media . architecture . computing
MArch + MFA Dual Degree program . University at Buffalo - SUNYHeamchand Subryan: Networked Egos v.1
2008
project brief:
For centuries architecture has been both viewed and constructed as assemblages of static objects. As a result of today’s ubiquitous technological influences and networked societies, architecture can now be seen as relational, process dependent and influenced by situations of a dynamic all of which are constantly changing. Forms can now be conceived from the initial phases of design as pieces that can be retrofitted to become part of a dynamic system that alters state over a period of time. From facades which can alter their presence based on sensing the environment, to mediated spaces which blur the boundaries of “the real” and “the virtual,” a new typology in the field of architecture is now being created.
By looking at this new architectural type and its brief history, this thesis formulates and discusses concepts of “networked architecture” and also addresses its impact on the relationships between architecture and society. More specifically, the research focused on creating physical an architectural form whose means of survival was dependent on online social networking data. A social network is a “social structure” interconnected by a set of nodes (individuals or groups) that are linked by one or more specific types of relations, such as interests and locations. My endeavor focused on issues including social networking sites, their layout, markup, interconnection, and dynamics.
The thesis is broken up into two parts, the first section analyzed ways in which social networking data is visualized. The second section endeavored to craft a physical installation which addresses the dynamic nature of human interaction on the social networking site of Facebook.
For a specific period of time, analysis of the network structure was conducted through statistical data collection, diagrams and drawings. The data collected were used to derive abstract three-dimensional visualizations of Facebook. With a set visualizations representing the dynamics of Facebook at hand, one of the articulations was then translated into a blueprint for the conceptualization of a form that engage users in a physical space. The form inherited qualities such as a “distributed meshwork” that can be characterized as an intelligent system that is “dynamic, distributed, flexible and interactive” emergent in the way networked societies interact.
