Computer-generated urban
Structures
Reinhard König, Dipl. Ing. (Arch) and Christian Bauriedel,
Dipl. Ing. (Arch)
Department of
Architecture, bauko1, Prof. Meyerspeer/Prof Neppl (TU Karlsruhe),
University of
Kaiserslautern, Germany.
e-mail:
koenig@entwurfsforschung.de
Abstract
How does it come to particular structure formations in the cities and
which strengths play a role in this process?
On which elements can the phenomena be reduced to find the respective
combination rules?
How do general principles have to be formulated to be able to describe
the urban processes so that different structural qualities can be produced?
With the aid of mathematic methods, models based on four basic levels
are generated in the computer, through which the connections between the
elements and the rules of their interaction can be examined. Conclusions on the
function of developing processes and the further urban origin can be derived.
The direct or indirect sense of this work is to inquire how the
parameters that have generated existing urban structures can be transformed
into mathematical controlling terms to achieve a new comprehension of the urban
development. The results build the basis for the experimentation with the
structural attributes. Furthermore the basic and efficient producing
alternative solutions can be enabled and effectual mathematic models can be
created. From these mathematical models urban developing processes can be
simulated, interpreted and prognosticated.
2.1 Information Level
The information level is a possibility to work up these information that
can not be reduced on elementary components. These components have to be
assumed as given. There the contextual basis can be found which the system of
the superior levels accesses like a databank to modify their parameters.
Figure 1 The four basic levels
2.2 Developing Level
One of the main structuring elements of a city is the organisation of
the road network, which is closely connected to parcelling. By controlling
connecting processes, different compartment types can be generated and by
combining these types all kind of urban structures can be built.
Figure 2 To generate the developing system,
we inquired in the first step the behaviour of connecting systems around the
controlling parameters that come to different structural attributes.
Figure 3 These generated
systems will be transformed into road systems were the demands on the system
will be extended, which can for example be seen from the composition of the
knots.
Figure 4 The introduction
of the different agent types which have different agglomeration qualities is
leading to the six “Feldtypen” of Klaus Humpert [14] by means of whom the
complete spectrum of city structures can be produced.
Figure 5 The Six Feldtypen : Nukleus, Cluster, Wegelagerer, Ausleger,
Vernetzer, Plan [14]
Figure 6 During the examination a closed connection can be proved between
the road system and the parcelling structure.
2.3 Building Level
The frame of this level is developing different experiments how
different three dimensional building structures can be generated in a
preconceived road grid to light up attributes of the used models, which make
them valuable for further architectonical applications.
Figure 7 To generate three
dimensional building structures cellular automata have been used. In the first
step the cell to be build on (blue) of a parcel in dependence on the free
neighbours (green) were defined. The size of the parcel that is deduced of the
road system (yellow) plays an elementary role.
Figure 8 On the basis of the structuring of the parcels the character of the laminar specification of a spatial structure is translated by using a three dimensional cellular automata. Closed block buildings and liberal organization forms are distinguished.
Figure 9 Furthermore, tree dimension cellular automata which can develop freely in the space and are only reduced by the streets and the cells to be kept free (red) can be constricted.
Figure 10 In the last step, systems for the separation
distance will be examined, whereby statistic fields are used or dynamic cells
(red) are introduced. They are created in-between where two building structures
are approaching.
2.4 Optimizing Level
This level deals with methods that allow the rebuilding of given
structures with regard to special criteria. This can be an allegation like land
use, solar radiation, aeration, rational parcelling, minimizing the road
network and others.
Huge construction projects are primarily developed by private investors.
The public hand retires mainly from its responsibility. This is the reason why
economic points of views are in the foreground and urban development qualities
and social interests are treated secondarily.
- A strategy has to be found to convince the investors interests and to
nevertheless convey the architectonic qualities from which the public benefits.
- An economically optimal usage of the property has to be ensured. This
means greatest possible agriculturally productive lands in dependence of GRZ
and BGF as a basis for profitable buildings.
- Therefore we have to develop a computer programme that fulfils these
restrictions and at the same time uses these requirements as a strategic basis
for the derivation of high quality spatial configurations, i.e. does not try to
overcome the monotonous standard solutions with
aesthetics but with economic arguments.
- The reversed argument that the architects make themselves superfluous
can not be valid because of the written thoughts at the beginning of the chapter. Furthermore, the architects
have dissociated themselves from this activity field and left the decision
competence to the project developers and general over-recipients.
From the economic compulsions a shortening of the planning periods
arises for the development of the project developments. Therefore, a
standardised design process usually accesses standardised solution patterns
instead of searching for an optimal and demanding conception. The quality
optimization in competitions remains a rare reason for private investors.
- The use of the computer as a creative planning instrument under
correct application improves beside the quality also the rationality of the
design process.
- Once the rules (genotypes) are found for a structure which has proved
also in the practice, these rules can be used for a further planning. The
development of the planning, however, depends on the environment so that the
result (Phenotype) can be distinguished.
- Through this it becomes possible to go back to proven solution samples
without exhausting oneself in flat copies. Merely the characteristics of a
design are taken.
- By the strategies of combination and selection several successful
rules can be deduced to reach further optimized solutions.
The instruments of the development scheme can confirm the way of use and
distribution and make rudimentary specifications for a spatial design over
making limits and lines and the usage code numbers. The development scheme is
derived in the best case of an urban development competition, taken place in
the front-end.
- The structural rules for a development scheme can be decided on the
parameters of the program, by means of those rules the possibilities of the constructability can be defined.
(Genotypes and Phenotypes)
- Distance areas and building limits can be solved far more flexible if
one makes the parameters dependent of each other and the primary sense of these
rules derives on the calculation of the exposure and simultaneously makes the
building possibilities obvious. A good example is Watanabe Sun Good city
centre.
- The expenditure of energy for the construction and use of a way system
or a building structure can be calculated and optimized.
The social consequences prove only after the realization of the
projects. The social utopian approaches of the classic modern age have let
their weaknesses get visible in the apartment and settlement making primarily
after their putting into action.
- The developed models can be extended by social components, whereby
social processes, provided that they are statistically ascertainable, can flow
into the simulation.
- This offers the possibility of looking at the thought of the
participating planning from another point of view. It is no longer necessary to
include the wishes and needs of the future users in particular what, due to the
fact that these usually are often not confessed at the time of the planning, led to the failure. The stochastic
processes of social dynamics can be simulated by means of agent systems.
- The spatial planning can be examined with its social consequences
through this and the modelling of social processes the other way round serves as a basis for the spatial
planning.
Since only the great metropolises have to reckon with a permanent
increase in population, besides the new planning of municipal areas strategies
for the reorganization and the restructuring of existing city structures will
become increasingly necessary up to the re-building in future. This means that
it is necessary to operate within the complex, municipal structures and various
possible developments have to be.
- All relevant data of existing structures can be comprehended over the
information level.
- These serve as a basis for the restructuring after new aim criteria by
means of the optimization level which makes possible a deconstruction and
rebuilding.
- As described in the Fourth Thesis variances can be scrutinised for
their social effects.
Besides the rational analysis of the pragmatic applications it is a
special concern to us to reach new spatial configurations to make the municipal
space more exciting with the suggested method.
In this chapter we make experimental use
of the methods which have been developed up to now. In the first step we will
try to track down the rules of the development processes of exemplary
settlement patterns and to generate analogous structures. Afterwards the
possibilities of the methods worked out will be examined at the
”Franzosenviertel”, a planning area in Munich. It is an inner city area which
is partly idle and lends oneself due to its size and the heterogeneous
environment for our test designs.
4.1 Structural Differentiation
In the following, it will be looked at
nine different structures to show the differences of the characteristic
qualities and their variation by two different possibilities for development.
With the chosen variants we try to show a wide spectrum from the endless space
of possibilities. Thereby the relations of the parameter settings will be
described which can be realised with the interface.
Figure 11 Examples
for development possibilities of the different structures.
4.2 Franzosenviertel
The two examples shown on the following pages are built up after the
same scheme: Starting from development structure which follows each time one
topic like “Cluster” (Fig. 12) and “Ausleger“ (Fig. 13) three different possibilities are
represented for a corresponding structure. This structure will be translated by
different methods into three-dimensional buildings. The selected examples
represent just a tiny part of the potential possibilities which depend on the
chosen parameters.
Figure 12 Examples for
‚Cluster’-structures
Figure 13 Examples for ‚Ausleger’-structures
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The complete work ‚Computer Generated urban
Structures’ is available in German at: http://www.entwurfsforschung.de/compStadt/compStadt.htm