Title & Author:

Computer architectures : constructing the common ground / edited by Theodora Vardouli and Olga Touloumi.

Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon : New York, NY : Routledge, 2020.
©2020

Description:

xvii, 226 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Series:

Routledge research in design, technology and society

Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Introduction : toward a polyglot space / Olga Touloumi & Theodora Vardouli -- Part I. Program. 2. Computing Environmental Design / Peder Anker ; 3. The Work of Design and the Design of Work: Olivetti and the Political Economy of its Early Computers / AnnMarie Brennan ; 4. Bewildered, the Form-Maker Stands Alone: Computer Architecture and the Quest for Design Rationality / Theodora Vardouli -- Part II. Input/output. 5. Augmentation and Interface: Tracing a Spectrum / Molly Wright Steenson ; 6. The First Failure of Man-Computer Symbiosis: The Hospital Computer Project, 1960-1968 / David Theodore ; 7. The Unclean Human-Machine Interface / Rachel Plotnick -- Part III. Storage. 8. Architectures of Information: A Comparison of Wiener’s and Shannon’s Theories of Information / Bernard Dionysius Geoghegan ; 9. Bureaucracy’s Playthings / Shannon Mattern -- Part IV. Computation. 10. Imagining Architecture as a Form of Concrete Poetry / Matthew Allen ; 11. The Axiomatic Aesthetic / Alma Steingart.
1. Introduction: toward a polyglot space -- Medium -- Field -- Obsolescence -- Conversation -- Architecture of computer architectures -- Program -- Input/output -- Storage -- Computation -- Bibliography -- PART I: Program -- 2. Computing environmental design -- Environmental conservation at Cape Cod -- Environmental design -- Environmental privacy in a community -- The architecture and computer conference -- Note -- Bibliography -- 3. The work of design and the design of work: Olivetti and the political economy of its early computers -- Olivetti and computing -- New forms: the Olivetti Elea 9003 mainframe computer -- New theories: Ulm School of Design -- Metadesign and machine tools -- "New forces" -- The potentially subversive "technician" -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 4. Bewildered, the form-maker stands alone: computer architecture and the quest for design rationality -- The need for choice -- A cooperative game -- A logical structure -- The image of rationality -- Computer architecture -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- PART II: Input/output -- 5. Augmentation and interface: tracing a spectrum -- The augmented human -- Enhancement through dialogue -- Architecture machines -- "The fabric of everyday life" -- Conclusions -- Bibliography -- 6. The first failure of man-computer symbiosis: the hospital computer project, 1960-1968 -- The postwar research hospital -- Four partners -- Technological development of man-computer symbiosis -- The failure of man-computer symbiosis -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 7. The unclean human-machine interface -- Part I: clean enough for a computer -- Part II: grappling with the messiness of everyday life -- Part III: cleanliness as a persistent virtue -- Notes -- Bibliography -- PART III: Storage -- 8. Architectures of information: a comparison of Wiener's and Shannon's theories of information -- Information theories and their sources -- Diverging theories of information -- Wiener and Shannon on information and purpose -- Information and entropy -- Architectures of information -- Wiener's entropic universe -- Shannon's industrial information -- Meaning for the profession -- The socialization of information -- Acknowledgment -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 9. Bureaucracy's playthings -- Toys for serious business -- Bureaucratic puzzle pieces -- Notes -- Bibliography -- PART IV: Computation -- 10. Imagining architecture as a form of concrete poetry -- Structuralist activity in Form -- Form and algorithmic architecture -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- 11. The axiomatic aesthetic -- Structure -- Creativity -- Aesthetics -- CODA.

Summary:

"Computer Architectures is a collection of multidisciplinary historical works that unearth sites, concepts, and concerns that catalyzed the cross-contamination of computers and architecture in the mid-20th century. Actively constructing the common ground between design and computing, this collection addresses audiences working at the nexus of design, technology, and society, including historians and practitioners of design and architecture, science and technology scholars, and media studies scholars"-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN:

9780815396529 (hardcover)
081539652X (hardcover)
9781032085685 (paperback)
1032085681 (paperback)
electronic book
9780429264306

Subject:

Architectural design Data processing.
Computer-aided design.
Architecture Philosophy History 20th century.
Design architectural Informatique.
Conception assistée par ordinateur.
Architecture Philosophie Histoire 20e siècle.
computer-aided designs (visual works)
computer-aided design (process)
Architecture Philosophy

Form/genre:

History

Added entries:

Vardouli, Theodora, editor.
Touloumi, Olga, editor.
Routledge research in design, technology and society.

Holdings:

Location: Library main 325962
Call No.: 325962
Copy: 1
Status: Available