Data-Driven Structures in Volumetric Architectural Design
This course provides an in-depth engagement with data-driven methods in architectural design, emphasizing the potential of point cloud data and AI-assisted augmentation to redefine the conception, optimization, and tectonic articulation of structures. Building on current research in digital tectonics, computational geometry, and artificial intelligence, the course aims to demonstrate how emerging technologies can enrich creative processes while simultaneously addressing architectural challenges such as efficiency, material economy, and aesthetic expression.
Core Focus
Students will engage with point cloud manifolds as a fundamental concept for representing spatial geometries through discrete data points. The course introduces the process of manifold collapsing, employed to simplify complex datasets, optimize structural logics, and consolidate clusters into modular structural components. A structured volumetric workflow forms the methodological backbone of the course, offering a clear and accessible approach for translating abstract data into tangible architectural structures.
To expand the aesthetic and expressive potential of design outcomes, the course integrates AI-based style transformations. Building on recent developments in machine learning, this allows for the augmentation of tectonic expressions without compromising functional aspects. Students will explore how computational and creative processes can be synergistically combined to generate innovative architectural solutions.
Methods & Topics
● Introduction to point cloud manifolds: representation of spatial data and geometries
● Manifold collapsing: simplification of point clouds for structural optimization
● Cluster-based assemblies: design of modular components informed by spatial logic
● Structured volumetric workflow: step-by-step integration of point cloud data into the design process
● AI-augmented design: application of style transfer techniques to enhance tectonic expression
● Tectonics and materiality: synthesis of form, function, and aesthetics