Digital-DOA

About the Site

Architecture is the most visible manifestation of the social production of the built environment, yet the question of how we as a culture inhabit this space seems to be eternally subjugated by the product itself. A holistic methodology for investigating this space is proposed at Digital-DOA - an interactive website devoted to exploring the concept of architecture as a relational cultural process through various modes of representation and typologies of analysis. The socially produced space of architecture cannot be defined through a single method of analysis, for society is a dynamic process rather than a captive artifact. A single analytic technique, or even numerous autonomous studies, cannot capture the root of such adaptability, volatility and interconnectivity. A new approach to exploring space, society and architecture must be determined - one that does not demand interpretations of the environment, but rather utilizes the relational structure of society to produce meaning. Architecture is not a static vessel awaiting criticism, but rather functions as a point of interface through which multiple sets of inquiry can occur, creating interdisciplinary dialogues. At Digital-DOA architecture is studied through multiple disciplinary perspectives, but more importantly, the entire project is a proposal for an inter-modal, interrelational representation of the environment. The adaptable, interactive structure of the site is embodied in the dynamic, mutable figure of the Turtle. This form simultaneously signifies perspectives of architecture through five modes of representation, each cross-pollinating the next: text, representations, interactions, constructions and propositions.

The Turtle operates as both icon and structuring metaphor for Digital-DOA. The Turtle as icon derives from the LogoWriter program, which was one of the first to facilitate the interface between user and computer. The facets of the turtle are themselves the product of the programming interface, creating the shell that intermediates between form and content. Secondly, the Turtle metaphorically recollects the animal and its shell. The warped and deformed surface of interface in Digital-DOA exemplifies the adaptive structure of the turtle shell; it is an adjustable surface, growing along with it's content, a living thing that adapts to its volatile surroundings. Most importantly, the Turtle and the shell are ‘holistic environmental technologies’, relational structures in which every component is integral to creating a successful dialogue. If one plate is removed the organism ceases to exist; the discourse fails to inform the environment. The adaptability of the Turtle creates an ideal multiple interface amongst user, environment, site and content; a self-organizing form that reveals new relationships within the environment as content is acquired and interacted with by the individual. Digital-DOA is not a closed rigid construction, rather it is an open, mutable, self-organizing form: there is no limit to the content inserted into or accessed from the site, much as there is no limitation to the diversity of interactions that occur within our own socially constructed spaces. The dynamic relational structure of Digital-DOA aims not only to create new perceptions of architecture, but also to enable the individual to inFORM new relationships within the built environment.

How to Use This Site

The site is broken into two parts: Turtle and Interaction. The Turtle, as discussed above, is an adaptive growing interface that organizes the different organizations that we as a collective have or are pursuing. Individual facets of the turtle have been activated with content that the user can explore through the turtle interface on the main page of the site. Each activated plane contains meta information with a simple description and location of the project along with a classification into one or more categories: construct, interaction, proposition, representation, and text. These categories provide a deeper understanding of the relationships between our works and are a direct historical reference to our first turtle.

The interaction portion of the site contains an individual blog for each member of Digital-DOA where visitors can view and comment on the most current work.