This paper aims to build a theoretical foundation for parametric design thinking by exploring its... more This paper aims to build a theoretical foundation for parametric design thinking by exploring its cognitive roots, unfolding its basic tenets, expanding its definition through new concepts, and exemplifying its potential through a use-case scenario. The paper focuses on a specific type of topological parameter, called non-manifold topology as a novel approach to thinking about designing cellular spaces and voids. The approach is illustrated within the context of additive manufacturing of non-conformal cellular structures. The paper concludes that parametric design thinking that omits a definition of topological relationships risks brittleness and failure in later design stages while a consideration of topology can create enhanced and smarter solutions as it can modify parameters based on an accommodation of the design context. P arametric design is both misunderstood and over-used. Many who hear or read the term associate it with complex and curved works of architecture. Others may even associate it with a style of architecture or work produced by an architectural office. While many have used the concepts of parametric design thinking to create a certain style of architecture, from a research point of view, parametric design thinking is separate from the outcome that we are witnessing in built works. One can build simple and subtle geometries that have complex parametric relationships among their parts or indeed build very complex solutions based on very simple para-metric relationships. Furthermore, one can build works that appear to use parametric design methods, but do not. Given this state of confusion, the larger aim of this paper is to establish a solid theoretical foundation for para-metric design thinking and enhance our understanding of it by exploring its cognitive roots, unfolding its basic tenets, expanding its definition through new concepts, and exemplifying its potential through a use-case scenario.
This paper aims to build a theoretical foundation for parametric design thinking by exploring its... more This paper aims to build a theoretical foundation for parametric design thinking by exploring its cognitive roots, unfolding its basic tenets, expanding its definition through new concepts, and exemplifying its potential through a use-case scenario. The paper focuses on a specific type of topological parameter, called non-manifold topology as a novel approach to thinking about designing cellular spaces and voids. The approach is illustrated within the context of additive manufacturing of non-conformal cellular structures. The paper concludes that parametric design thinking that omits a definition of topological relationships risks brittleness and failure in later design stages while a consideration of topology can create enhanced and smarter solutions as it can modify parameters based on an accommodation of the design context. P arametric design is both misunderstood and over-used. Many who hear or read the term associate it with complex and curved works of architecture. Others may even associate it with a style of architecture or work produced by an architectural office. While many have used the concepts of parametric design thinking to create a certain style of architecture, from a research point of view, parametric design thinking is separate from the outcome that we are witnessing in built works. One can build simple and subtle geometries that have complex parametric relationships among their parts or indeed build very complex solutions based on very simple para-metric relationships. Furthermore, one can build works that appear to use parametric design methods, but do not. Given this state of confusion, the larger aim of this paper is to establish a solid theoretical foundation for para-metric design thinking and enhance our understanding of it by exploring its cognitive roots, unfolding its basic tenets, expanding its definition through new concepts, and exemplifying its potential through a use-case scenario.
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Papers by Robert Aish