From Hopeful Monsters to Morphogenetic Prototypes

Abstract

Linnaeus’ original Systema Naturae taxonomy defined three kingdoms: animal, plant, and mineral. In this classification, animal architecture, such as termite mounds and beehives, is mineral. In human architecture, formal and functional imitations of animals and vegetables have frequently been used to decorate our mineral architecture. Advances in material science are blurring the traditional boundaries of these kingdoms in human architectural design. In the near future, it will be possible to grow buildings, initially conceptually and then materially, as if they were biological organisms. In preparation for this, we discuss theories of morphogenetic prototyping to conceptually raise these architectural hopeful monsters. The immaterial focus of this work means that it can act as a bridge between emerging architectural material potentials and the approaching architectural singularity where buildings will grow themselves and be as intelligent as their original designers and occupiers, or more.