Randomness as a generative principle in art and architecture

As designers have become more eloquent in the exploitation of the powerful yet generic calculating capabilities of the computer, contemporary architectural practice seems to have set its mind on creating a logic machine that designs from predetermined constraints. Generating form from mathematical formulae thus gives the design process a scientific twist that allows the design to present itself as the outcome to a rigorous and objective process. So far, several designer-computer relations have been explored. The common designer-computer models are often described as either pre-rational or post-rational. Yet another approach would be the irrational. The hypothesis is that the early design process is in need of the unexpected, rather than iron logic. This research investigated how the use of randomness as a generative principle could present the designer with a creative design environment. The analysis and reading of randomness in art and architecture production takes as examples works of art where the artist/designer saw uncertainty or unpredictability as an intricate part of the process. The selected works incorporate, mostly, an instigating and an interpreting party embedded in the making of the work.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Verbeeck, Kenny

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• George N. Stiny.

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35124

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/35124