Tag: AEC

An Architect Learning to Program

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Learning how to program teaches you how to think logically the same way that practicing architecture teaches you how to think spatially. It teaches how to approach large problems and break them down into small manageable pieces which is a skill that any profession can benefit from.

Programming parallels architecture in the sense that simplicity is best, less is more & creativity is key.

There are many reasons one should learn to program as an architect, including:

  • enhanced use of computational design programs like Grasshopper, Rhino, and Dynamo through the use of scripting
  • creation of plug-ins & macros for Revit and other BIM / Modeling programs
  • writing animation and other scripts for virtual reality in programs like unity
  • learning data visualization in order to visually explain metrics that back up the design

I have been passively learning to program for about 2 years now and although I am still not comfortably able to do most of the items above, I am getting better with each exercise and I find that often I can translate knowledge from one program to the next.

Below is a quick look at the progression of steps I’ve taken on my journey:

Learning to use parameters (Revit, Grasshopper)

I wouldn’t really call this programming but it gave me exposure to the concept of providing the computer with instructions and seeing a malleable result. This completely revolutionized the way I work. All of a sudden I’m able to create something that’s computationally precise, specifically what the client needs, and flexible for experimentation and design. This is the power of BIM (Building Information Modeling). I still remember the first parametric model I made, a parametric louver family in Revit. I was captivated by the idea the computer would automatically update the changes based on variables I had set up in real time. I could experiment with the size of the louvers, the spacing, the quantity, the material, and the shape in a non-destructive manner, meaning I could go back and forth between options just by typing in different numbers. My mind was truly blown.

Codeacademy – HTML & CSS

I went through a few other ‘start to code’ websites but this was the most effective and it kept my attention long enough for me to finish it. Again, I wouldn’t call HTML or CSS programming but it explained the way that you talk to the computer in order to get output. For example, creating a reusable template of text styles like size, bold headings, italicized quotes that I could apply holistically to a document without having to select each one and change its properties individually anytime I wanted to make a change. Additionally, I learned about text editors and what writing code is in general.

Python

Although the markup language was a good stepping stone to learn, I was more interested in learning about functions and variables so I could start to program inside of the modeling software. Python was recommended to me as a simple language to learn and one that worked with Rhino. I found a fantastic online course through edx.com that taught the fundamentals of the language and programming in general. By the end of the class, I was able to program simple games and tools with ease.

In addition to the beginner class, I also took a course on Python for Data Science which really opened my eyes to how the computer actually translates code into vectors and shapes. This made grasshopper much easier to comprehend.

C#

Once I learned python it was much easier to make sense of C#. By no means am I an expert at either of them; frankly, I’m still very much a beginner, but I can confidently say that I know how to program. I began to learn C# while taking an online class about Virtual Reality Development using Unity from Udacity. I have primarily used the language to program animations in unity but am excited about learning to use c# with Grasshopper and other software.

Scripting in Grasshopper

The Designalyze blog has a quick and easy intro to C# scripting tutorial set that gave me the basics of how to write simple scripts in grasshopper. If you have exposure to programming and C# this will be a breeze; if not, it may seem a bit confusing but immediate visuals help to clearly show what the code is doing. The nice thing about scripting in grasshopper is that there is a text editor directly into the C# component so if you’re new to programming you don’t have to mess around with figuring out which text editor is best and how to run that code.

At this point, I have the basic tools and knowledge to embark on those ambitious goals I mentioned previously. It’s just a matter of starting.

 

 

Becoming A Digital Designer in the AEC Industry

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The advent of the computer has changed how we design and build. It has created an infinite amount of potential for complexity and purpose in building design. Over the past few years, I have come to realize that architects and designers have no choice but to increase their digital understanding and skill sets if they want to stay relevant in tomorrow’s design age.

The software and tools that we are being introduced to will upgrade the expectations of our output exponentially in the coming years. We will be expected to deliver projects smarter, faster, and more uniquely than we ever have before and the only way to do this will be with a digital design influence. With this in mind, I’ve started the Becoming a Digital Designer series to catalog my growth as a digital designer in hopes that it might help fellow architects and designers navigate the complex and diverse world of digital design.

The core benefits that digital design brings to the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) industry include

  • increased efficiency in design and construction
  • informed and responsive design
  • creative freedom to express complex form, pattern, and texture

Although there are many firms and professional independents that are boldly experimenting and developing with these emerging ideas, the full potential of this has not yet been realized in the larger industry. In the coming years, we will see a phasing out of traditional methods and an influx of digital methods from the next generation of designers who have a much deeper understanding of digital processes.

What do I mean by digital design?

In the AEC industry, there are many different ways to organize this idea. Below is a good start to understanding some of the different aspects that digital methods bring to the process.

  • Visualization: how we tell our story and sell our designs
    • 2D Media, Rendering, Virtual/Augmented/Mixed realities, Video/Animation, Web/Application Development, Augmented sketching
  • BIM (building information systems)/ 3Dmodeling:: how we document and analyze our buildings
  • Software/add-ins: How we understand our buildings
    • Tools that have been developed to optimize, inform and enhance the existing software to provide unique and specific solutions for project needs.
  • Data capture and analysis: how we inform our designs
  • Computational design: how we add complexity and precision to our designs
  • Fabrication: how we build our designs
  • Electrical/ Hardware engineering (sensor/connected buildings) : how we connect our designs

Simply put, digital design is using the computer to aid and inform the design and construction process. This translates to a variety of methods during the building process from project capture to design development to construction. Below, the diagram illustrates where certain processes may come into play throughout the project.

project timeline

Most of these digital services utilize new and different skill sets that step beyond traditional architectural knowledge. This will require most professionals to seek training and/or continuing education to attain these new skillsets in order to provide adequate processes and designs. In order to take full advantage of these services, we need to embed experts with these skillsets onto our project teams and get them to knowingly train people on the job. Without this, all the knowledge lives with a few key people and the projects suffer.

I’m not saying everyone has to learn everything; just that the more we learn the better everything gets.

The path to becoming a comprehensive digital designer is quite overwhelming for a beginner due to the many seemingly unrelated subjects; however, if taken one step at a time, the knowledge will develop to a level where the designer feels comfortable using diverse digital design methods at all stages of building design and construction. The hardest part is starting.