University of Southern California
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Material Swarm Articulations, is an experiment in developing a multi-objective optimization system that incorporates bottom up approaches for informing architectural design. The paper presents an initial built project that demonstrates... more
Material Swarm Articulations, is an experiment in developing a multi-objective optimization system that incorporates bottom up approaches for informing architectural design. The paper presents an initial built project that demonstrates the combination of a structural form finding method, with an agent based design system through the digital fabrication processes. The objective of this research is to develop a workflow combined with material and construction constraints that has the potential to increase performance objectives while enabling geometric complexity and design driven articulation of a traditional tectonic system. The emphasis of the research at this stage is to take advantage of material properties and assembly methods applied to a digital design and simulation workflow that enables emergent patterns to influence the performance of the space.The paper illustrates the research through a prototype of a self standing canopy structure in 1:1 scale. It presents results of the form finding, generative patterning, digital fabrication affordances and sets and agenda for next steps in the use of multi-agent systems for design purposes.
This paper presents research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design. It proposes a design exploration methodology at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computer science. The moti‐ vation of the... more
This paper presents research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design. It proposes a design exploration methodology at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computer science. The moti‐ vation of the work includes exploring bottom up generative methods coupled with optimizing performance criteria including for geometric complexity and objec‐ tive functions for environmental, structural and fabrication parameters. The paper presents the development of a research framework and initial experiments to provide design solutions, which simultaneously satisfy complexly coupled and often contradicting objectives. The prototypical experiments and initial algo‐ rithms are described through a set of different design cases and agents within this framework; for the generation of façade panels for light control; for emergent design of shell structures; for actual construction of reciprocal frames; and for robotic fabrication. Initial results include multi-agent derived efficiencies for environmental and fabrication criteria and discussion of future steps for inclusion of human and structural factors.
This paper presents research on the development of multi- agent systems (MAS) for integrated and performance driven architectural design. It presents the development of a simulation framework that bridges architecture and engineering,... more
This paper presents research on the development of multi- agent systems (MAS) for integrated and performance driven architectural design. It presents the development of a simulation framework that bridges architecture and engineering, through a series of multi-agent based experiments. The research is motivated to combine multiple design agencies into a system for managing and optimizing architectural form, across multiple objectives and contexts. The research anticipates the incorporation of feedback from real world human behavior and user preferences with physics based structural form finding and environmental analysis data. The framework is a multi-agent system that provides design teams with informed design solutions, which simultaneously optimize and satisfy competing design objectives. The initial results for building structures are measured in terms of the level of lighting improvements and qualitatively in geometric terms. Critical to the research is the elaboration of the system and the feedback loops that are possible when using the multi-agent systems approach.
Recent studies have focused on increasing energy efficiency in commercial buildings through technological means (e.g., efficient HVAC systems, sensors and sensing systems). However, most studies underestimate the impact of occupants’... more
Recent studies have focused on increasing energy
efficiency in commercial buildings through technological means (e.g., efficient HVAC systems, sensors and sensing systems). However, most studies underestimate the impact of occupants’ behavioural choices. Lighting systems account for approximately a fifth of the total electricity consumption in the US; commercial buildings account for 71 percent of such consumption. This paper focuses on human behaviour related energy consumption by investigating the impact of personal control on lighting use in office environments. To effectively examine human energy consumption behaviour, alternative 3D design models of an office are created using an immersive virtual environment to visualize different lighting control features. Participants are brought into these immersive virtual environments by wearing Head-Mounted Displays and are asked to interact within these environments and perform a defined task. Participants were then allowed to control and change the room’s lighting settings based on their preferences in order to perform their assigned task. Unique to our experimental design is the use of immersive virtual environments, enabling measurement and control of a series of design feature isolations and combinations. The work presents the impact of decisions made both during design and operation of buildings on occupants’ energy related behaviour. The experiment demonstrated that when participants are provided with personal controls for the blinds and the artificial light, there is no significant difference in their preferences between natural and artificial lighting; however participants are significantly more likely to open the blinds remotely if they are only provided with a personal control for the blinds.
efficiency in commercial buildings through technological means (e.g., efficient HVAC systems, sensors and sensing systems). However, most studies underestimate the impact of occupants’ behavioural choices. Lighting systems account for approximately a fifth of the total electricity consumption in the US; commercial buildings account for 71 percent of such consumption. This paper focuses on human behaviour related energy consumption by investigating the impact of personal control on lighting use in office environments. To effectively examine human energy consumption behaviour, alternative 3D design models of an office are created using an immersive virtual environment to visualize different lighting control features. Participants are brought into these immersive virtual environments by wearing Head-Mounted Displays and are asked to interact within these environments and perform a defined task. Participants were then allowed to control and change the room’s lighting settings based on their preferences in order to perform their assigned task. Unique to our experimental design is the use of immersive virtual environments, enabling measurement and control of a series of design feature isolations and combinations. The work presents the impact of decisions made both during design and operation of buildings on occupants’ energy related behaviour. The experiment demonstrated that when participants are provided with personal controls for the blinds and the artificial light, there is no significant difference in their preferences between natural and artificial lighting; however participants are significantly more likely to open the blinds remotely if they are only provided with a personal control for the blinds.
This research prefaces the need for engaging with end-users in early stages of design as means to achieve higher performing de- signs with an increased certainty for end-user satisfaction. While the architecture, engineering, and... more
This research prefaces the need for engaging with end-users in early stages of design as means to achieve higher performing de- signs with an increased certainty for end-user satisfaction. While the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) community has previously used virtual reality, the primary use has been for coordina- tion and visualization of Building Information Models (BIM). This work builds upon the value of use of virtual environments in AEC processes but asks the research question "how can we better test and measure design alternatives through the integration of immersive vir- tual reality into our digital and physical mock up workflows? " The work is predicated on the need for design exploration through associa- tive parametric design models, as well as, testing and measuring de- sign alternatives with human subjects. The paper focuses on immer- sive virtual environments (IVEs) and presents a literature review of the use of virtual environments for integrating end-user feedback dur- ing the design stage. In a controlled pilot experiment, the authors find that human participants perform similarly in IVE and the physical en- vironment in everyday tasks. The participants indicated they felt a strong sense of "presence" in IVE. In the future, the authors plan on using IVE to explore the integration of multi agent systems to impact building design performance and occupant satisfaction.
This paper presents research and experimentation with context-aware multi-agent-based design systems to simulate and propose urban schemes that specifically utilize fields of differentiated intensity data in order to propose an... more
This paper presents research and experimentation with context-aware multi-agent-based design systems to simulate and propose urban schemes that specifically utilize fields of differentiated intensity data in order to propose an infrastructure to support urban revitalization. The research objective of the work is to propose a semi-autonomous system that can be deployed to analyze and then design and construct urban-scale infrastructure where regen- eration or revitalization is necessary, emphasizing the possibilities for emergent efficiencies. The research presents the system development in the context of a hypothetical design research for a contaminated area of Mexico City. The problem definition, system development and simulation and analysis of the results to date are described and discussed. The system consists of a series of steps undertaken by a group of hypothetical simulated robotic agents that react to local conditions to generate a network for irrigation and buildable areas in a contaminated brown-field site with high salinity. Evaluation of the system is conducted by comparing initial data sets with the final form of the simulated irrigation network. These results provide a workflow for negotiating with intensive fields generally. The work also illustrates a site-specific scheme for deployment of different infrastructure networks. The work is discussed in the context of generative urban design and the ways in which architects are appropriating simulation technologies to generate urban form.
Material Swarm Articulations, is an experiment in developing a multi-objective optimization system that incorporates bottom up approaches for informing architectural design. The paper presents an initial built project that demonstrates... more
Material Swarm Articulations, is an experiment in developing a multi-objective optimization system that incorporates bottom up approaches for informing architectural design. The paper presents an initial built project that demonstrates the combination of a structural form finding method, with an agent based design system through the digital fabrication processes. The objective of this research is to develop a workflow combined with material and construction constraints that has the potential to increase performance objectives while enabling geometric complexity and design driven articulation of a traditional tectonic system. The emphasis of the research at this stage is to take advantage of material properties and assembly methods applied to a digital design and simulation workflow that enables emergent patterns to influence the performance of the space.The paper illustrates the research through a prototype of a self standing canopy structure in 1:1 scale. It presents results of the form finding, generative patterning, digital fabrication affordances and sets and agenda for next steps in the use of multi-agent systems for design purposes.
With improvements in computer modeling that allow AEC professionals to rapidly simulate trillions of design and construction alternatives, decision-makers need a way to efficiently and effectively interpret and explore the vast design... more
With improvements in computer modeling that allow AEC professionals to rapidly simulate trillions of design and construction alternatives, decision-makers need a way to efficiently and effectively interpret and explore the vast design space while building team and organizational consensus around a solution. Multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) and data visualization methods play an important role in successfully achieving these goals. However, while the prescriptive benefits of these methods are widely acknowledged, the precise impact that they have on design team performance and project quality has not been fully described. This paper presents the descriptive findings from four early-stage building design charrettes that implemented normative data visualization and MADM techniques. Key metrics considered are normalized solution quality, level of design exploration, and consensus among multiple decision-makers. Empirically, the results show that MADM is associated with higher rates of group consensus, and that a combination of MADM and visual aids generates the greatest improvement in solution quality over time.
This work presents prototypes of multi-agent system simulation for design search and exploration. We describe an experimental approach in part based on a previously established multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework. Here... more
This work presents prototypes of multi-agent system simulation for design search and exploration. We describe an experimental approach in part based on a previously established multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework. Here the work further explores the potential impact of MDO in conjunction with multi-agent systems on the early stages of design. Specifically, this paper addresses the potential of introducing agent based computing techniques into the multidisciplinary architectural design optimization and search workflow to tackle geometrically complex design problems and to facilitate early stage design exploration. To address these interests a series of prototyped workflows were studied inclusive of environmental performance and structural performance metrics and benchmarks. This paper presents a novel methodology for using simulation data in conjunction with multi-agent systems as a way for re-informing form and enhancing performance in a generative design environment. The methodology is based on the use of swarm algorithms and their integration with data generated by simulation software. The interaction between these two domains, the simulation data and swarm algorithms, generates the final outputs as a modified geometry that is then evaluated by comparison for enhanced design performance.
This paper presents research into a technique using context-aware agent based branching L-systems to design explore an urban development scheme in an area of peripheral Mexico City. The design research demonstrates a viable approach to... more
This paper presents research into a technique using context-aware agent based branching L-systems to design explore an urban development scheme in an area of peripheral Mexico City. The design research demonstrates a viable approach to engaging design with specific agent driven objectives that negotiate across highly differentiated fields of data sets. These data sets are the driving force behind this technique, to generate highly differentiated infrastructure and urban networks that are simulated to be autonomous and emergent. The described system consists of simulated robotic autonomous agents that sample and negotiate across data from the site, and react to differences in order to deploy an irrigation network for a polluted and highly saline former lake-bed east of Mexico City.
This paper explores the application of a novel Multi-disciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) framework to the early stage design process, through a case study where the designer serves as the primary user and driver. MDO methods have drawn... more
This paper explores the application of a novel Multi-disciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) framework to the early stage design process, through a case study where the designer serves as the primary user and driver. MDO methods have drawn attention from the building design industry as a potential means of overcoming obstacles between design and building performance feedback to support design decision-making. However, precedents exploring MDOs in application to the building design have previously been limited to driving use by engineers or research teams,thereby leaving the incorporation of MDO into a design process by designers largely unexplored.In order to investigate whether MDO can enable the ability to design in a performance environment during the conceptual design stage, a MDO design framework entitled Evolutionary Energy-Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD) was developed. This paper explores the designer as the primary user by conducting a case study where the application of EEPFD to a single family residential housing unit is incorporated. Through this case study EEPFD demonstrates an ability to assist the designer in identifying higher performing design options while meeting the designer’s aesthetic preferences. In addition the benefits, limitations, concerns and lessons learned in the application of EEPFD are also discussed.
In order to understand the applicability of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) to the building design process, a MDO framework, titled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD), along with the prototype tool,... more
In order to understand the applicability of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) to the building design process, a MDO framework, titled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD), along with the prototype tool, H.D.S. Beagle, were developed to support designers with the incorporation of partially automated performance feedback during the early stages of design. This paper presents 2 experimental case studies, one from the design profession and the other from a design studio, that evaluate the applicability and impact of EEPFD on the early stage design process. Through these two case studies two different interaction and automation approaches for applying EEPFD are explored as part of the framework validation. Observed benefits, challenges and suggestions of EEPFD’s implementation are then presented and discussed.
The paper describes the development, testing, and initial findings of a design tool that generates parametrically defined, semi-automatically analyzed, and visualized structural performance of specific truss designs. The prototypical... more
The paper describes the development, testing, and initial findings of a design tool that generates parametrically defined, semi-automatically analyzed, and visualized structural performance of specific truss designs. The prototypical design tool provides structural truss solutions for spans of uniform to non-uniform surface curvatures. Real-time visual structural performance feedback enables the designer to more rapidly develop viable and potentially more efficient designs under user defined load conditions. The research methodology is an example of reinforcing structural learning and intuition within the design process. The research presents findings of the impact of iterative and interactive structural feedback through the development of a parametrically integrated structural truss analysis tool for aiding in design decision support.
Researching the potential of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) for overcoming current obstacles between the design and energy simulation domains, a MDO design centric framework, titled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback... more
Researching the potential of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) for overcoming current obstacles between the design and energy simulation domains, a MDO design centric framework, titled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD) was developed to explore the applicability of this design framework to the early stage design process. EEPFD incorporates both conceptual energy analysis and the exploration of complex geometry for the purpose of providing early stage design performance feedback. This paper presents a practice based case study through a design competition project for a net zero energy school design with the purpose of evaluating the applicability and impact of EEPFD on the early stage design process. The research then compares three approaches used to obtain energy performance feedback during the case study; including in-house energy analysis, collaboration with MEP consultants, and the use of EEPFD. Through a comparative study EEPFD demonstrates the ability to generate performance feedback more rapidly than the industry standard alternatives. Challenges and suggestions for improvement of EEPFD are then presented and discussed.
A framework entitled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD) was developed to mobilize the potential of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) towards solving current obstacles between design and energy... more
A framework entitled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD) was developed to mobilize the potential of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) towards solving current obstacles between design and energy performance feedback. However, EEPFD needs to be applicable to the early stage design process where it has the potential for the greatest impact on the overall building lifecycle performance. This paper focuses on examining two criteria identified as necessary components to confirming the validity of EEPFD prior to EEPFD’s application to the actual design process: 1) the ability to accommodate varying degrees of geometric complexity; and 2) the ability to provide a continuing improved solution space. Through 12 hypothetical cases, the research confirms that EEPFD meets these criteria and therefore is suitable for further exploration in application to the early design process. Effective applications of EEPFD to the early stages of design are also explored and discussed.
This research is built upon a previously established, early stage, multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework, entitled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD), and proceeds with observing the impact of... more
This research is built upon a previously established, early stage, multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework, entitled Evolutionary Energy Performance Feedback for Design (EEPFD), and proceeds with observing the impact of EEPFD on the early stages of design by conducting a pedagogical benchmark experiment. This experiment has two main observational interests. The first objective is to observe discrepancies between the human versus automated decision-making processes and the resulting performance of the solution space from each process. The second objective is to understand students' ability to translate their design intent into a parametric model, as this is a crucial component in the implementation of EEPFD. By comparing EEPFD and the benchmark pedagogical process, this paper provides an initial assessment of the potential of EEPFD to reduce latency in decision-making and to find superior performing design solutions compared to the benchmark process. At the completion of this experiment, it was observed that EEPFD was able to deliver superior performing design solution spaces, but that students encountered difficulties in the translation of their design intent into a functioning parametric model.
This research is built upon a previously established multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework and further explores the impact of this framework on the early stages of design. Specifically, this paper addresses the potential... more
This research is built upon a previously established multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) framework and further explores the impact of this framework on the early stages of design. Specifically, this paper addresses the potential of introducing a cloud-based approach to tackle geometrically complex design problems and to facilitate early stage design exploration. To address these interests two experiment sets are presented and then discussed in the context of the application of cloud-based computing. First, is a hypothetical scenario possessing complex geometry to understand how the existing established framework assists in the exploration of complex geometric design problems. Second, is a pedagogical benchmark case allowing for the observation of the human versus automated decision making process. By comparing these processes the impact of the established MDO approach on "designing-in performance" and the potential impact of applying cloud-based computing to the MDO framework can be revealed and discussed.
The research presents the custom development of a software tool and design process for integrating three design domains, their respective objectives, and geometric parameterizations. It then describes a set of experimental projects and... more
The research presents the custom development of a software tool and design process for integrating three design domains, their respective objectives, and geometric parameterizations. It then describes a set of experimental projects and analyses in the context of informing form and geometric complexity. Preliminary results of the multidisciplinary design optimization prototype, which, implements a genetic algorithm, are then presented. The findings include discussion of the value for architects for designing-in performance e.g. the bringing of the energy simulation and financial pro-forma upstream in the design process and of the value for trade off design decision making the system provides. The summary discussion includes the benefit of breeding architecturally complex geometries and the kinds of optimisations or search for improvements on designs that can be achieved.
Design is a goal oriented decision-making activity. Design is ill defined and requiring of synthetic approaches to weighing and understanding tradeoffs amongst soft and hard objectives, and the imprecise and or computationally explicit... more
Design is a goal oriented decision-making activity. Design is ill defined and requiring of synthetic approaches to weighing and understanding tradeoffs amongst soft and hard objectives, and the imprecise and or computationally explicit criteria and goals. In this regard designers in contemporary practice face a crisis of sorts. How do we achieve performance under large degrees of uncertainty and limited design cycle time? How do we better design for integrating performance? Fundamentally design teams, are not typically given enough time nor the best tools to design explore, to generate design alternatives, and then evolve solution quality to search for best fit through expansive design solution spaces. Given the complex criteria for defining performance in architecture our research approach experiments upon an evolutionary and integrative computational strategy to expand the solution space of a design problem as well as pre-sort and qualify candidate designs. We present technology and methodology that supports rapid development of design problem solution spaces in which three design domains objectives have multi-directional impact on each other. The research describes the use of an evolutionary approach in which a genetic algorithm is used as a means to automate the design alternative population as well as to facilitate multidisciplinary design domain optimization. The paper provides a technical description of the prototype design, one that integrates associative parametric modeling with an energy use intensity evaluation and with a financial pro forma. The initial results of the research are presented and analyzed including impacts on design process; the impacts on design uncertainty and design cycle latency; and the affordances for ‘designing-in’ performance and managing project complexity. A summary discussion is developed which describes a future cloud implementation and the future extensions into other domains, scales, tectonic and system detail.
BIM intrinsically provides many features and methodologies to eliminate waste, promote a streamlined flow of work and the delivery of value to internal and external customers. This study builds on an existing interaction matrix of lean... more
BIM intrinsically provides many features and methodologies to eliminate waste, promote a streamlined flow of work and the delivery of value to internal and external customers. This study builds on an existing interaction matrix of lean principles and BIM functionalities and explores new interactions between these two. The study also aims to expand the existing matrix by discerning new and uncovered BIM functionalities and lean construction principles. In an attempt to pinpoint new interactions, researchers have identified academic and industry based projects, which have integrated BIM methodologies and have employed lean concepts. The research then integrated these new projects to the interaction matrix to further understand how BIM contributes lean construction and how coupling BIM and Lean Construction may affect projects in terms of time, cost and value. The nurturing proposition of this research is that BIM functionalities are still largely unexplored, especially those related to the operation and maintenance stages of a facility. Their link to the Lean Construction theory may actually help promote an informed use of BIM for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Owner industry and to promote more effective transformation, flow and value generation throughout the life cycle of construction projects.