Digital Analysis of Structure and Form

Abstract

The use of digital technologies can allow for an extended and enhanced understanding of art and architecture. The logical and parametric encoding used in data description languages can enable us to characterize relationship between structure and form. An example of such a language is Extensible Markup Language (XML). By using XML as an encoding platform it is possible to register layers of data in addition to the form or appearance of an object. The data set can then be used to translate the objects into other types of representation. The project <säulen/>atlas demonstrates how digital "forms" can be used for analysis in history of art and architecture. Issues of analogue and digital forms of classification, relationships between content and its graphic representation, as well as the possibilities of a flexible "database description system" will be discussed in the poster.