Application of
Life Information in Architecture: Biodigital Architecture and Genetics
Text of
Alberto T. Estévez, “Application of Life information in Architecture: Biodigital
Architecture and Genetics”, in VV.AA., LIFE
in:formation / On Responsive Information and Variations in Architecture
ACADIA’2010, pp. 168- 173, Ed. ACADIA, New York (U.S.A.), 2010
Introduction
It is no coincidence that Barcelona —Gaudí’s
city, where Dalí prophesied that “the future of architecture will be soft and
furry”— should have seen, from 2000, the real application of genetics to
architecture, with the world’s first (real) genetic architecture laboratory and
the first digital production workshop at a Spanish school of architecture. Done
with the creation of the first officially recognized research group (“Genetic
Architectures”, now financed also by “La Caixa” and by INCASOL of the
Generalitat of Catalunya) and the first systematic official post-graduate programme
on these subjects, the Biodigital Architecture Master’s Degree and Ph.D.
Programme, at ESARQ (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya).
The purpose of this presentation is to put
forward the theoretical basis and some of the research carried out to date for
the application of new and current bio & digital techniques in
architecture, through biodigital architecture and genetics (Estévez, 2009b),
towards an application of life information in architecture.
Key concepts
Thanks to new bio & digital techniques,
humans can transcend a historical barrier, from only millenary action over the
order of the “surface”, to a new action over the molecular order. Now humans
can work on an intra-molecular level, towards the knowledge of the genetic
orders of order, when the general visible order of bio & digital beings is
controlled by bio & digital information’s chains (Estévez, 2009b). Working on this level, one of the main
advantages is that the control of this information’s chains allows the
structure, form and skin “emergence”, with biological or digital processes, to
become architecture. Done with materials that emerge, that “grow” alone thanks to
self-organization systems, biological or digital, towards more precision, more
efficiency, more sustainability. Also with the possibility of fusion & link
of the mentioned information’s chains in a biodigital architecture. Is a vast
potential in a biological world if we work with DNA as if it was biological
software, and in a digital realm if we work with software as if it was digital
DNA: This is the most peculiar application of genetics in architecture.
Understanding that DNA and software are the same, information’s chains, natural
or artificial, that produces orders (order) for self-organization, for
autonomous growth, for emergence processes, for structure, form and skin
emergence.
So, exists two types of research objectives for
biodigital architecture, that the Genetic Architectures Research Group do, also
teach at the mentioned Biodigital Architecture Master Programme:
1. Working with “natural
software” (DNA), with live elements, with application of real genetic processes
to architecture, for “automation” natural growth: Genetic research to obtain
living elements, building materials and useful living spaces for architecture.
Architectural objectives with the application of genetics, illustrated with the
Biowall, the Biolamp, the Sporopollenin house
2, the Barcelona Genetic Pavilion
(Estévez, 2009a), the Genetic Barcelona Project, now in the second
phase of the genetic creation of bioluminescent plants for urban and domestic
use: The first time that geneticists are working for architects. Research is
being carried out into the genetic control of growth to develop living cells
that are converted into building materials and habitable space that are
“directed” by means of their specific genetic design, thereby producing
architecture that is 100% ecological, recyclable and sustainable, with maximum
energy-saving throughout the construction process and no need for manual
labour, as its growth is natural.
2. Working with “artificial
DNA” (software), with computing elements, with application of real cybernetic
processes to architecture, for automation of the robotized production of
architecture digitally designed: Digital design and production seen as a
genetic process. Knowing that “what can be drawn can be built”, because what
can be drawn using digital tools has a digital DNA, that allows automated
emergence, robotized self-construction and artificial growth. Using digital
technologies for not producing more models or moulds as is habitual in today’s
production systems [“No models, no moulds!”], but to produce real architecture
at the natural scale of 1:1, illustrated with the Barcelona Digital Pavilion (Estévez,
2009a), the Barcelona Consulting
rooms, the Biodigital Skyscraper,
the Barcelona Biodigital Pavilion.
This is a move beyond the mass production of uniform elements, since digital
design and production can equally produce 100 identical or 100 different parts.
Figure 1. ©
Alberto T. Estévez, Genetic Barcelona Project,
2003-2006: Left, manifesto-image, the magical light of the trees with GFP,
Green Fluorescent Protein. Genetic creation of bioluminescent plants for urban
and domestic use. Comparison between a lemon tree leaf with GFP and another
without GFP, from the same lemon tree type: Centre, photo by Alberto T. Estévez
with conventional reflex camera, and right, photo by Josep Clotet and Alberto
T. Estévez with special UV photo camera.
Genetic Barcelona
Project (Figure 1 and Figure 2)
First human’s needs are about food and health.
These are already covered by genetics. To have a roof, heat and light are the
other three primary human’s needs. These, that are related with architecture,
are researched by us. Taking advantage of natural characteristics of animals
and plants, making possible his use for improve our world’s sustainability,
designing DNA for letting grow human habitats, heating-plants and bio-light,
our three general research objectives.
The Genetic
Barcelona Project is a research about the genetic creation of
bioluminescent plants for urban and domestic use (Estévez, 2009a). In a first phase (Figure 1) the focus was about
possibilities of GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein). In a second phase (Figure 2)
the research has open other ways of bioluminescence. In this line was created
the Biolamp, a kind of bioluminescent
batteries, with infinite number of applications, in walls, panels, ceilings,
doors, skirting boards, decoration in general, fashion, exhibitions, parties,
etc., always without cables, without installations, without electricity.
Figure 2. ©
Alberto T. Estévez, Biolamp (Genetic Barcelona Project, 2nd phase),
2007-2010: Bioluminescent batteries applied at the Biolamp 2 (left), at the Biolamp
skirting board (centre) and at the Biolamp
Roots (right), photo made with a conventional camera (human’s eye vision).
Sustainability can be understood as the main
objective physical justification of this kind of genetic research. And for
having also a subjective metaphysical justification, this line of genetics needs
to follow the Bio-plasticity Manifesto:
“The amazing plasticity of the figuration that
we call ‘nature’ is also moulded through the random interaction of certain viruses
that can mutate the DNA of other beings. Million years after, ‘the will of
mutation’ of nature has made ‘the perfect mutator virus’, the human being (see
this statement as a slap to the anthropocentric arrogance). Let this be,
moreover, as basis or justification, in some way, in a not conservational
viewpoint of ‘nature’: Itself, and humans in first instance, need to overcome
such a vision to survive. In fact, plasticity is the main characteristic of
nature, to the extent that it would be an act ‘against nature’ wanting to ‘lock
in’ the life in each of their everchanging appearances. The most peculiar of
‘nature’ is not to be an exotic collection of diverse species, but is the
fluidity presented under different aspects that perform it. And so on, the
human being is the most powerful vector it has produced. Make it flow!”
Figure 3. ©
Alberto T. Estévez - Aref Maksoud, Biodigital
Skyscraper, Barcelona seafront, 2008- 2009. Right, details of Caribbean’s
sea sponge, 100x, 400x and 3000x, made by Alberto T. Estévez with FEI Quanta
200 scanning electron microscope (SCT-UB). Left, renders of 3D scripting file
show the results of implications of the genetic and structure rules of the
sponge biomicroscopic research in parametric tools. Above and below, different drawings and points of view (exterior and interior).
3 examples of biodigital
works
The Biodigital
Skyscraper (Figure 3) is a research about sea sponges and experimental bioparametrical
studies, for extracting the genetic rules and the structural parameters for application
with digital tools, that let the architectural design “emerge” alone, in the
way that can also be produced and fabricated digitally, because of the designed
digital DNA: “What can be drawn can be built”. In the understanding that also a
genetic research protocol can arrive to obtain its biological DNA. The
definitive way is the fusion of the two possibilities, in the constant election
of the most efficient process for its application in every building’s part. And
after a “biolearning” process, comes to the use of CAD-CAM technologies, for
producing directly real 1:1 scale architecture, from genetic architectures
points of views.
Figure 4. ©
Alberto T. Estévez, Consulting rooms,
Barcelona, 2008-2009. Left, exterior view; Right, CNC
The Consulting
rooms (Figure 4) begin also with a microscopic research, in this case about
radiolarian and pollen structures, like natural systems that have been
perfected during million’s years of evolution, until their high relation of
efficiency/economy: heir application will take also these advantages. In this
way starts the studies, as mentioned for the Biodigital Skyscraper, for extracting the genetic rules and the
structural parameters for application with digital tools. Having its digital
DNA that let also the architectural design “emerge” alone, we have produced it
and fabricated digitally, with the effort to fulfil with the manifesto “No
models, no moulds!”: Only directly digital produced elements in real scale 1:1
are “allowed” (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Left, ©
Alberto T. Estévez, photos of pollen details, 6000x and 20000x, made
with FEI Quanta 200 scanning electron microscope (SCT-UB). Right, radiolaria and CNC digitally fabricated natural scale 1:1 panels.
The Barcelona
Biodigital Pavilion (Figure 6) is one step more in the digitally fabricated
application of the microscopic research about radiolarian and pollen
structures, in the way to obtain domes and roofs, not only panels: Nature teach
us that at certain level animals (radiolarian) and vegetables (pollen)
structures are built equal. We need only to “biolearn” from it, from the advantage
of solutions that have the success of being tested for emergence of life along
millions of years. So, only remain to extract this life information for produce
architecture of similar conditions with digital tools. Something that allows a
similar emergence: The second key of efficiency, of economy, of performance.
Figure 6. ©
Alberto T. Estévez, Barcelona Biodigital
Pavilion, Barcelona, 2008-09. After the “biolearning” process (in this case from a microscopic structures research about radiolaria and pollen), CAD-CAM
technologies for producing directly real 1:1 scale architecture will be
introduced. Left, digital drawing; Centre, real photo, directly digitally fabricated
with CNC and real installed in big architectural scale; Right, image of a table
lamp with Biolamps application, for digital
fabrication with 3D Printer in little object scale.
Of course, to start a genetic research protocol,
it is necessary to understand that structures need to follow the fractal jump
from one scale level to the other: for example seeing how sponges are formed by
“little sponges” that are organized by other more little sponges that is how
the masses of cells grow (Figure 3 right). We know that ants or humans can’t
grow for example until 15 meters high without the collapse of their own
structure. But ants or humans can be added in his original natural scale for
have something of 15 meters high, as also the typical Catalan tradition of
human towers shows. Here is one of the most relevant life information for
application in architecture: The exigency of fractality needs to be respected
in biological structures and in digital structures.
Conclusions
In front of our inhuman reality, the manifesto-image
“The perfect house” (Estévez, 2007) remember
us that “a house is not a box…” After thousands of nature’s teaching years from
which we need to learn (“biolearning”), why still today houses are boxes? Why a
house must be a box? Nobody can obligate
us more to live in boxes… Cloning software that architects can use: Design of
genetic buildings with the same chains of information, the same ones and zeros
that nature use (Estévez, 2003).
Genetic architectures… Biodigital architecture,
fusion of genetics and cybernetic, allowed by new bio and digital techniques,
when biological DNA and digital software are new materials that allow new
systems for a new architecture, with the digital organicism, like the first
avant-garde movement of the XXI Century, his first consolidated tendency (Estévez, 2005). The utopia of today
is the reality of tomorrow, and, today is tomorrow! Certainly, science has exceeded fiction (Estévez, 2009b).
References
Estévez,
A. T. (2003). “Genetic architectures”.
In Genetic architectures, A. T.
Estévez, D. Dollens, I. Pérez Arnal et al., 4-17. Santa Fe (USA) / Barcelona: SITES Books / ESARQ-UIC.
(www.amazon.com)
Estévez,
A. T. (2005). “Biomorphic Architecture”.
In Genetic architectures II: Digital
tools and organic forms, A. T. Estévez, K. Chu, E. Douglis, F. Roche, M. Weinstock et al., 18-81. Santa
Fe (USA) / Barcelona: SITES Books / ESARQ-UIC. (www.amazon.com)
Estévez,
A. T. (2007). “Genetic architectures: ‘the
perfect house’ or a house is not a box...” In Arte, Arquitectura y Sociedad Digital, A. T. Estévez et al., 1 and
117-122. Barcelona: Publicacions i Edicions Universitat de Barcelona.
(www.artyarqdigital.com)
Estévez,
A. T. (2009a). Al margen: Escritos de arquitectura. Madrid: Abada Editores.
(www.amazon.com)
Estévez,
A. T. (2009b). “Genetic Architectures:
New bio & digital techniques”. In Genetic
architectures III: New bio & digital techniques, A. T. Estévez, B.
Cache, D. Dollens, N. Leach, M. Hensel et al., 14-27, 50-51 and 204. Santa Fe
(USA) / Barcelona: SITES Books / ESARQ-UIC. (http://www.bubok.es/libros/172493/arquitecturas-geneticas-3-nuevas-tecnicas-biologicas-y-digitales)
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