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 487

_id 2ad9
authors Damski, José C. and Gero, John S.
year 1997
title An Evolutionary Approach to Generating Constraint-Based Space Layout Topologies
source CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 855-864
summary This paper describes a system to produce space layout topologies for architectural plans using an evolutionary approach. The layout specification is defined as a set of topological and directional constraints, which are used as a fitness function in the evolutionary system. The halfplane representation is used to represent the genotypes in the evolutionary system, for both arrangements of halfplanes and the figures generated from those arrangements. As the halfplane representation proposed here does not distinguish between straight and non-straight boundaries, at the symbolic level the spaces and the layouts produced can also be bounded by straight or non-straight lines. The well known rectangular (polyomino) arrangements become a particular case only.
series CAAD Futures
email
last changed 1999/04/06 09:19

_id f7e8
authors Frazer, J.H. and Stephenson, P.
year 1997
title The Groningen Experiment
source Architectural Association Publications, publ. pend.
summary In its first five years, the Architectural Association's Diploma unit II developed the theoretical framework of an alternative generative process, using computer models to compress evolutionary space and time. This led to a prototype that could be demonstrated interactively and the launch on the Internet of an experimental evolutionary environment which attracted global participation, established a dematerialised model. The new phase of the programme has begun to externalise this conceptual model into constructed form, focusing on urban-scale evolution and other historical and natural examples of co-operative and ecologically i integrated development. The approach has been to consider metabolic processes as a way of understanding both the formal development of urban symbiosis and the specific problem of materialization. The city planning department of Groningen commissioned a small working prototype demonstration of a predictive urban computer model. The unit produced an evolving model which explains the transition from the past to the present, and projects future trajectories a "what if" model for generating, exploring and evaluating alternatives. The model mediates in scale, space and time: ; in scale between the urban context and the fine grain of the housing typologies ; in space between the existing fabric of Groningen and specific dwelling units ; in time between the lifestyle within the medieval core and the desires of the citizens of tile next century
series other
last changed 2003/04/23 15:14

_id a5a3
authors Jagielski, Romuald and Gero, John S.
year 1997
title A Genetic Programming Approach to the Space Layout Planning Problem
source CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 875-884
summary The space layout planning problem belongs to the class of NP-hard problems with a wide range of practical applications. Many algorithms have been developed in the past, however recently evolutionary techniques have emerged as an alternative approach to their solution. In this paper, a genetic programming approach, one variation of evolutionary computation, is discussed. A representation of the space layout planning problem suitable for genetic programming is presented along with some implementation details and results.
series CAAD Futures
email
last changed 2003/02/23 11:00

_id 2483
authors Gero, J.S. and Kazakov, V.
year 1997
title Learning and reusing information in space layout problems using genetic engineering
source Artificial Intelligence in Engineering 11(3):329-334
summary The paper describes the application of a genetic engineering based extension to genetic algorithms to the layout planning problem. We study the gene evolution which takes place when an algorithm of this type is running and demonstrate that in many cases it effectively leads to the partial decomposition of the layout problem by grouping some activit ies together and optimally placing these groups during the first stage of the computation. At a second stage it optimally places activities within these groups. We show that the algorithm finnds the solution faster than standard evolutionary methods and that evolved genes represent design features that can be re-used later in a range of similar problems.
keywords Genetic Engineering, Learning
series other
email
last changed 2001/09/08 12:04

_id 75a8
authors Achten, Henri H.
year 1997
title Generic representations : an approach for modelling procedural and declarative knowledge of building types in architectural design
source Eindhoven University of Technology
summary The building type is a knowledge structure that is recognised as an important element in the architectural design process. For an architect, the type provides information about norms, layout, appearance, etc. of the kind of building that is being designed. Questions that seem unresolved about (computational) approaches to building types are the relationship between the many kinds of instances that are generally recognised as belonging to a particular building type, the way a type can deal with varying briefs (or with mixed use), and how a type can accommodate different sites. Approaches that aim to model building types as data structures of interrelated variables (so-called ‘prototypes’) face problems clarifying these questions. The research work at hand proposes to investigate the role of knowledge associated with building types in the design process. Knowledge of the building type must be represented during the design process. Therefore, it is necessary to find a representation which supports design decisions, supports the changes and transformations of the design during the design process, encompasses knowledge of the design task, and which relates to the way architects design. It is proposed in the research work that graphic representations can be used as a medium to encode knowledge of the building type. This is possible if they consistently encode the things they represent; if their knowledge content can be derived, and if they are versatile enough to support a design process of a building belonging to a type. A graphic representation consists of graphic entities such as vertices, lines, planes, shapes, symbols, etc. Establishing a graphic representation implies making design decisions with respect to these entities. Therefore it is necessary to identify the elements of the graphic representation that play a role in decision making. An approach based on the concept of ‘graphic units’ is developed. A graphic unit is a particular set of graphic entities that has some constant meaning. Examples are: zone, circulation scheme, axial system, and contour. Each graphic unit implies a particular kind of design decision (e.g. functional areas, system of circulation, spatial organisation, and layout of the building). By differentiating between appearance and meaning, it is possible to define the graphic unit relatively shape-independent. If a number of graphic representations have the same graphic units, they deal with the same kind of design decisions. Graphic representations that have such a specifically defined knowledge content are called ‘generic representations.’ An analysis of over 220 graphic representations in the literature on architecture results in 24 graphic units and 50 generic representations. For each generic representation the design decisions are identified. These decisions are informed by the nature of the design task at hand. If the design task is a building belonging to a building type, then knowledge of the building type is required. In a single generic representation knowledge of norms, rules, and principles associated with the building type are used. Therefore, a single generic representation encodes declarative knowledge of the building type. A sequence of generic representations encodes a series of design decisions which are informed by the design task. If the design task is a building type, then procedural knowledge of the building type is used. By means of the graphic unit and generic representation, it is possible to identify a number of relations that determine sequences of generic representations. These relations are: additional graphic units, themes of generic representations, and successive graphic units. Additional graphic units defines subsequent generic representations by adding a new graphic unit. Themes of generic representations defines groups of generic representations that deal with the same kind of design decisions. Successive graphic units defines preconditions for subsequent or previous generic representations. On the basis of themes it is possible to define six general sequences of generic representations. On the basis of additional and successive graphic units it is possible to define sequences of generic representations in themes. On the basis of these sequences, one particular sequence of 23 generic representations is defined. The particular sequence of generic representations structures the decision process of a building type. In order to test this assertion, the particular sequence is applied to the office building type. For each generic representation, it is possible to establish a graphic representation that follows the definition of the graphic units and to apply the required statements from the office building knowledge base. The application results in a sequence of graphic representations that particularises an office building design. Implementation of seven generic representations in a computer aided design system demonstrates the use of generic representations for design support. The set is large enough to provide additional weight to the conclusion that generic representations map declarative and procedural knowledge of the building type.
series thesis:PhD
email
more http://alexandria.tue.nl/extra2/9703788.pdf
last changed 2003/11/21 15:15

_id acadia03_022
id acadia03_022
authors Anders, Peter
year 2003
title Towards Comprehensive Space: A context for the programming/design of cybrids
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.2003.161
source Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse [Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design In Architecture / ISBN 1-880250-12-8] Indianapolis (Indiana) 24-27 October 2003, pp. 161-171
summary Cybrids have been presented as mixed realities: spatial, architectural compositions comprised of physical and cyberspaces (Anders 1997). In order to create a rigorous approach to the design of architectural cybrids, this paper offers a model for programming their spaces. Other than accepting cyberspaces as part of architecture’s domain, this approach is not radical. Indeed, many parts of program development resemble those of conventional practice. However, the proposition that cyberspaces should be integrated with material structures requires that their relationship be developed from the outset of a project. Hence, this paper provides a method for their integration from the project’s earliest stages, the establishment of its program. This study for an actual project, the Planetary Collegium, describes a distributed campus comprising buildings and cyberspaces in various locales across the globe. The programming for these cybrids merges them within a comprehensive space consisting not only of the physical and cyberspaces, but also in the cognitive spaces of its designers and users.
series ACADIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:54

_id 2698
authors Chien, Sheng Fen and Flemming, Ulrich
year 1997
title Information Navigation in Generative Design Systems
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.355
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. 355-365
summary Generative design systems take an active part in the generation of computational design models. They make it easier for designers to explore conceptual alternatives, but the amount of information generated during a design session can become very large. Intelligent navigation aids are needed to enable designers to access the information with ease and low cognitive loads. We present an approach to support navigation in generative design systems. Our approach takes account of studies related to navigation in physical environments as well as information navigation in electronic media. Results of studies from the physical environment and electronic media reveal that 1) people exhibit similar cognitive behaviours (spatial cognition and the use of spatial knowledge) while navigating in physical and information spaces; and 2) the information space lacks legibility and imageability. The proposed information navigation model take these findings into account.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:55

_id 2354
authors Clayden, A. and Szalapaj, P.
year 1997
title Architecture in Landscape: Integrated CAD Environments for Contextually Situated Design
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.q6p
source Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
summary This paper explores the future role of a more holistic and integrated approach to the design of architecture in landscape. Many of the design exploration and presentation techniques presently used by particular design professions do not lend themselves to an inherently collaborative design strategy.

Within contemporary digital environments, there are increasing opportunities to explore and evaluate design proposals which integrate both architectural and landscape aspects. The production of integrated design solutions exploring buildings and their surrounding context is now possible through the design development of shared 3-D and 4-D virtual environments, in which buildings no longer float in space.

The scope of landscape design has expanded through the application of techniques such as GIS allowing interpretations that include social, economic and environmental dimensions. In architecture, for example, object-oriented CAD environments now make it feasible to integrate conventional modelling techniques with analytical evaluations such as energy calculations and lighting simulations. These were all ambitions of architects and landscape designers in the 70s when computer power restricted the successful implementation of these ideas. Instead, the commercial trend at that time moved towards isolated specialist design tools in particular areas. Prior to recent innovations in computing, the closely related disciplines of architecture and landscape have been separated through the unnecessary development, in our view, of their own symbolic representations, and the subsequent computer applications. This has led to an unnatural separation between what were once closely related disciplines.

Significant increases in the performance of computers are now making it possible to move on from symbolic representations towards more contextual and meaningful representations. For example, the application of realistic materials textures to CAD-generated building models can then be linked to energy calculations using the chosen materials. It is now possible for a tree to look like a tree, to have leaves and even to be botanicaly identifiable. The building and landscape can be rendered from a common database of digital samples taken from the real world. The complete model may be viewed in a more meaningful way either through stills or animation, or better still, through a total simulation of the lifecycle of the design proposal. The model may also be used to explore environmental/energy considerations and changes in the balance between the building and its context most immediately through the growth simulation of vegetation but also as part of a larger planning model.

The Internet has a key role to play in facilitating this emerging collaborative design process. Design professionals are now able via the net to work on a shared model and to explore and test designs through the development of VRML, JAVA, whiteboarding and video conferencing. The end product may potentially be something that can be more easily viewed by the client/user. The ideas presented in this paper form the basis for the development of a dual course in landscape and architecture. This will create new teaching opportunities for exploring the design of buildings and sites through the shared development of a common computer model.

keywords Integrated Design Process, Landscape and Architecture, Shared Environmentsenvironments
series eCAADe
email
more http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/szalapaj/szalapaj.htm
last changed 2022/06/07 07:50

_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 6a37
authors Fowler, Thomas and Muller, Brook
year 2002
title Physical and Digital Media Strategies For Exploring ‘Imagined’ Realities of Space, Skin and Light
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.2002.013
source Thresholds - Design, Research, Education and Practice, in the Space Between the Physical and the Virtual [Proceedings of the 2002 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design In Architecture / ISBN 1-880250-11-X] Pomona (California) 24-27 October 2002, pp. 13-23
summary This paper will discuss an unconventional methodology for using physical and digital media strategies ina tightly structured framework for the integration of Environmental Control Systems (ECS) principles intoa third year design studio. An interchangeable use of digital media and physical material enabledarchitectural explorations of rich tactile and luminous engagement.The principles that provide the foundation for integrative strategies between a design studio and buildingtechnology course spring from the Bauhaus tradition where a systematic approach to craftsmanship andvisual perception is emphasized. Focusing particularly on color, light, texture and materials, Josef Albersexplored the assemblage of found objects, transforming these materials into unexpected dynamiccompositions. Moholy-Nagy developed a technique called the photogram or camera-less photograph torecord the temporal movements of light. Wassily Kandinsky developed a method of analytical drawingthat breaks a still life composition into diagrammatic forces to express tension and geometry. Theseschematic diagrams provide a method for students to examine and analyze the implications of elementplacements in space (Bermudez, Neiman 1997). Gyorgy Kepes's Language of Vision provides a primerfor learning basic design principles. Kepes argued that the perception of a visual image needs aprocess of organization. According to Kepes, the experience of an image is "a creative act ofintegration". All of these principles provide the framework for the studio investigation.The quarter started with a series of intense short workshops that used an interchangeable use of digitaland physical media to focus on ECS topics such as day lighting, electric lighting, and skin vocabulary tolead students to consider these components as part of their form-making inspiration.In integrating ECS components with the design studio, an nine-step methodology was established toprovide students with a compelling and tangible framework for design:Examples of student work will be presented for the two times this course was offered (2001/02) to showhow exercises were linked to allow for a clear design progression.
series ACADIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:51

_id b5f4
authors Gero, John S. and Ding, Lan
year 1997
title Exploring Style Emergence in Architectural Designs
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. 287-296
summary This paper presents an evolutionary approach to style emergence in architectural designs. Emergence is the process of making features explicit which were previously only implicit. Style is considered as a set of common characteristics of a group of designs. It is interpreted using a language model as an analogy and is represented at the genetic level. An evolutionary system based on genetic engineering is developed. It emerges style by locating the genetic structures which produce that style. Preliminary results are presented.
series other
email
last changed 2003/04/06 09:26

_id acadia18_226
id acadia18_226
authors Glynn, Ruairi; Abramovic, Vasilija; Overvelde, Johannes T. B.
year 2018
title Edge of Chaos. Towards intelligent architecture through distributed control systems based on Cellular Automata.
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.2018.226
source ACADIA // 2018: Recalibration. On imprecisionand infidelity. [Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) ISBN 978-0-692-17729-7] Mexico City, Mexico 18-20 October, 2018, pp. 226-231
summary From the “Edge of Chaos”, a mathematical space discovered by computer scientist Christopher Langton (1997), compelling behaviors originate that exhibit both degrees of organization and instability creating a continuous dance between order and chaos. This paper presents a project intended to make this complex theory tangible through an interactive installation based on metamaterial research which demonstrates emergent behavior using Cellular Automata (CA) techniques, illustrated through sound, light and motion. We present a multi-sensory narrative approach that encourages playful exploration and contemplation on perhaps the biggest questions of how life could emerge from the disorder of the universe.

We argue a way of creating intelligent architecture, not through classical Artificial Intelligence (AI), but rather through Artificial Life (ALife), embracing the aesthetic emergent possibilities that can spontaneously arise from this approach. In order to make these ideas of emergent life more tangible we present this paper in four integrated parts, namely: narrative, material, hardware and computation. The Edge of Chaos installation is an explicit realization of creating emergent systems and translating them into an architectural design. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a custom CA for maximizing aesthetic impact while minimizing the live time of architectural kinetic elements.

keywords work in progress, complexity, responsive architecture, distributed computing, emergence, installation, interactive architecture, cellular automata
series ACADIA
type paper
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:51

_id 6cb4
authors Leupen, B., Grafe, C., Körnig, N., Lampe, M. and De Zeeuw, P.
year 1997
title Design and Analysis
source New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold
summary Design and Analysis by Bernard Leupen, Christoph Grafe, Nicola Körnig, Marc Lampe, and Peter de Zeeuw Design and Analysis is an insightful, interdisciplinary exploration of the diversity of analytic methods used by architects, designers, urban planners, and landscape architects to understand the structure and principles of the built environment. Developed by a team headed by Bernard Leupen at Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, Design and Analysis defies borders of history, geography, and discipline, tracing the evolution of design principles from ancient Greece to the 20th century. "Only methodical analysis gives us an insight into the design process," states architect Bernard Tschumi. Using historical examples from architecture, urban design, and landscape architecture, Design and Analysis defines an ordered system that enables the design student or professional to identify the factors that influence designers' decisions, and shows how to relate them to the finished project. Design and Analysis is organized into six chapters that correspond to these factors: order and composition, functionality, structure, typology, context, and analytical techniques. The authors introduce the analytical drawing as a time-tested means to obtaining insight into the design process. Over 100 line drawings are featured in all. Using contemporary architectural examples to teach ancient design principles, Design and Analysis is more than just an introduction to analytical methods. The authors give an outline of space design as a whole, from individual buildings to urban and landscape ensembles. Though primarily intended for design students to help them appreciate many of the issues that they will face as professionals, Design and Analysis's broad, easy-to-read approach makes it an invaluable handbook for designers of all disciplines.
series other
last changed 2003/04/23 15:14

_id e82c
authors Mahdavi, A., Mathew, P. and Wong, N.H.
year 1997
title A Homology-Based Mapping Approach to Concurrent Multi-Domain Performance Evaluation
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.237
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. 237-246
summary Over the past several years there have been a number of research efforts to develop integrated computational tools which seek to effectively support concurrent design and performance evaluation. In prior research, we have argued that elegant and effective solutions for concurrent, integrated design and simulation support systems can be found if the potentially existing structural homologies in general (configurational) and domain-specific (technical) building representations are creatively exploited. We present the use of such structural homologies to facilitate seamless and dynamic communication between a general building representation and multiple performance simulation modules – specifically, a thermal analysis and an air-flow simulation module. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a computational design environment (SEMPER) that dynamically (and autonomously) links an object-oriented space-based design model, with structurally homologous object models of various simulation routines.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:59

_id a106
authors Martelli, T.
year 1997
title Automatic Procedure for the Dimensioning and Arrangement of Space Units of an Architectural Organism
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.v5q
source Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
summary The application of a Mathematical Programming (M.P.) technique, typical of Operational Research (O. R.), is proposed as a means to cope with the decisional problem of layout dimensioning and arrangement. Within the ambit of O.R., Mathematical Programming. deals with decisional problems of simplest structure: only one decision factor, only one preference function, complete (deterministic) knowledge of the environment in which one operates.

Such a problem, in standard form, presents an objective function Z=f(x), of n variables x, to be minimized and a system of linear equations and/or inequalities, on the same variables, which represent the constraints and which define an admissible area for the solution.

The architectural organism is modelled as an assembly of parallelepiped shaped space entities or units, provided with a certain number of "holes" that permit functional corresponding connection. The pursued intent being optimal assembly.

The model, in its mathematical form, fits a standard Non-Linear M.P. (N.L.P.) problem, since the objective function Z is non-linear and the constraints are represented by inequalities. In its graphic form it reproduces an image of all the space units constituting the organism; moreover it is able to represent these units, in their logical and physical individuality, and their mutual relationship, as well as the ones with the external environment.

keywords Layout Dimensioning, Modelling, Mathematical Programming, Gradient Method
series eCAADe
email
more http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/martelli/martelli.htm
last changed 2022/06/07 07:50

_id 4925
authors Poon, J. and Maher, M.L.
year 1997
title Co-evolution in Design
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.caadria.1997.439
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. 439-448
summary A design process is traditionally viewed as a sequential process model from the formulation of the problem to the synthesis of solutions. Simon (1981) regards design as a state-space search where a problem leads to the solution. To be more practical, there are many versions of solution generated during design, where each current one is an improvement over the previous one. This kind of synthesis of solutions can be viewed as an evolutionary system over time. We propose to apply the metaphor of "exploration” to design, and further argue that evolution occurs in the problem space as well as in the solution space. Co-evolutionary design is introduced to remove the assumption of having a fixed goal (problem). The problem is allowed to change over time. Two algorithms for co-evolution are presented. Their characteristics and differences are highlighted. The paper moves on to review the design history of the Sydney Opera House and to show how observations from this real life example confirm our co-evolutionary model.
series CAADRIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 08:00

_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.
series other
email
more http://www.generativeart.com/
last changed 2003/08/07 17:25

_id 23ea
authors Seebohm, Thomas and Wallace, William
year 1997
title Rule - Based Representation Of Design In Architectural Practice
doi https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.1997.251
source Design and Representation [ACADIA ‘97 Conference Proceedings / ISBN 1-880250-06-3] Cincinatti, Ohio (USA) 3-5 October 1997, pp. 251-264
summary It is suggested that expert systems storing the design knowledge of particular offices in terms of stylistic and construction practice provide a means to take considerably more advantage of information technology than currently. The form of the knowledge stored by such expert systems is a building representation in the form of rules stating how components are placed in three-dimensional space relative to each other. By describing how Frank Lloyd Wright designed his Usonian houses it is demonstrated that the proposed approach is very much in the spirit of distinguished architectural practice. To illustrate this idea, a system for assembling three-dimensional architectural details is presented with particular emphasis on the nature of the rules and the form of the building components created by the rules to assemble typical details. The nature of the rules, which are a three-dimensional adaptation of Stiny's shape grammars, is described. In particular, it is shown how the rules themselves are structured into different classes, what the nature of these classes is and how specific rules can be obtained from more general rules. The rules embody a firm's collective design experience in detailing. As a conclusion, an overview is given of architectural practice using rule-based representations.

series ACADIA
email
last changed 2022/06/07 07:56

_id 07ae
authors Sook Lee, Y. and Mi Lee, S.
year 1997
title Analysis of mental maps for ideal apartments to develop and simulate an innovative residential interior space.
source Architectural and Urban Simulation Techniques in Research and Education [3rd EAEA-Conference Proceedings]
summary Even though results of applied research have been ideally expected to be read and used by practitioners, written suggestions have been less persuasive especially, in visual field such as environmental design, architecture, and interior design. Therefore, visualization of space has been frequently considered as an ideal alternative way of suggestions and an effective method to disseminate research results and help decision makers. In order to make the visualized target space very solid and mundane, scientific research process to define the characteristics of the space should be precedent. This presentation consists of two parts : first research part ; second design and simulation part. The purpose of the research was to identify the ideal residential interior characteristics on the basis of people's mental maps for ideal apartments. To achieve this goal, quantitative content analysis was used using an existing data set of floor plans drawn by housewives. 2,215 floorplans were randomly selected among 3,012 floorplans collected through nation-wide housing design competition for ideal residential apartments. 213 selected variables were used to analyze the floorplans. Major contents were the presentational characteristics of mental maps and the characteristics of design preference such as layout, composition, furnishing etc. As a result, current and future possible trends of ideal residence were identified. On the basis of the result, design guidelines were generated. An interior spatial model for small size unit using CAD was developed according to the guidelines. To present it in more effective way, computer simulated images were made using 3DS. This paper is expected to generate the comparison of various methods for presenting research results such as written documents, drawings, simulated images, small scaled model for endoscopy and full scale modeling.
keywords Architectural Endoscopy, Endoscopy, Simulation, Visualisation, Visualization, Real Environments
series EAEA
email
more http://www.bk.tudelft.nl/media/eaea/eaea97.html
last changed 2005/09/09 10:43

_id eea1
authors Achten, Henri
year 1997
title Generic Representations - Typical Design without the Use of Types
source CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 117-133
summary The building type is a (knowledge) structure that is both recognised as a constitutive cognitive element of human thought and as a constitutive computational element in CAAD systems. Questions that seem unresolved up to now about computational approaches to building types are the relationship between the various instances that are generally recognised as belonging to a particular building type, the way a type can deal with varying briefs (or with mixed functional use), and how a type can accommodate different sites. Approaches that aim to model building types as data structures of interrelated variables (so-called 'prototypes') face problems clarifying these questions. It is proposed in this research not to focus on a definition of 'type,' but rather to investigate the role of knowledge connected to building types in the design process. The basic proposition is that the graphic representations used to represent the state of the design object throughout the design process can be used as a medium to encode knowledge of the building type. This proposition claims that graphic representations consistently encode the things they represent, that it is possible to derive the knowledge content of graphic representations, and that there is enough diversity within graphic representations to support a design process of a building belonging to a type. In order to substantiate these claims, it is necessary to analyse graphic representations. In the research work, an approach based on the notion of 'graphic units' is developed. The graphic unit is defined and the analysis of graphic representations on the basis of the graphic unit is demonstrated. This analysis brings forward the knowledge content of single graphic representations. Such knowledge content is declarative knowledge. The graphic unit also provides the means to articulate the transition from one graphic representation to another graphic representation. Such transitions encode procedural knowledge. The principles of a sequence of generic representations are discussed and it is demonstrated how a particular type - the office building type - is implemented in the theoretical work. Computational work on implementation part of a sequence of generic representations of the office building type is discussed. The paper ends with a summary and future work.
series CAAD Futures
email
last changed 2003/11/21 15:15

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