Academic research is pivotal in the progression of design innovation. It fosters an environment in which inventive thinking, diverse disciplines and the spirit of experimentation are free to evolve. The Bartlett School of Architecture has long led the way in this pursuit and it is here that Professor Marcos Cruz has established an immensely significant body of work.
Through research, teaching and design Marcos has been at the forefront of experimental design practice for the past 25 years. His generous approach to interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research places his work at the cutting edge of architectural investigation, exploring advances in computation and bio-technology. His recent Inaugural Professorial Lecture ‘Poikilohydric Design’, delivered a fascinating journey through his work and an inspirational reminder of the importance and potential of living material within the built environment.
As my Unit 20 tutor at The Bartlett many years ago, his teaching and support proved instrumental in the direction of my own work; enhanced further when we later co-edited the AD Neoplasmatic Design publication together.
Professor of Innovative Environments at UCL, Director of Bio-ID at the Bartlett, co-founder of marcosandmarjan amongst many other roles, his work raises many lines of enquiry and possesses considerable relevance to the question of how we progress our environment. His website offers an overview with links to projects, relevant sites and publications.
The collaborative work ‘Algae-Cellunoi’, created with Marjan Colletti, Guan Lee and Richard Beckett for the 9th ARCHILAB, FRAC Centre, Orleans, France is shown here.
Image copyright Marcos Cruz.
