Literatuer Review 3: Elegance in the Age of Digital Technique

This week’s readings were on the benefits of using digital technology in design.

To reference the readings, I used Endnote:

Elegance in the Age of Digital Technique argues that ultimately elegance comes from a designer’s skill but this can be aided through digital techniques (Rahim & Jamelle, 2007). Scripting and tools like subdivision surfaces and NURBS modeling incorporate the most advanced results of experimenting in design. We can now incorporate Architectural conditions such as zoning, building codes, organisation, space, program, circulation, fabrication, assembly and cost into digital algorithms through scripting.

The author notes that it is important to not solely rely on the software however to create your design entirely. Sound design and aesthetic must be developed first and then digital techniques can be used to tidy the structure elegantly so that its formal features and material articulation are rich enough to feel life like.

Elegant design features to first have developed include presence, formal balance, refinement of features and surfaces, restrained opulence and scale that is appropriate to not overwhelm the viewer.

With recent break throughs, digital technology can now used to not only technically model up the design (in 3D and laser cut forms), but to also compute costs dependant on factors like material curvature and joinery into 1 seamless model.

Rahim, A., & Jamelle, H. (2007). Elegance in the Age of Digital Technique. Architectural Design, 77(1), 6-9.