On Integrating Computation into the Built Environment

Cities are responsible for up to 70% of the planet's carbon emissions. Why has the integration of computation into our cities and buildings not helped manage their resource use in any noticeable way? This book offers an urgent and practical rethinking of how we integrate computation into our built environment.

Cities are responsible for up to 70% of the planet's carbon emissions. Why has the integration of computation into our cities and buildings not helped manage their resource use in any noticeable way?This book offers an urgent and practical rethinking of how we integrate computation into our built environment. Author Alex Webb suggests that the reason why integrations of computation into the built environment- Smart Cities, IoT and Civic Hacking- have been less than productive is a product of how we think about designing them. The book proposes drawing from machinic life, a unique blend of robotics, psychology and computer science that has focused on the development of adaptive, responsive machines. These machines avoid prediction and rely upon simple responses to produce complex behaviors in unpredictable worlds. While smart city projects continue to develop and attract attention, familiar products like The Nest and the Roomba quietly suggest a path forward that leverages the best of computation in the fight against climate change. On Integrating Computation into the Built Environment shows how the strategies for dealing with uncertainty in robotics are applicable for responsive environments and adaptive infrastructure. This book will be of great interest to upper-level students, academics and those bridging research and practice in the fields of Architecture, Design Computation, Urban Design, Planning and Robotics.