Critical Computational Relations in Design, Architecture and the Built Environment


Book Description

This book delves into the power relations between computational practices, technology infrastructures, knowledge, and their reproductions of bias in design at multiple scales. It provides critical perspectives and insights on how computation intersects with architecture, design, the built environment, and society. Computational practices, tools and methods in design, architecture, and the built environment, frequently offer technocentric solutions to design problems. Portrayed as mere tools that are "neutral" and "optimized", these technological infrastructures mask social, political, and environmental entanglements involved in their creation and expansion as well as the power of software monopolies and technology providers. The six contributions to this volume provide critical perspectives and insights on how computation intersects with architecture, design, the built environment, and society. The chapters cover diverse topics such as data practices for design simulations, machine learning (ML) and digital humanities methods for digital heritage, a computationally-aided exploration of ideologies of digital architecture, embodied and craft practice for digital fabrication, feminist hacking practices challenging heteronormative values in digital urban design, and post-disciplinary pedagogies for computational design. The book will be of interest to researchers, students and practitioners in the fields of architecture, built environment, computational design, science and technology studies, and sociology. The chapters in this book were originally published in Digital Creativity.




Critical Computational Relations in Design, Architecture and the Built Environment


Book Description

This book delves into the power relations between computational practices, technology infrastructures, knowledge, and their reproductions of bias in design, at multiple scales. It provides critical perspectives and insights on how computation intersects with architecture, design, the built environment, and society. Computational practices, tools and methods in design, architecture, and the built environment, frequently offer technocentric solutions to design problems. Portrayed as mere tools that are "neutral" and "optimized", these technological infrastructures mask social, political, and environmental entanglements involved in their creation and expansion as well as the power of software monopolies and technology providers. The six contributions to this volume provide critical perspectives and insights on how computation intersects with architecture, design, the built environment, and society. The chapters cover diverse topics such as data practices for design simulations, machine learning (ML) and digital humanities methods for digital heritage, a computationally-aided exploration of ideologies of digital architecture, embodied and craft practice for digital fabrication, feminist hacking practices challenging heteronormative values in digital urban design, and post-disciplinary pedagogies for computational design. The book will be of interest to researchers, students and practitioners in the fields of architecture, built environment, computational design, science and technology studies, and sociology. The chapters in this book were originally published in Digital Creativity.




Computational Design Methods and Technologies: Applications in CAD, CAM and CAE Education


Book Description

The emergence and adoption of computational technologies has significantly changed design and design education beyond the replacement of drawing boards with computers or pens and paper with computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), and computer-aided engineering (CAE) applications. Computational Design Methods and Technologies: Applications in CAD, CAM and CAE Education explores state-of-the-art developments in computational design methods and their impact on contemporary design education. Readers will find case studies, empirical research findings, pedagogical theories, and reflections. Researchers, educators, designers, and developers will better understand how applying pedagogical research and reflection has influenced and will continue to transform the field in the future.




Critical Practices in Architecture


Book Description

This book embraces the idea that in today’s complex world, multiple, emerging perspectives are critical to the design fields, the environment, and society. It also brings authors into conversation to focus on the built environment from the perspective of critical practice. The authors take as a starting point Jane Rendell’s ground-breaking work, which defines critical spatial practice as “self-reflective modes of thought that seek to change the world.” In opposition to conventional conceptions of architectural education and work, this book reflects how socially engaged architects, landscape architects, designers, urbanists, and artists take up critical spatial practice. Bridging ideas from multiple countries and approaches to design scholarship, each chapter seeks to find places of convergence for the multiple strands that form around themes of practice, equality, methods, theory, ethics, pedagogy, and representation. Rendell’s foreword and postscript provide context for these themes and suggest a way forward in today’s challenging, changing times.




Embedded, Embodied, Adaptive


Book Description




Architecture and the Smart City


Book Description

Increasingly the world around us is becoming ‘smart.’ From smart meters to smart production, from smart surfaces to smart grids, from smart phones to smart citizens. ‘Smart’ has become the catch-all term to indicate the advent of a charged technological shift that has been propelled by the promise of safer, more convenient and more efficient forms of living. Most architects, designers, planners and politicians seem to agree that the smart transition of cities and buildings is in full swing and inevitable. However, beyond comfort, safety and efficiency, how can ‘smart design and technologies’ assist to address current and future challenges of architecture and urbanism? Architecture and the Smart City provides an architectural perspective on the emergence of the smart city and offers a wide collection of resources for developing a better understanding of how smart architecture, smart cities and smart systems in the built environment are discussed, designed and materialized. It brings together a range of international thinkers and practitioners to discuss smart systems through four thematic sections: ‘Histories and Futures’, ‘Agency and Control’, ‘Materialities and Spaces’ and ‘Networks and Nodes’. Combined, these four thematic sections provide different perspectives into some of the most pressing issues with smart systems in the built environment. The book tackles questions related to the future of architecture and urbanism, lessons learned from global case studies and challenges related to interdisciplinary research, and critically examines what the future of buildings and cities will look like.




Handbook of Research on Visual Computing and Emerging Geometrical Design Tools


Book Description

Visual computing and descriptive geometry are multidisciplinary fields addressing the handling of images, 3D models, and other computer graphics. These ideas are experiencing a revival due to emergent technologies and applications available to developers. Based in traditional forms of design and architecture, these fields are currently experiencing a bounty of new research based on old principles. The Handbook of Research on Visual Computing and Emerging Geometrical Design Tools seeks to add to this knowledge base by considering these technologies from a designer’s perspective rather than reiterating the principles of computer science. It combines aspects of geometry and representation with emerging tools for CAD, generation, and visualization while addressing the digital heritage of such fields. This book is an invaluable resource for developers, students of both graphic and computer-generated design, researchers, and designers.




Design Computing


Book Description

Design Computing will help you understand the rapidly evolving relationship between computing, designers, and the many different environments they create or work in. The book introduces the topic of design computing, and covers the basics of hardware and software, so you don’t need to be an expert. Topics include the fundamentals of digital representation, programming and interfaces for design; the shifting landscape of opportunity and expectation in practice and pedagogy; placing sensors in buildings to measure performance; and the challenge of applying information effectively in design. The book also includes additional reading for those who wish to dig deeper into the subject. Design Computing will provide you with a greater awareness of the issues that permeate the field, opportunities for you to investigate, and perhaps motivation to push the boundaries.




EnCoding Architecture2013


Book Description




Digital Materiality in Architecture


Book Description

"Digital materiality evolves through the interplay between digital and material processes in design and construction. Materiality is increasingly being enriched with digital characteristics, which substantially affect architecture's physis.".