In Informal , Cecil Balmond challenges rigid, Cartesian architectural constraints by proposing a non-linear, opportunistic methodology centered on dynamic patterns, structural networks, and algorithmic growth. The book showcases collaborations with architects like Rem Koolhaas and Toyo Ito, demonstrating how this approach, blending engineering with architectural design, creates adaptable, human-centered spaces. Read the full, original document on Scribd . AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Rem Koolhaas & Cecil Balmond: Bordeaux Villa | PDF - Scribd
Cecil Balmond (former Deputy Chairman of Ove Arup & Partners) is famous for engineering collaborations with Rem Koolhaas/OMA (e.g., Seattle Public Library, CCTV Headquarters). Informal is his manifesto on — rejecting Euclidean geometry in favor of "moving vectors, unstable grids, and fields of forces." cecil balmond informal pdf 12
Informal is considered a foundational text for contemporary parametric and computational design. In Informal , Cecil Balmond challenges rigid, Cartesian
Balmond draws a series of black dots on white paper. At first, it looks like a constellation. Then, a red line passes diagonally across the page. Balmond draws a series of black dots on white paper
In Informal , Balmond writes, "We have been brainwashed by the straight line." He invites us to look at nature, which never builds in right angles. Nature is recursive, self-similar, and fractal. Balmond’s work seeks to bring this natural complexity into the built environment, transforming engineering from a science of support into an art of narrative.
: He introduces the idea of using mathematical sequences and algorithms to generate architectural forms that feel organic yet are structurally sound.