Table Of ContentSystemic Architecture
Marco Poletto and Claudia Pasquero are co-founders This is a manual investigating the subject of urban
of ecoLogicStudio and Unit Masters at the Architectural ecology and systemic development from the perspective
Association. of architectural design. The authors set out with two
ecoLogicStudio has built an international reputation main goals: to discuss the contemporary relevance of a
for its innovative research combining systemic thinking systemic practice to architectural design, and to share a
with algorithmic design and large-scale prototyping. toolbox of informational design protocols developed to
Completed projects include a public library, the describe the city as a territory of self-organization.
“Lightwall” house and a large eco-roof prototype. Collecting together nearly a decade of design
ecoLogicStudio has presented installations at the most experiments by the authors and their practice,
important Architecture Biennales, including Venice, ecoLogicStudio, the book is organized into three design
London and Seville, Istanbul and Milan Fuorisalone. domains: “Environments”, “Machines” and “Behavioural
Claudia and Marco lecture internationally and Spaces”. The conversation touches disciplinary
in 2012 will be Visiting Master tutors at the IAAC definitions, often perceived as oppositions, such as
in Barcelona and Hans Strauch Visiting Critics at sustainable development versus ecologic urbanization,
Cornell University in Ithaca, and will co-direct the algorithmic (process-driven) versus critical (narrative-
new AA Visiting School in Milan, titled “Cyber-Gardening driven) architecture, bottom-up tactical versus top-down
the City”. strategic design, space as patterns of use versus
They live and work in London. behavioural space, low-tech materiality versus high-tech
design, and the boundary of the natural and the artificial
realms within the city and architecture.
A new kind of emergent “real-time world city” is
presented in the book in the form of an operational
design manual for the assemblage of proto-architectures,
the incubation of proto-gardens and the coding
of proto-interfaces. These prototypes of machinic
architecture materialize as synthetic hybrids embedded
with biological life (proto-gardens), computational
power, behavioural responsiveness (cyber-gardens),
spatial articulation (ecoMachines and fibrous structures),
remote sensing (FUNclouds) and communication
capabilities (the Ecological Footprint Grotto).
With this manual ecoLogicStudio illustrates a form
of know-how that constitutes the basis for its critical
practice. Such a mode of practice is better understood
through the actual application of the manual, by
experiencing architecture as an experimental practice
devoted to promoting a critical understanding of our
society through the evolution of a personal architectural
knowledge; a new individual modus operandi able to be
shared and interconnected to trigger new appetites, new
hungers in crafting a better environment.
Supporting the authors’ own essays and projects
are contributions from key innovators in contemporary
architecture and urban design: Michael Batty, Andrew
Hudson-Smith, Michael Weinstock and Patrik Schumacher.
Systemic Architecture
Operating Manual for the Self-Organizing City
Marco Poletto
Claudia Pasquero
[ecoLogicStudio]
First published 2012
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park,
Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and
Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor &
Francis Group, an informa business
© 2012 Marco Poletto and
Claudia Pasquero
The right of Marco Poletto and Claudia
Pasquero to be identified as authors of
this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate
names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for
identification and explanation without
intent to infringe.
Every effort has been made to contact and
acknowledge copyright owners, but the
authors and publisher would be pleased
to have any errors or omissions brought to
their attention so that corrections may be
published at a later printing.
British Library Cataloguing in
Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is
available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in
Publication Data
Poletto, Marco.
Systemic architecture : operating manual
for the self-organizing city / Marco Poletto
and Claudia Pasquero.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and
index.
1. Architecture—Environmental aspects.
2. City planning.
I. Pasquero, Claudia. II. Title.
III. Title: Operating manual for the self
organizing city.
NA9053.E58P5 2012
711’.4—dc23
2011021868
ISBN: 978-0-415-59607-7 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-415-59608-4 (pbk)
Designer: Alex Lazarou
iv | v
Contents
Preface Thoughts Discussions
vi 1 11831
Environments Machines Behavioural Spaces
[b1] [b2] [b3]
24 112 182
Credits Index
260 262
Preface Systemic Architecture: Operating debating the nature of a change of cultural
Manual for the Self-Organizing City presents, sensibility in the practice of architecture that
in the form of a manual, nearly a decade of seeks to re-evaluate the social and cultural
research projects and design experiments relevance of the architect, engaged in
conducted by the authors, Marco Poletto updating key disciplinary definitions, such as
and Claudia Pasquero, within a multiplicity of ecologic urbanism, algorithmic architecture,
contexts, ranging from Central London to the bottom-up or tactical design, behavioural
informal barrios of Caracas, from the coasts space and the boundary of the natural
of Sicily to Istanbul, from cultural events like and the artificial realms within the city and
the Venice Architecture Biennale to architec- architecture.
turally unexplored landscapes like the Rub Al The engagement with such disciplinary
Khali Desert in the Arabian Peninsula, and the discourses has developed on two levels:
submarine landscape of the World Lagoon in by sharpening our critical and operational
Dubai, UAE. abilities through the coherent and systematic
The definition of a systemic approach digitalization of our practice and of our
to architectural design, as well as the toolbox, and by searching for challenging
conception of the city as a territory of design scenarios or contexts; we have, in
self-organization, which constitute the two other words, evolved a form of know-how
defining topics of the book, have matured that constitutes the basis for our critical
predominantly within the academic context practice.
of the Architectural Association School of Such a mode of practice, perhaps more
Architecture, in London; while the testing akin to that of a scientist, is reflected in the
beds and related projects presented in this structure of the book, and in its conception
operating manual are mainly part of the as an operating manual: we feel that the best
speculative work conducted by our practice way to engage the readers in our research
ecoLogicStudio. and in our critical trajectory is to share with
We are grateful to the network of them our know-how and to invite them to try
people that constitute the unique cultural it and test it directly: it is mostly through the
environment of the AA, to our students as application of the systemic design protocols
well as our colleagues: Brett Steele, Mohsen presented here that the readers can estab-
Mostafavi, Simos Yannas, Susannah Hagan, lish a relevant connection with our research
Ciro Najle, Michael Weinstock, Charles and evolve their own interpretation of its
Tashima, Hanif Kara, Eva Castro, Holger relevance in relation to a specific practice.
Kehne, Raoul Bunschoten, Eduardo Rico, Ultimately the ambition of the book is to
Alex Haw, Jonas Lundber, Steve Hardy, Theo stimulate, particularly students and young
Spyropoulos, Vicente Guallart, Lucy Bullivant, architects, to experience architecture as an
Ivan Valdez, Marco Guarnieri, Juan Carlos experimental practice devoted to promoting
Sanabria, Nick Puckett, Eva Sopeoglou, a critical understanding of our society through
Abeer Shaheen Al Janahi, Jorge Godoy, the evolution of a new architectural know-
Nilufer Kozikoglu. The book represents how; a new individual modus operandi able
an effort to coherently capture and share to be shared and interconnected to trigger (in
the sedimentation of long hours of intense them) “new appetites and new hungers”.
conversation on the “why” and the “how ecoLogicStudio is the place where this
to” of a radical approach to the practice of new modus operandi for architecture is
architecture in this age of strong ecologic, developed and tested day by day thanks to
economic and social turmoil; we have been the hard work and contagious enthusiasm of
vi | vii
our team of architects and interns, to which aesthetic and space. The domain “Environ-
we are extremely grateful; special thanks ments” engages with the scale of the
to Andrea Bugli and Alessio Carta for their landscape, presenting algorithmic techniques
support in collecting and editing the material and socio-political protocols to engage
for this book. The opportunity to develop the urban landscape and its social and
a new know-how can only emerge within a material ecologies, harvesting their relevance
context that shares the same wish to explore as design drivers.
and to search for new exciting design pos- “Machines” focuses on exploring the
sibilities: ecoLogicStudio has been privileged aesthetic expressivity of material systems;
to work with curators, clients, consultants installations are presented here as testing
and sponsors which have commissioned and beds for a series of architectural machines
supported the projects featured in the book articulating in space the structural behaviour
and which had the ability to create thriv- of fibrous systems and the material articula-
ing conditions for their development: Paolo tion of biologic architectures.
Brescia, Tommaso Principi, Alfredo Brillem- “Behavioural Spaces” traces a relationship
bourg, Hubert Klumpner, Guy Battle, Carlo between the two previous domains, explor-
Ratti, Pelin Dervis, Sandrine Von Klot, Melissa ing architecture as a space of interaction,
Woodford, Aaron Betsky, Emiliano Gandolfi, playfulness and participation; as architecture
Marie Ange Brayer, Michele Latzinger, Pino becomes a living body within the city the
Scaglione, Silvio and Felix Machetta, Luca architects’ role is questioned and perhaps
Molinari, Simona Galateo, Federico Parolotto. evolves into that of a mediator or, in our
The first part of the book is dedicated terms, a “cyber-gardener”.
to a series of speculative essays written Within the three domains each project
by us and a pool of contributors, namely has been framed as a case study to explore a
Patrik Schumacher, Michael Batty, Andrew specific aspect of systemic architecture, from
Hudson-Smith and Michael Weinstock. engagement with the informal social systems
Through their work they have been both a of Caracas to the algorithmically defined new
reference and a stimulus for the research cities in the UAE; from the self-regulating
presented here and their contributions material properties of STEM, to the self-
provide an inspiring set of connected organizing prototypes of the Metropolitan
thoughts on the subject central to the book’s Proto-Garden, which proposes to connect the
conceptual thesis, which is the definition digital world of mapping and simulating to
of a systemic practice of architecture and a the material world of sensing and actuating
clarification of its applicability in relation to by means of “a sort of Facebook for
a renewed notion of “real-time world city” architecture”.
which we call the self-organizing city. Each project starts with a descriptive text
The manual, which follows, is then orga- and is completed by a “how to” section; these
nized into three domains: “Environments”, sections are key, as they describe each project
“Machines”, and “Behavioural Spaces”. Each as an algorithmic protocol, defining its appli-
domain starts with a series of definitions of cability as a system for architectural action.
recurrent terms that we have used to name a They are the core of the manual, where we
specific component of our projects and with invite the reader to leave the book to one
a short “About” section framing the type of side and embrace experimental architecture
case study presented. as a wonderful adventure of playful discovery.
The three domains are used to propose a
systemic notion of architectural context,
Preface
Thoughts on Systemic Architecture
Marco Poletto and Claudia Pasquero
The ecology of the self-organizing city
p. 2
The urban algorithm
p. 4
Coding as gardening
p. 6
Algorithmic diverseCity
p. 8
Architecture as systemic design practice
p. 11
The ecology of
The self-organizing ciTy
The operating manual of the self-organizing city seriously threatened by industrial waste, would
incorporates into the design and planning of it not be appropriate to add to the concerns
contemporary cities the bottom-up mechanisms of green ecology those of a grey ecology that
found in nature as well as in the functioning of rural would focus on the postindustrial degrada-
villages and post-industrial cyber-communities. tion of the depth of field of the terrestrial
Intense urbanization is arguably one of the landscape?
defining characteristics of our society; as capitalism Virilio, Open Sky, p. 41
reaches its terminal stage and the digital revolution
shapes an instantaneous global world, cities are This loss of “depth of field” is exacerbated
replacing national states as the social and eco- by a correlated process, the emergence of a new
nomic centres of our new civilization. Spatial scales form of nomadic behaviour, whereby people leave
are transformed by the intensification of intersca- their original settlements to search for more fertile
lar communication, influencing the relationship pastures – richer markets; the material loss is
between the personal and urban realms. As Virilio replaced by a gain in economic value, a trading
points out: capacity that can grant this nomadic clan access
to better services, including training and educa-
Home shopping, working from home, online tion. As the new nomads start their journey they
apartments and buildings: “cocooning”, as they inevitably break their symbiosis with their original
say. The urbanization of real space is thus being land, losing their own mental interpretation of it as
overtaken by this urbanization of real time which a productive landscape or, as landscape designer
is, at the end of the day, the urbanization of and philosopher Gilles Clement would define it,
the actual body of the city dweller, this citizen- “a garden”:
terminal.
Paul Virilio, Open Sky, If we look at the earth as a territory devoted
London: Verso, 1997, p. 20 to life, it would appear as an enclosed space,
delimited by the boundaries of living systems
Socially, urbanization is often perceived as an (the biosphere). In other words, it would appear
irresistible tendency, whereby the rural population as a garden (the etymology of the word garden
urbanizes to fulfil the dream of a more comfort- comes from the German garten, the etymo-
able life and a more rewarding career. However, logical root for which is enclosed or bounded
with a more critical reading we find that migrations space). … This statement impels every human
are often forced by the lack of investment into being, in his transient existence on earth to
rural regions and into their informal market, or by commit to his responsibilities as guarantor of
the disappearance of the rural landscape itself. the living world that he has received for man-
Such disappearance is both physical, as a result agement. And here he is becoming a gardener.
of property development, but mostly mental or Gilles Clement, Il giardiniere planetario,
psychogeographical, as a result of the emergence Milan: 22Publishing, 2008, pp. 58–59,
of a “real-time world city”, whose spatio-temporal translation by Marco Poletto
pull reduces to zero the perception of the journey
across the nodes of the urban network: Their original material practices are slowly
forgotten, converted from rural and largely pre-
Today, when we are all so worried about the industrial to urban and technologically mediated;
ecological balance of a human environment they lose the ability to sustain their own community
2 | 3
and become dependent on external provisions, they connect the main academic and research
even when these are of a lower quality. They stop institutions to the self-organized clusters of cre-
contributing to the tending of our “planetary ative development; they continuously develop
garden”. new material practices or know-how by testing
The current phenomenon of global urbaniza- novel technologies or by recycling traditions; they
tion therefore coincides with the weakening of fabricate new mechanisms to interact among them-
the conception and perception of the landscape selves and with the surrounding environment.
as a garden to nourish and to be nourished by. It By harvesting this inherent vitality the self-
is not just physical erosion of the natural land by organizing city proposes a vision of urbanity that
urban structures, but a more fundamental loss of has interaction and a narrative of productive
material practices and protocols and of their social know-how as its constitutional protocols; as such
meaning. As the global capacity to read the land- the self-organizing city has no limits in either time
scape as a “garden” disappears so does the ability or space, no beginning and no end, no fixed and
to connect urban development with a sustainable final configuration, no permanent dweller, no single
relationship with the biosphere. From this perspec- planner. Within the self-organizing city these forces
tive the global ecological crisis is a problem of generate diversity and cultivate differentiation as a
the culture of urbanization; of loss of diversity of means to evolve true novelty, to create new forms
material practices; of transformation of the physical of material life on our planet.
landscape in relation to the social one. Inhabiting the self-organizing city gives us the
The self-organizing city is, instead, a new form ability to play an active role in the making of an
of emergent “real-time world city”: a conceptual open future, turning destruction and erasure into
and operational model of urbanization for potential for new originations, transformations and
promoting the re-structuring of endangered species migrations; generative movements or trajectories
of social, economic and environmental practices of escape that become seeds for new virtual plots,
and organizations. The self-organizing city is new proto-gardens and new ecoMachines.
described in this book by means of an operational
design manual. Within each section dedicated
protocols describe the assemblage of proto-
architectures, the incubation of proto-gardens and
the coding of proto-interfaces; these prototypes
of machinic architecture materialize as synthetic
hybrids embedded with biological life (see proto-
gardens, in “Environments” and “Behavioural
Spaces”), computational power, behavioural
responsiveness (see cyber-gardens, in “Behavioural
Spaces”), spatial articulation (see ecoMachines
and fibrous structures, in “Machines”), remote
sensing (see FUNclouds, in “Behavioural Spaces”)
and communication capabilities (see the Ecological
Footprint Grotto, in “Behavioural Spaces”).
If urbanization strongly correlates to global
ecological stress, it is within the context of urban
networks that we can effectively speak of ecologi-
cal development: national states are limited by
both their physical boundaries and their internal
bureaucracies, while many international organiza-
tions lack operational focus. The emergent urban
communities are dynamic, fluid and far from equi-
librium, ideal incubators of new cultural networks;
Thoughts on Systemic Architecture
