Automation and the Discrete: Exploring New Potentials for Streamlining Production in Architectural Design Research

Claypool, Mollie; Retsin, Gilles; Garcia, Manuel Jimenez; Jaschke, Clara; Saey, Kevin

doi:10.1080/10464883.2021.1859893

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…Tectonics and complex aesthetics consisting of complex surfaces, splines, and fractal details which are often outcome of generative tools, because of their apparent sense of unfamiliarity contribute to feelings of alienation and distrust when it comes to computational design (Carpo, 2017). If the users and stakeholders are made to understand its benefits to the built environment there can be a sense of empowerment but it requires public discourse, open participation and awareness on part of the architects involved (Claypool et al, 2020).…”

Section: Alienation and Aversion To Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Brick Screen: Parametric Approach to Traditional Pakistani Jali Within the Digital Divide

Muftee¹,

Basit²

2023

Proceedings of DARCH 2023 April - 4th International Conference on Architecture &Amp; Design

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With concerns regarding climate and need for more sustainable practices, practitioners try to appropriate advance design tools for their efficient problem-solving capabilities. In regions like Pakistan, architects are met with challenges of the digital divide due to which they must improvise and develop hybrid methodologies, bridging the gaps between digital tools and analogue construction techniques. While it imposes a limit on the selection of tools, it leads to new opportunities to embed performative qualities and novel tectonics in region specific material systems.In this paper, authors explain the process and challenges behind a recent large scale parametric brick façade titled the Brick Screen in Karachi, Pakistan designed and fabricated for the ACPKHI (Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi) in 2022. Challenges consisted of local perceptions of risk, cost, sceptical attitudes regarding technology, and lack of existing examples of parametric design within the region. By using parametric design tools in a contextually grounded manner and optimization for manual fabrication, the architects were able to reintroduce the idea of the traditional jali (hence the name Brick Screen based on the Urdu word jali -‫جال‬ ‫ی‬ ) which existed as an ornamental, climatically efficient device in the region interfacing with sunlight, natural ventilation, and privacy. Parametric design tools such as Grasshopper (a parametric design plugin for Rhino3D) helped develop not only brick patterns based on sunlight, spatial functions, and ornamentation, but a secondary script helped translate and optimize the generated patterns into humanreadable fabrication drawings. This allowed linking of digital design process with existing construction practices that architects and stakeholders were familiar with. Constraints of manual brick masonry led to abstraction of thousands of bricks into simple sequences (or chal -‫چال‬ as understood in colloquial construction terms), resulting in an efficient, economically feasible assembly process on site.The project sets a precedent in the region for working at extremes of the digital divide and digital tools as means to transform existing practices. By using materials and building systems which are already accessible, digital tools can embed additional performative qualities in brick in a contemporary and regionally sensitive manner without the cost barriers of advanced materials or fabrication systems. Without access to advanced fabrication platforms ideal for transforming local practices at a fundamental level, architects can still work within limitations of technology, practice, and industry to achieve solutions that are more appropriate for the future.

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Section: Alienation and Aversion To Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Brick Screen: Parametric Approach to Traditional Pakistani Jali Within the Digital Divide

Muftee¹,

Basit²

2023

Proceedings of DARCH 2023 April - 4th International Conference on Architecture &Amp; Design

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“…By focussing on aspects of complex configuration rather than form, the 'discrete' has been positioned against the types of digital design associated with big budget, curvilinear and highly labour-intensive construction. 17 Focussing on 'use-value' rather than exchange value, discrete architecture uses building blocks and digital design to create open-ended and versatile systems that disrupt traditional development decision-making processes aimed at reducing risk and variation. The 'discrete' offers a different type of systemic approach, which envisions large scale adoption of compatible systems produced through an economy of scale and collective ownership, to liberate end-users from the limited choices in the housing market.…”

Section: The 'Digital Material' Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptable modular construction systems and multi-objective optimisation strategies for mass-customised housing: A new user-driven paradigm for high-rise living in Hong Kong

Ameijde

2022

International Journal of Architectural Computing

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There has been a recent increase in the exploration of ‘the discrete’ in architecture, speculating on how an integrated approach to design, fabrication, assembly and inhabitation can disrupt the traditional investment- and decision-making models in the housing industry. Strategically designed part-to-whole systems allow for differentiation and reconfiguration, and the incorporation of different end-user’ requirements. This potential of ‘democratising’ housing production requires further research into how the negotiation between multiple stakeholders’ preferences can be guided through digital methods. This paper presents a research-by-design project that applies a digital and discrete material system to high-rise housing in Hong Kong, a typology which often features high degrees of standardisation. Through the development of an adaptable modular construction system and a multi-objective optimisation workflow, a system is explored that addresses the challenges of high-rise construction, and of customising high-density housing. The case study project demonstrates the ability of the workflow’s evolutionary algorithm to balance complex requirements including maximising views, daylight access and internal connectivity according to diverse user requirements.

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“…Generative design techniques involve inputting simplified architectural elements or layout visions into algorithms to quickly output large numbers of customized designs. The effectiveness of discrete representations in computation has led to the emergence of the architectural discourse on Discrete Design -a set of methodologies that integrate computational design, digital fabrication, and the use of discrete, reusable components (Claypool et al, 2021;Hosmer et al, 2020;Koehler, 2019). Despite its potential, generative design has not been widely adopted in practice for three reasons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Framework for the Design and Evaluation of Architectural Tilesets

Zhao,

Savov,

Zhang

et al. 2023

eCAADe Proceedings

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Generative design, increasingly prevalent in architecture, enables design exploration and enhanced productivity compared to traditional methods. Researchers have investigated combinatorial design using tilesets, which encode architectural meaning and promote user-friendly interactions. However, most research focuses on discovering designs rather than fine-tuning tilesets. We propose a tile-based method that introduces metrics for evaluating generated layouts and tileset design space, addressing the research gap and facilitating practical applications. The design space evaluation feedback aids architects in customizing tilesets according to their objectives by exploring the impact of tile topology and rule changes. Our framework, illustrated through double-floor single-family house tilesets using the Wave Function Collapse algorithm, generates 3D designs and 2D layouts, enables minimal-specification diverse tilesets, and demonstrates fine-tuning to avoid grid-like monotonicity, a common limitation of tile-based generative design methods.

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Automation and the Discrete: Exploring New Potentials for Streamlining Production in Architectural Design Research

Cited by 11 publications

References 1 publication

The Brick Screen: Parametric Approach to Traditional Pakistani Jali Within the Digital Divide

The Brick Screen: Parametric Approach to Traditional Pakistani Jali Within the Digital Divide

Adaptable modular construction systems and multi-objective optimisation strategies for mass-customised housing: A new user-driven paradigm for high-rise living in Hong Kong

A Framework for the Design and Evaluation of Architectural Tilesets

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