Credits: Neurosensitive Spatial Biophilia – Asja Osmanovic, 2024

Intro Description & Structure

The role of computation in securing victory in the Second World War set a powerful momentum for technological and scientific advancement in the decades that followed. This era marked the beginning of electronic computing and communication, heralding an information age shaped by innovations like the internet, interactive computer interfaces, and beyond.

As cybernetics emerged as both a discourse and a set of accessible technologies, architecture became increasingly intertwined with questions of form, phenomenology, and the dynamic interplay between humans and their environments.

Computers transformed the field of architecture in multiple ways. Formally, they enabled operational processes that could generate intricate geometries. Conceptually, they sparked a fascination with the convergence of architecture and machines—inviting exploration into the interfaces through which we interact with spaces. This shift repositions the role of the architect, now as both author and mediator, opening discussions on participatory design, shared authorship, and spatial behaviors that respond to their occupants.

Interactive Architecture embraces the idea of a responsive, adaptable built environment—architecture that senses, computes, and responds to external and human stimuli. On the other end, humans and nonhumans too are engaged as active participants who sense, perceive, and interact with these responsive spaces or amongst them. Together, this synergy advances a vision where architecture is also co-created, multi-agent, transforming spaces into collaborative, participatory interfaces that enrich the human experience.

This module shall examine

• Precedents and Innovative Projects: 

Study various disciplines to uncover the pioneering works that laid the foundation for interactive architecture.

• Foundations of Interactive Architecture: 

Insights into the historical evolution of interactive architecture through in-depth examinations of key theories, prototypes, and exemplary projects.

• Sensing and Perception: 

Explore the nuances of human sensing and perception and how it shapes our interaction with architectural spaces. We’ll investigate the potential interfaces between the human body and responsive environments.

• Participatory processes:

Participatory processes engage with a new form of informed design and allow for new interactions between various players within an ecosystem. 

• Interfaces:

From mobile Apps to Brain-computer interfaces, interfaces are crucial to all interactions. 

• Understanding Human-Space Interaction: 

Delve into the underlying principles of why and how humans interact with architectural spaces, including the psychological and physiological aspects of this engagement.

• Technologies and Methods: 

Survey the wide array of available technologies, methodologies, and working models that enable the creation of interactive architectural prototypes.

• Physical Computing for Prototyping: 

Get hands-on experience with physical computing, a vital tool for developing interactive architectural prototypes. Explore practical applications and create your own working models.

Methodology

• Micro-Project-Based Approach: 

Each project will be structured as a series of smaller, manageable micro-projects. This approach guides students through an efficient and productive workflow, organized into sprints, with each sprint concluding with a small project completion.

• Documentation: 

Students will be introduced to project management tools to facilitate the organization of documentation. This includes gathering references, conducting research, creating mind maps, tracking project timelines, and managing sprints effectively.

• Collaborative Research: 

Given the course’s emphasis on interactive architecture and responsive environments, students will collaborate to build:

• A database featuring labeled projects relevant to the field.
• A dictionary of key terminologies and concepts central to the research focus.