[Bldg-sim] Tools for designers

[Raoni Venâncio dos Santos Lima]

Hi, Max.

When I talk about a designerly way of simulating (or modeling, if you will)
I refer to all those moments in design when you have some sort of dilemma
but you don’t have all information available. I mean, it could be
counterproductive to simulate just a detailed model, couldn’t? You might
identify several mistakes that could be avoided otherwise.

Simulating during design process (it can be even in early stages), the
modeling task becomes rather abstract and incomplete (in comparison to
whole-building simulation). However, design dilemmas can be supported
effectively even with incomplete and simplified models.  Indeed, what you
need is a rough picture of what is going on with each alternative. Actually,
this procedure isn’t something new…I am sure that many modelers do that.
However, to do that in a designerly way you must think like a designer. In
short, I believe you must not only face these design dilemmas in a holistic
way, but you must use properly you episodic knowledge (part of it you can
just call design precedents). That is different when you hire a consultant
to make these simulations.

When I talk about modeling, I am much more concerned with thermal and energy
simulation. However, this same logic is often applied in representational
modeling supporting design process. In fact, some softwares like
RevitBuilding have mass-modeling features that can be easily transformed in
a building. SketchUp was designed to work that way…in rough modeling to
support design. That is the same principle to support different dilemmas.

I hope I have answered your questions.


Regards,
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