Picon explores the idea that
the digital era began with the Romans. Their ability to calculate, create and
invent instigated the digital era. Technology grew and there were industrial
shifts, such as “the replacement of steam power by combustion engines and electricity.
“ The Second Industrial Revolution was marked when large volumes of products
were produced.
The Cold War grew to be
dependent on computers and technology. Computers were initially used to operate
and control weapon systems, but then further developed and became protectors
and servers. Some were designed to pick up and create digital representation of
targets from military bases in a situation of a possible nuclear strike. The
development of computers then quickly grew.
Architects began involving
themselves in the digital world and used fabrication software. Picon implies
that the digital technology has attached itself to the tectonic codes and are
now part of them. He worries that depending on such software’s may lead to a
defragmentation of architectural ingenuity.
As these technologies grow,
society itself has fully immersed itself into the digital world and Picon has
fears over it. He sees that we are becoming two people and are separated by the
physical world that is slowly becoming less significant and engrossing
ourselves into the digital technology.
I find that Picon's view of
our current society is quite accurate. We have given ourselves to the
digital world and as we do we create another version of ourselves that
relinquishes these digital properties and disregards physical society.
Readings:
“People, Computers and Architecture: A Historical Overview” by Picon, Antione
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