COMPUTATIONAL LEARNING AND DESIGN ENVIRONMENT IN ARCHITECTURE

Abstract

The computer has evolved from a tool to a privileged position where architectural design takes shape. Given that students are expected to work primarily in a computational environment and frequently in a collaborative way, some questions challenge and inspire us to consider new ways and methods that will aid in the creation and sharing of information and ideas. The dynamic of the architectural investigation process is the beginning point for our research, which aims to stimulate the architectural exploration process through the design and implementation of a computational environment based on a library of referents. In this paper, we try in particular to understand the characteristics of the design environment in architecture, therefore concerning the description and references of the library in the design dynamics. The referents' representation is viewed as a collection of descriptions in a distinct format. It is available to students and allows for new interpretations, interaction with their content, and eventually, knowledge acquisition during the architectural investigation process.