Architecture for More-than-Humans

In his project New Babylon (1956– 1974), artist Constant Nieuwenhuys proposes an alternative society that dedicates its time to creativity and play, and where human work becomes superfluous. Architectural paradigm of the free space and leisure enabled by the automation of work, New Babylon was also...

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Main Author: Marina Otero Verzier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad San Sebastian 2021-04-01
Series:Materia Arquitectura
Subjects:
Online Access:http://materiaarquitectura.com/index.php/MA/article/view/408
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author Marina Otero Verzier
author_facet Marina Otero Verzier
author_sort Marina Otero Verzier
collection DOAJ
description In his project New Babylon (1956– 1974), artist Constant Nieuwenhuys proposes an alternative society that dedicates its time to creativity and play, and where human work becomes superfluous. Architectural paradigm of the free space and leisure enabled by the automation of work, New Babylon was also able to visualize the architecture of the post-labor world. A world that, fifty years later, is beginning to take concrete shape. Today, the architecture of full automation is being implemented in places like the Netherlands and China. Its introduction shakes the labor markets, as well as the configuration of human spaces and work tasks that have become obsolete with the emergence of machines in the production centers. These disruptive changes, however, could also be a trigger for the reinvention of the notion of human work and its architecture, from the perspective of its possible obsolescence. The architectural discipline faces the challenge of responding to the introduction of automation technologies. A research and innovation domain that still lacks a critical spatial perspective, automated architecture is, however, fundamental to discern an imminent future and, ultimately, to explore our agency and capacity to accept or challenge it.
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spelling doaj-art-283b3d9de1d4401a97bceeb10b2eee652025-08-20T02:11:21ZengUniversidad San SebastianMateria Arquitectura0718-70332735-75032021-04-011810.56255/ma.v0i18.408399Architecture for More-than-HumansMarina Otero Verzier In his project New Babylon (1956– 1974), artist Constant Nieuwenhuys proposes an alternative society that dedicates its time to creativity and play, and where human work becomes superfluous. Architectural paradigm of the free space and leisure enabled by the automation of work, New Babylon was also able to visualize the architecture of the post-labor world. A world that, fifty years later, is beginning to take concrete shape. Today, the architecture of full automation is being implemented in places like the Netherlands and China. Its introduction shakes the labor markets, as well as the configuration of human spaces and work tasks that have become obsolete with the emergence of machines in the production centers. These disruptive changes, however, could also be a trigger for the reinvention of the notion of human work and its architecture, from the perspective of its possible obsolescence. The architectural discipline faces the challenge of responding to the introduction of automation technologies. A research and innovation domain that still lacks a critical spatial perspective, automated architecture is, however, fundamental to discern an imminent future and, ultimately, to explore our agency and capacity to accept or challenge it. http://materiaarquitectura.com/index.php/MA/article/view/408AutomationPost-laborPost- humanObsolescenceNew Babylon
spellingShingle Marina Otero Verzier
Architecture for More-than-Humans
Materia Arquitectura
Automation
Post-labor
Post- human
Obsolescence
New Babylon
title Architecture for More-than-Humans
title_full Architecture for More-than-Humans
title_fullStr Architecture for More-than-Humans
title_full_unstemmed Architecture for More-than-Humans
title_short Architecture for More-than-Humans
title_sort architecture for more than humans
topic Automation
Post-labor
Post- human
Obsolescence
New Babylon
url http://materiaarquitectura.com/index.php/MA/article/view/408
work_keys_str_mv AT marinaoteroverzier architectureformorethanhumans