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Research on Generative
Design to address the
demands and challenges
of Interior Spaces in the
New Normal
Research Presentation

ANGELA GABRIELLE LORENO

202121113

ARCHI 202 - Foundations of Qualitative Research in the

Designed and Built Environment

University of the Philippines - Diliman

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“Urban planning, architecture and public health were

partners in the historic efforts to prevent epidemics”

(Vittori & Geunther,2008)

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Image source: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-design/how-the-coronavirus-will-reshape-architecture

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Introduction/Abstract
Area's Importance:

The current Covid-19 pandemic has caused widespread disruption to normal routines
throughout the world. Pandemics and traumatic experiences have always had an impact on
our environment. Further, they have long reshaped our built environment, forcing us to
respond and learn from our failure, and as a result, adapt new ways. (Köksal & Sumnu,
2020).

General Area:

Design software can be a helpful tool in critically assessing and mitigating the risk based
on factors of climate, building volume, human activity, and airflow. This study hopes this
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will show that computational design can be a viable work can be the suitable workflow for
designers in determining design-related risk due to the pandemic.
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CONTEXT
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN
Generative design is an
iterative design process that
involves a program that will
generate a certain number of
outputs that meet certain
constraints, and a designer that
will fine tune the feasible
region by selecting specific
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output or changing input
values, ranges and distribution.
• create multiple design options within a short period of time
• cost-effective,
• reduce lead time,
• automated adjustments
• Create and visualize modular space and organization
configurations for new construction or rehabilitation works, taking
into account human functional needs
• Evaluate those proposed solutions on every point including
technical impacts on air quality, consumption, lighting, etc.
• Involve the end-user into the decision-making process through VR
solutions
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CONTEXT
PREVIOUS STUDIES

In this study, Generative Design was explored for Heating, This is to assist employers to ensure their work environment is safe and
Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning. It goes to show that nowadays compliant with the existing published standards.
computational designs are not only used for architectural space
planning.
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CONTEXT
PREVIOUS STUDIES

• Crowd Management,
• Spatial Planning,
• Ventilation,
• Building Envelope,
• Building Automation
• Holistic Wellness
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These are results based on a study on the spread
of the pandemic in Indian hospitals on the
primary design consideration.
This study concludes that this type of simulation is feasible to
make a tool that could assess different architectural proposals
where a simulation study done by New York-based designers,
were able to develop and apply a generative design workflow
for Autodesk Office in Toronto.
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-How can we help address the demands and challenges of interior
spaces in the new normal by using generative design?
-Can this help address possible design challenges in a post-pandemic
era?

HOW DOES YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION RELATE TO

RATIONAL LARGER AREA OF STUDY?

By determining the possible design challenges Covid-19 might impose

& on interior spaces, then eventually, the same findings and workflow
can be applied and used to help better understand challenges in

RESEARCH
engineering design interventions and construction.

QUESTION/S WHAT IS YOUR ARGUMENT/CLAIM/HYPOTHESIS AS TO

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ANSWER TO THE QUESTION?

If a list of possible pandemic-related design solutions were generated
through generative design in a workplace environment, then the same
parameters could be applied for other interior space environments
such as classrooms, condo units, and residential apartments.
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LIMITATION The study is limited only to the use of Generative Design in

OF THE addressing challenges for a workplace environment (a call-center
office in Metro Manila).

STUDY
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
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QUALITATIVE
Questionnaires
Interview
- design professionals on setting the right computational design metrics
- Health professionals and researchers who have already conducted
WHAT studies on Covid-19
Survey Forms

METHOD Occular/ Site Visit

ARE YOU
GOING TO QUANTITATIVE

USE? PROCESS
• Create 3 design variations (social distancing measure, mechanical
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ventilation measure, and spatial configuration)

• Performance metrics
• Exploration of possible designs
• Investigation of design data results through statistical analysis.
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• Before the generative design

• Understanding the goal and constraints, establishing vision and
concept of the project
(A call-center office in Metro Manila)
• Existing plans

HOW ARE • List of rooms

• Architectural program and room adjacency matrix

YOU GOING
• Pictures
• List of flows (Horizontal and Vertical)

TO 2. Data Creation in Excel

3. Space Planning script

COLLECT 2. Geometric Model

• Zoning

DATA?
• Setting boundaries
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• Shared programs within amenities

• Assigning people
3. CFD Model
• Airflow and humidity
• Aerosol retention (Covid-19)
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1. DESIGN PROFESSIONALS
Architects, BIM Specialists, Architectural technologists and Engineers

PARTICIPANTS 2. HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

- who have studied the COVID-19 spread and its nature

3. End-user
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TOOLS
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HOW DOES IT To determine the existing design problems in workspaces,

derivation of data is needed. Metrics and parameters will
RELATE TO be based on the gathered information from interviews,
surveys, and existing plans. This will set the rules and

YOUR constraints for office space planning for the new normal
and efficiently create a systemized workflow to generate
multiple designs.
RESEARCH?
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-A list of possible pandemic-related design solutions were

WHAT generated through generative design in a workplace
environment, then the same parameters could be applied
RESULTS ARE for other interior space environments such as classrooms,
condo units, and residential apartments.
YOU -An established a simplified yet systemized workflow for
EXPECTING? designers to adapt.
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When GD continues to develop, the system generated new

SIGNIFICANCE design options for consideration, allowing a better
understanding of the design space for the user.
AND The findings of this study will give an optimized, resilient,
CONCLUSION and flexible design approach to help resolve the design
challenges of Covid 19.
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HOW DID THE With the pieces of information gathered, the

predominant challenges interior spaces need to
DATA/INFORMATION be addressed are the following:
GATHERED CONFIRM/ -Compliance in Social Distancing Measures
DISCONFIRM YOUR -Ventilation and airflow
HYPOTHESIS? -Spatial Planning strategies
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WHY SHOULD
ANYONE “As an architect, you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future
which is essentially unknown” Norman Foster

CARE ABOUT Having discussed the way COVID-19 is changing our lives, economies and
THE societies, the role of advanced technologies, and the increased people’s
awareness about the design challenges it has brought, it could be deduced

RESEARCH
that the future of sustainable architecture will be bright after coronavirus
pandemic.

YOU
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CONDUCTED?
 REFERENCES
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Chronis A., Tsigkari M., Giouvanos E., Aish F. Zaki A., "Performance-driven design and simulation interfaces: A multi-
objective parametric optimization process", Proc. SimAUD (2012)

Derix, Christian, "In-Between Architecture Computation". International Journal of Architectural Computing 7, 4 (2009),
565-585

Gerber, D., Lin S., Pan B., Solmaz, A.S., "Design optioneering: multi-disciplinary design optimization through
parametrization, domain integration and automation of a generic algorithm."

Hamdy, M., Hasan, A., and Siren, K. Optimum design of a house and its HVAC systems using simulation-based
optimisation. International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies 5, 3 (2010), 120–124.

Liggett Robin S. " Automated facilities layout; past, present and future." Automation in Construction 9,2 (2000):197-
215

Marler R.T. and Arora J.S. "Survey of multi-objective optimization methods for engineering," Structural
Multidisciplinary Optimization 26 (2004), 369-395
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Nagy, D., Lau D., Locke J., Stoddart J., "Project Discover: An Application of Generative Design for Architectural
Space Planning."

R. Harrell and M. Mathews, “Could Autodesk Revit 2018 Be Automated for Code Compliance Checking and
Demonstration with A Focus on Fire Safety Regulations,” 2018.

Vittori, G., & Guenther, R. (2008). Sustainable Healthcare Architecture.

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THANK YOU!