Hyperbodies : Toward an E-motive Architecture

Kas Oosterhuis repositions the architect in society today as a well-trained hyperconscious idiot savant. Audacious intuition must be trained to decide in split seconds, like the Formula I driver. Today's architect is an information architect, able to act intuitively and to process rationally at the same time. He naturally investigates and practises architecture as a realtime transaction space, buildings are seen as processes running in real time. Building components communicate with other building components. All are members of the swarm, members of the hive. Swarm architecture implies that all building elements operate as intelligent agents, data-carriers and data-processing devices. Swarm architecture feeds on data generated by social transactions in the new transformation economy. In the process of collaborative design and engineering the participants work in the communication flow of the swarm. The collaborative work is based on parametric, generic and genetic design principles, on scripts and formulas with a multitude of variables. The modern informed architect is the designer of intelligent vehicles, executing a game of life and death. Architecture becomes the art of building prototypes for fluid dynamic structures and environments running in real time. Architecture no longer has the hidden agenda to resist external and internal forces. Buildings are pro-active hyperbodies displaying real time behaviour. Buildings are familiar but unpredictable like the weather. Architecture goes wild and e-motive. Book jacket.

Kaas Oosterhuis is Professor at the Technical University Delft.