Digital (r)evolution: Development of digital design tools and how they impact the design

Robert Lӧffler, Tomáš Tholt

SUMMARY

Materialization of the architectural object is accomplished based on the certain form of description – author’s notation. Architectural drawing, or other type of notation acts as stencil and architecture should be build accordingly. The process of architectural notation is at the same time a design tool. Development of knowledge, technologies and processes of notation, representation and fabrication thus significantly affects not only the way we design and build, but, more importantly, what we design, the form of the designed object itself. Expansion of digital technologies to all spheres of art and science is bringing new possibilities. Digital means of notation, design and fabrication enable mass customized production, mass production of similarity and variability. These technologies have capacity through digital fabrication (production), generative processes (design) and others, to define a new paradigm of architectural design. One of the most significant tools redefining this paradigm may be tools of mixed reality, with their capacity to change the design process, means of representation and the actual character (nature) of architecture as well. There is an opportunity to enhance physical form of architecture with digital information, which create layers that influence both form and the function of physical object. These contemporary topics of architectural research were reflected in the student-research project of pavilion. Students were able to go through all the stages of concept development, from research, preparation of generative algorithm and optimization of process, to work with material and assembly of structure. Physical form of pavilion was then enhanced by virtual layers.

Keywords: mixed reality, augmented reality, creation, architecture, digital architecture, construction, digital technologies, virtual reality