Town and Urban Planning, Architecture and Building Engineering

Algorithmic architecture
Jakub Bladowski
Gdańsk University of Technology,
e-mail: [email protected]

What should be the exact scope of computer involvement in architecture design? What ways of thinking should we use in order
to completely utilize computer programming possibilities?
There is a notion of observing nature and using its ways of coping in architectural design. We, architects could perform
design techniques closely similar to those observed in natural processes. Evolution, natural selection and effectiveness could be
phrases used in reference to architectural design.
Architecture is an art of meeting people’s needs, an art that creates different styles and trends. There are always human related
topics in that kind of design. Is technology able to meet its needs?

Keywords and phrases: algorithmic architecture, genetic algorithms, architecture, population thinking, topological thinking,
intensive thinking.

mathematical or logical methods [1]. There’s a small

Introduction
number of architects and researchers who think that it
There is a growing computer involvement with has become unavoidable to get further into programming
architectural design nowadays. What should be the exact and to creatively use the computer and its real
scope of it and what influence will it have on our future possibilities.
and space around us? For the last five decades architects
have been increasingly interested in computer’s use in the
process of design, beginning with CAD programs,
Algorithmic architecture
through object based software (i.e. Architecture CAD) In order to be able to use programming in architectural
to building information modelling software (Autodesk design one must become familiar with the term algorithm.
Revit). It’s a set of instructions that is given to a machine by
Moreover, architects took interest in the spectacular a human to accomplish a given task in a finite number
development of computer graphics and some sort of of steps.
fascination arouse about strange forms and blobs, that Algorithms are already widely used among recent
could be possible due to development of scripting designers. Experiments that are advertised as an imitation
languages available in 3D packages (i.e. Rhinoscript, of biological processes [2] are nothing more than clever
3dMaxScript). tricks performed with the use of computer programming
The dominant way of utilizing computers in to receive nature-like patterns. Benjamin Aranda and
architecture, already briefly described could be called Chis Lasch widely known avant-garde architects create
computerization. That is a process of drawing and interesting forms that are inspired by nature observations
creating 3D models for already existing solutions (in the in algorithm using processes, which can be unfortunately
architect’s mind). It means that the results are predictable. considered only as tools for architectural design process
The opposite way of using computer power is to take not as the process itself.
advantage of its computational possibilities. Computation An interesting trend of using genetic algorithms
is a process of calculating — determining something by occurs in the contemporary architecture. It can be the

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Fig. 1. The Busan Ecology Museum, by Aranda and Lasch. The cracking procedure allows for both an organisation and
distribution of tidal movements that make the building behave like a mouth of a river.

Genetic algorithm derives its structure from the

observation of nature. The simplest genetic algorithm
contains three kinds of operations: selection, mutation
and crossover.
Genetic algorithms are already used in architectural
design, but the processes are variations of mating of
few already designed solutions in order to receive
interesting outcome. Typical example is Martin Jameson’s
‘Genetically Modified Terrace House’ in Blackpool,
UK. The author received interesting results, however
they are still a representation of predesigned solutions’
crossover [4].
The real opportunity for architects is to use advanced
programming techniques such as genetic algorithms in
the real design process. In order to do that one must
consider some philosophical ideas, which can be traced
to the work of Gilles Deleuze [5]. Three ways of thinking
Fig. 2. Project: Grotto, by Aranda and Lasch. Each of the present in Deleuze’s works and described by Manuel
boulders behave in its own way. Rings connect together to DeLanda in reference to architectural design are:
form arches and vaults.
population thinking, intensive thinking and topological
thinking [5].
solution to the problem of creative and full usage of
computation possibilities. Population thinking
Population thinking is a style of reasoning created in the
Genetic algorithms 1930’s by the biologists who brought together Darwin’s
Genetic algorithms were invented by John Holland in and Mendel’s theories and synthesized the modern
the 1960s and were developed at the University of version of evolutionary theory [5]. Its main concept is
Michigan in the 1960s and the 1970s. Original goal was that the population is a sort of a matrix necessary for
to study the phenomenon of adaptation as it occurs in a natural selection to occur.
nature and to develop ways in which mechanisms of Natural selection is a process discovered by Charles
natural adaptation might be imported into computer Darwin. We know that it is the explanation of both the
systems [3]. Later it was discovered that genetic algo- existence and the apparent purposefulness of all the life
rithms can be used in problem solving and optimization. forms [6]. It works without a goal, it has neither an

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tions, which will provide better outcome — optimal

building.
With increasing concerns for sustainability and
efficiency, the need to optimize performance in terms of
environmental, structural, economic and other concerns,
demarcates a new ethical horizon of possibilities. Once

Town and Urban Planning, Architecture and Building Engineering

a performative logic has been written into a script, the
results are already optimized [7].

Intensive thinking
Intensive thinking is derived from thermodynamics. The
modern definition of an intensive quantity refers to
magnitudes, that are spatially not dividable (i.e.
temperature. pressure or speed). In architectural design
we deal with extensive quantities like lengths, areas or
volumes.
Fig. 3. Martin Jameson, Genetically Modified Terrace It is crucial to refer to intensive quantities while
House, Party wall split and front-to-back circulation.
creating virtual populations of buildings, since their
differences are productive, as they drive processes in
imagination nor a brain, however it leads to results that which the diversity of form is produced [5].
make sense and often are optimal for given environment. It is a real challenge to create a virtual environment,
In order to design a building using genetic algorithms that will constitute a canvass for evolution of buildings,
we have to create a population of virtual buildings, and will be able to substitute reality for the sake of the
that will mate with each other leading to next popula- process, which obviously couldn’t be performed in reality.

Fig. 4. Martin Jameson, Genetically Modified Terrace House, Open space configuration.

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 Jakub Bladowski

Topological thinking mind can be described as a cyborg in the intellectual

sense [1].
Topological thinking is a common notion among recent
architects. It is a way of describing buildings as a set of
parameters and relations between them, so that we don’t Will we kill building’s ‘soul’?
get a final form, just the necessary rules of creating it.
Once we use high-end technology to design, we can be
An important feature of genetic algorithms concern-
able to receive optimal form, function, insolation, energy
ing form production has been discovered — once a few
self-efficiency etc., but is that all that buildings consist
interesting forms have been generated, the evolutionary
of? What about the genius loci? What about the human
process seems to run out of possibilities [5]. In the
nature that should be the prime concern for architects?
contrary there is a great productivity of natural evolution.
It is a matter unsolved whether it would make
The possible solution to this concern may be the
a difference for a user to live in a building designed by
topological way of thinking, creating a ‘body plan’. It
a machine. Simply because there is no such building.
refers to an abstract diagram, with which we can describe
It seems like a fascinating opportunity to create
i.e. every vertebrate on the planet (certain organs which
energy self-efficient buildings, which would be designed
are the products of evolution and are similar for different
to be perfect in every matter, that we want them to be.
types of animals). Reason for existing of the ‘body plan’
Still, there is a question about human nature and higher
is the cumulative selection. In the process of cumulative
needs, which can’t be expressed in numbers (or can
selection given population always starts with the results
they?).
of the previous population selection’s outcome [6].
It is probably our future to find out answers to all
these questions. Maybe we will have to use Tom Wolfe’s
Architect’s role words: ‘Sorry, but Your soul just died’ [8].
It is crucial to understand what outcome can this
revolution have on architect’s role in the process of References
design. [1] Terzidis, Kostas. Algorithmic Architecture. Elsevier, 2006.
Architect may become only a breeder of virtual [2] Aranda, Benjamin, and Chris Lasch. Tooling. Princeton
buildings, which can be considered as a form of art, but Architectural Press.
hardly the kind of creativity that one identifies with the [3] Mitchell, Melanie. An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms.
development of a personal artistic style. This way Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996.
architect’s taste would become another parameter, or [4] Lee, Christopher C.M., and Sam Jacoby. Typological
gene of a virtual building. Probably the most of architects Formations: Renewable building Types And The City.
will defend their previous role, but it is important to Architectural Association an the Authors, 2007.
answer to a question of what are we willing to sacrifice [5] DeLanda, Manuel. Deleuze and the Use of the Genetic
Algorithm in Architecture. http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/
in order to accomplish efficiency and perfect (or close to
delanda/pages/algorithm.htm.
perfect) form and function for given conditions. [6] Dawkins, Richard. Ślepy zegarmistrz. Czyli jak ewolucja do-
Another possible approach is that the architect’s mind wodzi, że świat nie został zaplanowany. PIW, 1994 [In Polish].
is enhanced, complemented or synergized with an [7] Leach, Neil. Scripting the future. http://scriptedbypurpose.
intellectual entity of a computational nature, independent wordpress.com/text/forwords-by-neil-leach/.
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