54 research outputs found
IDEA-l, a prototype of a natural lighting design tool for the early stages of the design process
No full textThis paper discusses IDEA-l, a new natural-lighting design tool, currently under development, that is meant to offer the architect/designer a digital equivalent for scale models, artificial sky simulators and heliodons. The program is part of the IDEA+ research project at K.U.L. This project, under guidance of Prof. H. Neuckermans, aims at developing a new integrated design environment for architects. The paper starts with a discussion of lighting as a design issue. Next the specifications for the new tool are given. The paper ends with a brief development status
Design phase transitions in object-oriented modeling of architecture
No full textThe project IDEA+ aims to develop an “Integrated Design Environment for Architecture”. Its goal is providing a tool for the designer-architect that can be of assistance in the early-design phases. It should provide the possibility to perform tests (like heat or cost calculations) and simple simulations in the different (early) design phases, without the need for a fully detailed design or remodelling in a different application. The test for daylighting is already in development (Geebelen, to be published). The conceptual foundation for this design environment has been laid out in a scheme in which different design phases and scales are defined, together with appropriate tests at the different levels (Neuckermans, 1992). It is a translation of the “designerly” way of thinking of the architect (Cross, 1982). This conceptual model has been translated into a “Core Object Model” (Hendricx, 2000), which defines a structured object model to describe the necessary building model. These developments form the theoretical basis for the implementation of IDEA+ (both the data structure & prototype software), which is currently in progress. The research project addresses some issues, which are at the forefront of the architectis interest while designing with CAAD. These are treated from the point of view of a practicing architect
MACE: D1.5 - Final Report. September 2006 – October 2009
No full textStefaner, M., Wolpers, M., Memmel, M., Duval, E., Specht, M., Gruber, M., Börner, D., Giretti, A., Klemke, R., Casals, M., Neuckermans, H., Spigai, V., Arlati, E., Barzon, F., & Cuicchi, C. (2010). MACE: D1.5 - Final Report. September 2006 – October 2009. MACE-project.This final report describes the project achievements of the MACE project. MACE integrates large amounts of technology enhanced learning contents and metadata in the domain of architecture, in order to create a framework for the integration of multiple content sources, content enrichment with different metadata types, and improved access to these existing contents.MAC
Baptism of fire of a Web-based design assistant
No full textDYNAMO - a Dynamic Architectural Memory On-line - is a Web-based design assistant to support architectural design education. The tool is conceived as an (inter-)active workhouse rather than a passive warehouse: it is interactively developed by and actively develops its users'design knowledge. Its most important feature is not merely that it presents students with design cases, but that those cases trigger in-depth explorations, stimulate reflection and prime discussions between students, design teachers and professional architects. Whereas previous papers have focused on the theoretical ideas behind DYNAMO and on how Web-technology enabled us to translate these ideas into a working prototype, this paper reports on the prototype's baptism of fire in a 4th year design studio. It describes the setting and procedure of the baptism, the participation of the studio teaching staff, and the reactions and appreciation of the students. Based on students'responses to a questionnaire and observations of the tool in use, we investigated whether DYNAMO succeeded in engaging students and what factors stimulated/hampered this engagement. Despite the prototype nature of the system, students were noticeably enthusiastic about the tool. Moreover, DYNAMO turned out to be fairly'democratic', in the sense that it did not seem to privilege students with private access to or prior knowledge of computer technology. However, the responses to the questionnaire raise questions about the nature of students'engagement. Three factors revealed themselves as major obstacles to student (inter-)action: lack of time, lack of encouragement by the teachers and lack of studio equipment. Although these obstacles may not relate directly to DYNAMO itself, they might have prevented the tool from functioning the way it was originally meant to. The paper concludes with lessons learned for the future of DYNAMO and, more in general, of ICT in architectural design education
The Intelligent Pencil: a framework for CAAD in Education
No full textComputer Aided Architectural Design in Education (CAADE) can only be meaningful if it brings meaningful answers to meaningful questions about architecture and architectural education. In the discourse about CAAD and CAADE these questions are completely absent, this can be concluded from: (1.) an absolute lack of architectural-theoretical and historical reflection, without which no architecture can exist, (2.) a frequent confusion between designing and drawing: the latter being a non neutral tool for the former, (3.) the absence of a clear understanding of the way in which architecture comes about: what are the concepts and entities an architect is working with and how does he manipulate them? (4.) no clear insights about the way architectural “design by hand” should be taught and a fortiori about the way a computer could help
Scale Level and Design Phase Transitions in a Digital Building Model
No full textResearch and development on Computer Aided Architectural Design often focuses on simulating a building as a digital model. Our research on the early design stages explores concepts we feel are lacking in current design tools and research projects. Building models are usually static models, serving as a snapshot of the design. We aim to support design phase and scale level transitions, to better support the workflow of the designer. This paper formulates our approach at supporting transitions in an integrated design environment for architecture
Architectural design analysis, historical reconstruction and structured archival using 3D models: Techniques, methodology and long term preservation of digital models
No full textWith the increased usage of 3D modelling, visualization, simulation and Building Information Modelling, architects produce 3D models, both for new designs and for historic reconstructions. However, these models are seldom shared to transfer structured information about the project. Even if they are exchanged, they are often not usable outside of their original design application. Additionally, digital archives with architectural content can not easily provide structured information about these 3D models, limiting their usefulness. This article discusses an approach to provide better structured models, using a combination of a sound methodology, the application of open file formats and additional metadata creation
Sketching, Analogies, and Creativity - on the Shared Research Interests of Psychologists and Designers
No full textPaper and pencil sketching, visual analogies, and creativityare intuitively interconnected in design. This paper reports on previousand current research activities of a psychologist (the 1st author) and anarchitect/designer (the 2nd author) on issues concerning sketching andanalogies, and analogies and creativity respectively. In this paper wetried to unite these findings into a combined theory on how sketching,analogies, and creativity interrelate. An appealing theory emerges. It ishypothesized that with no paper available or no expertise to use it,analogies can be used to support the creative process instead of sketches.This theory, however, is a tentative one that needs more research to beconfirmed
Improving Design Workflow in Architectural Design Applications
No full textIn architectural design software, there is a trend to integrate the whole design process in a single application. Design, 3D modelling, drafting, but also design evaluation and presentation are bundled inside the application. This is especially apparent in applications that adhere to the concept of Building Information Modelling. When we look at the functionality in these applications, however, a disruption of the design process can be encountered, preventing the designer to step back and forth throughout the different design phases or scale levels. Three current architectural design applications are briefly positioned and compared and potential improvements to the workflow are introduced
(Learning from Experience)? Promises, Problems and Side-effects of Case-Based Reasoning in Architectural Design
No full textLearning from experience is the essence of Case-Based Reasoning (CBR). Because architects are said to learn design by experience, CBR seemed to hold great promises for their field, which inspired, in the 1990s, the development of various Case-Based Design (CBD) tools. Learning from the experience of developing and using these tools is the objective of this paper. On the one hand, the original expectations seem far from being accomplished today. Reasons for this limited success can be found at three different levels: the cognitive model underlying CBR, the implementation of this model into concrete CBD tools, and the context in which these tools are to be used. On the other hand, CBR research seems to have caused some interesting side effects, such as an increased interest in creativity and copyright, and a re-discovery of the key role that cases play in architectural design
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