A Purple Architecture is now available. The books editors Vahid Vadat, James Kerestes, & Ebrahim Poustinchi did an incredible job assembling a talented group of architects to submit work under the notion of “purpleness.” In the book’s prologue the editors set out the agenda:
“The centuries old topic of how to represent reality, and subsequently how to supplant it, anchors these scenarios. In the past few decades, philosophers like Jean Baudrillard, Gilles Deleuze, and Graham Harman, among many others, have all provided insight on experiencing the “real”. The philosophical conundrum was catapulted into western popular culture through the 1999 film, The Matrix. In this film, the character Neo (Keanu Reeves) is faced with a choice between taking a red or blue pill. By consuming the red pill, Neo will awake from a simulation and be introduced to the “real world”, where humans and autonomous machines are at war. By taking the blue pill, he will remain in a simulation, unaware that a parallel environment exists.” Pg 9
“The purple pill, in the context of this volume, is not reduced to an in-between hybrid liminal condition. Purpleness is also as ontologically autonomous (and gradient) as any other color on and, in this case, off the electromagnetic spectrum of light. Independent from the assumed virtual/physical, material/immaterial, mediated/non-mediated dualities is a purple quality. Purpleness here is a theoretical framework to investigate the impacts of technological mediation in developing possible spatial scenarios through storytelling and worldbuilding.” Pg 10
Martin Summers was invited to contribute an essay to the volume that would, “contextualize some of these contemporary projects with a theoretical lens.” In response he produced the essay titled “There is a Glitch in the Matrix: Coherence, Boundaries, and Unexpected Transgressions.” (pg. 306)
The essay was driven by this prompt from the editors:
“… we are reaching out to smaller group of prominent creative thinkers, including yourself, to help us contextualize some of these contemporary projects with a theoretical lens. While the deadline is a bit pressing, the essay chapters, as we call them, are not too lengthy, and often discuss a few assigned projects through a common theme.
The projects that we would like you to discuss are authored by the following people:
• Jason Vigneri-Beane
• Julia Koerner
• Nate Hume
• Ferda Kolatan
• Wa.K Studio
The reason these projects have been grouped together is because the human-nature interrelations in each project can be contextualized as part of a larger existential scenario. While considering the purpleness of the projects (see prospectus in the email thread below), we hope that you would address this “human-nature” interchange as a thematic structure in your theoretical discussion.”
Additional information from the Editors:
A Purple Architecture has just been released. You can access the PDF on the publisher's website: https://press.etc.cmu.edu/books/purple-architecture
The hardback copy will be available on the same page (pre-order now).
A Purple Architecture: Design in the Age of the Physical-Virtual Continuum
by Carnegie Mellon University: ETC Press
Copyright © by ETC Press 2024
Book Blurb:
Rapid technological developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, mixed reality, and robotic additive manufacturing, especially as pioneered by large tech companies, have failed to offer a cohesive aspirational agenda to reduce human suffering and oppression. Moving beyond the glamor of techno-optimism, a roadmap based on ecologies of human values is not only necessary as a framework for technological development, but can also offer creative solutions to many of the socio-ecological crises we face. Such a creative roadmap, as many of the failed manifestos of the past century testify, is more effective if produced through dialogue. A Purple Architecture addresses this ambition by provoking an interdisciplinary discussion among some of the most innovative leaders of the design fields. Through a critical examination of various design discourses, e.g., architecture, game design, film production, and fashion, the book echoes the heterogenous voice of a collective ambition for the future. Purpleness thus serves as a theoretical framework to investigate the impacts of technological mediation in providing spatial, and thereby socio-political, agency.
See the QR code for an AR experience.
Projects by:
Joseph Altshuler
Iván Bernal & Keyla Hernandez & Brendan Ho
Patrick Danahy & James Andrew Billingsley
Daniel Bolojan
Galo Canizares & Stephanie Sang Delgado
Alayna Davidson
Behnaz Farahi
Yara Feghali
Nate Hume
Damjan Jovanovic & Lidija Kljakovic
Beom Jun Kim
Julia Koerner
Ferda Kolatan
Andrew Kovacs
Perry Kulper
Rachael McCall
Poustinchi and Kerestes
Andrew Saunders
Jason Vigneri-Beane
Essays by:
Marta Nowak
Dora Epstein Jones
Stephen Caffey
Ryan Scavnicky
Natasha Sandmeier
Kelly Bair
Simon Kim Mariana Ibanez
Janice Shimizu
Frank Melendez
Martin Summers
Marjan Colletti
Ayad Rahmani