Body Plotter by Alex Barr and Andres Flores

In her 2004 hacker manifesto, McKenzie Wark said that “whatever code we hack, be it programming language, poetic language, math or music, curves or coloring, we create the possibility of new things entering the world… in art, science, in philosophy and culture, in any production of knowledge where data can be gathered, where new information can be extracted from it and where that information new possibilities for the world are produced, there are hackers hacking the new out of the old.”

Which led us to thinking… is there a way we could hack the old tools of the architect to create a new language of architecture?

What if the body could become an interface for the creative process? Before we establish grids, geometry, and rigorous organization -- what if the basics of architecture started with bodily movement, organic performance, collaboration, & uncertain experimentation?

A series of flex sensors are stitched inside 4 armbands and 4 kneepads; which are then attached to each joint for the Body Plotter performance. Movement from the flex sensors trigger the Aruduino UNO to rotate the Servos and respond to the performance. Servos are attached to 4 custom made housing units that act as mechanized drawing arms.

With each performance comes a new set of ideas, movements, and universes. The Body Plotter envisions the drawing process, not as a separate process between body and object, but as an extension of the body itself.

Imagine there has never been a language of architecture, what types of mysteries can seep from these performances? Can we design according to embodied knowledge? What other design tools can we hack? What other strange universes do we create when we free ourselves from the constraints of rigid design thinking?