Socio-constructivist Epistemology and Systemic Architectural Generation
摘要
Socioconstructivist thinking is based on the idea that knowledge is formed through social interaction, collective experience and cultural contexts. Transposed to the field of architecture, this theory invites us to conceive of form not as a fixed object, but as the fruit of a shared, contextualized learning process. From this perspective, the contemporary architectural generation is evolving towards a systemic, dynamic and participatory model, in the image of the social and urban ecosystem of neighborhoods like La Goulette in Tunis. This neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital Tunis, with its rich cultural strata, Mediterranean architectural heritage and diverse population, is an ideal setting for experimenting with a socioconstructivist approach to architecture. The built form thus becomes the result of a system of evolving interactions, in which each component feeds a collective intelligence of the territory. This position ties in with contributions to systems thinking: understanding architecture as a complex, self-regulating system in constant adaptation. Hence, architecture shows that human constructions are subject to criticism and transformation. Architectural form could be a hypothesis subject to social experience, as in the evolution of the spaces over time and through use. That’s what applies to generative architecture: a heuristic, collaborative and open process, calling for a co-constructed, participatory architecture rooted in the needs and knowledge of users.