Anatomical architecture research

Ok, so I've been doing reading on different cultures beliefs around the body and cannibalism, as well as research on the human anatomy and drawing connections between the two to develop a sort of conceptual language for the architecture we are trying to create. I have also been developing ideas as to how we can develop the idea to involve different generations into the system, for example how children might be involved.

This is taken from Aztec culture and their cannibalistic beliefs and practices:

They believed there were 3 major 'life centers', these being the brain, heart and liver.

The heart is a symbol of vitality, knowledge, affection, memory, habit, inclination, will and direction of action and emotion.

The brain is a symbol of conscience, reason, and analytical and logical thought.

The liver is a symbol of vitality and affection and the forces making an individual brave, vigorous and strong.

With these ideas in mind I have then been looking at human anatomical structure for ways of informing the growth patterns of our architecture. I have been looking at this from the point of view of the three 'life centers' acting as starting points for growth, from which architecture in directions informed by the surrounding anatomy.

The nervous system which stems from the brain could be used as a reference point for growth that is reflective of knowledge, reason and conscience based on the persons virtual existence. This growth could be shared amongst generations in a different sense to the taste we have talked about being in a sexual nature. Sharing of knowledge from older generations to children is a child's main form of development. The honesty of this 'knowledge taste' could allow future generations to develop and learn without the deception of the virtual.

The circulatory system stemming from the heart becomes a reference point for growth based on affection, moods, and develops architecture for choosing a sexual partner.

The liver, a symbol of strength could produce growth for the purpose of protection or as a taste of a personal mental and/or physical strength which can often be a factor in the choosing of a sexual partner. In this instance the reference point for the growth could be the skeleton, the internal framework of our bodies that gives it strength.

These three growth types could be used as layers of growth that wind together to form a more intricate architectural language, using different textures, colours or forms for the growth of each layer, to produce architecture that is more symbolic externally of the complexity of our physical body internally and our mental state internally.

As well as the Aztec theory I have been thinking about creating growth on the hands in terms of people sharing their food and knowledge in a less sexual manner to determine how we might create forms of communication between us and people other than our sexual partners. The architecture of the hand itself is also quite interesting and could be exploited in terms of referencing more growth in this area.

I have been experimenting over the weekend with SolidWorks trying to replicate the forms in 3D so we can print small parts and then grow from them with gelatin or some other similar substance. At the moment this is having limited success, I'd like to collaborate with the digi guys on this to see if there is potential to 'hack' the geometry from the program im using to get these images. In the mean time will continue experimenting with generating molds for casting gelatin and small 3d printed parts to create the layered effect I'm trying to describe here.