London, UK
1998
Sector: Research and Development
Project Status: Proposal

The first project,Solar Logic, was initially developed for The Groningen Experiment, a small working prototype of a predictive urban computer model commissioned by the City Planning Department of Groningen, Holland and carried out in collaboration with Professor John Frazer and Diploma Unit 11 at the Architectural Association.

Solar Logic
When I Stand Still, I am Moving
We exist in a universe full of constant motion. The apparent motion of the sun in our sky is caused by our movement around the sun, creating a series of dynamic geometrical relationships from which complexity emerges. As a result of this each point on earth has a unique space-time relationship with the sun. And yet, there are constant elements within this flux.

The model sees the sun as a generator of form and organisation in the context of an approach to architecture that embraces the geometrical intelligence of nature and follows the strategies and rules that nature has found to make best uses of its resources. It is a generic model developed for all latitudes and all times. The aim of the model is to describe a three dimensional space consisting of points which are intelligent, conscious, and aware of their environment, the points around them, and their dynamic and ever-changing relationship with the sun and with time. This space will be able to adapt, react, and behave through its awareness. Dynamic form and structure will emerge for all latitudes on earth that is responsive to that relationship and the different states for those points dependent on their unique contextual condition.

Global-Local and Local-Global
This model works both with the local and global rules of relationship. In the 'real' world global rules apply and govern the behaviour of the points of the datastructure. The rules for growth are 'filtered' through several levels of economic , sensory and cultural opacity. The points in the datastructure have true geometrical intelligence. The results are dynamic, responsive and inherently organic. In the 'abstract' world, local rules test for state, efficiency and neighbourhood rules of relationship. Theses states affect each point's growth and the future state of all other points within the datastructure as it is continuously updated, and create a means by which information can flow from the 'real' world to the 'abstract' world within the model.

The global and local rules are subdivided into four further relationships:
• global-global(sun to earth, planet to planet, city to city, global rules sent globally)
• global-local(real world interaction with global rules at a local scale, global rules sent locally)
• local-global (local rules that have a global influence, local rules sent globally)
• local-local (logic fields, rules of neighbourhood, local rules sent locally).
These deal with the varying intensity of the relationship with the other models interacting with the central model and locally with the solar system, as well as categorising the influence and effect that can be established between the networks and their relationships.