The Body at the Center of Our Design Universe

Abstract

A third factor has increasingly complicated the man-environment paradigm - the intellectual and physical framework defining the relationship between man and the environment, both built and natural - without definitive resolution since the mid-18th century. This is the man-machine paradigm, originating with Industrialization but transforming into new, unfamiliar forms with the digital revolutions of today. Our technological prowess and ingenuity as a species always seem to outrace our sensibilities, especially the most common kind, in the (sometimes-blind) pursuit of fame and fortune in modern capitalist societies. This is to be expected and even encouraged. However, we must always guard against the worst evils of human nature in this race. We are imperfect beings. Our machines will always be similarly imperfect. The built environment can be a wonderfully adaptive mechanism for the collective good but it alone cannot compensate for - and even disproportionately suffers from - the ill-advised design judgment of individuals. Given these circumstances, we will review some basic design principles to hold firm while doing better for our built environments of the future with a little foresight.