demo set

.record

the conversation was better then anticipated. honestly, i did not fully grasp the direction i was intending or even seeking. the ideas and criticism that was brought up presented various ideas for the thesis as house as well as future considerations for my interests pertaining to my thesis. i did not have any preconceived thoughts on how i wanted the discussion to be lead, however the conversation yielded enough information to process and respond.

through the presentation of the trekker's house, i left out key information that would have been helpful to give a clear and complete anaology of the project due to the limited amount of time of presentation. however, the drawings and diagrams on my boards prompted the questions and allowed me to explain the correct history of the project that allowed the discussion to be fruitful.

the location maps received a lot of attention because they lacked information that potentially would allow for a clearer understanding of the historical significance of specific decisions in the project. some of the other diagrams that illustrate the extension of the trekker's body and the response of the plug-in living unit prompted further questions that sought response and induced discussion. overall, i believe the drawings were quite clear and allowed the reviewers to understand the project without verbal cues describing every instance of the project.

.analyze

the method of design took on a simple approach to a rather simplistic problem. however, i did apply specific interests that i challenged the design to take on. ecology, materiality, modularity, technology, and assembly provoked the overall design to respond to a quote from mark wigley in his article recycling recycling. 

"The argument starts with crude mechanical hands and ends with the subtle control of machines through body electricity. To accessorize and extend the body is not to simply attach a prosthetic limb or place the body within some prosthetic apparatus. It also means passing that apparatus right into the internal nervous system, letting the machinery of the body interact with the machinery that is outside it to produce a new kind of body. The limit between interior and exterior, organic and technological, gives way."

this design process was not revolutionary and was not intended to create a new process of design. a simple problem highlighted by specific interests yielded the solution and prompted discussion for additional investigations to commence thinking for thesis.

.call out / circle

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.evaluate

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.reflection

the discussion generated a variety of thoughts to explore the different interests i presented including materiality, assembly, modularity, technology, and ecology. i remain vested in the overall attempt to pursue the extension of the human body represented through the aforementioned interests.

the lack of energy and motivation hindered the project from the beginning. i needed to push and force the ideas to develop earlier which would have yielded a greater discussion. an opportunity was missed to profoundly engage in the beginning of my thesis.

however, it was an awakening to interests and motives that i did not necessarily think about or explore. this project, thesis as a house, projects new opportunities and inspires me to dive in.

trekker's house

A group of trekkers has a predetermined location to stay the night to prepare themselves for another arduous journey through the beautiful volcanic deserts and tundra oases scattered throughout the highlands of iceland. Typically, trekker’s have the opportunity to send drift boxes through the mail to a city along the way that contains further supplies or any additional equipment. This proposal intends to incorporate that idea as well as integrate comprehensive diagnostics system that the “house” can optimally prepare and store to educate the trekker at a stop along the journey. The proposal provides a unique modular system that is flexible and adaptable. The intent was to engage an interesting excerpt from mark wigley’s recycling recycling.  

“The argument starts with crude mechanical hands and ends with the subtle control of machines through body electricity. To accessorize and extend the body is not to simply attach a prosthetic limb or place the body within some prosthetic apparatus. It also means passing that apparatus right into the internal nervous system, letting the machinery of the body interact with the machinery that is outside it to produce a new kind of body. The limit between interior and exterior, organic and technological, gives way.“

Allowing the “house” to become an extension of the trekker’s typical routine provides a habitable environment that provides information and care, to expedite the reenergizing process of the body for the next leg of the journey. The trekker will wear a diagnostic device on their skin that is wireless transmitted both to a handheld device and to the plug-in unit. The unit receives the data, compiles it, and then provides onscreen recommendations inside the unit itself. Once the trekker reaches the plug-in unit, the unit takes over and starts to accommodate the trekker in any health related task. The idea is to allow the trekker to be “hands off” and accept and receive this care from their unit. The plug-in unit serves as an extension of the trekker’s brain and immune system providing detailed information and care to a weary trekker.

synthetic biology

an immersive, interactive environment that moves and breathes around its viewers...next-generation artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and interactive technology create an environment that is nearly alive.

suspended geotextile that gradually accumulates hybrid soil from ingredients drawn from its surroundings.

a project by phillip beesley, hylozoic ground, is composed of living geotextiles that double as soil-producing landscapes which create their own biomass. 

"akin to the functions of a living system, embedded machine intelligence allows human interaction to trigger breathing, caressing, and swallowing motions and hybrid metabolic exchanges. these empathic motions ripple out from hives of kinetic valves and pores in peristaltic waves, creating a diffuse pumping that pulls air, moisture and stray organic matter through the filtering hylozoic membranes. "living" chemical exchanges are conceived as the first stages of self-renewing functions that might take root within this architecture."

 .reaction
an interesting investigation of synthetic biology to re-create a natural process for future uses. i desire to explore synthetic processes that mimic natural ones and that can push the connection of nature, technology, and human interaction. i am not quite sure how i want to utilize different nodes of biomimicry and synthetic biology to provoke my interests in thesis, however i do intend to employ these devices throughout the duration of my thesis exploration.