Perceptual evaluation of architectural forms designed with the computational design method in the 21st century

In the 21st century, changes in many disciplines such as genetics, mathematics, and physics, with the effect of developments in information technologies, have also shown their effect in the field of architecture. Computer-aided design and production techniques have deeply influenced architectural design approaches, the possibilities offered by digital media and design methods have changed, and the computer has begun to play an important role in the design of architectural form. Forms with complexity that cannot be built with traditional design methods can be easily designed and produced in digital environment using these techniques. This thesis primarily examines the change and development in architectural form from past to the present with the effect of computer technologies. The main objective of the thesis is to analyze how the forms designed with the latest computational design are perceived by architects and non-architects and to measure the perceptual differences between groups. For this purpose, in the conceptual discussion section, first, the transformation of the form from the past to the present was analyzed, and then an experimental study was constructed. In this study, in parallel with the literature, students of the architecture department were evaluated in the category of 'architects' and civil engineering students in the category of 'non-architects' in connection with the education they received. For the survey, a total of 84 students, 42 participants from the 4th grade students of Konya Technical University Architecture Department in the status of architects and 42 participants from the 4th grade students of Konya Technical University Civil Engineering Department in the status of civil engineers, were surveyed and the perceptual differences of the participants towards computational design product forms were measured. All the buildings selected within the scope of the field study are iconic forms designed with the computational design method in the 21st century. Participants were asked to evaluate each of the building visuals directed to them with the help of a 10-step semantic differential scale (1: positive, 10: negative) specific to the specified adjective pairs. The data obtained as a result of the survey study were analyzed, the analyzes were interpreted and the findings were revealed. As a result of the analyzes, it was determined that, in parallel with the literature, architect participants were more critical of computational design architectural forms compared to engineer participants. The inverse 'U' relationship between complexity and liking in the literature was supported by this study. The forms that the participants considered as moderately complex had the highest liking. With the study, it was determined that while the levels of appreciation were higher in the forms that the architect participants evaluated as fluid, compared to the engineers, the levels of appreciation were higher in the forms that the engineers evaluated as stagnant. In addition, the architect participants found the architectural forms presented to them more familiar than the engineer participants; It has been determined that architects do not like concrete objective connotations, while non-architects like them as familiar. In addition to the literature, an inverted 'U' relationship was found between the adjective pair in the perception of architect and non-architect; It has been determined that the random attitude in the form increases the likes for both groups up to a certain level and decreases the likes when it is above a certain level. As another finding of the study, it was determined that the repetition of the form in general decreased the appreciation of the architect participants and increased the appreciation of the engineer participants. In addition, with the study, it was determined that the controlled deformation in the form was more dominant in the architect participants but increased the level of appreciation of both groups. It has been determined that the group of architects and engineers agree on the structures that show structural perfection, and they find these structures impressive and like them.