Page 1 of 1
Generative Components
Dr. Satyaprakash
satya@GISdevelopment.net
Architects and building designers
have a huge task ahead of them
whenever they start off on a new
project. With the requirements of green building
increasing, they are imbibed with the task of
designing not only energy efficient buildings, but
also to include all the wish list of the clients.
The wish list of the clients keep on changing!
Any change to the existing model requires the
design to be redone, models to be redone and
in process significant time and energy is lost.
Come GenerativeComponents (GC) and the
architects and designers have a sigh of relief!
GC is not about walls, doors and windows but
it's about Smart Geometry. The tool provides an
environment in which geometry (lines, arcs, circles,
solids, and surfaces) can be related, transformed,
generated and manipulated within a
user-defined framework. While that might
sound complicated, the end results are certainly
worth seeing, complex, sculpted geometry can
be quickly generated and manipulated in realtime,
allowing design exploration and variation.
In real-terms that could provide a practice with
the ability to come up with 20 or 30 designs
simply by moving sliders within a GC model.
Some of the models generated by GC are
shown in Fig-1.
GC is an associative and parametric modeling
system used by architects and engineers to
automate the design processes and accelerate
design iterations. It gives designers and engineers
new ways to efficiently explore alternative
building forms without manually building
the detail design model for each scenario. It
also increases their efficiency in managing
conventional design and documentation. GC
captures and graphically presents both design
components and abstract relationships
between them.
This capability lets GC go beyond making
geometry explicit; it makes design intent explicit
as well. Although designers are working
graphically, based on intuition and experience
in architectural design, their work is captured in
logical form. GC is being used by many of
today's leading design firms to embrace
change. It is the design tool of choice for creative
architects and engineers who appreciate
that design is best when it emerges from a
combination of intuition and logic.
GC was first introduced by Bentley and the
Smart Geometry Group, version 08.09.04.76
through "soft-launch on Aug 27, 2007, devised
a way to algorithmically generate 3D building
components to achieve highly unique and
organic 3D responses to variable building constraints.
Although GC is in its initial stage but has generated
lot of interest among the user community,
as is evident from the posts at the different
user group on GC. However, some have
become skeptical about the future of GC.
According to Greg Bentley, GC is not only a
released product but the development team is
working hard on the next release and Bentley
is fully committed to the continued development
of GC. This commitment is reflected in
the continuing support for the SmartGeometry
group.
| What is Bentley's GenerativeComponents (GC)? |
This unique generative design software captures and exploits the critical relationships between
design intent and geometry. Designs can be refined by either dynamically modeling and directly
manipulating geometry, by applying rules and capturing relationships among building elements, or
by defining complex building forms and systems through concisely expressed algorithms.
How does it benefit architects and civil engineers?
GenerativeComponents (GC) enables architects and engineers to pursue designs and achieve
results that were virtually unthinkable before. Empowered by computational methods, the designers
can direct their creativity to deliver inspired sustainable buildings that are freer in form and
use innovative materials and assemblies. GenerativeComponents facilitates this by allowing the
quick exploration of a broad range of "what-if" alternatives for even the most complex buildings.
Is it only for the design and planning or does it have use in project implementation and maintenance
also?
To inform decisions, GC is integrated with building information modeling, analysis, and simulation
software, providing feedback on building materials, assemblies, systems performance, and environmental
conditions. This integration also ensures that intent becomes reality by enabling
designs to accurately and efficiently flow through to detailed production and fabrication.
Do we have any kind of benefits quantified in terms of return on investment, through the use of GC?
The benefits of GC are apparent in a variety of areas. First and foremost is the ability it provides to
pursue designs and approaches that would not be practical or even possible using other software.
This enables the use of forms, assemblies, materials, and configurations that provide a higher quality
design and experience for the users of the building, as well as dramatic efficiencies in material
use, energy performance, and constructability. GC also provides the ability to iterate design options
to optimize a solution or evaluate and compare many options to find the best solution. Users of GC
consistently relate examples of how GC enabled them to explore hundreds of options; they then
contrast this capability with the one, two, or three options they could test previously. Users also
report that alternates can be modeled in minutes rather than days or weeks, and this can return
hundreds of hours to the project design team.
Do we have any large scale project wherein GCs have played an important role?
Designs that have been completed using GenerativeComponents include Dostyk Towers by
NBBJ and E/Ye Design, Cutty Sark Pavilion by YOUMEHESHE, The Pinnacle by Kohn Pederson
Fox, and Museo del Acero by Grimshaw Architects.
When are we going to see GC for the geospatial industry?
Bentley's building and geospatial solutions are well integrated with each other, and will undoubtedly
become even more interoperable going forward. And GC supports integrated projects and
approaches.
Huw Roberts, Global Marketing Director, Building. Bentley
|
Based upon the articles from
www.bentley.com,
www.smartgeometry.com,
www.acemag.com,
www.caduser.com