Multidisciplinary Building Design Research Articles

Transcending disciplines in architecture, structural and building services engineering: a new multidisciplinary educational approach

This paper reflects upon the mechanisms that enable development of curricular approaches to multidisciplinary architecture/engineering higher education. Building upon recent calls for integrated multidisciplinary building design practice, academics at UCL, industry partners and respective professional bodies embarked upon developing a new course that challenged disciplinary boundaries and defined the needs of a new design professional. Whilst there have been attempts internationally to better integrate architecture as well as engineering education, efforts have largely been focused on bolt-on solutions based on pre-existing education programmes. In addition, there has been little discussion (empirical or theoretical) on practical measures associated with developing multidisciplinary education in the built environment. Drawing on mixed data including documentary evidence, semi structured interviews and observations, the study begins to shed light on the approaches underpinning the development of a multidisciplinary built environment MEng course at UCL that integrates architecture, building services and civil engineering. The paper’s contribution is threefold. First, the findings have implications for developing multidisciplinary built environment education curricula, through revealing key mechanisms including the need for shared attitudes and expectations. Second, the paper highlights the conditions that enable the negotiation of multidisciplinary curricula including institutional support, shared values and a collective need and willingness to explore new solutions. Third, the paper reflects upon the value of design studio learning as a critical integrative component to the delivery of multidisciplinary education in the built environment and STEM more widely.

Exploring Multiple Disciplines in Building Design Practice

While there are numerous benefits to working in teams comprising multiple disciplines, we do not have sufficient documented information on the functioning of multi-disciplinary teams in the building design context. As functioning impacts project outcomes, an understanding of the operation of building design teams comprising multiple disciplines is important.
 To contribute to the body of knowledge that addresses this gap, this paper examines literature on disciplinary types and team performance. Using an analytic framework identified in literature, this paper studies the organizational and social aspects of building design practice in order to shed light on the ways in which the multiple disciplines involved building design work together. Findings presented in this paper suggest that building design teams combine and integrate knowledge, skills and capabilities in a multidisciplinary manner. In addition, this paper discusses four social and organizational characteristics of multidisciplinary building design teams – the project delivery approach, disciplinary roles, preexisting social and professional relationships, and location and geographic proximity – and documents their impacts on team functioning.   

Integral Morphological C-K Design Approach for Multi-Disciplinary Building Design

This paper presents a theoretical approach to collaborative design management. The goal is to integrate design and engineering knowledge in the conceptual phase of building design. Based on an integral design process model, morphological overviews are used as a tool to implement C-K (concept-knowledge) theory, to increase knowledge creation and to stimulate knowledge exchange within the building design team. The project was carried out in close cooperation with professional societies within the building design field. The set-ups of the workshops used to implement and to test the theoretical approach are presented as well as the experiences of the participants. More than 100 experienced professionals participated in the workshops and the workshops now have become part of the permanent professional training program of one of the professional societies.

Integral Morphological C-K Design Approach for Multidisciplinary Building Design

This paper presents a theoretical approach to collaborative design management. The goal is to integrate design and engineering knowledge in the conceptual phase of building design. Based on an integral design process model, morphological overviews are used as a tool to implement C-K (concept-knowledge) theory, to increase knowledge creation and to stimulate knowledge exchange within the building design team. The project was carried out in close cooperation with professional societies within the building design field. The set-ups of the workshops used to implement and to test the theoretical approach are presented as well as the experiences of the participants. More than 100 experienced professionals participated in the workshops and the workshops now have become part of the permanent professional training programme of one of the professional societies. DOI: 10.3763/aedm.2008.0099 Published in the Journal AEDM - Volume 5, Number 4, 2009 , pp. 193-214(22)

Collaborative design using a shared IFC building model—Learning from experience

This paper reports on a multi-disciplinary building design studio where a shared IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) building model was employed to support a collaborative design process in a teaching context. The paper discusses the background to the idea of design collaboration based on a shared building model, looking at both the nature of design decision-making, as well as the process opportunities afforded by close multi-disciplinary collaboration and rapid feedback through design analysis. The paper reflects on our experience in running an initial studio class in 2004 and, more recently, planning for a repeat studio in 2005, focussing on the operational issues that are encountered when working with a shared building model during a design process. The paper concludes with a statement of the lessons learnt and strategies to be adopted in future projects of this nature.

Planning building design by simulating information flow

Successful project management requires the effective control of the design teams and the exchange of information between them for successful design management. This paper describes a methodology involving discrete event simulation that can help the planning and control of building design. Discipline-based information flow models of the building design process are used to define the activities of the simulation model, concentrating on the concept and schematic design stages. Factors such as task durations and resources are then allocated along with any specific constraints that are to be evaluated. The model predicts the outcomes of the specific scenario of information related events, including design schedules and resource histograms. The paper describes the development and validation of the simulation model and discusses its potential application during the planning and design phases of building projects. It is concluded that this approach could form the basis of a useful tool for design managers responsible for multidisciplinary building design work.

A Data Flow Model to Plan and Manage the Building Design Process

SUMMARY The increasing complexity of modem buildings and the client's desire for swift occupation has meant the expeditious completion of the design phase of a project has become ever more important. An effective and workable design programme is essential to achieve this. Traditionally, building design work has been planned in a perfunctory manner, often in the belief that this creative and iterative process cannot be analyzed and planned in detail. This situation has been perpetuated by a lack of understanding of design information flow and dependency, and the availability of suitable planning techniques. This paper describes a data flow model of the building design process that is subsequently analyzed in a design structure matrix. The synthesis of these two techniques produces a powerful but easily understood tool to assist in the planning and management of complex, multi-disciplinary building design problems.

Integrated Building Design Decision SupportWith Fuzzy Logic

In building design, design decision is an essential part to be accomplished for the execution of the actual design process. Therefore in recent times, design decision support systems have received much attention for the importance of need for optimal decisions. A conceptual integrated decision support system for building design considering technical and functional aspects of building design was described earlier. Considering that systematic approach, this work further describes novel fuzzy logic approach for the implementation of an integrated building design decision support system in a unified form considering multidisciplinary building design information including also their interrelationship in design.