WK3:SYSTEM

As with Fuller’s Spaceship Earth, the development of system is said to coincide with the development of human intellect. Creation of systems allow for organization to occur, which enables civilization. Once man was able to ‘generalize fundamental principles’ from his experiences, as with the tree leverage example, he then gains the ability to synthesize more complex modes of phenomena. Critical systems that have altered our conception of the world (as well as the way we live) include Darwin’s hierarchical phylogeny system, or the Fordist system of production, or the sub-atomic structures or DNA systems, etc. Systems, is in essence, the basis of all human knowledge.

Most, if not all, systems are inductively derived, through observation and experimentation – standardized through the scientific method. Analysis of collected data seek to find patterns of behavior, which then is formulated into a theory – or more simply, a system for understanding that particular study. Fuller describes the notion of an Earth Spaceship without a manual. Man can only begin to understand the inner workings of the world through inductive reasoning. An interesting drawback of inductive systems is that they rely on the data through which the system is modeled after, which is to say, if the data set is incomplete or flawed, so then is the system. So at best a system is an approximation of reality at work. Banham’s article talks about the flaw in the definition of a particular system – namely the architectural system’s failure to incorporate mechanical aspects into its scope.

In our current era, there is an increasing need for the awareness of advanced systems both visible and unseen. The advent of internet has proliferated the idea of network systems in including social and cultural realms. There has also been efforts to systematize traditionally non-systemic things. Such as the chaos theory, or algorithms that generate ‘randomness’. In the context of cities and architecture, a reinterpretation of system is necessary in part due to the failures of absolutist (inflexible) systems of organization of the previous era that failed to adapt to evolving demands of urban fabric. Potential new fluid systems will work in a multi-scalar fashion with the ability to merge with other systems or subdivide within itself to provide flexible ways of understanding the city.