Changes in the technologies of representation in a heterogeneous, distributed sociotechnical system, such as a large
construction project, can instigate a complex pattern of innovations in technologies, practices, structures, and strategies.
We studied the adoption of digital three-dimensional (3-D) representations in the building projects of the architect Frank
O. Gehry, and observed that multiple, heterogeneous firms in those projects produced diverse innovations, each of which
created a wake of innovation. Together, these multiple wakes of innovation produce a complex landscape of innovations with
unpredictable peaks and valleys. Gehry’s adoption of digital 3-D representations disturbed the ecology of interactions and
stimulated innovations in his project networks by: providing path-creating innovation trajectories in separate communities of
practice, creating trading zones where communities could create knowledge about diverse innovations, and offering a means
for intercalating innovations across heterogeneous communities. Our study suggests that changes in digital representations
that are central to the functioning of a distributed system can engender multiple innovations in technologies, work practices,
and knowledge across multiple communities, each of which is following its own distinctive tempo and trajectory.
Key words: innovation; diffusion of innovation; innovation theory; IT-induced innovation; wakes of innovation; digital
3-D representation; intercalated innovations; trading zones; Frank Gehry; path creation; path dependency; distributed
systems; architecture; engineering and construction