Teaching parametric design in architecture : a case study

Abstract

The increasing technological advancements nowadays make the integration of digital tools and techniques in architecture pedagogy a must. A course in the department of architecture at Birzeit University in Palestine was proposed as a summer course in order to introduce students to the possibilities of using digital parametric tools and techniques in architecture design and manufacturing. In reflection of the experiment of the course, in which students were asked to design and construct a temporary pavilion, the paper will examine the potentials and challenges of using parametric digital tools in architecture design, and the way students imagine and conceive the performance of their design ideas virtually and practically. Furthermore, the project proposes that form is not be constrained to the form-making process, but form must be a response to a material system and its properties, and thus material should be engaged in the design process. Initial design ideas are explored by building a parametric 3D digital model using a visual scripting platform. This virtual model allows to evaluate the performance of the design and the assembly method before realization; in addition to experiment with design alternatives and forms. The final full-detailed digital model will be used in the fabrication phase to construct a one-to-one scale physical model in the real world, which gives students the chance to get sense and interact with the implemented environment and to experience their designs in real world.