DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE | 52 ISSN 1828-5961 Paolo Fiamma
Ph.D. Department of Civil Enginee- ring University of Pisa Italy. [email protected]
Architettura... dalla progettazione generativa. Architecture … from Generative Design.
Dal progetto del prodotto si sta passando al raggiunge questo obiettivo, sfruttando lo spazio tecture is considered as a form of artificial life, progetto del sistema che serve a progettare il virtuale del computer analogamente ai proces- prone to, like the natural world, principles of prodotto (processo). Le risorse progettuali, le si evoluzionistici in Natura. Ci si sta muovendo morphogenesis, genetic coding, replication necessità di comportamenti ottimali da par- nella direzione dell’“architettura per script”, and selection. Some amazing buildings are - de te degli edifici, la connessione tra tecniche di derivandola da algoritmi computazionali. La ri- facto - new icons from new generations of de- stampa e prototipizzazione stanno spingendo cerca in questo ambito si apre a scenari com- signers. In the new building, shape, envelope, la disciplina d’architettura a riscoprire un ap- plessi ed affascinanti. Si è forse giunti al tempo structure, thermal performance, materials are proccio scientifico nei confronti della materia. dell’“architettura dei programmi”? Possono le conceived, verified and built, all at the same Secondo il paradigma generativo l’Architettu- informazioni cessare di essere dati virtuali per time, reducing the traditional gap between the ra è considerata, al pari del mondo naturale, divenire forme d’architettura? phase of design and the phase of construction: come una sorta di vita artificiale condizionata Generative Design obtains this goal, using the dai principi della morfogenesi, dei codici gene- From designing the product we are going to the virtual space of the computer in a manner ana- tici, della replicazione e della selezione. Alcuni design of the system (the process) that designs logous to evolutionary processes in nature. rimarchevoli edifici sono, de facto, l’icona della the product. The evolution of the design re- In fact, we are going towards a ‘script’ architec- nuova generazione di progettisti. Nelle nuove sources, the needs of the buildings performan- ture… coming from a “script” of computer. The costruzioni involucro, forma, struttura, presta- ces, the current connection with the innovative research looks like totally open to very complex zione termica e materiali sono concepiti, verifi- “printing” and manufacturing techniques are and fascinating scenarios. Is it, may be, time cati ed assemblati allo stesso tempo, riducendo pushing the architectural field to re-discover to “programming architecture”? Can data stop la tradizionale discontinuità tra fasi di proget- a scientific approach to the architectural fact. being ‘virtual’ data, and can be considered ar- to e realizzazione: la Progettazione Generativa According to the generative paradigm, Archi- chitectural form? DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 53 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design 1, 2. Two icons of the genera- tive design approach…
1. BUILDING THE POSSIBLE variations. In the architectural design field sign methodology. (Figures 3,4). It is well known that everyday something is Generative Design is also an innovative” de- So, these are the “architectural facts”. The- going on in the architectural field, but in the sign approach that works (like Nature), per- refore a very immediate and simple question last two decades, something easy identifia- forming ideas as codes, able to generate en- emerges: why GD now? I think that it is pos- ble has happened that has changed the way dless variations (Figures 1 and 2). There are sible to identify some critical factors pushing to understand and think the architectural some methodologies developed inside the the success of the generative design like the- design idea. generative design concept, like the “genera- oretic and constructive matrix of part of the We can approach the topic starting from tive components” approach: this is an asso- current research in the architectural field. the concept of a new parametric architec- ciative parametric modelling system used by ture generated by the current computatio- architects and engineers to automate design 2. COMING FROM: EVOLUTION OF COMPUTA- nal resources. The first approach regards processes and accelerate design iterations. TIONAL RESOURCES the object oriented design methodology, The two approaches are strong linked and, if If we think about the last changes in the ar- where the parameter can be the technical deeply investigate, are two faces of the same chitectural field worldwide, the most com- component as logical and constructive unit. phenomena: is a sort of “programmable de- mon factor is the so called “ICT revolution”: The following approach can identify the pa- sign” changing the Face of the current phase and now the first generation of architects rameter under the general umbrella of the of the Architecture? born in the digital age is working. Therefo- discourse comes from the concept of Gene- Architects and Designers (and student as re, we can try to understand the generative rative Art: an idea realized as genetic code of well) know famous iconic building around the approach like a sort of natural develop of the artificial events, as construction of dynamic world, but often they don’t know that these digital mental landscape of the new genera- complex systems able to generate endless building are developed by a generative de- tions of designers. In this way, the generative DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 54 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design
3. BMW Munich, Coop Himmelb(l)au. 4. Glasgow Riverside Museum, Z. Hadid.
approach is a natural and logical evolution of phase of the digital evolution of the mental To design these shapes, using only the hu- the first parametric approach to architectu- scenario of designers and architects, born in man capabilities is obviously impossible. We ral design. To sum up, we can assert that the the digital era. can observe a sort of computer aided “evo- ’80 have seen the develop of the CAD dimen- lutionary” architectural design that moves sion, the ’90 the develop of the B.I.M. dimen- 2.1. The “new” creativity: designing the im- from the software to the real architecture sion and the current years of the Generative possible? (van de Zee, de Vries 2002). Design dimension. We know how it is important, inside the de- It is impressive to understand: on the one I think that the digital dimension for the sign activity, the correct balance between hand, the creativity receives a very amazing young designers has effects on how they creativity and control. The generative ap- power from the digital factor, on the other conceive space and time: consequently this proach push towards new interactive tech- hand the digital factor can limited the cre- dimension produces a direct and deep con- niques and tools to augment and amplify ativity itself, verifying the real possibility to sequence on their architectures, because human creativity, and to use computational built what the creativity can think. the design activity happens inside a specific media technologies to explore new creative “The Generative Art is not a technology, it space and time. In addition, it is impossible processes. is not only a computer tool but it is a way to manage the current process: design-con- The generative approach enables architects to think the possible world, a way to live our struction-management of the building, out of and engineers to pursue designs and achie- own creativeness. Each Generative Project a computing dimension. So the gap between ve results that were virtually unthinkable is a concept-software that works producing “design using the PC” and “thinking using before. This result is very clear if we think unique and non-repeatable events, like mu- the PC” will be more and more reduced. In about the new shapes produced by genera- sic (…), as possible and manifold expressions conclusion, generative design is the current tive architecture. of the generating idea strongly recognizable DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 55 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design as a vision belonging to an artist / designer different words, we can obtain a plethora of volved in the design process (Shen, Lin, Bar- / musician / architect /mathematician. This products (first step) and - into this pletho- thès, Li, 2005). approach suddenly opened the possibility to ra - we can select the product that we want To research how develop the Generative De- rediscover possible fields of human creativity (second step). sign methodology in an Agent Based Colla- that would be unthinkable without computer Designers can design the procedure for the borative Design System, offer to the actors of tools. (…) They become tools that open new process and waiting for the unexpected re- the design process a vey new opportunities fields and enhance our understanding of cre- sult… to realize collaborative design strategies. ativity as an indissoluble synthesis between At the first step, that happens from a theo- art and science ” (Soddu 1998). 2.3. Bridge between different research sec- retical point of view: we know that the ge- tors nerative design enables designers to explore 2.2. From designing product to designing An important topic of Generative Design is in more possibilities, in less time, create better process performing bridges between different rese- designs and efficiently create and manage “Generative design is not about designing a arch sectors. G.D. rediscovers the geometry complex geometric relationships. The me- building, it’s about designing the system that and the mathematics as fundaments of the thodology, in fact, open the way to explore designs a building” (Hesselgren 2009). I think architectural design process. In addition different design products from the first pha- that this sentence of the director of research the current computing resources allow de- se of the design process itself. In the heart at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (and co- signers to study (i.e. the envelope of a buil- of the generative approach, it is written the founder of the Smart Geometry Group), has ding) from several point of view, all together, meaning of “several”, “multiple”, “different”, a strong and immediate connection with the obtaining a real holistic approach. “various”, ”alternative” solutions. design theory of John Johansen about his vi- The structure of the architectural building No more just the single solution but a “fa- sion of the so called “Nanoarchitecture ”. is conceived in strong connection with the mily” of possible solutions where become For both research visions the goal is the pro- shape, the thermal performance, the phase possible to identify the more optimized re- duct of the architectural design, is the design of the construction, the future management sult. The GD starts from a collaborative idea process and Johansen extends this process of the building… this trend regards not only of the design process: the first step it isn’t to a sort of growing built architecture. the academic field, but the professional too. the final step too. According to several current trends in the In fact, we can observe how the successful of design field, in the generative design metho- a building is strongly related to its possibi- 2.5 Connecting research and professional dology the aim is the process and not only the lity to offer an high quality level for the life field result. This goal is a impressive uploaded of of people using it: in fact a building is not It is interesting to observe what happens, the architectural historic tradition, i.e. about just an “ornament”, is not only the object of around the world, “inside” several famous some essential factors of the Italian Re- a fashion. design Ateliers... “digital” research group naissance design revolution, when geometry To obtain the end-users satisfaction, an ar- are born and they are working about the ge- and mathematics became part of the design chitectural work cannot be only “beautiful”, nerative design practice and cognition. as systematic and methodical science. or “energy saving”, or “easy to use”, or ‘re- What does it mean? Are not the digital re- Basically, the generative design philosophy cyclable” … but it must “be” all these factors sources “only” a (commercial) software? is to translate the architectural designing together. An added value of the generative Simply… tools (as some “dinosaur-authors” into a written sequences, obtaining a sort of software solutions is, in fact, to allows ex- maintain)? So, is it not enough that someone mix between free ideas and computational change data with others family of software, can use the digital resources? Why a research consequences. On this way, becomes possi- in order to evaluate models of light, thermal group or activity about the digital resource? ble to include and to metabolize in the archi- performance, structural resistance… The answer represents a new-trend in the tectural design non linear system or fractals So, in the current professional practice, the current atelier design. By now, when we say too... starting from a selected parameters decision about the final solution can be veri- that the digital resources are not only a tool we can obtain a plethora of so called “gene- fied from a real holistic point of view. such a pencil that is the same for different rated’ options. practicing, we have opend, from a theoreti- To sum up, the attention of the designer 2.4. Collaborative design cal point, a “new” way. Every one can concei- shifts from the final product to the on going To b more and more powerful the GD holistic ve his own pencil and this pencil is different process: this is a challenge in terms of de- approach, needs a strong base of collabora- from another one. In addition this pencil may sign theory, because what we are doing is to tive design methodology, in order to realize be can draw alone, or can work interactively control the process to obtain a product. In connections between the several actors in- with the actors, or can help they to conceive DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 56 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design
5,6. Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Cox Architects: wirefra- me and construction.
7. Detailed view of the Bioframe.
8. Areal view of the Stadium. an idea. In the current Ateliers, worldwide, programming, but where it happens students uses 50% less steel than a typical cantilever designers are developing their own pencil/ have a added value for their future profes- roof structure. The innovation in the Rectan- software, according with their character and sional work. gular Stadium (figure 8), which otherwise their idea of design activity. employs very traditional arch and dome prin- Therefore, every university or didactic centre 3. WORKING AT… ciples, is the use of 3D steel elements opti- should have resources spending for the ge- Thinking just to some sample of the archi- mised through software – with the aim being nerative design way, and courses and studios tectural opera designed by the generative to reduce the total quantity of steel needed. for this focus: how can an Architect/Engineer design philosophy, like the Rectangle Sta- In these words “optimised through software” program the software that he needs? dium in Melbourne (figures 5, 6). we can understand the core of the generative At the moment, not everywhere students can Some constructive remarks: At the heart approach. On the one hand, the final product include in their degree courses these op- of the design is the Bioframe (figure 7), a walks through a selective process, on the portunities to understand the connections lightweight steel design based on the inhe- other hand, to obtain this result, the softwa- between architectural design and software rent structural efficiencies of the dome. This re should be programmable according with DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 57 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design 9,10. the “Water Cube”, PTW the designers needs. I presented this buil- Studio and Arup: external and ding as case of study, because two scripts internal view. were necessary to design the building. Arup used Bentley’s GC parametric modeling sof- tware in order to realize a centerline wire- frame of the roof for structural analysis, the- refore “the first (script) contained variables to help define the base geometry and provide the ability to test alternate geometric confi- gurations” and “..the second generated the typical lacing configuration for each shell”. In addition to conduce the optimization stu- dies of the roof steelwork, we know that Arup designers have used data exported from the model made with that software”. To sum up, the final study of the process has included 24 alternate geometric configurations: ..this procedural factor has obtained a amazing economic result: “by deploying GC for opti- mization studies and Bentley Structural for documentation and scheduling, Arup estima- tes a 500 percent return on investment”. The concept of the optimization of the result and the concept of the develop of the design move together. As John Legge-Wilkinson (CAD leader for the project) said: “Realizing a geometric solution for the stadium roof structure was a critical design element of the project. GC gave us the ability to create and rationalize the roof geometry to elimina- te errors that occur when manual modeling methods are used”. On the one hand, the sof- tware resource allows to quickly regenera- te different geometric configurations, which were used for optimization studies, on the other hand, these feature becomes power- ful, because the software can export data to analysis. The result of the generative compo- nents approach? “..was an efficient and cost- effective final design”. Moreover, GC allowed us In total, we regenerated and exported 24 different geometrical configurations using the GC model. (http://www.vector1media.com/ news/top-stories/53-corporate-news/6199- arup-achieves-500-percent-roi-on-melbou- rne-stadium-project-using-bentleys-gene- rative-components.html). Considering another sample: the “Water Cube” in Beijing 2008 (figure 9,10). DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 58 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design
11,12. The envelope of the building: phase of construction and design section.
This architecture is the prove that the ge- sed. But, in addition, the collaborative ef- In the history of the Architecture we have nerative design is a powerful opportunity to fort between Arup, PTW Architects, and the already had some revolution x-driven. Just explore techniques and ideas for design and China State Construction & Engineering Co some samples: the perspective like “inter- assessment of structures, but in the same has produced an impressive result from an nal engine” for the Renaissance Architectu- time to explore new grammar shape totally aesthetic point of view too. The shape loo- re; the industry standardization for the In- opened to the light. ks like a mix of irregular water drops and ternational Style (the Modern Movement)… Shortly: we have in the generative approach change according with the colour of the sky, nowadays, are we in front of a new phase a new designing environment where Archi- realizing a amazing visual effects. of the architectural theory software pro- tecture and Engineering are not just mixed, The “language” of the building looks like gramming-driven? Thinking to the Biomor- but developed together. something strongly related to the natu- phic Architectural Forms of the Greg Lynn Some constructive data: during the day the ral and biological field. Theoretically, this Studio: he was among the first designers building uses the natural light (55% ener- aspect is inside the nature of the generati- that has produced projects that challenge gy safe for lighting); the envelope is built ve art and design. The current phenomena traditional ideas about architectural design using 3,065 blue air cushions (figures 11,12 in the architectural design is an innovative methods: he has integrated the computer in ) of different sizes and made of ETFE mate- “return” to the imitation of the shape and its design process in an increasingly inno- rials, a type of Teflon (from DuPont), that the mechanism of the nature, allowed by the vative manner. can withhold the 20% of solar energy using digital resources: in this direction, some To sum up we can affirm that in the Lynn it to heat the waters of the swimming pools. vanguards of the contemporary architecture activity, the computer is a factor inside the In addition the 80% of the reining water is are developing a specific research and ar- process of generation of forms in response collected by the cover and recycled and reu- chitectural style. to programmatic exigencies. DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 59 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design
13,14,15. Generative design works at Georgia Technology Institute of Atlanta Usa. DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 60 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design 4. NEW INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSHIP The same digital idea is the core of two dif- tested by the use of computer models. Con- The generative design can offer an added va- ferent approaches: on the one hand the idea cepts are described in a genetic language lue to the design of the process-product, if is transformed in a very large industrial pro- that produces a “script” of instructions for we consider its strong connection with the duction (the technical component), on the form generation. Computer models are used construction field (industries of technical other hand, the idea is transformed just in to simulate the development of prototypical components). one technical component for the specific ar- forms that are then evaluated on the basis On the one hand, we have a real holistic ap- chitectural work. The final products come, of their performance in a simulated environ- proach: in fact, designers and companies both, from a 3D fabrication of the 3D design ment (Frazer 98). must work together in order to optimize the idea. In addition, according with the current By now, if “the Architecture is considered final result. development of the 3D manufacturing rese- as a form of artificial life, subject, like the On the other hand, the interaction between arch, the designer can “3D fabricate” his own natural world, to principles of morphoge- designers and companies, must happen du- technological component, “directly” from his nesis, genetic coding, replication and selec- ring the first phase of the design process. own design idea: “printed architecture” from tion” (Holland 2010), we can say that we are The final result, is the opportunity to obtain the ornament to the house… please note, this in front of the change of the traditional idea a real collaborative design dimension: the is not a way of saying. of the architectural design. In fact, in a very design phase and the construction phase be- real sense, “design has ‘evolved’ its own rich come more and more related. 5. CONCLUSION ecosystem, with a robust diversity of ele- The design of the process-product looks like The Generative Design approach is really ments, dynamics, and interrelationships ri- a digital continuity. What is the gap betwe- changing part of the current phase of the Ar- valling that of the organic system from which en the design of a technical component and chitecture, and it is becoming the “engine” it derives” (Pontecorvo 1998). the fabrication of the technical component of the majority most impressive new buil- Designing generative and parametric… one itself? Just a … digital click. One of the most dings (… humans are fond of impressive bu- research filed, definitely, emerges: to investi- important strategy in order to save resources ildings). gate the connection/intersection/contamina- in the building construction, is to obtain a Generative Design is a real architectural de- tion between the architectural complexity and strong link between the design idea and the sign movement, that is emerging and is pro- the computational resource. “Evolutionary technical solutions, between the choice of ducing some new important questions in the Design involves using the virtual space of the the constructive components and their in- architectural field, both: from a theoretical computer in a manner analogous to evolutio- stallation and performance: and that hap- and constructive point of view. Famous de- nary processes in nature. It attempts to emu- pens especially when designers are looking signers and researchers are specifying the late the unselfconscious design processes of for innovative and no-standard solutions. way. The generative approach to the design vernacular architecture” (Frazer 1998). The innovative design solutions for the bu- activity can be an answer to a some simple Nowadays, in the architectural research ilding construction, born from a generative questions: “what if the designer is unclear field, we can find innovative approaches that design process, are the proof of the current as to what his exact goal is - that is, wants to are showing the ongoing process able to mix necessity of a designers-manufacturing- ‘sketch’? What about if the designer wishes the human and the computational factor. workers integrated action. In the knowledge to experiment with form?” (Ceccato 1998). Interesting focuses about the grammar sha- space between the design idea and its fabri- This question is very deep from a cognitive pe, are focused from the current activity of cation, the generative architecture offers a point of view and pushes to understand the some known architects that using some “ge- new added value for current designers; the core of the design activity. In fact, “..with ge- nerative” resources (i.e. Alias Power Anima- generative design process can re-discover a nerative art we can approach, directly, this tor, SGI Indigo and Indigo Extremes, Alias, very important concept in the history of the complex paradigm of proportions and logic, Wavefront and SoftImage). architectural tradition: the fusion between and we can directly design the Beauty, or These architectural vanguards are displaying the industrial dimension and the handmade better our idea of beauty, before the realiza- how becomes possible to investigate archi- dimension. It is very impressive to under- tion of each single possible artificial event” tectural performance within the framework stand, how many are the academic courses, (Soddu 1998). of theories based on performance parame- worldwide, about the parametric and the ge- Generative design means that the human- ters that are only now being theorized. nerative design, and how many students are computer (mixed) design action is already About the topic of the technical management making digital-fabrications that are a real tested: “architectural concepts are expres- and the techniques for the design supervi- anticipation of the professional work [figu- sed as generative principles that their evolu- sion, there are significant parametric proce- res 13, 14, 15]. tion and development can be accelerated and dures - such the building information model- DISEGNARE CON giugno 2011 DIGITAL MODELING FOR ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE Paolo Fiamma | 61 ISSN 1828-5961 Architecture … from Generative Design REFERENCES public-raises-100-000-for- museum-.1023905 Coates, P., 2009. 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G enerati- ling and the collaborative design - that are methods (such as the Genetic Algorithm, or Art Conference”, GA98 Papers, ve Design Is Changing the Face Editrice Librerie Dedalo. of Architecture , [online] Availa- not just a new powerful resources, but the the Neural Networks) can efficiently help in ble from: http://www.cadalyst. possible current upgrade of the architectural the optimisation of the design activities. The- Holland, B., 2010. Computa- com/cad/building-design/ge- design tradition too. refore, the focus looks like different: how is tional Organicism: Examining nerative-design-is-changing- In fact, from always, designing means a sort this human-computer mix evolving in the ar- Evolutionary Design Strategies face-architecture-12948 of reduction of the gap between the idea of chitectural designing? in Architecture, in “Nexus Net- work Journal”, Springer. Soddu, C., 1998. Argenia, a the designer and the construction of this idea The Generative Design proves that we are Natural Generative Design, in (the built idea). in a sort of “second phase” of the human- Johansen, J.M., 2002. Nano- “Generative Art Conference”, The design evolves in the gap between the computer designing activity. So, it is reaso- architecture. A New Species of GA98 Papers, Editrice Librerie original idea and the real construction. The nable working on the develop of the digital Architecture, Princeton Archi- Dedalo. Design, as a “project”, happens while the ori- resources, if the standard resources are not tectural Press. Soddu, C., 2010. Generative ginal idea is verified. The way of this verifica- sufficient to follow the architect ideas. But if Kalvianen, M., 1998. The ide- Art, [online] Available from: tion is a iterative process between the design we need to develop the digital resources in ological basis of generative