CAAD in pedagogical practice - Cumincadpapers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/c8c8.content.pdf · CAAD...

CAAD in pedagogical practice

eCAADe 1996 - PDF-Proceedings (conversion 2000) 199

CAAD in pedagogical practiceAnn Hendricx, Herman Neuckermans, Han Vandevyvere, Kris Nuyts1

The course on CAAD at the K.U.Leuven is part of the course on design methodology and theoryfrom which it is the most recent and natural extension. Attached to this course a series ofassignments has been developed which bring the students in 45 hours to a non-trivial level ofacquaintance with CAAD. Our assignments are primarily directed towards practice. They arebuilt on top of AutoCAD to which we have added in-house developments in order to focus onspecific pedagogical goals within a very limited time.After a general introduction on Windows (file management) and AutoCAD (basics) students makethe following assignments (main pedagogical goals in between brackets): colophon (working withblocks), detail (2D-drawing, hatching, editing), façade design using a built-in system ofproportion (slides, scriptfile), extraction (linking alphanumerical and graphical entities),container (level of detail, icon menus, viewports), surface modelling (modelling 3D-objects withsurfaces), fractal tree (recursion in Autolisp), solid modelling (Leicester engineering building),lighting (integration of drawing and computation of illumination levels), pressure lines in an arc(interactive design of an arc), demos. The paper presents and comments these assignments andshows results from the last 2 years.

INTRODUCTION

By the end of the seventies the issue of design methods no longer was a hot topic. It was gentlyfading away when suddenly the advent of the PC reactivated the interest into the technicality ofthe design activity. CAAD quickly became the adage and pushed into the background thediscussions about the legitimacy of the problem-solving paradigm for architectural design. Theunderlying confusion however about the relevance of systematic methods to design andsubsequently about the role of computers in architectural design still exists. Therefore at theK.U.Leuven the course on CAAD is not taught as a mere instrumental skill but is embedded in amore general debate on design theory. This course consists of 3 parts:

Part 1 focuses on design epistemology: the discussion on the nature of design problems,modelling the design process, structuring the building programme, generation of ideas andselection of alternatives (the problem of weighing). It builds the argumentation for rejecting theidea of fully automated design. Part 2 brings a critical study of design methods or so calleddesign methods: notation methods, decomposition, patterns, morphological box, masterplanning. Part 3 is devoted to CAAD and the topics are: definitions, hardware and software forCAAD, physical and conceptual modelling, the state of the art, prospective uses like case-basedreasoning, intelligent objects.

Whereas the theoretical part on CAAD sheds light on what the domain really is, the exerciseshave the ambition to bring the students to a deep level of literacy in CAAD. The course onDesign Methods is taught to 4th year students because we think the subject makes more sense

1 ir. arch. Ann Hendricx, Prof. Dr. ir. arch. Herman Neuckermans, ir. arch. Han Vandevyvere,

ir. arch. Kris Nuyts. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Dpt ASRO, Heverlee, Belgium.

CAAD in pedagogical practice


to those who have already some design experience (from the 3 previous years). They all have hada course on computer science and another on systems software before they take the course onCAAD. This allows us to go further than just using existing software.

The CAAD practice can be taught at different levels. First of all, one has to become accustomedwith hardware and software in order to explore the state of the art. This is the real learningphase. Secondly, the acquired knowledge can be used to customise existing CAAD applicationsto the personal needs of the user. Existing knowledge from different domains can be programmedand combined into helpful software tools. This developing step already assumes a more activeattitude. Finally, creativity plays an essential role in exploring and conceiving new ideas anddevelopments in the field of CAAD.

The CAAD exercises in the fourth year focus on the first two levels of acquaintance with thesubject. Subsequently, those who like can penetrate into the creative phase by making a CAADdissertation in their last year.

Since 3 years the practical course on CAAD is compulsory. About 60 students attend it yearly.Since we have 20 PC’s (IBM Value Point 486 with NEC 17 inch high resolution colour screens)in our computer class, we take them in 3 shifts of 2.5 hour sessions with one tutor per session.

The first sessions are devoted to general introductions on Windows and Autocad. In order toavoid unconscious promotion of Autocad, we also invite other firms to give a demo of theirsoftware (Microstation, Star, Minicad). The other assignments are shortly described andillustrated in the following pages (what), this in the sequence they are taught. Each exercise addssome specific skills to the students’ capabilities (why). For the sake of completeness, the timeprovided within the sessions ànd the time students really spent on the assignment are added.

REFERENCES

KINABLE, M. 1987. Computergesteund gevelontwerp in de faze van het schetsontwerp(Computer aided façade design in the early design stage, in Dutch). Diss. Ir. Arch. FaculteitToegepaste Wetenschappen, K.U.Leuven.NEUCKERMANS, H. 1992. “A conceptual model for CAAD”. Automation in construction,vol.1, nr.1, pp.1-6NEUCKERMANS, H. 1994. Ontwerpmethodiek (Design methodology, in Dutch). Course text,Departement ASRO, Faculteit Toegepaste Wetenschappen, K.U.Leuven.SCHEPERS, L. 1994. CAAD: Visualizatie van dagverlichting in faze schetsontwerp (Visualisationof daylight in the early design stage, in Dutch). Diss. Ir. Arch. Faculteit ToegepasteWetenschappen, K.U.Leuven.SMARS P. 1992. Etudes sur les structures en maçonnerie (Research on masonry structures, inFrench). Diss. for R. Lemaire Centre for Conservation, K.U.Leuven.VAN SCHEL, P. 1995. Ontwikkeling van een ‘toolbox’ voor het ontwerp van bouwkundigedetails (A toolbox development for easy design of constructional details, in Dutch). Diss. Ir. Arch.Faculteit Toegepaste Wetenschappen, K.U.Leuven.CAAD-oefeningen, aansluitend bij de cursus “Ontwerpmethodiek, m.i.v. het computergesteundontwerpen” (CAAD exercises, part of the course “Design methodology”, in Dutch). 1995.Departement ASRO, Faculteit Toegepaste Wetenschappen, K.U.Leuven.


COLOPHON WHAT

Inspired by the practice in the architect’s office, we ask thestudents to create a standard colophon to use in all theirfuture assignments. This colophon consists of a frame,alphanumerical information in form of fixed text andattributes, together with a logo for the student’s imaginaryoffice. This colophon is to be inserted as a ‘block’ in aDIN-A3 prototype drawing, where general settings areexplored and appropriate layers created.

WHY

Within a relative simple example, AutoCAD drawing andediting commands are exercised. Stress is laid uponaccurate drawing (in a computer, the ‘more or less’philosophy is taboo). The importance of organising adrawing is shown clearly in a prototype drawing.Secondly, the powerful possibilities of ‘blocks’ areexplored: students have to see the great advantage acomputer can offer by reusing (changeable) drawingcomponents. Finally, to satisfy the need of exploring otherwindow applications ànd to make this first acquaintance apleasant one, the students are invited to use a simpledrawing program like Paintbrush to create their own logoand import it into the AutoCAD drawing. Hereby, thedifference between graphical packages (pixels) and designpackages (vertices) is illustrated. Moreover, thepossibilities of connecting and combining differentapplications are shown. To avoid confusion, this firstexercise is kept strictly 2-dimensional.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within student’s agenda: 2.5haverage time spent: 5h

some student logo’s, a prototype drawing with inserted colophon and a student colophon


DETAIL

Yaël De Bruyne 1996

Fréderick Tack 1996

WHAT

In the architectural curric-ulumat the KU Leuven, drawing ofand reflecting on constructionaldetails is very important.Standard ‘good’ solutionscirculate within the faculty.Such a 2-dimensio-nal detail hasto be generated in an intelligentmanner: a logical organisation oflayers, colours, hatching andtext is expected. Finally, thefinished drawing has to bescaled accurately in order toprint it in combination withframe and colophon of theprevious exercise.

WHY

Drawing and editing skills aretrained in depth. Moreover,this exercise emphasises theunderlying organisation of adrawing: students have todecide what is the mostappropriate way to use layers,pen widths, colours, hatching ...A persevering attitude to dothis conse-quently throughoutthe whole drawing session isrequired. The representation ofarchitectural components (crosssection, elevation) is considered.By combining real size frames(prototype drawing) and a scalemodel, topics asscale/plotting/units ... areexplored.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time : 5haverage time spent: 7h

Bart Geeraerts 1996


FAÇADE DESIGN WHAT

Students make a 2-dimensional façade design using AutoCADtools (grid, rotate, mirror, offset ...) and a built-in proportionsystem. This system is based upon historically importantgeometrical series like the golden section and the ideas of LeCorbusier in his Modulor and Les Tracés Régulateurs. It isimplemented on top of AutoCAD and, in combination withsome existing commands, gathered in pull down menus for easyuse by the students. Choices made by students are advised andadjusted by the program to fit these choices into the logic of theproportion system. This creates order into the composition.The student’s design process has to be documented by way of aseries of slides that, ultimately, are combined in a slide show.

WHY

At the moment, the computer is widely used to model (alreadyexisting) designs, but rarely during the first design stages of roughsketching and exploring possibilities. With the façade tool,students are forced to fill this void. Next to practising graphicaltools that provide modulation and symmetry, students realisethat a computer can, instead of hampering the design process, beof great assistance. The software module and according menusthat we developed provide a first glance at the customisationpossibilities of AutoCAD. Finally, students learn to use slidesand slide scripts for presentation purposes.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within student’s agenda: 5haverage time spent: 9,5h

documentation of the design process by an number of slides, based on the golden section, dutchcommentaries are omitted (Wim Suffeleers, 1996)


EXTRACTION

BL:NAME c015000BL:X n015003BL:Y n015003MODEL c015000PRIJS n012002

'KAST', 2.100, 5.700,'hoogte 180', 10000.00'KAST', 4.800, 5.700,'hoogte 150', 8000.00'KAST', 7.500, 5.700,'hoogte 120', 6000.00'KAST', 10.200, 5.700,'hoogte 120', 6000.00'TAFEL', 14.400, 6.300,'90x180', 4500.00'STOEL', 15.300, 6.000,'bureel', 8000.00'KAST', 2.100, 0.900,'hoogte 180', 10000.00'KAST', 10.200, 0.900,'hoogte 120', 6000.00'KAST', 7.500, 0.900,'hoogte 120', 6000.00'KAST', 4.800, 0.900,'hoogte 150', 8000.00'STOEL', 16.800, 3.900,'leeszaal', 3200.00'STOEL', 16.200, 1.500,'leeszaal', 3200.00'TAFEL', 15.300, 1.800,'90x180', 4500.00'TAFEL', 17.700, 3.600,'90x180', 4500.00'TAFEL', 15.300, 3.600,'90x180', 4500.00'TAFEL', 12.900, 1.800,'90x180', 4500.00

WHAT

The extraction exercise consists of twomajor parts. Firstly , students extractattributes of newly placed furniture in alibrary room and export it into an externaltext file or spreadsheet program. Thefeatures of such a spreadsheet programare explored. Secondly, in the otherdirection, numerical data residing in anexternal database are linked to graphicalentities in the AutoCAD drawing: a list ofbooks is linked with the ‘books’ entitiesin the drawing. Small query orders aremade using these alphanumerical andgraphical data. Finally, students areinvited to produce a short essay onapplications of this technique inarchitecture and urban design.

WHY

Showing the potential benefits of an’intelligent’ system where graphical andalphanumerical data can be linked, is themain pedagogical goal of this exercise.Automatic generation of the bill ofquantities and specifications, performingall kinds of tests on the model (energy,light, stability ...), deduction ofproduction orders ... are applicationsbased on this important linking. In themeantime, however, students get theopportunity to explore spreadsheets anddatabases.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 2.5haverage time spent: within the limits ofthe time schedule

library room, extraction template and extracted text file (Jan De Greef 1996)


CONTAINER

Jo Pycke 1996

Vicky Van Daele 1995

Steven Goossens 1996

WHAT

Solving a design problem often meanslooking for a solution at an elementarylevel and gradually refine and give it aconcrete form., The computer canprovide this refinement automaticallyby using a modular building systemwith few different building elements.In particular, students are asked torealise a 3-dimensional design usingpredefined container elements drawn atdifferent levels of detail, in combinationwith some elementary editingfunctions (inserting and deleting wallpanels, windows, railings ...). The aimis to conceive a weekend residence fora person with a very specific profile,for example an astrologer or a benjijumper. During the design phase,students can easily switch betweentwo different levels of abstraction.

WHY

Realising the strength of computeraided substitution during the designprocess is the main pedagogical goal ofthis exercise. Concretely, studentslearn to position existing 3-dimensionalelements in space and to manipulatetopics as view and user coordinatesystem. The organisation of thegraphical screen in appropriateviewports is another aspect. Next, theprovided software routines are to beplaced in pull- down and icon menu’s.Hence, a first acquaintance withcustomisation of a package to the userneeds is obtained.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 5haverage time spent: 7.5h


SURFACE MODELLING

wireframe, hidden lines removed and renderedrepresentation of the obtained surface model

WHAT

In the previous exercise,positioning existing entities inspace was the acquired knowledge.The next logical step is to model 3-dimensional entities. After anintroduction concerning differentmodelling techniques (wire frame,surface modelling, solid modelling)we provide the students with asimplified non digital model of anexisting building. Until now thiswas a part of the LeicesterUniversity Engineering building byStirling. A surface model has to bededucted. General drawingsettings and layer organisation arechosen by the students.

WHY

The different ways to model a 3-dimensional entity are explored.Concerning a surface model, thestep from a 2D element with athickness to real 3D faces, polygonmeshes and 3D objects is taken.Students learn the principle ofhidden lines elimination and othermore advanced renderingtechniques. The previousacquainted knowledge aboutviewing a 3D object and wanderingaround in space is further trained.

Thus, we provide the basics foreasy modelling of the projects thatstudents realise in the designstudios at our department.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time: 2.5haverage time spent: 4h


FRACTAL TREE

Dries Nijs 1995

Jan Steenhoudt 1996

WHAT

Beside its mathematical definition, afractal can be defined as a geometricalstructure with a high degree of self-similarity obtained by a recursiveprocedure. Students first get a generalintroduction in the fascinating world offractals. Secondly, the principles of theAutolisp programming language areexplained. Finally, they are invited toexplore and complete an unfinishedAutolisp program that describes thegeneration of a 2D fractal tree. Or theycan produce their own fractal object,based on the given routine and gettingfractal inspiration in a provided readerabout the subject.

WHY

Apart from learning about fractals andtheir potential use in architecture, someadditional computer and Autocad skillsare trained. Programming recursion inAutolisp and programming in general isthe first one. Linking such an externalroutine to an Autocad drawing is the nextstep. The advantages for furthercustomisation of such linking are pointedout. The underlying structure ofAutoCAD entities and commandsbecomes clear. It goes without saying thata full understanding and knowing ofAutolisp can not be obtained in one singleafternoon, this exercise is merely meant asan introduction: students learn aboutAutolisp’s existence and are invited toexplore it further for their own needs.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 2.5haverage time spent: within the limits of thetime schedule


SOLID MODELLING WHAT

In the second year of their architecturalcurriculum, students have to make a globalanalysis of a well- known house. At thattime, all representative drawings weremade by hand. In contrast to thisrepresentation with pencil and paper, weask them now to make a digital model ofthat same building. First of all, a strongsimplification of the chosen project isneeded. This purged version is modelledwith AutoCAD’s solid modeller AME.The student himself has to find out themost practical drawing organisation.Additionally, some good views and crosssections are generated and presentedwithin the standard frame and colophon.These ready-to-print documents arerealised using AutoCAD’s paper spaceutility.

WHY

Having explored surface modelling in aprevious stage of the course, solidmodelling is the next logical step. Sincestudents model existing buildings (notdesigned to be modelled digitally), thepossibilities as well as the disadvantagesof the technique become quite clear.Stress is laid upon internal organisation ofthe drawing and the importance ofdeciding in advance at which level of detailthey want to represent the building.Moreover, the great benefit of splitting themodelling and representation phase (incontrast to traditional drawings) becomesclear by forcing the students to hand inprintable documents.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 5haverage time spent: 16h


LIGHTING

intensity of light in a given direction,ellipses that represent isoluxlines for agiven light source and (below) theclassroom configuration with armaturelayout

WHAT

Depending on the phase of the design process, acomputer can provide the architect withinteresting facts and data concerning his buildingmodel. The same test (for example calculation ofheat loss) can be different from one stage toanother: the rude and elementary application ofrules on the first design sketches versus veryaccurate computations on the final design.Students use a very rudimentary program to testthe illumination level in one single room, meantto be used during the early stages of the design.Only artificial light is taken into account. Theassignment consists of modelling a lightinginstallation (choice of light sources and layout)for a particular classroom. While placing lightswithin the AutoCAD model of the room, a fasttest of the required light level can be performedin an interactive way i.e. without leaving thegraphical application.

WHY

Being engineers as well as architects, weconsidered it important to show the integrationof a graphical representation of a design and atthat moment relevant tests. The latter providesthe architect with information he could nevereasily produce by hand, ànd influences furtherdesign decisions. The choice for thecomputation of illumination levels was merely apractical one, having the program available at ourdepartment as a result of previous research. It isobvious that in the ideal situation all these testscan be performed upon the same model,whereas at the moment every softwaredeveloper constructs its own model of thebuilding environment.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 2.5haverage time spent: within the limits of the timeschedule


PRESSURE LINES IN AN ARC

the graphostatic principle to determine thecentre of pressure line and some studentexperiments (Toon Van Borm 1995, GreetHouben 1995)

WHAT

A software program has been developedto compute the centre of pressure line inarcs based on the graphical technique.Implemented on top of AutoCAD, itgives the designer the possibility todesign and check the stability of arcs inan interactive way. Several arcconfigurations can be easily checkedwhile being in the design stage of aproject. In this way, it is a tool easy athand to help the designer to make theright decisions while conceiving. Theprogram can do several things, going fromthe calculation of the two extreme centreof pressure lines within given constraints,to a proposal for the ideal geometry of anarc starting from the computed centre ofpressure line. The nice thing about arcsis, that as soon as you find any feasiblecentre of pressure line, you can be surethat the arc will act upon it and be stable.During this exercise, students are invitedto design a configuration of arcs andexplore its possibilities in an intelligentmanner. The program (until now onlyworked out for planar arches) calculatesautomatically the dead weight of the arc.External forces can be added in aninteractive way.

WHY

As with the previous exercise, showingthe students the possibilities forintegration of drafting and calculating isthe main goal of this exercise.

STUDENT RESULTS

provided time within agenda: 2.5haverage time spent: within the limits ofthe time schedule

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