This is a continuation of our 3-part mini-series, the first of which, I concluded with the following words:
“In the next episodes, we can expect AI to enter the arena. Oh well, let's just welcome it, but I believe we should not let it dominate the show. Instead, let us use our own creativity and use AI as a modern tool only that we have full control of. Use it to enhance our own ingenuity, nothing more, nothing less. So what do you think? Come, join me in this journey...”
The truth is that I have nothing against the digital method, or should I say, a design process with much precision and efficiency. Of course, we must always innovate and push forward advancements in technology, not only in architecture, but also in all fields of knowledge. My point is to utilize both manual and digital methods with a sense of balance and appropriateness. I believe that our personal creativity is a gift from the one who created us, and so, we should not let it simply slip away from our hands. In the design arena, we should not treat the digital side as an opponent, but rather consider it as a friend or teammate instead. I believe that in the field of architecture, freehand drawing and digital media should work together in harmony to meet our ultimate goal – to turn our imagination into reality.
OBJECTIVE
Aside from my personal experiences, I occasionally used research work in Academia.com, which is supported by citations that eventually support the authenticity of this article, which serves as a commentary on the referenced research work in return. This time, I found one that suits my objective in this article. It's a research work submitted by Mirjana Pali, an Architecture graduate of Epoka University in Albania. So, please expect me to quote some excerpts from the research work to help us understand more deeply the objective of this article.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FREEHAND OR MANUAL DRAWING
In the first part of this series, I quoted from a research work mentioning the prehistoric or even neolithic era, while Pali's writings elaborate more on the Renaissance and Modern era:
“The two-dimensional drawings are traced from the ancient Egypt as the first mediums used in thinking and design process. At the time of the Renaissance, the information detected from the two-dimensional drawings wasn't sufficient and that is why Filippo Brunelleschi introduced perspective and the three-dimensional physical model. Since then, physical models have been widely used for presenting the mass, details, interior space, and structural relationships of a design, becoming a very important tool through the design process. The same methodology was also used during the nineteenth century, helping the masters in understanding better the volumes and the spaces created. It is interesting and surprising how architects like Frei Otto, Pier Luigi Nervi, Anton Gaudi proposed such complex geometries in a time when technology wasn't involved in architecture. Each of them brought an innovation in different techniques of working with physical models and templates to experiment with the free form geometries. Also, in the twentieth century architects main tools to design projects with very complicated shapes and curved forms, were the physical models of various scales.
However, the advance of technology in the areas of building, environmental control and computing, meant that architectural design processes needed to be adapted with the modern tools. (Hadjri, 2003) So, in the digital age, the designers faced a new thinking process and explored new, unconventional shapes in a more efficient and practical way.”
TRADITIONAL DESIGN MEDIUMS AND DIGITAL MEDIA
In this section, let me just give a brief commentary on the research paper done by Ms. Pali. Two major mediums were described: (1) Sketching as a medium; and (2) Modeling as a medium. Although sketching was the traditional medium used in communication between the architect and the constructors even since the Gothic era, and has been widely used for centuries, no one could prevent the use of digital sketching from entering the design world. On the other hand, modeling as a medium was not exempt from the duel. Here, the works of Antonio Gaudí were highlighted, where he uses physical and explorative tools such as hanging chain models or stacking plaster pieces. However, there were challenging factors that made the design process quite difficult. The efficiency depends on the expertise and skills of the architect, according to Ms. Pali.
ARCHITECTURE IN THE DIGITAL AGE
As per Ms. Mirjana Pali, “...the introduction of these new tools (computers) may limit the expression of the creative work. Therefore, care should be taken when using this tool in architectural design.” I absolutely agree with Ms. Pali on her point of view on this matter. I have always been pointing out that a careful sense of balance should be taken into consideration when using new and traditional tools together in the design process.
Pali mentioned about two notable architects that had opened the way to a new architecture that is born (the digital architecture): (1) Frank Gehry who used CATIA computer program, as an important design tool, to produce a smooth and well dimensioned steel structure pavilion for Barcelona; and (2) Peter Eisenman who also used computer to design the Aronoff Centre for Design and Art by generating a series of tilted building forms.
THE CHALLENGE
With regards to the computer-based design, Ms Mirjana Pali quoted that, “...it limits the creativity of the designer, who is more focused on the shape and the rules that different programs provide to him and in this way he is just producing an automatically product, that everyone could do it. So, what makes one design special from the other is the idea and the imagination behind it and not the shape or its construction. Finding a way of integrating both of these approaches would be the best and most efficient solution during the design process.”
The emergence of digital architecture has greatly influenced both the educational and working sectors, according to Ms. Pali. There has been a gap that has emerged between the actual curriculum in schools and the digital approach and which has caused some difficulties for students. She said, “One way of intervention in this process could be using combined design techniques, starting producing physical models in different scales, than following with 3-Dimensional digitalization, ending up with the 3D modeling. And in this way, we can manage better the changes happening in the modern society.” Again, this statement apparently coincided with the solution that I was trying to point out in my previous articles concerning the “sense of balance” for both the traditional and digital design process.
For the working sector, Ms. Pali quoted some examples of programs like Rapid Prototyping, Digital Design Fabrication, CNC Machines, DIM, and BIM models are integrated in the process of creative design, in order to build a bridge between conceptual design, produced in architectural studios, and real-world construction.
Once in my career, I have encountered making a study on the use of CNC machines and how the operator should be trained in order to produce a physical model based on the samples given in physical form. However, the difficulty arose when the management decided to train the existing Machinist who used to operate the conventional machine. It has to take so much time, effort, and money to fund the training because we need to train the Machinist to be a designer first and teach him how to operate CNC. I think that’s one good example of the effect of the transition in technology.
For me, the effect of digital methods in design has a greater impact on the workforce than on schools. Students and school faculty could adjust based on the availability of equipment in carrying out the education process, but in the workforce, companies or freelancers have to meet the growing demand for digital presentations. It is because, timetable is a very critical factor in project management nowadays, and companies have to compete with rival designers who could meet the client’s requirements.
On my part, I used to be proficient in AutoCAD, but my skill gradually became stagnant as I went on and climbed the ladder for so many years with very minimal use of the software, until I turned into an intermediate user. Fortunately, Sketchup became popular and I had the chance to learn and use it as 3D modeling tool. While there are dedicated BIM software solutions like Autodesk Revit and ArchiCAD, you might be surprised to learn that SketchUp, can also be used effectively for BIM purposes.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I am finalizing this article through an agreement with Ms. Pali's statement: “As we live in a period when digital developments are widely influencing the design process, treating the effects that cause the gap between physical and digital mediums will help in reaching the goals of this paper, in order to finalize it with a new, effective and practical design method for the architects of the digitalized age."
As we have been discussing so much about digital design and architecture, I should say that nowadays, AI technology is becoming so popular and widely used in the design industry. It is so phenomenal, and its rapid growth far exceeds all the recorded advancements in the world of digital technology. It is so imminent that even non-professionals can create something that would look professional to many, not only in architecture and interior design, but in almost everything: from song composition and music arranging, to creating artworks and graphic design, and creative writing, among many others. Now, we couldn’t hide the fact that it seems so threatening for designers like us, huh? What do you think? Let’s talk more about it on the last episode of this series. Thanks for following.
Joey Castaneda
Architect
CITATION:
Excerpts and photos taken from the following website:
Other photos courtesy of https://www.pixabay.com
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