THEORY AND APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTATIONAL LANGUAGE IN DESIGN

Fall 2017 – Tuesday 10:00-13:00

Prof. Dr. Birgül Çolakoğlu

Teaching Assistants:

Can Uzun | Begüm Aktaş

 

 

The main objective of the course is to help students gain computational thinking skills that are necessary within the realm of computational design practice in architecture. The class will cover topics such as computational thinking, and computational design (system design). Visual Computational thinking will be introduced through shape patterns by utilizing shape grammars.

 

“Design thinking draws on logic, imagination, intuition and systemic reasoning to explore the possibilities of what could be, and to create desired outcomes that benefit the end user…” 

“Computational thinking overlaps with logical thinking and systems thinking. It includes algorithmic thinking and parallel thinking, which in turn engage other kinds of thought processes, such as compositional reasoning, pattern matching, procedure thinking, and recursive thinking.” (“Benefits of Computational Thinking, Jeannette M. Wing,2010)

 

Computational design agglomerates these two thinking processes in doing design. Shape grammar is a computational design methodology, derived on the basis of mathematics and logic.   It is rule based (algorithmic) process that uses geometric elements, (shapes) as basic elements of design and acts on them via mathematical operations.

 

In the scope of the course content, formal computational thinking will be explored through pattern design by utilizing visual computing soft wares. Computational design is a process by which designers use shape algorithms to develop an object’s form. Computational design (system design) is a process by which designers utilize data integrated shape algorithms to develop an optimized object’s form for a required problem.

 

Architectural acoustic is based on physics of sound and is a realm of design science. Exploring the design and creation of dynamic surface patterns for acoustic panels through computational means reveals the ability to vary the acoustics of build spaces in real time.

 

The course is structured in three modules: the first module will introduce students with computational design method (shape grammar) and its application in pattern design. The second module focuses on Architectural acoustics. The third module consists of computationally designed dynamic surface patterns for acoustic panels.