Architectural Design Based on Parametric Variation and Associative Geometry

Abstract

This paper considers the role of the computer for detailed design within the wider architectural design process. The central proposition is that parametric modelling software is invaluable for both preliminary and developed design where there is a need for the definition, manipulation and visualisation of complex geometry. The paper begins with a definition of 'parametric design' followed by a consideration of its potential to assist or hinder the designer. A worked example will demonstrate how the elements that make up a model can be referenced to each other using a number of clearly defined constraints, the completed model being changed, modified and regenerated while conforming to pre-set conditions. This will be followed by a report on research into the implications of parametric design modelling applied retrospectively to Jørn Utzon's documented design process for the Sydney Opera House. The study analyses how conventional modelling coped with the manipulation of these forms and compares this with the potential of computer-aided iterative design refinement.