Hernan Diaz Alonso introduces the event as a new format of review for the post-grad programs that addresses the full complexity of the issues.

David Ruy identifies machine vision and artificial intelligence as the main issues of this session of Architectural Technologies. What does it mean for a machine to see? To think? What is the role of the designer, working with mechanized collaborators?

Marcelo Spina and Casey Rehm outline the 2016-7 session of Architectural Technology, “Distortions and alterations of the real: the attraction of unexpected machines”. To avoid operating in a vacuum, they grounded the investigation into machine vision and artificial intelligence with a real site, the 1931 Lincoln Heights Jail, closed since 1965. Students explored the site in a 2D machine vision exercise, followed by a point cloud scan of the site, scripted manipulations of the data, and recomposited images back into the site.

Spina and Rehm present student projects:
•José David Mejias & Daniel Horowitz, “Crypto-Architecture”
•Moheb Hezkial & Shabnam Moravveji, “Resurgence”
•Zihua Chen, “Half Half”
•Burcin Nalinci & Sanhita Vartak, “Biophlia”
•Soham Doshi, “Robotic Assembly”
•Arsenios Zachariadis & Hsiao-Chiao Peng, “Fug They”

David Ruy, Marcelyn Gow, Marcelo Spina, Casey Rehm, Robert Stuart-Smith, Ferda Kolatan discuss issues raised by the presentation, including the case of machine vision and artificial intelligence as demonstrated in automated cars, the agency of the designer, ethics, automation, machine collaboration, internet of things, programming, and originality.