"...since immense is not an object, a phenomenology of immense would refer us directly to our imagining consciousness. In analysing images of immensity, we should realise within ourselves the pure being of pure imagination." Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space, 1961.
In virtual space, we move from place to place, byte to byte. Distance is no longer a relevant measure of travel. Cyber-architecture is space-time collapsed, and beyond recognition, in so far as moving from one place or enclosure to another does not require the physical space-time journey. The physical manifestation exists only as electrons and the transceivers used in order for the user to exist within it, and the concerns are moved from the practical and economy to expression of intentions, interests and thoughts. It represents the design of experiences rather than objects, a paradigm shift in architectural consciousness. The process of experiencing traditional architecture relies on the 'object-centred' within a physical site. Cyber-architecture relies closely on the design aspects of traditional audio-visual narratives, such as cinema, stage design, performance and installation art. The design of the space alone is not the most important consideration. Communication through the spatial and symbolic language used, although similar to the traditional architects' portfolio of form, must also consider the time-atmosphere perspective.
"… The space-time metaphor represents a monumental failure of imagination…. We've been thinking about virtual presence as if we have to send our bodies out there. But if we could design reality for our minds, what powers would we grant ourselves? The ability to be anywhere instantly would be a step in the right direction. The ability to be everywhere, all at once, without going mad, is the real challenge. Why should we settle for avatars, when we can be angels?" Brian Moriaty, Computer Game Conference 1996.
On imagining cyberspace, the mind is a good analogy since it has no physical space, no distance or mass. Thoughts cannot be seen under a microscope or repelled by a magnet. Your mind continually generates ideas but never runs out of space; thinking about writing a novel takes no longer than the vision of a meal. These thoughts which form the content of the mind are not in physical space as they are not physical objects. Therefore mind is not an object in time and space. Similarly, cyber-architecture is not made from objects in time and space, even though it appears to have form or mass.
Wireless Imaging MIT campus
Although the Cyber-Architect is freed from many constraints, it is not only the removal of these restrictions that cyberspace has to offer which makes it so appealing. The tangible aspects of creating cyber-architecture can be just as complex and impactful as physical architecture. Since the primary role of architecture is the creation of meaningful places which society can inhabit and interact within, the design features of an electronic architecture must inform and create distinctions between arbitrary user choices. Aesthetics, relating to physical architecture often relies on the context or setting however cyber-architecture is siteless, infinite space without geographical boundaries. The primary task of the cyber-architect then is creation of meaningful place.
Vitual Trading by Rashid & Couture
"In patently unreal and artificial realities … the principles of ordinary space and time, can … be violated with impunity. After all, the ancient world of magic, myth and legend to which cyberspace is heir, as well as the modern worlds of fantasy fiction, movies and cartoons, are replete with violations of the logic of everyday space and time: disappearance, underworlds, phantoms, warp speed travel, mirrors and doors to alternate worlds, zero gravity, flattening and reconstitution, wormholes, scale inversions, and so on. And after all why have cyberspace if we cannot (apparently) bend nature’s rules there?" Micahel Benedikt, Cyberspace: First Steps, 1991.
Successful virtual space must provide the participant with cues of how to navigate and understand the generated environments. The dynamic process in which we use our navigational awareness of an environment to reach a desired destination in physical architecture can also be made to apply in cyber-architecture. The means by which information about the relative location and attributes of one's environment are understood and navigated through are in many ways similar to physical architecture. In this way one can use architectural design aspect as examples for cyber-architecture.
Donald Norman, cognitive psychologist, suggests the following design guidelines as a rule of thumb for creating effective environments: (1) provide a high intensity of interaction and feedback; (2) Have specific goals and established procedures; (3) Motivate; (4) Provide a continual feeling of challenge, one that is neither so difficult as to create a sense of hopelessness and frustration nor so easy as to produce boredom; (5) Provide a sense of direct engagement, producing the feeling of directly experiencing the environment, directly working on the task; (6) Provide appropriate tools that fit the user and task so well that they aid and do not distract; (7) Avoid disruptions that intervene and destroy the subjective experience.
Image of the City by Kevin Lynch
The existing wealth of literature on urban planning can be put to tremendous use in cyberspace. One can use these analogies in creating digital architecture and in organisation of cybercities. e.g. Kevin Lynch, from his book The Image of the City, suggests that to heighten the image-ability of an urban environment is to facilitate its visual identification and structuring. These elements according to Lynch are; paths, edges, landmarks, nodes, and regions. Paths are a kind of space which express a tendency toward mobility and expansion and within which directions are evident. A path consists of; a starting point, a direction to be followed through a sequence of places and events and the final goal. Lynch suggests that subjects move through the city following a sequence, facilitated by anticipation of memorable events, details and point of reference, which trigger specific moves for navigation. These events and places which one experiences on the way during moving along a path, determines the character of the path.
Johnny Mnemonic by William Gibson
“The trouble with the spatial metaphor in computers is that it can limit our understanding of cyberspace. Motion there best serves those looking for something, whether it's a piece of information or a particular view of an object. Speed, a necessity in real space, is simply a blurred condition between states. The users don't engage the information until things slow up and they can examine the destination.” Verlag Heinz Heise, 1997.
Workspace Unlimited was founded in 2001 by Thomas Soetens, artist, and Kora Van den Bulcke, architect, and investigates the creative artistic and socio-cultural possibilities of virtual worlds, based on 3-D game technology. Their new work Implant is both an electronically networked interactive virtual world and an installation physically situated in the magnificent Art Nouveau building of Vooruit, a performance venue in the center of Ghent. Once logged into Implant, visitors navigate through two co-existing architectures that slowly begin to reveal themselves: a sumptuous simulation of the real Vooruit, a large complex maze of theater spaces, cafes, meeting rooms, and offices which can be traversed in much the same way we move through physical space - walking upstairs, through doors, down corridors, around corners, inside and out. And a hidden hyperlinked architecture that emerges as users interact with the model's various walls and ceilings.
