The application of flexible materials for convertible structures in architecture and the use of bending deformation in these structures have been new topics in recent years. The importance of bending deformation is highlighted by reducing or removing the hinges or other movable joints which result in reducing the complexity of the structures and the maintenance costs. The lack of proper bending materials, the homogeneous deformation of the existing bendable surfaces and the need for folding to create some deformation mechanisms are the limitations of the work. This research provides solutions for these limitations by extracting deformation principles from skin wrinkles. The deformation principles of wrinkles are used to create specific patterns for a lattice hinge, which can compose a heterogeneous deformation in a bending-active surface. The patterns are enhanced by testing a number of physical models and computer-based simulations in different steps. Consequently, a particular type of a curved-line bending compliant mechanism is developed with the ability to reduce some of the deformation constraints, specifically the need to fold in an elastic-kinetic structure.
This study introduces a Grasshopper tool prototype that empowers designers, researchers, and managers to evaluate a design's possible impact on users, compare design alternatives and alter them to better support teamwork as a desired qualitative outcome. This prototype, called TALCAT, is part of an approach called Functional Scenario Analysis (FSA) developed in SimTigrate design lab where stakeholders articulate their needs in brief plain-language statements, then the design research team turns these into criteria for design and specific metrics for measuring designs. Here we present the implementation of TALCAT in a number of Mayo primary-care clinic layouts to analyze, compare, and dynamically visualize teamwork affordance of layouts to support informed design decisions. TALCAT allows very rapid assessment of multiple metrics and allows what-if-testing of new designs as well as constructing new metrics. Moreover, it can address the validity issue in the field by providing consistency in data collection across multiple projects.
Complex freeform surfaces and structures are increasingly designed and used in the product and building industry due to the advances in mathematics and digital design tools. However, there is still a gap between designing freeform surfaces and fabricating them. The process of preparing freeform surfaces’ shop drawings is complicated, time-consuming, and lacks the mutual understanding among the stakeholders. Computational design and Building Information Modeling (BIM) can serve as a mediator agent for the integration of design goals with the geometric logic of constructability. They can also facilitate creating platforms for designing and evaluating freeform structures. This open-ended qualitative research attempts to develop a systematic methodology for automating the design and construction drafting process of freeform lattice space structure. Solving this complex geometric problem aims to benefit the design for construction and manufacturers and shrink the cost and time of the process. The study employs a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) tool and introduces an algorithm that generates a BIM model. The BIM model contains shop drawings and suggests the specifications of the main elements, such as beams, glass panels, and nodes.
This paper describes a method to tailor computational design algorithms to evaluate human-centric outputs in architectural projects by presenting a case study that evaluates teamwork affordance for primary care clinics. We argue that computational design assessment techniques fall short of evaluating those human experiences that stem from multiple interactions between individuals and the surrounding environment. This research suggests that future computational design algorithms could benefit from incorporating scenario-based methods developed in the field of evidence-based design, in which studies are concerned about improving qualitative goals. Through this case study, we describe the process of prototyping a computational design algorithm based on the Functional Scenario Analysis approach, applying the algorithm to evaluate case studies, visualizing findings, and extracting design strategies based on the analysis results. This method offers a new vision of how computational design can benefit informed decision-making processes and generate design alternatives aligned with a project’s design goals.
The objective of the present paper is to introduce a new approach in generating the geometry of geodesic domes with the aim of improving their regularity. The key aspect of the proposed technique is that the operation of projection on spherical surfaces, for creation of geodesic domes, is carried out in a number of steps. This is in variance with the normal practice of applying the projection in one go. The application of projection in a series of steps is referred to as the 'stepping projection'. In the paper, the regularity of a number of geodesic domes generated by the stepping projection is compared with the standard ones. Regularity is examined based on different criteria, making it possible for the regularity to be assessable quantitatively. It will be shown that the use of the concept of stepping projection can improve certain aspects of the regularity of geodesic domes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.