Tag: Becoming a Digital Designer

An Architect Learning to Program

Posted on Posted in Becoming a Digital Designer, Digital DesignTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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.

 

 

Tips on Getting Started with Grasshopper for Rhino

Posted on Posted in Becoming a Digital Designer, Digital DesignTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Tips grasshoper rhino

Grasshopper can be a very intimidating software to learn. The tool requires you to look at architecture as geometry and physics rather than as strictly form. This can be challenging because it requires a different mindset; however, if you can get past this hurdle, the tool can be extremely powerful. With Grasshopper, we can iterate infinite possibilities of our designs and strategies in a non-destructive way.

When I was first getting started with grasshopper I recognized all of this possibility but had no idea where to start and was turned off by the complexity every time I opened up the program and tried to learn. Eventually, I gave myself a project to do and committed to somehow bringing grasshopper into the process. Over time, I became more comfortable with the program but I definitely learned some lessons along the way.

There are a ton of resources online, use them.

The only way you’re going to learn is by doing so I recommend either finding a project to do like a design competition or craft object; or, by finding some tutorials online to run through for practice. In addition to the official tutorials, Youtube is a great resource for videos but there are also lots of great learning websites with more robust plans. Below are a few that I have tried and liked.

When starting do not try to create everything in grasshopper

Use rhino with grasshopper to simplify the process when just beginning to learn. Some actions are more difficult and less efficient to do in grasshopper.

  • example : creating a unique curve shape to use in a pattern. Sometimes with complex curves, it is easier to create them in rhino and then manipulate them in grasshopper. This can also be said for curves that will create a lofted surface. The benefit of this is that you can freely edit the shape of the curves in Rhino without having to come up with a mathematical solution for reshaping the curves.

Say what you’re trying to do out loud if you get lost

With Grasshopper, you need to really understand what you’re components are doing because you are working on a more granular scale than with other modeling software. For this reason, it is easy to get lost along the way and by saying out loud exactly what you are trying to accomplish step by step it will be easier to locate the correct component. If you’re not much for talking to yourself then making a list or mind map will suffice.

  • example: you want to array a curve (shaped line) along a surface at various points. When modeling you can simply draw the curves (lines) on the surface wherever you’d like and be done with it. This is easy but limiting. Say you don’t know how many instances of the curve you want on the surface, or you’re not sure what the curve shape is yet. This is where grasshopper comes in; however, to do so you have to understand all the steps to
    1. draw the curve
    2. create a grid on the surface
    3. move the curve to the surface grid points using a translation vector
    4. orient the curve to lie flat on the surface using planes or other methods

Catalog your scripts into an organized library so they can be reused when needed

Often we are using the same definitions to do many different projects. When first learning grasshopper you will most likely be doing small tutorials that teach you how to accomplish a specific goal. When doing so it is good practice to save the definition into a folder with an associated image so that you can come back to it later and recognize what the definition is doing for when you want to reuse it in another project. In doing this you will soon have a library of basic definitions that you can reuse over and over again to make future projects much quicker.

Surround yourself with inspiration and motivation to make you think about practicing as often as possible

A few ways to do this are:

  • Find online resources that you like and bookmark the page so you see it in your bookmarks bar regularly
  • add the site as an additional homepage to open everytime you open up the internet. Next time you aimlessly open the browser the blog will be present and you’ll be more inclined to check up on what the latest is if you’re looking for somewhere to start.
  • subscribe to the channel on youtube
  • my favorite, change the background on your desktop to something related to the goal so everytime you sit down at the computer you think about working on something or getting to a certain point.

A Simple VR Game

Posted on Posted in Becoming a Digital DesignerTagged , , , Leave a comment
puzzler test 2

As part of the Udacity VR developer Nanodegree program I am currently taking, we get to make games. For me, this is really exciting because I grew up playing video games and to be able to make one of my own is a real treat.

As beginners, we often take very small steps on the way to becoming an expert; this game is a prime example of one of those small steps. There is only one hurdle to overcome in the game but technically that’s all you need…right? Although the scale is small, there were quite a few steps to finish the game which provided a great balance of creativity, experimentation, frustration, and problem-solving. The main focus for this part of the course was on design. We created a Simon-says type game in a mysterious dungeon setting.

Initial Design Scheme

puzzler sketch

This sketch shows an idea to put the dungeon into a cave and have the Simon says game be on a wall that opens once you win. I had big ambitions at the beginning of the class. Once I realized that I would need to create all the prefabs for this model I decided to settle for the design elements provided by the course.

Defining the player

Before the design process could begin we needed to understand who will be playing our game. For this, we assign a motive and background to a prototypical character of our ideal audience.

Anthony, 24 – Software Engineer
Anthony is a software engineer who loves to play indie games because of their uniqueness and simple nature. He relates to simple games because he can better understand how they are built. Anthony isn’t sure he will like VR games so he wants to try something that is easy to pick up. 

Dungeon Design Iterations

For the course, we were provided a generic prefab for the dungeon which included the door, one floor tile, and a few wall & ceiling pieces. As a way to make my project unique, I created a clerestory in the dungeon. This adds a bit of drama to the scene while the player is in-game which is important when creating an engaging VR experience.

Final Model Close-up
High Ceiling.PNG

I wanted the dungeon to feel old and dim with a magical twist so I experimented with the lighting to try to find the ideal mood. Below is an example showing the before and after of the lighting for the fire torches (fire not yet present). In the top photo, the room is much too bright because the light at the torches has too much of a spread causing all the light to bleed together. The bottom image corrects this by making the lighting more local to the torches.

puzzler test 1
puzzler test 2

User Testing

During user testing of the build, the player noticed that the spacing of the orbs along with their position relative to the player did not feel good once in VR; so, these items were also adjusted for the bottom image. This is an example of why it is always good to constantly check your model in VR while in the design process.

After further user testing, additional ambiance was added to the game via color adjustments and flame particles.

Final Build

The final build features a start and restart screen, movement mechanics, ambient & responsive sounds and a game logic that asks the player to repeat the pattern created by the orbs lighting up.

Key takeaways include:

  • Test the model often in VR. Although it takes a bit of time to frequently build the app and test it on the device, this is helpful in preventing larger scale changes at the end of the project and ensures the project feels comfortable in the VR setting.
  • Design with the player in mind and user test often. When designing a game we need to establish who the audience is and then cater the design and user experience to them. Furthermore, we need to take into consideration differences that we may have with the user such as motion sensitivity in VR. User tests are a means to test your design to make sure it feels good to the player.
  • Design should be used as a tool to guide the player through the game. We can use elements like sound to provide feedback to the player which helps them understand how the game works. A negative tone plays in the game when the player guesses the wrong sequence which helps them understand they chose the wrong answer without having to explicitly tell them in text that is cumbersome to read in VR
Final Model

Overall, this was a fun project that focused on the design side of VR development.

Becoming A Digital Designer in the AEC Industry

Posted on Posted in Becoming a Digital DesignerTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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.