RESEARCH DESCRIPTION
Huggable architecture is a body of research which interrogates paradigms of the scientific and the
immeasurable by exploring the gesture of a hug at the intersection of computation and culture. Taking an
opportunistic approach to design research it seeks to engage in both the quantitative and qualitative aspects
of technology in design. Quantitatively, it engages in the hard numbers involving efficiency, simulation, and
advanced manufacturing processes. Qualitatively, it asks, how might the design of an architectural element
evoke a response? By balancing the scientific and the immeasurable, the research tries to find the
equilibrium between computational control and material volition, and mediate between the metrics of
robotics and the un‐quantifiable experience. The consideration of the characteristics of a hug, including soft,
warm, and empathetic, guide the research and design decisions regarding the computable and incomputable
components of the work.
