COMPUTER AIDED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
SYLLABUS FALL 2010

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

INSTRUCTOR
earl Mark, 322 Campbell, 924-6438
ejmark@virginia.edu

TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Tina Cheng tcc2c@virginia.edu
Erik De Los Reyes ed4w@virginia.edu
Jinhui (Crystal) Huang jh7je@virginia.edu
Sally Lee scl8h@virginia.edu
John O'Hara jto2v@virginia.edu
Ernesto (Jun) Rementilla er8y@virginia.edu
Elizabeth Rivard cej2z@virginia.edu
Brad Schuck bjs3tx@virginia.edu

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STAFF
Jake Thackston, Senior Engineer, jat5c@virginia.edu, 137 Campbell, 924 3122
Eric Field, Guest Instructor 9.16 | Senior IT Staff, emfield@virginia.edu, 136 Campbell, 924-4033
Dav Banks, Systems Engineer and Webmaster, eb2b@virginia.edu, 136 Campbell, 243 8883   
Tony Horning, Classroom Support, arh3s@virginia.edu, 304 Campbell, 924 3319
Terrance Sheltra, Windows Platform Support, tls2t@virginia.edu, 304 Campbell, 982 3047
John Vigour, Apple Platform Support, jiv5k@virginia.edu, 304 Campbell, 924 1441

BACKGROUND
Architecture 6410/3410 is a comprehensive course in three-dimensional computer aided design. It can be taken as a first course in computer aided design or as a follow-up course to more introductory subjects. The subject is taken from a beginning to an advanced level. There is an emphasis on three-dimensional geometry. Our approach is based on exploring the quantitative basis and invisible geometrical order of shapes found in nature and that serve as a foundation for design and fabrication in architecture or landscape architecture. We explore the derivation of complex geometrical forms, their spatial organization, materiality, interaction with light, tectonic and other qualities. The course strongly exercises skills in three-dimensional thinking increasingly essential to design practice in a discipline that has now taken to exploring geometry on the computer as a previous generation came to rely upon descriptive geometry by hand.

FORMAT
The format consists of one lecture and one individually selected workshop per week. Lectures are on Thursday afternoon at 3:30. Workshops are at one individually selected time per week.  The lectures provide a theoretical and conceptual framework, describe current and speculate on emerging technologies. Some lectures will involve working on your own laptop computer as part of the preesntation of material. The discussion session workshops focus more intensively on specific techniques of computer based 3D geometrical modeling and digital terrain modeling, and include photo-realistic and abstract methods of rendering, image-processing, color-manipulation, photo-montage, lighting, animation, graphics extraction for print media and combined media applications. The workshop selected is to be attended on a regular weekly basis (switching time-slots once or twice with permission of the instructor is possible under special circumstances). The workshops are fully hands-on sessions, and combine group and individual instruction.

FACILITIES
Computer resources are available on a 24 hour basis. The one lecture and one workshop per week are required. Several alternative workshop time slots will be offered, and will be held in room 105 in Campbell Hall. The software is also available in all the School's computer labs and througout studios for work on individual assignments outside of normal workshop times.

SOFTWARE
Personal copies of the CAD software may be obtained free through a special educational partnership we have established with the vendor. The software is for academic use only. As will be described the first day of the term, the sofware can be downloaded by students enrolled in School of Architecture classes from the web site http://www.arch.virginia.edu/computing/software/distribution/. Please also see Eric Field in 136 Campbell Hall for additional support and details.

REQUIREMENTS
There are six exercises for the term culminating in a final project. The first five projects count for 60% of the grade, the final project counts for 30% of the grade. Class participation through attendance in lecture and the workshops will count towards 10% of the grade.

Thursday Schedule

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following citations are for optional reading, unless otherwise noted in class. Some of these materials will be placed on reserve in the fine arts library.

Textbooks

Conforti, Frank , Inside Microstation. Delmar Learning, 2003 (Note, this book is recommended for those who would prefer not to rely upon on-line materials and is generally well organized.)
[Note: A new version of this book, written for V8 XM, is anticipated September 16, 2009]

Krishnan, G.V., Taylor, James, Harnessing Microstation V8 XM. Delmar Learning, 2006 (Note, this book has an especially strong index for referencing specific techniques and tools.)

Negroponte, Nicholas, Being Digital. Published by Hodder & Stoughton, 1995.

Negroponte, Nicholas (editor), Computer Aides to Design and Architecture. Published by Petrocelli/Charter, 1975. (Read chapters by Gero, Steward, Sutherland).

Articles and Papers

Dreyfus, Hubert and Stuart. Why Computers May Never Think like People, Technology Review. M.I.T., January 1985, pp. 42 - 80.

Eastman, Chuck, Fundamental Problems in the Development of Computer Based Architectural Models, Proceedings of the Computers & Design Research Symposium, M.I.T., August 4, 1986.

Greenberg, Donald, A True Design Tool, Architectural Record. September 1984, pp. 150 - 159.

Kvan, Thomas, Mark, Earl,Oxman,Rivka, and Martins, Bob, Ditching the Dinosaur: Redefining the Role of Digital Media in Education, International Journal of Design Computing, June 2003 (in-press).

Mark, E., Martens, B. and Oxman, R, in press, Preliminary Stages of CAAD Education, Automation in Construction.Volume 12, Issue 6, November 2003, Pages 661-670

Mark, E., Martens, B. and Oxman, R, 2001, The Ideal Computer Curriculum, Architectural Information Management: eCAADe Helsinki, pp. 168-175.

Mark, Earl (2007), Simulating Dynamic Forces in Design with Special Effects Tools, Predicting the Future [25th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 978-0-9541183-6-5] Frankfurt am Main (Germany) 26-29 September 2007, pp. 219-226

Mark, Earl,: 2000, A Prospectus on Computers Throughout the Curriculum, Promise and Reality: eCAADe Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, pp. 77-83.

Mark, Earl, Reconstructing Architectural Geometry, Architectural Research Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, England, March 1999

Mark, Earl, The Physical and Conceptual Assembly of Architectural Form,in Cinema & Architecture, 1997, BFI Press, England.

Mark, Earl, A Design Automation Paradox, Conceptual Modeling of Buildings, CIB Proceedings, CIB W74 + W78 Seminar, Publication 126, C M Gruppen, Stockholm Sweden, 1990, ISBN 91 -7332-557-0.

Mark, Earl, Conceptual Modeling Through a Conceptual Structure, Symposium on Computer Integrated Instruction Conceptual Modeling of Buildings, CIB Proceedings, CIB W74 + W78 Seminar, Espoo, Finland, 8.1994.

Mark, Earl, Case Studies in Moviemaking and Computer Aided Design, in The Electronic Design Studio. (Edited by McCullough, Mitchell and Purcell), M.I.T. bss 1990.

Mark, Earl, Architecture In Motion in Computers in Architecture. (Edited by FranÙois Penz), Longman 1992.

Mitchell, William and Stiny George. The Palladian Grammar, Environment and Planning B. May 1978, 5 - 18.

Schmertz, Mildred F., A New Museum by Walter Netsch, Architectural Record. January 1980.