I object to the hegemony of form in contemporary architecture. We have very advanced technological tools, but ultimately, we create buildings exactly like we used to before: We send the drawings to an engineer and let him struggle with figuring out how to build it.

The quote by Neri Oxman, “I object to the hegemony of form in contemporary architecture... We send the drawings to an engineer and let him struggle with figuring out how to build it,” critiques the traditional separation between form-making and construction in modern architectural practice. Oxman, an architect, designer, and researcher at the intersection of biology, technology, and design, challenges the dominance of aesthetic form over integrated function. Her use of the word “hegemony” suggests that contemporary architecture overly prioritizes visual appearance, often at the expense of material intelligence, structural logic, and collaborative design processes.

Oxman argues that despite the availability of advanced technological tools—including computational design, digital fabrication, and material science—many architects still follow outdated workflows. This often means designing a striking form and then passing it off to engineers to figure out how to build it, creating a disconnect between design intent and material execution. She finds this problematic because it limits the potential of new tools to revolutionize how we conceive, design, and construct architecture in a truly integrated way.

Her critique reflects a broader vision for a new kind of architectural practice—what she refers to as Material Ecology. In this approach, form, function, structure, and material behavior are developed simultaneously, often inspired by biological systems and natural processes. Rather than using nature as decoration, Oxman proposes that architecture should be grown, programmed, or printed in harmony with environmental forces, leading to more sustainable and adaptive forms of design.

The origin of this quote is found in Oxman's lectures and interviews, particularly during her time leading the Mediated Matter Group at MIT’s Media Lab. Her work stands at the forefront of a shift away from rigid design hierarchies and toward a more holistic, interdisciplinary model of creation. Through this quote, Oxman calls for architecture to embrace its full potential—not just as an art of form, but as a science of synthesis between design, technology, and life.