Product Description

Architecture in the Digital Age addresses contemporary architectural practice in which digital technologies are radically changing how the buildings are conceived, designed and produced. It discusses the digitally-driven changes, their origins, and their effects by grounding them in actual practices already taking place, while simultaneously speculating about their wider implications for the future. The book offers a diverse set of ideas as to what is relevant today and what will be relevant tomorrow for emerging architectural practices of the digital age.
The contents of the book brings together some of the leading international practitioners with the aim of providing informed views of what is seen as a critical juncture in architecture's evolving relationship to its wider cultural and technological context.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62591 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review

'This beautifully produced and illustrated book is an excellent reference book and a unique snapshot of the state of digital technologies in architecture today. '-Carol Hermann, Nexus Network Journal vol 6 (Autumn 2004)

'These mostly first-hand accounts by significant pioneers in the use of digital tools to make real architecture, many given in an easily digestible, almost conversational style, provide the core value of the book. The resulting mix is not a conference proceedings, nor a textbook, nor a manifesto, but a bit of all three.' - Brian Johnson, International Journal of Architectural Computing

'In making his case for the Information Master Builder, Branko Kolarevic gives a clear, concise history of the relationship between representational drawing and the builder, brief definitions of the buzzwords of today's digital topologies... a snapshot of the relationship of the architectural construction industry to the tools of shipbuilding and aeronautics, clear illustrations of the many ways architects are using Computer Aided Manufacturing, and a very lucid explanation of the contractual relationship of architect/owner/contractor, and its impediments to digital manufacturing of architecture.' - Carol Hermann, Nexus Network Journal vol 6 (Autumn 2004)

This beautifully produced and illustrated book is an excellent reference book and a unique snapshot of the state of digital technologies in architecture today. -Carol Hermann, Nexus Network Journal vol 6 (Autumn 2004)

These mostly first-hand accounts by significant pioneers in the use of digital tools to make real architecture, many given in an easily digestible, almost conversational style, provide the core value of the book. The resulting mix is not a conference proceedings, nor a textbook, nor a manifesto, but a bit of all three. - Brian Johnson, International Journal of Architectural Computing

In making his case for the Information Master Builder, Branko Kolarevic gives a clear, concise history of the relationship between representational drawing and the builder, brief definitions of the buzzwords of todays digital topologies... a snapshot of the relationship of the architectural construction industry to the tools of shipbuilding and aeronautics, clear illustrations of the many ways architects are using Computer Aided Manufacturing, and a very lucid explanation of the contractual relationship of architect/owner/contractor, and its impediments to digital manufacturing of architecture. - Carol Hermann, Nexus Network Journal vol 6 (Autumn 2004)

About the Author
Branko Kolarevic is an Associate Professor of Architecture and founder of the Digital Design Research Lab (DDRL) at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the past President of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA).

Customer Reviews

Architectural Revolution by Information Revolution
We all know that information revolution has totally transformed the society. Architecture is no exception. Relative to industrial revolution's impact on architecture, "what has this recent revolution done to the field?" is the basic inquiry to the book. This book diligently answers to the question. It is extremely informative and provocative regarding digital technologies available for architecture.

As an outcome of a symposium held at U.Penn. in 2002, the book compiles various scholars and practitioners around the world. They grapple with the current technologies available to design and manufacture innovative shapes/forms/spaces that associate with digital aesthetics.

Spearheaded researchers such as Bill Mitchell(MIT), Chris Luebkeman(Arup), Ali Rahim (U.Penn), and Branko Kolarevic (U.Penn, chief editor of the book); and, cutting-edge practitioners such as Jim Glymph (Gehry), Hugh Whitehead (Foster & Partners), Bernhard Franken (Franken Architekten), etc.; both groups provide theoretical framework and actual applications.

It's interesting to point out that the authors deliberately associated digital architecture with smooth forms. Double curvatures deform structure/ skin/ space of the building. The new modes of design and production enables that complex geometries to be part of building industry.

As a reader, the most challenging claim of the book is that the authors
assert (some explicitly and some implicitly) on the new role of an architect. They believe that this new mode of production will revolutionize the client-architect-contractor relationship. Because architects will be the (single) dominant source of information on the three dimensionally morphed shape, manufacturers and fabricators would rely heavy on architects. The authors predict architect would regain absolute power of medieval master builders.

Great Compilation
This book provides a great overview of the developing technolgies in digital design and fabrication. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a comprehensive study in the current trends in digital architecture. A series of 20+ articles by designers working in this area of architecture, this book updates the conversation to what is happening today and what is being projected in the future. Great resource!

Gifted!!
I gifted this book to my friend. Since he stayed in UK, he has now became an UKian.... But the book is good for architecture studying.