A new kind of building

Kas Oosterhuis

pp. 90-115

in: Georg Flachbart, Peter Weibel (eds), Disappearing architecture, Basel, Birkhäuser, 2005

Abstract

Traditional vernacular building is accomplished by executing the process. There are no intermediate phases like a set of drawings, working drawings, drawings of details. The communication is direct from person to person. In modern computing lingo: through a peer-to-peer wireless sensor network. Peer-to-peer since people connect directly to their own kind, wireless since they are not physically connected and sensor network since they immediately absorb, process and propagate information. People put their minds together, discuss and take action. Exact measurements and other relevant numeric details are decided along the process of building. The end result is unpredictable in detail, but is performed according to a agreed upon set of simple rules.