Harry Thompson
The Withdrawn Design: Object-Oriented Ontology and Architectural Practice
Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) is a school of realist philosophy, which holds that the entire cosmos is made up of 'objects' existing independently of their relations. Objects cannot ever be grasped in their entirety, and any literal perception does not give us the object directly, but only a translation of it.
This research project recognises that such an ontology clashes heads with many of the most frequently employed modes of architectural practice: the widespread use of material palettes, schedules of works, and concept diagrams strive to define the design (an object) through its relations than its own particular qualities. Through active projects engaged with as part of the Design Office, the research strives to reconsider how we approach design in order to prioritise a withdrawn reality over relational effects.
