Evolution of Architecture According to the F-R-J Algorithm

This paper applies the F-R-J (Fact-Rule-Judgment) algorithm to the evolution of architecture. It is shown that building systems independently generate a periodic tree: 7 periods, from Shelter & Vernacular (~400 ka) to Digital & Regenerative Architecture (~2000–present), with 3 distinguishings (D1: engineered structural systems — the arch, column/post-beam, dome construction, and fortification creating spanning and load-bearing capability beyond simple post-and-beam; D2: new materials and structural systems — steel structure, reinforced concrete, glass architecture, skyscraper, prefabrication, membrane/tensile structures, elevator/services, Baroque dramatic space, neoclassical revival, and industrial revolution building types creating modern architecture from traditional masonry; D3: digital/AI/robotic construction — 3D-printed architecture, robotic construction, AI-driven design, digital twin buildings, mass timber revolution, adaptive reuse, smart buildings, bio-based building, net-zero carbon buildings, computational design, responsive/kinetic architecture, advanced modular construction, urban mining/circular, and VR/AR in architecture) and discrete architectural elements filling combinatorial slots defined by building codes, planning law, professional standards, criticism, education, and market as Meta-R. λ ≈ 0 in natural shelter and the primitive hut reflects hardwired shelter-seeking behavior conserved across all human cultures; λ increases through monumental, classical, medieval, Renaissance, and modern layers to reach maximum plasticity in the digital era where 3D-printed houses, AI-generated designs, robotic assembly, and mass timber simultaneously transform how buildings are conceived, fabricated, and inhabited.