Greg Lynn: Folds, Bodies, & Blobs - Forms of Expression: The Proto-Functional Potential of Diagrams in Architectureral Design

In the article "Forms of Expression: The Proto-Functional Potential of Diagrams in Architectural Design," Greg Lynn discusses diagrams using the works of Ben Van Berkel as a case point. Lynn makes a point that the type of diagrams he refers to are not representational of ideas, but are conceptual tools. Lynn attempts to prove Van Berkel to be a Proto-Functionalist with regards to how he approaches architecture. Van Berkel's work is described as non-linear with respect to progression from the diagram to concrete constructions. Van Berkel's work looks into the vague influences in architecture. These vague influences being elements such are structural concerns and hidden infrastructures, elements that are not readily quantified in the initial design phases of architectural works, yet have a clear effect on architectural form. These vague influences are anexact in nature, being able to be broken down to their individual influences, yet not readily described as a conceptual whole. The word vague is a cue to how these forces are not so easily quantified and determined. In design, these influences present the chicken and egg problem; design must be carried on with respect to structure, but structure cannot be quantified without a corresponding form. These vague influences have been historical understudied by architects, but Van Berkel's work is done through a process that conceptualizes these influences via the diagram.

What separates Van Berkel's work is his use of abstraction in his work. What separates Van Berkel's version of abstraction from the traditional version is that his version is not reductive of an idea. Rather, his is an abstraction that is generative. These abstractions generate the form, rather than the form generating the abstraction. These abstractions represent the technological aspect; they present an understanding of technology in cultural and social contexts, as opposed to concrete, tangible forms. As the diagrams build on and feed off one another, eventually a diagram is produced that breaks the barrier between this form of technology and the concrete assemblage.

The idea of diagrams being the building blocks in architecture is nothing new. The recovered sketchbooks of architects long past can demonstrate this fact. However, the conceptual, generative diagram is a different approach. These diagrams generate form, rather than impersonate it. In a linear process, these diagrams would be meaningless abstractions. It would be next to impossible to directly generate form from them. Working in a kind of cycle, where the diagram evolves to bring in more concepts in approach to a form brings forth a process that attempts to reconcile the chicken and egg problem between architectural reality and architectural form. This idea of working with these vague influences has the benefit of allowing form to merge with structural necessity, breaking down the wall between drawn ideals and built forms. This method makes it possible to design forms that can be built, as opposed to idealized forms which only server the purpose of falsely advertising the reality of built form.

Greg Lynn: Folds, Bodies, & Blobs - Probable Geometries: The Architecture of Writing in Bodies

In the essay "Probable Geometries: The Architecture of Writing in Bodies," Greg Lynn discusses architecture and writing as is pertains to descriptive geometries within architecture. Writing is presented as being an anti-architectural art, in contrast to the pure forms found in architecture. Writing is presented as heterogeneous and indeterminate, while architecture consists of ideals based on proportional systems. These proportional systems are given reason by relating back to the idealized form of the human body, a tradition that has been in place since the times of the ancients. Proportional geometry is presented as being important to governing the forms of buildings; without symmetry and proportion, there are no rules in architecture.

In contrast to this view that architecture must have proportions to have reason, Lynn brings up anexact forms. With respect to geometry, anexact forms are not exact, or wholly able to be simplified, but are able to be reduced on a local level, meaning these forms are not inexact. This leads to blob architecture and general anexact forms. While idealized, classical, proportional architecture is exact, blob architecture is anexact. The different sections and parts can be reduced to a rule set, while the form as a whole cannot be reduced. It is through anexact forms that architecture takes a step towards becoming more heterogeneous, more like writing. These anexact forms are not a complete departure from the former proportional systems; even anexact forms can be traced back to nature. Geological forms are also anexact, as geologists are discovering ways to make convincing representations of geological forms through anexact geometry. A common method for breaking down the anexact forms of architecture and nature is through the section; section planes break forms down into understandable two dimensional forms, readily able to be analyzed. One instance of this representation in architecture would be Le Corbusier's Maison Domino. It is through the analytical potential of the section that anexact forms can be studied and applied to architecture, bridging the gap between architecture and writing.

Lynn presents writing and architecture to be fundamentally different, however, both writing and architecture have their rule sets. Take works of fiction, plots build up to a climax, and settle down into a conclusion. This approach is a fundamental to works of this type. However, the rules of writing are not as restricting as the formal rules of architecture; this is where the difference lies. Lynn's suggestion that blob architecture can bring similarity to the professions of writing and architecture is right on the money. Blob architecture is more free form, but has a distinct, yet open ended, rule set. Works of writing follow some rule set on some level; sections of works could be labeled, and rules exist to suggest a proper order for sections fitting these labels. Blob architecture can also be broken down into component parts. These parts, as do the parts of writing, also have suggestions for how these components should be tied together. Given the generic rule sets available to both writing and blob architecture, perhaps the two professions are no longer as different as they once were.

Greg Lynn: Folds, Bodies, & Blobs - Body Matters

In Lynn's article, architecture is described as being dependent on the concept of the whole, as opposed to focusing more on the parts that make up a whole. Within architecture, there is a search for a universal model; a model that is static, and can readily be described in terms of whole numbers. The intricate functions that make up the whole in architecture are ignored under this premise in favor of a more generalized approach. Bodies stem from interactions amongst several component parts, and cannot be reduced to a more general system. A body could be described as anexact, a term coined by Edmund Husserl to describe which is neither exact nor inexact. In architecture, the parts of the body are both more and less than the whole.

One alternative for the description of architectural organization pertains to the behavior of elements on the local level and how they contribute to the formations of bodies in architecture. This idea of the body stemming from local interactions conflicts with the ideal versions of the body and the whole. This idea lends itself to focus on stable, though not necessarily static, bodies. Bodies are able to grow over time through forces of differentiation. These forces build up the body; bodies are constantly giving additions over time.

The idea of the parasite has been used to describe that which cause instability within an existing form. One version of the parasite is described as the necessary component in the deconstruction of the whole. Another version of the parasite is described as that which much adjust its environment to support its continued existence; the parasite creates a new entity. Another variation of the parasite is described as being necessary for the formation of the whole; the whole presents and exterior, and the parasite builds its interior. Other parasites are described as being vehicles for providing a necessary interaction between bodies dependent upon one another for survival (e.g. bees and flowers).

(This concept of the parasite stands out to me. I can see a possible interpretation to describe the forces that evolve architectural form. Form would be the body and function would be the parasite. As functions evolve, and become more sophisticated, they must adapt the form of the environments they inhabit, resulting in the development of new buildings. i.e., the functions of industry brought on by the innovations of the Industrial Revolution gave rise to the construction of factories.)

Monstrosities are bodies that are different from those typically found in nature. One way these bodies can be formed is through the combination of different parts, forming a new whole that can not be understood through its component parts alone. This brings on the idea that whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Sphinx of Egypt is an example of such a body; the body of the lion and the body of the human can not readily be envisioned as the form they create when united.

Gestures can be used to describe forces related to the body. Electrocardiogram readings can be read to interpret the emotional state of a person. Captures of a body and motion can be used to illustrate the forces acting upon the body at specific points in time. These gestures are only useful as is; an "average" of these gestures would be unable to describe a realistic body. This presents the idea that forces interact across intervals while the body remains in stasis.