Open Access Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington
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Material Agency

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thesis
posted on 2021-11-23, 13:56 authored by Bush, Isabelle

The ‘material turn’ of the twentieth century focuses on the vibrancy of matter and non-human agency, providing an engaging platform from which to re-assess, and also promote, the role of materiality in design. The material turn draws away from a ‘representational’ paradigm towards a focus on materials as being non-objective, performative and responsive, where materials operate as authoritative matter. This design research thesis investigates the agential capacity of materials to amplify atmospheric experience in architecture. Through this research proposition, the thesis harnesses contemporary material perspectives to drive a series of enquiries that explore material agency in design. Within this framework, the design research seeks to strengthen relationships between user, matter and site. This method engages and evaluates materials on a tactile and emotional level, reflected in its atmospheric outputs.  Ultimately, the design research employs materiality as an agent in the production of a 1:1 scale installation and two speculative building designs at the domestic and public scale. A historic site in East London has been selected to provide the contextual and material foundations for the design research. This thesis concludes that materials have an ability to exert force on the design process when they are engaged in a responsive feedback loop which acknowledges the transformative capacity of both ‘human’ and ‘nonhuman’ elements. The dynamic nature of scaling as a design method supported these findings by encouraging progressive dialogue between matter and design process.

History

Copyright Date

2017-01-01

Date of Award

2017-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Architecture

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Masters

Degree Name

Master of Architecture (Professional)

ANZSRC Type Of Activity code

1 PURE BASIC RESEARCH

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Research Masters Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Architecture

Advisors

Smitheram, Jan