Environmental Catalysts for a Computational Urbanism

Steven Hardy, Jonas Lundberg

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is perhaps no longer relevant to discuss digital tools purely as means in themselves; the growth of abstract systems or computational patterns for their own sake simply strain justification in light of real-world concerns such as climate change and economic crises. While growing concerns over climate change have necessitated an increased interest in sustainable urbanism and design, sustainability has done little to yet alter the morphological and typological consequences of architectural space (Hardy, 2008). In a series of overlapping research projects and design studio briefs, students, research assistants and we worked with the iterative and variable processes of Rhinoscript, McNeel’s Grasshopper and Bentley’s Generative Components to explore the possibilities of changing environmental extremes (specifically flooding) as catalysts for providing new urban morphologies and spatial organizations. Working between the master plan and the individual housing unit, we investigated arrays of terrace homes in the London Thames Valley flood zones while simultaneously exploring the potential for computational generation and parametric optimization.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationFuture Cities
EditorsGerhard Schmitt, Ludger Hovestad, Luc Van Gool, Frédéric Bosché, Remo Burkhard, Suzanne Coleman, Jan Halatsch, Michael Hansmeyer, Silke Konsorski-Lang, Antje Kunze, Martina Sehmi-Luck
PublisherEducation and research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe
Pages805-814
Number of pages10
ISBN (Print)9780954118396
StatePublished - 2010
Event28th Conference on Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, eCAADe 2010 - Zurich, Switzerland
Duration: Sep 15 2010Sep 18 2010

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe
ISSN (Print)2684-1843

Conference

Conference28th Conference on Education in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe, eCAADe 2010
Country/TerritorySwitzerland
CityZurich
Period9/15/109/18/10

Keywords

  • adaptive vs. mitagative
  • Computational urbanism
  • environmental formations
  • formative strategies
  • parametric design

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
  • Education
  • Architecture

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