le Corbusier. Toward an Architecture. 1923.

12. M. Saska; V. Jan; P. Libor (2014). Swarms of micro aerial vehicles stabilized under a visual relative localization. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

13. M. van Schaik and Otaker Máčel. Exit Utopia : architectural provocations, 1956-76. 2005.

14. N. Rescher. Pluralism: Against the Demand for Consensus. 2000.

15. N. Foster. DLD Conference, Ted Talk. 2007.

16. P. Schumacher. The Autopoiesis of Architecture: A New Framework for Architecture, Volume 1. 2010.

17. S. Frank. Peter Eisenman’s House VI: The Client’s Response. New York: Watson-Guptil Publications. 1994 18. T. Parsons. “The Present Status of “Structural-Functional” Theory in Sociology.” In Talcott Parsons, Social Systems and The Evolution of Action Theory New York: The Free Press, 1975.

19. T. Parsons. “The Place of Ultimate Values in Sociological Theory.”

International Journal of Ethics, Vol.45. 1935. Pp.282-316

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Citations

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Parsons, 1935

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Parsons, 1975

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Lorenz, 1972

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Rescher. 2000

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Leoni. 1961

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Knuth, 1974

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Kant, 1790

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Reynolds, 1987

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Saska et al, 2014

10. Schaik and MĂĄÄ?el, 2005 11. Shalcraft, 2012 12. Frank, 1994 13. Schumacher, 2010 14. Hinte, 2003 15. Hertzberger, 1991.

16. Linder and Rosa, 2017 17. Rogers, 2010 18. Foster, 2007 19. Le Corbusier, 1923

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// PURE Chaos // Considering the dichotomies of, autonomy and authority, art and science, transience and permanence, ‘PURE Chaos’ suggests embracing the unknown; the heterogenic, unpredictable qualities inherent in nature, which are essential to a progressive architectural discourse. An architecture discourse which engenders critical and rational communication, emancipation and speculation concerning or revealing the possibility of reason.

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PURE CHAOS

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LUKE THOMAS JUDE LATHAM

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