PARAMETRIC ARCHITECTURE

Image source: www.lem3a.es

Introduction
What is parametric design?
To understand the concept of parametric design one should know
what is a parameter?
In mathematics a parameter is defined as a quantity constant in the
case considered but varying in different cases
Most architectural software used for modelling and drawing
requires some parameter input for the creation of geometry.
Geometric parameters are often dimensional, so at its simplest one
could say of a line, the parameter of a line is its length. At the
object level, by changing the values for a lines length, a line of
variable dimension is created

l
Here l Is parameter

 Parametric design is a process based on algorithmic thinking

that enables the expression of parameters and rules that,
together, define, encode and clarify the relationship between
design intent and design response
Parametric design is a paradigm in design where the
relationship between elements are used to manipulate and
inform the design of complex geometries and structures.

London City Hall

(Image source:
www.fosterandpartner.com)

It refers to the use of certain parameters or variables that can

be edited to manipulate or alter the end result of an equation
or system
London City Hall building analysis

Aim
The main goal of this report is to understand the concept of
parametric architecture and different use of parametricism in the
field of architecture.

Objective
To study the use of parametricism in different fields of architecture
like architecture design ,urban design, interior ,facades etc.

Study of different case studies to show how parametricism work

To study the work of different architects in parametricism around

the world

Methodology
Selection of topic
Collection of data
Data analysis
Study of applications of parametricism
in architecture
Introduction to different software's
Study the work of different architects
and case studies
Inferences

Methodology
Selection of topic
Collection of data
Data analysis
Study of applications of parametricism
in architecture
Introduction to different software's
Study the work of different architects
and case studies
Inferences

References

After going through these papers a brief overlook of what parametricism is for architecture and
how it is essential
In shaping the future of architecture with the help of just some parameters. Which is not only time
saving but also provide architects flexibility of designs with various options.

Application of parametricism in architecture

1. Shape evolution of any building

. Parametricism is very helpful in shape evolution of any building

with the help of different mathematical algorithms

component
Circle on xy plane

operation
Movement in z
direction
Scaling (x,y)
St Marie axe ,London
(Image source: www.odfireprotection.co.uk)

Bilbao metro entrance

(Image source: www.everystockphoto.com)

2. Evolution of faade

We can also create different building faades using different

mathematical algorithms and different parameters like solar angle,
daylight, location etc

Tectonic building form. By Andrew Newman.

Voronoi facade
(Image source: www.pinerest.com)

The Hangzhou Tennis Center

(Image source: www.arch20.com)

3. Parametricism in urban design

. Parametricism can also be used in urban design the term used for
this is Parametric Urbanism aims to provide new logic of
urban design that operate through the correlation of multiple urban
systems as the modulation systems of open and closed spaces,
exploring new techniques of formal variation and differentiation,
in which nothing repeats itself, and two buildings should not
necessarily have the same shape.

Thames Gateway Masterplan (2007)

The Thames Gateway Masterplan is a plan for an area
cut by the River Thames and spreading to East London
Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher took the area as a
proving ground for developing new ways of solving
problems of large-scale urban projects
They were using a series of digital parametric design
techniques to develop a proposal for the urban renewal
area
Through a survey of architectural typologies in the
history of urban development and architecture of
London, they have identified and examined four main
building standards: individual villas, high-rise towers,
slab-shaped buildings and cityblocks (isolated houses,
towers, buildings formed of flat plate and urban blocks)
They associated these types of four different geometric
elements, namely: point, line, plane, and volume. From
this, they programmed a computer modelling software to
design and permute these four building types under the

One North Masterplan, Singapore

The project One North Masterplan, by Zaha
Hadid and associates, represents a significant
reference on behalf of being one of the first
examples where parameters were applied to
urbanism.

This urban plan was the winner in the

international competition for a urban plan for
the an industrial zone in Singapore

The concept of artificial landscape formation is

being articulated across an entire urban
quarter

One North Masterplan

One north generates a strong sense of

identity- generating a new instantly
identifiable panorama visible from afar,
experience from park that stands at the heart
of this new quarter

4. Parametricism in product design

Use of parametricism in the field of product design is
increasing rapidly.
We can see many different products in the market which are
made by using this technique

Parametric table

Silicon shoe with parametric pattern

Aqua table by Zaha HadidHand bag with parametric patte

Necklace

Lamp with parametric pattern

Analyzing old building of contemporary architecture with the help of

parametricism

. Earlier the building were designed without knowing the concept of

parametricism but now we can analyze or design these buildings
with the help of parametricism.

Eric Owen Moss Conjunctive Points Theater Complex

mage source: www.ericowenmoss.com)

The Conjunctive Points Theater Complex

building is analyzed into a 30x30m rectangle
which is repeated and rotated along a main
axis. This main axis is deformed resulting to a
flow-along-curve technique. The operation
can be more simplified by moving and
rotating the starting rectangle on the three
axes. By lofting the repeated shapes, the
abstract form of the building is generated. In
this example, the iterations behind the
design idea represent also the structural
system.
Each
rectangle,
after
the
transformations applied to it, represents one
of the sectional concrete frames.

Rem Koolhaas Seattle Public Library

The main design pattern of the Seattle Public Library is a

rectangle that is being copied, moved and scaled in order
to fulfill the volume expectations. Although the vertical
evolution along the Z-axis of the two-dimensional shapes
determines the storey height according to the step
followed, the Seattle Public Library uses different storey
heights, which are multiples of a common number.
The resulting shapes are being lofted using straight loft.
The horizontal edges of the resulting mesh indicate the
top and bottom of every storey the optimized structural
system of the building is represented through the
wireframe of the mesh. The surfaces created by lofting
represent the glass-and-steel skin that covers the steel
wireframe and comprises the basic ingredient for

know parametric design is basically software based designs therefore role of software is the most importan
f it so now we will discuss different software's used in parametricism
List of some software's used for parametric design in architecture
Catia
Autodesk 3DS Max
Autodesk Maya
Grasshopper 3D
Autodesk Revit
Autodesk Dynamo
Solid works

 Catia
CATIA
(Computer
Aided
Three-Dimensional
Interactive Application) started as an in-house
development in 1977 by French aircraft manufacturer
Avions marcel Dassault, at that time customer of the
CAD/CAM CAD software to develop Dassault's Mirage
fighter jet. It was later adopted in the aerospace,
automotive, shipbuilding, and other industries.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Use of Catia in design

CATIA offers a solution to shape design, styling,
surfacing workflow and visualization to create,
modify and validate complex innovative shapes
from industrial design to Class-A surfacing with the
ICEM surfacing technologies

Guggenheim
Museum

 Autodesk 3d max
Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio Max, is a
professional 3D computer graphics program for
making 3D animations, models, games and
images.
It is frequently used by video game developers,
many TV commercial studios and architectural
visualization studios. It is also used for movie
effects and movie pre-visualization
MAXScript
MAXScript is a built-in scripting language that can
be used to automate repetitive tasks, combine
existing functionality in new ways, develop new
tools and user interfaces, and much more. Plugin
modules can be created entirely within MAXScript.