synthetic life

First fully functional synthetic self-reproducing cell announced from Craig Venter (J. Craig Venter Institute).

Initial endeavors by archimorph into bottom-up self-replicating systems were pursued through a purely technological trajectory of nanoscale robotics. However, it was noted shortly after this project (the self-fab house: cultivating spaces) that the current breakthroughs and research into the biological sciences and genetic engineering had been largely overlooked. Similarly processes originally intended through nanobots, and thought to of only been achievable by them, can be achieved through pure biological processes. By using technology to manipulate pure biological processes, rather than those purely technologically mimicking them, allow for a system more true to our own nature. Likewise, these synthetic lifeforms created through our technology hold both similar benefits and disadvantaged within them as did the introduction of self replicating nanobots. It could even be said that these purely biological systems may be less controllable. Although there are many critics and unanswered questions within both of these scientific endeavors it appears to be the most promising in terms of creating human habitats from the bottom-up gaining control of matter at the molecular level. It is our belief that through these bottom-up creation processes we will gain the ability to manipulate the human environment into one which is more conducive to life on earth and one in which we seek but cannot fully obtain at this point in time. It is our job to look critically at these new technologies and learn how to employ them beneficially to our environment before their introduction, which is certainly inevitable at our current trajectory. To be able to connect intelligently from our subconscious to the environment through scaled fractal geometries ranging thru all perceivable and non-perceivable scales will require an increased interest into research where biology and technology synthesize; a paradigm shift in current architectural perceptions. -JB