Integrated Structural and Environmental Form-Finding: A Teaching Experiment

Abstract

This paper presents a teaching experiment in which 3D digital computational models are explored as the representational base to integrate formal, structural, and environmental performance criteria in design. By describing the academic experience, the paper reflects on its methodologies and results, as well as on the relation between human and computer factors in the design process. This assessment is important to make the students aware of the increasingly intelligent design systems offered by digital technologies to support architectural design, as well as of their relationship with precedent digital and analog representational mediums.

A Virtual Reconstruction of Gaudi’s Skyscraper Hotel Attraction Using Physics-Based Simulation

“…This would be equivalent to replacing hanging chains with weightless springs linked by particles on which the loads would be applied. The spring stretches in accordance with Hooke's Law (Piker 2013;Güzelci et al 2022).…”

Competition-based digital design studio experience

“…Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, physical dimensions in courses that used computational design methods had to be partially or completely canceled for a time. Güzelci et al (2022) responded to this situation by replacing the teaching of more digital tools for modeling and performance analysis for the fabrication phase of the process.…”

“…The use of digital design, modeling, and fabrication technologies has increased and transformed almost all stages of architectural education. The changing profile of an architecture student also affects the structure and strategies of computer-aided architectural design (CAAD) education (Koutamanis, 1996;Kokosalakis et al, 1997;Gross & Do, 1999). Beyond computer literacy, graduate-level architecture students, in particular, arrive at the courses with the skill to use multiple software as a representation tool (2-dimensional drawing and 3-dimensional modeling) in architectural design processes.…”