Mears-Liam-Arch 222-1.1a

From Object to Field:

Objects and their relationship with each other are what establish a field. There can be objects without a field, though the inverse is not true. As individual connections are established, an open-ended network forms defining the field condition. A field condition is any of  “spatial matrix” that links objects but still allows autonomy. Internal relationships are more important than the overall form as the form is a product of the relationships between the individuals.

Walking out of Cubism:

Minimalism came from the necessity to get away from the “faceted planes and figural fragments” that were integral to the Cubist movement. Minimalist artists sought to utilize not just the plane of the canvas, but also to address the gallery space that viewers experienced and every other field present. In short, minimalism was the absolute reduction of the work that had come before by removing decoration and superfluity and making each artistic decision integral to the overall composition of the work.

Thick 2-D Moires, Mats:

The author states that the field, when studied, gives us the means to redefine the correlation between figure and ground. Judd suggests attempting to see the figure and ground as siblings, not rivals. When viewed from this perspective, the figure becomes a product of a present field. Moiré is a figure that arises when two regular fields interact to create an irregular outcome. Although often studied from a mathematical perspective, the implications of Moirés from an architectural perspective are profound.

Flocks, Schools, Swarms, Crowds:

Fields though complex, arise from simple rules, as seen in the flock study by Craig Reynolds. Creating complexity does not need to be complex. By applying a few clear conditions to local objects, a flock can operate so that, “Obstructions are not catastrophic to the whole”(Judd 99). Applying such rules to other fields is bound to yield similar results.

Distributed Institutions:

Historically axial symmetry and formal hierarchy were essential to western architecture. Their application can be seen in every order of our structures, from banks to concert halls. As architecture advanced, we began to see a breakdown of these rules, and a new way of organizing buildings arose. Now, Judd proposes an even more radical approach to how buildings are organized, where the ideas of the field could be applied similarly to that of a flock. The result would be that everything is connected and dependent yet autonomous and nebulous.