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An Info-Biological Theory Approach to Computer-Aided Architectural Design: UnSSEUS

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Computer-Aided Architectural Design. Design Imperatives: The Future is Now (CAAD Futures 2021)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1465))

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Abstract

In Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAAD), generative and predictive methods are two major practices. This paper discusses how an information theory approach to bio-design reconfigures our means of integrating the two practices, focusing on enhancing solar energy capacities in cities. PART I analyses how information is defined with respect to Shannon and Wiener’s work in information and cybernetics theories and considers how they provoke changes in fields of biology, including the Information Theory of Individuality and the Free Energy Principle. From these theoretical findings, PART II tabulates 3 design principles - negentropic, preemptive, and network, and proposes ‘Unattended and Smart Solar Energy Urban System’ (UnSSEUS). Part III exemplifies the argument with CAAD experiments - form-finding for Carbon Nanotube backed solar cells to formulate sub-systems that can aggregate on a macroscale - UnSSEUS. From which, a combinatorial design production pipeline was developed that synthesizes between rule-based and machine learning systems, with Work-in-Progress examples of solar design optimized by AI. Finally, it discusses the possibilities of personalization and prototyping.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, WC1H 0QB, UK

    Provides Ng, Baha Odaibat, David Doria & Alberto Fernandez

Authors
  1. Provides Ng
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  2. Baha Odaibat
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  3. David Doria
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  4. Alberto Fernandez
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Correspondence to Provides Ng .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    David Gerber

  2. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Evangelos Pantazis

  3. Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    Biayna Bogosian

  4. University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

    Alicia Nahmad

  5. Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

    Constantinos Miltiadis

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Ng, P., Odaibat, B., Doria, D., Fernandez, A. (2022). An Info-Biological Theory Approach to Computer-Aided Architectural Design: UnSSEUS. In: Gerber, D., Pantazis, E., Bogosian, B., Nahmad, A., Miltiadis, C. (eds) Computer-Aided Architectural Design. Design Imperatives: The Future is Now. CAAD Futures 2021. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1465. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1280-1_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-1280-1_27

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  • Print ISBN: 978-981-19-1279-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-19-1280-1

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