Socio-environmental relations of non-discrete spaces and architectures: Systemic approach to performative wood

The collection of GIGA‐maps for exhibition is setting into context my case study research of responsive wood located in Czech Republic, gluing together Systems Oriented Design with Performance Oriented Architecture. The series should serve as detailed illustration to the paper Socio‐Environmental Relations of Non‐Discrete Spaces and Architectures: Systemic Approach to Performative Wood, presented at the conference (Davidová, 2016). First section are team work GIGA‐maps as a generator for design and public discussion of the LOOP pavilion prototype (Davidová & Prokop, 2016; Slavíčková, 2014) that were previously published in my paper for RSD3 (Davidová, 2014). The third GIGA‐map serves as analysing tool of traditional architecture and its use in relation of environment and social or human activities and the last one is setting the overall project Wood as a Primary Medium to Architectural Performance through Systems Oriented Design Approach into context of different interrelated interactive spaces’ boundary conditions, that are covered in the RSD5 paper. The collection relates transdisciplinary team design and fabrication processes and different personas and organisations involved in such, human, social and biotic behaviour with climatic and geographical data, addressing interactions in performance of architectures and its parasites in urban design. The first map served as a design and communication tool, where printed images and threads were involved in mapping and the constellation was several times reorganised in relation to the design needs. The second was created as a reflection and as a tool for communication of the complexity to public. It was exhibited next to the built pavilion prototype at EnviroCity festival (Davidová & Kernová, 2016; Kernová, 2014). Though being aware with the discussion that GIGA‐maps should not serve as a presentation tool, this case, especially in relation with the performing object, proved to do good job. These maps were referred to by Sevaldson as ‘action maps’ due to their active role (Sevaldson, 2016a). The other two I would call ‘analysing maps’ that serve as a reflection and therefore ground and argument for further design. They are focused on opportunistic activities, use or habitation of spaces and objects meets its performance through environment ‐ material and/or design interactions. Inspired by Library of Systemic Relations for GIGA‐mapping introduced by Sevaldson (Sevaldson, 2016b), the relationing of such in GIGA‐maps required its own coding or update and/or combination of the existing proposed library. The maps are expressing different ranges and intensities of behaviour or performance in relation to placement or designs that are represented by informational layer of images. Thus generating a matrix of interlinked information where zooming, sequencing or feedback looping appears. These thematic GIGA‐maps are in fact developed ZIP‐analyses (Sevaldson, 2016c) of each other, zooming a problem of the theme’s topic

Systemic approach to architectural performance: The media mix in the creative design process

First-hand experiences in several design projects that were based on media richness and collaboration are described in this article. Although complex design processes are merely considered as socio-technical systems, they are deeply involved with natural systems. My collaborative research in the field of performance-oriented design combines digital and physical conceptual sketches, simulations and prototyping. GIGA-mapping - is applied to organise the data. The design process uses the most suitable tools, for the subtasks at hand, and the use of media is mixed according to particular requirements. These tools include digital and physical GIGA-mapping, parametric computer aided design (CAD), digital simulation of analyses, as well as sampling and 1:1 prototyping. Also discussed in this article are the methodologies used in several design projects to strategize these tools and the developments and trends in the tools employed. The paper argues that the digital tools tend to produce similar results through given pre-sets that often do not correspond to real needs. Thus, there is a significant need for mixed methods including prototyping in the creative design process. Media mixing and cooperation across disciplines is unavoidable in the holistic approach to contemporary design. This includes the consideration of diverse biotic and abiotic agents. I argue that physical and digital GIGA-mapping is a crucial tool to use in coping with this complexity. Furthermore, I propose the integration of physical and digital outputs in one GIGA-map and the participation and co-design of biotic and abiotic agents into one rich design research space, which is resulting in an ever-evolving research-design process-result time-based design

COLreg: The collective regenerative region - gigamap

The gigamap is associated with the paper that presents a practice-based systemic design project regenerating former gardening colony of Prague 22 district. Codesigned with local and transdisciplinary stakeholders, COLreg is integrating human and non-human communities, generating a bioregion for and with all. Our regions and economies are dependent on the overall ecosystem. However, recent models are not good at equally integrating other species and beings. The COLreg project is aiming at introducing a new, 21st century, model of symbiotic synergy of Post-Anthropocene

Socio-environmental relations of non-discrete spaces and architectures

The paper puts into the context of practical applications my case study research of responsive wood located in Czechia, being inspired by Norwegian and oriental traditional architecture. Approaching the field from a socio‐environmental perspective, the article relates human, social and biotic behaviour with climatic and geographical data, addressing interactions in the performance of architectures and its additional issues in urban design. The opportunistic activities, use or habitation of spaces and objects, meets its performance through environment – material and/or design interactions. The paper claims that, at least in observed climatic locations, semi‐interior, or so called non‐discrete architecture addressed by Hensel and others, are the grounds for and generators of individualistic and social activities in public and public‐private spaces, securing environmental comfort. In this time of increased weather extremes coming with climatic change in certain locations, noise, light pollution, etc., the topic is gaining greater relevance. Inspired by Library of Systemic Relations for GIGA‐mapping introduced by Sevaldson (Sevaldson, 2016c), the relationing of such in GIGA‐maps required its own coding or update and/or combination of the existing proposed library. The maps are expressing different ranges and intensities of behaviour or performance in relation to placement or designs that are represented by informational layers of images. Relating gradients within (Allen, 2011; Banham, 2009; Michael Hensel & Menges, 2009; Hight, 2009) and among the fields, thus generating a matrix of interlinked information where zooming, sequencing or feedback looping appears. This way somewhat develops the core ideas of Allen from 1997 on matrixes and fields (Allen, 2009). The three thematic GIGA‐ maps are in fact developed ZIP‐analyses (Sevaldson, 2016d) of each other, zooming a problem of the theme’s topic. The semi‐interior or non‐discrete spaces as a climatic, sound, etc. and biotic – including social gradient‐are complex interlinkings of outside and inside environments and have implications for activities and forms of life. Therefore, a systemic approach is needed to fully understand it

CoCreative Roles, Agencies and Relations in Post-Anthropocene: The Real Life Gigamaps and Full-Scale Prototypes of SAAP

The gigamaps relating full-scale prototypes series in this article are synthesising a work developed within the framework of Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance (SAAP) research by design field. Gigamapping serves as a tool for complexity co-designing through relations mapping and has no strict recipe (Sevaldson, 2018b). It is project and participation specific. The particularity of SAAP is that it develops theories and methods through experimental practice. SAAP involves Time-Based Eco-Systemic Co-Design that is performed by both living and non-living agents. Gigamapping is central to SAAP because it is a tool that relates the complexity within collaborative design-research processes and its co-performances. It maps and generates their relations, meaning environmental, societal and cultural aspects and processes across past, current and future habitats and edible landscapes of and across different species and other agencies involved. SAAP’s ambition is to co- and re- design these complexities. Thus, SAAP is based in full-scale prototyping related with gigamapping, both placed into ‘real life’ environments, the “real life co-design laboratories” (Author, Pánek, & Pánková, 2018). SAAP is therefore considering gigamaps as well as the full-scale prototypes as ”prototypical urban interventions” that can drive extensive generative agencies across various communities (Doherty, 2005) and agents; and while doing that, across much larger systems, introducing the necessary shift towards Post-Anthropocene of bio-climatic layers of cultural landscapes, their territories and life-cycles

Ground and Semi-Ground Inhabitation: Cappadacia Case Study Thematic GIGA-Map

Thematic GIGA-mapping (Sevaldson 2011; Sevaldson 2012; Sevaldson 2015) was used as an analysing tool for systemic relations of collected registered data, as well as existing information, merging hard data with tacit knowledge. The map shows air flow passing through different layers of spaces as the most important factor of the climatic conditions, depth and height location as a second one. This is all interrelated in co-existence to the use of the spaces. Here it seems that symbiosis of humans and other species can play a crucial role in climate comfortand both mentioned vary over time. Therefore, we believe, that due to recent fast climate and society change, with expected weather extremes (Czech Republic Ministry of the Environment and Czech Hydrometeorological Institute 2015; Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Urbanization 2012; Flæte et al. 2010; Richardson 2010), transformative adaptive architecture should be investigated with the use of biology: re configuration as a new form of recycling

COLridor - Gigamap

The GIGA-Map maps social and eco-systemc feedback looping relations to planed actions among stakeholders’ interests in COLridor project. The map uses generated data and speculations from project’s trans-disciplinary community co-design meetings. The will of the project is to support precious local bio-top within the city centre of Prague, Czech Republic. It is doing so by co-creating shelters, concept of edible landscape across the eco-system (Creasy, 2004; Davidová, Zatloukal, & Zímová, 2017; Dubbeling, 2011) and social engagement. To reach this, a second year of EnviroCity multi-genre festival took place in the location. The festival invites the community and the performers into the project’s eco-systemic co-design. For more details, please, see the paper with the same name and first author in the proceedings

Cocreative roles, agencies and relations in post-Anthropocene: the real life gigamaps and full-scale prototypes of SAAP

The gigamaps relating full-scale prototypes series in this article are synthesising a work developed within the framework of Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance (SAAP) research by design field. Gigamapping serves as a tool for complexity codesigning through relations mapping and has no strict recipe (Sevaldson, 2018b). It is project and participation specific. The particularity of SAAP is that it develops theories and methods through experimental practice. SAAP involves Time-Based Eco‐Systemic Co‐Design that is performed by both living and non-living agents. Gigamapping is central to SAAP because it is a tool that relates the complexity within collaborative design-research processes and its coperformances. It maps and generates their relations, meaning environmental, societal and cultural aspects and processes across past, current and future habitats and edible landscapes of- and across- different species and other agencies involved. SAAP’s ambition is to co- and re- design these complexities. Thus, SAAP is based in full-scale prototyping related with gigamapping, both placed into ‘real life’ environments, the “real life codesign laboratories” (Davidová, Pánek, & Pánková, 2018). SAAP is therefore considering gigamaps as well as the full-scale prototypes as ”prototypical urban interventions” that can drive extensive generative agencies across various communities (Doherty, 2005) and agents; and while doing that, across much larger systems, introducing the necessary transition towards Post-Anthropocene of bio-climatic layers of cultural landscapes, their territories and life-cycles