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What are Field Conditions

The first idea that Stan Allen discusses is the idea of field conditions themselves. According to Allen, field conditions are a group of objects that are put together in a way so that they are unified and interrelated but also stand alone. Rather than placing emphasis on the whole shape that the parts create when put together, Allen believes that it is more important to place emphasis on the spaces in between the parts and the relationships that the parts share among each other. They are, therefore,  “bottom-up phenomena” or something that does not start with the whole image in mind but is built through the connections between parts. This creates an interconnected matrix or field that still looks unified and integrated without having to consider the whole at the start.

Expandable Field Conditions

Another characteristic of field conditions is the idea that “field conditions are inherently expandable” (Allen 94). What this means is that since the whole is not considered at the start of a matrix and rather the matrix is built from the bottom up, more parts can be added onto the whole at a later time without affecting the look or integrity of the whole. The overall form is a collection of individual connections between these parts that have been put together. If something new is added the previous addition is not disturbed. A building, therefore, could be added onto for the rest of its existence and the additions would never appear out of place because the unity continues to expand as the building does.

Local Relationships

Allen emphasizes the idea that the local relationships and local rules are more important than the whole form or having rules that govern the whole form. Focusing on the local connections between parts is more important because it allows the whole to form more organically without taking into consideration the extent of the whole. This makes the whole form more adaptable and expandable as noted before. It is also adaptable in the sense that if there is an issue or disruption to one part or connection between parts, it doesn’t destroy the whole form like it would if the form hadn’t been built from the bottom up.

Figure and Ground

The relationship between a figure and its ground can also be interpreted differently. Rather than a figure being thought of as detached from and unrelated to the ground, it can be seen as connected to and as emerging from the ground as a 3D part. This was first seen in Le Va’s sculptures which focused on getting rid of the notion that the sculpture is separate from what it is standing on or what is around it. This idea could be applied to the integration of architecture and nature, in which it is important to think about the building’s connection to its surroundings, because it can help an architect see the building as a part of nature that was already there so it almost appears to blend in and occur naturally.

Future of Architecture

All of the ideas mentioned above create a new way of thinking about architecture. If architects begin to think about buildings from the bottom up and focus on the local connections between parts, then whole buildings do not have to stand alone as permanent structures built with a holistic, determined appearance in mind but rather can adapt and be altered to the users and environment around them. Buildings could be easily added onto, connected to others, compacted, or divided without destroying the beauty and integrity of the building itself. While building would become less permanent and would not offer a view into a particular time in history, there would be buildings that can evolve as people and society evolves. allowing for more space for the unknown and unpredictable nature of life.