Discrete Optimization in Architecture: Architectural & Urban Layout [Paperback]

This book presents three projects that demonstrate thefundamental problems of architectural design and urban composition  the layoutdesign, evaluation and optimization. Part I describes the functional layoutdesign of a residential building, and an evaluation of the quality of a townsquare (plaza).

The algorithm for the functional layout design is based onbacktracking using a constraint satisfaction approach combined with coarse griddiscretization. The algorithm for the town square evaluation is based ongeometrical properties derived directly from its plan.

Part II introduces a crowd-simulation application for theanalysis of escape routes on floor plans, and optimization of a floor plan forsmooth crowd flow. The algorithms presented employ agent-based modeling andcellular automata.

Quantization in Architecture & Urban Design:

1. Tessellation of space
1.1 Traditional grid/guideline systems (before the computer era)
1.1.1 Architecture
1.1.2 Urban Design

1.2 Modern (of the computer era) grid systems
1.2.1 Collateral systems, that is, derived from existing image pixelation
1.2.2. Space discretization serving optimization
1.2.3 Novel architectonic grid systems
1.2.3.1 Fine grid (one cell = one agent)
1.2.3.1.1 Agent based modeling for crowd simulation
1.2.3.1.2 Simulation in regular tessellations: Square, Triangular
& Hexagonal
1.2.3.2 Coarse grid (cell side = minimal corridor width )

2. Discretization of Time
2.1 The role of time in architectural (and urban design?)
2.1.1 Crowd simulations
2.1.2 Daylight simulations

3. Module as a building component
3.1 Definition of a modular system and an overview of existing modular systems
3.2. Principles of two ls6