Space flight enables a vision of the world which is no longer bound to earthly experience, and in securing this new viewpoint, technology is no longer directed towards humanity´ s ongoing engagement with the world, but towards the dream of escaping the human condition itself”.  Graham Macphee

Historically, technological breakthroughs have marked different eras and have helped humanity thrive, deteriorate, destroy, start wars, impose rule of law and fundamentally change the way we live our lives. Technology, and its advancements through history has many times embedded an anagram quality to it. Its shifting precedence, and constantly transforming nature of technology depending on human needs, political ambitions and ideological inclinations has led technology to be used for simultaneously various opposing values. As the Roman aqueducts and their invention changed the course of an entire era not only in ancient Rome but many other civilizations, at the same time these structures were used to establish political connections and enhance Roman influence in politics, architecture, design and style in other parts of the world. 

The technological inventions and developments that have marked different eras of time with critical relevancy have positioned and influenced cultural phenomenon’s that define the world we live in today. Societies historically have shown great capacity to assimilate and adapt to the changes that technology asserts continuously. This phenomenon reflects the dynamics of a complex relationship between technology, societal change, personal and collective identity, architecture and ecology. While technological breakthroughs and innovations in architecture that occurred in the past have reinvigorated our present and future and have permanently changed life quality and expectancies, these breakthroughs and innovations often are unequally and unfairly dispersed among global societies. Simultaneously these technological breakthroughs have been often used as tools for destruction, of exercising political dominance, imposing ideological agendas and asserting total domination and control over societies. The detracting advantages of technology and its influence in architecture have critically transformed the role of the architect and architecture in our societies. This aspect of architecture and its relationship with technology has taken precedence in contemporary times. Architecture is still used to address political agendas, ideologies, control users and assert rule of law, however, now this is often done in a secretive manner which raises stronger concerns around ethical implications of the contemporary usage of technologies and certain strategies such as, surveillance, video camera tracking, mobility tracking, body temperature tracking, emotional state, architectural aesthetics, material choice, style, form and much more. 

When drawing parallel of how technology informed Albert Spear`s classical and nazi architecture from the urban planning of the great square of Berlin, with the detailed design of the street lamps on the Berlin East-West axis, and his relationship with power, shows how the manipulation of spatial and urban forms has profound political implications in the control of mobility and visibility and in the deployment of violence. The political intricacies and bodily disposition of the affective dimensions of monumental, war and nazi architecture in fact take precedence in the most distinctive tools of contemporary capitalism which include all aspects of architecture such as typologies, material choice, aesthetics and style. Few typologies extend from skyscrapers, high tech shopping malls, prisons, to bunkers, schools and various digitally enhanced facilities. 

By thoroughly investigating the relationship between technology, architecture and their effect on culture, throughout time and history, this approach suggests to reflect upon how technology has shaped architecture and the role of the architect in relation to the culture as such. Furthermore, the trans-disciplinary method of architecture and its implication on the evolution of the global architectural colonization has significant cultural, regional and local architectural and societal consequences which this research will thoroughly investigate. In addition, this research will conduct a systematic analysis on the anthropological implications of the trans/multi-disciplinary relationship between architecture and technology in contemporary society.   

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Who?

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The current literature, and research areas expand from reviewing and analyzing mainly architecture and technology and the way technological aspects of architecture have changed the collective identity of global societies. In academic terms disciplines such as media, cyberculture, philosophy and psychology, digital media, social studies, and medicine take precedence. Chris Abel in his essays of Architecture and Identity, Responses to cultural and technological change approaches the subject of technology and architecture from a wide range of new human science and development perspective and is specifically dealing with the impact of information technology on customized architecture production and its misconceptions[1]. He argues about the new emerging technologies and the capacity of architectural designers to adapt to manufacturing technologies and its consequences[2]. He therefore ascribes great relevancy to tacit knowledge practitioners and importance of tacit knowing when designing and therefore he ascribes significant importance to regionality in architecture[3]. The relationship between architecture and technology is analyzed and discussed mainly for the digital dispositions of modern and contemporary architecture and how new science has in combination with the digitized world have affected the way architecture form is generated. Studies of Mark Burry in his Scripting Cultures, Architectural Design and Programming focus on the digital tools that the architects use to generate new architecture forms and spaces and investigate the way architecture adapts to new technologies and digitally enhanced processes to achieve different results[4].

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As technology has transitioned and regenerated through systems and disciplines, the complexity of systematic predisposition of certain technologies has created a gap between disciplines and has made cross systematic collaborations single sided and unpredictable which has inspired many systematic research initiatives to tackle this issue. Wiener's cybernetics theory of control deals with behavior dynamical systems of engineering and computational mathematics and theorizes how with inputs the behavior of the dynamical systems is modified by feedback[5]. While the General System Theory (GTS) of Von Bertalanffy encapsulates the contemporary science and technology´s ever-increasing specialization that is imposed by enormous amount of data and the complexity of theoretical and technical structures that define every field[6]. This therefore leads to the inevitable creation of innumerable disciplines which generate new subdisciplines[7]. Thus, in consequence the social scientist, the biologist, the psychologist and the engineer are encapsulated in their fields universes and it is extremely difficult to enable structural and theoretical exchange of problems. Therefore, GTS aims on reflecting upon the phenomenon of similar problems emerging and evolving in widely different fields and proposes that complex systems of different disciplines share several organizing systematic principles and that trans-disciplinary and holistic approach should bring various fields closer together, scientifically and systematically[8]. This will allow for future ramifications of the holistic approach towards various fields and enhance their collaboration.   

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The General System Theory (GTS) developed and transitioned into being less ambiguous than Bertalanffy anticipated. The theory started applying itself in various industries and disciplines and by further development, to this day has reframed, theoretical, systematic and trans-disciplinary complex scientific applications which have transformed the world we live in. This has impacted the way in modern times cross and trans-disciplinary collaborations are established, with specific usage of the system theory in military and engineering applications[9]. As various disciplines continue evolving and extrapolating their specialization, the trans-disciplinary information is simultaneously and exponentially increasing. Professionals today value the usage of General System Theory in research and practice due to the systematic organization that this theory has established during its development. Among others the significant change that GTS has caused in the trans-disciplinary approach are fields of engineering, architecture, military applications, political sciences and social sciences.

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The subjects of political sciences, social sciences, psychology, biology, and engineering take precedence in the world of academia and research. There is significant focus by academics in researching multi, inter and even trans-disciplinary implications of the universal principles applying to systems in general, but also to the aforementioned fields individually. There is however a gap in academia and research of studies in the fields of technology, architecture and cultural sciences which investigates their trans-disciplinary ramifications and societal implications. Moreover, this leads to the creation of the notion of architectural colonization which is taking precedence in modern societies and is one the main byproduct of the vast advancement of technology in the field of architecture.

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Technology, culture, architecture and mostly the role of the architect have been, substantially transformed by ever evolving system theories and perhaps cybernetics, where the architect has positioned themselves in between various disciplines by being engaged in the collaborative form of constructing common base for methods, concepts and consequently instead of abolition of single disciplinary knowledge has grasped the bigger picture. Therefore, the role of the architect and architecture is ever changing and is closely affected by its trans-disciplinary relationship with various fields and cultural implications.

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Why?

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Due to the increased advancement of technology, the role of the architect and architecture has gained more significance and increased its impact not only in our societies but has transformed many other disciplines, fields and industries. As knowledge in recent history has become easy to access, remodel and practice, architects have been surprisingly fast to expand their scientific and artistic outreach and establish cross and trans-disciplinary knowledge sharing which is deeply guided by technology.

This phenomenon however it is not a contemporary one, architecture and architects have historically proven their ability to establish trans-disciplinary collaborations and expand their influence in society by acquiring knowledge from other key fields. By the usage of various techniques and systematic theories, architecture and its cultural projection have not only enhanced disciplines and fields, but have significantly placed the architect in the epicenter of many globalized issues such as societal change, political power, quality of life, control, ideology and climate change. In recent history the intersection of architecture with different fields extends from architecture’s relationship with biology, material sciences, psychology, anthropology, chemistry, fine arts, film making, social sciences, journalism and ecology. The ramifications of architecture’s everlasting trans-disciplinary transformations have had an incredible impact on culture, and the role of the architect. Due to the very broad spectrum of this topic and this phenomenon´s outreach, only selected areas will be further analyzed and researched.

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We need to further study the role of the architect and architecture, shaped by technology as the epicenter of a trans-disciplinary practice and its cultural implications. Therefore this will establish a comprehensive and holistic strategy backed by systematic investigation of the complexity of the relationship between technology and architecture and how this relationship has transformed the role of the architect in our society. In addition, we need to question and explore the ethical implications of this complex relationship. By investigating the historical predisposition of the evolution of the connection of architecture with politics, power, ideological agendas and control, will allow further questioning and exploring the main issues that will be researched such as architectural colonization, difficult cultural heritage, and politically demonstrated architecture. The contexts expend from the abounded vernacular villages of Tamnougalt in Morrocco, to, Ani the city of 1001 churches in present Türkiye the old bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina and the correlation of the national library of Pristina with Church of Christ the Saviour or else called, the Political Church in Pristina, Kosovo.

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Following the aforementioned points I intend to raise significant questions such as: How has the role of the architect and architecture in relation to its trans and multi-disciplinary approach has evolved throughout history? How has the trans/multi-disciplinary approach of architecture affected its relationship with power, politics, ideology and laid the foundation for the modern architectural colonization? How has technology enhanced architecture to be used as a tool to control, affect and impose rule of law to societies? In connection to these points, how has the evolution of technology impacted the ability of architecture to extrapolate its relationship with aforementioned topics such as power, politics, societal change? And how has the dichotomous relationship between architecture and technology shaped the cultural dynamics in a contemporary society? Further on, this study aims to investigate the contemporary applications of architecture being used as a means to control society and access political power and the current tools that architects use to achieve these goals.

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Among other things, I suggest to deal with the issues that architecture and its interventions throughout historical practice have instigated. The main areas of research regarding this aspect will be; architectural colonization and the decolonization of architecture, difficult cultural architectural heritage, and cultural implications of the complex relationship of architecture and technology. Simultaneously the study will aim to investigate the ways technology will impact preservation, conservation and active preservation of contested and culturally significant architectural entities.

 

How?

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Establishing a comprehensive and holistic strategy backed by systematic investigation of current research, and literature of the role of architecture throughout history and its relationship with various disciplines and its evolving relationship with technology, will lay the foundation for better understanding the current and future implications of this relationship. The constantly evolving inextricable connection of architecture with technology and its cultural implications have transformed the way architecture is contemporary practiced. With technology guiding many aspects of architecture and its trans-disciplinary outreach, the role of the architect in our society is simultaneously evolving.

This study will focus on the research of the inter-relatedness of associative and alternative hypotheses. These hypotheses inform, complement and reflect upon one another, which provides a clear direction of their relationship and their methodological implications. The hypotheses are as following:

 

Architecture has historically been practiced and used as a tool to manifest ideological agendas, political power, wealth, societal control and rule of law. This has tremendously impacted cultural attitudes and changed societal behaviors and has had significant cultural implications.

 

The reciprocal relationship of architecture and technology and their evolution through time has resulted in the creation of architectural typologies, urban organizations, aesthetics and architectural styles that raises ethical questions and concerns among societies. A few examples of these are: Palaces, schools, prisons, bunkers, city squares, communist housing buildings and religious buildings.

 

The contemporary applications of technology in architecture and their trans-disciplinary approach have resulted in the creation of digitally enhanced architectural entities, urban fabrics, and spatial configurations which have transformed the way architecture is created and experienced. At the same time this has transformed the globalization of architecture and has allowed the homogenization of form, typology, material choice ect. Other tools that are spreading globally and are ethically questionable which are used to enhance digital architecture are: Camera movement tracing, surveillance, body heat detection, noise and voice detection and adrenaline level detection. These aspects of digital architecture and its globalization outreach influence our societies, our daily lives and transform the collective identity of a society their bodily dispositions.

 

Discourses regarding the ethical implications of digital architecture, its practices and the role of the architect during the entire process raises concerns about the intentions of digitally advanced tools and suggest that they are a modern manifestation of societal control, access to political power, influence decision making and moreover, enabling and systematically enforcing consumerism and capitalistic inclinations to societies.

 

The contemporary architectural colonization via technology and digitalization has impacted vernacular architecture, regionality, identity and has generated the generalization of architecture form, aesthetics, spatial configuration and materiality. The use of digital tools has enabled modern practices to homogenize and colonize architecture globally. This is quite often achieved by the use of imported building materials, certain aesthetics, trends, systems and architectural style. Therefore, this leads to the loss of locality, vernacular tradition, and relation to the local context which has significant cultural implications.

 

The dichotomy of the trans-disciplinary application of architecture has enabled the formation of architectural entities with opposing values and significant cultural implications. The undemocratic, unjust and unequal access of people to technology globally, enables the generalization, homogenization and colonization of architecture. This is often instigated by developed countries fueled by the constant digitalization and technological advancements which consequently lead to exporting types of architecture, which instead of enhancing local qualities, vernacular architecture, and materials, quite often have the opposite result with significant cultural and societal implications.

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Establishing a thorough timeline that consists of systematic research of the evolution of the role of the architect historically in connection to architecture’s trans-disciplinary approach to problem solving and its ever-growing relationship with technology and its cultural implications will unfold the methodological foundation upon which further empirical research will follow. Investigating existing literature, research and specific architectural projects that closely deal with the trans-disciplinary complex relationship of architecture with different fields and technology, will create the baseline, connection, and will allow the better understanding of the constantly transforming role of the architect through history and its effect on culture, society and politics. The research will be based on cross collaboration with architecture practices, universities, communities, design schools and organizations locally and internationally. This will be done by conducting a series of interviews with architects, practitioners, professionals from different fields, politicians and clients, and will simultaneously allow for a more holistic approach to understanding the complexity of the trans-disciplinary role of the architect and architecture’s relationship with technology in an international setting. The international research technique will allow for a more comprehensive, diverse and inclusive approach to the broad outreach and various implications and ramifications of the complexity of the relationship of trans-disciplinary architecture practices, technology and culture.​

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The investigative approach will thoroughly investigate the historical predisposition of architecture and the constantly evolving role of the architect in relationship with technological advancement and its impact on our societies. The focus points will be politically, ideologically and culturally demonstrated types of architecture entities and urban planning which carry ethically questionable implications and are associated as entities with difficult cultural heritage which have laid the trajectory for the modern manifestations of architectural colonization. The research areas mainly will be project and context specific, and will aim on exploring and analyzing the evolution of the multi/trans-disciplinary approach of architecture and its impact on the transformation of the role of the architect through history. Subsequently correlational methods will be used to establish connections, define predispositions and make predictions of the trans-disciplinary practice of architecture and its impact on culture and society. The investigation will focus on gathering information on the variety and types of disciplines that architecture and architects have mostly expanded their collaboration and outreach with. Simultaneously it will unfold the societal and cultural impact of this collaboration and predict future patterns and scenarios.

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The qualitative and artistic methodologies, while being submerged and interconnected will enable a candid, unique and experimental discourse between communities, academics, thinkers and various practitioners about the changing role of the architect, modern architectural colonization and other hypotheses. These methods include multiple interviews, conversations, tests, surveys, project specific investigation and artistic exhibitions. The aim of these types of methods will be to establish a compact and impactful empirical research. Interviews with fellow architects from leading international practices, journalists, social scientists and architects in political positions will take precedence.

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The qualitative and artistic approach to research among others will aim on establishing a clear narrative of the evolution of the role of the architect, its trans-disciplinary approach, its dichotomous relationship with technology, politics, control, power and wealth and the architectural manifestation of this relationship. Thereby, this narrative will enable the creation of significant discourses about the role of the architect in modern architectural colonization, politics, culture and society. The usage of artistic exhibition and participatory methodologies will aim to display the findings of this research through each of the aforementioned methodologies in an artistic setting where the findings are not only presented in the form of information but will be reflective, interactive and will reciprocatively engage with the public in order to gather thorough insights to the constantly shifting precedence of the architectural manifestation of the evolution of an ethically imbalanced role of the architect and its impact on culture. This will simultaneously illuminate how architecture will be created in the future, the evolution of spatial configurations and mainly, the cultural implications of a globally colonized architecture.   ​​​