The uses of digital design technologies for design development in architecture

Computers are used as drafting and visualizing devices in architectural design process. Since 1990s' there have been projects that are designed and constructed with digital technologies and these examples support the idea that computers can be used for design development. The objective of the thesis is to define a framework for the uses of digital techniques in design development process.The uses of digital design and manufacturing techniques affect architecture in many ways. The second objective of the thesis is to reveal the affects of digital design technologies on architecture. The second chapter covers the basic concepts and definitions used in thesis and serves as a glossary; terms such as representation, digital design technologies, parametric design, generative design, artificial intelligence, evolutionary- emergent systems and computer aided manufacturing are defined. The third chapter covers an investigation about design and representation. It covers items such as cognitive processes in design and major changes in representation techniques throughout architectural history. The fourth chapter covers a research about the use of computers in the early design process, and is is supported by a field study. The field study is an investigation for identifying different uses of digital design techniqes in contemporary architectural practice. International exhibitions have been the basic source for identifying major current examples of digital architecture. Design process of eleven projects participating in these exhibitions are analysed under titles such as; design tools and techniques, concept, form, structure, material and architects' profile. The data collected for each project are gathered in a table as a data base for identifying the different uses of digital technologies in design and pointing out the common trends for spatial understanding. As a result of the thesis a framework is set for the uses of digital design technologies, its affect on spatial understanding and architecture in general. The research has proved that digital design technologies are not just new tools for architectural representation. Digital technologies have been changing the design process as a whole; representation-design and construction as a continious process. These changes set the platform to question the basic concepts in architecture such as representation, form and concept relation, structure or context. The architect's profile is getting closer to architect as an information-master. Keywords: digital design and manufacturing technologies, computer aided architectural design, digital architecture, digital design methodology, architectural representation Vlll