Generative Models

Improving Design Development

Jonathan Mirtschin and we recently co-authored an article in the
Taiwan Architects 2011.07 magazine.
Below the original article in mandarin and english.

also featured in the article academia work by 4th year students 
Benjamin Ennemoser and Philippe Grotenrath.
University Innsbruck/Austria exparch.hochbau 2011.

As performative design concepts become more accessible to 
designers, we will see more analysis tools being developed 
for the design process. As we establish methods for understanding 
surface-based-analysis, we will be moving into volumetric-base-
analysis.

Generative tools such as Grasshopper3d (Robert McNeel Associates) 
and Maya (Autodesk) are being utilized to explore architectural 
projects and inform design decisions with increasing popularity. 
However, rapidly produced multitudes of options will not be 
utilized to full potential if entire design team assessments take
days or weeks to fulfil. To maximise the potential of these tools, 
teams must efficiently assess multiple objectives and criteria, 
to seek optimal solutions. Utilizing the generative information 
model as input to analysis and simulation tools (including structure, 
services, environmental, construction programming and
cost assessments) can facilitate superior design decisions.

This article outlines and demonstrates software developments 
enhancing Grasshopper3d as a generative design tool for the 
architecture and construction industry. Additional functionality 
enables designers to assign attributes of design elements that can 
be utilized in exporting the information model for wider design 
consideration. Present industry practises where multiple models are 
independently created require consuming efforts in updating and 
coordinating. Duplicated, abortive and redundant design efforts 
are rife, and given the time consuming nature of these tasks, 
the potential to improve and assist these procedures is enormous. 
There is scope for substantial improvements for this process in the 
earliest phases of design, when identifying the strongest concepts 
can have the greatest impact on the final product and the least 
constraint is experienced to change.

Structural Analysis

Generative modeling for developing structural analysis models has been prevalent for years, primarily in the
form of authoring spreadsheets. Geometrical description using imports 
such as DXF or DWG cad models have also been used extensively, 
although this process typically requires manual application of 
analysis attributes not supported such as constraints, materials and 
loads. Evaluation of performance relating to alternate design scenarios 
is accelerated by producing in bulk the structural analysis attributes 
as related to the generative model. This is shown for the 3-dimensional 
proximity truss structure as a Structural Analysis with 
Geometry Gymplugin for Grasshopper and Oasys GSA

Building Energy Analysis

Ecotect is a highly visual software for architects to work with 
environmental performance issues. It is designed for early stages of 
conceptual design, and encourages play to understand environmental 
factors and interactions. Ecotect works on the principle of 
“progressive data input”, that means that it is prepared to give
visual feedback even with very little information. Not all aspects 
of a scenario have to be spelled out in detail.
In fact the simulation can be done earlier, and as the model is refined, 
results become more accurate. 
GECO is a Grasshopper plug-in developed by [UTO] that offers a direct 
link between Rhino/Grasshopper models and Ecotect. 
The Plug-in allows you to export complex geometries very quickly , 
evaluate the design in Ecotect and access the performances data, to 
import the results as feedback to Grasshopper.
This could be done as single process or loop to improve performance 
and the design of a building in the context of its environment.
The single results of the process could be saved inside Rhino in the 
vertices of the analysis mesh to store data
for later use inside different design approaches.