ABSTRACT
It is often thought that performative design is a relatively new concept made real by the advent of computers and other advanced technologies. Tracing a distinct lineage of innovative shelters for living, author Andrew Whalley relates early advances in Neolithic building techniques to the structural ingenuity of the Victorian glass house to more contemporary works by the practice with whom he has spent most of his career, Grimshaw. Arguing that this lineage shows performative elements from an early age of architecture, Whalley relates the architecture and its systems to the natural world, both as an inspiration of form but also function. The personal reflections within highlight an appreciation for both nature and the built form developed over a varied career and supported by an intriguing line-up of highlighted works. The chapter closes with a look to the future as Grimshaw eagerly anticipates a new pavilion at the 2020 world expo.
