Motion Representation and Evolutionary Architectural Spaces

Assistant Prof. Daniela Sirbu

Department of New Media, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

As we spend more time immersed in the virtual spaces of the computer world, the creators of the artificial environments attempt to synthesize principles for the virtual space design. Depending on the specific medium they address (Internet, multimedia etc.), these principles tend to show specific differences determined by the characteristic freedoms and limitations offered by each medium. Nonetheless, there is a clear trend towards solutions related to human everyday experiences. These attempts define the digital environments as extensions of the natural world, and aid the user’s orientation in the virtual space based on behaviours acquired through interactions with the natural environment.

The present paper starts from the premise that most of the visitors already have an extensive experience interacting with the computer medium or, alternatively, that there exists a clear trend towards this situation. This may suggest that synthesizing design principles for virtual world development must combine the human orientation skills acquired in the real world with the specifics of virtual spaces, their capabilities of change and interaction with the human or intelligent agents. The specifics of artificial motion, the freedom of movement, and the necessary limitations to avoid an alienating experience represent an essential component of the evolutionary environment design combined with the principles of virtual architecture design.

Based on these, the present paper advances the idea that virtual architecture should be developed considering the transfer of human motion and architectural composition principles as the basis for the design of evolutionary architecture in virtual environments. It also looks into how these combined principles have to be adapted to the characteristics of the virtual world.

The possibility of rapid changes in the virtual environment provides a basis for qualitative analysis of virtual architecture in interaction with represented motion in computer applications.

The project is in incipient development at the present time. During the first stages, interactions in real-time applications between evolving virtual architecture and artificial motion will be analysed. These will gradually develop towards immersive virtual reality experiments, allowing hybrid experimentations with real and represented movement.

1. Introduction

Accompanying the technological developments, an active dynamics of the surrounding environment has emerged in the information society. Daily interactions with computers make digital spaces an important part of this dynamics; the ability of humans to accommodate with virtual environments becomes a factor in the way the real, outer world is perceived.

The present paper concentrates on issues related to human integration with the actively changing character of the digital environments. Human motion principles and their translation into represented motion are analyzed as an important issue to be considered in virtual space design. Various approaches to evolutionary architecture are considered from the viewpoint of their impact on human integration with the real and artificial architecture. As evolutionary architecture is essentially related to change and development, it represents a vital element to be considered in the analysis of the impact on human behaviour.

In order to support a case study analysis, an experimental artificial environment combining the representation of human motion within a changeable virtual architectural space has been developed to a representation stage. This project is developed around Palladio’s villa “La Rotonda” (figure1, figure2, figure3). This attempt to make possible experiential ways of investigation during preliminary stages of the research, provides the grounds for formulating a solid hypothesis regarding human behaviour in relation to changeable virtual architecture. Further development of the research is expected to be based on simulation research methodology for the analysis of human integration with modifiable virtual architectural structures.

Figure 1. Experimental artificial environment developed around the Palladio’s villa “La Rotonda.” View 1. Author: Daniela Sirbu, University of Lethbridge.

Figure 2. Experimental artificial environment developed around the Palladio’s villa “La Rotonda.” View 2. Author: Daniela Sirbu, University of Lethbridge.

Figure 3. Experimental artificial environment developed around the Palladio’s villa “La Rotonda.” View 3. Author: Daniela Sirbu, University of Lethbridge.

2. Background: Changeable Built and Virtual Environments

The mobile character of the virtual worlds has already been acknowledged by different new media theorists and various conceptual frameworks have been developed in order to define and relate to the dynamics of changeable digital architectural spaces.

The concept of liquid architecture introduced by Marcos Novak[1] characterizes the infinite variability of the cyberspace information spatialization and underlies Novak’s idea of aesthetics of navigation in the digital space. Novak introduced the concept based on the analysis of the digital mechanisms of cyberspace. The modifications of the “normal mapping from data to representation” make cyberspace a “habitat for imagination.” Novak is presented by Zellner as a “visionary architect, theorist, intermedia artist, who has actively developed strategies to address how physical space have been transformed by the virtual space.”[2] For Marcos Novak, digital architecture is the proper medium for the expression and experimentation of the architectural thought unbound to the confinements of the real life construction requirements.

The full definition of the concept of liquid architecture makes necessary the reference to historical precedents of unbuilt projects as “manifestos for the premonitions of an architecture of cyberspace.”[3] Marcos Novak’s concept of “liquid architecture” serves to define a framework for architectural experimentation. Novak’s work continues the line of investigation opened by the visionary architecture of his predecessors. The declared program of his work resulted in a full restating of McLuhan’s idea that “the medium is the message”. Continuing this line of thought, further analysis brings to forefront the idea that the use of digital tools in architectural design resulted in buildings that directly mirror the specific geometric character of the digital world.

The emergence in the real world of the digital aesthetics is mainly due to the utilization of rapid prototyping and computer aided manufacturing technologies.[4] These directly make use of 3D digital models for the production of full-scale building components. The flexibility of digital customization of the building modules intensified even further the process of extending the digital aesthetics into the real world. Peter Zellner[5] defines the new trend: “Architecture is becoming ‘firmware,’ the digital building of software space inscribed in the hardwares of construction. Soft-complex-curved surfaces, modeled in data space will be transmuted to real space…”

Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is one of the most significant examples to illustrate this idea,[6]especially through its final appearance if not entirely through its design and production. Zellner presented Gehry’s building as “the most spectacular (and publicized) example of the extent to which the new technologies are influencing architects, production and aesthetic practices” by the use of “complex-curve generation software, digitization devices and numeric command-machining.” The Spanish contractor built Bilbao Museum[7] based on the technical data provided through accurate 3D models, which were used for the description of external surfaces and of the interior structure as well. The basic concept of the building came, however, in the traditional paper form. From there, it took the form of traditional models. These have been converted in digital format by the use of 3D scanning. The digital models have been adjusted for further refinement, and the contractor used the information directly from the 3D models for the construction stages. Gehry’s original drawings express an architectural vision specific to the computerized culture of the present days. Although not a direct user of the computer technology,[8] thearchitecturalpracticeexposed Gehry to the new digital aesthetics, and he responded with a design concept closely related to it.[9]

In a historical perspective, the reflection of digital aesthetics in the build environment was a step to precede the reflection of the flexible mobile character of the computer environment into real architectural spaces. In chronological sequence, two other projects describe important steps towards mobile built environments as reflections in the real world of the changeable character of the digital medium. These projects are freshH₂OeXPO and House_n: The MIT Home of the Future

The freshH₂OeXPO[10] project developed for the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Work and Water in collaboration with Nox Architects,[11] provides an example to further illustrate a crossbreed between architecture and new media. The architectural project expands real architecture into a multi-dimensional space by the addition of motion, sound, a special treatment of light and interactivity. The logic and aesthetics of the computer medium have been translated into a complex combination of mobile architecture and installation in the real world. However, the mobile character of the architecture still remains of a speculative nature in the freshH₂OeXPO project.

A significant step towards a true translation of the changeable character of the digital medium into real projects is illustrated by the project House_n: The MIT Home of the Future.[12] This project aims to produce a small prototype home as a basis for experimentation and testing with the purpose to synthesize strategies meant to ensure the experiencing of the house as a much larger space through “the use of transformable multi-use spaces, the close integration between interior and exterior, expansion of perceived space via axial views, etc.”[13] Further developments of the project could lead to building the house based on client participation during preliminary design based on the modular structuring of the building.

An important development is brought in by evolutionary computing offering alternative architectural design strategies to the traditional methods. A significant example is offered by Celestion Soddu’s generative approach to town and building design.[14] The proposed evolutionary method develops a design idea into a population of possible design solutions generated through mathematical formalization of design parameters and their interference with various evolving factors characterising the considered urban space. A number of projects illustrate this approach, and we mention here the Basilica project. Soddu describes this generative software as being “able to produce an endless sequence of architecture, all different but all belonging to the same idea.”[15] The Basilica software has concrete applications to the enlargement of the Prado Museum in Madrid and to the multimedia urban stand and multimedia square in Milan.[16] The numerous possible solutions evolved during design stages may strongly influence the creative architectural process. Celestino Soddu’s generative design process is geared towards real architecture.

Considering the historical line of development in the area of changeable real and virtual spaces and the relationships between the two, the present paper is concerned with the idea of the possible development of generative spaces as evolving 3D virtual worlds adapting to patterns of human behaviour. While this seems to be a logical continuation of previous developments, and the purpose would be to aid human orientation in virtual spaces, the main question raised is how does the human being adapt to changeable virtual architecture.

3. Hypothesis

In accordance with Christian Norberg-Schultz,[17] “architectural space may be defined as a ‘concretization’ of existential space. ‘Existential space is a psychological concept, denoting the schemata man develops interacting with the environment in order to get along satisfactorily.” Norberg-Schultz goes on and assumes that man’s interaction with the environment will not produce a final fixed image, but an evolving image modeled on man’s “wishes and dreams.” As predicted by Norberg-Schultz, the surrounding environment is being modified in accordance with these internal processes in order to define the relationship between man and the environment as a “real interaction.” A satisfactory relation between existential and architectural spaces is difficult to achieve, mainly because man usually deals with architectural spaces that are a concretization of others’ existential space.

The research hypothesis is that if we transfer this theoretical development to the domain of digital architecture, most of the assertions remain true. Although digital architecture remains a concretization of others’ existential spaces, the digital architecture is not always a fixed given space, but it can be programmed to interpret human behaviour and redefine itself to adapt to the user’s specific behaviour patterns. Limited implementations of such adaptive digital spaces are already available.[18] Hence, a further development of the basic hypothesis is that adaptive digital architectural space may provide a better relationship between the human existential space and its concretization in the form of digital architecture.

The present research is concerned with the verification of the hypothesis for the case of navigable 3D spaces for architectural research and design, and for the implementation of architectural structures as interface solutions for Internet portals.

The present paper is limited to introducing the main research issues, the hypothesis and research methodology, and to briefly describing the development of experimental artificial environments for the experiential analysis of the hypothesis in preliminary research stages.

4. Research Methodology and Preliminary Case Study

In order to study subjective dimensions of human behaviour in relation to the digital environment, the present research relies on simulation research techniques. It is important to emphasize that for the present research an important degree of overlapping with experimental research occurs due to the fact that simulations in the form of digital architectural spaces may provide the actual objects of study with application to particular cases. Simulation/experimental research results will provide material for qualitative analysis.

The proposed project comes in the form of an experimental artificial environment combining the representation of human motion within a changeable virtual architectural space. The evolving digital architectural space is developed taking as a starting point Palladio’s villa “La Rotonda.” This is intended as a simulation space, but the present project is in a very incipient stage, and only a representation phase could be reached in the development of the experimental artificial environment. The architectural space is first exposed as pure geometry, then it is investigated as a growing abstract construction evolving from a nucleus pattern provided by “La Rotonda,”

Principles of architectural composition will be expressed in future developments as generative rules at the basis of form-generation in the virtual space. Motion representation is planned to take full advantage of virtual freedom, but it will develop within a set of rules extracted from mechanics of movement in real life and adapted to the virtual environment so that the artificial motion is believable to the visitor. Computer models are intended to provide the basis for developing a spectrum of prototypical architectural forms that will be analysed in correlation with motion representation issues.

A more detailed description of the project can be found in the art projects section of the present conference.[19]

5. Conclusion

The pure representational level of the experimental artificial environment does not provide sufficient information to draw a definitive conclusion regarding the validity of the advanced hypothesis. In this preliminary stage, the changeable character of the virtual architecture seems to be a central problem for the proposed research with a strong impact in two directions. One direction of study is represented by the original hypothesis. The second direction of study refers to the human ability to adapt to evolutionary virtual media. The representational level reached in the development of the experimental artificial environment allows seeing that differences induced in the development of our existential space in interaction with stable and mobile environments may raise problems that can be a separate extensive object of study.

6. Acknowledgements

The research presented in this paper is based on funding from the Alberta WestGrid Collaborative Visualization Program and on research grants from the University of Lethbridge Research Fund and the University of Lethbridge Teaching Development Fund.

References

Anders, Peter. Envisioning Cyberspace. Designing 3D Electronic Spaces. New York: McGraw-Hills Companies Inc., 1999.

Soddu, Celestino.“Recognizability of the Idea: The Evolutionary Processes of Argenìa.” In Creative Evolutionary Systems. Edited by Bentley, Peter J. and David W. Corne, San Diego, CA, Academic Press, 2002.

Kolarevic, Branko. “Digital Fabrication. Manufacturing Architecture in the Information Age.” In Reinventing the Discourse: How Digital Tools Bridge and Transform Research, Education and Practice in Architecture. Proceedings of the 21^st Annual Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture, p. 268-279. Buffalo, October 11-14, 2001.

Manovich, Lev. The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2001.

Norberg-Schulz, Christian. Existence, Space & Architecture, New York, Praeger Publishers, 1971.

Norberg-Schulz, Christian. Architecture: Presence, Language, Place Milano: Skira, Editore Sp.A, 2000.

Novak, Marcos. “Liquid Architecture in Cyberspace.” In Cyberspace. First Steps. Edited by Michael Benedikt. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1993.

Novitski, B.J. “Digital Architect. New 3D Modeling merges the flexibility of clay with the precision of computers to create extraordinary forms.” Architectural Record 6 (1999): 49-50.

Osman, Yasser. The Use of Tools in the Creation of Form. In Reinventing the Discourse: How Digital Tools Bridge and Transform Research, Education and Practice in Architecture. Proceedings of the 21^st Annual Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture, p. 44-52. Buffalo, October 11-14, 2001.

Zellner, Peter. Hybrid Forms. New Forms in Digital Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1999.