DIGITAL EXPRESSIONISM: THE ARCHITECTURE OF COMPLEX SHAPES: Multi-case analysis, classification and interpretation

The research presented is about digital revolution in architecture, due to the entry of computing in a design development, which has contributed to the birth of a new figurative trend, we can call Digital Expressionism. The work was conducted through the definition of a framework to identify and classify architectural design elements that should be attributed to the methods and techniques of design computing, then applied to sixty prominent recent buildings which are acknowledged products of digital means. The early results suggest that a new era is coming, where the conceptual starting point of designers is often born in the digital space, taking advantage of the augmented representation skills to control and manipulate form. We will also do an overview of this new architectural trend, discussing both causes and cultural roots and identifying eventual criticisms and further developments.