Complex Multifactorial Analysis, Method of Precise Analyze of Heritage Specimens in Architecture

Complex multifactorial analysis, the acronym C.M.A., is one of the scientific research methods used precisely because of its versatility in many fields. This is an adaptation and extrapolation, set up by me, of two previous research methods: general morphological analysis by Fritz Zwiky, a well-known astrophysicist, and morphological analysis by Bernard Duprat, a professor at Lyon Architecture University. Its versatility comes from the combination of several research methods, starting from the comparative specimen analysis (used in fields such as biology, zoology but also archaeology) up to complex mathematical models, including Boolean matrices (used predominantly in economic fields, of financial-banking analysis or astronomy). The novelty of the work consists in the applica-tion of C.M.A. in the theory and study of architecture. C.M.A. results are very precise because they use mathematical methods, and detailed and complex theories can be developed in any theoretical field in architecture based on them.

Multifactorial aspects and structure allow hypotheses from all fields of ac-tivity. For example, in the analysis of an architectural style, hypotheses can come from related subjects like history, theory, materials etc., but also dif-ferent fields, such as sociology, psychology, medicine and so on. This very important aspect is what gives the novelty and complexity of the study.

At any stage of the C.M.A. research we would stop, the results can be remarkable, from the preparation of the specimen collection, to the vali-dated hypotheses or the relationships between them for the most precise conclusions.