Abstract
The shape annealing method, a design technique that combines a generative grammar with stochastic optimization, is applied to the generation of discrete structures to produce structural design essays. Two shape grammars, a planar truss grammar and a single-layer space truss grammar, based on the fundamental form-function relation found in truss design, are used to define two languages of valid truss structures. To generate designs for specific truss applications from these immense languages, a model of design purpose is used to direct the search using metrics for the design goals of efficiency, economy, utility and elegance. This grammatical approach to structural design has resulted in the formation of structural essays, which are a subset of the design language, that contain designs apropriate to a particular discrete structure application. In this paper, structural essays that explore the form-function relations for a planar roof truss problem and a single-layer discrete dome problem are presented. Structural essays provide the designer with a set of functionally feasible designs that illustrate the relations among spatial form and design purpose, or function, as defined by design specifications, constraints and objectives. For the designer, the discovery of new relations between form and function found in a design essay could enhance creativity and insight in conceiving innovative problem solutions.
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Shea, K., Cagan, J. (1998). Generating Structural Essays from Languages of Discrete Structures. In: Gero, J.S., Sudweeks, F. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in Design ’98. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5121-4_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5121-4_19
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