Biodigital Architecture

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1 Biodigital Architecture Alberto T. Estévez ESARQ - Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain estevez@uic.es Abstract: The latest biological and digital technologies offer new possibilities and benefits for the production of new architecture: There is vast potential in the natural world if we work with DNA as though it were natural software, and in the digital realm if we work with software as though it were digital DNA. Pioneers in these fields converge in the Biodigital Architecture Master s Degree, with the Genetic Architectures Research Group and Ph.D. Programme, at the ESARQ (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya), in Barcelona. The purpose of this paper is to put forward the theoretical basis and some of the research carried out to date. Keywords: Biodigital; architecture; genetics; biology; digital. Figure 1 Manifesto-image, The perfect house, or a house is not a box, Alberto T. Estévez, Barcelona, 2006: The first genesical space of human being or after thousands of nature teaching years from there we need to learn, why still today houses are boxes? (Estévez, 2007) Biodigital architecture It is perhaps no coincidence that Barcelona the city of Antoni Gaudí, also where Salvador Dalí prophesied that the future of architecture will be soft and hairy should have seen, from 2000, the real application of genetics to architecture; with the creation of the world s first (real) genetic architecture laboratory and the first digital production workshop at a Spanish school of architecture; with the creation of the first research group and the first systematic post-graduate programme on these subjects, the Biodigital Architecture Master s Degree, with the Genetic Architectures Research group and Ph.D. Programme, at the ESARQ (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya). Work has begun on using genetics to meet architectural objectives (Figure1) and on research into the use of new digital technologies to produce architecture at the real (Figure 2). We can now see the advantages of this genetic, biodigital architecture Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3 - ecaade

2 made of materials that emerge, that grow of their own accord, thanks to systems of natural or digital self-organization, when DNA and software are the new materials of a new architecture, and when genetic and cybernetic systems are the new systems of a new architecture. It is fascinating to see the great potential of the natural world if we work with DNA as though it were natural software, and the vast possibilities of the digital world if we work with software as though it were digital DNA (Estévez, 2003). Our field of interest is biodigital architecture as the fusion of genetics and cybernetics, at a time when new biological and digital technologies have given us the conditions for a new architecture. In this sense, the following diagram (Table 1) is based on the above: This gives us two approaches to the application of genetics to architecture, with different research objectives: (1) Genetic research to obtain living elements, building materials and useful living spaces for architecture. For example, illustrated with figures (Figure 2) of the Genetic Barcelona Project (Estévez, Fall 2005; Estévez, February 2007), we are now in the second phase of the genetic creation of bioluminescent plants for urban and domestic use, in our Genetic Architecture Laboratory (ESARQ-UIC, Barcelona): The first time in history that geneticists are working for architects. Research is being carried out into the genetic control of growth to develop living cells that are converted into building materials and habitable space that are directed by means of their specific genetic design, thereby producing architecture that is 100% ecological, recyclable and sustainable, with maximum energy-saving throughout the construction process and no need for manual labour, as its growth is natural. (2) Work on digital design and production seen as a genetic process. Knowing that which can be drawn can be constructed, because that which can be drawn using digital tools has a digital DNA, which allows automated emergence, robotized self-construction and artificial growth (Estévez, 2008C). Using digital technologies to produce not more models or moulds as is habitual in today s production systems [ No models, no moulds! (Estévez, 2008C)], but to produce real architecture at the natural scale of 1:1, from viewpoints of genetic architectures. And this is illustrated with figures of different projects. This is a move beyond the mass production of uniform elements, since digital design and production can equally produce 100 identical or 100 different parts. Table 1 Alberto T. Estévez, Barcelona, 2004: Diagram of the three ages of architecture (Estévez, 2005) 682 ecaade 27 - Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3

3 Figure 2 Alberto T. Estévez, Genetic Barcelona Project, Barcelona, : The genetic creation of bioluminescent plants for urban and domestic use. Left, comparison between lemon tree leaf with GFP (Green Flourescent Protein) and another without GFP, from the same tree type called lemon tree type fine (photo: Alberto T. Estévez made with conventional reflex camera). Right, The magical light of the trees with GFP (illustration: Aleix Bieto and Gabriel Montañés) Figure 3 Alberto T. Estévez, Doctor s Surgery, Barcelona, 2008: No models, no moulds!, CAD-CAM technologies to directly produce real architecture at a scale of 1:1. Left, one of the panels in the CNC machine of the Digital Architecture Laboratory of the ESARQ (UIC). Centre and centre right, respectively, drawing and finished product. Right, the panel installed (photos: Alberto T. Estévez / drawings: Juan Cardenal, Diego Navarro and Guillem Torres / CNC: Juan Cardenal, Affonso Orciuoli and Daniel Wunsch) Figure 4 Alberto T. Estévez (with Marina Serer), Barcelona, 2007: Ceci n est pas un pavillon, soft, edible genetic remodelling of the Germany Pavilion in Barcelona of Mies van der Rohe (photo: Alberto T. Estévez) Thus the two aspects of research are being carried out simultaneously: (1) On the one hand, architectural objectives with the application of genetics, such as the Genetic Barcelona Project. Or the project for the soft, edible genetic remodelling of the Germany Pavilion in Barcelona of Mies van der Rohe (Figure 4). (With the sentence Ceci n est pas un pavillon became the title of a manifesto-project or a manifesto-image. The work forms part of research into genetic control of cell growth, making living tissue grow as a building material. It was presented in the exhibition Bios 4: Biotechnological and Environmental Art, CAAC Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo, Seville, ). Or the Sporopollenin house 2 (Figure 8). Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3 - ecaade

4 Figure 5 Alberto T. Estévez and Aref Maksoud, Skyscraper (biodigital architecture: microscopic research of sea sponge organic structure, applied to architecture with digital tools, that let emerge structure and space automated, for themselves), Barcelona seafront, (2) On the other, CAD-CAM to directly produce real architecture: As in the case of the Digital Pavilion, Barcelona, by Bernard Cache (also known as Pavilion of L Orme, this was the first building to be completely designed and produced using digital media. It was made in 2001 in the Digital Architecture Laboratory of the ESARQ (UIC), with the collaboration of the School s lecturers and students. It was also presented in the exhibition Architectures non standard, at the Centre Pompidou, Paris, ); Or in the case of the Doctor s Surgery, also in Barcelona. Or the Skyscraper at the Barcelona seafront. This can be illustrated by other cases of recent work in the research group and postgraduate course in question. For example, the creation of architecture by researching strategies using digital morphogenetics, or work using genetic algorithms, mainly directed by Karl S. Chu at the Biodigital Architecture Master. These, thanks to graphic software and robotics become real architecture surfaces, volumes and Figure 6 Alberto T. Estévez and Aref Maksoud, Skyscraper, Barcelona seafront, : Above, details of caribean sea sponge, 100x and 400x, made with FEI Quanta 200 scanning electron microscope; Below, renders of 3D scripting file show the results of implications of the genetic and structure rules of the biomicroscopic sponge research in parametric tools (microscopic photos and drawings: Alberto T. Estévez and Aref Maksoud) 684 ecaade 27 - Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3

5 Figure 7 Alberto T. Estévez, radiolaria and pollen structures research applied to the digital development of architecture, for example, the projects of the Doctor s Surgery and the Sporopollenin house 2, among others projects, Barcelona, (microscopic photos: Alberto T. Estévez, x, 6.000x, x and 1.500x, made with FEI Quanta 200 scanning electron microscope) Figure 8 Alberto T. Estévez, Sporopollenin house 2, Barcelona, 2009 spaces: by experimenting with emergent forms using substitutive systems that function on the basis of algorithms, creating patterns of data to which given geometric equivalencies are applied, can translate as proto-architectural forms (Estévez, 2009). Alternatively, adopting approaches closer to bionics, the Barcelona Tensegrity Tower was designed, modelled in 3D and created digitally at real scale and to a height of 10 metres, directed by Dennis Dollens and produced in the Digital Architecture Laboratory, ESARQ (UIC), Barcelona, 2008 (Estévez, 2008B). This project brings together tensegrity with biology, thanks to the cellular nature of the tower s design, its irregular struts, all differing according to the branching, enveloping logic of phyllotaxis. Further, the morphological exploration of skins and membranes illustrates at which point tensegrity becomes organic and where variation can be bio-mimetically incorporated into the digital design. The project drew on a range of references, from Ernst Haeckel s historical drawings of radiolaria to Buckminster Fuller s structures. Finally, with the example of works presented here, the manifesto No models, no moulds! by the author of this paper sets out to move beyond the limited use (weighed down by our immediate past) accorded to digital technology and exploit the giant s step it represents over present-day production systems (see above the Diagram of the Three Ages of Architecture, Table 1). Its coherent utilization and its vast potential make it a challenge for the future, with the realization that the principal of these digital Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3 - ecaade

6 technological possibilities is to manufacture real parts, at a scale of 1:1, architecture in themselves, that require no models, no moulds. It is an architecture that is taking advantage of their conditions of emergency, self-organisation and automation. In fact, it will become a digital simulation of what a real genetic architecture could be in a natural environment. As advocated from the research line of Genetic Architectures, if we apply genetic techniques to the Earth s real vegetation, transforming it into habitable spaces, we could create a real, living, soft and furry, free for all genetic architecture growing throughout the planet. A continuous city, which could embrace the entire world with seamless vegetation. The fascinating question is that now we can try to do this in a natural or in a digital automated way. For sure, this would be much better than 95% of the current architecture. An era where humans will be capable of effectively using 100% of the potential of what we call nature (Estévez, 2008A). This is all that we have yet to achieve, committed architects have the gargantuan duty of improving the real world through architecture. We wish them strength and courage Acknowledgements Estévez, A.: Fall 2005, Genetic Barcelona Project, Metalocus, 017, pp Estévez, A.: 2007, Arquitecturas Genéticas: la casa perfecta, o una casa no es una caja, in A. Estévez, L. Cirlot, A. Casanovas and others, Arte, Arquitectura y Sociedad Digital, Publicacions i Edicions Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, pp. 1 and Estévez, A.: February 2007, The genetic creation of bioluminescent plants for urban and domestic use, Leonardo, 40 (1), The MIT Press, pp. 18 and 46. Estévez, A.: 2008A, Architecture in virtual 2.0 communities, in Grupo de Investigación Arte, Arquitectura y Sociedad Digital (Various Authors), Art and digital architecture, net.art and virtual universes (Arte y arquitectura digital, net.art y universos virtuales), Publicacions i Edicions Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, pp and Estévez, A.: 2008B, ESARQ, Barcelona, Spain, in N. Leach and X. Weiguo (eds.), (Im)material Processes: New Digital Techniques for Architecture, Beijing, pp Estévez, A.: 2008C, Arquitectura biodigital, in Various authors, Memorias: XII congreso SIGraDi, La Havana, pp Estévez, A.: 2009, Al margen: escritos de arquitectura, Abada, Madrid. The author would like to thank Fundació La Caixa, Incasol (Generalitat de Catalunya) and all the people that have collaborated honestly, generously and respectfully for making possible this research. Figure 9 Alberto T. Estévez, Landscape 14, Barcelona, 2009 References Estévez, A.: 2003, Genetic architectures, in A. Estévez, D. Dollens, I. Pérez Arnal and others, Genetic architectures, SITES Books / ESARQ-UIC, Santa Fe (USA) / Barcelona, pp Estévez, A.: 2005, Biomorphic Architecture, in A. Estévez, K. Chu, E. Douglis, F. Roche, M. Weinstock and others, Genetic architectures II: digital tools and organic forms, SITES Books / ESARQ-UIC, Santa Fe (USA) / Barcelona, pp ecaade 27 - Session 19: New Design Concepts and Strategies 3