Reading Assignment 2

Reading Assignment 2 Due 7/24/10

The following must be written out by hand in your own words.

Use the assigned readings and research (wikipedia, google, etc) to give definitions and diagrams of the following terms and concepts:

Novel Tectonics, Digital Tectonics, Catalytic Formations, AD Elegance, Stan Allen “Field Conditions”, and Greg Lynn, on-line.

What is Gall’s Law?


Quantitative Property


What is emergence theory? (watch the video)


Explain Intensive vs Extensive Properties and how they apply to the way we approach architectural design. (Novel Tectonics pg 72-77 & pg 106- 108)


According to Stan Allen what are “Moments of Intensity” and “Field Conditions”?


What are Swarm Geometries? How do they relate to Intensive and Extensive measures?(Digital Tectonics pg. 70-77)



According to Ali Rahim, what are “techniques”?


What is “Affordance Theory”?


According to Ali Rahim what are “affects”?


What is the relationship between digital techniques, affordance, and affective forms?


According to Lynn, what are “smooth retroactive gestures”?


What is the relationship between intensive forces and “anexact yet rigorous geometries”