Processing

I don't know if anyone has already visited the site already but here is the link for the pages I said I would post.

http://www.solaas.com.ar/dreamlines/p5/ (Dreamlines: generative drawing machine )

http://processing.org/ (Processing Home Page)

http://www.groupc.net/ (For Some Samples Of Casey Reas' Work 2001-2004)

http://reas.com/ (Reas' Website includes work and up.coming events/shows)

http://www.abstraction-now.at/the-online-project/index.php (Abstraction_Now "a seminal exhibition on abstraction in contemporary art, cutting across genres and media but featuring media art and generative works in a prominent position. "

http://www.abstraction-now.at/the-online-project/?a=yugop (Link To Yugop's "Black Ribbon")

-Nyesha

I just finished the reading this week on fields and I thought that it was interesting to hear Stan Allen of the first reading, say that the computer gives a great hope for the future of design, yet a nagging scepticism and anxiety at the same time. He says that even though we are working towards making almost everything we do on the computer, completely realistic, we are still creating abstraction because of the 'bits' of information that make up renderings and CAD drawings. So, in other words, is the designer's sketchpad in the 21st century being replaced by the computer? Also, this reading made me appreciate the computer, as Allen says, "as not just another tool, but a tool with capabilities and restraints". I just wonder if he thinks all design must be based around the computer.

-Dave

Skylar: Cellular Automata

After listening to Nyesha presentation I looked some more at the processing.org site and found the cellular automata investigations very interesting. I find the cellular automata to have close ties with networking and any design focusing on the interconnection of entities, specifically urban design.

I also wanted to post a few websites:
http://www.dritsas.net/ This website has an entire scripting library that you can download
http://www.mesne.net/ an interesting firm's website
http://zj.deathfall.com/simulateflock.htm a flocking simulator, relating back to emergence
http://www.resarch.net/ and the aa blog, research.net

The conversation we had on Monday was intriguing for many reasons mostly because of the topic of where technology is taking us in the near future. the first thing i want to comment on is the idea of factories being able to run themselves with little if any human intervention, after of course the initial construction. the example of the Volkswagen factory was a little frightening but more then anything it was an impressive display of our most current technology in action. I think the reading "Rich Get Richer" also brought up some interesting points that could easily be connected with scripting. namely the relationship or networking idea compared to the way script is written, working as a whole with every line essential to the overall. Through the semester thus far i have viewed scripting from a more skeptical viewpoint but with each discussion I have to admit that i am slowly coming around to the idea of how useful of a tool it could be when designing.

Ryan

"Smart Architecture"

Today's discussion was very interesting and I enjoyed hearing all of your thoughts. When we spoke of possibility of smart architecture using networking as a sort of organizational process I began to think that we may be closer to obtaining this then it appears.

Jane spoke of being able to design from a TRUE reading of the environment. We spoke of a reading involving a higher level of knowledge of the physical environment that can be coded and not one merely responding to assumptions. We also spoke of the possibility of chips that could be put into humans in order to track their movements. The implant may sound a bit extreme but today various social and environmental forces are already heading toward a realm of tracking movement. Today we have GPS vehicle locators, child locators linked to GPS satellites and now Boost Mobile has that new phone (Boost Loopt) with a GPS locator. (They are now known as having the first social mapping service.) This is only the beginning. It is also currently possible to track consumers through things we buy and or sites we visit. A small example is when I buy something off of Amazon.com they give me a list of other things I may be interested in every time I log back on. 90% of the time I’m very interested in buying whatever they 'found for me'. Wal-Mart already takes advantage of this tracking system with a barcode system they refer to as "smart shelves".

Do you think that scripting such information will ultimately lead to an ability to create a smart architecture?

If so do you think we have the ability to network such information into a well organized, obtainable system to those interested in using it (such as future designers)?

I found a book that may be of interest to some [Smart Architecture, by Ed van Hinte, Marc Neelen, Jacques Vink, and Piet Vollaard.] I haven't got a chance to pick it up yet but it speaks of "future dynamics, cycles and systems, and efficient building".

-Nyesha

BIM & Scripting

Check out smartgeometry.org ...

BIM

I've been researching BIM (GC, Revit, ArchiCAD) and have found a lot of information about what it is and how it might benefit the workflow of architects, in relation to modeling and documentation, but nothing much in relation to scripting. Does anyone know a few good sites that relate BIM to scripting?
Thanks,
Diane

Go to www.tutorialized.com , it has tutorials for tons of programs.

-Charlie

Diller and Scofidio

Here is a link to a video of a lecture that Elizabeth Diller gave http://wm.world.mii-streaming.net/media/boston/bost/Diller_40-300k.wmv It's a little long but cool. She explains some of the firms projects. You can get aquainted with their work a little bit before the presentation.

-Charlie

MAXScript tutorials

Does anyone know of or have any MAXScript tutorials? I am considering working in either Max or Maya and looking for some tutorials for either program so I can see how each works towards what I am trying to accomplish (which right now is only a vague idea). Any links to sites would be helpful. I am not looking so much for scripts, but actually tutorials so I can see what the capabilities of each program are.

-Matt

Skylar

I put a movie of birds flocking, from AUR in Rome, in the lightning folder. It may sound arbitrary until you watch it. I have never seen birds flock like this, it is incredible. They appear to act as an amorphic surface unjulating in the air. It definetely demonstrates an emergent system.

Also, some links....
http://www.complexification.net/gallery/ A very interesting site with scripted artwork

http://www.acoustic-cartography.com/ visual representations of music through scripting

http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/papers/SelfArchCom.pdf#search=%22Emergence%20architecture%22 an interesting article on emergence and self organizing architecture.

Hey guys, here's the link for John Maeda's media website. Sorry it's so late.

http://www.maedastudio.com/index.php?category=kinetic



-Dave

youtube links

I found these to be interesting videos, as i spend entirely too much time on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6f1hdurdjE
-Young Architects on living architecture. A short video interview about a few research projects they have been working on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzCB-IJ2YsY
-Interactive Architecture. Part of the digital graffiti lab that has worked at eyebeam.org

Let me know what you all think of the first one, they have taken a pretty unique approach to their methodology in architecture early on in their careers which is far from the norm.

-Matt

Glass Engine

One more thing you might want to explore..

Philip Glass, one of Brian Eno's influence, has an interesting website called the Glass Engine where a large amount of his work is available for listening. It's a Java application that does actually work on the school computers, so check it out:

www.philipglass.com/glassengine/

Cheers!
-Greg

Greg Wilson

I have placed some Brian Eno-produced songs on our class's Lightning folder. If you get a chance, have a listen to them prior to class on Friday. Cheers!