Cognitive Infrastructures | Pratt Institute School of Architecture Degree Project Studio 2008-2009 Michael Chen & Jason Lee, critics with Gil Akos & Ronnie Parsons
Our thesis project is an autonomously guided, incrementally developed resource manipulation infrastructure focused on water, space, and the materials needed to continue growing the system. Operating spatially and socially, this framework generates self-transformation of informal settlements like slums over time, promoting self-agency in existing urban contexts. The thesis at large explores issues of design-by-architect -vs- autonomous-design, the synthesis of top-down coherence and bottom-up flexibility, and challenging the way urban areas currently exist by retuning the balance of power through control of resources.
Currently our research is focused into the materiality of the civic scaffold system, and at what scale flexibility operates at – We’ll post video from our model’s asap – until then, be sure to check out our midterm presentation -0323_nyc_m_0011
This thesis agenda is to design a lightweight frame work that becomes the interface for Jakarta’s informal job market of both street vendors and drivers of informal vehicles that allows for emergent spaces near the congested infrastructure of the TransJakarta Busway. The extreme commuter is also a key player and their benefit is not directly visible but they have a new coordinated delay network that rearranges and allows them several path options as well as opportunites to accelerate exchange on their own terms.
The Times reports from Gonaives, Haiti where decay and neglect mean that flooding control systems do more hard than good, creating mud holes, drowning hazards, structural failure, and other dangers. Talk about unintended consequences.
This robot was developed by the University of Essex, we can predict how it can transform and be use to monitor and patrol marine borders. I can think of many other uses for this fish but i prefer protecting the environment. video
Via coolhunting: A small component that once added to the frame of a bike, deposits a small amount of color chalk on the rear wheel, resulting in a visualized or mapping-oriented chalk trace on the roadway surface. Mapping, wayfinding, and reminder to motorists and pedestrians about the presence of bikes all in one.
check out the waffle bike as an example of mobile urban devices that interface with citizens – although this is not necessarily civic by nature, it is a pretty sweet interface device.
The current issue of Next American City explores how cities are coping with the financial crisis “Issue No. 22 of Next American City gives some answers in its cover story, “Cities in Crisis.” Two other features explore urgent topics: “Now You’re Cooking with Grease,” is a timely look at the ways cities are building municipal biodiesel programs, and “The Largest Environmental Problem You’re Never Heard Of,” is just that — you’ve got to read it to hear more about the Eastern Garbage Patch. Also: transportation enthusiasts influence their locals DOTs, Richard Florida comments on the overused phrase “Work, Live, Play” and reports from Kalamazoo, Baltimore and Chicago round out the issue.”
An interesting, if fairly one-sided argument about expanding the size of Manhattan from Charles Urstadt, former chairman of the Battery Park Authority via the Times.
America showing signs of economic crisis. The displacement of our brothers and sisters across the United States is beginning to display similar criticism and objection shared across the world. It is my hope that the Christian values found across this nation will prevail in rescuing every American found victim of the current economic recession.
So back to that conversation we had in an incredibly interesting meeting at MIT regarding the nature of intelligence and cognition – these are two videos experimenting with biological robotic interfaces. freaky.
but truly support this initiative and choose the right people to implement it, he’ll have earned my vote. A radical transparency in government data will completely revolutionize the relationship between government and people. The most critical transparency will come in the area of government spending, and naturally that will be the most difficult to truly implement. I can only hope.
We’ve all seen some pretty interesting visualizations of air flight data, but this is the first Ive seen using the google maps UI and with the ability to scale in and out. Its seems a rather obvious outcome, since the existing urban situation of the US directly causes the pattern of flights, but there is still some interesting things to extract.
