The following work focuses on giving an appreciation of gridshell performances at an early stage of design. It has per goal to implement a tool that will orient the user toward a set of possible “best performing” designs. The aspects of interest in this trade-off exploration are the global warming potential, time of fabrication and construction, structure performance, and envelope repercussion.
Being able to funnel different design options at the early stage is a fundamental step in reducing the climate impact of our buildings and structures. The implementation of such a tool comes along with the effort to further integrate the different actors of the AEC industry to produce leaner and more efficient buildings.
To do so, the research divides the different design features of gridshells into parametrizable blocks of code. Each block is explored to generate a wide design space and produce the necessary data to track the desired performance traits. All together a working tool is assembled and its relevance is tested. For that, a graphical interface between the tool and the user is also developed to provide a quick and easy way to identify those trade-offs. The tool limits itself to the coarse structural part of the gridshell with a diamond grid and symmetrical shapes. It proposes to use wired line designs drawn at a schematic stage as a general base for the use of the tool.
The result is a working prototype that constitutes a quick and reliable way to assess the “best performing” designs to undergo the next stage of design. It proposes a new way to look at how to connect both the early stage of design and the late prefabrication construction stages. Normally directed by two different entities, this research provides a clear direction on where and how the industry could enhance its collaboration. Finally, the tool provides an initial working prototype that highlights the limitations of the AEC and proposes the directions for future research and implementations to cover these needs.