Week 8 Reading : Elegance in the Age of Digital Technique

This reading is about using digital technique to generate elegance form. The main concept of elegance is to push forward contemporary architecture by designing complex structures with visual aesthetic as sophisticated as possible.

Tools and scripting such as subdivision surfaces and NURBS modeling have incorporate the most advanced result of experimentation in digital design. Although digital techniques are vital in generating elegance form, but the design research, mastery of techniques and sheer talent are much more important to produce the sophisticated contemporary architecture.

Some architectural constraints such as zoning, building codes, organization, space, programme, circulation, fabrication, assembly and cost in a process facilitated by digital algorithm through scripting.

Elegance is achieved when the external constrains is compromise with the internal organization. Buildings which have a sense of elegance have some distinct characteristics as well, such as presence, formal balance, refinement of features and surface, and restrained opulence. The building also need to be in appropriate scale, with a correct proportion of part to whole.

Besides using CNC mill or laser cutter in modeling a design, digital technology also can compute costs dependent on factors such as material curvature and joinery.