Cybrid aesthetics : exploring the expressive potential of paper as a material for spatial application to define the new cybrid archive character

Abstract

In recent years the concept of dematerialization has had an effect on design professions that rely on materiality for its manifestation. This process has diminished the unique characteristics of design, but through the investigation of making as integral part of the design process, the creative identity and status of design can be strengthened again. This dissertation proposes a parallel process which integrates the act of making into the conventional design process, to address both the material and immaterial qualities of a space. The focus of the study is to investigate and determine a new spatial language as the digital and physical realms are merging together to create the concept of a cybrid space. The Boukunde archive holds opportunity for this investigation to express the new character of a cybrid space. Characteristics of both the paper archive and a digital archive are extracted to inform and define the re-representation of the archive in its contemporary context. Paper at present does not yet have a clearly defined spatial language in the built environment therefore through the exploration of this unconventional material in an innovative way, creates the opportunity for a new interaction and experience. Paper becomes a symbol of the old paper archive that has been re-interpreted in the cybrid archive where this new space embodies qualities of both the physical realm and the digital realm that are experienced in novel ways. The paper installation becomes the visual link in the space which captures the essence of the architectural drawing archive.

In onlangse jare het die konsep van dematerialisering 'n invloed op die ontwerp beroepe gehad. Hierdie proses het die unieke eienskappe van ontwerp onderdruk, maar deur die ondersoek van die Research Through Making metodiek as integrale deel van die ontwerpproses, kan die kreatiewe identiteit en status van ontwerp weer versterk word. Die doel van die verhandeling is om weg te beweeg van konvensionele ontwerp prosesse, deur die proses van maak te versterk sodat die materi?le en nie-materi?le eienskappe meer geintegreer kan word in die ruimtelike uitkoms. Die fokus van die studie is om ondersoek in te stel en te bepaal wat die nuwe ruimtelike taal is wanneer die digitale en fisiese ruimtes geintegreer word in een nuwe ruimte, as deel van die cybrid konsep. Die Boukunde argief hou geleentheid vir hierdie ondersoek om die nuwe karakter van 'n cybrid ruimte te ondersoek en uit te beeld. Papier tans het nie 'n duidelike ruimtelike taal in die bou omgewing nie en dus deur die verkenning van hierdie onkonvensionele materiaal op 'n innoverende manier, skep dit geleentheid vir 'n nuwe ruimtelike toepassing en ervarring. Papier word 'n simbool van die ou papier argief asook die estetiese en funksionele voorstelling van die cybrid argief. Die nuwe ruimte vergestalt eienskappe van beide die fisiese and digitale ryke en die papier installasie word die visuele verbinding in die ruimte wat die essensie vna die argitektoniese tekening argief vas vang.