Architecture's New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design

Yehuda E Kalay, William J Mitchell,

ISBN 10: 0262112841 / ISBN 13: 9780262112840

Published by MIT Press (MA) June 2004, 2004

About this Item

Computer-aided design (CAD) technology has already changed the practiceof architecture, and it has the potential to change it even more radically. WithArchitecture's New Media, Yehuda Kalay offers a comprehensive exposition of theprinciples, methods, and practices that underlie architectural computing. Hediscusses the aspects of information technology that are pertinent to architecturaldesign, analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of particular computational methods, andlooks at the potential of emerging computational techniques to affect the future ofarchitectural design.CAD technology, introduced in the postwar era and adopted ineveryday architectural practice beginning in the 1970s, is now so indispensablethat, as William Mitchell observes in his foreword, architectural practice withoutit is 'as unimaginable as writing without a word processor.' Yet, Kalay argues, ithas had little qualitative effect. This book provides a detailed introduction forpractitioners, educators, students, and researchers to aspects of CAD that go beyondthe improvements in drafting, modeling, and rendering for which it is commonly used.Computer-aided architectural design (CAAD) is capable of modeling and manipulatingobjects (not merely their graphical representations), reasoning about and predictingperformance of design solutions, generating new design solutions through algorithmicand other methods, managing vast amounts of information, and taking advantage ofopportunities offered by the Internet for collaboration across time and space andfor design of the virtual 'space' of the Internet itself.Architecture's New Mediacovers five main topics: design methods and computer technology and the relationshipbetween computers and design; the principles of communication and representation;generative design methods; the advantages of computational methods for predictingand evaluating the performance of design solutions; and current and futuredevelopments in technology, including collaborative design, intelligent designassistants, construction automation, and virtual design environments. A comprehensive examination of computer-aided architectural design and its potential effect on architectural design practice; for practitioners, educators, students, and researchers.

Seller Inventory # 64807

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Architecture's New Media: Principles, Theories, and Methods of Computer-Aided Design
• Publisher: MIT Press (MA) June 2004
• Publication Date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0262112841
• ISBN 13: 9780262112840
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Used - Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Architecture - Digital

About this title

Synopsis

A comprehensive examination of computer-aided architectural design and its potential effect on architectural design practice; for practitioners, educators, students, and researchers.

Computer-aided design (CAD) technology has already changed the practice of architecture, and it has the potential to change it even more radically. With Architecture's New Media, Yehuda Kalay offers a comprehensive exposition of the principles, methods, and practices that underlie architectural computing. He discusses the aspects of information technology that are pertinent to architectural design, analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of particular computational methods, and looks at the potential of emerging computational techniques to affect the future of architectural design.

CAD technology, introduced in the postwar era and adopted in everyday architectural practice beginning in the 1970s, is now so indispensable that, as William Mitchell observes in his foreword, architectural practice without it is "as unimaginable as writing without a word processor." Yet, Kalay argues, it has had little qualitative effect. This book provides a detailed introduction for practitioners, educators, students, and researchers to aspects of CAD that go beyond the improvements in drafting, modeling, and rendering for which it is commonly used. Computer-aided architectural design (CAAD) is capable of modeling and manipulating objects (not merely their graphical representations), reasoning about and predicting performance of design solutions, generating new design solutions through algorithmic and other methods, managing vast amounts of information, and taking advantage of opportunities offered by the Internet for collaboration across time and space and for design of the virtual "space" of the Internet itself.

Architecture's New Media covers five main topics: design methods and computer technology and the relationship between computers and design; the principles of communication and representation; generative design methods; the advantages of computational methods for predicting and evaluating the performance of design solutions; and current and future developments in technology, including collaborative design, intelligent design assistants, construction automation, and virtual design environments.

About the Author

Yehuda E. Kalay is Professor of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.