The 'continuous search space design method' (CSSDM)

Abstract

In this paper a formal method is presented in which architectural design is considered as a problem-solving activity. The particular feature of the proposed method is that the search space is defined as continuous, without restricting or violating the emergence of qualitative features of a solution. This makes it possible to define architectural design as a problem, in a general way, and to apply a heuristic search strategy capable of overcoming complexity constraints, even in search spaces of large dimensionality. The method is called the “continuous search space design method” or CSSDM. A technique for representing the search space as continuous, a language for formulating the solution-evaluation criterion, and a heuristic technique for producing acceptable solutions, followed by experimental results, are presented.