Mimari formun evrim anlatısı: Canlı form hali
The evolution narrative of architectural form: The state of vital form
Yazar: BETÜL UÇKAN
Danışman: PROF. DR. PELİN DURSUN ÇEBİ ; PROF. DR. FATMA AHSEN ÖZSOY
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / Mimarlık Ana Bilim Dalı / Mimari Tasarım Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2023
Konu: Mimarlık = Architecture
Dizin: Mimari eleştiri = Architectural critism ; Mimari tasarım = Architectural design ; Mimarlık = Architecture ; Mimarlık kuramı = Architectural theory

Özet:
Mimarlıkta ve mimari tasarımda form kavramı, tarih öncesi dönemlerden beri tartışılmakta olan bir konudur ve zaman, teknoloji, yeni tanımlar/ yaklaşımlarla gelişmekte, çeşitli paradigmalarla dönüşümlere uğramaktadır.  Form, en yalın haliyle 'içinde yaşanılan hacim, yapının biçimi' olarak ifade edilebilir. Çalışmada hedeflenen, formun tarihsel süreçteki değişimini, gelişimini ve evrimini analiz edebilmek, kazanabileceği yeni anlamları ve potansiyelleri keşfedebilmektir. Araştırma sürecinde bu kavram, doğrudan ilişkili olduğu düşünülen form tasarım ve form üretim yöntemleriyle birlikte ele alınmaktadır: Formun ele alınış biçiminin, formu oluşturan tasarım ve üretim yöntemlerini şekillendirdiği; formun oluşumundaki bu süreçlerin de aynı geri besleme mekanizması ile formu dönüştürdüğü ve değiştirdiği üzerine durulmaktadır. Bu kavramlar arasındaki ilişki, dili ifade etmek için kullanılan araçların, dili ve dilin kapasitesini geliştirdiği ve dönüştürdüğünü ileri süren, Sapir-Whorf hipoteziyle desteklenmektedir.
Çalışma iki ana bölümden oluşmaktadır. İlk aşamada, formun evrimini analiz etmeyi amaçlayan kapsamlı bir literatür araştırması ve haritalama bulunmaktadır. İkinci aşamada ise, formun evrimini ifade eden yeni bir kavram önerisi ve forma ilişkin yeni kavrayışları, tanımlamaları açığa çıkaran kavramsal bir model tasarımı yer almaktadır. 
İlk aşamada, formu dönüştürdüğü düşünülen olaylar, kronolojik sırayı takip edecek şekilde, bir haritalama üzerinde ele alınmaktadır. Antik dönemlerden, 21.yy'ın ilk çeyreğini kapsayarak günümüze uzanan haritalamada, form üzerine genel bir bilgi birikimi üretebilmek, formun dönüşümünü çeşitli paradigma kaymaları üzerinden takip edebilmek ve evrimini izleyebilmek hedeflenmektedir. Bu aşamada formun, artık çizimde temsili olarak ifade edilen ya da makette statik olarak üretilen bir son ürün olma halini aştığı ve tasarımında, üretiminde bir süreç barındıran, zaman-mekânsal bir düzlem üzerinde tartışılmaya başlandığı görülmektedir. Bu arayışlar, formun devingen, otonom, üretken ve etkileşimli olabildiği yeni haller tarif etmektedir. 
Çalışmanın diğer aşamasında, formun evrimi yolundaki yeni arayışlarını, formun evrimini ifade etmeyi hedefleyen bir kavram, canlı form (vital form), önerilmektedir. Form, statik, durağan olan bir hal ifade ederken; canlı form, anlamında zaman boyutunu barındırarak dinamik, devingen olan başka bir hal tanımlamaktadır. Form, temsili olarak çizilen ya da yukarıdan-aşağıya tasarımcının kararlarıyla üretileni ifade ederken; canlı form kendisini tasarlayan ya da üreten faillerin bilgileriyle aşağıdan-yukarı oluşan, otonom, üretken, etkileşimli bir hal ifade etmektedir. Canlı form, evrim yolunda formun dönüştüğü yeni bir form halidir. Ardından, ilk aşamada kurulan evrim anlatısı üzerinden form ve canlı form kavramlarını, aralarındaki geçişi, dönüşümü karşılaştırmalı olarak incelemeyi mümkün kılacak kavramsal bir model inşa edilmektedir. İlk aşamada doğrusal olacak şekilde, tarihsel çizelgeye bağlı kalınarak kurulan evrim anlatısı, bu bölümde tasarım ve üretim pratiklerine odaklanılarak yapısöküme uğratılmakta ve üretilen kavramsal model üzerinde yeninden tartışmaya açılmaktadır. 
Evrimsel bir süreçte gelişen, değişen, dönüşen bir form kavrayışını ele alan bu çalışmanın; formun kazanabileceği yeni potansiyellere ışık tutma, form tasarım ve üretim süreçleri üzerine farkındalık yaratma ve mimari tasarımda form üzerinde eleştirel düşünce geliştirme potansiyeli olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Abstract:
In architecture and architectural design, the concept of form has been a highly debated and important topic since prehistoric times. It is constantly evolving through time, technology, new definitions/approaches, and various paradigms. Form, in its simplest meaning, can be defined as 'the shape of the structure', 'the volume in which one lives'. This study aims to analyze the changes, developments, and evolution of the form in the historical process to discover new meanings and potentials it can acquire. This realm of exploration can be described within the scope of critical theory as 'investigating and identifying the logic and foundations behind events and ideas, going beyond defining and finding answers to asking questions about the answers'.
In the research process, the form is researched together with the form design & making methods that are directly related to each other. Because it is believed that the form feeds the form design and making, and these practices also feed the form in the same way. This dual relationship is supported by the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests that the tools used to express language enhance and transform its capacity. In this context, the study is structured in two main axes. The first chapter involves an extensive literature review and mapping of form, design, and making practices. And the second one involves a new concept proposal which is created by the synthesis of information obtained from the mapping, and also a conceptual model that reveals new understandings and definitions related to these concepts.
In the first chapter titled 'The Evolution Narrative of Form', events believed to transform the form are addressed on a mapping following a chronological order. Spanning from ancient times to the first quarter of the 21st century, this mapping aims to generate a general knowledge about form, track the transformation of form through various paradigm shifts, and examine its evolution. The mapping is structured around four main headings.
The first one titled 'The Origin of Form', corresponding to the period from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century focuses on the initial approaches to form in order to establish a common understanding about form and to convey the meaning of the thesis under discussion. The narrative begins with Plato, who represented the universe with Five Platonic Solids, and contrasts it with Aristotle's hylomorphism theory which suggests that form can only exist in conjunction with matter. The discussion then progresses to understand the debates on form in architectural field by examining Vitruvius's verbal parameters, Gothic's structural form, and Renaissance's perspective. The beginning of the 19th century introduces new dimensions surpassing orthogonal and planar forms with the emergence of discussions on non-Euclidean geometries.
The transition to the second part can be observed on the map titled 'Form in the Analog Era' which covers the first half of the 20th century. The paradigm shift in this part can be described as the 'collapse of the static universe and the beginning of discussions on the dynamic one'. This part is primarily built upon the discovery of the concept of spacetime. The analysis includes the emergence of the concept in science with Einstein and Minkowski, its depiction in art with Picasso and cubism, and its effect on architecture with Doesburg's manifesto for 4-dimensional spacetime. Thompson's diagrams of forces from the same period also contribute to the discussion of form as a transforming concept and bring it to a place where form-finding experiments are discussed. Gaudi's hanging chains, Isler's thin curved concrete shells, and Otto's rich material laboratory demonstrate that form is now approached through a dynamic process in its design, revealing its dynamic character. End of this title, it seems that Otto's incorporation of computer technologies in his experiments marks a new turning point in the narrative.
In the following third section titled 'Form in the Digital Era' explores the impact of the digital turn on form in the second half of the 20th century. The effects of digitization in form design are examined through various computer-aided design (CAD) tools such as Sketchpad, AutoCAD, CATIA, etc. The discussions during this period also delve into the debates between computerization and computation, represented through Kotnik's representational form and Terzidis's algorithmic form. And with the following discussion under the title of generative design, it becomes evident that form acquires a new meaning of self-generating. Then, the implications of these debates in the architectural community are examined through Lynn's dynamic, fluid animate form in the digital realm and dECOi's interactive, alloplastic hyper-form in the physical environment. During this period, form gains a new dynamic, generative, and autonomous character through the possibilities offered by digital design tools. It seems that the inclusion of dECOi's form studies in physical environment brings the narrative to another turning point.
In the fourth section titled 'Form in the Millennium', which covers the first quarter of the 21st century, the focus is on the developments in computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) practices, where new advancements emerge with the integration of digital and physical realms in design. The paradigm shift in this period can be described as the 'collapse of the mechanical universe and the emergence of the organic one' under the title of organic paradigm. Pioneering figures during this era, such as EmTECH, demonstrate a form that can grow and evolve in morphogenesis. Just then, Menges introduces a physically dynamic form that operates without being dependent on any electrical mechanism or motor system in material computation. Meanwhile, Oxman's material ecology reveals a new understanding of form that is holistically created from scratch, integrating material and structure. This period showcases how form gains a physically dynamic, autonomous, and interactive character through the possibilities offered by digital fabrication tools.
As the narrative progresses, it is observed that form has transcended its previous status as a representational drawing or a statically made and is now being discussed within a spatiotemporal level that involves a process in its design and making. To sum up, these explorations can be described in terms of the new states where form can be dynamic, autonomous, generative, and interactive.
In the second phase of the study, these new characteristics that form acquires in its evolutionary narrative are being discussed through the proposed concept of 'vital form'. While form represents the static or stationary, vital form represents the dynamic and ever-evolving one. While form refers to what is represented or created by the decisions of the designer from top to bottom, vital form describes a state that is bottom-up, formed by the information of the entities that design or make it. Vital form can be defined as a new form state that emerges along the path of evolution, and it can be interpreted through specific characteristics that align with the narrative of evolution. For example, it can be defined as a dynamic state in the spatiotemporal possibilities of four dimensions, a generative state established through a bottom-up model, an autonomous state exhibiting self-behaviour, and an interactive state that exists in a way that is responsive to environmental data and has the potential to be shaped by them.
Then, a conceptual model is being constructed to better understand the vital form and to analyze why the situations, events, concepts, or theories presented in the initial evolutionary narrative can be considered either as a form or a vital form. The evolutionary narrative, initially constructed in a linear manner, undergoes deconstruction on the designed model in this phase, with a focus on design and making practices. The model is designed as a matrix, enabling the conveyed information to be understand in a reduced and simplified manner. The intention is to explore new potentials through comparative readings based on the concepts of form, vital form, design, and making which defines the matrix's axes and to gain a deeper understanding of why certain events are evaluated as form or vital form through these discussions. 
It can be said that evolution continues, and both form and vital form continue to evolve. So, discussing of the study's futures scenario helps to enhance its vision. For instance, it could be envisioned by considering topics where form is not limited to the building shell alone but is approached through a more holistic perspective, like discussing the concept of a vital space. In this point, vital space can be defined as an environment intimately connected with its inhabitants, continuously evolving and responsive to their movements in real-time. It is not merely a surface, but a space that surrounds and swarm arounds the users. It can also be characterized as a generative entity that is constructed and deconstructed in a real time according to the user within it. 
From another perspective, the future scenario discussions can be continued on developing new kind of design and making practices. For example, introducing vital form within architectural design studios can enhance form investigations and foster innovation. A kind of design tool can be developed to generate the praxis of vital form through practical application to explore and advance form design and making practices. It can foster a forward-thinking and innovative approach to form investigations, challenging conventional methods and opening new possibilities. 
The ongoing discussions on future scenarios can further explore new inquiries and possibilities in form by utilizing various examples. The intention is not to provide definitive answers but to spark curiosity, inspire exploration, and encourage critical thinking about the future trajectories of form in architecture. In essence, such a study is believed to foster critical thinking in architectural design regarding form, shed light on new potentials that form can acquire, and raise awareness about form design and making practises.