design, qualitative analysis and digital...

Architectural Computing: The Creative Process 127

Arturo Montagu, Diana Rodríguez Barros and Lilia B. Chernobilsky

Introduction

In the last five years we had the opportunity to checkdifferent “design methods” using digital proceduresin our Architectural Studio at the CAO Center in theFaculty of Architecture of the University of BuenosAires but also in other educational institutions as theCEAC of the Faculty of Architecture of the Universityof Mar del Plata, both state universities of Argentina.

We will show an applied design experimentperformed to test the provisional hypothesismentioned before, and to emphasize the use ofseveral CAD techniques integrated with the design

Design, Qualitative Analysis and Digital MediaAn Experimental Pedagogic Approach to the CulturalEvaluation and Integration of Media

Globalization is a multidimensional process which impregnates all the facts andevents of our present culture and, as a by-product of this situation, there is a set ofcomplex relationships where “intuitive behavior plus knowledge and informationtechnology” are central issues of the new pedagogic procedures of our times.In this paper we assume by “knowledge” the data obtained from a set of relationshipsorientated towards the “heuristic approach” from the point of view of “qualitativeanalysis” concepts (Muhr 91).Our main “provisional hypothesis” is to use this methodology to control the analysis-synthesis process as a continuous procedure during the design stages.One particular aspect of this view is going through the “informatic culturephenomena” which is the base of the present “turning point” of design proceduresin most of the architectural and design schools around the world.This paper discusses how “media” is affecting the “design process” regardingthree aspects: the conceptual, the instrumental and the representational one.These aspects are affecting also the cultural models and creating new paradigmsin the way how new design methodologies combine “heuristics procedures” withthe growing set of computer graphics parameters.

Keywords: Architecture, Design, Qualitative Analysis, Digital media

process using an “heuristic approach”.

The Heuristic Approach

The “heuristic approach” consists of a combinationof analog and digital procedures in an iterative mode,and we wanted to stimulate participants to use thecomputer not only as a drafting tool (Herbert 95), butto generate a “creative environment” where theycould be motivated avoiding the usual references ofCAD systems (Bermudez 97).

Another input that we wanted to experiment wasthe influence of other art expressions as painting and

Architectural Computing: The Creative Process128

sculpture (Neimann 98), which could contribute tooperate new design ideas, including the influence ofcertain films regarding spatial organization, sequencesand characters. (Goldman 95), (Hermanson 97)

We are also experimenting for the first time theuse of “computer aided qualitative analysis software”(CAQAS) to assemble the vast amount of digitalinformation that has been produced during theexercise, because it allows us to extract a set ofrelationships that contribute to the understanding ofthe final results of the design alternatives.

Qualitative Analysis. The ATLAS/tisoftware

“Qualitative analysis” is mostly used in sociology,antrophology, psychology and pedagogy but also inarchitecture and urbanism because the existingsoftware (Atlas/ti, Muhr 98) enable us to takeadvantage of the written and graphic discourse bymeans of digital media.

“Atlas/ti” is a powerful workbench for thequalitative analysis of large bodies of graphical, textualand audio data. It offers a variety of tools foraccomplishing the tasks associated with anysystematic approach to “soft” data, e.g., material that

Figure 1 (top left). (a)Proposal for the design of acultural area in the city ofMar del Plata, Argentina. Setof 4 windows selected for theanalysis-synthesis designprocess. (b) Window Scheme

Table 1 (bottom left). Codesfor the primary documentcorresponding Figure 1


cannot be analyzed by formal, statistical approachesin meaningful ways.

The Atlas/ti system was developed by the Germanpsiquiatrist Thomas Muhr based on sociologicaltheories by Renate Tesch(94), Anselm Strauss(96)and Matthew Miles(96).

The main principles of the “Atlas/ti” methodologycan be termed VISE: Visualization, Integration,Serendipity and Exploration.

Visualization

“Tools are offered to visualize complex properties andrelations between objects which accumulate duringthe process of eliciting meaning and structure from

the analyzed data.The object-oriented design of ATLAS/ti tries to

keep the necessary operations close to the data theyare to be applied.

The visual approach of the interface keeps youfocused on the data and quite often, the function weneed are often just a few clips away”.This leads to the following comments:

The facility of using graphic procedures allowsthe selection of fragments of the design bymeans of “windows”, in the same manner asin most CAD systems. The system is able toimport JPG files and each window is linkedto a code that enables to declare a series of

Figure 2 (top right). (a)Design alternatives. The shellgeneric system. Set of digitaland analog images. (b)Window scheme

Table 2 (bottom right). Codesfor the primary documentcorresponding Figure 2


“notes” related to “qualities” of the imageselected. These windows can be observedin the Figures 1 to 3.

Integration

“Not to lose the feeling for the whole when workingon details -this is another fundamental design aspectof this software-. Given the often analytical operationsneeded especially in early stages of an interpretation,synthetic operations keep and bring together thepieces. The main -container- object integrating allthe other entities are the -Hermeneutic Unit-.Resuming work on a complex project with hundreds,or thousands of files is only a matter of loading onefile”.This leads to the following comments:

One of the fundamental laws of the Gestalttheory (Kohler 47) was “the whole is morethan the mere addition of components” and,applying to ATLAS/ti, it is possible to inferthat we can operate with the segmentedcomponents and with the global viewsimultaneously.

Taking a creative approach into the designprocess (analog and/or digital procedures) we worksimultaneously with the whole and with segmented

images for validating a certain idea.Through ATLAS/ti we can assign to these images

a set of logical relationships to link codes as we cansee in the networks included in Figures 4-5.

Serendipity

“According Webster ’s Dictionary we find for -serendipity- a seeming gift for making fortunatediscoveries accidentally. In the context of informationsystems we can add: To find something without havingfor it. The term serendipity stands also for an intuitiveapproach to data. A common operation making useof the serendipity effect is -browsing-”.This leads to the following comments:

The exhibition -Cybernetic Serendipity wasorganized by the “Institute of ContemporaryArts in London (1968).This pioneer exhibition was organized byJasia Reichardt”, an art critic, who in 1971published -Cybernetic, Art and Ideas- acompilation of papers related to -computerand the arts-. It is interesting to mentionsubjects as: computer graphics, computeranimated films, computer composed andplayed music by Iannis Xenakis, and GordonPask’s cybernetic machines -colloquy ofmobiles-.

Figure 3 (left). (a) Storyboardof the different design processstages, (b) window scheme.


We suppose that there is a correlationbetween -Heuristics and Serendipity-because during the design process inarchitecture and design, many of theintermediate pre-forms or partial solutions aremade of a combination of creativity-invention(heuristics), chance and morphological lawsof different qualities.

Exploration

“Through an exploratory yet systematic approach toyour data as opposed to a more -bureaucratic-handling of data. The whole conception of theprogram, including getting acquainted with its ownidiosyncrasies, is aimed towards an exploratory,discovered-oriented approach”.This leads to the following comments:

The Design Methods approach of the sixties(Jones 63), (Broadbent 68) taught us about-exploration- as a typical stage during thedesign process in architecture and design.Again ATLAS/ti allows us to “exploredynamically” a “mental territory” between theanalysis and the synthesis of the designprocess.This territory can be adjusted permanentlytaking into consideration the two types ofnetworks generated by the system; the firsttype is generated automatically based in the

selection of a set of quotations (windows) andtheir codes as shown in Figure 4.The second one is built up by the designerusing a set of “logical operators” in order toreflect the “qualitative” characteristics of thewhole design. Figure 5.

“Networks are the main ingredients forconstructing theoretical models with ATLAS/ti. Thesystem uses networks to help explore conceptualstructures and to make them transparent. Thenetworks add a heuristic “right brain” approach toqualitative analysis”.

Main hypothesis

1. The first hyphotesis is that “media” could give usthe possibility to systematically fragment the “chaoticamount of information” existing nowadays in thearchitectural world. “Qualitative analysis” could be thetool to set up, also systematically, a strategy to dealwith “soft data” as the different lines of architecturaltheories existing nowadays can be interpreted.2. The “qualitative analysis” methodology gives usthe possibility to research the “mental territory” existingbetween the analysis-synthesis procedure in adynamic approach using digital media.

Design methods applied part I (brief)

The design experiment was performed during 1998

Table 3 (right). Codes for theprimary documentcorresponding Figure 3


at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Mardel Plata.

The brief for the students (postgraduate level) wasto develop “a cultural area around 3 urban blockswhich enables to integrate an existing residential areawith a set of art exhibitions, music and theaterperformances”. (Figure 1)

In these 3 urban blocks there are 3 villas whichbelong to the historical heritage of the city and “VillaVictoria” is the focus point where the designexperiment was applied since that villa is used asplace for the above mentioned performances, atpresent.

There were 4 groups of participants and weselected just one group, “the snail group” to describethe design experiment [A].

The proposal of this group consists of thedevelopment of semi-basement modern art gallerybased in a geometric snail-shell structure analogyincluding some additional complementary spaces.

This group has purposely assumed a“contradictory” operation regarding the dominantenvironment of the area. (Figure 2).

Design methods applied part II (analysis)

The VISE four principles were taking intoconsideration during the analysis-synthesis phase ofthe design experiment.

It is possible to establish some analogy to processdata and to fulfill the three concepts mentioned before:conceptual (written and analog drawing discourse),representational (2D and 3D discourse) andinstrumental (operational discourse).

Each one of these discourses is able, firstly to beintegrated to a graphic and alphanumeric data baseby means of the “qualitative analysis” methodologyusing the software mentioned before, and secondlyto be interrelated through “media procedures”.

Design methods applied part III (handlingdata)

Firstly the area, the villa buildings and the environment

were surveyed by means of manual sketches, digitalphotos and with video cameras. Some of the analogueinformation was then digitized through scanning andmanual schemes, also video digitalization completedthe work.

A digital catalogue was created of architecturalelements and components of the site and context(mainly plans, facades, materials and vegetation)together with those from some other local orinternational scenarios as semantic references(Montagu, A.).

Design methods applied part IV(operational procedures)

Once the initial instances of unconditional acceptanceor rejection of computer graphics were overcome, inmany cases intermediate positions of superficialadjustment have developed, such as the digitalizationof projects generated manually or only using thepossibility of 3D modeling. In such circumstances, itwould be convenient to formulate theories, criteria andpractices aimed at researching into thecomplementation, contamination, enhancement andmutual processes and their graphic expression inArchitecture and Design, to analyze the relationshipbetween the analogue and digital media involved

Design methods applied part V ( ATLAS/tiapplications)

Figures 1 to 5 are the result of the ATLAS/ti softwareapplication to the analysis and interpreting workduring the design process.

The primary data material (primary documents)and all the by-products and results of our conceptualwork on these documents are maintained in containerscalled “Hermeneutic Units” .

The Hermeneutic Unit can be considered as anorganizational data structure. It is composed by:

• primary text: a text, an image, or audio filethat has been assigned to a H.U. E.g. Figures1 to 3 are primary text.

• Quotation: in the course of image analysis,


the images are segmented into regions called“quotations” most commonly connected tokeywords and/or memos at the time ofcreation.A quotation is a continuo piece of graphicalregion within a primary document markedwith the mouse as a window frame.Figures 1 to 3 show the different windowsselected for the analysis procedure.

• Code: is a usually short piece of text attachedto quotations in the process of coding. Codesmay also refer to other codes, resulting inconceptual networks. E.g. Figure 4.

• Networks: is another grouping device that isused for conceptual, theory building work.Networks are created using a graphical editor.The nodes in these networks are usuallycodes that may be linked with specifiablerelations to form semantic networks whichallow greater freedom to express morecomplex relations between the entities.Therefore networks in ATLAST/ti can beconsidered as devices to support the creativeprocess (mind mapping) in general. e.g.Figure 5

• Relations: are used to create links betweencodes or between quotations (conceptual andhypertext networks). Examples for code-codes relations are: ISA (is subterm of...), ISPART OF, IS CAUSE OF, IS ASSOCIATEDWITH, etc. additional relations may be definedby the user E.g. Figure 5.

Conclusions

We are showing here just a small fragment of thepotential possibilities of the ATLAS/ti software, relatedto the use of digital media associated with architecturaland design procedures; we believe that there is a newtool for conceptual and operational procedures in thefield of architectural theory and design.

We are also aware of the present situation ofarchitectural models based in “authors” more than in

an entire corpus of theoretical implications.This could lead to a chaotic situation without any

valid parameter in terms of pedagogic strategies; thisis way we want to contribute to clarify the possibleuse of these new tools.

When experimenting new tools for the analysisand synthesis of the design process procedures, werun the risk to be involved in an unsuitable simulationof the reality, just a tautology.

Anyhow along this design experiment wediscovered that the ATLAS/ti software could provideus with appropriate tools to deal with graphics entitiesand to operate a series of additional logical proceduresas: “network vs. network view, relation vs. link, nodes,layout and topological sort”.

These tools are opening a new “mental territory”,of research into the logical procedures of designassisted by digital media, and these are our mainwishes to do it.

Bibliography

Philosophy, Communication and MediaBateson, Gregory , Comunicación Digital o

Comunicación Analogica,in Una Ecología de laMente, (C.Lohe,BsAs, 1976)

Don, Abbe, Narrative and the Interface, (BrendaLaurel, The Art of Human Computer InterfaceDesign, Addison Wesley, New York,1990)

Eco, Umberto , Apuntes sobre Semiótica, (Lumen,Barcelona 1988).

Kohler, Wolfang, The Gestalt Theory, Psicología dela Forma, (Paidos, Buenos Aires. 1947)

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in: SIGRADI 97, Montagu A.ed., (CEADIG,Buenos Aires, 1997) 43-50.


Goldman, Glenn , Reconstructions, Remakes andSequels,in: ACADIA 96, Mcintosh P. & Ozel F.ed., 1996

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Hermanson, Robert, Media Inquiries RegardingArchitecture, in:SIGRADI 98, Montagu A.,Bermudez J., Barros D., Stipech A., ed., Mar delPlata, Argentina 1998. 66-75

Montagu, Arturo, Computer Integration in the DesignProcess, working document, CAO Center, FADU-UBA, Buenos Aires. 1997

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Figure 4 (left).Automaticgeneration of networkfocussed on quotations(windows): Both two numbersseparated by a dash enclosedby curly parenthesesappended to the code’s nameby the system referees to: thefirst number displays thenumber of quotations alreadycoded with this code. Thelarger this number, the moreevidence has already beenfound for this code in thedata. Density. The numberfollowing the dash is thenumber of other codes linkedwith this code. Codes withlarge numbers can beinterpreted as having a highdegree of theoretical density.This latter characteristicbelongs to the networkingprocedures shown in figure 5.

A., Bermudez J., Barros D., Stipech A.ed., Mardel Plata, Argentina, 1998. 46-55

Qualitative AnalysisCorbin, J. & Strauss A.: “Basic of qualitative research:

grounded theory procedures and techniques”.(London: Sage, 1990).

Tesch, R. (90): “Qualitative research : analysis typesand software tools”. (London: Falmer, 1990).

Weitzman, E. & Miles, M. : “Computer Programs forQualitative Data Analysis”. (London: Sage,1995).

Web References

Muhr, Thomas (1998) Home page ATLAS/ti softwarehttp://www.atlasti.de

http://www.atlasti.de


Figure 5 (right). Code-coderelations. Semantic network:This network is a ubiquitousand powerful tool that servesto represent complexinformation by intuitivelyaccessible graphic means.“This means that the designeris able to modify the structureof this network in order toadjust the design oftheoretical models and alsoexploit the structuralproperties of code-networksto enhance the retrieval ofquotations”.

Type of relations:

isa: is a==: is associated with [ ]: is part of=>: is cause of<>: contradicts???: is context of

Arturo Montagu (1), Diana Rodríguez Barros (2)and Lilia B. Chernobilsky (3)

(1) CAO Center, Creation Assisted by ComputerFaculty of Architecture, Design & UrbanismUniversity of Buenos Aires, [email protected]

Notes

[A] Post graduate students: A. Andrade, N. Diez, M.Rábano, P.Recaite, S.Ricco, V. Jalil

(2) Center of Studies Asisted by Computer CEACFaculty of Architecture, Urbanism & DesignUniversity of Mar del Plata, [email protected](3) Faculty of Social SciencesUniversity of Buenos Aires, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



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