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