Enacting Gregory Bateson's Ecological Aesthetics in Architecture and Design

在建筑和设计中体现格雷戈里·贝特森的生态美学

基本信息

批准号：
AH/X002535/1
负责人：
Ben Sweeting
金额：
$ 28.44万
依托单位：
University of Brighton
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2023
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2023 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FX002535%2F1
关键词：
Enacting Gregory Bateson Ecological Aesthetics

项目摘要

Social and ecological transformation requires design and architecture fields to develop new, more expansive, ways of thinking and acting that better engage questions of ecology. This project examines how the work of anthropologist and cybernetician Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) might contribute an alternative frame of action to navigate this challenge. Drawing on the concerns of Bateson's later work, the project asks: What forms of thinking and acting can work through the particular complexities of environmental crises in the contexts of design and architecture, bridging between rich ecological ideas and the practical challenges of concrete situations?As early as the 1960s, Bateson argued that the environmental crisis resulted from a broader crisis of ideas and the forms of organisation that resulted from this. Bateson criticised piecemeal approaches to environmental action in ways that continue to resonate today. By addressing only those 'problems' that are identifiable and solvable, one acts only on parts of an ecosystem, with unpredictable consequences that reverberate through the whole. Drawing on their anthropological work, Bateson pointed to various aesthetic practices that support fuller ecosystemic engagements. This idea of an 'ecological aesthetics' opens up new possibilities (as well as challenges) for creative disciplines in contributing substantial responses to environmental crises, in contrast to where environmental concerns are seen primarily through the lens of technology. While there are a number of resonances between Bateson's work and the contexts of architecture and design, engaging Bateson's ideas is inevitably complex. Mobilising Bateson's work is not simply a matter of better articulating its concepts - these are ideas that need to be enacted not just explained. In later work, Bateson attempted to address the overly complex character of their ideas, reworking them in ways that were more open to practical contexts, often through forms of dialogue where form and content intersect. Taking its point of departure from these aspects of Bateson's work, the project explores, develops, and critiques Bateson's ideas in varied contexts of practice. These include: (1) a prototype installation for enriching urban eco-systems; (2) communication design mapping of Bateson's concepts across ecological domains; (3) storytelling that engages with pre-rational forms of knowing to speculate on alternative technology futures; and (4) the development of new modes of dialogical engagement. Coming out of these activities, the team will work collaboratively to produce accessible resources such as maps, illustrations, and games that can support new forms of engagement with Bateson's ideas amongst students, teachers, researchers, and practitioners in design and architecture.

社会和生态转型要求设计和建筑领域发展新的、更广泛的思维和行为方式，更好地解决生态问题。该项目研究了人类学家和控制论学家格雷戈里·贝特森（Gregory Bateson，1904-1980）的工作如何为应对这一挑战提供替代行动框架。借鉴贝特森后期工作的关注点，该项目提出了这样的问题：什么样的思维和行动形式可以在设计和建筑背景下解决环境危机的特殊复杂性，在丰富的生态理念和具体情况的实际挑战之间架起桥梁？早在 20 世纪 60 年代，贝特森就认为环境危机是由更广泛的观念危机和由此产生的组织形式危机造成的。贝特森批评了零敲碎打的环境行动方式，这种方式至今仍然引起共鸣。通过只解决那些可识别和可解决的“问题”，人们只能对生态系统的一部分采取行动，从而产生不可预测的后果，从而波及整个生态系统。贝特森借鉴他们的人类学工作，指出了支持更全面的生态系统参与的各种美学实践。这种“生态美学”的理念为创造性学科在对环境危机做出实质性反应方面开辟了新的可能性（以及挑战），这与主要通过技术镜头看待环境问题形成鲜明对比。虽然贝特森的作品与建筑和设计背景之间存在许多共鸣，但融入贝特森的想法不可避免地很复杂。贝特森的工作的动员不仅仅是更好地阐明其概念的问题——这些想法需要付诸实施而不仅仅是解释。在后来的工作中，贝特森试图解决他们的想法过于复杂的特征，以更开放的方式对实际环境进行改造，通常是通过形式和内容交叉的对话形式。该项目从贝特森工作的这些方面出发，在不同的实践背景下探索、发展和批评贝特森的思想。其中包括：（1）丰富城市生态系统的原型装置；（2）贝特森跨生态领域概念的传达设计映射； (3) 讲故事，结合前理性的认知形式来推测替代技术的未来； (4) 开发新的对话参与模式。通过这些活动，该团队将协作制作地图、插图和游戏等可访问的资源，以支持设计和建筑领域的学生、教师、研究人员和从业者以新的形式参与贝特森的想法。