Digital Neo-Darwinism and <i>An Evolutionary Architecture</i> : the transformation of a scientific theory into a computational design framework

The translation of Neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory into algorithmic procedures has profoundly influenced the development of digital architecture since the 1990s. John and Julia Frazer's research and design experiments represent a foundational attempt to formalise this translation, yet the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of their work remain under-examined. This article proposes an intellectual framework to address this gap through a critical analysis of their theoretical foundations. The discussion draws on original material from the author's recent interview with John Frazer and four days of research undertaken in John and Julia Frazer's archive. The article argues that their translation of biology into algorithms and design was not a neutral act, but a theoretical interpretation that embedded specific conceptual models within digital tools. It further contends that the application of Neo-Darwinian principles to computational logic exposes a fundamental tension between biological indeterminacy and digital determinism. While their experiments expanded the conceptual boundaries of generative design, they also revealed the epistemological limits of simulating evolutionary processes through computation. By formalising evolution as algorithmic representation, John and Julia Frazer redefined architecture as a discipline negotiating between material contingency and digital abstraction, a continuing theoretical question in bio-digital architectural design.