Building memories

Learning is increasingly considered as a principal driver of innovation. In architecture, however, several barriers have stood in the way of widespread learning initiatives so far. A major obstacle seems to be architects' idea that it is best not to be influenced by others, which leads to a fundamental hostility towards learning. In an attempt to overcome this obstacle, a Dynamic Architectural Memory On-line (DYNAMO) has been developed to stimulate and support architects in learning from others' building projects. On the one hand, DYNAMO is firmly rooted in Dynamic Memory Theory, which explains how architects (and others) learn from previous design experiences. On the other hand, DYNAMO builds on the observation that knowledge in the building industry is not primarily textual, but wielded in more varied and more visual ways. The ultimate aim is to initiate a change in mentality by providing young architects with a vehicle to catalyse learning at multiple levels - between building projects; between individual professionals and firms; and between the building industry and academia.