Computers in Design Exploring Light and Time

Abstract

Computers have helped bring architectural education to a digital crossroads. This new tool is effecting architectural education on numerous levels, from the simplest word processing of research papers to more complex interactive modeling. This casestudy paper will focus on the new and changing role of the computer in the design studio. In this case, the approach to integrating the computer into the studio revolves around its application simply as another tool for a designer’s use. Clearly, the use of computers in design studios is not a new development. However, as the computer’s use in design education is not yet widespread, a dialogue about methods of application is valuable for design educators. The intent behind computer use in this case was not to replace traditional design methods but to complement and enhance them. In this spirit, this case study focuses on the use of computers to investigate two aspects of design that are challenging to model: light and time. In the studios to be examined here, students were required to explore their designs with both traditional tools (sketches on trace, physical study models as well as final finish models, etc.) and with newer digital tools (lighting simulation programs, threedimensional modeling programs, and animation). Students worked in teams in most cases. The computer was used both as a design tool as well as a representational tool, with varying degrees of success, depending on the student’s expertise, comfort using the computer as a design tool and access to appropriate hardware and software. In the first studio case study, the “new” medium of the computer was a perfect complement for the focus of the studio, entitled “Space and Light.” In addition to utilizing large scale physical models traditionally used for lighting design, three-dimensional computer models using Lightscape enriched the design results. Both sets of tools were vital for the design processes of the studio assignments. In the second studio case study, a traditional fourth year studio was required to use the computer to explore the dimension of time in their designs, which in this case translated into animation modeling. Integrating the computer into the design studio promises to be a complex task. As these examples will illustrate, the advantages and the disadvantages require continual balancing. Philosophical disagreement, potential discomfort, or a general lack of knowledge of digital tools may inhibit design educators from testing the potential of these ever-changing tools. Despite the challenges, this case study reveals the educational value of continued experimental use of digital tools in the design studio.