Papers by Evangelos Pantazis
Architectual Science Review, 2019
The wide application of digital design, the advances of digital fabrication and robotic processes... more The wide application of digital design, the advances of digital fabrication and robotic processes have facilitated the materialization of bespoke geometries. In turn it has raised the issue of how architects can reduce design complexity using computational techniques. This paper presents a survey on complexity theory inclusive of work from the disciplines which range from cybernetics to systems and information theory. We synthesize a taxonomy of different definitions of complexity and ways of managing design complexity by decomposing its different levels as they relate to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction. Our hypothesis is that by reviewing the literature on complexity theory which appears to be highly fragmented, we can aid designers build a better understanding of the underlying principles. Thus designers can develop a more system approach towards the use of digital design tools and make use of concepts coming from the field of complexity theory such as abstraction, adaptation and self-organization in order to come up with novel computational design methods. Such methods can enable designers to deal with design problems holistically and manage design complexity in the contemporary digital design context.
Springer eBooks, Aug 29, 2019
This work focuses on the application of Multi Agent Systems Framework for form finding shell stru... more This work focuses on the application of Multi Agent Systems Framework for form finding shell structures by incorporating environmental parameters. Within the developed MAS approach the steering of form beyond purely form found shapes is explored by introducing behaviours which relate to the orientation of the site and the corresponding solar path. The aim is to extend traditional form finding by introducing MAS approach which enables the development of agent based models that integrate physical forces such as gravity and tension with virtual ones that relate to different design objectives. Though the use of heuristic functions the behaviour is coupled with the energy and daylight analysis in order to obtain more control over its impact. The framework is evaluated in an experimental design which uses an existing thin concrete shell design by H. Isler as a benchmark. Using the same boundary conditions as the existing shell, the proposed methodology is applied in order to generate design alternatives with improved environmental performance.
eCAADe proceedings, 2016
This paper presents an integrated workflow for interactive design of shell structures, which coup... more This paper presents an integrated workflow for interactive design of shell structures, which couples structural and environmental analysis through a multi-agent systems (MAS) for design. The work lies at the intersection of architecture, engineering and computer science research, incorporating generative design with analytical techniques. A brief review on architectural shell structures and the structural logic of reciprocal frames is described. Through the morphological study of reciprocal frames locally we seek to inform the behavior of a MAS, which integrates form-finding techniques, with daylight factor analysis (DFA) and finite element analysis (FEA) on a global configuration. An experimental design is developed in order to explore the solution space of large span free form shells with varying topologies and boundary conditions, as well as identify the relationships between local design parameters of the reciprocal frames (i.e. number of elements, profile) and the analyses (i.e. stress distribution, solar radiation) for enabling the generation of different global design alternatives. The research improves upon design decision-making latency and certainty through harnessing geometric complexity and structural form finding for early stage design. Additionally, the research improves upon design outcomes by establishing a feedback loop between design generation, analysis and performance.
Diagram illustrating all the components of the Multi-Agent Systems for Design framework and proto... more Diagram illustrating all the components of the Multi-Agent Systems for Design framework and prototype. The diagram shows the sequence and data flow, system component interactions and dependencies, the agents, and feedback types and loops.
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2016
Design imposes a novel social choice problem: using a team of voting agents, maximize the number ... more Design imposes a novel social choice problem: using a team of voting agents, maximize the number of optimal solutions; allowing a user to then take an aesthetical choice. In an open system of design agents, team formation is fundamental. We present the first model of agent teams for design. For maximum applicability, we envision agents that are queried for a single opinion, and multiple solutions are obtained by multiple iterations. We show that diverse teams composed of agents with different preferences maximize the number of optimal solutions, while uniform teams composed of multiple copies of the best agent are in general suboptimal. Our experiments study the model in bounded time; and we also study a real system, where agents vote to design buildings.
Automation in Construction, Apr 1, 2017
This paper presents research on the use of multi-agent systems (MAS) in architectural design with... more This paper presents research on the use of multi-agent systems (MAS) in architectural design with the goal of both improving and partially automating the design process as well as the design outcomes in terms of geometry and environmental performance. The work is based upon research on agent based modelling and simulation techniques (ABMS), and the combination of analytical and optimization methods with geometric modelling and user centered design. The motivation is to render more accessible the exploration of the generative aspect of bottom up design techniques when coupled with optimization and performance criteria. The objective of the work is to develop and test a design methodology, which enables designers to explore larger sets of informed solutions by coupling design requirements and generative design techniques with validated simulations (i.e., environmental analysis) based partly on the inclusion of user light preferences early in the design process. The development of the proposed methodology and the implementation of the design system for a building façade are described, while the robustness and validity of the framework is initially tested by applying it to the generation and optimization of façade panel configurations of an office building. The results show that the MAS for design system can generate unique design configurations that perform environmentally (daylight factor analysis) better than a façade with normative façade shading.
Automation in Construction, Sep 1, 2017
In this paper, a systematic approach is presented to (1) collect end-user lighting-related behavi... more In this paper, a systematic approach is presented to (1) collect end-user lighting-related behavior by using immersive virtual environments (IVEs) as an experimental tool, (2) integrate the collected data with building performance simulation (BPS) tools in order to translate behavioral information into quantitative measures (i.e., preferred lux level), and (3) incorporate user preference data for evaluating design alternatives with the objective of meeting end-user lighting preferences while reducing the building lighting-related energy consumption. To evaluate the applicability of this approach, 89 participants' lighting preferences, performance (reading speed and comprehension), personality traits, and environmental views were collected in IVEs. BPS tools were used to translate participants' lighting preferences into quantitative lux distributions, which were then used to evaluate alternative designs and make user-centered design decisions. The results of the experimental study show that participants preferred to have maximum simulated daylighting compared to electric lighting. Additionally, participants with some or maximum levels of simulated daylighting performed significantly better on the assigned reading and comprehension tasks than those that did not have any simulated daylighting available. Lastly, by collecting participant personality traits, it was observed that extroverts are significantly more likely to prefer maximum lighting (maximum electric lighting and simulated daylighting) compared to other people. To demonstrate how the collected data and results could be used during the design phase of buildings, as one example, a design case study is presented, in which the design of the same office space (as the experiment) is improved to meet participants' lighting preferences and increase the available simulated daylighting.
National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 2015
Saving energy is a major concern. Hence, it is fundamental to design and construct buildings that... more Saving energy is a major concern. Hence, it is fundamental to design and construct buildings that are energy-efficient. It is known that the early stage of architectural design has a significant impact on this matter. However, it is complex to create designs that are optimally energy efficient, and at the same time balance other essential criterias such as economics, space, and safety. One state-of-the art approach is to create parametric designs, and use a genetic algorithm to optimize across different objectives. We further improve this method, by aggregating the solutions of multiple agents. We evaluate diverse teams, composed by different agents; and uniform teams, composed by multiple copies of a single agent. We test our approach across three design cases of increasing complexity, and show that the diverse team provides a significantly larger percentage of optimal solutions than single agents.
Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, Jul 14, 2023
This paper presents a continuation of research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for arch... more This paper presents a continuation of research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design with a focus on generative design as a means to improve design exploration in the context of multiple objectives and complexity. The interactive design framework focuses on coupling force, environmental constraints and fabrication parameters as design drivers for the form finding of shell structures. The objective of the research is to enable designers to intuitively generate free form shells structures that are conditioned by multiple objectives for architectural exploration in early stages of design. The generated geometries are explored through reciprocal frames, and are evaluated in an automated fashion both on local and global levels in terms of their structural and environmental performance and constructability. The analytical results along with fabrication constraints are fed back into the generative design process in order to more rapidly and expansively design explore across complexly coupled objectives. The paper describes the framework and presents the application of this methodology for the design of fabrication aware shell structures in which environmental and structural trade offs drive the final set of design options.
Architectural Science Review, Sep 3, 2019
The wide application of digital design, the advances of digital fabrication and robotic processes... more The wide application of digital design, the advances of digital fabrication and robotic processes have facilitated the materialization of bespoke geometries. In turn it has raised the issue of how architects can reduce design complexity using computational techniques. This paper presents a survey on complexity theory inclusive of work from the disciplines which range from cybernetics to systems and information theory. We synthesize a taxonomy of different definitions of complexity and ways of managing design complexity by decomposing its different levels as they relate to the fields of architecture, engineering and construction. Our hypothesis is that by reviewing the literature on complexity theory which appears to be highly fragmented, we can aid designers build a better understanding of the underlying principles. Thus designers can develop a more system approach towards the use of digital design tools and make use of concepts coming from the field of complexity theory such as abstraction, adaptation and self-organization in order to come up with novel computational design methods. Such methods can enable designers to deal with design problems holistically and manage design complexity in the contemporary digital design context.
ABSTRACT Buildings and their systems are primarily designed based on several assumptions about en... more ABSTRACT Buildings and their systems are primarily designed based on several assumptions about end-users' requirements and needs, which in many cases are incomplete and result in inefficiencies during operation phases of buildings. With advancements in fields of augmented and virtual reality, designers and engineers have now the opportunity to collect information about end-users' requirements, preferences, and behaviors for more informed decision-making during the design phase. These approaches allow for buildings to be designed around the users, with the goal that the design will result in reduction of energy consumption and improved building operations. The authors examine the effect of design features on occupants' preferences and performance within immersive virtual environments (IVEs). Specifically, this paper presents an approach to understand end-users' lighting preferences and collect end-user performance data through the use of IVEs. INTRODUCTION Buildings' energy use accounts for roughly 45 percent of the energy consumption in the United States (EPA 2013). Buildings and their systems are generally designed to operate based on code-defined occupant comfort ranges to ensure satisfactory temperature, luminance, and ventilation, and standardized (recommended) set-points to accommodate occupants' needs, and comfort levels (Brandemuehl and Braun 1999). Previous research has shown there is a weak correlation between these codes and the actual occupant reported satisfactory ranges. Many times these standard set-points do not fulfill comfort and satisfaction in buildings (Barlow and Fiala 2007; Jazizadeh et al. 2012). Research has also suggested that by tailoring the design of a building's elements and systems around occupants, there is a potential to reduce the energy consumption of buildings, as well as increase occupant satisfaction (Janda 2011; Klein et al. 2012). User-centered design (UCD) has shown to be an effective approach
Journal of Environmental Psychology, Dec 1, 2016
Occupant behaviour and their interactions with building systems could significantly influence ene... more Occupant behaviour and their interactions with building systems could significantly influence energy consumption in buildings. Studies suggest "default setting" techniques could be used as intervention strategies as people's preferences are dramatically influenced by minor variations in settings. With the goal to reduce lighting-related energy consumption, we study the effects of default lighting settings on occupants' rate of lighting adjustments in a single occupancy office space. Through the use of immersive virtual environments, we analysed 160 participants' data in a virtual office space. Based on the results, people are significantly more likely to keep the lighting settings if the default condition had some or maximum daylighting available. Additionally, the participants reading speed and comprehension were respectively faster and more accurate in conditions where simulated daylight was available. By using default settings, we can influence occupant behaviour towards more energy efficient choices in their daily interactions with building's lighting and shading systems.
Figure 1 Illustration showing diagrammatically three different approaches towards form finding of... more Figure 1 Illustration showing diagrammatically three different approaches towards form finding of shells. On the left. The resulting shape is the outcome of free form morphing, in the middle the shape is the outcome of applied (physical) forces and on the right the shape is the resultant of both physical and virtual (solar) forces.
This paper presents research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design. ... more This paper presents research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design. It proposes a design exploration methodologyat the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computer science. The motivation of the work includes exploring bottom up generative methods coupled with optimizing performance criteria including for geometric complexity and objective functions for environmental, structural and fabrication parameters. The paper presents the development of a research framework and initial experiments to provide design solutions, which simultaneously satisfy complexly coupled and often contradicting objectives. The prototypical experiments and initial algorithms are described through a set of different design cases and agents within this framework; for the generation of façade panels for light control; for emergent design of shell structures; for actual construction of reciprocal frames; and for robotic fabrication. Initial results include multi-agent derived efficiencies for environmental and fabrication criteria and discussion of future steps for inclusion of human and structural factors.
Design imposes a novel social choice problem: using a team of voting agents, maximize the number ... more Design imposes a novel social choice problem: using a team of voting agents, maximize the number of optimal solutions; allowing a user to then take an aesthetical choice. In an open system of design agents, team formation is fundamental. We present the first model of agent teams for design. For maximum applicability, we envision agents that are queried for a single opinion, and multiple solutions are obtained by multiple iterations. We show that diverse teams composed of agents with different preferences maximize the number of optimal solutions, while uniform teams composed of multiple copies of the best agent are in general suboptimal. Our experiments study the model in bounded time; and we also study a real system, where agents vote to design buildings.
International Journal of Architectural Computing, Nov 28, 2018
Digital design paradigms in architecture have been rooted in representational models which are ge... more Digital design paradigms in architecture have been rooted in representational models which are geometry centered and therefore fail to capture building complexity holistically. Due to a lack of computational design methodologies, existing digital design workflows do little in predicting design performance in the early design stage and in most cases analysis and design optimization are done after a design is fixed. This work proposes a new computational design methodology, intended for use in the area of conceptual design of building design. The proposed methodology is implemented into a multi-agent system design toolkit which facilitates the generation of design alternatives using stochastic algorithms and their evaluation using multiple environmental performance metrics. The method allows the user to probabilistically explore the solution space by modeling the design parameters' architectural design components (i.e. façade panel) into modular programming blocks (agents) which interact in a bottom-up fashion. Different problem requirements (i.e. level of daylight inside a space, openings) described into agents' behavior allow for the coupling of data from different engineering fields (environmental design, structural design) into the a priori formation of architectural geometry. In the presented design experiment, a façade panel is modeled into an agent-based fashion and the multi-agent system toolkit is used to generate and evolve alternative façade panel configurations based on environmental parameters (daylight, energy consumption). The designer can develop the façade panel geometry, design behaviors, and performance criteria to evaluate the design alternatives. The toolkit relies on modular and functionally specific programming modules (agents), which provide a platform for façade design exploration by combining existing three-dimensional modeling and analysis software.
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Papers by Evangelos Pantazis