Materiality: Anexact and Intense by Manuel Delanda

EVDA 621: Introduction to Design Theories

Connection Pursuit by Sumer Matharu (10047835), 20 Oct 2016

The connections being pursued are based in the current theme of communication in
Architecture. In the reading Materiality: Anexact and Intense, Delanda talks about
Deleuzes views on morphogenetic processes that generate a wild variety or degrees of
forms influenced by intensity [Delanda, 2004, pg.373]. In Violence of Architecture,
Tschumi focuses on the intensity of relationships between forms and program [Tschumi,
1981, pg.44]. Finally, in Complexity and Contradiction, Venturi discusses how a certain
degree of complexity and paradox within Architecture can help in providing a
completeness of program [Venturi, 1965].
In all three readings, there is a common factor of intensity, which results in a certain
degree of outcome when considering this commonality in the context of communications
in Architecture or the connection between people, place and program. The exchange of
information between the complexities of the inside to the resulting simplicity on the outside
as mentioned by Venturi [Venturi, 1965] can be tied directly to Delandas take on
morphogenetic processes such as the equilibrium being sought by a soap bubble to find
the moment of least surface tension, in which case a certain level of complexity in process
is required to reach the desired outcome [Delanda, 2004]. This in turn can be linked to
Tschumis philosophy of violence [Tschumi, 1981] whereby without a certain degree of
intensity between certain factors, for example the surface area of the soap bubble
available and the constraint of its boundary condition, we cannot reach an optimized and
specific form resulting from the equilibrium.
If we consider both Tschumis writings on violence or intensity, and Venturis discussions
on complexity, as front end, and plug in Delandas theories on morphogenesis as back
end, we can achieve an Architectural theory that both mathematically and philosophically
describes processes that can be used to achieve optimal relationships between program,
form, and human experience.

Bibliography
Robert Venturi, Complexity and Contradiction, in Perspecta Vol. 9, 1965, pp. 17-56.
Article DOI: 10.2307/1566911
Bernard Tschumi, Violence of Architecture, in Art Forum, Vol XX (1), 1981, pp. 44-47.
ISSN: 0004-3532
Manuel De Landa, Materiality: Aexact and Intense, Intense, in Lars Spuybroek NOX
Machining Architecture, Thames and Hudson, New York, 2004, pp. 370-377 ISBN 978-
05000285190