Cybernetic Architecture Peculiarities
The lesser-known side of early digital Architecture Augmentation and a story of its failure
Zawadzki (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
J.M.K. Hanna – Mentor (TU Delft - History, Form & Aesthetics)
Georg Vrachliotis – Mentor (TU Delft - Building Knowledge)
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Abstract
This article explores stories of the first digital tools in architectural design, with a focus on the Cybernetics movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Through an examination of pioneering technologies, their initial promises, and the subsequent reasons for their failure or abandonment, the text aims to shed light on the historical development of digital tools in architecture and design. By questioning prevailing definitions of success and failure within the context of architecture technology history, the study encourages critical reflections on alternative paths that may have shaped current digital toolsets. Additionally, the analysis includes an exploration of the sentiments of professionals, users, and the broader public during this transformative period, revealing the significant influence of community voices on the trajectory of digital architectural toolkits. Drawing upon extensive literature reviews, archival document analysis, and case studies including the “Lightpen”, “Sketchpad”, or the “Lincoln Wand”, this article contributes to filling the gaps in existing knowledge regarding the lesser known, often peculiar from modern perspective, cybernetic tools in the context of architectural design.