The Architecture of Emergence: The Evolution of Form in Nature and Civilisation

Emergence is one of the most exciting new fields in architecturetoday, gaining interest from not only academics and students butalso leading professionals, with directors from Fosters, Arup andBentley Systems all attending the most recent symposium on thesubject at the Architects Association, London. As a concept, Emergence has captured the zeitgeist, embodyingthe pervasive cultural interest in genetics and biologicalsciences. In the sciences, Emergence is an explanation of hownatural systems have evolved and maintained themselves, and ithas also been applied to artificial intelligence, informationsystems, economics and climate studies. The potential of themathematics of Emergence that underlie the complex systems ofnature is now being realised by engineers and architects for theproduction of complex architectural forms and effects, in advancedmanufacturing of ‘smart’ materials and processes, andin the innovative designs of active structures and responsiveenvironments.The first book to provide a detailed exploration of thearchitectural and engineering consequences of this paradigm, anda detailed analysis of geometries, processes and systems to beincorporated into new methods of working.Sets out a new model of ‘Metabolism’ that usesnatural systems and processes as a model far beyond the minimisingenvironmental strategies of ‘sustainability’.www.architectureofemergence.om