Design of ComplexBuildings withDigital Fab Tools

Design Studio, Rapid Prototyping & New Design Languages

Prof. Larry SassJennifer Seely

Department of Architecture and Planning

MIT

Lever House – NYC 1952

1. Mass manufacturing parts

2. Multiple components of the same size or geometry

3. Relationship of drawings to manual construction

20 Century

Standard Design

Frank Gehry Stata Center

1. Increased Building Complexity

2. High Cost to Build and Design

3. No Rapid Prototyping tools were used in the design process

21 Century

Non Standard Design; Complexity

Rapid Prototyping + Creative DesignMIT Studios

CAD COMPUTER NC

Two Transformations in the Design Process

1) Creative design with RP devices in studio – TeachingDesign for complexity through generative methods in computing

2) Embedded knowledge into building componentsFunction, behavior and structure into each component

Background

George Stiny – Shape Grammars & Rule Based Design1975

John Gero – Agent Based Design1980

Branko Kolaveric – Digital Fabrication1995

1

[ Generative Methods of Design ]CBA Student

Yanni Loukissas

Generative Design ProcessThe creative process is a generative process

2

[ Embedded knowledge or rule into building components ]CBA – Jen Seely

UROP – Sarah Hudson

Eif Form Kristi Shea – Cambridge University

[ All Nodes are different ]

ModellaMilling

21 Century of Architecture

Design Creativity using Rapid Prototyping Devices in Studio

[Studio] [Rapid Prototyping ] [Embedded Knowledge]