scholarly journals Performative morphology in architecture: Integrative design research by the Institute for computational design

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-105
Author(s):  
Achim Menges
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Filament Winding ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Material Structure ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Design Computation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Material Computation

Computation, in its most basic meaning, refers to the processing of information. In this way, both machinic processes operating in the binary realm of the digital, as well as material processes operating in the complex domain of the physical can be considered computational. While there is a strong bias towards the former in contemporary design, sporadic investigations of the later have also occurred in architecture. What is more rarely explored, though, is the territory where machine computation and material computation potentially overlap, where they not simply co-exist but intensely interact in the design process. Such an integrative approach to machine and material computation forms a central part of the research pursued at the Institute for Computational Design at the University of Stuttgart. This paper will introduce the related design research through the presentation of three research projects. The first part of the paper focuses on the explanation of the theoretical framework of the Institute's approach to design computation, which finds its conceptual roots in the integrative processes of biological becoming rather than the striated processes of established technological production. It seeks to outline novel possibilities for a higher level of integration of form, information and performance in architecture through the possible synthesis of machine and material computation in morphogenetic design. The second part of the paper will provide specific examples of such a computational approach by introducing three related research areas. The possible integration of material behaviour as an active driver in computational design processes will be introduced through a first research project focusing on bending-active structures constructed from thin plywood lamellas. The second research project constitutes an example for the integration of materialization characteristics by encoding the possibilities and limits of robotic fabrication for modular wood shell structures in design computation. The third research project introduces the integration of material structure by embedding the complex reciprocities of form, material, structure and performance resulting from robotic carbon and glass fibre filament winding in a generative morphogenetic design process.

Negotiating human engagement and the fixity of computational design: Toward a performative design space for the differently-abled bodymind

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-193
Author(s):  
Sean Ahlquist
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Structural Optimization ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Social Nature ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Cultural Entity

Computational design affords agency: the ability to orchestrate the material, spatial, and technical architectural system. In this specific case, it occurs through enhanced, authored means to facilitate making and performance—typically driven by concerns of structural optimization, material use, and responsivity to environmental factors—of an atmospheric rather than social nature. At issue is the positioning of this particular manner of agency solely with the architect auteur. This abruptly halts—at the moment in which fabrication commences—the ability to amend, redefine, or newly introduce fundamentally transformational constituents and their interrelationships and, most importantly, to explore the possibility for extraordinary outcomes. When the architecture becomes a functional, social, and cultural entity, in the hands of the idealized abled-bodied user, agency—especially for one of an otherly body or mind—is long gone. Even an empathetic auteur may not be able to access the motivations of the differently-abled body and neuro-divergent mind, effectively locking the constraints of the design process, which creates an exclusionary system to those beyond the purview of said auteur. It can therefore be deduced that the mechanisms or authors of a conventional computational design process cannot eradicate the exclusionary reality of an architectural system. Agency is critical, yet a more expansive terminology for agent and agency is needed. The burden to conceive of capacities that will always be highly temporal, social, unpredictable, and purposefully unknown must be shifted far from the scope of the traditional directors of the architectural system. Agency, and who it is conferred upon, must function in a manner that dissolves the distinctions between the design, the action of designing, the author of design, and those subjected to it.

scholarly journals Politics of Participation in Design Research: Learning from Participatory Art

Design Issues ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Knutz ◽  
Thomas Markussen
Keyword(s):  
Performance Art ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Participatory Art ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
And Performance

In design research, critique has recently been voiced against the multiple ways the notion of participation is understood and practiced. Studies of performativity and performance art have been used to account for this methodological multiplicity. However, in this article, we argue that participation still has much to offer design research as a foundational concept, but that a more nuanced understanding is required. Further, we offer such an understanding by presenting three theories and methodologies from participatory art. The value of participatory art for design research will then be exemplified by a practice-based design research project exploring forms of patient democracy.

scholarly journals LOON LAKE THEATER ROOF STRUCTURE - MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DESIGN RESEARCH IN CNC TIMBER FRAMING

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Neumann
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Structural Engineering ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Wood Structure ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Roof Structure ◽  
Roof Design ◽  
Wood Science

Following the example of the design research project for an outdoor theater roof wood structure at the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest at Maple Ridge, B.C., - a multi-disciplinary case study of contemporary applications of CNC timber framing technology - this paper reviews the collaboration between the disciplines of architecture, wood science and structural engineering throughout the design process. The research illustrates the particular characteristics of the roof design fabricated on a CNC beam processor and highlights the potential CNC timber framing technology to promote collaborations on innovative contemporary wood design solutions in the particular context of British Columbia.

Design & Research of People-Oriented Office Chair

2012 ◽  
Vol 591-593 ◽  
pp. 236-240
Author(s):  
Hai Bo Yang ◽  
Yu Tao Feng
Keyword(s):  
Performance Evaluation ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Measurement Method ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Model Method ◽  
Design Perspective ◽  
And Performance ◽  
User Friendly

Measurement method and model method are adapted to analyze harmonious relations between people in the sedentary state and office chairs in various parts by starting from human design perspective of the product and using ergonomics knowledge. The research aims to settle down the technical problems which related to design fitness by correctly applying the ergonomics theory. During design process should study and summarize the user-friendly design elements of health office chairs, methods and performance evaluation as well.

Roles of externalisation activities in the design process

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Maral Babapour Chafi
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Physical Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Design Processes ◽  
Digital Modelling

Designers engage in various activities, dealing with different materials and media to externalise and represent their form ideas. This paper presents a review of design research literature regarding externalisation activities in design process: sketching, building physical models and digital modelling. The aim has been to review research on the roles of media and representations in design processes, and highlight knowledge gaps and questions for future research.

scholarly journals Giving a Voice to Students with Disabilities to Design Library Experiences: An Ethnographic Study

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Monica Cerdan Chiscano
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Management Style ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Experience Design ◽  
Research Project

Although librarians generally display an inclusive management style, barriers to students with disabilities remain widespread. Against this backdrop, a collaborative research project called Inclusive Library was launched in 2019 in Catalonia, Spain. This study empirically tests how involving students with disabilities in the experience design process can lead to new improvements in users’ library experience. A mix of qualitative techniques, namely focus groups, ethnographic techniques and post-experience surveys, were used to gain insights from the 20 libraries and 20 students with disabilities collaborating in the project. Based on the participants’ voices and follow-up experiences, the study makes several suggestions on how libraries can improve their accessibility. Results indicate that ensuring proper resource allocation for accessibility improves students with disabilities’ library experience. Recommendations for library managers are also provided.

scholarly journals PEER DESIGNERS AS STRONG INFLUENCERS ON THE DESIGN PROCESS OF FOOD STARTUPS

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 2409-2418
Author(s):  
Summer D. Jung ◽  
Erika Perttunen ◽  
Senni Kirjavainen ◽  
Tua Björklund ◽  
Sohyeong Kim
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Peer Influences ◽  
Design Team ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Design Ideas ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Positive Effect

AbstractAs design research expands its horizon, there has been a recent rise in studies on nontraditional designers. Previous studies have noted the positive effect of diversity in generating ideas. Among different sources of influence, peers outside the design team have been noted for their positive impact on the design process, yet the research on this topic is still in its early stages. Using qualitative data from 40 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the American and Finnish food and beverage industries, the current study examines their interactions with other SMEs, shedding light on the influence of peers on creating new design solutions. The findings suggest that peer companies can act as a frequent and impactful source of inspiration for product design ideas. The most prevalent forms of interaction were co-creating products, sharing information, and sharing ingredients. Furthermore, the interactions were voluntary, organic, and improvisational in nature, and physical proximity or previous connections often initiated the interactions. Taken together, a great number of peer influences contributed towards creative new solutions.

Sensor e-textiles: person centered co-design for people with late stage dementia

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Treadaway ◽  
Gail Kenning
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Sensory Properties ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Grounded Practical Theory ◽  
The Moment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present design research investigating the development of sensory textiles with embedded electronics to support the wellbeing of people with late stage dementia in residential care. Design/methodology/approach – The research presented is qualitative and uses a mixed method approach informed by grounded practical theory and positive design methodologies. It uses an inclusive and participatory co-design process involving people with dementia and their families with an interdisciplinary team of experts. Findings – Both the co-design process and the artefacts developed have been beneficial in supporting wellbeing. The textile artefacts have been found to soothe, distract and comfort people with dementia. They have also been shown to facilitate in the moment conversational bridges between family members and carers with persons with dementia. Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a small cohort of participants, observational reports and descriptive accounts from family members and carers. Practical implications – The paper proposes ways in which simple hand-crafted textiles can be used beneficially to support the wellbeing of people with late stage dementia. It provides examples of how technology can be used to personalise and extend the sensory properties of the artefacts created. Social implications – It promotes an inclusive co-design methodology involving care professionals, carers and people with dementia with designers and technologists. Originality/value – The paper describes new ways of extending sensory properties of textiles through the integration of technology.

The Roles of Features and Abstraction in Mechanical Design

1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
LeRoy E. Taylor ◽  
Mark R. Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Product Modeling ◽  
Product Models ◽  
Mechanical Products ◽  
Unique Framework ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This paper describes the roles of features and abstraction mechanisms in the mechanical design process, mechanical designs, and product models of mechanical designs. It also describes the relationship between functions and features in mechanical design. It is our experience that many research efforts exist in the areas of design and product modeling and, further, that these efforts must be cataloged and compared. To this end, this paper culminates with the presentation of a multi-dimensional abstraction space which provides a unique framework for (a) comparing mechanical engineering design research efforts, (b) relating conceptual objects used in the life cycle of mechanical products, and (c) defining a product modeling space.

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