Interactive Architecture- architecture as a living organism or a machine?

Abstract

This project aims to broaden the knowledge within a specific chosen area in Architecture, namely Responsive and/or Senseable Architecture. The term ”Senseable" comes from resembling how digital technology reacts and behaves sensitivity, as human empathy dominates according to the architect and engineer Carlo Ratti. This topic was specifically chosen because of the limited attention it has been given through the architectural education but yet has provided important and thoughtful ideas regarding the development of architecture. When designing, we often think of architecture as something that is fixed and static in which the users should add value to it and not on the contrary. The ideas of moveable objects or elements seem to be farfetched and sometimes impossible due to the indoctrinated way of imagining architecture. Today, as a result of technology and digitalisation, architects and engineers are discovering new ways of using technology within architecture, as nowadays the existence of finished responsive architectural projects are limited. This thesis aims to discover the possibilities of including senses and synchronisation between individuals and architecture in an urban context. This by putting the human in the centre of architecture. It also aims to discover and understand the interaction between art and technology and how it can be perceived by users. Is responsive architecture more seen as a vivid space or more likely as a robotic space? Does it feel like being inside a living organism or a machine? Considering all the robotic and technical devices that are required for achieving interactive environments. The design project is focused on to be a small scale experimental building located in a crowded and trafficked place, in order to facilitate the investigation of syncing with human activities. The design process will include methods like experimentations with prototyping, site-analysis, materiality, designs and electronics. This thesis is mostly seen as an opportunity to experiment in a different field of architecture and to learn more about what it provides for a future use. To increase the knowledge and to try in different ways of thinking and reflecting in architecture as well as to break the barrier of what is whats is not possible to design in architecture . This, due to responsive architecture is still seen as a limited possibility both in the design process but also in the structural building process.