yiorgos artopoulos
maya+grammatical evolution_gnr8
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george.artopoulos@gmail.com
Geometry, mathematics and genetics, animation and cinema, modern philosophy and historical architecture are all now relating to offer a harmonious amalgam of ideas and influences that might define a new path for future architectural design. For example, geometry involves animation, as C. Balmond explains in his article Geometry, Algorithm, Pattern: ‘the ideas behind Ancient Greek architecture were based on proportionate rules that took their inspiration from the relative positions of a point on a line’ (N. Leach, D. Turnbull, Ch. Williams, 2004: 129). So the repetition of a point moving along a direction shapes a line, and might be seen as an animation stemming from harmonic, geometric, or arithmetic means. One such mean is the Golden Mean, which inspired the design of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece and has influenced many architects since then, such as Le Corbusier who develop his Modulor as a proportionate rule of architectural design. Nowadays, with the advent of the computer, we are able to experiment with actual animated geometries using evolutionary techniques and genetic algorithms. Looking back at the last decade one can see that architects started experimenting with animated processes to generate new forms after the popularisation of the use of computer power in calculus. Indeed computer aided design had one of the greatest technological impacts on design.The way animation has been exploited by architects in architectural animations can be described with the simple example of a walkthrough. In a walkthrough everything remains static, except the camera. A path for the centre of interest can be constructed from a series of buildings in an environment. Often, the animator will want the centre of interest to rest on one building for a few frames before it goes to the next building. Time, according to J. Barbour, is an illusion that allows us to experience our existence in the universe. Animation, on the other hand, relies on an illusion in order to bring the inanimate forms to life: the illusion of movement, which indicates a transition through time. So an effort to combine these revolutionary theories of time with the basic concept of animation in architectural design – with animated architecture in particular - would doubtlessly be an interesting experimentation, an ambitious attempt ‘to blow life into’ architecture. ’The repetition of a point creates something different, a line.’ I. Xenakis writes difference and repetition (I. Xenakis, 2001: 212). Leach N., Turnbull D., Williams Ch. eds., Digital Tectonics (West Sussex: Wiley-Academy, 2004)
