Pantheon of Wonder

Essay

Abstraction of Colorful Light

How Procedural Modeling Can Change the Future

by Maria Lorena Lehman

Adaptive Architecture

Architecture Drawing

Redefining of "History"

Most recently, I have been working with procedural modeling software to create very forward-thinking conceptual designs. This way of modeling objects, buildings, or even cities is quite interesting as it allows for a more rapid testing, experimentation, and prototyping of ideas. And when procedural modeling integrates sensory design methodologies, opportunity to achieve high level poetics can surface.

In computer terms, the word “history” takes on new meaning and function when it comes to procedural modeling – since history in this context becomes malleable. For this reason, design prototyping of more complex forms gets faster for designers. Yet, this means that designers need to simultaneously engage in even deeper design thinking. After all, how far can a designer push the limits of a procedural model to explore the solution to a design challenge? Quite far (when engaged in deep design thinking).

The following is an example…

Imagining Procedural Built Environments

What if constructed buildings could be procedurally built? For example, a building would not be fixed and could be changed on-the-fly after being constructed. Of course, this would be a type of responsive environment – but it would be one with a malleable construction history. What if a room (already built) could have its windows changed (easily), like one would click a button in a software application? And could smart nanomaterials be a part of what makes these types of changeable environments realized?

While one may think the world of procedural buildings is far away, it still is quite beneficial to imagine such futures because this is where our design tools, like our design thinking, can lead. Be sure to see your design tools as more than just a way to show clients your idea. Think of your design tools as seeds to the future that your design thinking will water for them to grow and evolve. These tools hold keys to helping you innovate not only your own design work, but also your very vision for the future.

Image Credit: © Pixies | Pixabay

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Dear reader,


I believe life is a continual process of awakening. As the journey of my own life continues, I always find myself connecting my experiences, studies, and ideas to new creative projects that bring beauty, inspiration, and hope for our world. For over 30 years, since starting at age 17, I have immersed myself in architectural design; and early on, I earned a Master of Design with Distinction from Harvard University, setting the foundation for decades of deep immersion in the field. Yet even before this, I held music close to my heart. At the age of 5, I began my first piano lessons; and since then, I began to see the world through a musical lens — even while designing architecture.


Over the decades, I grew closer and closer to music with a deep love for the design of instruments, their unique timbres, and for all the immersive ways their sounds could be interwoven into beautiful orchestrated compositions. I even began to develop a musical composition methodology, Spatial Symphonics, as I found my architectural design work becoming more and more emotive, soul-stirring, and yes: musical.


In recent years, I finally turned my focus to music composition. I hold a Graduate Diploma from the Film Scoring Academy of Europe where my works have been recorded by the acclaimed European Recording Orchestra (ERO), and I am founder of MLL ATELIER® — an award-winning studio now dedicated to my work as an orchestral composer, recording artist, and spatial symphonist — where I advance architectural design through music, and innovate music through an architectural design lens.


It is my hope that I can share my ongoing musical-design journey with you, directly from my studio through my video-newsletter entitled 'Orchestral Notes'. Expect video updates filled with first-access studio news announcing: album/book releases, concert premiers, sheet music publications, creative process sneak-peeks, and my own compositional philosophies as they develop to fuel my ongoing body of musical and architectural authorial works.


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Let’s enjoy the beauty, inspiration, and hope that music brings.


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Warmly,

Maria Lorena Lehman


Founder of MLL ATELIER® | Orchestral Notes

Your invitation:


Dear reader,


I believe life is a continual process of awakening. As the journey of my own life continues, I always find myself connecting my experiences, studies, and ideas to new creative projects that bring beauty, inspiration, and hope for our world. For over 30 years, since starting at age 17, I have immersed myself in architectural design; and early on, I earned a Master of Design with Distinction from Harvard University, setting the foundation for decades of deep immersion in the field. Yet even before this, I held music close to my heart. At the age of 5, I began my first piano lessons; and since then, I began to see the world through a musical lens — even while designing architecture.


Over the decades, I grew closer and closer to music with a deep love for the design of instruments, their unique timbres, and for all the immersive ways their sounds could be interwoven into beautiful orchestrated compositions. I even began to develop a musical composition methodology, Spatial Symphonics, as I found my architectural design work becoming more and more emotive, soul-stirring, and yes: musical.


In recent years, I finally turned my focus to music composition. I hold a Graduate Diploma from the Film Scoring Academy of Europe where my works have been recorded by the acclaimed European Recording Orchestra (ERO), and I am founder of MLL ATELIER® — an award-winning studio now dedicated to my work as an orchestral composer, recording artist, and spatial symphonist — where I advance architectural design through music, and innovate music through an architectural design lens.


It is my hope that I can share my ongoing musical-design journey with you, directly from my studio through my video-newsletter entitled 'Orchestral Notes'. Expect video updates filled with first-access studio news announcing: album/book releases, concert premiers, sheet music publications, creative process sneak-peeks, and my own compositional philosophies as they develop to fuel my ongoing body of musical and architectural authorial works.


I would love for you to join me for this exciting adventure.


Simply click the button below to join my Orchestral Notes video-newsletter delivered every two weeks directly to your email inbox. Plus, get access to the full publication archives.

JOIN ORCHESTRAL NOTES

Limited availability each month.


Warmly,

Maria Lorena Lehman


Founder of MLL ATELIER

Author of PANTHEON OF WONDER

Maria Lorena Lehman has received the following awards and has been seen in the following publications: