In his manifesto, Balmond argues that architecture needs a jolt of reality. Instead of predetermined, static geometries (the square, the rigid grid), he proposes : an opportunistic methodology that seizes a local moment and makes something of it. For Balmond, architecture is not a finished product dictated by a master plan but a "formative process" arising out of structural logic and network theory.
Cecil Balmond — structural engineer, designer, writer and former Director of Advanced Geometry Unit at Arup — explores the intersection of structure, art, mathematics and architecture. His Informal series are short conceptual essays/lectures that reflect on structure, complexity, and design thinking. cecil balmond informal pdf 12