Architecture

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 14 sep 2015

Gaming technologies can transform the architecture practice with their ability to create interactive visual spaces. Architects at Tsoi/Kobus & Associates in Cambridge (USA) are utilizing processing system that powers virtual reality games to put clients inside development projects before they are built. Using a cloud based system, architects can create the building and then ask clients to visualize it through entering it with a pair of virtual reality goggles. Client gets a immersive first-person view, can walk around the building and make suggestions to tweak designs. The process can be used before the contract for the building project is awarded and could eliminate the need for creating life-size physical models. Architect Luis Cetrangolo was responsible for bringing the system to the firm. Read on...

The Boston Globe: Architecture firm turns to virtual reality to show off building designs
Author: Katie Johnston

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 jun 2015

Developing a design ecosystem in India is critical for the effective implementation of the 'Make in India' concept. Recent announcement by the Government of India regarding smart cities and housing for all by 2020 will provide a boost for the design industry. In an interview, Pradeep Nair of Autodesk, explains how his company would participate in 'Make in India' and Digital India' initiatives, what are opportunities in India in the design space and how the company plans to evolve in the Indian market in future. According to him, 'Our go-to-market strategy constitutes of having a strong and expansive partner ecosystem spread across multiple cities. With the aim of democratising technology, we provide the best of design innovation solutions to large, mid-size and SMBs. We also ensure that our partners are trained requisitely with the apt skills to provide these solutions to the customers.' While mentioning the company's focus in India he explains that automobile design, manufacturing, architecture, infrastructure and the media & entertainment sectors, will be the main thrust areas. He further elaborates, 'We have been advocating Distributed Manufacturing as the key to the Next Industrial Revolution and encouraging companies, individuals to developing groundbreaking hardware, software, materials, marketplaces and maker spaces through 3D technology.' He sees cloud as the future of design. According to him, 'Leveraging the power of cloud can help in democratising design technology and enable the future of making things. Every software provider, whether it be design or IT, is undergoing a massive transformation where users are opting for cloud as the preferred platform for computation. Pervasive connectivity enabled by software that tap into cloud, lets project teams tap expertise globally...we're seeing the digital and physical sides of products and projects become more deeply entwined. Autodesk will be playing a pioneering role in driving this evolution by harnessing the power of cloud, leverage connected desktops and cloud experiences tailored for designers, engineers, visual artists worldwide.' Read on...

The Financial Express: We see cloud as the future for the design industry - Pradeep Nair
Author: Sudhir Chowdhary

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 19 may 2015

Today's architects require knowledge and expertise of architecture-focused technology tools and softwares to stay ahead of the curve. Moreover they have to continue to upgrade and update their skills through variety of courses and tutorials available through traditional educational institutions, corporate training programs, paid online courses and free tutorials on internet. ArchDaily has compiled a categorised list of online tutorial websites that offer learning of architectural softwares - (1) General Purpose Tutorial Sites: Lynda.com (Online courses and video tutorials site); Visualizing Architecture (Alex Hogrefe has created a comprehensive list of tutorials for creating compelling images. Most techniques can be achieved using SketchUp and Photoshop); Ronen Bekerman's Blog (Provides case studies. Showcases their own work, explaining how they created a single render from the modeling stage to post-production). (2) Pre-Production (Modeling, Drawing and BIM): Autodesk's Youtube Channel; Bond-Bryan BIM Blog by Rob Jackson; Nick Senske on Youtube; Jose Sanchez's tutorials at Plethora Project on Unity3D game engine, Autodesk's Maya software, C#, Python and Javascript and also Rhino and Grasshopper; NYCCTfab on Vimeo (Tutorials by New York City College of Technology's Department of Architectural Technology Fabrication Lab, on Revit, Rhino and Grasshopper). (3) Production (Rendering and other forms of image creation): Simply Rhino Webinars; V-Ray Website. (4) Post-Production (Adobe Photoshop and other image manipulation software): Vyonix Tutorials; ARQUI9 Visualisation on Youtube. Read on...

ArchDaily: Architecture Software Tutorials - Which Are The Best Out There?
Author: Rory Stott

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 03 mar 2015

In addition to just aesthetics, architects are now applying neuroscience, by studying how brain reacts to various environments through brain scanners, to design schools, hospitals, community spaces etc. Eve Edelstein, president of consulting firm Innovative Design Science, says 'Understanding the power and significance of design is not a luxury. It has a direct impact on wellness issues and a direct influence on activity within that space.' According to Betsey Olenick Dougherty of Dougherty + Dougherty Architects, 'Visual access to sky, trees and landscape stimulates brain function. Providing vistas throughout the facility and particularly in classrooms has been a major strategy in the design of this building (Corona del Mar High School, Newport Beach, California).' Justin Hollander, co-author of the book 'Cognitive Architecture' and urban planning professor at Tufts University, says 'Patterns matter. And edges matter. The research argues that not only do we need order but our brain likes hearing stories...When you go to Times Square, you're told a story. You go to Disneyland, it's a story.' He further adds, 'Humans have a clear bias for curves over straight or sharp lines. Studies have shown that curves elicit feelings of happiness and elation, while jagged and sharp forms tend to connect to feelings of pain and sadness.' Hospitals and care centers are now being designed based on how brains of Alzheimer's patients reacts or how lighting affects patient's sleep cycle. Neuroscience shows light triggers brain reactions far beyond vision. 'It has an impact on heart rate.' says Edelstein. Michael Arbib of University of Southern California Brain Project and the vice president of the Academy of Architecture and Neuroscience, says 'Smart architecture can learn from brain science. To use artificial intelligence to build buildings that can better interact with people...is going to be very applicable to a home.' Read on...

Al Jazeera: Smart buildings- Architects using brain science for design guidance
Author: Haya El Nasser

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 oct 2014

The concept of 'open source' is finding relevance in the field of architecture. Open source is bypassing the 'starchitects' and portfolio projects, and providing alternatives by facilitating sharing and collaboration between people as they design and build. It is utilized particularly to build good quality housing for the large population that live in urban slums and will provide housing to the evergrowing population that migrates to the cities. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that by 2030, five billion people will live in cities. According to Alastair Parvin, co-founder of Wikihousing Project, right now the world's fastest growing cities are the self-built cities such as Rio's favelas. There are number of collaborative projects and organizations around the world that are focusing on open source architecture to build sustainable housing - Duplicable City Center by One Community and a number of projects by Open Architecture Network, an online community of design professions. This quote from architect Stephen Gardiner describes the philosphy of good design - 'Good buildings come from good people, and all problems are solved by good design.' Read on...

Sourceable: Open Source Architecture Offers Good Design Where Needed
Author: Steve Hansen

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 20 oct 2014

An exhibition, 'Burst Open' at The University of Queensland in Australia, challenges the notion 'good design is both elitist and costly' and explores architecture and design from the perspective of the emerging global phenomenon of open-source. John de Manincor of the architecture department at UQ said, 'Burst Open' explored how information sharing related not only to the design of objects but to architecture and the built environment. Collaborating curator of the exhibition, Christian Duell, said that critics often labelled today's design as expensive and elitist, viewing the modern day designer as someone operating in a 'bubble' of isolation. The open-source concept provides free access of product designs through online platforms where designers post their work for public and also collaborate with one another. Read on...

The University of Queensland News: Open-source design to redefine architecture?
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 sep 2014

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction defines 'Minimalist Architecture' as, "Architecture that follows the doctrine that the use of all decorative elements, including ornamentation and color, should be held to an absolute minimum. This tenet considers all such architectural features to be nonessential and of negative aesthetic value, thus promoting the concept attributed to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe that 'less is more'." According to Wikipedia, minimalist architecture became popular in the late 1980s in London and New York, where fashion designers worked together in the boutiques to achieve simplicity, using white elements, cold lighting, large space with minimum objects and furniture. Moreover it is also considered to be highly inspired from the Japanese traditional design and the concept of Zen philosophy. View the homes designed by architects utilizing architectural minimalism in their work, ranging from sleek facade to perfect blending with the natural environment. Read on...

Huffington Post: Architectural Minimalism: 7 Stunning Homes
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 06 sep 2014

From Henry Ford, to whom manufacturing efficiency was paramount, to Steve Jobs, who valued the working of a product over its looks, design has always been an important component of the products delivered to consumers. During craftsmen era, individuals both designed & created the products. Industrial revolution focused on multiple specialized processes to finish products in large quantity with little room for errors. Autodesk pioneered computer-aided design (CAD) software, to enhance collaboration among highly skilled teams of designers, engineers etc. But today design is becoming critical for product performance and everybody needs to have a basic understanding of design. Autodesk is now promoting design literacy and participating in its democratization process. The gap between design, production and distribution is narrowing with technologies of sharing & collaboration, 3D printing etc and in future it will totally disappear. In the design economy the firms will have to perform in real time and the design will become the product itself. Autodesk predicts the demand for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) professionals will rise to 8.65 million in 2018. It created 'Design the Future' program to fulfill this demand and provides free software to students and curricula & training to educators. Diego Tamburini of Autodesk says, 'design no longer just applies to physical systems, but has permeated to other non-physical areas such as software, services, and the overall "emotional experience" of using a product that also require designers.' Read on...

Forbes: Why Autodesk Is Investing In The Democratization Of Design
Author: Greg Satell

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 aug 2014

Bringing customers or users into the design process is a practice that architects and designers often adhere to. But when users are children like for example in a design process for a school or playground, it might be considered as a difficult and challenging task. Not so, if the ongoing research by Dr. Maria Patsarika and her team at Sheffield University, is taken into account. More and more architects and landscape designers are bringing younger generation into the design process. The practice of having participation from children in the design process is not new and has been mentioned in research studies conducted in 1960s & 1970s. Kevin Lynch, an urban planner, launched the UNESCO project 'Growing Up in Cities' in 1977 that utilized children's creative capacities. Dr. Patsarika's research has looked at the way architects and children communicate with each other. Architects interviewed for the research acknowledged that children brought fresh perspectives and uninhibited curiosity, leading them to explore alternative scenarios. Although children can be disruptive and unpredictable to work with but their overall impact on the design process is considered to be positive by most architects. Read on...

The Conversation: What architects can learn from designing with children
Author: Maria Patsarika

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 12 apr 2014

3D architectural design is changing the work dynamics of architects and their interaction and relationship with their clients. Popular softwares that assist them to design, draft and alter three-dimensional images include Archicad, Vectorworks and Revit. These softwares simplify the work by making subsequent changes in other areas when one aspect is altered or changed. But architectural experts differ in their opinion of the overall usability and impact of these softwares on various elements of architectural design. They argue that actual creativity is essential for design which these softwares cannot provide. Architect Gerard Damiani, who teaches at Carnegie Mellon University says that substantial number of architects in the school still believe that mastering hand-drawing is a required skill but there is less use of it as the course progresses where students focus more on computer-aided design. Most architects do believe that these softwares eliminate the tedious, routine and repetitive aspects of design work. Moreover they also help architects collaborate more efficiently with the project team and the client due to the ease of technology assisted sharing and feedback mechanism. Read on...

TribLive: 3D takes architectural design to next dimension
Author: Bob Karlovits

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