The increasing technical complexity of architecture is apparent to anyone who has practiced, researched or taught for more than the past decade. Rule-of-thumb guidelines, typical details, templates and all manner of formulaic approaches are being rapidly displaced by sophisticated design, modeling and simulation tools. For better or worse, these tools require higher levels of sophistication by users, and pose steeper learning curves to students of architecture, but in turn afford opportunities to design, visualize and predict performance as never before. Coupled to these new tools and techniques, science has provided us with more knowledge about the world we live in, and how our interventions affect its state of health. It is no longer possible, or desirable, for architecture and its allied disciplines to operate without a competent and responsible application of science and technology.

This forum is intended to facilitate the exchange of information about issues pertaining to architectural science, a term selected to differentiate the knowledge requirements of architects from those of engineers, earth, life and building scientists, acknowledging that more than ever these disciplines are now collaboratively connected.

Practitioners, researchers, academics and students are encouraged to contribute their work and ideas to this forum, and to share their perspectives on architectural science. The Web medium has been selected to overcome the limitations of conventional publishing, and to enable contributions in a broad range of electronic formats. Built works, design proposals, case studies, research papers, speculations, practically any explorations involving architectural science are welcome and encouraged.

For further information on submissions to Architectural Science Forum, contact Ian Chodikoff, Editor at Canadian Architect.