Hello, World: The Exploration of a Component-Based, Systemic Approach to the Physicality of Digital Infrastructure

Abstract

This thesis explores the interrelationship between digital and physical environments by investigating the Fabrication Laboratory typology as a new form of digital infrastructure. The research conducted herein examines the apparent disparity between the architectural manifestation of digital infrastructure, and the ephemeral cultural perceptions of virtual environments. As an analogous form of digital infrastructure, Data Centers are analyzed to identify design parameters for the development of a Fabrication Laboratory prototype that will align virtual perceptions with the physical infrastructure that supports its operation. The tectonic expression for the prototype is a derivative of the speed by which technology is changed, positing a highly adaptable architecture through the development of a component-based, systemic approach to the design. The fitness of the prototype is then tested through its application to a site in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Through these investigations the ambition is to establish an architectural language of the digital age.