From Pen 2 Bit: Computers in Architectural Design

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From Pen 2 Bit Computers in Architectural Design

• Vassilis Bourdakis
• Dept. of Planning and Regional Development
• University of Thessaly
• Greece

vas_at_prd.uth.gr
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Overview

• istory
• nalogue
• igital Processes Basic principles
• nalysis
• esign
• nalysis
• mplementation
• onclusions

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History Spatial Representation Techniques 1

• Plans in black ink on papyrus sheets 2000BC Near
  and Far East, Mesopotamia and Egypt
• Greek temples were built on sets of proven
  portable rules. Avoided drawings but only 1/1
  scale models of particular details
• Scenography introduced in Hellenistic periods
  (creating illusions of depth for the 4cen. BC
  Greek theatre stages
• Romans did use drawings and elevations
• Proper plans, sections and elevations were used
  in Western Europe after the rediscovery of
  Euclidean geometry in 1100AD

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Spatial Representation Techniques 2

• Medieval period architects would examine suitable
  buildings, trace them and modify them to produce
  their designs in card sheets later on destroyed
  or recycled
• Perspective drawing developed in Renaissance
• Orthographic (first angle projection) drawings an
  essential element in the creation of Industrial
  Revolution (by French physicist and military
  engineer Gaspard Monge)
• Formalisation of architectural education and
  profession (fine-line drafting skills, technical
  drawing)
• Twentieth century art movements fully abandoned
  linear perspective and representational
  techniques in favour of abstraction,
  experimentation, etc.

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Analogue to Digital Processes Basic Principles

• Permanency of analogue vs. volatility of digital
  media
• The architectural concept of line (physical,
  representational, digital)
• Moving from the line as an element to a database
  representational object
• Information Communication

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Volatility of Digital Media

• Materiality of a line paper drawing
• It is physically there
• Accessible
• Foldable
• Transportable
• Editable
• Non-physical existence of a digital drawing,
  unless printed and distributed
• Triviality
• Dependency on electricity and
• Necessitates a computer, monitor, projector
  system to materialise and be communicable

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The architectural concept of line

• Architectural design as a series of uncertainty
  reduction iterations where a line can be a tool
  to
• Conceptualise a plan
• Organise Space
• Functional structuring of elements/spaces
• Compare alternatives
• A line is
• Re-definable according to needs, conditions, even
  mood and time of day
• Flexible in its meaning and qualities (start,
  end, thickness, elevation, etc)
• A line is not
• A strict mathematical equation
• Clinical, finite
• Structured
• Absolute

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Line database representational object

• Line-Element of a drawing, painting, generic
  graphical representation is uni-dimensional and
  can only conceptually include additional meanings
  
• Digital objects rarely have a uni-dimensional
  representation in a drawingthe underlying data
  structure may incorporate a series of other
  datasets making for an interlinked
  multidimensional setup the missing link between
  design and production/construction (bill of
  quantities in construction phases, cost
  calculations, project management, etc)

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Analogies of A 2 D

• One discreet entity / element may imply, infer
  differently according to context and may also be
  analysed accordingly
• Conceptual meaning
• A sketched line may imply a wall, a separation, a
  visual occlusion, etc
• A CAD line drawn may incorporate information
  relating it to other subassemblies, entities,
  conditions
• Utilisation

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Criticism on digital design tools

• From the graphic opportunity afforded by the CAD
  system and exploited by Deconstructionist
  designers who simply punch ROTATE and STRETCH on
  their computers to project forced-decorative
  geometric expressions of complexity and
  contradiction that weirdly exploit a deference
  toward the forms of classic Modern architecture
  while really profaning its principles
• R. Venturi, p.7

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AnalysisDesigning in Architecture

• Architects and Computers
• Use of Computers
• Digital Design Tools
• 2D vs. 3D modelling
• Modelling Time (4D)

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Architects and computers

• Education (where, when, acceptable technologies,
  preconceptions of teaching staff, etc)
• Age group (directly linked to education, small
  variations based on the speed of adoption of new
  technologies in various institutions)
• Gender (less of an issue in younger ages)

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Architects use of computers

• Classification based on adeptness
• General Knowledge
• Minor editing, printing, etc
• 2D drawing capabilities
• 3D/4D modelling knowledge
• Design Tool

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Digital Design Tools

• What can the computer do for an architect
• Simulation of the typical design process?
• Compared to the computer games industry,
  architectural design tools are where Space
  Invaders was in the 1970. No comparison to
  current day gaming industry.
• Among the reasons are
• Small market share
• Users unaware of the potential
• Architectural design process difficult to
• Comprehend
• Simulate
• Prototype and
• Re-enact

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2D vs. 3D computer modelling

• Certain structural subassemblies can be best
  analysed and designed in 3D
• Lighting, shading
• Heating and Ventilation
• Volumetric occlusions
• Staircases, roofs, etc
• However the 2D design conventions are much easier
  and more elaborate to work with
• Designers often work in 3D just because it is
  possible and not because it is advantageous
• Due to the immaturity and inabilities of the 3D
  modelling tools, creativity is crippled leading
  to
• Exhausted, annoyed architects, failing to
  materialise their ideas
• Poor designs but within the capabilities of the
  software

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4D modelling The variable of Time

• Digital design tools facilitate the integration
  of time in the design process
• A powerful concept not fully exploited by
  architects
• Time as a variable in relation to a
  representation of an assembly, process, or
  function

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Analysis Implementation Codes

• Capabilities of Digital Design Tools
• Communicating Construction Drawings
• Construction Codes Adherence
• Paper replacements

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Capabilities of Digital Design Tools

• Abundance of CAD design tools organised in two
  main groups
• Structured/holistic dealing with
• Spatial Design
• Creation of production drawings (for planning
  offices, subcontractors, other team engineers,
  etc)
• Flexible/partial capable of
• Elaborating form production in 3D
• Morphing, editing, etc
• Limited regarding the production of 2D
  constructional drawings

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Communicating Construction Drawings

• The dominance of computers in design and
  construction is still matched with low-tech means
  of communicating the work on site via paper
• Augmented Reality methods are discussed for over
  a decade with no concrete viable solutions in the
  market
• GPS (Global Positioning Systems) have also been
  considered, but again cost, accuracy and physical
  constraints prevail

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Construction Code Adherence

• Taking the step to digital design for
  construction, there is a need to re-think the
  codes, re-evaluate them and update them to a
  digital-friendly format
• Issues that need to be tackled are
• New codes compatibility with the existing
  codes
• Education of the relevant trades
• Accessibility to contractors and labour
• Abstract representations of the constructional
  elements relevant to each trade
• Use of colour
• 3D sketching, wire-frame views
• Time variable to map the sequence of works

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Paper replacements

• The paper replacement in the forms of e-paper as
  researched by Xerox, IBM and others, needs more
  time to mature and satisfy the following needs
• Cheap to produce in reasonably large sizes
  (A2-A3)
• Foldable
• Waterproof
• Support colour
• High resolution
• Markable
• Interactive
• Online with supervisor and designer for feedback
  and reports
• Hence, paper seems to be the medium that will be
  building the world for the next decade

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Conclusions

• Digital Media
• New directions opening up into
• Researching Space
• Designing Space
• Implementing Space
• Work in both Real and Virtual Environments
• Widening the market share for architects
• Alternative research and application directions

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Conclusions 2

• Digital Era in Architectural Design is
• Advantageous in
• Processes
• Clarity
• Flexibility
• Still Problematic in
• Implementation/construction
• Communication

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Conclusions 3

• Fighting Misconceptions
• Get the approval of the status quo
• Accepted as a tool and not a hindrance to
  architectural design and production of space
• Architectural-minded software tools are in urgent
  need (generic tools are not satisfactory)

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