Arch

501, 503
2011 - 2012

DEGREE PROJECT Research & Studio Instructors Jonas Coersmeier / Michael Su Michael Chen / Jason Lee Ran Oron / Eric Wong Dragana Zoric / Evan Tribus Mark Rakatansky / Aaron White Simone Giostra / Brian Ripel / Tom Hanrahan

Sections .01 / .02 .03 / .04 .05 / .06 .07 / .08 .09 / .10 .11 / .12 / .13

DEGREE PROJECT SECTION DESCRIPTION

SECTION : INSTRUCTORS : TITLE : DESCRIPTION :

.01 / .02 Jonas Coersmeier / Michael Su BANG : C onvergent Architectures

The theme of this Degree Project sec<on is Bits, Atoms, Neurons, and Genes, or BANG. Almost exactly ten years ago, the Na<onal Science Founda<on (NSF) sponsored an unusual workshop with the goal of promo<ng the convergence of four technologies that had started to merge in unexpected ways: Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Informa<on Technology, and Cogni<ve Science (NBIC). Generally, the literature refers to the ways these technologies were being combined as forming a NBIC tetrahedron of the so-called converging technologies. On the basis of some 50 papers submiTed to this workshop, its organizers were able to present a report to the NSF with specula<ons on twenty ways the workshop determined that convergent technologies could benet humanity in a <me frame of 10 to 20 years. Today, most of these projec<ons remain tantalizingly out of reach. Just three weeks ago, however, IBM researchers announced their crea<on of the worlds rst neurosynap<c compu<ng chip, a breakthrough made possible by cross-disciplinary studies of the structure of the human brain. This advancement derived directly from the interdisciplinary theoriza<ons and prac<ces mapped out by the NBIC tetrahedron. With this news, we can claim to enter the age of converging technologies. Or, as they have become beTer known by the acronym derived from their cons<tuent components of Bits, Atoms, Neurons, and Genes, we are now in the age of BANG. This Degree Project sec<on will explore the architectural implica<ons of the age of BANG, wherein even highly specialized scien<c and technological disciplines ac<vely seek cross-fer<liza<on with disciplines across conceptual, procedural, and cultural divides. In the Fall semester, students will undertake their directed research by studying the 2003 NSF report on Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance: Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Informa<on Technology and Cogni<ve Science. As this research is architecturally driven, studies may consist of combina<ons of the formal (models), rela<onal (diagramming), and analy<cal (graphics). (For instance, students may inves<gate the transla<on of neuron structure into semiconductor oorplanning in the IBM work as a rela<onal, architectural precedent for transcribing rela<onships from structure to material, and back to structure.) The resul<ng studies will serve merely as inspira<on to help students iden<fy the par<cular Bits, Atoms, Neurons, and Genes of BANG and combina<ons thereof mo<va<ng their independent interests, and thereby forming the founda<ons of their Degree Projects. In the Spring semester, students will complete their Degree Projects by synthesizing the structures, forms, rela<onships, and forces as fully-realized architectural proposi<ons with site, scale, structure, and program. As these proposi<ons will have derived from the directed research of the Fall semester, they may well be construed as proposals for the Convergent Architectures of BANG. follow @arcBang 1. Assigned readings; 2. WriTen responses to readings. 1. Site visits: IBM Yorktown labs (Saarinen bldg.), second site TBA; 2. At least one guest lecturer, TBA. 1. Final project proposal to use assigned format for commercial prin<ng; 2. All presenta<ons to be conducted with Keynote.

DELIVERABLES 1: ACTIVITIES 2: METHODOLOGY 3:

1 Besides the standard course requirements of 3 Presenta<ons, Final Project Proposal, & Research/Proposal Summaries. 2 Besides the weekly discussions/mee<ngs, e.g. site visits, eld trips, guest lectures. 3 Besides producing the Final Proposal Booklet, e.g. required/recommended soeware packages, modeling skills, or presenta<on mediums.