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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Hits 1 to 20 of 520

_id 1fb3
authors Akin, O., Cumming, M., Shealey, M. and Tuncer, B.
year 1997
title An electronic design assistance tool for case-based representation of designs
source Automation in Construction 6 (4) (1997) pp. 265-274
summary In precedent based design, solutions to problems are developed by drawing from an understanding of landmark designs. Many of the key design operations in this mode are similar to the functionalities present in case-based reasoning systems: case matching, case adapting, and case representation. It is clear that a rich case-base, encoding all major product types in a design domain would be the centerpiece of such an approach. EDAT (Electronic Design Assistance Tool) is intended to assist in precedent based design in the studio with the potential of expansion into the office setting. EDAT has been designed using object oriented system development methods. EDAT was used in a design studio at Carnegie Mellon University, during Spring 1996.
series journal paper
more http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed 2003/05/15 21:22

_id a9f5
authors Maher, Mary Lou
year 1997
title Sam: A Multimedia Case Library of Structural Designs
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.005
source CAADRIA ‘97 [Proceedings of the Second Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia / ISBN 957-575-057-8] Taiwan 17-19 April 1997, pp. 5-13
summary Recent developments in multimedia and case-based reasoning provide the basis for developing teaching aids for architecture students that present technology and science learning materials as design cases. Case-based reasoning tools can provide assistance in the identification of a relevant design case and the modification of a case for the current design problem. We have developed multimedia library of buildings to support a case-based reasoning approach to teaching structural design. The design cases are linked through a network of concepts that follow a specific learning area, for example, the structural design of tall buildings is linked through the concept of lateral load resistance. The multimedia environment provides an active learning tool that the student uses to generate design solutions.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:59

_id 6d59
authors Papamichael, K., LaPorta, J. and Chauvet, H.
year 1997
title Building Design Advisor: automated integration of multiple simulation tools
source Automation in Construction 6 (4) (1997) pp. 341-352
summary The Building Design Advisor (BDA) is a software environment that supports the integrated use of multiple analysis and visualization tools throughout the building design process, from the initial, conceptual and schematic phases to the detailed specification of building components and systems. Based on a comprehensive design theory, the BDA uses an object-oriented representation of the building and its context, and acts as a data manager and process controller to allow building designers to benefit from the capabilities of multiple tools. 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 multiple descriptive and performance 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 activates a Default Value Selector (DVS) mechanism that selects `smart' default values from a Prototypes Database for all non-geometric parameters required as input to the analysis and visualization tools linked to the BDA. In addition to the SGE that is an integral part of its user interface, the initial version of the BDA is linked to a daylight analysis tool, an energy analysis tool, and a multimedia, Web-based Case Studies Database (CSD). The next version of the BDA will be linked to additional analysis tools, such as the DOE-2 (thermal, energy and energy cost) and RADIANCE (day/lighting and rendering) computer programs. Plans for the future include the development of links to cost estimating and environmental impact modules, building rating systems, CAD software and electronic product catalogs.
series journal paper
more http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed 2003/05/15 21:23

_id a93b
authors Anders, Peter
year 1997
title Cybrids: Integrating Cognitive and Physical Space in Architecture
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.1997.017
source Design and Representation [ACADIA ‘97 Conference Proceedings / ISBN 1-880250-06-3] Cincinatti, Ohio (USA) 3-5 October 1997, pp. 17-34
summary People regularly use non-physical, cognitive spaces to navigate and think. These spaces are important to architects in the design and planning of physical buildings. Cognitive spaces inform design - often underlying principles of architectural composition. They include zones of privacy, territory and the space of memory and visual thought. They let us to map our environment, model or plan projects, even imagine places like Heaven or Hell.

Cyberspace is an electronic extension of this cognitive space. Designers of virtual environments already know the power these spaces have on the imagination. Computers are no longer just tools for projecting buildings. They change the very substance of design. Cyberspace is itself a subject for design. With computers architects can design space both for physical and non-physical media. A conscious integration of cognitive and physical space in architecture can affect construction and maintenance costs, and the impact on natural and urban environments.

This paper is about the convergence of physical and electronic space and its potential effects on architecture. The first part of the paper will define cognitive space and its relationship to cyberspace. The second part will relate cyberspace to the production of architecture. Finally, a recent project done at the University of Michigan Graduate School of Architecture will illustrate the integration of physical and cyberspaces.

series ACADIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:54

_id 2b38
authors Bradford, J., Wong, R. and Yeung, C.S.K.
year 1997
title Hierarchical Decomposition of Architectural Computer Models
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.197
source CAADRIA ‘97 [Proceedings of the Second Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia / ISBN 957-575-057-8] Taiwan 17-19 April 1997, pp. 197-203
summary Architectural models can be represented in a hierarchy of complexity. Higher level or more complex architecture structures are then designed by repetitively instantiating libraries of building blocks. The advantages are that the object can be achieved in modular fashion and any modification to the definition of a building block can be easily propagated to all higher level objects using the block. Unfortunately, many existing representations of architectural models are monolithic instead of hierarchical and modular, thus, making the reuse of models very difficult and inefficient. This paper describes a research project on developing a tool to decompose a monolithic architectural model into elementary building blocks and then create a hierarchy in the model representation. The tool provides a graphical interface for the visualization of a model and a cutting plane. An associated algorithm will then automatically detach parts of the model into building blocks depending on where the user is applying the cutting plane. Studies will also be made on dividing more complex models employing spherical and NURBS surfaces.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:54

_id avocaad_2001_02
id avocaad_2001_02
authors Cheng-Yuan Lin, Yu-Tung Liu
year 2001
title A digital Procedure of Building Construction: A practical project
source AVOCAAD - ADDED VALUE OF COMPUTER AIDED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Nys Koenraad, Provoost Tom, Verbeke Johan, Verleye Johan (Eds.), (2001) Hogeschool voor Wetenschap en Kunst - Departement Architectuur Sint-Lucas, Campus Brussel, ISBN 80-76101-05-1
summary In earlier times in which computers have not yet been developed well, there has been some researches regarding representation using conventional media (Gombrich, 1960; Arnheim, 1970). For ancient architects, the design process was described abstractly by text (Hewitt, 1985; Cable, 1983); the process evolved from unselfconscious to conscious ways (Alexander, 1964). Till the appearance of 2D drawings, these drawings could only express abstract visual thinking and visually conceptualized vocabulary (Goldschmidt, 1999). Then with the massive use of physical models in the Renaissance, the form and space of architecture was given better precision (Millon, 1994). Researches continued their attempts to identify the nature of different design tools (Eastman and Fereshe, 1994). Simon (1981) figured out that human increasingly relies on other specialists, computational agents, and materials referred to augment their cognitive abilities. This discourse was verified by recent research on conception of design and the expression using digital technologies (McCullough, 1996; Perez-Gomez and Pelletier, 1997). While other design tools did not change as much as representation (Panofsky, 1991; Koch, 1997), the involvement of computers in conventional architecture design arouses a new design thinking of digital architecture (Liu, 1996; Krawczyk, 1997; Murray, 1997; Wertheim, 1999). The notion of the link between ideas and media is emphasized throughout various fields, such as architectural education (Radford, 2000), Internet, and restoration of historical architecture (Potier et al., 2000). Information technology is also an important tool for civil engineering projects (Choi and Ibbs, 1989). Compared with conventional design media, computers avoid some errors in the process (Zaera, 1997). However, most of the application of computers to construction is restricted to simulations in building process (Halpin, 1990). It is worth studying how to employ computer technology meaningfully to bring significant changes to concept stage during the process of building construction (Madazo, 2000; Dave, 2000) and communication (Haymaker, 2000).In architectural design, concept design was achieved through drawings and models (Mitchell, 1997), while the working drawings and even shop drawings were brewed and communicated through drawings only. However, the most effective method of shaping building elements is to build models by computer (Madrazo, 1999). With the trend of 3D visualization (Johnson and Clayton, 1998) and the difference of designing between the physical environment and virtual environment (Maher et al. 2000), we intend to study the possibilities of using digital models, in addition to drawings, as a critical media in the conceptual stage of building construction process in the near future (just as the critical role that physical models played in early design process in the Renaissance). This research is combined with two practical building projects, following the progress of construction by using digital models and animations to simulate the structural layouts of the projects. We also tried to solve the complicated and even conflicting problems in the detail and piping design process through an easily accessible and precise interface. An attempt was made to delineate the hierarchy of the elements in a single structural and constructional system, and the corresponding relations among the systems. Since building construction is often complicated and even conflicting, precision needed to complete the projects can not be based merely on 2D drawings with some imagination. The purpose of this paper is to describe all the related elements according to precision and correctness, to discuss every possibility of different thinking in design of electric-mechanical engineering, to receive feedback from the construction projects in the real world, and to compare the digital models with conventional drawings.Through the application of this research, the subtle relations between the conventional drawings and digital models can be used in the area of building construction. Moreover, a theoretical model and standard process is proposed by using conventional drawings, digital models and physical buildings. By introducing the intervention of digital media in design process of working drawings and shop drawings, there is an opportune chance to use the digital media as a prominent design tool. This study extends the use of digital model and animation from design process to construction process. However, the entire construction process involves various details and exceptions, which are not discussed in this paper. These limitations should be explored in future studies.
series AVOCAAD
email
last changed 2005/09/09 10:48

_id 460e
authors Dannettel, Mark E
year 1997
title Interactive Multimedia Design: Operational Structures and Intuitive Environments for CD-ROM
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.415
source CAADRIA ‘97 [Proceedings of the Second Conference on Computer Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia / ISBN 957-575-057-8] Taiwan 17-19 April 1997, pp. 415-427
summary This paper presents practical design concepts for the production of CD-ROMs or on-line media projects which are intended for scholastic and professional use. It is based on the experience and knowledge which has been gained while developing a multimedia package here at the Department of Architecture at CUHK. The package deals exclusively with the technical issue of vertical transportation in buildings, and is intended to be used as a design tool in professional offices, as well as in classroom settings. The required research and production for the development of the structures, formats, and interfaces of this project, along with the consequential evaluation and revision of this work, has led to a greater understanding of appropriate applications for interactive interactive multimedia designs. Specially, the paper addresses the fundamental issues of ‘user-format’, and a distinction is made between applications which operate as ‘tools’ and those which operate as ‘resources’. Descriptions are provided for both types of operational formats, and suggestions are made as to how one might decided which format would be appropriate for a specific project. Briefly, resource produces imply that a user actively pursues information in a relatively static environment, while tool procedures imply that a user works jointly with the software to process information and arrive at a unique output. This distinction between the two formats is mostly grounded in the design of the structure and user-interface, and thus the point is made that the material content of the application does not necessarily imply a mandatory use of either format. In light of this observation that an application’s format relies on the appropriateness of operational procedures, rather than on its material content, further discussions of the implications of such procedures (using a ‘resource’ vs. using a ‘tool’) are provided.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:55

_id ddss9829
id ddss9829
authors De Hoog, J., Hendriks, N.A. and Rutten, P.G.S.
year 1998
title Evaluating Office Buildings with MOLCA(Model for Office Life Cycle Assessment)
source Timmermans, Harry (Ed.), Fourth Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning Maastricht, the Netherlands), ISBN 90-6814-081-7, July 26-29, 1998
summary MOLCA (Model for Office Life Cycle Assessment) is a project that aims to develop a tool that enables designers and builders to evaluate the environmental impact of their designs (of office buildings) from a environmental point of view. The model used is based on guidelinesgiven by ISO 14000, using the so-called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. The MOLCA project started in 1997 and will be finished in 2001 resulting in the aforementioned tool. MOLCA is a module within broader research conducted at the Eindhoven University of Technology aiming to reduce design risks to a minimum in the early design stages.Since the MOLCA project started two major case-studies have been carried out. One into the difference in environmental load caused by using concrete and steel roof systems respectively and the role of recycling. The second study focused on biases in LCA data and how to handle them. For the simulations a computer-model named SimaPro was used, using the world-wide accepted method developed by CML (Centre for the Environment, Leiden, the Netherlands). With this model different life-cycle scenarios were studied and evaluated. Based on those two case studies and a third one into an office area, a first model has been developed.Bottle-neck in this field of study is estimating average recycling and re-use percentages of the total flow of material waste in the building sector and collecting reliable process data. Another problem within LCA studies is estimating the reliability of the input data and modelling uncertainties. All these topics will be subject of further analysis.
keywords Life-Cycle Assessment, Office Buildings, Uncertainties in LCA
series DDSS
last changed 2003/08/07 16:36

_id 389b
authors Do, Ellen Yi-Luen
year 2000
title Sketch that Scene for Me: Creating Virtual Worlds by Freehand Drawing
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2000.265
source Promise and Reality: State of the Art versus State of Practice in Computing for the Design and Planning Process [18th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-6-5] Weimar (Germany) 22-24 June 2000, pp. 265-268
summary With the Web people can now view virtual threedimensional worlds and explore virtual space. Increasingly, novice users are interested in creating 3D Web sites. Virtual Reality Modeling Language gained ISO status in 1997, although it is being supplanted by the compatible Java3D API and alternative 3D Web technologies compete. Viewing VRML scenes is relatively straightforward on most hardware platforms and browsers, but currently there are only two ways to create 3D virtual scenes: One is to code the scene directly using VRML. The other is to use existing CAD and modeling software, and save the world in VRML format or convert to VRML from some other format. Both methods are time consuming, cumbersome, and have steep learning curves. Pen-based user interfaces, on the other hand, are for many an easy and intuitive method for graphics input. Not only are people familiar with the look and feel of paper and pencil, novice users also find it less intimidating to draw what they want, where they want it instead of using a complicated tool palette and pull-down menus. Architects and designers use sketches as a primary tool to generate design ideas and to explore alternatives, and numerous computer-based interfaces have played on the concept of "sketch". However, we restrict the notion of sketch to freehand drawing, which we believe helps people to think, to envision, and to recognize properties of the objects with which they are working. SKETCH employs a pen interface to create three-dimensional models, but it uses a simple language of gestures to control a three-dimensional modeler; it does not attempt to interpret freehand drawings. In contrast, our support of 3D world creation using freehand drawing depend on users’ traditional understanding of a floor plan representation. Igarashi et al. used a pen interface to drive browsing in a 3D world, by projecting the user’s marks on the ground plane in the virtual world. Our Sketch-3D project extends this approach, investigating an interface that allows direct interpretation of the drawing marks (what you draw is what you get) and serves as a rapid prototyping tool for creating 3D virtual scenes.
keywords Freehand Sketching, Pen-Based User Interface, Interaction, VRML, Navigation
series eCAADe
email
more http://www.uni-weimar.de/ecaade/
last changed 2022/06/07 07:55

_id 3979
authors Hellgardt, Michael and Kundu, Sourav
year 1997
title A Frame for Experimentation with Shape- grammars in Architectural Education
source AVOCAAD First International Conference [AVOCAAD Conference Proceedings / ISBN 90-76101-01-09] Brussels (Belgium) 10-12 April 1997, pp. 187-198
summary ATN's (Augmented Transition Networks) are an appropriate tool for the representation of architectural shape grammars. The application of this frame in stages of shape grammar codification is resumed. Problems of rule definition and of the connection to existing CAD software are raised. The paper is evaluated in the light of problems raised in the introduction and of what is understood in this respect by an Added Value of Computer Aided Architectural Design.
series AVOCAAD
last changed 2005/09/09 10:48

_id e373
authors Johnson, Robert E. and Clayton, Mark
year 1997
title The Impact of Information Technology in Design and Construction: The Owner's Perspective
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.1997.229
source Design and Representation [ACADIA ‘97 Conference Proceedings / ISBN 1-880250-06-3] Cincinatti, Ohio (USA) 3-5 October 1997, pp. 229-241
summary This paper reports on findings of a November 1996 exploratory survey of architecture-engineering clients (Fortune 500 corporate facility managers). This research investigated how the practices of corporate facility managers are being influenced by rapid changes in information technology. The conceptual model that served as a guide for this research hypothesized that information technology acts as both an enabler (that is, information technology provides an effective mechanism for managers to implement desired changes) as well as a source of innovation (that is, new information technology innovations create new facility management opportunities). The underlying assumption of this research is that information technology is evolving from a tool that incrementally improves "back-office" productivity to an essential component of strategic positioning that may alter the basic economics, organizational structure and operational practices of facility management organizations and their interactions with service providers (architects, engineers and constructors). The paper concludes with a discussion of researchable issues.
series ACADIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:52

_id 8569
authors Kurmann, D., Elte, N. and Engeli, M.
year 1997
title Real-Time Modeling with Architectural Space
source CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 809-819
summary Space as an architectural theme has been explored in many ways over many centuries; designing the architectural space is a major issue in both architectural education and in the design process. Based on these observations, it follows that computer tools should be available that help architects manipulate and explore space and spatial configurations directly and interactively. Therefore, we have created and extended the computer tool Sculptor. This tool enables the architect to design interactively with the computer, directly in real-time and in three dimensions. We developed the concept of 'space as an element' and integrated it into Sculptor. These combinations of solid and void elements - positive and negative volumes - enable the architect to use the computer already in an early design stage for conceptual design and spatial studies. Similar to solids modeling but much simpler, more intuitive and in real-time this allows the creation of complex spatial compositions in 3D space. Additionally, several concepts, operations and functions are defined inherently. Windows and doors for example are negative volumes that connect other voids inside positive ones. Based on buildings composed with these spaces we developed agents to calculate sound atmosphere and estimate cost, and creatures to test building for fire escape reasons etc. The paper will look at the way to design with space from both an architect's point of view and a computer scientist's. Techniques, possibilities and consequences of this direct void modeling will be explained. It will elaborate on the principle of human machine interaction brought up by our research and used in Sculptor. It will present the possibility to create VRML models directly for the web and show some of the designs done by students using the tool in our CAAD courses.
series CAAD Futures
email
last changed 1999/04/06 09:19

_id 0f97
authors Kvan, Th., West, R. and Vera, A.
year 1997
title Choosing Tools for a Virtual Community
source Creative Collaboration in Virtual Communities 1997, ed. A. Cicognani. VC'97. Sydney: Key Centre of Design Computing, Department of Architectural and Design Science, University of Sydney, 20 p.
summary This paper reports on the results of experiments carried out to identify the effects of computer-mediated communication between participants involved in a design problem. When setting up a virtual design community, choices must be made between a variety of tools, choices dictated by budget, bandwidth, ability, availability. How do you choose between the tools, which is useful and how will each affect the outcome of the design exchanges you plan? Cognitive modelling methodologies such as GOMS have been used by interface designers to capture the mechanisms of action and interaction involved in routine expert behavior. Using this technique, which breaks down an individual's behaviors into Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules, it is possible to evaluate the impact of different aspects of an interface in task-specific ways. In the present study, the GOMS methodology was used to characterize the interactive behavior of knowledgeable participants as they worked on a design task under different communication-support conditions.

Pairs of participants were set a design problem and asked to solve it in face-to-face settings. The same problem was then tackled by participants in settings using two different modes of computer-supported communication: email and an electronic whiteboard. Protocols were collected and analyzed in terms of the constraints of each tool relative to the task and to each other. The GOMS methodology was used as a way to represent the collaborative design process in a way that yields information on both the productivity and performance of participants in each of the three experimental conditions. It also yielded information on the component elements of the design process, the basic cognitive building-blocks of design, thereby suggesting fundamentally new tools that might be created for interaction in virtual environments.

A further goal of the study was to explore the nature of task differences in relation to alternative platforms for communication. It was hypothesized that design processes involving significant negotiation would be less aided by computer support than straight forward design problems. The latter involve cooperative knowledge application by both participants and are therefore facilitated by information-rich forms of computer support. The former, on the other hand, requires conflict resolution and is inhibited by non face-to-face interaction. The results of this study point to the fact that the success of collaboration in virtual space is not just dependent on the nature of the tools but also on the specific nature of the collaborative task.

keywords Cognitive Models, Task-analysis, GOMS
series other
email
last changed 2003/05/15 20:50

_id ab84
authors Li, Thomas S.P. and Will, Barry F.
year 1997
title A Computer-Aided Evaluation Tool for the Visual Aspects in Architectural Design for High-Density and High- Rise Buildings
source CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 345-356
summary The field of view, the nature of the objects being seen, the distances between the objects and the viewer, daylighting and sunshine are some major factors affecting perceived reactions when viewing through a window. View is one major factor that leads to the satisfaction and comfort of the users inside the building enclosure. While computer technologies are being widely used in the field of architecture, designers still have to use their own intelligence, experience and preferences in judging their designs with respect to the quality of view. This paper introduces an alternative approach to the analysis of views by the use of computers. The prototype of this system and its underlying principles were first introduced in the C A A D R I A 1997 conference. This paper describes the further development of this system where emphasis has been placed on the high- rise and high-density environments. Architects may find themselves facing considerable limitations for improving their designs regarding views out of the building under these environmental conditions. This research permits an interactive real-time response to altering views as the forms and planes of the building are manipulated.
series CAAD Futures
email
last changed 2001/05/27 18:39

_id 25a2
authors MacCallum, C. and Hanna, R.
year 1997
title DEFLECT: A Computer Aided Learning Package for Teaching Structural Design - Phase Two
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.f6j
source Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
summary This paper reports on Phase Two of a SHEFC funded project jointly carried out by the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University of Paisley, the Mackintosh School of Architecture, and Lamp Software. The project aims to build a computer-assisted learning package on the response of structures to load. The software will be used as an interactive teaching tool for both architectural and engineering students.

The package has four levels: Beginners (Level 1), Intermediate (Level 2) and Advanced (Levels 3 and 4). The first two levels have been completed after continuous feedback from both institutions. Level 1 is geared towards architectural and engineering students to help them understand structural behaviour of building components, such as deflection. Level 2 is a graphical editor that enables students to draw precisely the structure of their designs, investigate the deflection of structural members and identify areas of tension and compression. Levels 3 and 4 are a design tool which is aimed at architectural and civil engineering students where they can design and analyse realistic structures by choosing structural members from a library, and specify materials and multiple loads.

Phase One of DEFLECT was presented in the 14th ECAADE conference , which was held at the University of Lund, Sweden. In Phase Two, the range of structural examples was expanded to include typological classics. This was accompanied by additional teaching and learning material. The package was enlarged to include bending moment and shear force diagrams, tapered and curved members, and additional materials such as glass.

series eCAADe
email
more http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/maccull/maccull.htm
last changed 2022/06/07 07:50

_id f071
authors Maher, M.L., Cicognani, A. and Simoff, S.J.
year 1997
title An Experimental Study of Computer Mediated Collaborative Design
source International Journal of Design Computing, Key Centre of Design Computing, University of Sydney, Sydney
summary The use of computer technology in design practice is moving towards a distributed resource available to a team of designers. The development of software to support designers has traditionally been based on the assumption that there will be a single person using the software at a time. Recent developments have enabled the feasibility of software for two or more simultaneous users, leading to the possibility of computer mediated collaborative design (CMCD), where the computer plays the role of mediator and design information handler. There is the potential for the computer to play a more active role in collaborative design through enhanced visibility of 3D models and assistance in generating alternative designs and design critiques. With this potential the computer not only mediates the collaborative design process but actively supports the designers. Research in integrated CAD, multimedia and design database systems, virtual design studios, and design protocol studies provide the basis for a formal study of CMCD. We have developed an experimental methodology to study the difference in design semantics documented using computer applications when designing alone as compared to designing collaboratively. This methodology can be applied to study other aspects of CMCD.
series journal paper
email
last changed 2003/04/23 15:50

_id 8b35
authors Maher, M.L., Simoff, S.J. and Mitchell, J.
year 1997
title Formalising building requirements using an Activity/Space Model
source Automation in Construction 6 (2) (1997) pp. 77-95
summary The specification of the spatial requirements for a building is the basis for the architectural design of the building. The specification usually takes the form of an extensive text-based document, a briefing database for large projects, or informal discussion between the architect and the client for a small project. The specification of a building is still a hand-crafted presentation of information that is neither carried forward to the next stage of the life cycle of the building, nor formalised so that it can be effectively used for another project. This paper presents a model, specifically developed to capture the idiosyncrasies of specifying buildings, that has the potential to provide the basis for specifying buildings more generally and could provide the basis for facilitating the generation of new designs or the reuse of existing designs. The model makes explicit the representation of activities, spaces and their relationships. The continued development of the Activity/Space (A/S) Model not only provides a formal representation of requirements, but could provide a standard for product modelling of buildings.
series journal paper
more http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed 2003/05/15 21:22

_id b357
authors Molinari, Claudio and Talamo, Cinzia
year 1997
title A Hypertextual Didactic Tool for a Maintenance Oriented Design
source AVOCAAD First International Conference [AVOCAAD Conference Proceedings / ISBN 90-76101-01-09] Brussels (Belgium) 10-12 April 1997, pp. 263-275
summary This paper presents a research concerning the theme of the support didactic tools for a maintenance oriented design. The work takes a starting point in two remarks: the first is the importance of maintainability requirements prevision for the correct planning of a project and for the formulation of maintenance strategies; the second is the lack of information (examples, references, laws, quality and performance plans) easily available for students and designers. The tool thas has been pointed out has the aim to provide the information - belonging to different categories of knowledge - useful for a maintainability conscious design, according the free navigation modalities tipical of hypertextual applications. Starting from a matrix that associates building subsistems and maintainability requirements the student has the possibility to navigate into a network in which it is possible to have information about: european laws concerning maintenance, examples (drawings, pictures and description) of architectures and of industrial components that regard particular maintainability solutions and a plan in which are schematized the appropriate dimensions and the morfological configurations for the maintenance activities. This hypertextual didactic tool has two different educational applications: 1) during design training courses, it can support in self-training about maintenance aspects; 2) it can become a specialistic module inside an integrated CAAD system developed to combine the graphic representation with different performances evalutions.
series AVOCAAD
last changed 2005/09/09 10:48

_id ga0026
id ga0026
authors Ransen, Owen F.
year 2000
title Possible Futures in Computer Art Generation
source International Conference on Generative Art
summary Years of trying to create an "Image Idea Generator" program have convinced me that the perfect solution would be to have an artificial artistic person, a design slave. This paper describes how I came to that conclusion, realistic alternatives, and briefly, how it could possibly happen. 1. The history of Repligator and Gliftic 1.1 Repligator In 1996 I had the idea of creating an “image idea generator”. I wanted something which would create images out of nothing, but guided by the user. The biggest conceptual problem I had was “out of nothing”. What does that mean? So I put aside that problem and forced the user to give the program a starting image. This program eventually turned into Repligator, commercially described as an “easy to use graphical effects program”, but actually, to my mind, an Image Idea Generator. The first release came out in October 1997. In December 1998 I described Repligator V4 [1] and how I thought it could be developed away from simply being an effects program. In July 1999 Repligator V4 won the Shareware Industry Awards Foundation prize for "Best Graphics Program of 1999". Prize winners are never told why they won, but I am sure that it was because of two things: 1) Easy of use 2) Ease of experimentation "Ease of experimentation" means that Repligator does in fact come up with new graphics ideas. Once you have input your original image you can generate new versions of that image simply by pushing a single key. Repligator is currently at version 6, but, apart from adding many new effects and a few new features, is basically the same program as version 4. Following on from the ideas in [1] I started to develop Gliftic, which is closer to my original thoughts of an image idea generator which "starts from nothing". The Gliftic model of images was that they are composed of three components: 1. Layout or form, for example the outline of a mandala is a form. 2. Color scheme, for example colors selected from autumn leaves from an oak tree. 3. Interpretation, for example Van Gogh would paint a mandala with oak tree colors in a different way to Andy Warhol. There is a Van Gogh interpretation and an Andy Warhol interpretation. Further I wanted to be able to genetically breed images, for example crossing two layouts to produce a child layout. And the same with interpretations and color schemes. If I could achieve this then the program would be very powerful. 1.2 Getting to Gliftic Programming has an amazing way of crystalising ideas. If you want to put an idea into practice via a computer program you really have to understand the idea not only globally, but just as importantly, in detail. You have to make hard design decisions, there can be no vagueness, and so implementing what I had decribed above turned out to be a considerable challenge. I soon found out that the hardest thing to do would be the breeding of forms. What are the "genes" of a form? What are the genes of a circle, say, and how do they compare to the genes of the outline of the UK? I wanted the genotype representation (inside the computer program's data) to be directly linked to the phenotype representation (on the computer screen). This seemed to be the best way of making sure that bred-forms would bare some visual relationship to their parents. I also wanted symmetry to be preserved. For example if two symmetrical objects were bred then their children should be symmetrical. I decided to represent shapes as simply closed polygonal shapes, and the "genes" of these shapes were simply the list of points defining the polygon. Thus a circle would have to be represented by a regular polygon of, say, 100 sides. The outline of the UK could easily be represented as a list of points every 10 Kilometers along the coast line. Now for the important question: what do you get when you cross a circle with the outline of the UK? I tried various ways of combining the "genes" (i.e. coordinates) of the shapes, but none of them really ended up producing interesting shapes. And of the methods I used, many of them, applied over several "generations" simply resulted in amorphous blobs, with no distinct family characteristics. Or rather maybe I should say that no single method of breeding shapes gave decent results for all types of images. Figure 1 shows an example of breeding a mandala with 6 regular polygons: Figure 1 Mandala bred with array of regular polygons I did not try out all my ideas, and maybe in the future I will return to the problem, but it was clear to me that it is a non-trivial problem. And if the breeding of shapes is a non-trivial problem, then what about the breeding of interpretations? I abandoned the genetic (breeding) model of generating designs but retained the idea of the three components (form, color scheme, interpretation). 1.3 Gliftic today Gliftic Version 1.0 was released in May 2000. It allows the user to change a form, a color scheme and an interpretation. The user can experiment with combining different components together and can thus home in on an personally pleasing image. Just as in Repligator, pushing the F7 key make the program choose all the options. Unlike Repligator however the user can also easily experiment with the form (only) by pushing F4, the color scheme (only) by pushing F5 and the interpretation (only) by pushing F6. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show some example images created by Gliftic. Figure 2 Mandala interpreted with arabesques   Figure 3 Trellis interpreted with "graphic ivy"   Figure 4 Regular dots interpreted as "sparks" 1.4 Forms in Gliftic V1 Forms are simply collections of graphics primitives (points, lines, ellipses and polygons). The program generates these collections according to the user's instructions. Currently the forms are: Mandala, Regular Polygon, Random Dots, Random Sticks, Random Shapes, Grid Of Polygons, Trellis, Flying Leap, Sticks And Waves, Spoked Wheel, Biological Growth, Chequer Squares, Regular Dots, Single Line, Paisley, Random Circles, Chevrons. 1.5 Color Schemes in Gliftic V1 When combining a form with an interpretation (described later) the program needs to know what colors it can use. The range of colors is called a color scheme. Gliftic has three color scheme types: 1. Random colors: Colors for the various parts of the image are chosen purely at random. 2. Hue Saturation Value (HSV) colors: The user can choose the main hue (e.g. red or yellow), the saturation (purity) of the color scheme and the value (brightness/darkness) . The user also has to choose how much variation is allowed in the color scheme. A wide variation allows the various colors of the final image to depart a long way from the HSV settings. A smaller variation results in the final image using almost a single color. 3. Colors chosen from an image: The user can choose an image (for example a JPG file of a famous painting, or a digital photograph he took while on holiday in Greece) and Gliftic will select colors from that image. Only colors from the selected image will appear in the output image. 1.6 Interpretations in Gliftic V1 Interpretation in Gliftic is best decribed with a few examples. A pure geometric line could be interpreted as: 1) the branch of a tree 2) a long thin arabesque 3) a sequence of disks 4) a chain, 5) a row of diamonds. An pure geometric ellipse could be interpreted as 1) a lake, 2) a planet, 3) an eye. Gliftic V1 has the following interpretations: Standard, Circles, Flying Leap, Graphic Ivy, Diamond Bar, Sparkz, Ess Disk, Ribbons, George Haite, Arabesque, ZigZag. 1.7 Applications of Gliftic Currently Gliftic is mostly used for creating WEB graphics, often backgrounds as it has an option to enable "tiling" of the generated images. There is also a possibility that it will be used in the custom textile business sometime within the next year or two. The real application of Gliftic is that of generating new graphics ideas, and I suspect that, like Repligator, many users will only understand this later. 2. The future of Gliftic, 3 possibilties Completing Gliftic V1 gave me the experience to understand what problems and opportunities there will be in future development of the program. Here I divide my many ideas into three oversimplified possibilities, and the real result may be a mix of two or all three of them. 2.1 Continue the current development "linearly" Gliftic could grow simply by the addition of more forms and interpretations. In fact I am sure that initially it will grow like this. However this limits the possibilities to what is inside the program itself. These limits can be mitigated by allowing the user to add forms (as vector files). The user can already add color schemes (as images). The biggest problem with leaving the program in its current state is that there is no easy way to add interpretations. 2.2 Allow the artist to program Gliftic It would be interesting to add a language to Gliftic which allows the user to program his own form generators and interpreters. In this way Gliftic becomes a "platform" for the development of dynamic graphics styles by the artist. The advantage of not having to deal with the complexities of Windows programming could attract the more adventurous artists and designers. The choice of programming language of course needs to take into account the fact that the "programmer" is probably not be an expert computer scientist. I have seen how LISP (an not exactly easy artificial intelligence language) has become very popular among non programming users of AutoCAD. If, to complete a job which you do manually and repeatedly, you can write a LISP macro of only 5 lines, then you may be tempted to learn enough LISP to write those 5 lines. Imagine also the ability to publish (and/or sell) "style generators". An artist could develop a particular interpretation function, it creates images of a given character which others find appealing. The interpretation (which runs inside Gliftic as a routine) could be offered to interior designers (for example) to unify carpets, wallpaper, furniture coverings for single projects. As Adrian Ward [3] says on his WEB site: "Programming is no less an artform than painting is a technical process." Learning a computer language to create a single image is overkill and impractical. Learning a computer language to create your own artistic style which generates an infinite series of images in that style may well be attractive. 2.3 Add an artificial conciousness to Gliftic This is a wild science fiction idea which comes into my head regularly. Gliftic manages to surprise the users with the images it makes, but, currently, is limited by what gets programmed into it or by pure chance. How about adding a real artifical conciousness to the program? Creating an intelligent artificial designer? According to Igor Aleksander [1] conciousness is required for programs (computers) to really become usefully intelligent. Aleksander thinks that "the line has been drawn under the philosophical discussion of conciousness, and the way is open to sound scientific investigation". Without going into the details, and with great over-simplification, there are roughly two sorts of artificial intelligence: 1) Programmed intelligence, where, to all intents and purposes, the programmer is the "intelligence". The program may perform well (but often, in practice, doesn't) and any learning which is done is simply statistical and pre-programmed. There is no way that this type of program could become concious. 2) Neural network intelligence, where the programs are based roughly on a simple model of the brain, and the network learns how to do specific tasks. It is this sort of program which, according to Aleksander, could, in the future, become concious, and thus usefully intelligent. What could the advantages of an artificial artist be? 1) There would be no need for programming. Presumbably the human artist would dialog with the artificial artist, directing its development. 2) The artificial artist could be used as an apprentice, doing the "drudge" work of art, which needs intelligence, but is, anyway, monotonous for the human artist. 3) The human artist imagines "concepts", the artificial artist makes them concrete. 4) An concious artificial artist may come up with ideas of its own. Is this science fiction? Arthur C. Clarke's 1st Law: "If a famous scientist says that something can be done, then he is in all probability correct. If a famous scientist says that something cannot be done, then he is in all probability wrong". Arthur C Clarke's 2nd Law: "Only by trying to go beyond the current limits can you find out what the real limits are." One of Bertrand Russell's 10 commandments: "Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric" 3. References 1. "From Ramon Llull to Image Idea Generation". Ransen, Owen. Proceedings of the 1998 Milan First International Conference on Generative Art. 2. "How To Build A Mind" Aleksander, Igor. Wiedenfeld and Nicolson, 1999 3. "How I Drew One of My Pictures: or, The Authorship of Generative Art" by Adrian Ward and Geof Cox. Proceedings of the 1999 Milan 2nd International Conference on Generative Art.
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last changed 2003/08/07 17:25

_id d461
authors Sariyildiz, Sevil and Schwenk, Mathias
year 1997
title The CIAD-System - Multimedia Teachware as a Driving Force for CAAD
source AVOCAAD First International Conference [AVOCAAD Conference Proceedings / ISBN 90-76101-01-09] Brussels (Belgium) 10-12 April 1997, pp. 329-342
summary Software systems for educational purposes have been developed and used in many application areas. In this paper we will describe a development in the field of architecture and building science. CIAD is a teachware system directed to be used in the education of students of architecture as well as a tool that gives a survey to architects and engineers in the practice. In the first place it provides information about the use of computer science technologies in the building design process. Furthermore, information about the architectural design process itself is included. CIAD is a modular system which can be extended and updated easily. After giving an overview about the system, a module dealing with the detailing of a building design will be explained in-depth. By means of different examples the user gets information about the process. In animation sequences made from different renderings of example designs the process is explained. After that the user is requested to re-execute the different steps. By means of this teachware we create an environment where the user learns more efficiently by working with examples that are made by various CAAD-programs. Additionaly to the primary purpose to give an overview concerning the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for architectural design, the user will be motivated to use ICT as a medium for future work.
keywords Teachware, Multimedia Techniques
series AVOCAAD
last changed 2005/09/09 10:48

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