Grounded in contemporary landscape architecture theory and practice, Cybernetics and the Constructed Environment blends examples from art, design, and engineering with concepts from cybernetics and posthumanism, offering a transdisciplinary examination of the ramifications of cybernetics on the constructed environment. Cybernetics, or the study of communication and control in animals and machines, has grown increasingly relevant nearly 80 years after its inception. Cyber-physical systems, sensing networks, and spatial computing—algorithms and intelligent machines—create endless feedback loops with human and non-human actors, co-producing a cybernetic environment. Yet, when an ecosystem is meticulously managed by intelligent machines, can we still call it wild nature? Posthumanism ideas, such as new materialism, actor-network theory, and object-oriented ontology, have become increasingly popular among design disciplines, including landscape architecture, and may have provided transformative frameworks to understand this entangled reality. However, design still entails a sense of intentionality and an urge to control. How do we, then, address the tension between the designer’s intentionality and the co-produced reality of more-than-human agents in the cybernetic environment? Is posthumanism enough to develop a framework to think beyond our all-too-human ways of thinking? For researchers, scholars, practitioners, and students in environmental design and engineering disciplines, this book maps out a paradigm of environmentalism and ecological design rooted in non-communication and uncontrollability, and puts a speculative turn on cybernetics. Chapters 8 and 9 of this book are freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

"Grounded in contemporary landscape architecture theory and practice, Cybernetics and the Constructed Environment blends examples from art, design, and engineering with concepts from cybernetics and posthumanism, offering a transdisciplinary examination of the ramifications of cybernetics on the constructed environment. Cybernetics, or the study of communication and control in animals and machines, has grown increasingly relevant nearly 80 years after its inception. Cyber-physical systems, sensing networks, and spatial computing-algorithms and intelligent machines create endless feedback loops with human and non-humean actors, co-producing a cybernetic environment. Yet, when an ecosystem is meticulously managed by intelligent machines, can we still call it wild nature? Posthumanism ideas, such as new materialism, actor-network theory, and object-oriented ontology, have become increasingly popular among design disciplines, including landscape architecture, and may have provided transformative frameworks to understand this entangled reality. However, design still entails a sense of intentionality and an urge to control. How do we, then, address the tension between the designer's intentionality and the co-produced reality of more-than-human agents in the cybernetic environment? Is posthumanism enough to develop a framework to think beyond our all-too-human ways of thinking?"--

For the past 50 years, the advancements of technology have equipped architects with unique tools that have enabled the development of new computer-mediated design methods, fabrication techniques, and architectural expressions. Simultaneously, in contemporary architecture new frameworks emerged that have radically redefined the traditional conceptions of design, of the built environment, and of the role of architects. Cybernetic Architectures argues that such frameworks have been constructed in direct reference to cybernetic thinking, a thought model that emerged concurrently with the origins of informatics and that embodies the main assumptions, values, and ideals underlying the development of computer science. The book explains how the evolution of the computational perspective in architecture has been parallel to the construction of design issues in reference to the central ideas fostered by the cybernetic model. It unpacks and explains this crucial relationship, in the work of digital architects, between the use of information technology in design and the conception of architectural problems around an informational ontology. This book will appeal to architecture students and scholars interested in understanding the recent transformations in the architectural landscape related to the advent of computer-based design paradigms.

Throughout the world there is a growing demand for high quality public services to support socio-economic development. Infrastructure is central to improving the level of public services and the quality of the built environment. But in key areas such as transport, energy, water, healthcare, education and communications, public resources are not sufficient to keep pace with this demand. As the public sector struggles to keep up, the private sector is increasingly involved in the procurement of economic and social infrastructure. Until now procurement strategies have often concentrated on the mechanisms and the ‘bricks and mortar’ without a thorough analysis of the processes and their implications for services. The result is that all too often infrastructure projects are implemented in an ad hoc and fragmented way. In this ground-breaking book, Rodney Howes and Herbert Robinson provide a holistic approach to infrastructure provision that facilitates infrastructure delivery aimed at continuously improving the level and quality of services. Critical issues of policy and strategy, implementation, and operational aspects are examined within the context of sustainability. By emphasising the importance of procuring infrastructure within an overall national or regional development policy and strategy, the authors have demonstrated the importance of linking investment and resource decisions to local social, economic and environmental needs. With each chapter carefully written to reflect part of the infrastructure delivery chain and illustrated with practical examples and case studies from around the world, this book offers a new blueprint for infrastructure investment and resource management.

Adapting the Built Environment for Climate Change: Design Principles for Climate Emergencies analyzes several scenarios and proposes various adaptation strategies for climate emergencies (heat waves, wildfires, floods, and storms). Divided into three themes, the book offers an organized vision of a complex and multi-factor challenge. It covers climatic resilience and building refurbishment, implications for service life prediction and maintainability, and climate adaptation in the maintenance and management of buildings. Sections cover infrastructure materials, climate emergency adaptation and building adaptation to heat waves, wildfires, floods and storms. The book will be an essential reference resource for civil and structural engineers, architects, planners, designers and other professionals who have an interest in the adaptation of the built environment against climate change. - Presents technical solutions for adaptation of the built environment against climate change - Features multiple authors spanning both engineering and architectural disciplines - Proposes a systematic approach to implement low carbon solutions and build capacity to make successful transitions to a resilient city

This introduction to the world of cybernetics provides the basics and discusses the most important thought leaders, models as well as theories. Practical examples from the fields of biology, ecology, technology, society, and politics are used to illustrate the theoretical material. Questions at the end of the chapters stimulate reflection, and the author does not owe the answers. A central theme in all cybernetic considerations and a guiding theme of the book are information exchange and communication.

Designing Intelligent Construction Projects Explore the potential impact of management cybernetics, lean methodologies, and digitalization on the construction sector As a heavily asset-driven industry, construction is at the crossroads of a transformation. Digitalization has already begun and is acting as a beacon. Intelligently designed project organizations and systems must follow to make construction projects fit for the future. In Designing Intelligent Construction Projects, a distinguished project manager and engineer and a lean and integrated management system manager deliver a comprehensive exploration of the fundamentals of management cybernetics, lean management in general and lean construction in particular, and construction-oriented digital tools. In the book, the authors describe how these disciplines can be combined to successfully transform construction projects. Preliminary discussions of management cybernetics and lean management are followed by specific discussions of how these topics can be adapted to the construction industry. The book connects the principles of management cybernetics and digitalization, accessibly describing the potential impact of digitalization on construction projects. Readers will also find: Illuminating case study material that highlights how change management methodologies, game theory, and collaborative contractual design can deliver results Strategies for achieving lean, viable, and digitally oriented construction leadership fit for the modern market Rigorous discussions of the current and potential future impact of digitization on construction firms Perfect for built environment professionals and practitioners, Designing Intelligent Construction Projects will also earn a place in the libraries of postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students of civil engineering, architecture, and project management with an interest in construction management.