Neurotransmition

NEUROTRANSMITTERS are the brain chemicals that communicate information throughout our brain and body.  They relay signals between nerve cells, called “neurons.”  The brain uses neurotransmitters to tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe, and your stomach to digest.  They can also affect mood, sleep, concentration, weight, and can cause adverse symptoms when they are out of balance. Neurotransmitter levels can be depleted many ways.  As a matter of fact, it is estimated that 86% of Americans have suboptimal neurotransmitter levels.  Stress, poor diet, neurotoxins, genetic predisposition, drug (prescription and recreational), alcohol and caffeine usage can cause these levels to be out of optimal range.

There are two kinds of neurotransmitters – INHIBITORY and EXCITATORY.  Excitatory neurotransmitters are not necessarily exciting – they are what stimulate the brain.  Those that calm the brain and help create balance are called inhibitory.  Inhibitory neurotransmitters balance mood and are easily depleted when the excitatory neurotransmitters are overactive. 

Information Direct From: http://www.neurogistics.com/TheScience/WhatareNeurotransmi09CE.asp

This can be applied to the idea of the Information Highway in that the library canopy portals can act as the synapses - gathering and transferring information on to the next connection.  A network of information is therefore created.  The canopy could facilitate this flexibility in that the movement of shared information could be shown externally and become a protection/defense mechanism.  If the information is not protected then the success of parliamentary function fails.  If the canopy cannot facilitate this, even to the extent of the synapses/library portals, then Australia is vulnerable. 

Canopy Scribbles

This level of thinking has allowed an understanding of the capabilities of a canopy and how the flexibility can be exploited for KITS. From scribble to a biological analogy, this thought process although somewhat vague has become a catalyst into design development.  The integral parliamentary function of Knowledge, Information and Technology Services is architecturally significant.  The flexible function of the canopy will become an information highway, where all information is access from library portals (located within parliament house) to allow for the sharing of information to be successful in the parliamentary processes.  

Canopy Precedents

Each canopy, regardless of location or purpose, all express a typology of curvature and flexibility.  In respect to the CAPITheticAL this canopy can be adopted and abstracted to inspire and provide a flexible service for our proposed KITS (Knowledge, Information and Technology Services).  The power of information is vital to the function of parliament and respectively parliament house.  If the canopy were to provide the visual flexibility of a curvilinear form but also provide indestructible security through flexible tension and futuristic ideas to act like a shield.  The inventive and artistic ways in which each of the canopies convey, allow for a direct relationship to visual tactility as well as the idea of unity. This artistic notion as well as a second entity of security is a perfect specified bried to support the focus on KITS.

Presentation Panels