Mine Özkar

Shape grammars

The theory of shape grammars, first launched by Stiny and Gips in 1972, defines a formalism to support the ambiguity in creative processes that is generally ruled out by quantitative and symbolic computations. Since then, it has evolved into a ground-breaking pragmatist philosophy of shape and design. It is implemented in fields rnaging from architecture to art, graphic design, industrial design, and computer visualization. This course offers basic knowledge of the theory of shape grammars and some advanced issues useful for its implementation. The course is presented in two consecutive sessions. The introductory session presents the fundamentals of the theory, focusing on the basic knowledge of shapes, shape algebras, and shape rules in order to explain how shape grammars translate visual and spatial thinking into design computation. It includes several examples of shape grammar applications in design analysis and synthesis. Attendees with further and more technical interests in the topic are encouraged to continue with the advanced session, which dwells on the computational devices of shape grammars and discusses a number of selected studies on computational implementation of the shape grammar idea.

Introduction to shape grammars

The theory of shape grammars defines a formalism to address the ambiguity that quantitative and symbolic computations mostly help us rule out in creative processes. The theory was first launched by Stiny and Gips in 1972 and has evolved into a groundbreaking pragmatist philosophy of shape and design since. The course, composed of a 2 hour lecture and an optional one-day workshop for 10-12 participants, introduces the fundamentals of the theory and optionally a venue for attendees to put these to practice in a hands-on workshop. The lecture will focus on giving some basic knowledge of shapes, shape algebras, and shape rules in order to explain how shape grammars translate visual and spatial thinking into design computation. Multiple examples of generative designs produced using shape grammars will be presented. The workshop consists of one exercise where participants will explore spatial relations between a number of shapes, leading to the production of a series of designs to be built by hand, out of a prescribed material such as wooden blocks or paper.

Embedding Shapes without Predefined Parts

For a practical computer implementation of part embedding in shapes that is also true to their continuous character and the shape grammar formalism, shapes and their boundaries are handled together in composite shape and label algebras. Temporary representations of shapes, termed ‘overcomplete graphs’, comprise boundary elements of shapes and how they are assembled, and are utilized in a two-phase algorithm that systematically searches for embedded parts. The associated implementation is developed to receive user-defined constraints for an interactive search. In particular, the user-defined reference shape extends the search to nondeterministic cases.

Weighted shapes for embedding perceived wholes

Embedding parts is a key problem in computing when dealing with continuous matter such as shapes rather than discrete matter such as symbols. For computing part relations such as embedding, a technical framework that uses weighted shapes is introduced and implemented. In the proposed framework, for any given two-dimensional shape, the entire canvas is defined as a weighted shape and serves as a registration mark in detecting embedded parts. The approach treats shapes as perceived wholes rather than composed and eliminates the technical distinction between shape categories such as line, curve, or plane. The implementation is shown for two-dimensional shapes but is extendable to three dimensions. As demonstrated on a Seljuk geometric pattern, the framework allows for embedding multiple and various perceived wholes, thus exploring emerging shapes and shape relations to be used for analysis and synthesis in design.

Modal relationships as stylistic features : Examples from Seljuk and Celtic patterns

Styles in creative works cannot adequately be represented by categories based on formal features. Instead, styles could be studied in terms of modal relationships between the features to provide a basis for definitions of structure in generative models. Modal relationships are more flexible and robust under the dynamic conditions of the artists creative process. This article illustrates through the examples of Seljuk and Celtic patterns how these modal relationships emerge, why they are essential to detailed descriptions of style, and how they might be identified.

Formal Descriptions of Material Manipulations

Shape computation in design is never purely limited to visual aspects and ideally includes material aspects as well. The physicality of designing introduces a wide range of variables for designers to tackle within the design process. We present a simple design exercise realised in four stages where we physically manipulate perforated cardboard sheets as a case to make material variables explicit in the computation. The emphasis is on representing sensory aspects rather than easily quantifiable properties more suitable for simulations. Our explorations demonstrate the use of visual rules to represent actions, variables and form as well as how to control the variables to create new results, both desired and surprising, in materially informed ways.

Repeating Circles, Changing Stars: Learning from the Medieval Art of Visual Computation

Good designs , very generally speaking, have a repetitive quality. Goodness in repetition has little to do with the viewer’s comfort in receiving the expected. Rather, we appreciate repetition because it allows us to recognize—or even to think that we wondrously discover—the new and the different amidst similarities. Whereas repetition implies consistent relations of similar parts, differences challenge these relations and stimulate our interpretive capacity towards recognizing multiple, unique but still meaningful, wholes. Dialogues that arise from repetition and variation characterize a good design . The aim below is to draw attention to a centuries old visual design with a repetitive quality that resonates with computational iteration while finds its character in variations that result from seeking and seeing different relations.

TOWARDS HANDS-ON COMPUTING IN DESIGN: AN ANALYSIS OF THE HAPTIC DIMENSION OF MODEL MAKING

Model making plays a crucial part in the early stages of architectural design. It captures spatial percepts and allows for three dimensional thinking and evaluation, hence establishing a direct connection between the body and the object. In the context of architectural design, model making enables exploration of the formal and the spatial qualities of a design through the contrasts in different aspects such as form, size, color or material. The easily revisable nature of the conceptual models helps architects to search for the design alternatives (Knoll and Hechinger, 2007, 19). Architectural scale models are design tools that promote thinking and the communication between the designer and the design (Smith, 2004). Models in the making, aside from serving the material undertaking of a design idea, act as sketches just as two dimensional sketch drawings do. Gursoy (2010) has recently discussed model-making as a form of preliminary design sketching, and the possible contribution of its inherent ambiguities to the design process. Model sketches are objects in becoming, subject to the designer’s spatial perception and intellect. They are continually open to discoveries.

Computer-Aided Architectural Design. Future Trajectories

The paper presents results of a research conducted in 2015 and 2016 at Lodz University of Technology. It proposes a purpose and context fit approach towards the automation of urban data generation based on GIS tools and New Urbanism typologies. First, background studies of methods applied in urban morphology analysis are revealed. Form-based Code planning, and subsequently Transect-based Code are taken into account. Then, selected examples from literature are described and discussed. Finally, the research study is presented and the outcomes compared with more traditional methodology.

Material Computability of Indeterminate Plaster Behavior

In this study, we revisit the concepts of abstraction and materialization with regards to the theoretical framework of new materialism. Underlining the changing relationship between design through abstraction (DtA) and design through materialization (DtM) in design history, we propose an integration of the two towards achieving design emergence. Additional to a theoretical framework, we provide a showcase through material experiments of plaster and abstractions in the form of shape computation. We discuss results as parameters for future digital implementations and potentials for design practice and education.