225 research outputs found

    A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL ON DERELICT BUILDINGS FOR URBAN REGENERATION

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    Abstract. We present a decision suppport tool for the comparison and selection of projects of integrated renovation of derelict buildings and areas for the purpose of urban regeneration. Each project is defined as a subset of derelict properties to renovate together with their respective designated use, and is scored by the decision support tool on two criteria: expected effort and estimated effectiveness in terms of improved urban capabilities in the urban area of interest. The expected effort is estimated as a global transformation cost, factoring in legal and management overhead costs as well as possible economies of scale. The effectiveness in evaluated in terms of extension of urban capabilities centred on walkable distances. We have implemented a bi-objective evolutionary search algorithm to address the computational complexity of the problem of search for efficient (non-dominated) projects over the two criteria. For the purpose of illustration, we present an example case-study application on the historical core of the city of Sassari, Italy.</p

    Urban Design Evolved: The Impact of Computational Tools and Data-Driven Approaches on Urban Design Practices and Civic Participation

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    In recent years, the changing pattern of human activities, increasing data regarding the spatial environment, and the possibility of collecting and processing this data allowed us to reconsider how we approach urban design, with a focus on a digital-oriented and data-driven perspective. In this study, we examine the evolution of urban design by analyzing the roles of designers and citizen empowerment. Our analysis includes a literature review and semi-structured interviews with computational design experts. In this sense, the literature is reviewed to investigate previous discussions and findings about the topic, and semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven computational design experts. The experts were selected by considering two criteria: (1) their experience with computational urban design subjects in practice and (2) their academic research background. This study concludes that technology-driven urban design solutions change designers' relationship with data, opening new avenues for objective, data-driven &amp; data-informed decision-making. There are few differences between traditional and computational design practices regarding user empowerment and participatory design. Moreover, technology-driven urban design tools and methods are still in their early stages and are rarely used in actual projects

    Co-Generative: A Generative Design Paradigm for Fostering Regenerative Communities

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    Holistic sustainability literature argues that many of the most serious problems we face today are a result of innovation that is disconnected from its local ecological context. One of the innovations being explored to address the challenges of designing complex built environments is generative design; a collaborative design process that augments human design capabilities with computational power to explore a multitude of design alternatives. Regenerative design is a holistic design approach that builds on understanding ecosystem patterns that regenerate a system’s health and vitality. In this Major Research Project, I explore the bridge between generative design and regenerative design to propose a computationally-augmented design approach that contributes to fostering the health of the system as a whole. Using a strategic foresight framework, I deconstruct the current computational generative design paradigm and construct a new one based on a metaphor of perpetuity and a worldview that values collective flourishing, abundance, and appropriate participation. Building on this new paradigm, I propose a revised generative design workflow that emphasizes collaboration, connectedness with the land, participatory foresight, and emergence. I conclude that a regenerative generative design approach is community, context, and complexity-sensitive

    New design companions opening up the process through self-made computation

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    Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-75).This thesis is about man and machine roles in the early conception of designs where it investigates computational methods that support creativity and surprise. It discusses the relationship between human and digital medium in the enterprise of Computer-Aided Design', and Self-Made Computation to empower the designer as driver of digital processes taking the computer as an active collaborator, or a sharp apprentice, rather than a master. In a design process tool personalization enables precise feedback between human and medium. In the field of architecture, every project is unique, and there are as many design workflows as designers. However current off-the-shelf design software has an inflexible built-in structure targeting general problem-solving that can interfere with non-standard design needs. Today, those with programming agility look for customized processes that assist early problem-finding instead of converging solutions. Contributing to alleviate software frustrations, smaller tailor-made applications prove to be precisely tailored, viable and enriching companions in certain moments of the project development. Previous work on the impact of standardized software for design has focused on the figure of the designer as a tool-user, this thesis addresses the question from the vision of the designer as a tool-maker. It investigates how self-made software can become a design companion for computational thinking - observed here as a new mindset that shifts design workflows, rather than a technique. The research compares and diagrams designer-toolmaker work where self-made applets where produced, as well as the structures in the work of rule-maker artisans. The main contributions are a comparative study of three models of computer-aided design, their history and technical review, their influence in design workflows and a graphical framework to better compare them. Critical analysis reveals a common structure to tailor a creative and explorative design workflow. Its advantages and limitations are exposed to guide designers into alternative computational methods for design processes. Keywords: design workflow; computation; applets; self-made tools; diagrams; design process; feedback; computers; computer-assisted-designby Laia Mogas-Soldevila.S.M

    Active Transportation Research at Northern Arizona University

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    Dr. Smaglik is currently working on three separate transportation research projects at Northern Arizona University. This talk will touch briefly on each of the three projects, the concepts behind them, workplans, and expected deliverables. The projects include work with the Oregon DOT on the impact of less than optimal vehicle detection on adaptive control algorithms, development of a ped priority algorithm through a NITC project (as a Portland State subcontractor), and internally funded work on a power harvesting traffic sensor.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/trec_seminar/1087/thumbnail.jp

    A Computational Application of Urban Network Analysis on Walkability in Design Decision Making

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    Using the TOD neighborhoods of Waipahu on Oahu, which is comprised of two localities referred to as the West Loch Station and the Waipahu Transit Center Station, as a case study, the present work aims at investigating to what extend different aspects of the built environment may affect walkability in urban neighborhoods. By means of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial, network, and statistical analyses were performed on a selected set of components of the urban built environment. Residential density, commercial density, mixed landuse, and street connectivity were measured to determine how the following 8 urban aspects —mixed-land use, small blocks, interesting architecture, building density (commercial and residential), residents’ physical activity, the impact of density and mixed-land use— affect transport mode or urban mobility. To better understand the walkability patterns around these TOD neighborhoods, we applied the method to Portland, which is known for being a walkable city. As Jeff Speck claims, for a place to be walkable, it is all a question of proper balance of uses, so it is important to look for what is missing or under-represented in an urban setting, whether it is office, retail, dining, entertainment, housing, school, recreation, worship, or parking (Speck 2013). The proposed graph-analysis framework can be used by professionals to improve planning and designing decisions to make cities more attractive and sustainable. However, it is not intended to replace the existing ways of evaluating walkability, but instead, it is to be seen as an additional layer of information to be introduced at an early stage of any project

    A tool for signage placement recommendation in hospitals based on wayfinding metrics

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    Navigating a healthcare facility can prove challenging to both new and existing patients and visitors. Poor or ineffective use of signage within the facility may enhance navigational difficulties. Signage strategies within facility design tend to be produced without consideration of how people typically navigate a space. Thus, strategies that ‘work on paper’ may not, in reality, aid or optimize patient and visitor wayfinding. Existing strategies for determining signage placement may also prove costly in terms of time spent on manual analysis of a facility’s floor space, including the potential for overlooking prime signage locations when analysing large floor plans. This paper presents a tool which aims to aid signage placement strategies by analysing facility design and routes within it, based on natural wayfinding metrics found in existing literature. The tool is designed to enable quick analysis of large designs for analysing multiple routes, highlighting areas where signage placement would aid natural wayfinding. The outputs of the tool are presented as a colour map which overlays the original 3D model design, highlighting the key areas where signage may be appropriate. An example of how the tool can be utilised to aid effective sign strategy is demonstrated on a small healthcare facility design

    Performance assessment of urban precinct design: a scoping study

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    Executive Summary:&nbsp;Significant advances have been made over the past decade in the development of scientifically and industry accepted tools for the performance assessment of buildings in terms of energy, carbon, water, indoor environment quality etc. For resilient, sustainable low carbon urban development to be realised in the 21st century, however, will require several radical transitions in design performance beyond the scale of individual buildings. One of these involves the creation and application of leading edge tools (not widely available to built environment professions and practitioners) capable of being applied to an assessment of performance across all stages of development at a precinct scale (neighbourhood, community and district) in either greenfield, brownfield or greyfield settings. A core aspect here is the development of a new way of modelling precincts, referred to as Precinct Information Modelling (PIM) that provides for transparent sharing and linking of precinct object information across the development life cycle together with consistent, accurate and reliable access to reference data, including that associated with the urban context of the precinct. Neighbourhoods are the ‘building blocks’ of our cities and represent the scale at which urban design needs to make its contribution to city performance: as productive, liveable, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive places (COAG 2009). Neighbourhood design constitutes a major area for innovation as part of an urban design protocol established by the federal government (Department of Infrastructure and Transport 2011, see Figure 1). The ability to efficiently and effectively assess urban design performance at a neighbourhood level is in its infancy. This study was undertaken by Swinburne University of Technology, University of New South Wales, CSIRO and buildingSMART Australasia on behalf of the CRC for Low Carbon Living

    3 D analysis methods for supporting the design of walkable streets

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    Tese de Doutoramento em Arquitetura com a especialização em Desenho e Computação apresentada na Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de Doutor.Os aglomerados urbanos em rápido crescimento contribuem e enfrentam hoje, as consequências de crises globais, como a poluição, as alterações climáticas, a diminuição dos recursos naturais, conflitos sociais e migrações em massa. O planeamento e projecto do ambiente construído são essenciais para uma correcta organização da vida urbana, de modo a reduzir a poluição, distribuir recursos de maneira justa, fortalecer laços sociais e comunitários e prosperar economicamente. Projectar cidades incentivando a pedestrianização como meio de transporte constitui uma contribuição para esses objectivos, facilitando a mitigação da poluição, o acesso livre e democrático aos recursos urbanos, revitalizando as ruas e consequentemente apoiando as economias locais. Embora a investigação sobre a pedestrianização e caminhabilidade do ambiente construído já tenha décadas, temos hoje dados urbanos atualizados e ferramentas mais precisas do que nunca, que permitem uma análise detalhada dos factores que promovem a pedestrianização, podendo suportar decisões baseadas em evidências para o desenvolvimento de uma mobilidade mais sustentável. Tais ferramentas de planeamento viabilizam também uma melhor integração destes dados nos processos de projecto bem como a sua comunicação aos vários agentes participantes na decisão. Esta dissertação defende a necessidade de um método de análise 3D à escala da rua para informar soluções flexíveis de projecto urbano baseadas em dados urbanos rapidamente actualizáveis e acessíveis remotamente, obtidos sem a necessidade de pesquisas no local. Este método preenche uma lacuna existente na literatura propondo um fluxo de trabalho semi-automático. Este fluxo de trabalho propõe-se solucionar a desconexão entre a investigação no campo da pedestrianização, as ferramentas existentes e os processos de planeamento e projecto urbano. Argumenta-se que essa desconexão resulta da priorização de preocupações financeiras nos processos de planeamento e desenho urbano e da falta de métodos de avaliação rápidos e práticos aplicáveis nas várias etapas e escalas de projecto e de um modo fragmentado ou holístico. Além disso, os métodos existentes de avaliação da caminhabilidade que avaliam contextos urbanos nestas escalas e detalhe, não são capazes de avaliar ruas através de dados urbanos acedidos remotamente, recorrendo geralmente a auditorias ou pesquisas onerosas e morosas no local. O fluxo de trabalho proposto neste estudo visa responder a esta necessidade; combina um modelo 3D de uma unidade de vizinhança desenvolvido num ambiente de programação visual, SIG e códigos personalizados, e utiliza um modelo de análise morfológica chamado Convex e Solid-Void, combinado com técnicas de Web-scrapping e reconhecimento de imagem. A dissertação contribui para a investigação sobre caminhabilidade, propondo um fluxo de trabalho de análise de caminhabilidade em escala micro, em 3D, e remotamente aplicável, além de distinguir indicadores aplicáveis a ruas com diferentes formas e usos. O método promove o modelo computacional de análise urbana, Convex e Solid-Void, apresentando a sua primeira aplicação ao problema urbano da caminhabilidade. Também demonstra a integração de fontes de dados acessíveis remotamente, incluindo imagens de Street View obtidas de uma plataforma de mapas on-line e dados de redes sociais geo-localizados, para a avaliação quantitativa dos espaços urbanos. De futuro, pretende-se desenvolver o método para permitir o acesso remoto da avaliação a várias dessas fontes de dados. Tal é possível pelo uso combinado de SIG com representações espaciais 3D e ferramentas de programação integradas no mesmo fluxo de trabalho. Estes ambientes, que facilitam a associação de elementos espaciais com informações semânticas por meio de bases de dados, possibilitam a utilização de quaisquer dados que possam ser processados em análise espacial para alimentação de processos de projecto gerativo. O resultado desta pesquisa apresenta-se na forma de recomendações de planeamento e desenho urbano e também pretende ser um recurso prático a ser usado em projectos de reabilitação urbana. Como parte do modelo Convex e Solid-Void usado neste estudo, apresenta-se uma nova unidade espacial 3D "Street-Void", na qual todos os dados coletados são agregados para análise. Identificam-se indicadores específicos para avaliar com mais precisão os espaços das ruas, primeiro distinguindo entre ruas e praças e depois avaliando quantitativamente espaços semelhantes a ruas e espaços semelhantes a praças, e ainda espaços residenciais e de uso misto. Com base nos resultados da aplicação do método a quatro bairros estudados nas cidades de Istambul e Lisboa, e uma classificação das ruas usando os indicadores identificados, apresenta-se um conjunto de recomendações, que se atribuem a intervalos de valores próprios das tipologias específicas de ruas. Estas recomendações são formuladas para que possam ser aplicadas holisticamente ou de maneira fragmentada em diferentes fases de projecto ou cenários de melhoria urbana. Este estudo amplia o conhecimento sobre pedestrianização, sugerindo diferentes indicadores e faixas de valor para a avaliação de ruas, relacionando caminhabilidade com a variação das suas formas e usos. A tese está organizada da seguinte forma. No capítulo de introdução, são apresentados brevemente os objetivos da pesquisa, a contribuição e importância para o tema, metodologia, resultados e conclusão. No segundo capítulo, são apresentadas as questões de investigação a que a tese responde e a hipótese construída sobre essas questões. Estas questões podem ser listadas da seguinte maneira. Como podem a caminhabilidade e seus critérios serem integrados nos processos de desenho urbano (à escala do bairro)? Quais as qualidades do ambiente urbano construído que devem ser consideradas para a avaliação da caminhabilidade, para que as decisões de projecto possam ser informadas com mais eficácia? Como podemos avaliar a pedestrianização de um bairro num ambiente urbano complexo e em constante mudança? O terceiro capítulo apresenta uma revisão da literatura no tema da pesquisa, incluindo os temas do projecto urbano centrados no ser humano, investigação existente sobre a medição da caminhabilidade e sobre ferramentas de projecto algorítmico desenvolvidas para a escala urbana e em particular para a escala do bairro. No quarto capítulo, são explicados o método do estudo realizado e os princípios do fluxo de trabalho acima apresentados. Discute-se o processo de selecção utilizado para determinar os atributos quantitativos para a medição da caminhabilidade. As “características” sob as quais esses atributos são agrupados são a densidade, diversidade, conectividade, escala humana, complexidade, clausura (enclosure), forma, inclinação, permeabilidade e infraestrutura. Estas características e atributos são reduzidos posteriormente através de um processo de eliminação aos seus componentes principais. O quinto capítulo apresenta os estudos de caso dos bairros que são utilizados no desenvolvimento do fluxo de trabalho de medição, a interpretação dos atributos de caminhabilidade face aos dados medidos e uma análise inicial desses dados quantitativos. No sexto capítulo, o uso de dados de redes sociais e imagens street view como representantes de caminhabilidade são testados por métodos estatísticos e os espaços das ruas analisados são classificados com base nos atributos medidos (através de um método de clustering). Tipologias de rua com atributos específicos são identificadas nas várias classes (clusters) obtidas. Os atributos são avaliados com base na comparação de seus resultados quantitativos para cada tipologia de rua e são reduzidos através de um processo de filtragem. O sétimo capítulo inclui uma reclassificação das ruas com base em suas formas e usos e uma avaliação das medidas dos seus atributos com base na comparação dos seus resultados para essas classes. Através dessa avaliação, diferentes intervalos de valores foram determinados para serem aplicados aos diferentes atributos das ruas, e as descobertas obtidas por este método foram convertidas num guia destinado a informar os processos de desenho e planeamento urbano. O oitavo capítulo resume a produção geral da tese, a sua contribuição para o conhecimento, bem como para os processos de projecto e planeamento urbano. Partindo dos seus aspectos inovadores, fornece também uma visão geral dos estudos futuros que a tese pode proporcionar. No presente desenvolvimento, o método proposto nesta tese para a medição da caminhabilidade e respectivas recomendações para os processos de projecto e planeamento podem ser utilizadas como parte de serviços de consultoria a ser prestados a municípios, consultoria particular e a profissionais de projecto e planeamento. Em estudos futuros, pretende-se tornar o fluxo de trabalho apresentado numa ferramenta que pode ser utilizada diretamente por projectistas e planeadores. Prevê-se que tais estudos sejam desenvolvidos através da multiplicação dos contextos estudados, melhorando a qualidade e a precisão dos dados urbanos utilizados, aumentando o nível de detalhe capturado pelo modelo de análise e aplicando a análise a fenómenos urbanos que não sejam somente a caminhabilidade. Devido às semelhanças dos seus ambientes construídos, os bairros utilizados no presente estudo, que são Kadikoy e Hasanpasa em Istambul e Chiado e Ajuda em Lisboa, permitiram a avaliação de um conjunto consistente de ruas, oferecendo variedade suficiente. Mais especificamente, devido às semelhanças em termos de escala e uso, quando os espaços das ruas desses bairros foram classificados com base nos atributos utilizados, revelaram-se 6 tipologias diferentes de espaços de rua. Prevê-se que essas tipologias sejam multiplicadas pela aplicação do método a contextos diferentes em termos de escala, forma e uso. Devido à disponibilidade de dados detalhados e a uma variedade de espaços nas ruas em termos dos critérios mencionados, Nova York, Singapura e Amsterdão são exemplos de cidades que poderão ser estudadas como novos casos de estudo.ABSTRACT: Today, rapidly growing urban populations both contribute to global crises such as pollution, climate change, diminishing natural resources, social conflicts and mass migrations and face the consequences. The built environment, its planning and design are critical in organizing urban life so that we pollute less, distribute our resources fairly, strengthen social and communal ties and thrive economically. Designing our cities to support walking as a means of transport contributes in these goals through facilitating pollution free and democratic access to urban resources, supporting local economies and enlivening the street. While research on walkability of the built environment is decades old now, we have more up-to-date, accurate and large-scale urban data than ever and our developing tools make it possible to feed this data into design and management processes to create and sustain more walkable environments. This dissertation argues for the necessity of a street-scale, 3d analysis method to inform flexible urban design solutions based on rapidly updatable and remotely accessible urban data obtained without the necessity of on-site surveys, proposing a semi-automated workflow to fill this gap in existing literature. The workflow combines a 3d neighborhood model in a visual programming environment, GIS and custom codes, utilizing a morphological analysis model named Convex and Solid-Voids, together with web scraping and image recognition techniques. A 3d street space unit “Street-Void” is presented within the Convex and Solid-Void model in which all gathered data is aggregated for analysis. Specific indicators are identified to more accurately assess street spaces, first by distinguishing between and then quantitatively evaluating street-like and square-like, residential and mixed-use streets. Based on the findings from the application of the workflow to four neighborhoods studied in the cities of Istanbul and Lisbon and a classification of street spaces using the proposed attributes, a set of recommendations are presented, with value ranges applicable to specific street typologies. These recommendations are formulated so that they can be applied holistically or in a fragmented way at different stages of planning and urban improvement scenarios with their projected impact grouped under direct/physical or indirect/perceptual. The dissertation contributes to walkability research by proposing a micro-scale, 3d and remotely applicable walkability analysis workflow as well as distinguishing between indicators to be applied to street spaces of different shapes and uses. It furthers the computational urban analysis model Convex and Solid-Voids by presenting its first-time application to the tangible urban problem of walkability. It also demonstrates the integration of remotely accessible data sources including street view images from an online map platform and location based social network data to the quantitative evaluation of urban street spaces. With urban planning and design recommendations, it demonstrates the practical application of the findings to urban improvement scenarios. The study is envisioned to be developed by future work through multiplying the contexts that are studied, improving the quality and accuracy of urban data utilized, increasing the level of detail captured by the morphological analysis model and applying the analysis to other urban phenomena other than walkability.N/

    Conceptual Operational Model of Architecture - An approach for capturing values in architectural practices based on Big Data capabilities

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    The research focuses on the emerging domain of Big Data and the Internet of Things in the context of architectural design and operation. The profession of architecture relies on the use of data in almost all stages of the building cycle. However, this data is often utilised in a trivial manner, without clearly addressing how the data is utilised, when it is utilised, the value of such utilisation and the impact the data has on the design operations and the overall building. Data in architecture mainly serves as a medium of communication to generate a design. Data can only be as good as the technology available at the time it is gathered. Nevertheless, the role of data has changed with the advancement of digital data technologies such as Big Data and the Internet of Things. Digital data is now a driver for businesses and operations in other industries. The investigation of contemporary data utilisation in architecture design reveals that data is not utilised as a driver for the design in most cases and, when it is utilised as a driver, it is not exploited and is not explicitly addressed as part of the business. A knowledge gap in architecture in addressing the utilisation of data and addressing digital data as a driver in design operations is identified. This identification is supplemented by observing that data-driven operations provide the potential for better and more efficient design and business. To fill this knowledge gap and to build a foundation for data utilisation in architecture, this thesis proposes a Data-Driven Operational Framework for architecture, which is the main output of this research and its main contribution to knowledge. The Data-Driven Operational Framework reveals and explains the required components and operations for employing a data-driven design approach in architectural processes and business. In order to develop such a framework, an investigation of current architectural cases that utilise digital data was completed, which is a crucial part of the research. However, it was not possible to investigate these cases without having a thorough understanding of the state-of-the-art data technologies and an understanding of the existing taxonomy of data and the existing taxonomy of value in architectural operations. To build this taxonomy of data, a literature review investigating the terms data, digital data operations, Big Data and the Internet of Things was conducted. To build the taxonomy of value, a literature review of values, value creation and valuation methods in architecture was performed. Also, this value investigation led to the development of a Digital Value Equaliser, which is a conceptual representation that supports the analysis of values in architectural design cases. The case studies were analysed following the coding techniques of Grounded Theory Methodology. The coding procedures were followed systematically and continuously until data saturation was reached. Reaching data saturation led to the development of the Data-Driven Operational Framework for architecture. The Data-Driven Operational Framework has two theoretical applications, the Data-Driven Levels in architectural operations framework and the Data-Driven Impact on the AEC framework. These two theoretical frameworks are the findings of the second part of the research and add to the research contribution. The Data-Driven Levels framework reveals the different automation levels in utilising data in architectural operations. This framework classifies data operations in architecture into six levels according to how automated they are and the degree of human involvement in each operation. The Data-Driven Impact framework shows the anticipated impact of employing data-driven operations on the existing business and cultural models in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). This shows the required business and cultural changes in operating an architecture business. The Impact framework supports architects to identify what measures and changes are needed to benefit from the use of data-driven operations in their practices and business
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