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ExploitingModernOpportunitiesinAECIndustry:AParadigmofFutureOpportunities

CHAPTER·JANUARY2013

DOI:10.1061/9780784412909.031

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Exploiting Modern Opportunities in AEC Industry: A Paradigm of Future Opportunities

Abrishami S. & Goulding J. S., Professor Dr. & Ganah A., Dr. School of Built and Natural Environment, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR 1 2HE, UK Pour Rahimian F., Dr. Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, 43300, Malaysia

ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on the potential for developing an interactive Virtual Reality (VR) environment that exploits new concepts such as parametric design and genetic algorithm as a method of computational architecture through the conceptual design process. Existing tools and decision support mechanisms are investigated as part of this process. The proposed system introduces the potential of combining different concepts under the chamber of a single VR environment. Influential factors in this area are: form generation, change management, conceptual design illustration, and collaboration throughout the whole design process. First part of this paper introduces the basics of conceptual design, then critically reviews design thinking parallel with the design process; thereafter provides a roadmap for conceptual design and computational support, with a specific focus on the early conceptual design stage (including computational methods for sketching and collaboration throughout conceptual design). Extant literature on the characteristics of collaborative behaviour within the initial conceptual architectural design processes performed through virtual environments are examined. Extant literature highlights the importance of computational design in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. However, there is a significant knowledge gap in literature concerning the veracity of findings to date which explicitly identify the congruent links and support mechanisms needed to overtly exploit the opportunities presented with new computational design methods. This research is the first of the kind to purposefully endeavour to uncover new insight and understanding into virtual generative workspaces, especially though new social interactions and decision-making criteria. Research findings to date have identified new insight into how AEC designers think during the early conceptual design stages. These issues are used to satiate the pivotal drivers, priorities, and critical success factors needed for effective operationalisation through a conceptual design support tool and possible future directions within computational design strategy. The outcomes and intervention of this research will be used to develop a ‘proof of concept’ prototype to reveal the role of generative design methods integrated into a single dynamic and flexible VR environment which supports early conceptual AEC design process.

KEYWORDS: Conceptual design, Virtual Reality, Generative and Parametric design, Sketching, Collaborative design environment, Computer-based environment.

1. Background to the study

Two investigation steps (studying design process individually, and tools that support early design stages) were envisaged to help explore the potential for an interactive VR environment to support the conceptual design process. In this paper, firstly the practical basis of designing is described, followed by the computational support needed for designing - focusing specifically on the early design stages (including computational methods for sketching and collaboration throughout a specific design).

1.1 Introduction to design process

“The Natural science are concerned with how things are . . . design on the other hand is concerned with how things ought to be (Simon, 1969).”

The process of designing is more developed in some, than others, either through heredity or education (Cross, 2007). Given this, designing can be considered as the process of creating/adopting rules (building codes standards, construction systems standards etc.) and then working within these rules in order to obtain certain objectives (Gross, 1996). There are two primary views about the designing process; first as a process that starts with a certain problem and ends with solution to that problem; and the second view is a process to clarify the problems at the first step in order to solve them later on (Johnson et al., 2009). Thus, computational support for sketching in design can be defined as an “iterative process of problem finding and explore possible solutions

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within the current conception of the problem” (Johnson et al., 2009).

2. Aim and objectives

In order to address the problem statement raised from the literature review, the overarching aim of this research is to identify the potential for a conceptual design tool aid to support the decision-making process during the early stages of design. The possibility of using VR in architectural design has earlier been explored in several projects (Jones, 1992; McCall et al., 1992; Marples, 1960; Gross, 2007). Accordingly, the application of VR in architecture and construction has focused mainly on the use of VR as a visualisation tool and a method of presenting projects with commercial purposes, whereas, regarding the latest technological developments, VR can be integrated with new concepts such as parametric design, genetic algorithms, and BIM. This paper explores methods in which VR is employed not as a representational tool for visualization per se, but as a comprehensive support system for design. The overall goal of this research is enhancement of design process by developing a framework that boost designer’s abilities by evolving surprising and challenging designs and assist the designer throughout the process (change management, modification of the model, and etc.). This paper proposes an uncovered potential for digital design in AEC. The methods introduced are in abstract form and explore on of the many possible potential directions of computational architectural methods.

2.1 Literature review methodological approach

This research is purposefully aligned to tease out both the philosophical underpinnings of design theory continuum per se, matched against the practical constructs of research practice (including the technology and tools used to deliver this). This study focused on existing academic literature covering nine core areas. The literature was identified via online search among top ten journals of design and conference proceedings, as well as other research databases and analysed using NVivo. The main subjects were selected based on NVivo’s “Word Frequency Query” amongst selected publications. The minimum length for words in the frequency analysis was set to five and the similarity scale was set to four out of five in order to increase focus and veracity. Figure 1 demonstrates an overview of the NVivo result.

Figure 1: Word Frequency Analysis

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Such an approach was used to shape, inform, and provide granular data (to help identify the delimiters). Table 1 reveals the core drivers and seminal authors.

Table 1. Research focus: analysis of core drivers

Subjects Description Authors

Design research: Conceptual design and design thinking

The process in which designers collaboratively author an assembly design

(Cross, 2007; Dorst et al., 1995; Maher et al., 1997; Cross, 1999; Cross, 2001; Gross et al., 2007; Landay et al, 1995)

Computational support for design

Creating the suitable 3D conceptual design and primitives

(Gross, 1994; Yun et al., 2011; Gross et al., 1995; Leigh et al., 1999; Narahara, 2007; Do et al., 2007; Do et al., 2009; Johnson et al., 2009; Gross, 2009; Bisker et al., 2010)

CAD tools Computer aided design tools (Whyte et al., 1999; Moum, 2006; Ibrahim et al., 2010; Cheon et al., 2012)

Generative design Using a set of rules or an algorithm in order to generate designs (architectural forms)

(Cera et al., 2002; Narahara, 2007; Baskinger, 2010; Krish S., 2011; Leach, 2009; Kolarevic, 2000; Subbu et al., 1999; McCormack et al., 1999; Mehaffy, 2008; Woodbury, 1991; Laszlo et al., 2002; Singh et al., 2012; Roudavski, 2009; Boden et al., 2009)

Parametric Design Use of parameters to define a form and relations

(Marques et al., 2006; Fischer et al., 2005; Fischer et al., 2003; Matcha, 2007; Butz et al., 2005)

BIM Intelligent model-based process (Ibrahim 2004; Leeuwis, 2012; Hartmann et al., 2007)

Knowledge sharing: collaboration

Collaborative design (Chengzhi, 1994; Goldschmidt, 1995; Cross et al., 1995; Gross et al., 1998; Cera et al., 2002; Shelbourn et al., 2007; Goulding et al., 2011)

Design illustration Including hand and computational sketching

(Goldschmidt, 1991; Do et al., 2001; Bilda et al., 2005; Gross, 2009)

Conceptual design sketching

Drawing made through out early design stages by designer

(Kramer, 1994; Gross, 1996; Citrin et al., 1996; Citrin et al., 1997; Jonson, 2003; Bilda et al., 2006; Ibrahim et al., 2010)

Collaborative sketching Collaborative knowledge annotation for describing shapes

(Gross, 1992; Do et al., 2001; Li-rong Wang et al., 2009; Ibrahim, 2010; Cheon et al., 2012)

Tool development (Gross, 1987; Gross, 1992; Gross, 1994; Gross, 1996; Gross, 1996; Gross, 1994; Gross et al., 1996; Gross et al., 1996; Gross et al., 2001; Jung et al., 2002; Jung et al., 2002; Johnson et al., 2006; Gross et al., 2007; Gross et al., 2007)

3. The literature review: VR Sketching and collaboration

VR has been defined as a 3D computer-generated alternative environment to be immersed in, for navigating around and interacting with (Briggs, 1996; Pour Rahimian et al., 2008), or as a component of communication taking place in a ‘synthetic’ space, which embeds human as its integral part (Regenbrecht, 1996; Sampaio et al., 2010). The definitions of VR systems usually includes a computer capable of real-time animation, controlled by a set of wired gloves and a position tracker, and using a head-mounted stereoscopic display as visual output. For instance, Regenbrecht et al. (1996) defined the tangible components of VR as a congruent set of hardware and software, with actors within a three-dimensional or multi-dimensional input/output space, where actors can interact with other autonomous objects, in real time. VR has also been defined as a simulated world, which comprises of some computer-generated images conceived via head mounted eye goggles and wired clothing – thereby enabling end users to interact in a realistic three-dimensional situation (Yoh, 2001). VR tools can be a powerful collaborative design system in founding a common ground for all participants in designing process, and help the designers to employ more intuitive digital design tools in order to synchronise information between design teams. In addition, it helps the designer by providing an environment where their ideas can be better organised, analysed and tested (Heath, 1984). The merits of the VR to the construction industry are being identified, and appreciated by majority of practitioners (Moum, 2006). Moreover, ICT has changed the design process in AEC (Cera et al., 2002). Therefore, communications between different designers in process of designing play a vital role in the success of the project. Moreover, with the current globalisation trend, it is very often that different design stakeholders participate in the design process from different geographical locations (Seng et al., 2005; Wojtowicz, 1994).

3.1 VR in AEC

Over the last 30 years, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems have matured and enabled construction organisations to fundamentally restructure and enhance their core business functions. Sampaio et al.

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(2008) asserted that the main objective of using ICT in construction field is supporting management of digital data, namely to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve datasets. They acknowledge the commencement of VR techniques as an important stepping stone for data integration in construction design and management as they are capable of holding and presenting the whole information about buildings (e.g. size, material, spatial relationships, mechanical and electrical utilities, and etc.) through a single output. Similarly, Zheng et al. (2009) proposed the use of VR to reduce time and costs in product development and to enhance quality and flexibility for providing continuous computer support during development lifecycle.

Early studies that incorporated VR into the design profession used it as an advanced visualisation medium. Since as early as 1990, VR has been widely used in the AEC industry as it forms a natural medium for building design by providing 3D models, which can be manipulated in real-time and used collaboratively to explore different stages of the construction process (Whyte et al., 1998). It has also been used as a design application to provide collaborative visualisation for improving construction processes (Bouchlaghem et al., 2005). However, expectations of VR have changed during the current decade. For example, Sampaio et al. (2008), asserted that it is increasingly important to incorporate VR 3D visualisation and decision support systems with interactive interfaces in order to perform real-time interactive visual exploration tasks. This thinking supports the position that a collaborative virtual environment is a 3D immersive space in which 3D models are linked to databases, which carry characteristics. This premise has also been followed through other lines of thought, especially in construction planning and management by relating 3D models to time parameters in order to design 4D models (Fischer, 2004), which are controlled through an interactive and multi-access database. In similar studies, 4D VR models have been used to improve many aspects and phases of construction projects by: 1. developing and implementing applications for providing better communication among partners (Leinonen et al., 2003), 2. supporting design creativity (Pour Rahimian et al. 2011), 3. introducing the construction plan to stakeholders (Khanzade et al., 2007), and, 4. following the construction progress (Fischer, 2000).

3.2 Diagrammatic representation and reasoning

The process of drawing or sketching is known as a vital activity in the designing process. Design has been benefited from sketching for a long time, certainly before the Renaissance (Cross, 1999). Sketching is considered as an activity that totally controls conceptual design stages, when designers form new ideas. Johnson (Johnson et al. 2009) defined sketching as “the traditional method for early phase design when both problems and solutions are unclear”. Since designers produce more novel and complex objects nowadays the use of sketches has also been improved since that time. Therefore, more advanced drawings are needed and new methods that support designers to produce this kind of drawings are necessary (Cross, 1999). Another important method in conceptual design phases is designers will generate early tentative solutions, but also leave many options open for as long as possible (Schön, 1983). Cross (1999) asserted key aspects of drawing as follows:

− Using drawings as a communication tool, so the designer can show to other participants how the design should works or built.

− “Thinking and reasoning aid”: by assisting the designer to study many aspects together. Plans, elevations, and details all being drawn, therefore, thought and reasoned at once; also as a catalyst for improvement designer's creativity, like using random sketches in order to explore new concepts; and using drawings to explore, criticise, and discover diverse options.

− “Generating alternative solutions” and identifying critical details. The only way that a design problem can be solved is by exploring through a diverse range of solution proposals.

− Capability to manage various levels of abstraction at the same time. Sketches help designers to manage their thoughts about the overall concept and details simultaneously.

− “Storing and retrieving” Enable designers participate later in the design process to understand the solutions, for what might otherwise be abstruse choices made by earlier designers.

− “Recall of relevant knowledge”, so designers can identify applicable information to any possible solution from a huge sources of information.

− Problem arrangement throughout solution generation by proceeding the “problem space” and the “solution space” together. Therefore, designers relate problems to their produced solution by using symbols (numbers, texts etc.).

− Sketching in design reveals solution concept's specifications and properties.

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3.3 Importance of collaboration in conceptual architectural design

The quality of the buildings is highly dependent on the early phases of design process of that building (Moum, 2006). A series of design decisions and justification were made by different roles at different stages of a building project; from design to construction. Importance of conceptual design on the next stages of the building process has been studied by several researchers (Johnson et al., 2009; Dorst et al., 1995; Goldschmidt, 1995; Kramer, 1994). The foundation of conceptual design forms as follows: architects generate design solution; in the next step they choose which solutions are good enough to be developed; client(s) decide which design concept (the solutions introduced by the designer) could be the foundation for supplementary improvements, ‘through a collaborative decision-making environment’ (among the participants: designer(s), client(s), users, contractors, legislation etc.) (Moum, 2006) (see Figure 1). Therefore, the client’s assessment is highly depends on how designers present their solutions primarily (Moum, 2006). Based on the aforementioned statement regarding to the importance of collaboration throughout the design process, an effective design tool can be the combination of “real-world environment” and “spatial-experience dimension” (Moum, 2006). This VR environment can benefit from real time network collaborative technologies and 3D modelling at the same time in order to improve the construction process as well as design process. Hence, this environment should contribute to all the building process, from early design to final stages. To apply such an environment to construction process all the participants (like architects, legislators, contractors, manufacturers etc.) need to access the environment at the same time, so they can contribute to, or obtain data from the model at the same time (in parallel) (Moum, 2006). Therefore, all the participants access to the environment and there are no parallel models and details. Conflict over the disconnected drawings and details, which is one of the main issues in the construction process, can be decreased with this method (Kiviniemi, 2004). Design education as well as the process itself has been conducted the same way for so many years, whereas, technology development has made new more improved opportunities possible in this area.

Figure 2: Collaboration throughout the design process

4. Modern design opportunities

The focus of contemporary AEC design projects is increasingly moving from architecture with aesthetical emphasis towards performance (structure, environment, construction, socioeconomically and cultural, etc.) based architecture (Roudavski, 2009). This shift in design attitude is inviting architecture to adopt new technologies that can support this transition. The AEC designers started adopting technology from industrial design, mechanical engineering and product developments, where performance tends to play a crucial role. These computational

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design tools are including CATIA, Inventor, Digital Project, SolidWork, Pro Engineer, etc. Moreover, new enhanced computational design methods based on existing methods and concepts such as genetic algorithms, parametric design, isomorphic surfaces, kinematics and dynamics, topological space are also being engaged.

Given these changes and new inertia, the research proposes the potential of a VR design environment integrated with new computational design methods in order to maximise their opportunities. For example, the proposed framework exploits genetic algorithm to generate different alternatives, and throughout the modification of the chosen alternative(s) the system uses parametric algorithm for change management during the late design stages through to construction. Following sections describe these two proposed features in more details.

4.1 Generative evolutionary design

Application of evolutionary algorithm is proposed for the generation of design alternatives in the proposed VR environment. It is advocated that this approach could enhance the system’s capabilities by allowing the generation of complex forms with various details and layout that would not be possible without using such a system. Several researchers have highlighted the benefits of using evolutionary design (Frazer, 2002; Bentley, 1999; Buelow et al., 2002; Janssen, 2006; Narahara et al., 2006). In addition, architectural design has benefited from the application of generative algorithm by five adopting five different techniques: genetic algorithm, cellular automata, L-systems, swarm intelligence and shape grammars (Janssen, 2004). Indicative examples are presented in Table 3.

The aim behind proposing the idea raised in this research is not to epitomise existing systems and approaches per se, rather, the research endeavour is to optimise the design process by integrating and exploiting different existing approaches. Evolutionary design method uses evolutionary software systems (genetic algorithm) in order to enhance designers’ abilities during the design process. Evolutionary design is broadly recognised by parametric evolutionary design and generative evolutionary design (Janssen, 2006).

4.2 Parametric evolutionary design

This approach is taken on late design stages in order to find the best solution to the design problem amongst different design alternatives. A basic design concept is established in advance. Thereafter, components parameterised by the designer for further improvement. The system evolves these parameters at the last stage to generative alternative design solutions (Janssen 2006). Some examples of parametric evolutionary systems are Rasheed (1998), Rasheed et al., (1999), Dasgupta et al. (1997), Monks et al. (2000), Obayashi et al. (2000), Caldas (2001), and Sasaki et al. ( 2001). Application of parametric design has been successfully adopted in a number of BIM applications as a change management engine. However parametric systems have evolved into effective drawing tools, but still they are not considered as comprehensive AEC design applications. An example of parametric restriction and change management within a system is the distance of a door from the wall or riser of the stairs to assure furnishing clearance.

5. Tools for early design stages

Most of computational design tools for early design stages adopt pen and paper like interface. In addition, new improvement in technology, like computer networking, brought new ways of collaboration into the design process, whereas, current methods of collaboration within the design process have been synchronous (same-time), these improvements have made asynchronous (different times) and international collaboration possible in design process (Gross et al., 1998). In addition, technological improvements extend designers capabilities even in synchronous collaborative design. For instance computers are capable of simultaneous work, constraint checking, finding and indexing etc. (Gross et al., 1998). Meetings are traditionally taking place around a conference table, whereas, nowadays the collaboration between design team members, that are geographically dispersed, is possible (Gross et al., 1998).

5.1 Tools specification

In architectural design process, many different systems with different design characteristics are being used by different team members. Therefore, each designer is in charge of a specific part, like heating and ventilation, partitions, electricity etc. (Gross et al., 1998). In CAD system, layouts are done separately, in different layers, and then combined together. Therefore, conflicts and problems are postponed until the last phases of design process

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and corrections are likely to be ad hoc (Gross et al., 1998) (Figure 1). Sketching and drawing are “primary mediums in many design domains”; a comprehensive design tool should support both “construction of the artefact and argument about the artefact” (Gross et al., 1998). “Design tools should assist design teams as well as manage and work within explicit agreement about the design” (Gross et al., 1998). Ideally, such a system should recognise (or have different options or environments) for each stage in early designing process (support working from abstraction to specific details) (Gross, 1996):

− Conceptual diagram: consists of a wide range of design proposals that are equally considered as solutions and compared without commitment (nature of early design phases).

− Schematic drawing: The schematic drawings will typically contain many of the same element and relations in the original diagram (Gross, 1996a), therefore, more details and the designer is more committed.

− Final drawings: the design artefact would be specified for construction with a little room for ambiguity.

A computational support for early design phases needs to allow designer to work “initially with unidentified forms and configurations and gradually identify them as design progresses toward the schematic and final drawings phases (Gross, 1996).” This system can be a combination of a tool that emulate pen and paper and highly structured CAD programme (Gross, 1996).

5.2 Needs analysis: Existing tools

Design support tools assist designing with two different methods; one look at design as “a linear process beginning with a specific problem and ending with a specific solution”, whereas another method is usually define the problem firstly, and then propose solutions for that problem (sketch-based design systems). Recent conceptual design tools are mostly developed versions of previous researches in this area, started about 50 years ago such as Sketchpad (Sutherland, 1963) and GRAIL (Ellis et al., 1969) worked with the support of physical devices like Stylator introduced in 1957 and RAND's tablet developed in 1964 (Johnson et al., 2009).

Table 2 Common features for computational support systems for sketching

Features Description

Easy to use intuitive interface they can provide user with a natural sketching experience

Variety of tools such as: various brush types and colours, pencils, pens, markers, and airbrushes

Layers help designers to organise their sketches

Apply constraints like make lines parallel

Shape enhancement assists the designer to draw straight lines, circles, ellipses etc. without explicitly entering a mode

Pan and zoom with high quality results, so designer can produce more detailed sketches

Post image improvement by adjusting contrast, colours, size, crop etc.

Text support comments

Import and export allow designer to bring and take the design through different design stages

5.3 Common problems and challenges

Recent developments in computational design have substantially changed conventional design process, therefore, designers’ way of working. “This new paradigm aims to locate architectural discourse within a more objective framework when efficient use of resources supersedes the aesthetic indulgence of works” (Leach, 2009).

Many of the available systems (presented in Table 3) are capable of handling complex design processes that vary in overall organisation and configuration by the designer. However, none of these systems are fully capable of purposefully manipulating conceptual design. In order to overcome this barrier, this research proposes a system which exploits and combines new concepts in a single VR environment. The aforementioned system uses genetic algorithm for conceptual design and form generation (population of alternatives); also benefits from advanced features of VR environment for illustration and collaboration in which coupling parametric algorithm for change management.

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Moreover, another problem with the aforementioned tools relates to collaboration throughout early design stages, for instance Autodesk® SketchBook support for collaboration and communication is to let the designer “instantly e-mail sketches and annotations”, whereas, comprehensive computer tools for design should provide integrated support for both “construction of solution form” and “argumentation about construction” (McCall et al., 1992). A comprehensive set of challenges for developing sketch-based tools are introduced by Johnson (Johnson et al., 2009) as: Traditional sketching, Physical devices support pen-based interaction, Sketch recognition, Human-computer interaction.

Table 3 Developed tools Specifications Tools

Non-commercial systems

Constraint-based representation

System maintains the constraints and the integrity of the design

SketchPad (Sutherland, 1963); The Sketcher (Medjdoub, 1999); CoDraw (Gross, 1992); BRIAR (Gleicher et al., 1991);

Associative representations

Design relations constitute dependencies that are defined by the structure of the underlying model

ReDraw (Kolarevic, 1993)

Design grammar representations

Designs are represented by means of a vocabulary of shapes, (defined by lines and labels) and a set of production rules; design relations as well as design transformations are encapsulated in those rules.

Discoverform (Carlson et al., 1990)

Hybrid representations

Combination of different representation models SEED-Layout (Flemming et al., 1995); Floor Layout and Massing Study Programs (Harada, 1998); Performance Simulation Interface (Suter, 2000)

Commercial systems Industry-standard CAD systems Revit (AutoDesk); GenerativeComponents (Bentley systems)

5.4 VR interactive learning environment

The main aim of a VR environment is to provide “a flexible interactive learning environment” for novice designers. This can help novice designers to learn a smart environment that applies real design restrictions and rules to the design process automatically. The level of these restrictions can be amended, so that novice designers can learn how to apply real design restrictions in a gradual way.

6. Discussion

Having a single, flexible, and dynamic 3D environment which covers a wide range of architectural design requirements through the design process (early design to construction stage) is a vital necessity for designers. The generative evolutionary design assists the designer(s) through the early design stages, while the VR environment’s parametric capabilities provides a direct relation to physical production process (construction). This research presents a valuable set of rubrics for discussion in order to support the early design process, specially:

− Creation of models with relevant links to all required information and details for the development process.

− Creating a generative process capable of controlling the variability of design outcomes, and generation of designs with required level of complexity. Moreover, generate alternatives that differ significantly in terms of overall organisation and configuration.

− Creating an innovative collaborative environment which enables designers to communicate in an efficient way through conceptual design phases (enable both short-term asynchrony and long-term asynchrony).

− Creating a VR environment that support sketches (either by scanning hand-made sketches or by drawing-on-tablet technology) in both 2D and 3D environment.

− Enable designers to edit, save, and improve sketches and designs in a communal environment, hence, all designers (from different geographical regions) can contribute towards the design process.

− Enable designers to take their sketches (2D and/or 3D) to the next levels in order to shape their thoughts and guide it to the final phases gradually.

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6.1 Overall performance

The proposed system enhances VR environment for both generating and visualising forms. Evolutionary system is developed that is fully integrated in the VR environment. The system will be developed using a programming language embedded in Revit, therefore, allowing the generative process to make direct use of the Revit modelling functions. Moreover, Revit will also be used for visualisation, with all feedback from the evolutionary process being displayed in the Revit interface. There are evolutionary systems developed by Frazer using AutoCAD and Sun’s systems integrated with Micro Station. By integrating the evolutionary system with and advanced BIM or CAD modelling application, the generative process in the developmental step can make use of complex geometric functions on the BIM application. Figure 3 reveals the overall performance of the system.

Figure 3: System overall performance

6.2 Challenges and opportunities

In order to explore the potential for one possible future direction of computational design strategy, general aspects of what our contemporary practice in architecture is facing is discussed. The following is some potential opportunities raised from the literature:

1. Collaboration in design: New technologies and systems such as computer networking, video and computation integration etc. has made new and more advanced opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous collaborative design (SCD and ASCD).

2. Sketch-pad systems: computational support for sketching.

3. Integrating computational sketching systems into Augmented Reality architectural form: Combining sketch-pad tools with real time three-dimension environmental information of the site would help the designers to have a better understanding of how their designs would be in real site, from the early design stages. This could be extended, so the design support environment elaborates more detailed information such as temperature, brightness, humidity, wind direction and sound from early design stages.

4. Digital mock-ups (3D Sketching): Three-dimensional sculpture like interface as a replacement for early

design mock-ups.

Given the challenges identified, it is advocated that tools that proactively support and underpin the intrinsic skills needed for effective early design are evaluated through ‘objective’ measures in order to provide further insight.

7. Conclusion

A dynamic and flexible VR environment which covers AEC design requirements, from early stages of design up to the construction process is a vital necessity. Another critical aspect is supporting recent (computational) design paradigms, including generative and parametric design, and BIM. Such A VR environment is capable of providing techniques for exploring and generating design solutions. The proposed VR environment focuses on analysis and

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optimisation of design solutions for problems at the stage of conceptual design.

This paper critically reviewed seminal literature on ICT tools within the AEC sector in order to highlight the existing theoretical and technical gaps between implementing immersive interactive interfaces that combine support for both design and collaboration. Implementation of such interfaces could lead to new approaches using game-like immersive educational interfaces with the potential to benefit and help actors experience real-world problems in a risk free virtual environment. This is proposed that the next generation of design interfaces should be developed on a database (object-oriented) approach for modelling, with the API augmented to extol the benefits of shared working (through enhanced collaborative environments). The implementation of such approach could leverage significant benefits (e.g. Thai et al., 2009; ACS, 2009; Apple Inc., 2009; and Wellings and Levine, 2010), not least improves users’ engagement in the process. Whilst several systems are now being promoted in the marketplace (e.g. Cisco, 2012; Autodesk, 2012; Bentley, 2012), the use and propensity of these have yet to reach maturity. However, further development (with a construction focus) could lead to the emergence of truly immersive environments. Moreover, the concatenation of a Game-Like immersive VR interface could offer global AEC design projects further enhanced opportunities.

Development of this research has presented and outlined a conceptual framework for exploitation of new concepts in computational design and architecture. Future work will concentrate on capturing rubrics and parameters, in order to shape the rubrics of this model, then to develop it further.

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