The way we use, perceive, populate, organize and inhabit space lies at the heart of architectural invention. How a space is designed changes the mood and behaviour of its inhabitants. It changes the way we see ourselves and the way others see us. Throughout history, from the urban scale to the interior, space has been used to influence individuals and shape society. So how can we explore the transformative potential of space in a way that challenges our established perceptions and use of space? How can we drive the space rather than be driven by a never ending array of shapes?
The advent of digital technologies as tools for both design and fabrication has given us great liberties in form-making, however this newfound freedom comes with great responsibility as the seductive quality of empty form can never replace the integrity and ingenuity of carefully developed concepts. Recent advances in parametric modelling and digital fabrication have enabled us to articulate concepts with greater dexterity and increased accuracy. We now have the ability to test, manipulate and refine ideas, enabling us to mount a challenge to conventional notions of space and to explore form in genuinely new and dynamic ways.
By making research an integral part of the design process, we will ensure that each project responds to the challenges and continually develops and evolves. Whether it is through materials research, the application of digital design techniques or investigation into sustainability, every project we take on will have a strand of design research embedded in its DNA.
