Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought

Architects are now taking advantage of the computer in new ways through experimentation with algorithmic and simulation–driven design. Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought focuses on this emerging theme in design practice, showcasing built and soon–to–be–built projects and providing a state of the art in computational design. Computational design is considered to be first a design tool, and second a series of instruments that can be applied in the creation of architecture. It allows architects to incorporate performance analysis and knowledge about material, tectonics and the parameters of production machinery. Moving towards a new role as hybrid practitioners, architects are taking concepts from other disciplines and customising architectural and other CAD software. In addition to the discussion of built projects, a further series of texts examines new custom software instruments. New digital tools provide new modes of representation, new methods of evaluation, and new techniques for design exploration. The development of new computational tools can create more responsive designs, allowing architects to explore new design options and to analyse architectural decisions during the design process. This issue raises important questions such as: How is computation changing the way architects design? Are the design tools and methods related to the result? What is computational design in the context of architectural practice? and How is computation changing the processes of design and construction?

EditorIal 5 Helen Castle About the GUEST–EDITORs 6 Brady Peters and Xavier De Kestelier Introduction 8 Computation Works: The Building of Algorithmic Thought Brady Peters Algorithmic Tectonics: How Cold War Era Research Shaped Our Imagination of Design 16 Daniel Cardoso Llach Recent Developments at Foster + Partners’ Specialist Modelling Group 22 Xavier de Kestelier Symmetry As Geometry: Kuwait International Airport 28 Kristoffer Josefsson Mathematical Ensemble: Molteni Arc Table 32 Jethro Hon Integrated Computational Design: National Bank of Kuwait Headquarters 34 Dusanka Popovska Networked Space 36 Dennis Shelden Spatial Computing for the New Organic 42 Christian Derix and Åsmund Izaki Structural Emergence: Architectural and Structural Design Collaborationat SOM 48 Keith Besserud, Neil Katz and Alessandro Beghini Realising the Architectural Idea: Computational Design at Herzog & De Meuron 56 Brady Peters Simulating the User Experience: Design Optimisation for Visitor Comfort 62 Shrikant Sharma and Al Fisher Bridging a Culture: The Design of Museo Soumaya 66 Fernando Romero and Armando Ramos Interoperability in Sports Design 70 David Hines From Model Thinking to Process Design 74 Jan Knippers Navigating the Computational Turn 82 Ben van Berkel Domesticating Parametric Design 88 Bruce Bell and Sarah Simpkin Planning by Parameters 92 Jeroen Zuidgeest, Sanne van der Burgh and Bas Kalmeyer After After Geometry 96 Michael Meredith Embedding Intelligence: Architecture and Computation at Grimshaw, NY 104 Seth Edwards Linking Structure and Parametric Geometry 110 Clemens Preisinger Undrawable Architecture: Heritage Buildings and Digital Tectonic 114 Stylianos Dritsas and Kang Shua Yeo Computational Fluid Dynamics for Architectural Design 118 Sawako Kaijima, Roland Bouffanais, Karen Willcox and Suresh Naidu Design Ecosystems: Customising the Architectural Design Environment With Software Plug–ins 124 Daniel Davis and Brady Peters Galapagos: On the Logic and Limitations of Generic Solvers 132 David Rutten Kangaroo: Form Finding with Computational Physics 136 Daniel Piker Pachyderm Acoustical Simulation: Towards Open–Source Sound Analysis 138 Arthur van der Harten WeaverBird: Topological Mesh Editing for Architects 140 Giulio Piacentino Geco™: Architectural Design Through Environmental Feedback 142 Thomas Grabner and Ursula Frick Firefly: Interactive Prototypes for Architectural Design 144 Andrew O Payne and Jason Kelly Johnson Contributors 148