ABSTRACT
New innovations are happening constantly and becoming accustomed to new ways of dealing with our physical environment is an accepted part of modern life. Architecture is one of the very few professions where the work is performed at the overlap of an array of seemingly unconnected and often opposing deliberations. New innovations are happening constantly and becoming accustomed to new ways of dealing with our physical environment is an accepted part of modern life. This chapter examines the impact that this swiftly shifting reality has on the design of the built environment, and the architect’s responsibilities to make sense of technological changes on the one hand and to protect our standards of living on the other. Our world economy is largely driven by innovation, which has overtaken manufacturing and finance to account for 50% of the United States’ GDP – the biggest economy on the planet.
