Buildings are increasingly 'dynamic': equipped with sensors, actuators and controllers, they 'self-adjust' in response to changes in the external and internal environments and patterns of use. Building Dynamics asks how this change manifests itself and what it means for architecture as buildings weather, programs change, envelopes adapt, interiors are reconfigured, systems replaced. Contributors including Chuck Hoberman, Robert Kronenburg, David Leatherbarrow, Kas Oosterhuis, Enric Ruiz-Geli, and many others explore the changes buildings undergo - and the scale and speed at which these occur - examining which changes are necessary, useful, desirable, and possible. The first book to offer a coherent, comprehensive approach to this topic, it draws together arguments previously only available in scattered form. Featuring the latest technologies and design approaches used in contemporary practice, the editors provide numerous examples of cutting-edge work from leading designers and engineering firms working today. An essential text for students taking design studio classes or courses in theory or technology at any level, as well as professionals interested in the latest mechatronic technologies and design techniques.

Buildings are increasingly 'dynamic': equipped with sensors, actuators and controllers, they 'self-adjust' in response to changes in the external and internal environments and patterns of use. Building Dynamics asks how this change manifests itself and what it means for architecture as buildings weather, programs change, envelopes adapt, interiors are reconfigured, systems replaced. Contributors including Chuck Hoberman, Robert Kronenburg, David Leatherbarrow, Kas Oosterhuis, Enric Ruiz-Geli, and many others explore the changes buildings undergo - and the scale and speed at which these occur - examining which changes are necessary, useful, desirable, and possible. The first book to offer a coherent, comprehensive approach to this topic, it draws together arguments previously only available in scattered form. Featuring the latest technologies and design approaches used in contemporary practice, the editors provide numerous examples of cutting-edge work from leading designers and engineering firms working today. An essential text for students taking design studio classes or courses in theory or technology at any level, as well as professionals interested in the latest mechatronic technologies and design techniques.

Parametric design and digital fabrication are enabling non-designers to mass produce non-standard, highly differentiated products - from shoes and tableware to furniture and even houses. The result of these newly available mass customization tools has been a 'democratization' of design. Mass Customization and Design Democratization is the first book to address this recent phenomenon. Demonstrating how the considerable potential of these tools can be realized in practice, it introduces essential technologies and design approaches and provides numerous examples of the latest, cutting edge work from leading design firms, manufacturers and thinkers. The book examines what mass customization means for architecture and the building industry and investigates its impact on the sector's most commoditized enterprise - suburban housing. Asking whether design democratization is viable in the current context and exploring what kind of mass customization is possible, useful, and desirable, it poses fundamental questions about the authorship of design and the functional and aesthetic quality of products designed by non-designers. A highly designed book featuring over 200 color illustrations, this is essential reading for professionals as well as students taking courses in digital architecture, parametric design, and mass customization.

Parametric design and digital fabrication are enabling non-designers to mass produce non-standard, highly differentiated products - from shoes and tableware to furniture and even houses. The result of these newly available mass customization tools has been a 'democratization' of design. Mass Customization and Design Democratization is the first book to address this recent phenomenon. Demonstrating how the considerable potential of these tools can be realized in practice, it introduces essential technologies and design approaches and provides numerous examples of the latest, cutting edge work from leading design firms, manufacturers and thinkers. The book examines what mass customization means for architecture and the building industry and investigates its impact on the sector's most commoditized enterprise - suburban housing. Asking whether design democratization is viable in the current context and exploring what kind of mass customization is possible, useful, and desirable, it poses fundamental questions about the authorship of design and the functional and aesthetic quality of products designed by non-designers. A highly designed book featuring over 200 color illustrations, this is essential reading for professionals as well as students taking courses in digital architecture, parametric design, and mass customization.