Structuring of Forms and Materials in Relation to Time – Design Research, a draft, part I

/structuring of forms and materials in relation to time/

The purpose is to conduct a research in structuring of forms using computation methods, with the aim of investigating possibilities of application of these findings into architectural design.

The intention is to look into the series of spontaneous changes that the systems are morphing through, from solid states to liquids, and the underlying rules that keep different systems together - their mathematical relationships and physical basis.

With the intent to investigate the systems that are ordered in comparison to the one that are disordered, solid states in comparison to dynamic systems, such as liquids, to compare the amount of entropy in these system and micro-interrelations, their consistency, i.e. how these forms dynamically and structurally hold together as one entity.

Exploration of these issues is directly related to time. Change involves time, and it is a fundamental part of it. Without time, matter is in a sort of 'frozen', idealized still state and there seems to be no such a formation in nature as a stable assemblage.

/solid states vs liquids/

The primary aim is to look at the system formations, their micro scale arrangements and the subsequent tendencies of behavior at the macro level, consistencies of the materials and their emergent behaviors at macro scale. Especial interest is researching the succession of changes that these systems are going through as they change their states from solid states to liquids – their composition, working structure and the organization.

Through the use of computation methods and mathematical algorithms, it becomes possible to test, analyze and visualize the findings, deriving the set of interrelations that could be consequently interpreted into the architectural form. Computation methods and forms that 'appear' in visual form present the possibility to work with the design at many different levels - among others, related to a timeline, as with film editing – mixing, stretching, reversing etc. different data forms.

Translated into the design form, these less visible dimensions of an organization are something to be visualized. At micro scale, the properties of the physical substance as it goes through the change, and at macro scale, an organizational hierarchy and the formation processes of these systems, with the goal of finding how these processes could relate to the design and architectural practice.

/force of spontaneous change/

The real interest is in working with ideas conceptually, finding the new strategies and implementing them in the derivation of the architectural form, with a goal of developing concrete methodology out of it and starting to test specific projects. Particular interest is in using the advanced design technologies, computer programming for design process and in the usage of advanced digital application for architectural practice.

This approach is seen as necessary to shift things in the direction that will allow for multifaceted data manipulation and analysis, the models that will extend to include the time data – allowing the matrix of change to be translated, implemented subsequently into the design model, ie. the form, and as the final objective using the power of spontaneous change whose occurrence is evident on every level of experience, to run the physical models eventually for us, in the direction that is envisaged.

Realizing and implementing this force of change, ie. the flow of matter, will potentially present a very powerful resource, whose occurrence in the architectural practice so far has been seen more along the lines of the external conditions, a sort of a consequence, rather than seeing it as a very potent source.