Building (in) the Future: Recasting Labor in Architecture

by Phillip Bernstein (Editor), Peggy Deamer (Editor)

There is no denying the transformational role of the computer in the evolution of contemporary architectural practice. Butdoes this techno-determinist account tell the whole story? Are humans becoming irrelevant to the overall development of thebuilt environment? Building (in) the Future confronts these important questions by examining the fundamental human relationships that characterize contemporary design and construction. Thirty-four contributors including designers,engineers, fabricators, contractors, construction managers, planners, and scholars examine how contemporary practicesof production are reshaping the design/construction process.

Through observations, arguments, and detailed project explorations contributors describe new models of practice and reorganizations of labor for the 21st century. Chapters include a reconsideration of craft in light of digital fabrication; anexploration of new methods of collaboration; an analysis of changes in contracts and standards; and an assessment of thenew market realities of mass production and customization.

Genres: Architecture

216 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2010

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of essays on the forces that are shaping the future of building in the AEC industry, compiled from a symposium at Yale's School of Architecture in 2010. The topics cover a wide swathe of topics from parametric building information modeling (BIM), to integrated project delivery (IPD), and the Legal and Contractual Issues that are defining their use. Also of great interest here are the ways that cutting edge contemporary practices are forging a more intimate relationship with the means and methods of building that arguably has been lost through the transition away from the time of the master-builder. How roles are changing as a result of these technologies, and the evolving concentration on collaboration in the industry, these essays should be required reading for any architect interested in the larger direction of practice as we know it in Western society.