Initialreadings

1. AlisaAndrasek//OpenSynthesisTowardaResilientFabricofArchitecture
2. JohnH.Holland//HiddenOrderHowAdaptationBuildsComplexity
Nomenclature
cas

ComplexAdaptiveSystems

COMPLEXADAPTIVESYSTEMSANDPERFORMANCEORIENTEDHETEROGENEITY
INARCHITECTURALFORMFINDING

The aim of the following literature review is to provide a theoretical framework for
supportingtheargumentthatcomplexadaptivesystemscanproduceperformanceoriented
heterogeneous structures through bottomup design based on their adaptation ability
towardsinputsfromtheirenvironment,suchasreactiontowardslight.Theexistingliterature
on cas is investigated in order to provide the basis for understanding cas behavior, with a
particularfocusontheirabilitytoadaptandgeneratecomplexityoutofsimplicity.Moreover,
the concept of heterogeneity is reviewed from the perspective of philosophy and
performanceorientedarchitecture,whilethelastpartoftheliteraturereviewfocusesonthe
applicationoftheseconceptsincontemporaryarchitecturaldesign.Theacquiredknowledge
andfindingsfromthisreviewwillbeusedasthebasisforfurtherresearchandapplicationof
theseconceptsonperformanceorientedarchitecturalformfinding.

ComplexAdaptiveSystems
Inordertorealizethepotentialofcas,someoftheexistingliteratureoncasbehavioris
presentedbelow,beginningwithoneofthefirstformalstudiesoncas,conductedbyscientist
JohnHollandinthefirsthalfofthe90s.Takingplaceinthesameperiod,theworkofbiologist
S. Kauffman is presented afterwards, approaching the topic from a more biological
perspective. Moreover, an earlier text which offers a clear example about cas behavior by
cognitivescientistD.Hofstadterisreviewed,followedbyakeyworkofwriterJ.L.Borgesthat
expandsontheideaofcomplexityfromamorephilosophicalstandpoint.Finally,thesection
endswiththeworkofHollandthatfocusesontheadaptationabilityofcas.
Inthefirstchapterofhisbookoncas[Holland,1995],Hollanddescribesthroughvarious
examples the omnipresence of cas in different scales of natural and artificial systems, and
attempts to organize the basic elements that constitute every cas into seven distinct
categories.Accordingtohim,thesevenbasicelementsaredividedintofourpropertiesand
three mechanisms, which are aggregation, nonlinearity, flows and diversity, and tagging,
internalmodelingandbuildingblocksinrespect.Hisresearchwasoneofthefirstscientific
insightsoncasandunderstandingcasbehavior,alongwiththeresearchworkofS.Kauffman.
Kauffmanswork[Kauffman,1995]focusedmainlyonthemechanismsofevolvingself
organization systems, such as cellular structures, and the collective emergence in them,
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similartocasaggregationpropertyandadaptationabilityinHollandswork.Accordingtohim,
there is particular interest in the ability of these systems to generate complexity out of
simplicity, referred as Order for free [Kauffman, 1995, p.30]. Through his research on
ontogeny, more concepts and mechanisms of these systems are presented, such as
coevolution,adaptation,cellspecialization,andorderoutofchaos.Everygenomicnetwork
thatcontrolsanorganismsdevelopmentcanexisteitherinahighlyordered,chaotic,orin
betweenstate[Kauffman,1995,p.31],whileeachnetworksstateiscontrolledbythenumber
ofinputsinthesystemandtherulesgoverningit[Kauffman,1995,p.86].
TheobservationofKauffmanofOrderforFreeisalsodescribedintheessayAntFugue,
writtenbyD.Hofstadter[1979],whichpresentsmanysimilaritieswithHollandscas.Inhis
essay,Hofstadterusestheexampleofanantcolonytoillustratehowagroupofrelatively
unintelligentparts,namelyants,followingasetofsimplerules,hastheabilitytoformakind
of intelligence and complex behavior when aggregated in big numbers [Hofstadter, 1979,
p.166], which is the ant colony in this case. Some of the properties mentioned include
specialization[Hofstadter,1979,p.169],multiplelayersoforganization,constantchangeand
adaptation [Hofstadter, 1979, p.170], and signals acting as lever points or creating new
behaviorsinthesystem[Hofstadter,1979,p.171],eachofwhichcanbeassignedtooneof
thesevenbasicelementsofHolland.Theideasofholismandreductionism,ortopdownand
bottomup approaches, are mentioned as two different ways for understanding cas
[Hofstadter, 1979, p.159], while their combination is essential in order to get a better
understandingofasystemscomplexbehavior.
The idea of complexity building up from some basic elements is also presented from
anotherperspectiveintheshortstoryTheLibraryofBabelbyJ.L.Borges[Borges,1998],first
published in 1941, which focuses on the indefinite and perhaps infinite number [Borges,
1998,p.1]ofpossibilitiescreatedfromthecombinationoftheseelements.Hisstorypresents
thecomplexityoftheuniverseanditsbottomupstructurethroughitsanalogywithalibrary
thatcontainseverybookthathasorwilleverexist[Borges,1998,p.4].Hisbasicelements,
namelylettersandsymbols,whencombinedformtextinpages,leadingtobooks,shelvesfull
ofbooks,andhexagonalgalleries[Borges,1998,p.2].Someofthepropertiesofcas,suchas
aggregationandtheformationofmetaagents,metametaagentsandsoon,alongwiththe
ability of generating meaning in something that is comprised of individually meaningless
elements,areallevidentinhisstory.
Focusingmoreontheadaptationabilityofcassystems,itismentionedbyHolland[1992]
[1995]thatanagentfollowssetsofrules,eachofwhichisactivatedbasedoninputsfromits
environment,creatingdifferentrulecombinationsthatleadtoincreasedcomplexityandeach
rulebecomesabuildingblock[Holland,1995,p.51].Thenextstepinachievingadaptationis
creditassignment,whichreferstotheprocessofassigningeachruleastrengthfactor,inorder
toassessitsimportancebasedonthesystemsaccumulatedexperience[Holland,1995,p.53].
Moreover,adaptationcanbeachievedthroughrulediscovery,referringtothecreationofnew
offspring rules derived from parent rules through mutation and crossingover procedures
[Holland,1995,p.65,70].

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PerformanceOrientedHeterogeneityandDeleuze
As it is shown, the adaptation ability of agents can lead eventually to nonlinear
aggregations of increased complexity, generating different formations across a systems
structure. The concept of heterogeneity needs to be introduced here, as described in
philosophybyGillesDeleuzeinhisbookwithFelixGuattariOneThousandPlateaus[Deleuze,
Guattari,2004]throughsmoothandstriatedspace.Deleuzeassignsmultiplecharacteristics
tothesetwoterms,butageneralinterpretationcouldexplainsmoothspaceashighlydynamic
and constantly changing, similar to cas and bottomup approaches, while striated space is
morerigidandinflexible,similartoformalandtopdownapproaches.
AccordingtoDeleuze,thetwospacesalwayscoexistandtheonetransformstheotherin
different ways [Deleuze, Guattari, 2004, p.474]. Smooth is fundamentally characterized by
heterogeneity, but its sole existence would lead to amorphous results due to its constant
change,whileitscoexistencewithstriatedgeneratesadifferentkindofheterogeneousspace
thatallowsabetterdefinitionofchangewithinarigidstructure[Deleuze,Guattari,2004].In
naturalsystemssmoothprecedesstriated,withstriatedtakingoversmooth,butthelatter
reappearsin adifferentlevelthroughthestriatedstructureandinteractswithit[Deleuze,
Guattari,2004,p.480].Otherinterestingstatesbetweenthetwoinvolvethetransitionfrom
theonetotheother,theirchangeofstate,aswellastheirsuperposition[Deleuze,Guattari,
2004,p.482].AccordingtoDeleuze,theinteractionforcesbetweensmoothandstriatedare
alsotheirmostinterestingcharacteristic,whilehementionsthateventhemoststriatedcity
givesrisetosmoothspaces[Deleuze,Guattari,2004,p.500].
Examiningheterogeneityfromanarchitecturalandenvironmentalperformanceoriented
perspective, theworkof MichaelHenselishighly engagedwithachievingheterogeneity in
buildings for the creation of different microclimates within the same structure in order to
maximize building performance [Hensel, 2013]. Opposed to conventional environmental
designapproaches,Henselsapproachaimsingeneratingsmootherspacesthatarecloserto
ecosystems and natural processes, while the importance of boundaries and transitions
betweenspacesismentioned,similartothetransitionbetweensmoothandstriatedspace.
In an article written by Hight, Hensel and Menges [2009], a space is defined as
heterogeneousbytheexistenceofadiverserangeofitemsorqualities[Hightetal,2009,
p.12],whiletheimportanceoftransitionsandboundariesismentionedagain.Someofthe
ideasofDeleuzecanbefoundembeddedinthisarticle,suchastheconceptofsmoothand
striated for describing heterogeneous and homogeneous space in respect. Deleuzes ideas
abouttheconstantcoexistenceofsmoothandstriatedandthepossiblerelationshipsbetween
thetwoareusedbytheauthorsforproposingtheneedforthecoexistenceofhomogeneous
andheterogeneousspacewithinthesamestructure[Hightetal,2009,p.16].Thisideaisused
forpresentinganecologicalapproachtowardsarchitecturaldesign,throughasystemwhose
elementsreactlocallytointernalandexternalparameters,suchasstructuralorlightinputs,
adaptingandbecominglocallydiscontinuousanddiverse,andleadinginthegenerationof
heterogeneousspaces,whiletheoverallcoherenceofthestructureisretained[Hightetal,
2009,p.34].Thesimilaritiesofthismodelwithcasandtheconceptsofbottomup,topdown
andorderoutofchaosareevident.
ThisapproachisalsoexploredinanotherarticlebyHenselandMenges[2008],inwhicha
systemsabilitytorespondtointernalandexternalforces,suchasenvironmentalparameters,
rendersithighlyadaptableandoffersthepotentialforafundamentalperformanceoriented
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approach towards architectural design. Moreover, a bottomup approach is suggested,

designingfromthemicroscaleinordertoachieveatrulyheterogeneousspacethatinteracts
withitsenvironmentandproducesunprecededlevelsofperformance[Hensel,Mengel,2008,
p.207].

ArchitecturalApplicationsofComplexAdaptiveSystemsandHeterogeneity
Shiftingthefocustowardsarchitecturaldesign,thecurrentresearchandapplicationof
casinarchitecturaldesignisreviewed,alongwithanumberofrelatedprojects.Thesection
startswithreviewingthearticleofAlisaAndrasekonOpenSynthesis,writteninaperiodin
whichtheseideasarebeingexploredbyanincreasingnumberofarchitects,andprovidinga
cleardescriptionoftheirpotentialforarchitecturaldesign.
InherarticleforLogmagazine[2012],A.Andrasekplacesarchitecturewithinthescientific
andculturalframeworkofitstime,inwhichtheemergenceofadvancedcomputingsystems
andtheubiquitoususeofcodehavecreatednewopportunitiesandideasinmostscientific
fields, philosophy and architecture, leading to a phenomenal exchange of information and
knowledge, along with the blurring of boundaries between the various disciplines. The
conceptofagentsystemsisusedforthedescriptionofcas[Andrasek,2012,p.50],whilethe
potential of these systems in architectural design lies in their adaptation and emergence
ability,andingeneratingcomplexityoutofsimplicity.Theirapplicationcanalsobefoundon
the new trajectories that architecture is engaging, such as materiality, resilient systems,
generativedesign,nonlinearityandbottomupapproaches.Moreover,multiagentsystems
are used in objectoriented programming for achieving heterogeneity which can result in
complex,adaptiveandresilientoutputs[Andrasek,2012,p.49].
Lookingatexistingprojectsplacedwithinthisframework,theworkofBiothing,ledbyA.
Andrasek,isbasedonagentsystemsforcreatinggenerativedesignthroughtheuseofdata
and making use of their adaptation ability (fig.1,2). Moreover, student projects from the
researchclusterofAndrasekattheBartlettSchoolofArchitecturepresentfeaturesofagent
adaptationbasedondatainputsandthegenerationofheterogeneity,suchastheRobofoam
project(fig.3).

Figure1FissurePort project/Biothing// CompetitionproposalfromBiothingfortheportterminalin

Kaohsiung,Taiwan

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Figure2FissurePortproject/Biothing// Faadegeneratedthroughagentadaptation

Figure3RobofoamProject/MArchGAD,BartlettSchoolofGraduateStudies/201213//Agent
system,adaptationbasedonheatinputsandheterogeneity

AnotherinterestingagentbasedexampleistheworkofRolandSnooksandRobertStuart
Smith from Kokkugia. According to R. Snooks [Snooks, 2012], a combination and constant
negotiation between bottomup and topdown approaches needs to be implemented in
designinordertomaximizetheirpotential,describedasmessycomputation[Snooks,2012,
p.60], and consisting Kokkugias main design approach. An example is Kokkugias project
FibrousTower,inwhichaninitialgeometryismodifiedthroughenvironmentalandstructural
inputsinordertogenerateaheterogeneousstructurethroughagentbaseddesign(fig.4).

Figure4FibrousTower/Kokkugia//Hybriddesigncombiningbottomupandtopdowndesign
approach.Initialgeometrymodifiedthroughagentsreactingtoenvironmentalandstructuralinputs

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Intermsofenvironmentalperformanceorienteddesignandheterogeneity,theworkof
M.Hensel,althoughnotbeingrelatedtoagentsystems,isthemostrepresentativeexample.
TheprojectMVelopeofHenselsresearchpracticeOCEANissuchanexample,inwhicha
faade structure generates climatic and spatial heterogeneity through the use of non
standarisedpanels(fig.5)[Hensel,2013,p.109110].

Figure5MVelope/OCEAN//Screenwallcomprisedofnonstandarisedpanelsgeneratedbasedon
lightinputs.Climaticandspatialheterogeneity,extendedthreshold

Anotherexamplethatshouldbementionedbecauseoftheprojectsengagementwith
performancethroughdatainputs,althoughstructural,aswellastheuseofagentsystemsand
heterogeneitythroughadaptation,istheProtoHouseprojectbySoftkillDesign(fig.6),based
onstructuralanalysisofvoxelisedspaceforthegenerationoffibrestructure[Softkill,2012].

Figure6ProtoHouse/Softkilldesign//Agentsystemadaptinglocallytoinputsfromstructural
analysisandgeneratingreinforcedandheterogeneousstructure

Looking at projects focusing on heterogeneity through agent systems, the project

CellularFormsofAndyLomas(fig.7)shouldbementioned.Accordingtohim[Lomas,2014],
theprojectfocusesongenerativebottomupgrowthsystems,whicharecontrolledbylocal
rules based on internal or external inputs, similar to Hollands cas, and result in highly
heterogeneous outputs with prevailing smooth qualities. The principle of minimum input
maximumoutputisimplemented,whileiteratingthesystemsparametersgenerateshighly
differentiatedoutputs.Inaddition,theconceptoflightinputsistestedforgeneratingnutrient
creationand,inturn,cellulargrowthandheterogeneity[Lomas,2014,p.4].

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Figure7CellularForms/AndyLomas//Bottomupapproachanduseofagentsystemwithlocal
adaptationandexternalorinternalinputsthatproduceheterogeneousandhighlyvariableresults

Finally, combining the concepts of bottomup growth, cas, heterogeneity and

performance,theworkofNeriOxmanisofhighinterest.Inoneofherpapers[Oxman,2007],
theconceptofperformanceorientedformfindingthroughlightinputsisexplored,inwhich
aninitialgeometryisanalysedandmodifiedbasedonlightintensityanddirection,resulting
inheterogeneousoutputs.However,thisapproachwaslimitedbytheneedofgeneratingan
initiallypredefinedgeometry[Oxman,2007,p.681],soOxmanslaterandongoingresearch
focusesondrawinginspirationfrombiologicalmechanismsandusingconceptssuchascell
differentiation,growthandselforganisingstructures[Oxman,2015].Aninterestingexample
istheprojectWanderers:WearablesforInterplanetaryPilgrims,inwhichdifferentgrowth
systems are explored, producing highly differentiated and heterogeneous results (fig.8)
[Oxman,2015,p.107].

Figure8Wanderers/NeriOxman//Grownheterogeneousstructuresbasedoncellulargrowth,cell

differentiationandselforganisation

Conclusion

Allinall,byreviewingtheexistingliteratureoncasbehavior,alongwiththeconceptof
performanceorientedheterogeneityandtheapplicationoftheseconceptsinarchitectural
formfinding, a theoretical foundation that supports the initial argument and provides the
basisforfurtherresearchhasbeenset.
Itwasshownthatanumberofprojectsfocusonagentdrivendesign,buttheneedforan
initialgeometryexistsinmostofthem.Ontheotherhand,projectsaimingforperformance
drivenheterogeneityusuallyhavehighlystriatedqualities.Asaresult,thereseemstobea
gap in the existing literature on the combination of the two systems for a fundamentally
bottomupapproachtowardsgenerativeandperformancedrivenformfindingthroughthe
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useofagentsystemsandenvironmentaldatainputsingeneratingheterogeneousoutputs.
Basedonthisobservation,furtherworkandresearchwillbemade,inordertoexplorethe
generativepotentialofsuchanapproachforarchitecturalformfindingthatisfundamentally
relatedtoperformanceandclosertoanintegrateddesignapproachfromthemacroscaleto
the building scale. In this way, it is believed that a novel high resolution output can be
achieved,bothintermsofperformanceandform.Finally,theconceptofgrowingstructures
andbiologicalprocessessuchascelldivisionanddifferentiationmightpresentagoodstarting
pointtowardsachievingthisapproach.

References

ANDRASEK,A.,2012.OpenSynthesisTowardaResilientFabricofArchitecture.LOG,
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BORGES,J.L.,1998.TheLibraryofBabel.CollectedFictions.NewYork:PenguinBooks
DELEUZEG.,GUATTARIF.,2004.TheSmoothandTheStriated.AThousandPlateaus.
London:Continuum
HENSEL,M.,MENGES,A.,2009.TheHeterogeneousSpaceofMorphoEcologies.Space
Reader:HeterogeneousSpaceInArchitecture.UK:JohnWileyandSons
HENSEL,M.,2013.ADPrimers:PerformanceOrientedArchitecture.UK:JohnWileyand
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HIGHT,C.,HENSELM.,MENGES,A.,2009.Enroute:TowardsaDiscourseon
HeterogeneousSpacebeyondModernistSpaceTimeandPostModernistSocial
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HOLLAND,J.,1995.HiddenOrder:HowAdaptationBuildsComplexity.Cambridge:
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KAUFFMAN,S.,1995.AtHomeintheUniverse:TheSearchforLawsofSelfOrganization
andComplexity.Oxford,UK:OxfordUniversityPress
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from:http://www.andylomas.com/extra/andylomas_paper_cellular_forms_aisb50.pdf
[AccessedDecember2015]
OXMAN,N.,2007.GetReal:TowardsPerformanceDrivenComputationalGeometry.
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OXMAN,N.,2015.TemplatingDesignforBiologyandBiologyforDesign.ADMaterial
Synthesis:FusingthePhysicalandtheComputational.UK:JohnWileyandSons
SNOOKS,R.,2012.VolatileFormation,LOG,25,5562
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26/12/2015)

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ImageReferences

Fig.1Biothing,[image]At:http://www.biothing.org/?attachment_id=394(Accessed:
03/12/15)
Fig.2Biothing,[image]At:http://www.biothing.org/?attachment_id=280(Accessed:
03/12/15)
Fig.3Robofoam[image]At:http://www.daghancam.com/#!bartlett2012
13/zoom/c1c0x/imageu0a(Accessed:03/12/15)
Fig.4Kokkugia[image]At:http://www.robertstuartsmith.com/rssdesignfibrous
tower(Accessed:26/12/15)
Fig.5OCEAN[image]At:HENSEL,M.,2013.ADPrimers:PerformanceOriented
Architecture.UK:JohnWileyandSons,p.110
Fig.6SoftkillDesign[image]At:http://www.3ders.org/articles/20130213protohouse
2first3dprintedhomecanbeassembledwithinaday.html(Accessed:03/12/15)
Fig.7AndyLomas[image]At:http://www.andylomas.com/cellularFormImages
[Accessed:03/12/15]
Fig.8Oxman,N.[image]At:http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/nerioxmans
bacteriainfestedspacesuitsaregrownnotdesigned[Accessed:28/12/15]

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