Towards a revolution in Architecture

Hyperbody, owing to its inter-disciplinary track record as regards research and development, in the year 2009, embarked upon conducting cutting edge collaborative research with the chairs of Design Informatics, Structural Design, Structural Mechanics, Construction Integration and Coordination and the Structural Design Lab. This Collaborative research agenda is put forth in a comprehensive manner to form the Computation and Performance group.

The aim of the  Computation and Performance research program is to improve the performance of buildings by using computational methods for model generation and analysis, decision-making and design communication. Performance in this context refers to technical performance as well as qualitative performance (physical and psychological). The activities of the research program are led to answer the following four questions and meet the corresponding four challenges:

a. How do we measure the performance of buildings or their parts?

Challenge 1: To define building performance and quality, and to develop the computational means to assess in design the many various aspects that constitute them, taking into account cultural as well as technical (i.e. psychological as well as physical) requirements, and also the points of view of different stakeholders in the design, construction and operation of the building.

b. How do we leverage understanding of performance in the design process?

Challenge 2: To apply the understanding of performance and quality to the computational design process so as to plan, construct and operate buildings whose reality meets or exceeds the aspirations that motivated their production.

c. How do we improve the collaborative and interdisciplinary design process?

Challenge 3: To develop design, communication and decision-making practices, and their computational support, which enable stakeholders to effectively apply the understanding of building performance and quality in an informed and balanced way so as to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes.

d. How de we rethink the relation between functions, architectural form and performance holistically?

Challenge 4: To continually re-examine the relations between performance/quality, function, materials, systems, society, and architectural form within an investigation of computationally enhanced holistic design strategies, so as to remain alert to and explore opportunities for (positive) change in the man-made environment, including those beyond the limits of physically building.

For a more detailed research overview of the Computation & Performance Research Group please refer to the programme website.