02 Readings
A Thousand Years of Non-Linear History
Lin-Manuel Miranda
The objects which surround us are fundamentally parts of our reality. In ‘A Thousand Years of Non-Linear History’, Lin Manuel Miranda approaches ideas of architecture through a philosophical lens. He details the world as a system of energetic dynamism, noting that many, if not most of these systems follow non-linear patterns subject to constant change. This may be applied to human societies as well–just as humans are not separate from the conditions that they are subject to, nor the consequences of any output they create. Manuel argues that even the smallest forms of energy are able to organize themselves into patterns, and may thus be applied within the human sphere. Whether this manifests as social roles, belief systems, or through any pattern, it will be the “unintended collective consequence” of human decision. Because of these patterns, it is possible to track and record these decisions as they create positive and negative outputs in human:spatial relationships. It is interesting to think about humans as integrated expressions of energy within the greater whole (especially as we begin to think about systems in dense urbanism, which are mostly human dominated), rather than only through the lens of sole systemic control.
Data Dimension: Accessing Urban Data and Making It Accessible
Working with any kind of data often poses risks associated with bias. Being able to sense an urban environment from the perspective of individual inhabitants democratizes the act of collection and analysis. The presentation of data, as well as collection, must be conscious and precise to what is being measured. It is more difficult to do so with qualitative datasets. However, knowing a wide variety of data types may encompass a broader system and may highlight aspects of the urban landscape that may be otherwise overlooked. Recognizing bias is essential in data collection. As we further refine our projects, sticking to a defined process will allow the data to tell its own story.