Call for Abstracts - xArch Symposium

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

xArch Symposium / creativity in the age of digital reproduction

Xi’an Jiaotong- Liverpool University, Suzhou, China and hybrid

November 11^th-12^th 2023

Call for Abstracts: 300 words (in English only)

Final deadline of abstract submission: 29 April 2023

EasyChair platform: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=xarch2023

INTRODUCTION

Technology shifted from the physical to the digital world in the late 20th century, and since that moment the most evident change has been how quickly technology has evolved compared to the past. However, until recent years, digital technology has only been perceived as a very sophisticated tool, bringing the technical role to a new level. In fact, working with such technologies requires a complex set of soft and hard skills.

Creativity has also been affected by the digital shift. It was easier to imagine new processes when technology was easy to understand and control, but a more advanced and complex technology also required additional creative thinking skills. Creativity has become the driver for finding new applications for the technology.

Nevertheless, the scheme has remained unaltered: human skills – technological tools.

We are now on the verge of a third breakthrough represented by the most radical evolution of digital technology: AI.

The world is taking three positions: the enthusiasts claim that AI is expanding their creative processes; the critics predict the end of humanity; the neutrals barricade themselves behind a generic and fatalistic approach – "it is inevitable" or "there is no turning back".

But if we maintain our discourse on the evolution of technology, it is undeniable that for the first time in the history of humankind, we are giving up our distinctive feature: creativity.

It is a century-old problem that has adjusted to a new context: from "the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction" to "creativity in the age of digital reproduction".

Isn’t this the right moment to rethink the digital?

The xArch symposium aims to foster a critical reflection on digital technology and on the progressive shifting (or drifting) towards technology-driven applications.

Contributions focusing on digital applications with impact on real-life scenarios, digital fabrication, design-to-build, AI and machine learning are particularly encouraged.

MAIN TOPICS

The co- and inter-disciplinary conversation will ideally embrace multiple fields, including and not limited to:

• Computational Design
• Digital Fabrication
• Robotic Fabrication
• AI / Machine Learning
• AR / VR
• Blockchain in the AEC field
• BIM
• Digital Pedagogy

KEY DATES

• Call for Abstracts – March 13, 2023
• Abstract submission due – April 29, 2023
  
• Notice of abstract acceptance – May 14, 2023
• Full paper submission due – July 16, 2023
• Notice of full paper acceptance – August 15, 2023
• Revised and formatted materials due – August 29, 2023