“A Purple Architecture: Design in the Age of the Physical-Virtual Continuum” is the title of new book, published by Carnegie Mellon University’s ETC Press. The book is edited by WSU faculty Vahid Vahdat, who is an assistant professor of architecture and interior design.
Through a critical examination of various design discourses, e.g., architecture, game design, film production, and fashion, the book echoes the erogenous voice of a collective ambition for the future. It argues that rapid technological developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, mixed reality, and robotic additive manufacturing, especially as pioneered by large tech companies, have failed to offer a cohesive aspirational agenda to reduce human suffering and oppression. Moving beyond the glamor of techno-optimism, a roadmap based on ecologies of human values is not only necessary as a framework for technological development, but can also offer creative solutions to many of the socio-ecological crises we face.
Such a creative roadmap, as many of the failed manifestos of the past century testify, is more effective if produced through dialogue. “A Purple Architecture” addresses this ambition by provoking an interdisciplinary discussion among some of the most innovative leaders of the design fields.
