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From Object to Field

In his first section, Allen talks about how field conditions apply to both very small elements and very large ones, as well as everything in-between, and how all of these factors must be taken into effect when considering a larger field. One part of Allen’s writing that stood out to me was his comment on music that could not be broken down into the specific instruments, which I think is an essential part of most, if not all, good music. While certain individuals can stand out from time to time during solos, overall, music is created by a group of individuals collaborating to create one sound.

Geometric vs. Algebraic Combination

In this section, Allen discusses the differences between geometric-based design and algebraic-based design. Both consist of the combination of many small, individual parts, however, geometric combines these parts into one larger form of geometric significance, while algebraic focuses more on the effect as a whole, and there are few to no central “points” (ie. axis of symmetry, center, etc).

Thick 2D

When discussing a field or plan, most people automatically begin to visualize it as a flat, 2D plane. However, Allen challenges that by discussing the thickness of the dimension. Obviously, when viewed from a perspective, axonometric, or any other three dimensional drawing, there is a third axis on which the field exists on, and a variety in thickness. However, even when thinking about it in a two dimensional context, there is a thickness that is added through density and intensified surroundings.

Flocks, Schools, Swarms, Crowds

The movement of groups is viewed by many as an unpredictable mass movement with little to no way of controlling it. However, this is not always the case, as a flock of birds can be fluid, unified, and predictable even when every bird is only operating on an individual basis. An unruly crowd may be a bit harder to control, but an architect can manipulate many of the surroundings to suggest a path, or to provide options and ways of spreading out.

Distributed Institutions

With the massive increase of media consumption in modern-day society, many institutions that once held a unique spot of knowledge have shifted from an essential institution to a moderately helpful one. This, of course, has had vast affects on the architecture of said institutions – a modern library looks quite different than a library you would find a few hundred years ago. Despite the ease of access to information that comes with this new connectivity, there is still somewhat of a restriction on some information. This, in turn, is reflected in architecture in places like the panopticon.