Cross Scale Design Generative Practice Research in Design
Creators: name: Plemenitas, Maj
Publisher: name: RMIT University
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 330102
subject: Architectural design

description: ABSTRACT
The dissertation introduces Cross Scale Design – CSD and explores its agency and role in the context of accelerated and intensified environmental, ecological, social and economic dynamics. 
 
Furthermore, the research introduces new approaches for (re)generative territorial design and production through the inclusion and utilization of perpetual environmental processes working in collaboration with strategic design inputs, resulting in increased design agency spanning across the spatial, temporal and operational scales.

Multi Scale organisation and Cross Scale relations are vital characteristics of natural systems. They define and inform the processes between constituents and the whole, cells and organisms, the individual and the ecology, the built environment and the living and growing landscape. 

The Cross Scale Design approach introduces intentionality to these scale specific relations and utilizes them as vital constituents of the design strategy. More specifically, CSD - Cross Scale Design refers to design with processes and relations at one spatial, temporal or operational scale interacting with and influencing processes at another scale. For instance, by introducing small-scale strategic design interventions with the agency to influence large-scale dynamics, patterns and morphogenetic processes.
 
The dissertation presents several design orchestration strategies, methods and systems where the agency of the whole system is significantly greater than the sum of its parts. 

Furthermore, the research explores the adaptive, developmental and evolutionary potential of the designed, built and grown multi scale objects, structures and territories by considering the cross scale dynamics between the hydrological, geological, biological and cultural processes and the design inputs on an expanded spatial, temporal and operational scale ranges. 

The presented research stems from three distinct yet convergent research streams and operation-al concepts:

1. In-Situ Networks – Growing Islands and Resilient Coastlines with In-situ Forces and Materials (2010 ongoing)
2. Amphibious Interface – Programmable Erosion and Specificity Through Exposure (2011 ongoing)
3. Multi-Scale Flow Maps – Water and the (Re)Generative Computational Morphogenesis (2012 ongoing)

These three discrete research streams are orchestrated to converge and form the foundation for the research on Perpetual Generative Territories.

The dissertation argues for (re)generative design and production that utilizes the perpetual environmental processes and balances the desired design objectives with the dynamic environmental forces and in-situ materials. The work explores the dynamic equilibrium between the cultural, bio-logical, hydrological and material agencies by developing and utilizing relational cross scale principles to multi scale organisational structures. The approach incorporates the notion of perpetual change through adaptation, development and evolution as its fundamental principle. 
 
 

Key Words: Landscape design, Generative design, (Re)Generative production, Islands, Coastlines,
Resilience, Cross Scale, Multi scale, Island Nucleation Nodes, In-situ Materials and Forces, Adaptive, Developmental, Evolutionary, Territorial Machines, Territorial Automation Without Robots, Ecosystem Restoration, Nature-Based Solutions