narrative

environments

hacked
by

Nature
// Mariana loureno

01
02
03

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Design into complex systems

NATURE AS PARAMETER FOR TECHNOLOGY

p. 07

p. 21

practices of narrative spaces

P. 29

Quotations & Bibliography

P. 48

abstract

intro
Since thousands of years, many colonies of
social insects like bees and termites has a
collective intelligence. It emerges naturally
from its collaborative work, otherwise

only two things I can say that are

really irreversible:
// (...) The connections, the relationships, the
interdependencies and the communication
spread all over the globe. We are now in
a position that we are all dependent on
each other. What happens in Malaysia, you know it or you do not know it , you
feel it or you do not it - has tremendous
importance for the prospects of life for
the young people in So Paulo. (...)

they would never have alone enough

// The second is that (...) our ancestors

decided to take over nature under human
management, and hope that they would
make nature absolutely obedient to human
needs and issues, and there would be full
control over what is happening in the
world. Now that came to an end, because
(...) in the result of this tremendous success
of science and sociology, we came very close
to what we now understand as the limits
of endurability of the planet.
Zygmunt Bauman, 2011 01

intelligence. Considering intelligence as the

ability to solve problems, it was already
provided many clues that the individual
actuators in the contemporary humans
urban context is not enough to solve our
new complex problems, even with their
very smart brains.

As an interdisciplinary field, design has

parameters, the visualization created

responsibility in the improvement of the

tend to have its own particular hybrid

However, they are a fundamental point

communication between the connections. It

language which also communicate part of

in the chain of our actual networked

is also important to think about intelligent

the process. It contributes for a new future

society. All the small parts of it has its own

and creative new commands for the

aesthetic and biological relations with

intelligence, and they compound a living

programmable technologies, in order to

technology.

systems where each function is distributed.

generates large complexity from simple

rules, that is, bottom-up systems. But

Apart from any speculation about our

Regarding to that, problems about the

what would be the best strategies to get

future, there is something in common

continuity of the life in the planet is

solutions from the machines?

between all the parts of this complex

obviously related to failures that happened

4|

mechanism: it should be managed

at some point of our actual chain of

This new design processes can be based

itself through the cooperation of all the

production and consumption. The ecological

in parameters that were extracted

parts. The huge challenge being faced by

agenda is asking no longer for only general

from biological systems or in its natural

the designer in the new digital era and

discussions, but actually demanding specific

morphologies. Due to the combination

specialization fields are how to coordinate

changes of attitudes from all subsystems.

between the use of analog datas and digital

all the actuators of this complex system.

|5

01
DESIGN into

COMPLEX
SYSTEMS

collective intelligence

Emergence

Emergence is what happens when an

interconnectedsystem of relatively
simple elements self-organize to
form more intelligent, more adaptive
higher-level behavior.
- Steven Johnson 02

in an avalanche, an agglomeration of many

sociology and technology in general. It focus in

In other words, the coordination from

particles of sand tend to, in response to

the arrangement and relationship of the parts

some minority group that possesses the

some random perturbation, move with a

instead of the properties of single particles.

control, in a top-down hierarchy, is not

constant speed and adopting the direction

Above all, it avoids reductionism because it

so simple in a such complexes knowledge

of the movement. The parameters of

looks for the unity of sciences, by assuming

fields entanglement. Self-managed groups

this collective motion is similar to what

that real systems are opened and respond

with independent actuators in cooperation

happen between the flocking of birds, ants,

to their environment.

are the structure that tendo to be most

swimming of schools of fish, migrating

bacteria or molds.

find in the natural systems.

The possession, use and control of
knowledge have become their central theme

Moreover, it is impossible not to mention

This natural phenomenon is explained by

[from Elites] - the theme song of their

how big was the changes made by the

self-propelled particles (SPP) that produce

expertise. However, their power depends

digital revolution in the society complexity.

swarm behavior. Each part of the swarm is

not on the effect with which they use that

Nevertheless specialization from the

an autonomous agent, but the need for the

knowledge but on the effectiveness with

post-industrial society and the digital era

group override their individual intentions.

which they control its use. Thus, among the

had been multiplied the complexity in a

The swarming systems has single agents

illusions which have invested our civilization

geometric progression, it has at the same

that team up with no decision-maker leader

is an absolute belief that the solution to

time created technologies that could be

result in a collective wisdom, in other words,

our problems must be a more determined

used to control it. Put differently, they

it allows emergent behavior to improve

application of rationally organized expertise.

can also be programmed to respond to our

the system qualitatively. Emergence have

(...) The reality is that the division of

complex problems, so it is important to

already been studied since a while in the

knowledge into feudal fiefdoms of expertise

history through the system science.

has made general understanding and

coordinated action not simply impossible

Complex system was firstly proposed in 1940s

but despised and distrusted.

by the biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy,

and it had been underlying biology, physics,
8|

- John Ralston Saul 03

|9

investigate how bottom-up intelligence

emerge to find those answers.

NATURE HOLISTIC STRATEGY

We dont have to go far away to find
the most resilient behaviors and smart
solutions, they are just around us in all alive
matters like bacterias, moss or plants.
All the Nature is autonomously
self-organized
In another words, form should follow the
environment, that is, design should be
driven by the most effective way to use
natures resources. For instance, daylight
is a powerful energy source to take into
account in the spaces construction. E
tambm
he convergence of the physical and digital
world into a hybrid ecology.

Img. 1 // Cosmic Jive: Toms Saraceno. The Spider

Sessions. Photo: Nuvola Ravera Courtesy Studio
Saraceno

The installations from the argentinean artist Toms

Saraceno shows his extensive research about spider
webs. He had been exploring complex world of spider,
from capturing the sounds and vibrations emitted by
spiders, until mixturing species with different degree
of sociability - solitary, social, and semi-social (living
together in big communities on a single web) ending
up in a collaborative construction of a hybrid web.
His studies shows many aspects of design,
architectural, engineering, social and symbolic
values of the spider webs that has high levels of the
emergence from collective intelligence and networked
systems with a bottom-up design.

10 |

In the img , it is clear that Saraceno treated this

floating space configuration as a medium for many
people experience together, that is, with no meaning
without them.

Img. 2 // Installation Toms Saraceno - In orbit.

K21 Stndehaus. Photo: personal archive.
Curators: Marion Ackermann, Susanne Meyer-Bser
Head of Engineering Department: Bernd Schliephake

The way it is designed afford a very strong sense

of network, resonances and communication to
the users, because the interaction with each
part of it can be felt in the opposit end, in a codependent movement. Moreover, the 25 meters high
distance from floor provides an intense oscilating
feeling between floating and falling, and allows
communication also with the people down there.
It is definetedly an interesting collaboration between
art, engeneering, architecture and biologists.

| 11

resilient
living machines

Nature has billion of years of trials and

Resilient architecture, as long as design,

errors for smarter solutions. Maybe its

means that each small cell that compound

most relevant wisdom is the ability to

a system or structure should be responsive.

cope with changes, that is, resilience. All

It means that the behavior should be

self-manageable smartness emerge from

controlled in such a way that the form no

necessity to build through diversities.

longer follow the function, but it evolves

according to interactions with the built

In an uncertain and fast-evolving society,

spaces, the nature and the humans. They

there is no doubt that the more diverse

are inserted in a complex context with

is the system, the more resilient against

variables that cannot be ignored, and they

external interference it is. Diversity means

are based in this most important three

different connections and layers, in addition

parameters.

to the possibility to flow between them

with versatility and modularity.

Responsive structure from William Bondin done

2013 as final work in the MA in The Bartlett School
of Architecture, UCL. It is a solar-powered mobile
polyhedra that can reconfigure to motivate social
interaction. User is able to play with the living
sculpture, that has a very simple digital brain.
The environmental-behavior concept was inspired
by the slime mold physarum polycephalum. Morphs
like this mold isnt provided by brain, but it is
programmed to avoid shady and humid places to
protect his electronic organism, just like the mold
cognitive process incorporated in its environment.
When it looks for food, it marks with slime the
places where it was already explored.

The purpose to emphasize how can the robots

be adaptive to nature and existing architecture,
at the same time that encourage social humans
interaction is audacious and at the same time
interesting in the public space context, where most
of the existing architecture are static.

Img. 3 //
Img. 4 // Img. 5 // Morphs 1.0 from
William Bondin. Photo: [http://www.williambondin.
com/portfolio/morphs1/]. Retrieved 21/08/2015.

Resilience as a tool can be called from

all fields. The term has been already
extensively studied into the individual
behavior for psychology, into organisational
management for business, or even into
material sciences for engineering.

12 |

| 13

As an self-adaptable structure, it has already the

2.0 version a should came up soon with probably
new beta versions, since it allows different
unfoldings in the use of it as structure. Morph 2.0
is an octahedral 1.5 meters that slowly rolls over
the floor once some part of its structure extends
and change its centre of gravity. In this prototype
it is possible to see how different are the ideas
when they are put into physical works. It is also an
important feature to think a design that is open to
future different unimaginable unfoldings.

Img. 6 // Morphs 2.0, real prototype from William

Bondin. Photo: [http://www.interactivearchitecture.
org/lab-projects/morphs]. Retrieved 21/08/2015.

sustainaBILTY
people X technology

Continuous production of technology and

It needs to be considered that the

products was the goal of industrial age

technology cannot create all resources to

for a long time. During all this period, we

every material need we created nowadays.

invented a lot of dumb technologies that

At some point, the natural physical limit

we could not imagine that would cause so

will always be imposed in a society based

Part of the strategy to achieve resilient

In conclusion, the same way nature is

hard consequences for the future. Now, we

in things. In opposition, in a society based

solutions is to keep this responsive logic

constant prototyping and selecting their

know. It is not possible to act as we do not

in people, the natural limits are considered

in the whole process. A coherence should

most resilient organisms, design cannot

know about possible unexpected effects of

before any action. The starting point of

exist not only in the project phase or as final

ignore the real constraints, which makes

new technologies in our next future.

this society is having a common idea about

product, but should face it as never ending

the learn by doing an evolving path to a

where to go in the future, so an important

process, a design of continuity. In order to

constant dialog with the environment. It is a

issue is how we can transform our economy.

achieve it, it is impossible to develop a project

bottom-up process that is always opened to

only in the ideal speculative field, because

new unfoldings, waiting for the next BETA

ideas do not deal with real time and space.

version. Supported by the convergence of

That is, each material has its particular

the physical with the digital world, it is the

homeostasis, so it respond differently to

possibility to design living machines in a

balance forces and make a new equilibrium.

new context of a hybrid ecology.

It also applies for digital simulations. They

are useful tools to testing large scale
complexities, however, it should never be
forgotten that the digital environment has
Cartesian coordinates. They are ideal neutral
spaces, like a vacuum, and the reality deal
with unpredictable forces and motions.
14 |

We cannot stop tech, and there is no

reason why we should. It is useful.
But we need to change the innovation
agenda in such a way that people come
before tech. It will be an ongoing
struggle, of course. From nineteenthcentury mill owners to twentiethcentury dot-commers, businesspeople
have looked for ways to remove people
from production, using technology
and automation to do so. A lot of
organization will continue on this
path, but they are behind the times.
- John Thackara, 2005 04
| 15

Since eightieth decade, ecological eco-

In opposition to ecological economy, the

Actually, think about the economy as an

technical cycle, according to the origin of

nomics has been discussed. In order

environment economy, as a discipline of

ecosystem, as long as taking insights from

the matter. In such a manner, products

to study the interdependencies and

Economy, do not tackle the fact that the

living systems is being discussed since

of consumption that are biologically

coevolution of human economies and

economy has a biophysical limit in the

the seventh decade through the notion

consumable can after return to soil, and

natural ecosystems, this transdisciplinary

finite planet if we think about large scales.

of Circular Economy. It has been specially

non toxic products of service, that we do

academic research tries to alternatively

This systems growth is not different from

developed by some schools of thought, like

not effectively consume the molecular

approach the economy sub-system as

any other in nature, as plants community,

Cradle to Cradle and Biomimicry.

potential, should be able to return to the

part of the ecosystem, hence, emphasizes

economy cannot grow continuously. On

the protection of the natural capital and

the other hand, after it reaches a constant

The architect William McDonough along

new useful products. So, whilst the so

the sustainability. Fair distribution and

state, it does improve through cooperation.

with Michael Braungart talked in Cradle

called technical nutrients are kept in the

efficient allocation are behind the idea of

It means that the collaborative attitude by

to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make

ownership of the manufacturer, they must

scaling sustainable production.

each part of the systems is intrinsic for the

Things15 about that as the Next Industrial

also be responsible for its material assets.

development of the community.

Revolution. In opposition to the standard

industry forever and be transformed in

Cradle to grave system, where the result

John Thackara 04 (2005)describes a well

Ecological economics exists because a

of a LCA (Life-cycle assessment) is a

being based on less stuff - which people are

hundred years of disciplinary specialization

linear waste flow, in which the elements

designed back into situations - and more

in scientific inquiry has left us unable to

are left aside after a period of use, in the

into people. That means a design focused

understand or to manage the interactions

closed loop approach the natural biological

on services and systems, so the objects

between the human and environmental

metabolism are mimicked.

would play a support role. He curiously trace

a parallel of a transition, which is already

components of our world. While none

would dispute the insights that disciplinary

Thus, the life-cycle of all products should

under way, from innovation drive by science

specialization has brought, many now

be inside either a biological cycle other a

fiction to innovation inspired by social

fiction.

recognize that it has also turned out to

be our Achilles heel. (...) How is human
behaviour connected to changes in
hydrological, nutrient or carbon cycles? What
are the feedbacks between the social and
natural systems, and how do these influence
the services we get from ecosystems?
Ecological economics as a field attempts to
answer questions such as these.
- International Society for Ecological Economiecs (ISEE) 05
16 |

the next

economy
| 17

question What to do with our waste?,

Accordingly, all physical tridimensional

transform the waste in opportunities is

design in this context undoubtedly faces

a big deal. Michael Pawlyn researched

new paradigms. Form should follow the

interesting projects developed under

environment, that is, design should be

the idea of use the rests to feed new a

driven by the most effective way to operate

product- life-cycle, like the Mobius Project.

natures resources, specially in terms of

material and energy flows. For instance,

Even though those circular systems

daylight is a powerful energy source to take

sound good approaches in the direction of

into account in the spaces construction.

sustainability, some critics pointed to the

implementation of such product system

Furthermore, the disposal phase in the

up to now. The authors that created the

design of a products life plays an important

trademark C2C (Cradle to Cradle), developed

hole in the environment metabolism, and

a certification that was provided only

has been for a long time neglected. It

from this private company. Even with

means that all waste equals food, that

effort to make partnerships with Dutch

is, takes place again an important rule of

government, for instance, and also create

Nature about never wasting. In regard to

a public institution that could give those

increasingly demanded answers to the

certificates, it sounds strange to create a

certificate for a new system of economy,
based in the approach of the old system.

Img. 7 // Mobius Project. Photo: [http://www.

exploration-architecture.com/projects/the-mobiusproject]. Retrieved in 30/09/2015.

Mobius Project is a concept of productive

greenhouse with a restaurant where the all waste
equals food is taken in the highest level. As public
space, the greenhouse would have community
allotments growing food, a food market, and many
sub-systems compounding the ecosystem.

18 |

All in all, to think about the next economy

Between the cycles of food production, energy
generation and water treatment, many processes
are coordinated to form a closed-loop system.
Food leftovers are composted by wormery
composting system, producing energy for heat
and electricity. Waste water becomes fresh again
by plants and microorganisms in the Living
Machine system treatment pioneered by John
Todd. Coffee grain recycled to grow mushrooms,
served as food, as long as another seasonal food
grown in the greenhouse. Biodegradable waste
from the community around generates electricity,
through the methane derived from composting
and anaerobic digester.

The relevance of this project when thinking about

systems design is how it restore connections
between the people in the city. A society that is
based in consume of products instead of relation
with people tend to individualisation in urban
space. The loss of community sense and of contact
with earth ended up being the cause for many
of contemporary city problems, like the majority
consume of industrialized harmful food products

with the circular system does not seem

to be a bad idea, but implementations
to approaches like Cradle to cradle could
be driven to an open source kind of
certification.

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02
nature as
Parameter
for technology

| 21

big data
by natures code

Material
Science
Access to information and the capacity

In addition to that, the questions

place in Lethaby Gallery at Central Saint

to provide it a strategic direction is a

concerning sustainability are how and where

Martins in London. This exhibition showed

strength of information era. On the other

to save all the information. Some of the

biologically driven narratives of design,

hand, misuse and unintelligent strategies

answers have been studied through the

including work from Ann-Kristin Abel, Natsai

to select it or store it are between the

biomedical spectrum.

Chieza, Amy Congdon, Ruairi Glynn, Rob

Kesseler, Ollie Palmer and also the already

emerging complication of it.

All the digital data we produce requires

art &
design
softrobotics

Synthetic
biology

mentioned Morphs from William Bondin.

I certainly think theres a data overload

an ever increasing number of data centres,

- and an awful lot of the data that

packed with energy-hungry servers that

It is important to mention that this alive

is generated is entirely redundant.

contribute to large amounts of CO2

projects are tightening the relations

Information is something which is valuable,

emissions. This kind of digital storage is

between the biologic physical systems

with simplified interfaces. For this reason,

which you can use. Data is just junk.

limited, but biology may provide a new

and the virtual information technologies.

material science, synthetic biology and

solution. Recently scientists have stored

Even though they stay most of the time in

soft-robotics has no longer been so much in

commented David Lewis in interview for

all of Shakespeares sonnets in DNA, along

the means of research and speculations,

need of this bridge to be designed. Sciences

The Guardian 06.

with 26 seconds of Martin Luther Kings

they bring out the high demand about this

and business has many new insights to be

I have a dream speech, and Watson and

analog with digital entanglement. That is

explored with the design thinking, so the

Cricks paper on the structure of DNA.

how opportunities to an emerging bio-tech

designers are now aware of this powerful

landscape in design are developed.

communication and multidisciplinary ability

According to the newspapers report, the

new-found desire to report everything
is causing the surge in information. 800

22 |

to connect fields and create new interfaces.

- Big Data Catalogue, 2014. 07

megabyte of data, possibly interpreted as

Img. 9 // Complementary fields to Art an Design.

In brief, the cross-disciplinary practices

In addition, there is no doubt that the

equivalent to 800 books, are the amount

Big Data catalog was a result of Big Data:

emerge in the new networked systems as

biological systems smartness are able to help

of data created for every man, woman and

Designing with the Materials of life that

a strong tool of innovation. The current

the design to generate new perspectives.

child in 2002. Thus, a question arises: what

was curated as the 3 weeks project Fabric of

technology is allowing complexes fields

Considering that, what can the designers

could be the future of the big data?

Life 2014, and an exhibition which that took

to be handled by not specialized people

learn in exchange from the scientists?

| 23

Img. 11 // Ant Ballet Machine by Ollie Palmer.

Source: Big Data cathalog.

Img. 10 // Ant Ballet Machine by Ollie Palmer. Source:

http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2012/10/
start/colony-choreography. Retrieved 30/08/2015.

They explored the possibilities through a crossdisciplinary approach about how to process, edit
and store large amounts of digital data. One of
the projects exhibited were the Ant Ballet, where
Ollie Palmer used synthesized pheromones used in
their communication to hack their behavior.

This project asks viewers to reflect on their

relationship to control systems, free will, and our
mechanistic viewpoint of the world. The Ant Ballet
machines directly hack into ant communication
protocols, tricking ants into thinking that they
are being passed trail messages by other ants. As
humans, we can see that the machine is in control.
If we could shift our perspective, could we ever tell if
something larger were playing the same trick on us?

- Big data Cathalog, 2014. 07

Here the emergent collect intelligence of the
ants were subverted showing what are possible
negative aspects of interference in the system.
We cant predict how the new technologies will be
handled in the future, and that has specially moral
implication concerning biologicals manipulations.
How can we we combine biologic systems with
technology, in such a manner that the mechanism
will follow the nature holistic rules, and never be
subverted by local interests?

24 |

| 25

biotech
Its is a very tough bridge to construct,

One tangible example of studies in this field

between the molecular biology definition

are in bioluminescence. A biotechnology

of life and our larger social, political, and

laboratory called Biocurious, which is an

cultural definitions of life. And this is an

coworking, training, center and hub for

important issue for the designers - to help

hobbyists, students, entrepreneurs that want

to build this bridge.

to experiment biology, has a study group

about Bioluminescence. They are interested
in cell culture to produce bioluminescent

Biotechnology, or biotech, is based in

properties. Transformation of already

genetic engineering, which means the

existing living systems or the creation of

manipulation genes generally from a

new beings carry a heavy responsibility,

At the same time, this theme divides

donor organism to a host. However, it

because it can have several positive and

opinion between the synthetic biologists

aims to deepen into developing brand new

negative consequences. Therefore, it

and the more conservative ecologists. In

In sum, this is a field that can be explored

biological systems and organisms. This

concern to all society to be attentive about

his book about the future of our complex

in the quest for a hybrid ecology. In the

interference would bring on high levels of

what should not be done.

world with a engaged point of view with the

new context, physical spaces, humans,

environment, John Thackara were assertive

organisms, biological process starts to co-

in his opinion.

work with virtual spaces, softwares, genetic

transformations not only in the biological

developments and ecology, but also in the

Eugene Thacker in interview to Mau, B.

economy and ethics.

with Leonard, J. and the Institute without

light using luciferase, and have interest in

bioluminescent bacteria and dinoflagellates.

modified organisms, robots, synthetic

Boundaries 08 (2004) talked about the

The worst kind of tech push combines

biological organisms. The emergence of

It sounds a contemporary issue, but more

transgenics in its positive aspect. Even

irresponsibility with wishful thinking. One

a new system merging technology and

than one hundred years was synthetic

though the genetically modified food has

of the worst current offenders is biotech.

natural systems is the opportunity for a

biology already providing expectations for

demand a delicate surrounds of safety

When Eugene Thacker studied the biotech

more sustainable environment.

the future. Genome design knowledge has

and needs serious regulations, the idea

industry for a book he was writing, he

been improved, and even scaling production

of isolating the biological processes,

encountered blatant disparity between

with 3d printers are already on the agenda.

and then reframe it in a new context, is

hyper-optimism and an overall lack of

Nonetheless, it is still imprecise and

basically the system of a factory. In this

concrete results. The future promises

expensive like a craft.

way, microorganisms, enzymes and genes

of biotech are many and far reaching,

perform in labs as, what Marx called, living

but Thacker could not help noticing the

For the design, it offer new ranges of

labor which the labors arent the people.

comparative absence of any concrete,

approach to deal with biological systems

He mentioned that although

widespread, sustainable results of the

through the digital tools. It concerns to new

biotechnology is just the use of

application of biotech in medicine and

smart materials and structures that is by its

life, it can also be sein as a particular

health care.

own a non-passive living system, that could

relationship between human beings and

possibly have more resilient and interactive

their natural environment, and also said:

26 |

- John Thackara, 2005 04

| 27

03
narrative
spaces
practices

Exhibitive spaces has its architecture

Tristan Kobler, founder and director along

origins probably in monuments of

with Holzer Kobler of the Holzer Kobler

celebration and adoration. Since a

Architekturen, stated in an interview for

long time, old pyramids from Egypt or

Oudsten, F. den 09 (2011) that there are no

cemeteries was space of religious rituals,

non-narrative spaces, since all spaces has

with some levels of appreciation, social

narratives. Then, when asked what is an

and metaphysical experiences. Also,

exhibition, and he said:

ceremonies to present and communicate

messages was always of relevance as a
mediation of collective ideas.

An exhibition is of course also a narrative

space. Thats unavoidable. And if its

Nowadays, exhibition spaces and its

unavoidable it has to become part of

scenography are a segment of design that

the plan. In other words, I can guide

range museums, expos, thematic parks,

the narrative. And a lot of exhibition

stages, visual merchandising. They are

designers dont think that its narrative

presented here as narrative spaces because

and therefore they make no attempt to

all of them tell stories, through where

guide the narrative. This aspect is paid

specific intentions are communicated.

no attention in a lot of exhibitions. The

Therefore, the narrative has a prominent role

presentation certainly tells a story, but

in exhibition spaces as a designer medium.

perhaps not the intended one.

And Holzer Kobler complemented:

As silly as it may sound, every

exhibition has a didactic task, a thematic
assignment. The exhibition should
convey a message. In other words, there
is a narrative. The exhibition maker has to
bring along a narrative. In other narrative
environments the narrative may arise in
part from the circumstances and realities
of a given location. The narrative of an
exhibition is not present from the outset
as a basic tone pervading the exhibition
site. The narrative of an exhibition
has to be inscribed into the space and
constructed artificially by the curator and
scenographer. It hasnt grown over time.
I think thats the key difference. In an
exhibition you create an artificial world,
just as you do in the cinema or theatre.

spaces

telling
stories
30 |

| 31

Through experimental display strategies, it

For him, scenography is a discipline that

stoods in proximity to art and has similarities

should always touch physical, atmosphere,

with performance on stage. According to

narration and dramaturgy.

Uwer R. Brckner - Atelir Bruckner 10 (2011),

Whereas the work of art purports to be
enigmatic and ambiguous, scenography
brings about elucidation, resolution
and clarity. Where art irritates and is
disturbing, scenography is concerned with
orientation and insight. It is poly- and
trans-disciplinary; it is craftsmanship and
theory, technique and technology at the
same time.

All staged spaces are based on the

same spatial parameters: 1. the physical
as substantive, 2. the atmosphere as
adjective, 3. the narration as verbal and
4. the dramaturgy as syntactics. These
four parameters share the purpose of
making appropriate space available for
the content in question, i.e. the objects to
be exhibited and the intended message.

- Uwe R. Brckner, 2011 10

All We need is a narrative space, that can be

pointed as a project that creates temporary
alternative realities, in an attempt of locally
helps to guide a cultural change in a sustainable
direction. In the Helles des Soufflantes, Esch/
Belval (Luxemburg), Europes Capital of Culture
2007, the exhibition embodied of the many
relations between human needs, ecological and
social resources available in the world and ways to
achieve fairness.
The notion of people needs coined by the chilean
economist Manfred Max-Neef was the basis of the
concept. His ideas was written in the book From
the Outside Looking In: Experiences in Barefoot

32 |

14 // Img. 15 // Img. 16 //
Img. 12 // Img. 13 // Img.

All we need exhibition. Photo: Paco Carrascosa
[http://www.holzerkobler.com/en/country/
luxembourg/post/14] . Retrieved 21/08/2015.

Concept: i-art interactive and Holzer Kobler

Architekturen
Partners: Emanuel Tschumi / Heller Enterprises /
Holzer Kobler Architekturen / Maximum Bricolage
Plinio Bachmann
Curators (Content): Mike Matthias, Jean-Marie
Krier and Robert Garcia
Project duration: 1,5 years

| 33

Economics, in 1981, where he broached about his

experiences visiting poor communities in South
America. In short, he talks about an economy that
serves the people, and not the opposite. It was
divided between ten topics: affection, creativity,
freedom, identity, participation, protection,
recreation, subsistence, understanding and
transcendence.

Considering that museum and exhibitions are

segments of the sensory agenda of contemporary,
they are places involved not only in the
representation, but also in the construction
of cultures. At this point, All we need was a
transformation potence.

Through educative and ludic scenario, the audience

is prompted to question about what are really our
fundamental necessities, and how to feed them
without harming the continuity of the planet or
override human rights. It presents alternatives in
consumptions and fair trade, as long as a change
of lifestyle.

34 |

| 35

learning
through the space

Is undeniable that the learning experience

Even though learning about sciences,

has severely changed by the digital

history and culture will never dismiss

tools. Through a more interactive and

concentrated reading, it cannot be

collaborative process, new methods

anymore always a hard and passive.

of education is progressively being

That is where narrative spaces can

adopted. Indeed, the availability of many

play an important role. As long as in

sources and ways to absorb information

the real life, games and internet, the

has enriched our relationship with the

exhibitions space can drive the user into

knowledge. However the new generations

an experiential narrative in a similar level

find themselves progressively more

of active participation. Thus, it has the

drowned in the sea of information, many

challenge to hone his role by informing and

qualitative methods for catching the

educating, as long as to inspire. It is part

attention of the new multi-focused and

of the strategy to catch emotionally and

multi-sensorial audience have taken place.

cognitively the attention of the new hyperconnected users.

learning is the reason people go to

museums, and learning is the primary
good that visitors to museums
derive from their experience. Visitors
generally come to learn and be
entertained. It is not an either-or
[Falk, Moussouri and Coulson, 1998]. The
museum experience is about engaging
people in educationally enjoyable
experiences from which they can take
their own personal meaning and when
successful museums should go one
step beyond experience and provide
the ultimate offering, transformation
[Falk and Dierking 2000: 76].
- Eden Project team quoted in Blewitt, J. (2004) 11

Furthermore, those spaces that allows

new stories to be told are import to the
practices of speculative design. It can bring
on fresh ideas and opinions through multi
directional new media. When developing
immersive parallel speculative worlds,
we are turning imagined worlds more
tangible. The possibility to experience this
atmosphere brings up new questions. It is
almost like prototyping the future.
As a consequence, it can help to entrench
sustainable culture. We cant forget that
part of the process to achieve a better
balance between economic, social and
environment, is the change of relations,
practices and beliefs that are harmful.
In fact, it is quite hard to quantify how
much it resonates in the real life of the
visitors, and the real changes of attitudes.
For this reason, those spaces shouldnt
forget to have a multidirectional exchange
and hybrids sources of communication
with their public. If the intention is to
cause real attitude and behavior changes,
it cant be in the temporary entertainment
sphere. It needs to create deep connections
and modes of participation to foster
engagement from the audience.

36 |

| 37

Imagine a huge place outside of the urban space,

where you find many children running around
through play stations, ludic interactive new media
installations. Imagine that they are very amused
with this adventurous experience while playing with
fantasy, fully immersed in a scenographic world and
discovering all the rules that run there.

Img. 17 // Eden Project area. Cornwall, UK. Photo:

[http://urbanpeek.com/2011/06/30/the-gardens-ofeden-project/]. Retrieved 30/08/2015.

38 |

Stories and storytelling lie at the heart of

human experience since the beginning of
humankind we have shared through stories
the events, beliefs and values that make us
who we are. In this complex and diverse
world, storytelling provides something
all people have in common; it is the very
essence of how our mind works, the way in
which we understand one another.
- Andy Jasper, Eden Project 11

It could be the description of Disneyland or some

amusement parks. Indeed, it is similar to a thematic
park, which the theme would be ecology. It is an
educational garden and environmental charity with
around 80 plant-based exhibits, which compound a
collection of mainly common everyday plants used for
construction, materials, medicine, etc. It occupies an
area that was exhaustively explored in the past during
160 years as china clay mining area.

Plays is one of the primary mechanisms by which

children engage with the world and learn about social
and cultural rules. As long as theaters, and types of
entertainments that are part of the Cornish culture,
they constantly offer play outdoor programs. Being
outdoor is an opportunity for children from urban
contexts to fulfill the lack of knowledge about the
nature and emotional attachment to the ecosystem.

(Waters, P., Whitbread-Abrutat, P. and Kendle, T. 12, 2010)

Img. 18 // Eden Project from inside. Cornwall, UK.

Photo: personal archive.

| 39

for example, giving opportunities to smaller producers

and local community to participate in the market.
This is not a innovative way to face the topic, but
it shows possibilities available for the present
situation. In other words, in our actual society and
market, it could also be an efficient approach to use
the same language and strategies of marketing used
from the past until now by the most popular and
environmentally aggressive companies, but trying to
subvert the values as a starting point in the change
of values and behavior. If the goal is to reach a large
quantity of people, it is important to use a certain
language that they are already used to, as a strategy
of approaching them. After gaining trust and
creating connections, the strategy should be step
by step improved and the tools updated, in order to
boost critical engagement to consumerism.

Img. 19 // Eden Project - The Core building. Source:

[https://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-here/
core]. Retrieved 21/08/2015.

Perceptions are enriched through the narrative of

the green space, which is remarkable in a time where
landscapes are not so present in the senses repertoire.
Blending tourism and learning was the smart tools
used in Eden Project to bring attention to the
theme. Nonetheless, the merge of education with
entertainment is always controversy and should be
carefully treated. In this case, the direction took was
an attempt to explain complex things in simple ways,

40 |

Img. 20 // Eden Project - Giant Bee sculpture. Source:

[https://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-here/
giant-bee-sculpture]. Retrieved 21/08/2015.

With strategies very similar to the famous thematik

park, they have similar sources of incomes, through
thematic restaurant that sells organic food, shops
with craft products made from communities,
souvenirs with eco-friendly materials like rubber of
recycled tyres, clothing bringing ecological concepts.
All of that concept of ecology can be considered less
radical, which means to maintain the same consum
values from nowadays, but transforming it in a less
aggressive consumerism through a culture change, and

Its own story and core message offers an overall

framework for visitor interpretation although
there are tensions, recognised inconsistencies and
apparent contradictions. It can be argued the failure
to condemn GM rather than simply acknowledge the
unresolved issues is incompatible with its support
for sustainable and certainly organic agriculture
but in July 2004 the Project announced it would
celebrate national organic week by hosting a series
of events and activities with the Soil Association.
This reinforces the idea of Eden as an enabler, a
facilitator, an educator and a forum for discussion.

- Jasper (in Blewitt, J. 2004) 11

In addition, it is between the biggest greenhouse

from the world. One of the architects of Eden Project,
Michael Pawlyn, defends that resources sufficiency is a
key for sustainable architecture. More specifically, light
should be a powerful driver of architectural form.
As an architecture solution, it was covered with
pillows, instead of traditional use of glass. So
it has the property of optimization of energy
avoiding additional heating, at the same time
that the material is light weight. It means that it
requires less steel in the structure, and as a result,
saves a lot in the foundations.

| 41

The Eden must-see list

Welcome to the Living Theatre of Plants and People.
Come and explore our dependence on plants.

R.03: The Malaysian House

M.11: Grape vines (with Dionysus)

R.05: Rainforest Aerial Walkway

M.13: Olives (gold path with doves)

O.07: Pollination (and the Giant Bee)

O.15 O.17: Biomass fuels, Myth

and folklore, Wild Cornwall
The Core: The Seed

Key:

Toilets

Cafs

R.03: The Malaysian House

Our Rainforest Biome has four wild geographic areas. In each we present a story
from the people who live there. In the Malaysian zone we worked with people
from Sabah to tell their story. Have a look at their garden; its similar to many of
ours with slightly different plants, e.g. pak choi, taro and rice replace cabbage,
carrots and potatoes.

R.05: Rainforest Aerial Walkway

New for 2013. If you visit the forest it gets under your skin, fuelling a desire to
care. We had always intended to take you into the tree canopy. Surprisingly it
only took 12 years for the trees to reach this size. Above the Nest platform our
biodiversity chandelier illustrates the design features plants need to eat, drink,
Img.
21 // Eden
Projectthemselves
infographic
some
of theWere nowInfundraising
order to mention narrative spaces and its role,
reproduce
and protect
(all with
without
moving).
attractive
points.
[http://www.edenproject.
the the
example
for the next
phase:Source:
a Walkway
to a Weather Station that explores how
forests of the Eden Project combination
control the worlds climate and makes weather (model in Link building).
Further
com/sites/default/files/eden-trail-must-see.pdf].
of architecture,
learning space, art, biology,
round the21/08/2015.
Biome youll meet crops that make your food and medicines.
Retrieved
marketing, are aspects that transform it in the

medium and the message.

M.11: Grape vines (with Dionysus)

Vines: look dead in winter and spring into life each year.
Grapes: dont last long but wine lasts for years.
Wines: make some feel immortal.
Dionysus, god of horticulture, vines and parties stands here balanced between the
wild lands and the crops. Its all a matter of balance. Will he go too far? Will we?

42 |

One of the things we didnt see coming in a lot of

the planning of the Project was the degree of visitor
interest in us and what we are doing as oppose to
us being a window on all sorts of stuff. As time goes
by and as the two things become less and less easily
divisible and as we follow this policy of us becoming
an aggressive supporter of local farming for example
we have become part of the story and not just the
teller of stories.

Img. 22 // Eden Project - The Plant Engine in the

Core. Source: [https://www.edenproject.com/visit/
whats-here/core]. Retrieved 21/08/2015.

- Tony Kendle (in Blewitt, J. 2004) 11

| 43

Exhibitions of large scale as World fairs

than three weeks. The commission

In face of that, in this field Designers can

produce a large impact, from children to

regulates Specialized expositions and

trigger education along with entertainment,

decision makers. It has been an important

World exhibitions, that addresses

which causes a heavy impact in a variety

platform to foment global discussions and has

general humanistics thematics and the

of people from all ages. A typical day at

probably the power of bringing up new trends

participants, between them civil societies,

Expo would be: navigating over the Arctic

and reaching the most different sectors, even

corporations, countries and international

Ocean thanks to digital technologies

for positive or negative outcomes.

organisations, generally build their own

(Russian pavilion, Expo Yeosu 2012), seeing

pavilions - though some of them are receive

a robot play the flute (Expo Aichi 2005) and

This kind of events actively fosters the

subsidies that support participation from

engaging in a debate on energy efficiency

economy of the country like an Olympic

underdevelopment countries. In total, they

in cities (Expo Astana 2017) during the

Games event, although part of the critics

have 168 countries as members.

day, and listening to a concert of Santana

(Hanover 2000) or seeing a performance of

are against the amount of investment done

- for instance, in infrastructure, like the

Stated by them, expos are a dialogue

the Cirque du Soleil (Zaragoza 2008) in the

Eiffel Tower in the past.

platform from progress and cooperation.

evening., according to BIE13.

It is a space where the participants are

In Paris, there is an intergovernmental

able to showcase their experiences,

organization called BIE - Bureau

debate or participate in workshops with

International des Expositions13 that

specific questions that guides intellectual

guarantee the quality and rights of

development for the future, in order to

international expos with non commercial

come up with innovative solutions and

purposes, and with duration longer

new partnerships.

worlds fair

global
impact of
exhitions
44 |

| 45

Cyberspace, like mental space, is liquid,

The architectonic space are existential

that is tangled in many electronically

flexible and vibrant. It continually transforms

spaces in constant exchange with the virtual

generated virtualities that shape hybrid

as it creates a hypertextual, non-linear

environments. While one can facilitates

new realities. They are fields that deserve

environment rather than a linear time-space

new links and connections to be created,

special attention because they are constantly

continuum. In cyberspace, the concept of

the other can help to bolster those links and

upgrading the current perceptions in a non-

scale as we know it in the physical world does

contribute to new unfoldings. It is a constant

stopping process and creating new aesthetics.

not exist, and, as a binary construct, it is

exchange that allows the creation of new

mathematically infinite. The copy is identical

worlds, where creativity can freely flow and

As a result of the new media, the cyber

to the original, and more than one object can

find in itself an genuine opened space for

culture is co-created by those hybrid

exist in one place.

spontaneous art, culture, social relations and

Designers are facing a physical reality

economic activities to emerge.

realities and cyber aesthetics.

- SZSTAKOWSKA, A. (2011)

Img. 23 // HORTUS Paris from ecoLogicStudio

[http://www.ecologicstudio.com/v2/project.ph
p?idcat=3&idsubcat=71&idproj=127]. Retrieved
08/05/2015.

14

Our physical spaces are interacting all the

time with the constant created virtual
spaces, and it is probably impossible to
detach them. That is, it is impossible to think
them separately, without one influencing
the other. When designing new spaces, the
network shape of the virtual environments

FROM CYBERspaces TO

HYBRID
SPACES
46 |

| 47

qUOTATIONS

bibliography

10

Barthelmes, C. & Oudsten, F. den. (2011). Scenography / Szenografie: Making Spaces Talk, Projects
2002-2010 Atelier Bruckner. Ludwigsburg: Avedition Gmbh, Csi; Bilingual. 280.

11

Blewitt, J. (2004). The Eden Project: Making a Connection. Journal Museum and Society. 175189p. Retrieved 21/08/2015. [https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/museumstudies/
museumsociety/documents/volumes/blewitt.pdf]

01

Bauman, Z. (2011). Dilogos com Zygmunt Bauman. CPFL Cultura (online video). Leeds: Inglaterra
[http://www.cpflcultura.com.br/2012/05/02/zygmunt-bauman-estrategias-para-a-vida/]

13

BIE - Bureau International des Expositions. [http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expos/

about-expos/expo-categories]. Retrieved 13/08/2015

05

International Society for Ecological Economiecs (ISEE). The ISEE. Retrieved 21/08/2015.
[http://www.isecoeco.org]

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Kuile, C. ter. Case Study: Eden Project. Common Case: The Case for Working with Values and Frames
[http://valuesandframes.org/casestudy/eden-project/]. Retrieved 13/08/2015
Manzini E. & Vezzoli C. (2008). Desenvolvimento de Produtos Sustentveis. Os requisitos
ambientais dos produtos industriais. So Paulo: ed. EDUSP.

08

Mau, B., Leonard, J., & Institute without Boundaries. (2004). Massive change. London:
Phaidon.

15

McDonough, W.; Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. 1.
ed.. New York: North Point Press. 193 S.
Museum fr Gestaltung Zrich. (2007). Nature Design - Von Inspiration zu Innovation. Zrich:
Mller, Lars. 320p.

| 49

qUOTATIONS

09

bibliography

Oudsten, Frank den. (2011) Space, time, narrative: the exhibition as post-spectacular
stage. Farnham: Ashgate. p. 273-316
Reinhardt, Uwe J. (2008). Neue Ausstellungsgestaltung / New exhibition design. Exhibition Design
Institute, Fachhochschule Dsseldorf. Ludwigsburg: avedition.

03

Saul, J. R. (1993). Voltaires Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West. Vintage. 656 p.

14

SZSTAKOWSKA, A. (2011) Properties of Cyber Space. Sketches from Virtual Space - I Cyberspace
[http://www.cyberempathy.com/#!issue00article4/c2ok]. Retrieved 21/08/2015

04

Thackara, J. (2006). In the bubble: designing in a complex world. Cambridge: MIT. 321p.

07

UAL Central Saint Martin (2014). Big Data Catalogue - Designing with the materials of life.
[http://www.arts.ac.uk/media/arts/colleges/csm/courses/ma-material-futures/documents/BigData-Catalogue.pdf]. Retrieved 30/08/2015.

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Waters, P., Whitbread-Abrutat, P. and Kendle, T. (2010) Narrating

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| 51

As an interdisciplinary field, design has

responsibility in the improvement of the
communication between the connections. It
is also important to think about intelligent
and creative new commands for the
programmable technologies, in order to
generates large complexity from simple
rules, that is, bottom-up systems. But
what would be the best strategies to get
solutions from the machines?
Apart from any speculation about our
future, there is something in common
between all the parts of this complex
mechanism: it should be managed
itself through the cooperation of all the
parts. The huge challenge being faced by
the designer in the new digital era and
specialization fields are how to coordinate
all the actuators of this complex system.