Talk: Grammar-based structural design exploration to tame infinity

Ioannis Mirtsopoulos is invited to speak about his research on rule-based structural design. Designing through topological relationships, rather than though static variable relationships, eases alterations and considers every possible design, across topological barriers, within the infinite design space.

Design is a “wicked problem” that “one cannot first understand, then solve” (Rittel and Webber 1973), and hence, it requires gaining knowledge about it . Designers tame this prerequisite through the creative processes of design exploration. Design exploration frames the systematic, iterative generation of design candidates. Ultimately, during this process they aim to gain and/or extend this knowledge. Traditionally, this knowledge only sources from the designer’s own experience, fact that leads to the generation of resembling designs, which only represent a tiny fraction of the prospective design candidates. This tendency for premature design fixation is typically followed by lack of creativity.

Mainstream approaches to design spatial architectural forms that are structurally relevant consist either in adapting known forms or searching for the optimum solution of well-defined problems. The infinite domain of structural forms in between is yet to be explored. Architects and engineers involved in the structural design process may want to consider: (a) investing on rule-based, rather than on variable-based, design and (b) aiming at workflows that integrate structural evaluation within the creative process.

Following the last remarks, this talk presents a design framework, which fuses force-driven grammar rules with graphical feedback representations, for the generation of unprecedent spatial structural systems that go beyond any existing catalogues or mathematically known structural typologies.

The smart living lunches take place once a month from 11 am to 12 pm in Fribourg to present the research activities of the Smart Living Lab. These events are designed for the Smart Living Lab's community.