Zhe Lin's Reflection on Reading 3: models protoypes archetypes

Today ‘File to factory’ has become the mainstream in architectural field. Architects and architectural students all use ‘File to factory’ on some extent. The writer took part in the construction of Sagrada Familia Church, so he gives many examples of the church in this passage. We can see how digital fabrication is being used in the construction of an architecture which was designed in 19^th Century, which I think is very interesting and valuable.

Gaudi didn’t use any parametric design, but we still can construct the church in a parametric way. Digital fabrication can free the craftsmen. For example, they don’t have to the rough cutting of the stone, so they could focus on the perfection of the surface. Jordi Barbany even used seven-axis robot, which resembles what we are using, to produce the columns of Sagrada Familia Church. The robot can be very precise to complete sophisticated project.

What’s more, I hadn’t thought of the differences between models and prototypes until I read this passage. During my architecture study, I always treated the models just as models. I used models to convey my ideas to others and examine the space of architecture. However, the writer mentions that models can be used as prototypes sometimes, like the column models of Sagrada Familia Church. The column models didn’t follow other prototypes, while they are the original pattern or model. After they are tested, they will become the archetypes for subsequent decisions. This is a further function of models. In this process, digital fabrication allows the appearance of this new prototype.