On the Boundaries of Discipline: The Role of Gaming Systems in Contemporary Architecture Project

When navigating the boundaries of the discipline, it is possible to discover how far architecture can unfold without losing its essence. Mansilla and Tuñón belong to a generation interested in blurring these boundaries and expanding the spaces for idea generation. They engage in an uninterrupted conversation with other disciplines in the realms of art, science, and culture, sharing concerns, working methods, and production tools. The concept of play constitutes one of these border territories used to experiment, test, and formulate alternative questions. By introducing a set of voluntary and arbitrary rules into the design process, these rules are accepted by all participants in the project-game. However, there is the freedom to change them if their infertility is discovered during the process. These game rules, or self-imposed constraints, provide an opportunity to negotiate with real constraints under a certain order, capable of triggering unexpected results while avoiding given or preconceived solutions. This allows the author to face decision-making and judgment. A dialogue between play and architecture is proposed through the analysis of their systems or sets of rules, emphasizing their social significance. The diagram and model are employed as mediation tools within the design process.