Complex and nonlinear pattern analysis in architectural space, form and program: developing computational tools to support social and cultural design. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of tools and models for the production of socially and culturally responsive environments. The Fellowship develops a new quantitative and qualitative understanding of the experiential and semiotic characteristics of buildings. The project, assis ....Complex and nonlinear pattern analysis in architectural space, form and program: developing computational tools to support social and cultural design. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of tools and models for the production of socially and culturally responsive environments. The Fellowship develops a new quantitative and qualitative understanding of the experiential and semiotic characteristics of buildings. The project, assisted by developments in robotics technology, produces a leading-edge computational model for analysing complex and non-linear patterns in architectural space, form and program from a social and cultural perspective. Such a model will assist design practitioners, scholars, town planners and policy writers to shape rich, responsive and inclusive architectural environments.Read moreRead less
An Analysis of the Cultural, Social and Symbolic Performance of Computer-Generated, Post-Euclidean, Architecture in Australia. Computer Aided Design software has recently provided architects with the ability to use post-Euclidean geometry for the creation of buildings. As the first of these buildings are only now being completed the social, cultural and symbolic performance of this new approach to design remains unknown.
The present research seeks to redress this situation by analysing computer ....An Analysis of the Cultural, Social and Symbolic Performance of Computer-Generated, Post-Euclidean, Architecture in Australia. Computer Aided Design software has recently provided architects with the ability to use post-Euclidean geometry for the creation of buildings. As the first of these buildings are only now being completed the social, cultural and symbolic performance of this new approach to design remains unknown.
The present research seeks to redress this situation by analysing computer-generated public buildings, completed in Australia after 1998. These buildings represent a substantial outlay of public funding and a significant social investment in Australian cities.
This research will result in a critical evaluation strategy for public and institutional bodies interested in procuring such buildings.Read moreRead less
Spatial Knowledge and the Built Environment: The Design Implications of Making, Processing and Digitally Prototyping Architectural Models. The construction industry accounts for 6.7% of Australia's GDP. Beyond the more pragmatic economic benefits, however, lies the potential to influence the physical quality and appearance of our nation's building within an existing economic framework. The evaluation of differing modelling methods in design will have considerable implications for the way in whic ....Spatial Knowledge and the Built Environment: The Design Implications of Making, Processing and Digitally Prototyping Architectural Models. The construction industry accounts for 6.7% of Australia's GDP. Beyond the more pragmatic economic benefits, however, lies the potential to influence the physical quality and appearance of our nation's building within an existing economic framework. The evaluation of differing modelling methods in design will have considerable implications for the way in which designing is carried out. It will lead to new kinds of computer strategies that will guide the direction of development of programs used in design modelling by showing that current tools do not properly facilitate certain kinds of design inquiry available by more traditionally established means.Read moreRead less
Decorum as an Idea in Architecture, from the Renaissance to the Present. Examines the theory and practice of decorum in architecture from the Renaissance to the present day. The principal aims are to set decorum within the history of ideas and to establish the relevance of the concept to modernism and contemporary debates on the nature of architecture. The project will be empirically innovative and significant to both historians and theorists. The expected outcome is a book-length study.
Modelling environmental and financial performance of construction. This project will investigate the relationships between environmental and financial parameters associated with decisions made during the building design process. The outcomes of this research will assist the construction industry to transform itself towards ecological sustainability. We will provide a means by which the construction industry can more comprehensively assess the environmental impacts associated with building design ....Modelling environmental and financial performance of construction. This project will investigate the relationships between environmental and financial parameters associated with decisions made during the building design process. The outcomes of this research will assist the construction industry to transform itself towards ecological sustainability. We will provide a means by which the construction industry can more comprehensively assess the environmental impacts associated with building design decisions. In general, this will lead to a more effective construction industry, with solutions being evaluated simultaneously against environmental and financial criteria. The project is thus aligned with the priority area: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia: Transforming existing industries.Read moreRead less
Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an ....Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an alternative history of 20th century architecture that will not only allow for a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, our own constructed heritage, but will also inform the design and production of future buildings which are both socially and culturally responsive.Read moreRead less
Modelling and predicting patterns of pedestrian movement: using robotics and machine learning to improve the design of urban space. In a geographic region that is experiencing increasing urban density, the problems of the pedestrian are rarely considered from a design perspective. One reason for this is that there are few useful tools available for analysing the behaviour of pedestrians in existing urban spaces, and none to assist designers to optimise such spaces. As a result of this, there is ....Modelling and predicting patterns of pedestrian movement: using robotics and machine learning to improve the design of urban space. In a geographic region that is experiencing increasing urban density, the problems of the pedestrian are rarely considered from a design perspective. One reason for this is that there are few useful tools available for analysing the behaviour of pedestrians in existing urban spaces, and none to assist designers to optimise such spaces. As a result of this, there is an urgent need for the development of design tools to enable a higher level of understanding of pedestrians in public space. This project is a world-first combining urban design theory and machine-learning for creating more socially and culturally responsive environments.Read moreRead less
Shaping social and cultural spaces: the application of computer visualisation and machine learning techniques to the design of architectural and urban spaces. The proposed research project provides a previously unavailable level of understanding of the experiential and symbolic characteristics of complex urban and architectural spaces. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of new tools, theories and design approaches that can produ ....Shaping social and cultural spaces: the application of computer visualisation and machine learning techniques to the design of architectural and urban spaces. The proposed research project provides a previously unavailable level of understanding of the experiential and symbolic characteristics of complex urban and architectural spaces. In a country that is experiencing increasing urban density there is an urgent need for the development of new tools, theories and design approaches that can produce spaces which are socially and culturally responsive.
The research project produces a leading-edge computational tool for analysing space, along with a conceptual advance in design theory. Both the tool and the theoretical advance will assist design practitioners, scholars, town planners and policy writers to shape rich, responsive and inclusive urban environments.Read moreRead less
Challenging the inflexibility of the flexible digital model. Shared digital Building Information Models that link diverse heterogeneous information are beginning to show promising results in reducing the enormous fiscal and environmental cost of clashes, errors and rework caused by design and communication errors in construction. Model flexibility is a crucial factor in enacting the best design decisions at every stage while maintaining current shared information. But there are, as yet, no examp ....Challenging the inflexibility of the flexible digital model. Shared digital Building Information Models that link diverse heterogeneous information are beginning to show promising results in reducing the enormous fiscal and environmental cost of clashes, errors and rework caused by design and communication errors in construction. Model flexibility is a crucial factor in enacting the best design decisions at every stage while maintaining current shared information. But there are, as yet, no examples of comprehensive flexible building information modelling in Australia. This research builds on an Australian concentration of world class expertise to create new knowledge to overcome the obstacles. It will directly benefit the quality and cost of the Australian built environment.Read moreRead less
WHAT IS URBAN CHARACTER? Defining, Constructing and Regulating Urban Place Identity. Urban character has become a key concept in the discourse and practice of urban development, used to defend valued places against what is seen as inappropriate development. This project will study the 3-way relations between design practice, urban regulation and urban character outcomes. How is urban character experienced in everyday life? How is it defined and constructed in public discourse? How is it created ....WHAT IS URBAN CHARACTER? Defining, Constructing and Regulating Urban Place Identity. Urban character has become a key concept in the discourse and practice of urban development, used to defend valued places against what is seen as inappropriate development. This project will study the 3-way relations between design practice, urban regulation and urban character outcomes. How is urban character experienced in everyday life? How is it defined and constructed in public discourse? How is it created through design innovation and protected through planning regulation? The project will produce a critical re-thinking of the complex issues framing the urban character debate and contribute to the development of sustainable, equitable and innovative urban futures.Read moreRead less