Algorithmic Design Tools

^{Algorithmic Design Tools: Excerpt from a video tutorial featuring the tools. Video by the author.}

Contributors: Stanislav Roudavski; Gwyllim Jahn; Victor Bunster; Cameron Newnham.

Series of tutorial videos published on Vimeo.

Tags: #tools #algorithms

This work contributes to design innovation by building algorithmic design tools that support novel, complex, evidence-driven designs. This contribution is important for more sustainable, flexible, and accountable designing. The project asks whether and how algorithmic techniques can support and propagate design creativity. We hypothesize that algorithmic tools can support creative work by individuals and communities of practice.

In response to this question, we produced an extensive series of video recordings that presented a structured approach to the creative use of algorithmic design. We supported the 67 video recordings with the total length of approximately 12 hours with custom-built examples, alternative procedures for the production of well-known precedents and step-by-step algorithmic recipes. We used these tools in public workshops and improved them through this process. The outcomes demonstrated that the resulting approach was successful in attracting a significant audience and empowering designers’ creative practices.

Project outcomes found broad utilisation in educational institutions, in a variety of courses, in open exploratory workshops, and by individual practitioners. Since March 2012, the outputs have been viewed online more than 1,500,000 times by designers from 145 countries. Components of this project have been integrated into course syllabi and used by academics, students, and practitioners across multiple organisations in Australia and abroad. A complete list of such institutional users is impossible to compile for open-access materials but known examples include AU: RMIT, Monash University, UNSW; US: University of Virginia, Texas A&M University, Philadelphia University, Council on International Educational Exchange (CI-EE), New York City College of Technology; NL: Delft University of Technology; RU: HITECA Educational Resource, NZ: University of Auckland; UK: Royal College of Art; TR: Mardin Artuklu University; and others.

Video(s)

^{Ex-Lab - 01.01 Course Overview: First tutorial video in the Ex-Lab series. Video by the authors.}

Images

^{Algorithmic Design Tools: Screen capture showing the tools in use. Image by Stanislav Roudavski.}

^{Algorithmic Design Tools: Screen capture showing the tools in use. Image by the authors.}

^{Algorithmic Design Tools: Screen capture showing the tools in use. Image by the authors.}

Publications

Presentations

Links

Videos demonstrating use of the tools ExLab homepage

Related Projects

Acknowledgements

• David Lister, Senior Tutor

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Backlinks

• The Hex Kite