Roderick Martin 1.1a

From Object to Field

The object to field relationship is characterized by the interaction between part and whole, specifically how parts are subsumed into a like whole that reflects the design qualities of its constituent parts. A field can be defined as any group of related bodies, so fields include both biological and technological ecosystems. The wildlife and vegetation patterns of a planned site could be a field, or the power lines and electrical systems that connect a city block. Because there are no specific geometric characteristics of a field the unifying nature of connected bodies can be more abstract.

Geometric vs Algebraic Combination

Geometric and algebraic combination are two different methods of expansion. Both seek to preserve the design elements of the original body, but they do it in two different ways. Geometric combination modifies and expands the source body up to its new dimensions, attempting to preserve the original volumes but at a larger scale. Projects where the original structure is partially or fully deconstructed during the expansion process are often examples of combination. Algebraic combination instead wholly preserves the original body and adds series of like units that embody some characteristic of the original. Projects that spread horizontally from the source body are often examples of algebraic combination. 

Walking out of Cubism

The transition from cubism to modernism came naturally, as an extreme refinement of the tailored perspectives and experiences cubism cultivated with its attention to spatial and compositional detail. Modernism would forgo the details and busyness of cubist composition in favor of using simple combinations of predefined forms and materials to manipulate how a viewer perceived space. Where cubism would communicate through the base qualities and outlines of many small bodies in a field, modernism would focus of the qualities and interactions of a few precisely defined bodies.

Flocks, Schools, Swarms, Crowds

Crowd and swarm interactions arise from many smaller bodies following simple rules, either as individuals or smaller groups. Swarms occur when all bodies present are individually following a similar set of rules. Swarms mainly occur in nature when vast quantities of the same organism seek proximity to others for safety or food, like birds or fish. Crowds occur when multiple swarms interact in the same space, with smaller groups of individuals following similar rules that differ from others. Crowds mainly occur in more heterogeneous gatherings, either with multiple animal species or humans with different overall goals.

Distributed Institutions

Distributed Institutions are formed when a larger body is broken into smaller but equally self sufficient parts. The resulting space allows each new part to grow using the resources around it instead of distributing those shared by the original body, increasing efficiency and allowing for faster growth. Parts will diverge by necessity, adapting to the qualities of its specific location, but the characteristics of the parent body remain apparent. After a point the parts will have diverged enough where they no longer constitute one system, but there is no hard and fast rule for when that separation actually occurs.