The Augmented & Empathetic Architect
Starting with Douglas Engelbart's introduction of the "augmented architect" in 1962, through the promises of design computation in the 2000's, to today's role of computational specialist, we're seeing a slow democratization of a lingua franca for the design process.
Despite this progression we've yet to realize systemic change in our practices, and even a bit of fear of where this will go.
Through topics like adversarial interoperability, protocols as hubs, software commoditization, critiques of popular discussions around generative design, and more importantly human experience and creativity, we'll find our way to discussing what it takes to help manifest the augmented and empathetic architect.
Talk Bibliography
Doug Engelbart from his piece "Augmented Human Intellect: A Collective Framework" https://dougengelbart.org/content/view/138
Richard Susskind @richardsusskind & Daniel Susskind @danielsusskind from their book "The Future of the Professions". Here is a link to an updated edition coming out in Feb 2022: https://bookshop.org/books/the-future-of-the-professions-how-technology-will-transform-the-work-of-human-experts-updated-edition/9780198841890
Daniel Davis' @dr_danieldavis discussion of the same book in the context of architecture here: https://www.danieldavis.com/future-of-the-professions/#
Alexandra DesChamps-Sonsino's @iotwatch book "Creating a Culture of Innovation" https://bookshop.org/books/creating-a-culture-of-innovation-design-an-optimal-environment-to-create-and-execute-new-ideas/9781484262900
Andrew McAfee @amcafee & Erik Brynjolfsson's @erikbryn book "Machine, Platform, Crowd": https://bookshop.org/books/machine-platform-crowd-harnessing-our-digital-future/9780393356069
Andy Matuschak @andy_matuschak & Michael Nielsen's @michael_nielsen piece "How can we develop transformative tools for thought?" https://numinous.productions/ttft/
"Second Brain" tool @RoamResearch https://roamresearch.com/
Casey Reas @REAS "Thoughts on Software for the Visual Arts" https://medium.com/processing-foundation/thoughts-on-software-a8a82c95e1ad
Gordon Brander @gordonbrander "Composability with other tools" https://subconscious.substack.com/p/composability-with-other-tools
Cory Doctorow @doctorow "Adversarial Interoperability" https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability
Thomas Malone's @twmalone book "Superminds" https://bookshop.org/books/superminds-the-surprising-power-of-people-and-computers-thinking-together/9780316349123
Caroline Criado Perez's @CCriadoPerez book "Invisible Women" https://bookshop.org/books/invisible-women-data-bias-in-a-world-designed-for-men/9781419735219
Daniel Coyle's @DanielCoyle book "The Culture Code" https://bookshop.org/books/the-culture-code-the-secrets-of-highly-successful-groups/9780804176989
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who unfortunately recently passed away, from his book "Creativity" https://bookshop.org/books/creativity-the-psychology-of-discovery-and-invention-9798200608218/9780062283252
Richard Sennett from his book "The Craftsman" https://bookshop.org/books/the-craftsman-9780300151190/9780300151190
Molly Wright Steenson's @maximolly excellent book "Architectural Intelligence" https://bookshop.org/books/architectural-intelligence-how-designers-and-architects-created-the-digital-landscape/9780262037068
Miles Davis' Second Quintet with Tony Williams, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Ron Carter as a reference for intensive, creative collaboration https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2010/oct/13/miles-davis-second-great-quintet