THE ARCHITECTURE OF CHANGE, FLUX, AND ADAPTATION
Stable, static, and sedentary; these words often characterize the nature of our surrounding built environment. However, what if we entertain the possibility of an architecture that can possess the qualities of the human state of being; a state of constant change, flux, and adaptation. This is the inquiry posed by the Morphogenesis lab; it serves as the philosophy for its body of work and represents the origins of its name; to “morph,” i.e. to change shape, and “genesis” i.e. the beginning. The name describes a process of thinking that places changes in the form of our physical spaces as a function of adaptation to the fluctuating physiological and emotional needs of the inhabitant. At the root of this process of inquiry lies a singular objective; to reconcile the relationship between humans and architecture, and to redefine this relationship as one of emotional empathy and active compassion.At Morphogenesis, we focus on “Architecture of Emotive Intelligence,” cyber-physical adaptive spaces that can respond to the user’s physiological and psychological needs based on the biological and neurological data. We are examining the role of AI, machine learning, and the smart adaptive environment in improving the sustainability and well-being of our buildings. We are attempting to create spaces that can learn from users’ behavioral patterns in real-time and change the space autonomously based on the users’ needs. This reduces user's anxiety and depression, enhances environmental quality, and promotes more flexible, human-centered designs. These responsive spaces can contribute to users’ and society’s well-being and help people with physical and mental disabilities to have a greater role in shaping their built environment.