Cumincad : CUMINCAD Papers : Search Results

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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_id	ce11
authors	Bradford, J., Wong, W.S. and Tang, H.F.
year	1997
title	Bridging Virtual Reality to Internet for Architecture
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.m9r
summary	This paper presents a virtual reality interface tool which allows a user to perform the following action : 1.Import design from other CAD tools. 2.Assemble an architecture structure from a library of pre-built blocks and geometry primitives dynamically created by user. 3.Export the design interactively in VRML format back to the library for Internet browsing. The geometry primitives include polygon, sphere, cone, cylinder and cube. The pre-built blocks consist of fundamental architecture models which have been categorized with architectural related style, physical properties and environmental attributes. Upon a user’s request, the tool or the composer, has the ability to communicate with the library which indeed is a back-end distributed client-server database engine. The user may specify any combination of properties and attributes in the composer which will instantly bring up all matching 3-dimensional objects through the database engine. The database is designed in relational model and comes from the work of another research group.
keywords	Virtual Reality, Architecture Models, Relational Database, Client-Server
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/bradford/bradford.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	1a91
id	1a91
authors	Bourdakis, V.
year	1997
title	The Future of VRML on Large Urban Models.
source	The 4th UK VRSIG Conference
summary	In this paper, the suitability and usability of VRML for urban modelling is discussed based on the experience gained by the creation of urban models of varying sizes, level of detail and use. Areas where the current VRML specification is failing to satisfy the needs of large-scale urban modelling are highlighted. Properties of a successful alternative or VRML3.0 specification are suggested and briefly discussed.
keywords	3D City Modeling, Development Control, Design Control
series	other
email
last changed	2003/11/21 15:16

_id	2e36
authors	Bourdakis, Vassilis
year	1997
title	Making Sense of the City
source	CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 663-678
summary	Large-scale, three dimensional, interactive computer models of cities are becoming feasible making it possible to test their suitability as a visualisation tool for the design and planning process, for data visualisation where socio-economic and physical data can be mapped on to the 3D form of the city and as an urban information repository. The CASA developed models of the City of Bath and London's West End in VRML format, are used as examples to illustrate the problems arising. The aim of this paper is to reflect on key issues related to interaction within urban models, data mapping techniques and appropriate metaphors for presenting information.
keywords	3D City modeling, Urban Modelling, Virtual Environments, Navigation, Data Mapping, VRML
series	CAAD Futures
email
last changed	2003/11/21 15:16

_id	2354
authors	Clayden, A. and Szalapaj, P.
year	1997
title	Architecture in Landscape: Integrated CAD Environments for Contextually Situated Design
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.q6p
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
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
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2000.265
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	a5c7
authors	Hovestadt, Ludger and Hovestadt, Volkmar
year	1997
title	ARMILLA5 - Supporting Design, Construction and Management of Complex Buildings
source	CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 135-150
summary	ARMILLA5 is a generic computer aided design system, which supports the cooperative design of complex buildings (such as labs, offices or schools) over multiple levels of abstraction. It follows the metaphor of a virtual building site. The designers and engineers meet at a spatial location on the Internet and prepare the building construction by simulating the building site. This article describes the three essential components of the ARMILLA5-model: the geometric model which describes the spatial and physical aspects of the building site, the semantic model which implements passive building components as objects and active building components as applets or applications, and the planning model, which organizes the work steps of the individual engineers and their cooperation. The model is described using different software prototypes written in Objective C, CAD systems and HTML/JAVA.
keywords	Dynamic Buildings, CAAD, CSCW, VRML, Case-based Reasoning, Facility Management, Augmented Reality
series	CAAD Futures
email
last changed	1999/04/06 09:19

_id	641c
authors	Howe, A. Scott
year	1997
title	A Network-based Kit-of-parts Virtual Building System
source	CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 691-706
summary	This paper describes an experimental browser / modeler which will allow the user to collect and assemble virtual kit-of-parts components from "component libraries" located on the Internet (such as manufacturer's databases) and assemble them into a virtual representation of a building. The fully assembled virtual building will provide a basis for ordering and manufacturing actual components and preparing for construction. The browser will allow the designer to affect a limited degree of remote fabrication at real manufacturing facilities, and facilitate eventual interface with built in sensors and actuators. The browser will manipulate and display interactive three dimensional objects using Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). Upon assembly, actual components will have sensors built into them for providing data about the real building, which could be viewed during a walkthrough of the virtual building by clicking on parts of the model. The virtual building will work as a remote facility management tool for monitoring or controlling various architectural devices attached to the real building (such as electrically driven louvers, HVAC systems, appliances, etc.).
series	CAAD Futures
email
last changed	1999/04/06 09:19

_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	7e69
authors	Lea, R., Honda, Y, and Matsuda, K.
year	1997
title	Virtual Society: Collaboration in 3D Spaces on the Internet
source	Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 6(2): 227-250; Jan 1997
summary	The Virtual Society (VS) project is a long term research initiative that is investigating the evolution of the future electronicsociety. Our vision for this electronic society is a shared 3D virtual world where users, from homes and offices, canexplore, interact and work. Our first implementation of an infrastructure to support our investigation is known asCommunityPlace and has been developed to support large-scale shared 3D spaces on the Internet using the Virtual RealityModeling Language (VRML). Obviously, such an ambitious project cuts across many different domains. In this paper weoutline the goals of the Virtual Society project, discuss the architecture and implementation of CommunityPlace withparticular emphasis on Internet related technologies such as VRML and present our views on the role of VRML and theInternet to support large-scale shared 3D spaces.
keywords	Distributed Virtual Environment; Internet; Collaboration; Consistency; VRML
series	other
email
last changed	2002/07/07 16:01

_id	ce96
authors	Yeung, Chris
year	1997
title	A Web-Based VRML Collaborative Design Tool for Architecture Studies
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.w6v
summary	This paper describes a system designed to help architecture students in designing three-dimensional objects in a collaborative way. When implementing this system, VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language), Java and Javascript are used. This system uses the World Wide Web, which is getting more and more popular in recent years, as the media to transfer information all over the world. The system allows many users to view three-dimensional objects, change attributes of the objects, discuss and design at the same time. These users can be located in different parts of the world. Each only needs a computer that is connected to the Internet and a web browser that can display VRML objects to use the system. The computer can be any hardware platform running any Operating System. The objective of this project is to develop a system that can run on any computer hardware and software platform. Without any limitation on hardware and software platform, people from different parts of the world can work collaboratively to design architectural objects.
keywords	Collaborative Design, VRML
series	eCAADe
type	normal paper
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/yeung1/present/index.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	060b
authors	Af Klercker, J.
year	1997
title	A National Strategy for CAAD and IT-Implementation in the Construction Industry the Construction Industry
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.o8u
summary	The objective of this paper is to present a strategy for implementation of CAD and IT in the construction and building management#1 industry in Sweden. The interest is in how to make the best use of the limited resources in a small country or region, cooperating internationally and at the same time avoiding to be totally dominated by the great international actors in the market of information technology. In Sweden representatives from the construction and building management industry have put forward a research and development program called: "IT-Bygg#2 2002 - Implementation". It aims at making IT the vehicle for decreasing the building costs and at the same time getting better quality and efficiency out of the industry. The presented strategy is based on a seminar with some of the most experienced researchers, developers and practitioners of CAD in Sweden. The activities were recorded and annotated, analyzed and put together afterwards. The proposal in brief is that object oriented distributed CAD is to be used in the long perspective. It will need to be based on international standards such as STEP and it will take at least another 5 years to get established. Meanwhile something temporary has to be used. Pragmatically a "de facto standard" on formats has to be accepted and implemented. To support new users of IT all software in use in the country will be analyzed, described and published for a national platform for IT-communication within the construction industry. Finally the question is discussed "How can architect schools then contribute to IT being implemented within the housing sector at a regional or national level?" Some ideas are presented: Creating the good example, better support for the customer, sharing the holistic concept of the project with all actors, taking part in an integrated education process and international collaboration like AVOCAAD and ECAADE.
keywords	CAAD, IT, Implementation, Education, Collaboration
series	eCAADe
type	normal paper
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/afklerck/afklerck.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	a1cc
authors	Bridges, Alan H.
year	1997
title	Building Systems Integration and the Implications for CAD Education
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.g6p
summary	The author has been a member of two important U.K. reviews of construction computing (references [1] and [2]). The paper draws on these reports, other U.K. Government Reports and theoretical work on collaborative design undertaken at the University of Strathclyde to present an evaluation of Information Technology use in practice and its implications for education.
keywords	Use of computers in British architectural practice, The implications of information technology on the structure and working methods of the UK building industry, Implications for CAD education
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/bridges/bridges.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	cabb
authors	Broughton, T., Tan, A. and Coates, P.S.
year	1997
title	The Use of Genetic Programming In Exploring 3D Design Worlds - A Report of Two Projects by Msc Students at CECA UEL
source	CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 885-915
summary	Genetic algorithms are used to evolve rule systems for a generative process, in one case a shape grammar,which uses the "Dawkins Biomorph" paradigm of user driven choices to perform artificial selection, in the other a CA/Lindenmeyer system using the Hausdorff dimension of the resultant configuration to drive natural selection. (1) Using Genetic Programming in an interactive 3D shape grammar. A report of a generative system combining genetic programming (GP) and 3D shape grammars. The reasoning that backs up the basis for this work depends on the interpretation of design as search In this system, a 3D form is a computer program made up of functions (transformations) & terminals (building blocks). Each program evaluates into a structure. Hence, in this instance a program is synonymous with form. Building blocks of form are platonic solids (box, cylinder, etc.). A Variety of combinations of the simple affine transformations of translation, scaling, rotation together with Boolean operations of union, subtraction and intersection performed on the building blocks generate different configurations of 3D forms. Using to the methodology of genetic programming, an initial population of such programs are randomly generated,subjected to a test for fitness (the eyeball test). Individual programs that have passed the test are selected to be parents for reproducing the next generation of programs via the process of recombination. (2) Using a GA to evolve rule sets to achieve a goal configuration. The aim of these experiments was to build a framework in which a structure's form could be defined by a set of instructions encoded into its genetic make-up. This was achieved by combining a generative rule system commonly used to model biological growth with a genetic algorithm simulating the evolutionary process of selection to evolve an adaptive rule system capable of replicating any preselected 3D shape. The generative modelling technique used is a string rewriting Lindenmayer system the genes of the emergent structures are the production rules of the L-system, and the spatial representation of the structures uses the geometry of iso-spatial dense-packed spheres
series	CAAD Futures
email
last changed	2003/11/21 15:16

_id	ae56
authors	Bruton, Dean
year	1997
title	Grammars and Art - A Contingent Sense of Rules
source	CAAD Futures 1997 [Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-7923-4726-9] München (Germany), 4-6 August 1997, pp. 71-82
summary	This paper contributes to the debate about the utility of the grammatical paradigm in art and design. It reports an investigation of the contingent sense in which grammars and grammatical design apply in the practice of form making in art using two complementary research strategies: the examination through a perspective of grammatical design of some selected bodies of art work, including interviews with artists, theorists and designers; and the reflective practice of image making with computer media in my own work as an artist. The major hypothesis is that a contingent, sense of grammar can facilitate the creation, understanding, and discussion of form-making in art. The sub-hypotheses are that (1) An understanding of grammatical design can enhance a reflective design activity, and that (2) Revealing the contingency of grammars can expose moments of inspiration and redirection in a reflective design activity.
series	CAAD Futures
email
last changed	1999/04/06 09:19

_id	f5ee
authors	Erhorn, H., De Boer, J. and Dirksmueller, M.
year	1997
title	ADELINE, an Integrated Approach to Lighting Simulation
source	Proceedings of Right Light 4, 4th European Conference on Energy-Efficient Lighting, pp.99-103
summary	The use of daylighting and artificial lighting simulation programs to calculate complex systems and models in the design practice often is impeded by the fact that the operation of these programs, especially the model input, is extremely complicated and time-consuming. Programs that are easier to use generally do not show the calculation capabilities required in practice. A second obstacle arises as the lighting calculations often do not allow any statements regarding the interactions with the energetic and thermal building performance. Both problems are mainly due to a lacking integration of the design tools of other building design practitioners as well as due to insufficient user interfaces. The program package ADELINE (Advanced Daylight and Electric Lighting Integrated New Environment) being available since May 1996 as completely revised version 2.0 presents a promising approach to solve these problems. This contribution describes the approaches and methods used within the international project IEA Task 21 for a further development of the ADELINE system. Aim of this work is a further improvement of user interfaces based on the inclusion of new dialogs and on a portation of the program system from MS-DOS to the Windows NT platform. Additional focus is laid on the use of recent developments in the field of information technology and experiences gained in other projects on integrated building design systems, like for example EU-COMBINE, in a pragmatical way. An integrated building design system with open standardized interfaces is to be achieved inter alia by using ISOSTEP formats, database technologies and a consequent, object-oriented design.
series	other
last changed	2003/04/23 15:50

_id	aecc
authors	Kosco, Igor
year	1997
title	CAAD and Network Technologies - Reflexions From Education and Practice.
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.x2j
summary	New technologies like Computer Aided Design and network facilities are affecting the building procurement, design and construction processes very rapidly. Network technologies are giving us a variety of possibilities : quick and simple access to information, quick and easy communication, exchange of datas in different formats ( texts, data, drawings, images, animations, hypertext or multimedia products, etc.) or access to differently located computer and work on it. As the result the communication or collaboration in a design and construction process and management could be used not only at the Level 1. (in one office), Level 2. (between different offices) or Level 3. (different participants and users) but, what is more important, between geographically dispersed members of design and construction teams (dispersed offices or communities in different places, towns, regions, countries or even continents). There are a lot of advantages : quick and easy communication and exchange of information, free choice of a team, easy revisions of a documentation, collaborative work on the same drawings, costs savings in travelling, issuing, copying and shipping of a documentation and finally possible use of the cheaper labour or more skilled professionals in a different region or country.
keywords	Remote Communication, Collaboration, Internet, Network,Videoconference, Architectural Design, Project Management
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/kosco/kosco.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	1767
authors	Loveday, D.L., Virk, G.S., Cheung, J.Y.M. and Azzi, D.
year	1997
title	Intelligence in buildings: the potential of advanced modelling
source	Automation in Construction 6 (5-6) (1997) pp. 447-461
summary	Intelligence in buildings usually implies facilities management via building automation systems (BAS). However, present-day commercial BAS adopt a rudimentary approach to data handling, control and fault detection, and there is much scope for improvement. This paper describes a model-based technique for raising the level of sophistication at which BAS currently operate. Using stochastic multivariable identification, models are derived which describe the behaviour of air temperature and relative humidity in a full-scale office zone equipped with a dedicated heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) plant. The models are of good quality, giving prediction accuracies of ± 0.25°C in 19.2°C and of ± 0.6% rh in 53% rh when forecasting up to 15 minutes ahead. For forecasts up to 3 days ahead, accuracies are ± 0.65°C and ± 1.25% rh, respectively.The utility of the models for facilities management is investigated. The "temperature model" was employed within a predictive on/off control strategy for the office zone, and was shown to substantially improve temperature regulation and to reduce energy consumption in comparison with conventional on/off control. Comparison of prediction accuracies for two different situations, that is, the office with and without furniture plus carpet, showed that some level of furnishing is essential during the commissioning phase if model-based control of relative humidity is contemplated. The prospects are assessed for wide-scale replication of the model-based technique, and it is shown that deterministic simulation has potential to be used as a means of initialising a model structure and hence of selecting the sensors for a BAS for any building at the design stage. It is concluded that advanced model-based methods offer significant promise for improving BAS performance, and that proving trials in full-scale everyday situations are now needed prior to commercial development and installation.
series	journal paper
more	http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed	2003/05/15 21:22

_id	25a2
authors	MacCallum, C. and Hanna, R.
year	1997
title	DEFLECT: A Computer Aided Learning Package for Teaching Structural Design - Phase Two
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.f6j
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	8804
authors	QaQish, R. and Hanna, R.
year	1997
title	A World-wide Questionnaire Survey on the Use of Computers in Architectural Education
source	Challenges of the Future [15th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-3-0] Vienna (Austria) 17-20 September 1997
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1997.x.c8o
summary	The paper reports on a study which examines the impact on architectural education needs arising from the changes brought about by the implications of CAD teaching/learning (CAI/CAL). The findings reflect the views of fifty-one (51) architecture schools through a world-wide questionnaire survey conducted in mid 1996. The survey was structured to cover four continents represented by seven countries, namely the USA, UK, Israel, Australia, Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands. Structurally the main findings of this study are summarised under five areas, namely: 1) General Information, 2) Program of Study (curriculum) and CAD course, 3) CAD Laboratories: Hardware, Software, 4) Departmental Current and Future Policies, 5) Multi-media and Virtual Reality. Principally, there were three main objectives for using the computers survey. Firstly, to accommodate a prevalent comprehension of CAD integration into the curriculum of architecture schools world wide. Secondly, to identify the main key factors that control the extent of association between CAD and architectural curriculum. Thirdly, to identify common trends of CAD teaching in Architecture schools world-wide and across the seven countries to establish whether there are any association between them. Several variables and factors that were found to have an impact on AE were examined, namely: the response rate, the conventional methods users and the CAD methods users amongst students, CAD course employment in the curriculum, age of CAD employment, the role of CAD in the curriculum, CAD training time in the Curriculum, CAD laboratories/Hardware & Software, computing staff and technicians, department policies, Multi-Media (MM) and Virtual-Reality (VR). The statistical analysis of the study revealed significant findings, one of which indicates that 35% of the total population of students at the surveyed architecture schools are reported as being CAD users. Out of the 51 architecture schools who participated in this survey, 47 have introduced CAD courses into the curriculum. The impact of CAD on the curriculum was noted to be significant in several areas, namely: architectural design, architectural presentation, structural engineering, facilities management, thesis project and urban design. The top five CAD packages found to be most highly used across universities were, namely, AutoCAD (46), 3DStudio (34), Microstation (23), Form Z (17), ArchiCAD (17). The findings of this study suggest some effective and efficient future directions in adopting some form of effective CAD strategies in the curriculum of architecture. The study also serves as an evaluation tool for computing teaching in the design studio and the curriculum.
keywords	CAD Integration, Employment, Users and Effectiveness
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://info.tuwien.ac.at/ecaade/proc/qaqish/qaqish.htm
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_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

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