Geometry Through Architectural Design

In her 1912 geometry book, Mabel Sykes surveys complex and beautiful architectural designs from around the world to inspire exercises on geometric proof, construction and computation. In over 1800 exercises, Sykes analyzes geometric patterns from ornamental and structural features found in tile mosaics, parquet floors, Gothic windows, trusses and arches. As Sykes\u27 writes, ``Geometry gives, as no other subject can give, an appreciation of form as it exists in the material world . We have chosen four examples to illustrate how her appealing designs and the accompanying exercises of this hidden gem can be incorporated into any geometry course

Correlations between cancellous bone architecture and its dynamic behaviour

Previous studies showed that in vivo evaluation of the fracture risk of cancellous bone can be assessed by identifying the relationships between its microarchitecture description extracted from clinical imaging and its mechanical properties. The mechanical properties under dynamic loadings (with and without confinement) were obtained and compared to quasi-static ones. The architectural parameters of each specimen were extracted from pQCT images and split into four groups: geometry, topology, connectivity and anisotropy. Results show that architectural parameters are strong determinants of mechanical behaviour for the different applied boundary conditions.http://icills2014.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Marrianne-Prot.pd

The initiation to architectural analysis viewed by a group of architect teachers

Ponencia presentada a Session 4: Investigar los procesos de diseño: etnografías y análisis de dialogías sociales / Research through the design processes: etnographic and social dialogical perspectivesThis article is about a pedagogical experience in architecture workshop teaching first-year student? at the National School of architecture of Tunis (ENAU). It focuses, in particular, on the initiation of the student to the architectural analysis process which is a major step in his course. The present work is based on a comparative study between the statements of the exercises related to the topics studied in the workshop. This comparison covers a period of eight years of teaching for the same group of teachers, and deals with their conception of architectural analysis and their way to approaching this initiation to their students. For this purpose, the Group of teachers has implemented an analysis grid that serves, to guide students in their work, and provides a good understanding of the architectural analysis as a process and brain action summoning both the senses and the mind. For this, the Group of teachers made the choice that the parameters to be analyzed concern only the geometry and topology of architectural form levels. They built their grid of architectural analysis on the basis of a postulate stating that “an architectural project is a complex act”. Thus, they consider the architectural project as a whole composed of a multitude of elements; a unit that draws its essence from the plurality. They formulate this complexity by the following equation: [An architectural project = A = 1 unit = 1+1+1+1+1...] Where the (1) represents the components of the project and the (+), the relationships that binds them to each other

Architectural form-finding through parametric geometry

This contribution briefly describes the main philosophy of the new book Parametric Geometry of Curves and Surfaces: Architectural Form-Finding (Alberto 2021) and how this philosophy is supported by concepts in the book. The mathematical investigations of such concepts are examined in detail while explaining their novelty and leading application in architectural elements. In addition to this, we focus on the importance of parametric objects from a mathematical point of view in contemporary architecture, and on understanding the geometry underlying the curves and surfaces which conform architectural manifestations. The essence of the book is illustrated by a couple of examples, together with a brief overview of its contents

Parametric Surfaces for Augmented Architecture representation

Augmented Reality (AR) represents a growing communication channel, responding to the need to expand reality with additional information, offering easy and engaging access to digital data. AR for architectural representation allows a simple interaction with 3D models, facilitating spatial understanding of complex volumes and topological relationships between parts, overcoming some limitations related to Virtual Reality. In the last decade different developments in the pipeline process have seen a significant advancement in technological and algorithmic aspects, paying less attention to 3D modeling generation. For this, the article explores the construction of basic geometries for 3D model’s generation, highlighting the relationship between geometry and topology, basic for a consistent normal distribution. Moreover, a critical evaluation about corrective paths of existing 3D models is presented, analysing a complex architectural case study, the virtual model of Villa del Verginese, an emblematic example for topological emerged problems. The final aim of the paper is to refocus attention on 3D model construction, suggesting some "good practices" useful for preventing, minimizing or correcting topological problems, extending the accessibility of AR to people engaged in architectural representation

Understanding of the logic of nesting of the different realities of architectural space: pedagogical approach

Education of architecture in the first year at the national school of architecture and urbanism of Tunis is subject to different experiences drawing their theoretical foundations in several disciplinary fields. Considering the work of several scientists dealing with the perception of space, geometry, as well as effects of sense and the anthropological dimension of architecture, we have introduced a pedagogical approach to deal with architectural space according to the geometric tripartition: topological structures, projective structures and metric structures. The object of this article relate to the pedagogical approach of an exercise registering upstream from the last chapter ‘an introduction to architectural design’. This exercise is the accompaniment of the students in the understanding of the different types of apprehended spaces and the mechanisms underlying their relationship development.Peer Reviewe

Exploring the Interplay between CAD and FreeFem++ as an Energy Decision-Making Tool for Architectural Design

The energy modelling software tools commonly used for architectural purposes do not allow a straightforward real-time implementation within the architectural design programs. In addition, the surrounding exterior spaces of the building, including the inner courtyards, hardly present a specific treatment distinguishing these spaces from the general external temperature in the thermal simulations. This is a clear disadvantage when it comes to streamlining the design process in relation to the whole-building energy optimization. In this context, the present study aims to demonstrate the advantages of the FreeFem++ open source program for performing simulations in architectural environments. These simulations include microclimate tests that describe the interactions between a building architecture and its local exterior. The great potential of this mathematical tool can be realized through its complete system integration within CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software such as SketchUp or AutoCAD. In order to establish the suitability of FreeFem++ for the performance of simulations, the most widely employed energy simulation tools able to consider a proposed architectural geometry in a specific environment are compared. On the basis of this analysis, it can be concluded that FreeFem++ is the only program displaying the best features for the thermal performance simulation of these specific outdoor spaces, excluding the currently unavailable easy interaction with architectural drawing programs. The main contribution of this research is, in fact, the enhancement of FreeFem++ usability by proposing a simple intuitive method for the creation of building geometries and their respective meshing (pre-processing). FreeFem++ is also considered a tool for data analysis (post-processing) able to help engineers and architects with building energy-efficiency-related tasks