SCImatic Design

Full speach presented at the INTERCAD 2011 – 26 & 27 Nov. Vienna:

Engaging into the research area of SCImatic Design started by analyzing how knowledge, cybernetics 2^nd order and the theory of self-organizing systems changes our perception of architecture in the knowledge society[1]. This paper contains two parts: First of all, the fundamental categorization of Science Fiction Architecture and, secondly, a short depiction of the relevance and functionality of SCImatic Design. In this work I especially focus on the filmic and visual representations from the 80ies onwards. The core reference framework bases upon the best 159 SCIFI Movies nominated and ranked by a German online community[2]. With the following I also try to lay a structural starting point for the further development of a meta-theory of architecture transgressing the different subgenres of science fiction – which I term SCImatic Design.

First of all I would like to start with a definition what science fiction architecture is, and more importantly what it is not. I roughly define the architectural utopia as: Every kind of architecture used and imagined in the genre of science fiction – and expressed, interpreted and/or shown in movies and pictures.

This excludes for example futuristic architecture – which is merely a visionary outlook from the present, generating prototypes which are more or less ahead of their times – and which can, for instance, be seen in images of visionary projects from Zaha Hadid[3] Architects and M.A.D. Architects[4]. Furthermore, it also excludes surrealistic or surreal architecture – which has more an artistic quality and is often designed in an amorphous or biomorphic way – as you can see in these pictures of Verner Panton’s Furniture and the Panton Chair from the year 1968[5].

Based on this first assumption I would like to try to identify common strands of science fiction architecture as they predominantly exist – of course looking through the glasses of the theory of architecture and philosophy of science. Of cores we do not possess a complete picture, or a constant line regarding content, which we could supply to a careful analysis. Rather one has to be content with Continue Reading…

Abstract for the presentation at INTERCAD 2011 – Vienna, Nov. 2011:

SCImatic Design - Categorizing the Architectural Utopia in the Genre of Science Fiction.

In the genre of filmic science fiction, architecture is a secondary but important factor, which has not been well explored yet. Although the visual background in film plays a key role in representing and defining the setting for the story and gives with its design structure a clear social and technological framework as well as time context, there has not been given much analytic attention to it so far. The generally very free and endless design options of science fiction architecture, however, let conclude that there exists innovative potential. Thus, it is time to examine this background within the framework of the theory of architecture.

Starting with a clear distinction of what science fiction architecture is and what it is not, the paper lays out the first results of the categorization of the architectural utopias in the genre of science fiction.

Basing on the leading principles for this kind of research, which are: the acceptance of incompleteness, the interpretation of the visible and the considering of the social circumstances and technological conditions, it is possible to discern clear borders and to gain results in analysing the science fiction architecture. These results are five incommensurable architectural stiles transgressing the different science fiction subgenres first developed within the project SCImatic Design.

This paper presents a system theoretical and qualitative analysis. Using visual examples of technological and sociological paradigms of various science fiction worlds; the paper aims at carving out prototypical architectonical style elements and structures and categorises them into a system from witch further conclusion could be drawn.

The investigated area for this study comprises the best 159 science fiction movies as defined by a German speaking online community. Continue Reading…

So far the study of SCImatic Design was only investigating the area of SCIFI Movies. The main reason for this is that within the written genre of science fiction there is hardly any architecture mention or described – and if there is it is a widely generalised description.

Now I am considering entering a new investigation and research area – Science Fiction Comics! The first hint I got was the comic author Jean Giraud (pseudonym: moebius). I am intrigued by the idea of using the comic utopias for analysing and maybe integrating them into the study of SCImatic Design.

http://www.contours-art.de/de/artists/moebius/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Giraud

Does anyone have any ideas or tips where I can get some more science fiction comics online? Or do any names of SCIFI – Comics or authors come to your mind?

A special thank you to my friend Martin Brischnik (http://brischnik.eu) whose idea it was to look into the world of comics and who got me the tip about Jean Giraud!

Just checked some stock photos for the background of this blog. If your are looking for good Science Fiction stock photos you have to look here:  http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/science-fiction.html

Though, they are not cheap

SCImatic design is currently trying to establish some insights about SCIFI and the city!. Today we found a nice article reagring this topic. Great work!

The post with the titel: “Architectural Representations of the City in Science Fiction Cinema” gives us a very nice picture and inspires us to look at this topic within the framework of SCImatic Design. You can also find a good list of different movies in the differnet genres of SCIFI! (here; look at the sidebar).

The importance of science fiction architecture, for me and my work in this field, does not only lie within the visionary creativity, but specifically in the fact that within the imaginary planning we consciously proceed from an unreal world and often from an impossible world. If architecture can understand itself as manifestation of cultural, technological and spiritual conditions of a society – and this can be legitimately claimed so – then, fictional societies should also produce architectonic manifestations different to the “real world“, or better architectonic manifestations corresponding to their world.

The systems of structures of society within the genre of science fiction makes architectonic elements possible, often even necessary, which could not have emerged out of the real system of society. Thus, in science fiction, firstly, a new society, a new system is created, and secondly out of this new parameter Continue Reading…

When working on the project we always remind us about our self defined leading principles:

- Acceptance of incompleteness. A claim to completeness has to be abandoned. The difficulty lies within working only with fragments, with short unclear views or diffuse and dark ambient lights. The challenge within this lies in the fact that you have to accept it and make the best out of what you got. Sure it would be much better if I can take a look at the movie sets, the stage props, the models or the animations, but since this is not accessible for the consumer (and I believe its better that way) its not relevant for the influence tat a movie can produce.

- Interpretation of the visible. Through the restriction of the researched area to filmic and visual representations, particular attention is paid to “what you can see“. So your only tool to intensify your research is the pause button on your DVD player.

- Considering the social circumstances and technological conditions. In principle, direct and indirect relations between the constructed surroundings and the dominant social dynamics seem to influence the science fiction architecture way more than architecture in reality. The reason could ground in the simultaneous invention of the social dynamics and the constructed surroundings in the same process of creation by the author or director.  In our real world architectures renders a kind of social reflection through a correspondence between an artful interpretation and current technical possibilities. So, there must be a delay in the creation process, which in Science fiction is not necessary.