Parametric Design and Fabrication Strategies by Practice

The rapid development of parametrical tools for architectural
design has implicated a big challenge for contemporary
architectural education. In the last years many universities
have been introducing digital design and fabrication in there
syllabus to provide and teach a broader understanding of
parametrical design. In order to make virtual parametrical
models also buildable for architectural usage a huge amount
of knowledge and skills are needed, which induces a big task
for teachers and a big challenge for students. Mathematics and
geometry play again an important role in order to understand
these new tools.
This paper presents our teaching approach to the design
process through parametrical modelling to realisation in scale
1:1 strongly based on geometry and mathematics. With the
design project “Wooden sleeper”, which is made from solid
wood, we will present our teaching line. The core of this is the
geometrical understanding of the different relations between
the involved objects and its translation into a geometrical and
mathematical language in terms of computer algorithms,
including the mathematical transformation of building
materials behaviour.