Lecture date: 2015-01-22
DRL Keynote Lecture 1
This lecture celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Evolutionary Architecture exhibition opening on 26 January 1995 and the book of the same name and the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Morphogenesis Unit (Dip 11 1989-1996) at the AA. The Evolutionary Digital Design Process advanced by the unit became internationally recognized and established the AA as the leader in this field. The background of the 60s, 70s and 80s at the AA will be described out of which this work emerged, the work of the unit between 1989 up to the establishment of DRL in 1997 and subsequent developments of the Evolutionary Digital Design theory which went on to become a theory recognized not just in architecture but in science, engineering, politics, philosophy and even law. The specific technique of Evolutionary Digital Design is now being interpreted as the basis for a more generalizable new theory of architecture.
John Frazer is acknowledged as the originator of the Evolutionary Digital Design Process and world leader of the field of Generative Design. He was Head of three International Design Schools and Chairman of the award winning Autographics Software company that pioneered microcomputer based design systems. His research embraces intelligent and interactive design, tangible interfaces, participatory and co-operative design and computer generated design. As Unit Master of the AA Diploma 11 Morphogenesis Unit (1989-96) he explored advanced experimental computational techniques in design with his students leading to an exhibition and a seminal book An Evolutionary Architecture (1995) that established the reputation of AA in this field.
