Discussing the object-oriented ontology of Harman and the changing status of architectural object

Object-oriented ontology, particularly the object-oriented ontology of Harman, affects architecture since the 1990s. It is realized due to this ontology that architectural object cannot only be a real or sensual object; it can be withdrawn from senses and relations. According to Harman’s object-oriented ontology, it is even independent from its environment. Hence object-oriented ontology is related to computer architecture by which objects are independently created within a computational and virtual environment. But it is not possible to literally adapt object-oriented ontology to architecture since architectural objects are generally bound up with formal and environmental relations. This ontology metaphorically affects architecture in such a way that architects see and realize object as an entity beyond its relations. Thus, they focus on the object itself. Digital technologies enable them to create architectural object composed of information not relation. There is accordingly a shift from relation to information in the architecture of the 2000s. The main contribution of the paper is to reveal this shift in contemporary architecture; so, it is discussed in the paper that object does not relate to anything but information in the digital age. It is the autonomous and information-oriented object that defines a new ontological framework for architects.