Wicked Problems, Wicked Humor: Fun machines as a Method to Frame Wicked Problems in Architecture

Dulmini Perera. Dessau Institute of Architecture, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences , Dessau, Germany. RSD7. 2018
Wicked Problems, Wicked Humor:
Fun machines as a Method to Frame Wicked Problems in Architecture

/20. Wicked Problems, Wicked Humor: Fun Machines as a Method to Frame Wicked Problems in Architecture. RSD7. 2018
Introduction
Dessau ?

Image
01:
Im
Osten
nichts
Neues.2017.h.ps://www.economist.com/node/21720578/all-‐comments?page=1

Image
02:
Cover
copy.
Atlas
of
Shrinking
ci7es.
Edited
by
Phillip
Oswalt,
Hatje
Cantz,
2006.

Image
03:
Bauhaus
Dessau.
Photo
by
Author

Image
04:
Cover
copy.
InternaPonal
Building
ExhibiPon
Urban
Redevelopment
Saxony-‐
Anhalt
2010,
Ministry
for
regional

development
saxony
anhalt,
2010,
h.p://www.fad.cat/citytocity/2/cat/wp-‐content/uploads/guanyadora/booklet_dessau.pdf

Introduction
Dessau ?

All Project images that appear in this presentation are produced by Fun machines 2018 project group: Samuel Koh, Ariruddha
Phadke, Gary Chong, Yu kee Chai, Olivia Ashbrook, Raik Schamberg, Maria Quittenbaum,You Shing Soh, Maria Shelkovska,
Taylor Louison, Valmir Kastrati, Henrique de Oliveira, Lai Mun Choong.

Introduction
Design and Architecture students

Complexity , Design Methodology and Wicked Problems
Discussions in Methodology

Methods

Wicked Problems
Complexity, Mess
(Ri.el
&
Webber,
1973)

After methods
(John
Law,
1973)

(Birger
Sevaldson,
2010,
2011)

Second generation methods

Horst Rittel, Heinz von Foerster and the Design Machine
Science and Method
Design and Logic
Ri.el-‐Instrumental
knowledge/pragmaPcs-‐
rethinking
scienPﬁc
method(machine)

von
Foerster-‐rethinking
the
science
(machine)

Ri.el,
On
the
Planning
Crisis(1972),
instrumentelles
Wissen
in
der
PoliPk(1966)/
Von
Foerster,
ResponsibiliPes
of
Competence
(1971)

Ri.el-‐Design
process
as
a
process
of
argumentaPon

von
Foerster-‐
ConversaPon
(
monologue
to
dialogue)

Ri.el,
On
the
Planning
Crisis(1972),
Instrumentelles
Wissen
in
der
PoliPk(1966)/
Von
Foerster,
PercepPon
of
The
Future
and
Future
of
PercepPon
(1971)

Design and Community
The Designing Self
Ri.el-‐Symmetry
of
ignorance

von
Foerster-‐Reality
=community

Ri.el,
On
the
Planning
Crisis(1972)
/
Von
Foerster,
On
ConstrucPng
a
reality
(1973)

Ri.el-‐”mental
crutches”
that
enhance
natural
intelligence

von
Foerster-‐in
Pmes
of
crisis
your
gaze
should
widen

Ri.el,
How
to
know
what
is
known(1983)
/
Von
Foerster,
Needs
of
percepPon
and
PercepPon
of
needs(1975)

Also
The
idea
of
internal
conversaPon
and
drawing
as
discussed
by
Ranulph
Glanville
and
Ben
SweePng

Complexity , Design Methodology and Wicked Problems
Fun Machines

How can this construct be used to
explore the connections between
architecture, systems theory and
wicked problems?
In what ways do the terms
fun ,playfulness, humor relate
to second generation methods
Design Process?
What other theories, discussions
exist that relate to humor/
playfulness are helpful for
theoretical framework?
In what ways can the fun machine be used
to frame the complexity of social
processes ?
What experiments/objects exist
historically that could be
interpreted through the lens of
the fun machine?
What are the specific strategies /tactics
that are a part of the fun machine?
In what ways does this relate to the broader conversation o
deign methods what does it add?
Machines= Design methods

Machines= Social Process

Humor (Koestler, Freud, Bergson, Higgins )
Sources
[
ej
to
right]:
Freud,
Sigmund.
Jokes
and
Their
Rela7on
to
the
Unconscious
(1905).
London:
Hogarth
Press,
1960.,

Koestler,
Arthur.
The
Act
of
Crea7on.
London:
Penguin
Books,
1989.,
Deleuze,
Gilles,
ConstanPn
V.
Boundas,
and
Mark

Lester.
The
Logic
of
Sense.
London:
ConPnuum,
2012.,
Law,
John.
ABer
Method:
Mess
in
Social
Science
Research.
Psychology

Press,
2004.,
Higgie,
Jennifer.(ed.)
The
Ar7st's
Joke.
London:
Whitechapel
Gallery,
2007.

The 1960s
Sources
[lej
to
right]:
Schrijver,
Lara.
Radical
Games:
Popping
the
Bubble
of
1960sʼ
Architecture.
Ro.erdam:
NAi
Publishers,
2009.,
Sadler,
Simon.

Archigram:
Architecture
Without
Architecture.
Cambridge,
Mass:
MIT
Press,
2005.,
Blauvelt,
Andrew.
Hippie
Modernism:
The
Struggle
for
Utopia.

Minneapolis:
Walker
Art
Center,
2016.,
Mathews,
J.
Stanley.
From
Agit-‐Prop
to
Free
Space:
The
Architecture
of
Cedric
Price.
London:
Black
Dog

Pub.
Ltd,
2007.

Tactics- Process and Scale
Scale Cards

Tactics- Process and Scale
Animating machines

Tactics- Flows
Animating machines

Tactics- Designer vs. The Others (Gameplay)

Tactics- Designer vs. The Others (narratives )

Tactics- Wordplay

Tactics- On becoming a clown
Designing selves
Is there a unitary self that designs or are there many selves? Can we explore the designing self
as series of voices or contradictions? Can we break away form the restrictions of the
architectural personae? ( a continuation of Rittel, Schon, Glanville, Sweeting )

Tactics- On becoming a clown
“Learn to Laugh “

Perhaps, most importantly at yourself
Friedrich Nietzsche,
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, P.405

The fun machine is a conflict/ controversy map.
Paradox
or
contradicPons
are
significant
components
of
wicked
problems.”
The
fun
machine

uPlizes
paradoxes
as
a
producPve
factor
in
the
generaPon
of
the
machine.
Discordant
codes,

hidden
incongruiPes
are
made
explicit.
According
to
Ri.el
design
emerges
through
conflict
and

controversy.

The fun machine plays with language.
According
to
Ri.el
wicked
problems
need
to
be
reframed
constantly.
The
fun
machine
uPlizes

word
play
in
its
many
forms
(
pun,
wincism,
perversions
of
rhythm
and
rhyme
to
engage
in

re-‐languaging
of
the
idenPfied
problem.

Fun machines create mattering maps.
For
Ri.el
wicked
problems
were
another
way
of
rethinking
the
discussion
on
the
significance

of
instrumental
knowledge
in
architecture.
ParPcularly
instrumental
knowledge
as
something

that
does
not
deal
with
“what
is”
(science)
and
“what
it
means”
(humaniPes)
but
rather
as

something
that
relates
to
“
what
ma.ers”
(pragmaPcs).

The fun machine allows for a Clowning of the self. It

operates
as
a
tool
for
designers
to
rethink
their
own
subject
posiPon
and
agency.
This
idea

of
clowning
allows
one
architect
to
assume
mulPple
voices
at
the
same
Pme
and
voice
the

contradictory
posiPons
within
the
designing
self.

Slide 19/20. Wicked Problems, Wicked Humor: Fun Machines as a Method to Frame Wicked Problems in Architecture. RSD7. 2018

In a complex world where wicked problems are an inevitable part of the
everyday life of an architect it is hoped that the fun machines will provide
young architects with a tool of thought, action, activism, and if nothing else a
method of survival in times of frustration.

Wicked Problems, Wicked Humor: Fun machines as a Method to Frame Wicked Problems in Architecture

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