Innovation at the Centre of the Trichotomy

Through the study, we have found that meaningful innovation can only be obtained by combining the three elements of the trichotomy that are architecture as practice, business and knowledge. We made use of the trichotomy as a way to discuss how the three elements are intertwined. Our aspiration in this was to unfold the blackbox of knowledge in architecture by examining these elements through the lense of ANT. We propose that each of the three is a prerequisite for achieving

innovation and are all influencing the case of 3XN and GXN that we have been examining. They all have to be consistently engaged to respond to the complex surroundings. Considering to involve people from outside the respective field of expertise might aid in the creation of impactful innovation as it allows for new perspectives on architecture. This will help in challenging an established practice that is based on traditions and push forth the status quo of the architecture industry.

Knowing​ in architecture is not only about knowing how to execute state-of-the-art architecture and what to research for a specific project. It is just as important to know what others can do better than yourself. It is not possible to contain all capabilities within one firm, so finding key collaborators is an important aspect of achieving the best possible outcome of a project. These collaborators should be organisations that also try to challenge the traditional approaches, in order to establish an

innovative community of practices that try to challenge one another. It also means inviting new practices into the community that can have a different way of assessing the value that architecture brings. Currently, contemporary buildings are being primarily evaluated by other practitioners. This suggests that there is still a lot of tacit knowledge being used for this. This is not necessarily wrong.

However, to estimate the overall impact of architecture, it would be advantageous to invite new disciplines and professions that can provide different perspectives of functionality. In this way, the assessment of buildings would extend beyond its aesthetic values and may bring forth a deeper insight of how to produce valuable informed design. Furthermore, if the development of

architectural projects were more heterogeneous and interdisciplinary it would likely lead to new ideas and more impactful innovation.

The client also has a big say in what inventions a project can lead to. The community of practices work toward serving and satisfying the needs of the client. The clients have the power to decide to what extent a project should be innovative. It would, however, be too easy to just say the clients are the determiners of innovation, as the industry can still work towards implementing change. In the same way where businesses can push each other into creating innovation, architecture firms should aim to push the clients’ willingness for innovating. This requires the right arguments that can create incentives for the clients.

Architecture firms operate autonomously when designing buildings. They are the ones that interpret

the specific culture of the surrounding environments into their designs. When working in projects, the architectural firm is reliant on other professions and vice versa. In this way, innovating the industry is also reliant on the acceptance and willingness of the community of related businesses to engage with this change and adapt in accordance to the proposed innovation (Boland et al., 2007).

This underlines the vital importance of strategic partnerships and collaboration in this relation.

With the use of the trichotomy, we have been able to explore the field of innovation in architecture.

The purpose of this use has not been to reject the current state of the industry. We suggest that through a combination of the three different points in the trichotomy the appropriate change can be achieved. Change that is meaningful goes beyond the boundaries of the respective organisation.

However, implementation of tools can be aiding in the process of reaching truly impacting innovation.

Figure 5: Trichotomy of Innovation

Technological advancements means new opportunities are made possible. Artificial intelligence technologies enable new capabilities but require a lot of effort to make efficient use thereof. As new problems arise with the increasing complexity of society, new solutions will be required which the use of novel technologies will permit. New problems can also be realised as technology allows for new problematizations of the built environment to emerge. Technology is increasingly impacting and outdating traditional approaches to problem solving. We consider the integration of new technologies to be a necessity of achieving innovation. New tools such as smart sensors that can measure behaviour in the built environment allows for new insights of how people act. This can be

taken into account when designing. Technology can optimise the procedural capabilities of the community of practices through their integration. It can leverage better opportunities for producing informed design and provide tools for a more effective sharing of innovation. This can improve the collective effort and inform the public about new advancements in the industry which will create incentives for related businesses to follow suit. This is what open-source innovation enables.

Technology can also provide effective tools when it comes to establishing a stream of

communication that flows through every entity connected to a project and allow the community of practices to coordinate their efforts. Using the technological tools to establish a collective

community. Collaboration should be emphasised to enable a streamlining of their processes more efficiently and in accordance to each other. Then it will mean that the community can perform as an organism working towards a shared goal rather than separate entities working independently on the completion of a project.

We therefore propose that actively working to incorporate the capabilities of novel technological tools will allow for a truly meaningful innovation. Integration of technological tools will require organisations to include new competences that are specialised in utilising those tools, just like we saw in the wind-diagram example in the analysis of our findings.

To sum up on the discussion, we have found that each of the three points in the trichotomy is very relevant in achieving impactful innovation. They are intertwined and reciprocally influencing one another and all prerequisites when working towards implementing change. We suggest that integration of new knowledge domains is both elements of pushing the traditional methods and processes. Furthermore, it is an element that is required to be able to rethink a profession.

Homogeneity may yield a more efficient knowledge sharing through a shared understanding and a common language making it which will be convenient when it comes to standardising such a process. However, if one is to truly innovate and challenge conventionality it is necessary to work interdisciplinary and establish a workforce that is more heterogeneous than homogenous. This will also aid in their ability to communicate novel ideas outside the barriers of the organisation where new discourses are required to acquire support. As we saw in the case study, independent research entities such as GXN are reliant on funding, they therefore need the ability to translate the value behind business ventures to people outside of the architectural context. In this way, business is a required element to consider when examining how valuable innovation may emerge. Business is a

determining key influencing the organisation's ability to pursue innovation. The effort to achieve innovation is tied with risks. As we know, in the modern day, a prerequisite for a successful business is economical growth and not just their positive impact on society. Managers therefore have to tolerate and possess the willingness to innovate their businesses and industries even though the connected risks are inescapable. Additionally, is the organisational environment an influencing element in the process of innovation as power relations affect the people of lower rank to question superiors’ assumptions and instincts. This keeps the industry from moving away from its traditions thereby maintaining its status quo.

The trichotomy enlightens both the struggles linked with the three elements but also aims at indicating how their combination can facilitate the emergence of valuable change. This valuable change is needed now more than ever, as the globe is starting to show visible damages from our impact. This should truly be the right incentives for industries to rethink their traditional

approaches. This is also starting to show through a new generation that are no longer accepting the

‘old ways’ of doing things. There will likely be a change of mindset in the coming decade, where businesses that are not willing to change will not be successful. Hopefully, the society will be less focused on economic growth and businesses less focused on a maximised profit to rather focus on the greater good of society. Only if the efforts are collectively worked upon and governments introducing the regulations and incentives for businesses to do so, will the needed change be achieved.