Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
University of Northampton
Videre: Drawing and Evolutionary Architectures
Analysing the works of the seascape architect Wolf Hilbertz (1938 -2007), coral scientist
Dr Thomas Goreau, architect Newton Fallis and collective, the article considers
the development of ‘self organizing’ natural building materials developing a mode
of working - Cybertecture (Cybernetics & Architecture) (Hilbertz 1970). This
investigation focuses particularly on that of Biorock® the mineral accretion technology,
and involves a process of creating artificial coral reefs which are stronger and more
resilient to degrading factors found on natural reefs. The technology exemplifies an
evolutionary environmental system, a coral which is more reliant, tradable, multiplies
in growth three to five times faster than normal, protects coastline, and grows
fish populations through its constantly evolving habitat (Hilbertz, Goreau 1970,
1992, 2008). Importantly the technology has wide implications for restoring, designing
and managing fragile and threatened coral ecosystems thus creating an emerging field of
Seascape Architecture (Goreau, Hilbertz 2005).
This important ecological invention stems from a number of design drawings which the authour has redrawn from fragmentary archives to explore the ideational process have developing this method of restoring coral reefs.