Desilo Architecture: Defragmenting The Built Environment in a Post Reductionist world

By Zaky Jaafar

This piece is a studio primer prepared for the Master of Architecture Programme, at Universiti Putra Malaysia.

source: AI

     I.            Preamble

This brief outlines the course structure for an architectural studio thesis for a Master in Architecture Programme. It is structured to fit into a 0+6 credit hour over 14 weeks. However it can be tailored for other frameworks or even a microcredential programme.

 II.            Overview

This is an overview of an architecture studio unit, for the Master in Architecture Programme, meant for the first semester of the final year (5th year in the program). The unit will be dealing with the formation of thesis statement that will be the basis of their architectural project in Semester 2. The unit looks into the concept of breaking down hierarchies and the fragmentation in the built environment. This is a reaction against the fragmentation drive in architecture, Urban Design and Town Planning predominantly driven by reductionism in scientific materialism. The term 'desiloisation' is borrowed from managerial sciences. The theoretical proposition in this brief is termed 'Desilo Architecture'.

Background:

This unit is a progression from the previous year's unit, responsible architecture. From the unit, one of the interesting ideas that emerged was the idea of desiloisation in epistemological institutions, proposed by Yap Ying Ying[1] (Ying, 2025) . In the work, she identified the need to have a more holistic, integrated approach in designing the built environment. Much of her work focuses on bridging the fragmented realm created by the reductionist tendency of the contemporary knowledge institutions in particular and the built environment in general.

The need: Contemporary built environments are highly fragmented due to the reductionistic worldview, resulting in segregation between mind and body, faculties in education, zoning in urban design, and siloisation of spaces. This is the characteristic of scientific materialism, a derivative of the philosophy of reductionism. To counter this, the term defragmented built environment (alternatively termed ‘Desilo Architecture’) aims at reorganising our built environment by, among others, emphasizing on:

·       Decentralisation of space

·       Removing hierarchical spaces

·       Increasing permealibity

·       Exploiting ambiguity

·       Empowering adaptation

·       Iteration of design solutions

·       Encouraging serendipitous encounters

·       Integrating Nature

·       Maintaining feedback loop

To achieve this, several paradigms already established in literature will be employed such as design thinking, holistic approach, adaptive approach, community participation. The use of AI to bridge various disciplines will be employed to come up with a solution. More criteria should be developed during the exploration of this unit.

Theoretical foundation

This unit explores the origin of fragmentation, including Cartesian mind-body dualism and the fragmentation of phenomena within a positivist, scientific materialist worldview. It examines how fragmentation manifests through reductionist and mechanistic approaches across various sectors such as education, economics, the built environment, capitalism, and socialism.

The response to fragmentation, termed desiloisation, will draw from paradigmatic theories such as phenomenology, holistic thinking, system thinking, and design thinking.

III.            Course Structure

The course is spread over two 5 hours session in a week. Most of the time will be spent on tutorial and consultations with tutors. Input lectures, will be spread over the first 7 weeks, comprising a 2 hours lecture each week. Along the line, three assessment sessions will be conducted, each will carry weighted marks for the course.

[1]

Ying, Y. Y. (2025).  Investigating Silo Phenomenon And Its Spatial Impact On Knowledge Environment: Dissertation Submitted for Master of Architecture, Dept of Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia.