Parametric modeling and fabrication as capturing knowledge: A design computation workflow for historical brick surfaces in Anatolia

Abstract

Using computational design tools to create meaningful digital representations of architectural heritage delivers both challenges and opportunities. On one hand, digital tools aid the fast and detailed three-dimensional modeling of architectural elements. On the other hand, these models do not sufficiently document the materials and techniques of making. This research proposes a workflow to use computational design tools to analyze historic Anatolian brick elements while integrating their geometry, construction, and part-whole relations in parametric modeling and robotic fabrication processes. Our approach demonstrates a correlation between the design of the surface pattern and material application in historical bricklaying. The proposed workflow can be applied to formalize implicit design knowledge, integrating it into the digital environment and numeric control production codes. This holistic approach to heritage prioritizes both the tangible aspects, such as form and material, and intangible aspects such as the knowledge base of applied techniques.