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Concept
Parametric design
Summary
Parametric design is a design method in which features, such as building elements and engineering components, are shaped based on algorithmic processes rather than direct manipulation. In this approach, parameters and rules establish the relationship between design intent and design response. The term parametric refers to the input parameters that are fed into the algorithms.
While the term now typically refers to the use of computer algorithms in design, early precedents can be found in the work of architects such as Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí used a mechanical model for architectural design (see analogical model) by attaching weights to a system of strings to determine shapes for building features like arches.
Parametric modeling can be classified into two main categories:
Propagation-based systems, where algorithms generate final shapes that are not predetermined based on initial parametric inputs.
Constraint systems, in which final constraints are set, and algorithms are utilized to define fundamental aspects (such as structures or material usage) that satisfy these constraints.
Form-finding processes are often implemented through propagation-based systems. These processes optimize certain design objectives against a set of design constraints, allowing the final form of the designed object to be "found" based on these constraints.
One of the earliest instances of parametric design was the upside-down model of churches by Antonio Gaudi. In his design for the Church of Colònia Güell, he created a model of strings weighted down with birdshot to create complex vaulted ceilings and arches. By adjusting the position of the weights or the length of the strings, he could alter the shape of each arch and observe the impact on the connected arches. He placed a mirror at the bottom of the model to see how it would appear when built right-side-up.
Gaudí's analog method incorporated the main features of a computational parametric model (input parameters, equation, output):
The string length, birdshot weight, and anchor point location function as independent input parameters.
Official source
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