It's in the genes

摘要

'Do you think,' a prominent construction industry figure whispered at the opening of this exhibition, 'the AA has just bought a laser-cutting machine?' I suspect the answer is yes, and if the work in this show is an overall guide to its use, it should be followed by a resounding 'good for it, too'. This is the first public outing for the recently established Emergent Technologies and Design Programme, and it is one of the most intriguing expositions of pedagogic intent I have seen. Add a little exhibition upstairs of a pair of models of Michelucci's Chiesa dell'Autostrada near Florence, and the Smithsons' Arts Barn at Bath (put together by the AA's diploma unit two), and there is a real sense of learning through experiment and public discussion.