Alvin Huang

Social media is changing the way we experience the built environment. In both the virtual and the physical, the goal is the same: engagement. Changes in contemporary consumer culture and social media are creating a global value system where experiences are viewed as more desirable than possessions. Within this context, the value of design is now greater than ever. So, how does the future of architectural design respond to this paradigm shift? By leveraging bespoke design as an opportunity to challenge convention, architecture has the ability to provide memorable one-of-a-kind urban experiences that have a social, cultural, and technological impact. In my talk, I will share the exploratory practice of my firm Synthesis Design + Architecture, an award-winning design research practice and that leverages technology (3D printing, digital fabrication, parametric modeling, big data, etc) as a means to challenge convention and imagine alternatives through an idea-driven architecture.

In the era of millennials and social media - experiences are more desirable than possessions, “creative” is a noun, and “influencer” is a job. In this context, the value of design is now greater than ever - in particular to the luxury travel market. Immersive, authentic experiences have been the talk of the luxury travel industry for some time now, but how does the future of design respond to this paradigm shift? In this session, entitled “The Future of Design as a Destination”, award-winning Los Angeles based architect Alvin Huang, AIA will discuss insights gained from over a decade of experience leading the design of novel hospitality, retail, and lifestyle projects in the Asian region. He will discuss how changes within contemporary consumer culture, the emergence of social media, the integration of nature, and an appreciation of “digital craft” can inform thoughtful and unique designs that are inspired by local cultures.

It can be said that the catalyst for every major advancement within the discipline of Architecture has been a parallel advancement of technology. Recently the introduction of computation within the field of Architecture has enabled new generative design techniques, new digital fabrication processes, and new performative building technologies. However, technology must also be understood as a form of contemporary cultural production that is not the end (solution), but rather the means (provocation). In this talk, Alvin Huang, AIA shares the exploratory practice of his firm Synthesis Design + Architecture, an award-winning design research practice and that leverages technology as a means to challenge convention and imagine alternatives through an idea-driven architecture where form follows performance.