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ThisÌýthesis explores the impact of intelligent buildings and environments as theyÌýgrow the autonomy and ability to make their own intelligent decisions and actÌýon those choices in our place. The thesis is split into twoÌýparts. The firstÌýhalf is a discussion of collected research material. It explores what drivesÌýarchitecture to evolve into this state. It discusses the threat of deskillingÌýor diminished human intelligence as we continue toÌýdelegate more mental andÌýphysical effort away from our own bodies as we continue to co-evolve withÌýtechnology. It also includes the loss of agency that could result if autonomousÌýenvironments fail to clearly explainÌýtheir actions and intentions or provide aÌýmethod for an occupant to negotiate another solution. Finally, it suggestsÌýsolutions to the menace of ever-present surveillance in the home and publicÌýspaces that a cleverÌýenvironment will need to understand and act onÌýintelligently.

Through this analysis it speculates on the eventual form aÌýhuman-built environment crowded with artificial minds may take, and theÌýpotential need forÌýconversational and autobiographical machines to act asÌýintermediaries between the rest of an intelligent environment and its human occupants.ÌýIn addition to impacts on our own agency, this thesis also discusses theÌýagencyÌýof the built environment itself and its potential for personhood, whetherÌýadvisable or not. The second half of the thesis is science fiction short storyÌýthat applies the discussion of the first half of the thesis. ThisÌýstory isÌýinspired by the value of using speculative stories to contemplate future socialÌýchange and by the narrative form this thesis proposes machine interfaces willÌýeventually take. This story describes a conversationÌýbetween a mistrustful manÌýburned by the past and an intelligent environment’s artificial caretaker thatÌýseeks to regain his approval.