‘Brainstorming Workshop on Design’
An exploratory search for a design language
Various cases:
- From Icons to Built Forms
- From Technology to Design of Cities: A case of Varanasi
- From levels of Design to an Ensemble: a Systems Approach
Prof. Partha P. Chakraborti, Director, IIT Kharagpur
&
Dr. Joy Sen, ARP & SIDM
Dr. Saikat Paul, ARP
Dr. Haimanti Banerji, ARP
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
QUESTIONS
The premise: What is Design ?
Design: a Process of Creative Culture
-A holistic streamline
- An assimilation and consolidation: An embedding
- A cyclic flow (non-linear) of themes (linear) over time
Q:
• Is it to serve History and civilization: search of roots?
• Is it based on language, literature of various systems of aesthetics: scientific,
artistic and technological expressions?
• What is the role of Cognitive mechanisms: Individual needs and collective
x
aspirations?
L1
L2
C
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Is there a design language? How?
A search :
Is there a deeper layer?
What are the surface parameters?
In search of a Core? Is there one?
Is there an inner surge for creativity?
What is a design optimization yardstick?
What are the ground realities?
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Part One: Various cases
From Icons to Built Forms to Technology
Is there a point of Convergences?
&
Is Divergences an absolute characteristics?
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Cases 1: Diverse iconographic footprints
2D Topological Constructs:
Cycles/ crossing serving normative-cognitive functions:
Vajra (Buddhism)
Greek cross (Christianity)
Patterns of
Creation: Auroville
Sustenance: Galaxy
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
Carnot’s cyclic network
Destruction: Cyclone
IIT Kharagpur
Cases 2: Diverse built-environ footprints of
3D- Design Built Spaces and Flows:
Spaces to levitate
Mandala: Temple
Char-Bagh: Taj Mahal
Apsidal Chaitya Hall: Karli
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
Kirk: Basilica – St. Peter’s
Gothic Cathedral
IIT Kharagpur
Cases 3: Diverse Taxonomy of
3-Dimensional weaving textures:
0
360M
180
Design of Algebraic patterns and texture coding: iterations
Persian Carpets
Old and New Garden City Layouts
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
Computer Algorithm
IIT Kharagpur
Part Two: Varanasi
An exploration: History and Continuity in Design
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Cases: the design of an ancient City
Pattern of crescent
Place (Geography )
Folk-Work (Anthropology-Economics)
Shape grammar (Cosmic)
From Judea to Babylon (repetitive patterns in comparative history)
Varanasi’s sacred geography (McKim Malville)
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Case of Varanasi: Sacred geometry
3000+ years of global assimilation and flow
Ghats (Space: jth): Tirthankaras (Users ith)
Persian Empire, 700
B.C.
Indus Valley
civilization,
3000 B.C.
Gandhara
600 B.C.
Girnar-Junagarh,
Palitana
Sahyadri caves,
300 B.C
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
The Design of Ghats:
A natural transformation
1900
2010
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Reciprocal design constructs:
Modulation of built forms
individual meditation to socio-cultural festivity
sacred isolated to sacred agglomerated
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Part Three: A systems Approach
Parts and Whole and their inter-dynamism
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Systems Approach to DESIGN:
from reductionism to Holism
from optimization to Creativity
epistemological and ontological
Dimensions – what are they?
A systems approach: from
linearity to co-evolution
A Design-Designers’ interaction
Deeper Fractalization
(deconstruction) and Ellipsis or
re-construction to Holism
Whole (Ensemble)
Orchestration in Design
From First to Third order
Cybernetics & beyond
‘A Meta state (seed)’
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Universal Approach to DESIGN:
From Individual to Universal
A balance between Specialization & Inclusion
Pyramid of Inclusion
Personal assistance
Individual
adjustment and aid
Adjustment
for Specific
group
Universal
design
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
De-constructing Principles
of Designing Social Systems
– Communities and Cities
City Beautiful
Park Movement
Housing Reform
Social reform
Municipal reform
Master Planning
and City
Functional
Criticisms on
planning
effectiveness,
methods, unitary
and
homogenizing
premises
Preparadigm
(competing schools
of thoughts –
absence of
consensus)
Paradigm Anomaly
(violation of
paradigm –
phenomenon cannot
be explained or
resolved)
Paradigm
development
(foamalisation of
paradigm –
consensus evolves)
Paradigm articulation
(paradigm governs
research efforts –
extension of
paradigm)
Visibility
Awareness
Accountability
Comprehensive LU planning
Planning and Zoning
Legitimisng landuse planning
as local government
function
Externalization
Articulation of theories and
methods in planning
Social scientists
Combination
Internalization
Based upon Thomas Kuhn’s process of scientific revolutions
highest level of competence (specialist)
propositional knowledge
expert level
knowledge that
functional application level
acquaintance-knowledge
awareness level
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
Socialization
Polanyi’s epistemological investigation
Knowledge Conversion Process
IIT Kharagpur
Summary
Seeking a design language? How and Why?
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
1 Evolving process: from formulation to
experience
cumulative causation
Y
Greater
TIME
Physical
Cartesian
Mental
Habitual
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
X
Cognitive
Mythical
Cosmological
All-pervasive
Non-Cartesian
IIT Kharagpur
2 Involvement of Seed Constructs in Design
A priori: A seed to begin with
• Decomposition of patterns and
their re-composition or ellipses in a
pattern hierarchy – the Whole [1].
• Recognitive mechanisms in the
pattern hierarchy
• From Hierarchy to Holarchy
[1] Alexander, C.: The Timeless Way of Building, Oxford University Press, New York (1979).
Linear Focus = non-linear binary of decomposition & ellipsis
A language of DESIGN
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
Seeking a platform for a design language
An ensemble: a systems approach
epistemological and ontological
Decomposition and Ellipsis
Return to Core Seed: Creative Impulse
Inspiration (imaginary variations)
Optimization of a Design (logic and reason)
The ground centric + people centric reality
(instincts)
Optimization (Centrifugal)
Creativity (Centripetal)
based pedagogy
ANSWERS
MHRD Design Workshop Nov 6 2013
IIT Kharagpur
On behalf of:
Working Group of IIT Kharagpur
THANK YOU
MHRD
‘Culture
Design
Studies’
Workshop Nov 6 2013
IITIITBHU,
Kharagpur
Varanasi