Inspired by Eisenman: ArchiDNA, a creative shape generative system

Doo Young Kwon and Ellen Yi-Luen Do Design Machine Group Department of Architecture, University of Washington

Form making is an important and creative act in design. Architects often draw shapes to find design solutions and solve problems. Shape Grammar systems provide automatic shape generation following designer defined rules. Research in Shape Grammar has focused on analyzing existing designs and generating new design patterns (Stiny 1972, Flemming 1990). In this paper, we describe our creative multi-user shape-generative system called ArchiDNA. We built ArchiDNA for designers to specify design style and form generating rules to produce automatically spatial configurations. ArchiDNA is inspired by Peter Eisenmans design of Biocentrum (Eisenman 1999), an example of form generation from abstract design concepts (Figure 1). Eisenman developed the building form with the concepts of DNA (Figure 2). A DNA chain is composed of four initial shapes A, T, C, and G (2 interlocking pairs) (Figure 3). Observing Eisenmans design (Figure 4), we found that his principles of form generation are (1): replication of the source forms, (2) rotation of the generative form, (3) rescaling of the generative form to fit the width of the selected form.

Figure.1 Biocentrum (Eisenman 1986)

Figure 2. DNA Structure

Figure 3. A, T, C, G

Figure 4. 2D Diagram produced by Eisenman

In our ArchiDNA system, we define the form generating with five elements (S, L, G, B, I). S is a set of shape rules of the form [A B] that specifies how a shape A can be transformed to create B. S are three parametric rules: Rule 1 (move), Rule 2 (rotate) and Rule 3 (scale). L labels the first edge. G is a set of parameters that assign values to transformation rules - the width and angle of each shape. B is the base shape to which the rule and source shapes apply to start a computation. I is an initial shape to act as a source for replication and as the base shape for orientation.

gfdf

g1 (g)

g2

g3

(S, L, G, I, B) S = {Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3} L = {} G={g1, g2, g3} I={Initial shape} B={base shape}

Figure 5. Rule 1: Move

Figure 6. Rule 2: Rotate

Figure 7. Rule 3: Scale

Figure 8. I: Initial Shape

Figure 9. B: Base Shape

ArchiDNA generates interesting shapes. Designers start with a DNA source form and click on several of them to indicate the sequence of reproduction. For example, if we only select shape G, then each time when we click on the edge of a shape from M, ArchiDNA will make a copy of G for every edge of the base shape, rotate it so that the new shape become perpendicular to the edge, and scale it so that the base line of G fits the width of the selected base edge (Figure 9, 10). If for example, we selected A-G-C-T in a sequence, then the same production procedure applies to the initial shapes duplicate, rotate & scale A, then do the same for G, C and T (Figure 11). Designers can start with any type of initial shapes, and select any one shape to generate interesting configurations (Figure 12, 13).

Figure 10. Derivation 1 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 11. Derivation 2 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 12. Variation 1 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 13. Variation 2 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 14. ArchiDNA Interface

Figure 15. ArchiDNA 3D Model in VRML Viewer, Cortona

Figure 16. ArchiDNA 3D Model in Modeling System, FormZ

ArchiDNA has an easy-to-use interface (Figure 14). Designers can draw initial shapes and then select any shape to apply the parametric shape generations. All newly generated shapes can be selected as base shape to apply shape generation as well. This interesting play of DNA replication creates fascinating shapes. ArchiDNA also has a massing module to automatically assign heights. Any shapes with an area larger than a set threshold would be assigned the platform height and those less than another threshold would become highrise buildings. In this manner, ArchiDNA not only generates interesting 2D shapes but also extends to 3D massing and can translate the result into a 3D VRML format for the web (Figure 15) or CAD systems (Figure 16). ArchiDNA is implemented in Java and serverclient technology. Designers from remote places can participate in synchronous form generating collaboration across the net. Designers can also use color assignments to shapes filter out interesting emergent shapes that follow certain rhythms or patterns.

References
G. Stiny and J. Gips, Shape Grammars and the Generative Specification of Painting and Sculpture, in C. V. Freiman, ed., Information Processing 71 (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1972), pp. 1460-1465 U. Flemming, Syntactic Structures in Architecture in M. McCullough, W. J. Mitchell, and P. Purcell, eds., The Electronic Design Studio (The MIT Press, Cambridge, 1990), pp. 31-47 Peter Eisenman, Diagram Diaries (Universe Publishing, 1999), pp. 188-189

Figure 4. 2D and 3D Diagram (produced by Eisenman)

Shape Making Algorithm

In our ArchiDNA system, we define the form generating with five elements (S, L, G, B, I). S is a set of shape rules of the form [A B] that specifies how a shape A can be transformed to create B. S are three parametric rules: Rule 1 (move), Rule 2 (rotate) and Rule 3 (scale) (Figure 5, 6, 7). L labels the first edge. G is a set of parameters that assign values to transformation rules - the width and angle of each shape. B is the base shape to which the rule and source shapes apply to start a computation. I is an initial shape to act as a source for replication and as the base shape for orientation. (S, L, G, B, I) S = {Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3} L={ } G={g1, g2, g3} B={Base shape} I={Initial shape} ArchiDNA generates interesting shapes. Designers start with a DNA source form and click on several of them to indicate the sequence of reproduction. For example, if we only select shape G, then each time when we click on the edge of a shape from M, ArchiDNA will make a copy of G for every edge of the base shape, rotate it so that the new shape become perpendicular to the edge, and scale it so that the base line of G fits the width of the selected base edge (Figure 8). If for example, we selected A-G-C-T in a sequence, then the same production procedure applies to the initial shapes duplicate, rotate & scale A, then do the same for G, C and T (Figure 9). Designers can start with any type of initial shapes, and select any one shape to generate interesting configurations (Figure 10).
I: Initial Shape

I: Initial Shape Shapes

I: Initial Shape Shapes

B: Base Shape

B: Base Shape

B: Base Shape

5 2 1 3

Figure.1 Biocentrum (Eisenman 1986)

Figure 2. DNA Structure

Figure 3. A, T, C, G

Figure 8. Derivation 1 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 9. Derivation 2 produced by ArchiDNA

Figure 10. Derivation 3 produced by ArchiDNA

B
4 5 6 7

Introduction
Form making is an important and creative act in design. Architects often draw shapes to find design solutions and solve problems. Shape Grammar systems provide automatic shape generation following designer defined rules. Research in Shape Grammar has focused on analyzing existing designs and generating new design patterns (Stiny 1972, Flemming 1990). In this paper, we describe our creative multi-user shape-generative system called ArchiDNA. We built ArchiDNA for designers to specify design style and form generating rules to produce automatically spatial configurations. ArchiDNA is inspired by Peter Eisenman s design of Biocentrum (Eisenman 1999), an example of form generation from abstract design concepts (Figure 1). Eisenman developed the building form with the concepts of DNA (Figure 2). A DNA chain is composed of four initial shapes A, T, C, and G (2 interlocking pairs) (Figure 3). Observing Eisenman s design (Figure 4), we found his principles of form generation are (1): replication of the source forms, (2) rotation of the generative form, (3) rescaling of the generative form to fit the width of the selected form.

11

10

System Interface
ArchiDNA has an easy-to-use interface (Figure 11). Designer can draw initial shapes and then select any shape to apply the parametric shape generations. All newly generated shapes can be selected as base shape to apply shape generation as well. This interesting play of DNA replication creates fascinating shapes. ArchiDNA also has a massing module to automatically assign heights. Any shapes with an area larger than a set threshold would be assigned the platform height and those less than another threshold would become highrise buildings. In this manner, ArchiDNA not only generates interesting 2D shapes but also extends to 3D massing and can translate the result into a 3D VRML format for the web (Figure 12) or CAD systems (Figure 13). ArchiDNA is implemented in Java and server-client technology. Designers from remote places can participate in synchronous form generating collaboration across the net. Designers can also use color assignments to shapes filter out interesting emergent shapes that follow certain rhythms or patterns.

g1

Figure 11. ArchiDNA Interface in Web Browser

g3

g2

Figure 5. Rule 1: Move

Figure 6. Rule 2: Rotate

Figure 7. Rule 3: Scale

Inspired by Eisenman: ArchiDNA A creative shape generative system

Figure 12. ArchiDNA 3D Model in VRML Viewer, Cortona

References
G. Stiny and J. Gips, Shape Grammars and the Generative Specification of Painting and Sculpture, in C. V. Freiman, ed., Information Processing 71 (North Holland, Amsterdam, 1972), pp. 1460-1465

Doo Young Kwon and Ellen Yi-Luen Do Design Machine Group http://dmg.caup.washington.edu/ University of Washington

U. Flemming, Syntactic Structures in Architecture in M. McCullough, W. J. Mitchell, and P. Purcell, eds., The Electronic Design Studio (The MIT Press, Cambridge, 1990), pp. 31-47 Peter Eisenman, Diagram Diaries (Universe Publishing, 1999), pp. 188-189
Figure 13. ArchiDNA 3D Model in Modeling System, FormZ