Parametric associative design for free form architecture

Abstract

In the last decad es, the computer has taken in a prominent position in the day to day life. Also in many professional worlds, computers have become indispensable for efficient business processes. The field of structural design has followed this tendency. Computers have become a tooI a structural designer cannot do without. For efficient structural design processes however, computational power is not yet being used in the most efficient manner. Structural engineers still have difficulties with using available software in an efficient structural design process. Coenders and Wagemans [2005] have proposed a new approach toward use of computers in the structural design process: the Structural Design Tools approach . The Structural Design Tools concept should enable the structural designer to utilise the power of the computer better in the structural design process. The Structural Design Tools concept doesnt strive to be an all-comprising model, but a collection of simple tools that can be chosen by the designer to build his design. The tools should be simple to use, parametric, reusabie, able to communicate with software used in the design world and able to communicate with the user. Instead of using the computer for engineering purposes. the computer can be used for design purposes. An important aspect of the Structural Design Tools concept is the parametric associative character of the design tools. Parametric design is used for the rapid generation of computable design representations describing design alternatives. Potential design alternatives are generated and evaluated in order to obtain insight into the impact of the structural parameters on the final integral design. With adding associativity to the structural design process, design steps are linked and the possibility of adjusting the parameters in the end of the design process is reached. With designing structures for Free Form Architecture, this ability is very valuable. Since there is little design experience with these kind of structures, it is hard to predict what the impact of a design decision on the final design is. The ability of defining the values of the structural parameters at the end of the design process can lead to a more efficient structural design.