27.7.11

WK01 :: 150 WORDS

MACHINES EXISTED BEFORE MECHANISATION. HERO OF ALEXANDRIA'S MACHINES WERE INEFFICIENT; THEIR PRIME PURPOSE WAS TO IMPRESS THE OBSERVER. VITRUVIUS DID NOT WRITE ABOUT MACHINES IN TERMS OF THEIR EFFICIENCY IN DE ARCHITECTURA. PRIOR TO THINKING ABOUT OPTIMAL EFFICIENCY THE ARCHITECT'S FOCUS WAS ON GEOMETRY AND PROPORTION, "WHAT HAS BEEN DONE HAS BEEN DONE ACCORDING TO GEOMETRY". IT WAS THE MILITARY WHO ATTACHED THE NOTION OF EFFICIENCY TO THE MACHINE THROUGH NECESSITY, AS A RESULT OF LIMITED RESOURCES. GALILAO, IN DISCORSI, REALISED "MANY DEVICES WHICH SUCCEED ON A SMALL SCALE DO NOT WORK ON A LARGE SCALE". THIS SHIFTED THE ARCHAIC DOCTRINE - THE ANALOGICAL METHOD OF IDEA OVER MATTER - TO THE NOTION THAT THE FORM OF A PRODUCT WAS DETERMINED BY THE MATERIALITY AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ITS COMPONENTS. THE FUCTIONALISTS / MODERNISTS CREATED BUILDINGS AS MACHINES, WITH LITTLE REGARD TO THE BUILDINGS' OCCUPANTS. TODAY, WE REALISE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLIMENTING ARCHITECTURAL MECHANISATION BY ADDRESSING HUMAN OPERATIONS AND EFFORTS. A DAUNTING PROPOSITION

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