Each year, Ball State’s Department of Architecture honors one exceptional Master of Architecture (M.Arch) thesis that stands out for its depth, creativity, and relevance to the future of the field. This year, the department is pleased to announce Patrick McManama as the recipient of the Janice Hanako Shimizu Award for Best M.Arch Thesis, for his project titled “The S, M, L, XL is the Message: Architectures of Simulation, Perception, and Liminality.”
Named in honor of Professor Janice Shimizu, who served as M.Arch program director from 2015 to 2018, the award is given annually to the thesis that demonstrates exceptional ingenuity, theoretical depth, and relevance to contemporary architectural discourse. The jury—composed of faculty members Emile Dixon, Kevin Klinger, and Zachariah Michielli—recognized Patrick’s work for its bold approach to a central concern in the discipline today: the impact of machine learning tools on the way we conceive and produce architecture.
About the thesis project
The S, M, L, XL is the Message investigates how artificial intelligence, machine vision, and computational logic are redefining architectural thought in an era where digital technologies increasingly mediate and intensify their influence—an era Patrick deems the Digital Anthropocene. Drawing on the writings of Mario Carpo, which emphasize how digital tools can augment and customize the design process beyond the limitations of mechanical reproduction, Patrick employs avant-garde machine learning methodologies such as image-based diffusion models, neural surface reconstructions, and point cloud environments. The project reinterprets classical architecture and challenges long-held notions of form, authorship, and Vitruvian idealism. Instead of relying on smooth, continuous geometry, Patrick—following the thinking of Gilles Retsin—proposes a new architectural language made up of small, discrete units arranged in a voxelized, grid-based format—making 3D data easier to process and suggesting a future in which buildings are shaped not only by human hands, but also by machinic logic and computational inference.
Importantly, the thesis challenges alarmist narratives surrounding AI, while acknowledging widespread anxieties about the erosion of human agency in the design process. Rather than presenting machines as a threat, Patrick’s work imagines a collaborative future where digital tools augment human creativity.
“This project went above and beyond with the research phase—taking on questions that are still new to the world of architecture and trying to answer some unanswerable questions. He incorporated some of the most prominent researchers from around the world, and his command of the material was impressive.” —juror Zachariah Michielli
By weaving together rigorous research and experimentation, Patrick’s thesis reflects the spirit of the Shimizu Award: forward-thinking, relevant, and intellectually ambitious. It reminds us that architecture is not static—it is a field in constant evolution, and today’s designers must be prepared to engage with technologies that are reshaping how we imagine and construct the built environment.
This year’s award recognizes not just a thesis project, but a perspective—one that sees emerging tools not as replacements, but as collaborators in the creative process.
NOTE: After graduating, Patrick accepted a position with Morphosis in Los Angeles. Morphosis is known for their experimental design work and innovative use of digital tools and fabrication.
