CumInCAD is a Cumulative Index about publications in Computer Aided Architectural Design supported by the sibling associations ACADIA, CAADRIA, eCAADe, SIGraDi, ASCAAD and CAAD futures
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The BDA provides a graphical user interface that consists of two main elements: the Building Browser and the Decision Desktop. The Browser allows building designers to quickly navigate through the multitude of descriptive and performance parameters addressed by the analysis and visualization tools linked to the BDA. Through the Browser the user can edit the values of input parameters and select any number of input and/or output parameters for display in the Decision Desktop. The Desktop allows building designers to compare multiple design alternatives with respect to any number of parameters addressed by the tools linked to the BDA.
The BDA is implemented as a Windows-based application for personal computers. Its initial version is linked to a Schematic Graphic Editor (SGE), which allows designers to quickly and easily specify the geometric characteristics of building components and systems. For every object created in the SGE, the BDA supplies “smart” default values from a Prototypical Values Database (PVD) for all non-geometric parameters required as input to the analysis and visualization tools linked to the BDA. In addition to the SGE and the PVD, the initial version of the BDA is linked to a daylight analysis tool, an energy analysis tool, and a multimedia Case Studies Database (CSD). The next version of the BDA will be linked to additional tools, such as a photo-accurate rendering program and a cost analysis program. Future versions will address the whole building life-cycle and will be linked to construction, commissioning and building monitoring tools.
These all are dealing with the material world, for which the tools of computer science are highly appropriate. But what will happen to the immaterial world? How can we put these immaterial values into a computers model? Or can the computer be creative as a human being? Early developments of computer science in the field of architecture involved two-dimensional applications, and subsequently the significance of the third dimension became manifest. Nowadays, however, people are already speaking of a fourth dimension, interpreting it as time or as dynamics. And what, for instance, would a fifth, sixth or X-dimension represent?
In the future we will perhaps speak of the fifth dimension, comprising the tangible qualities of the building materials around us. And one day a sixth dimension might be created, when it will be possible to establish direct communication with computers, because direct exchange between the computer and the human brain has been realised. The ideas of designers can then be processed by the computer directly, and we will no longer be hampered by obstacles such as screen and keyboard. There are scientist who are working to realize bio-chips. If it will work, perhaps we can realise all these speculations. It is nearly sure that the emergence of new technologies will also affect our subject area, architecture and this will create fresh challenges, fresh concepts, and new buildings in the 21st century. The responsibility of the architects must be, to bear in mind that we are dealing with the well-being and the prosperity of mankind.
While some discussion of the technical set-up is necessary as a background, the main topics addressed in this paper will be the structuring in phases of the course, the experiences we had with collective authorship, and the observations we made about the memes hat developed and spread in the students' works. Finally we'll draw some conclusions in how far Phase(x) is relevant also in a larger context, that is not limited to teaching CAAD.
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