Ground Zero

This project speculates how the conception and production of the architectural artifact might respond to the profound transition and convergence of biological sciences and electronic technologies. The thesis is a study of how one might investigate and implement systemic methods, relational strategies and natural phenomena into the process of design and how one might look at the architectural artifact as a biological phenomena and architecture as a magnificent contrivance of the natural world. The thesis was approached from a Darwinian perspective which was the generative force and the conceptual basis of the research and the design. Thesis Supervisor: William J. Mitchell Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, M.I.T. Thesis Supervisor: Andrew Scott Associate Professor of Architecture I would like to dedicate this book to my parents, James T. Fisher and Kathy S. Fisher. I would also like to thank Tara DeLisio for her support and inspiration, Randy Thornhill for introducing me to Darwin, William J. Mitchell, Andrew Scott, Peter Testa, and Terry Knight, for their sound and thoughtful advice, George Stiny, Chris Luebkeman, and Alexander Tzonis for their inspiration, Adam Balaban for his assistance, and all of my family, friends and teachers. Derek Fisher