12TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GEOMETRY AND GRAPHICS ©2006 ISGG

6-10 AUGUST, 2006, SALVADOR, BRAZIL

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN COMPUTER AIDED

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Modris DOBELIS1 and Janis BRINKIS2

1
Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia 2Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia

ABSTRACT: The present time can be characterized as an era of digital revolution which has
resulted in a creativity burst in different design applications. Nowadays Computer Aided
Architectural Design (CAAD) undoubtedly is recognized as a design media rather than a simple
computerized design tool and is widely accepted in architectural practice. The general goal architects
pursue is to visually express design and illustrate their projects or ideas using both professional
experience and personal computerized creative skills. Rapid advancements in Information
Technology (IT) are still under way and are widely used to communicate architectural design
projects. CAAD is a particularly dynamic field that is developing through the actions of architects,
software developers, researchers, technology, users and society alike. New methods and terms are
introduced and developed, just to mention a few of them – Human Computer Interaction, Computer
Supported Collaborative Work, Virtual Reality (VR), Rapid Prototyping (RP), etc. 3D modeling,
virtual buildings, single building models, and other ideas have been widely used during the last two
decades. The main concept focuses on three main benefits: 1) The generation or extraction of 2D
drawings from 3D building models thus improving productivity in documentation, 2) Visualization,
animation, including virtual reality scenes from the same model, and 3) The use of data embedded in
objects contained in the model for the purposes of generating schedules and lists of materials.
However, not always these advancements have been effectively used in an everyday design practice.
The paper deals with an exploration of some of these new information technologies, how they can be
integrated into architectural design process. The introduction of contemporary CAAD knowledge
into the university curricula is discussed as well. Academic courses basically are about the
development of computer aided creative and problem solving skills in context with fast changing
CAAD media. It becomes more difficult to teach the common principles behind the software which
are general and will most likely survive ever-changing software versions. Limited university class
contact hours for the subjects do not allow developing detailed courses for training particular
software. An evaluation of the promptitude of the architectural students at Riga Technical University
for the self sufficient problem solving tasks was performed. The statistical analysis of the results of
the research covering 2 academic years is presented in the discussion. A strong linear correlation was
found between the time to complete particular exercise and CAD competence level among the
students. Proficent users spent only 7 minutes on this while the beginers 110-130 minutes, thus
clearly demonstrating the importance of CAD training in effective use of software. Current
developments in architectural problem solving education are presented and discussed.

Keywords: 3D Modeling, Architectural Education, Computer Aided Architectural Design.

Paper #A09
1. INTRODUCTION
Computer Aided Architectural Design (CAAD)
undoubtedly has become a recognized design
media rather than design tool and is widely
accepted by architectural practitioners. The
general goal architects go after is visual
expression, design and illustration of their
projects or ideas using both professional
experience and personal computerized creative
skills. CAAD is a particularly dynamic field that
is developing through the actions of architects,
software developers, researchers, technology,
users, and society alike. Therefore, rapid
advancements in information technologies are
almost immediately used to communicate
architectural design projects.
The rapidly developing technology of the 21st
century has transformed the general use of
computers into a specific, convenient, and
necessary tool for professionals [8]. With great
success these achievements are also used by
architects. However, architects often face the
problems associated with the peculiarities of
user-computer interface that was inherited from
the times when computers were only used by
computer professionals for the purposes other
than arts, and these features were not user
friendly. Considering the architects professional
needs and expectations, the development of
user friendly human-computer interaction is of
topical importance today.
Using virtual environment to visualize design
ideas from the very first initial steps, the
architect is challenged to deal with perception
of space, solid and void, without translations to
and from a two dimensional media. At this stage
we may expect innovation of design expression.
The potentials of computer aided systems used
for architectural design solutions in many cases
are way ahead of the average users’ level of
competence and skills.
Wider access of information technology (IT)
and the rising involvement of architects into the
computer-aided technology lead to the
discontinuity in the architectural oriented
computer literacy education. As a result one can
2
face with the situation when the students often
use the computer pell-mell, basically as a
powerful 2D drafting tool. This situation is
determined by the majority of the architectural
institutes which still make use of traditional
design methods lacking the power of 3D, 4D or
even 5D modeling possibilities. In order to
establish the architects' intended goals, some
formal specifications, standards and prototypes
are required by the increasing needs for
effective design information communication
both in architectural practice and education.
2. ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT DESIGN
To automate the whole architectural design
process one should have a clear understanding
about what should be done and what is possible
to be performed with particular computer tools
or media [5] during the architectural studies at
the university. There are several stages in the
classic process of architectural concept design.
Point, shape, functional volume, and zone –
these are the classic sketch elements architects
use while starting to develop their initial design.
Taking into account proportions and geometric
relations, the outlines of the object are refined
and frontal composition is determined. A
massing model in a preliminary stage of the
design is dimensionally accurate summary of the
fundamental exterior forms of a building.
Building details are left out entirely.
In the next stage the internal spatial structure is
specified in more details – walls, columns,
ceilings, flat or sloped roofs identify the spatial
composition. The initial lines are further
transformed into planes. At this stage the
corrections of initial elements are performed
and first models and mock-ups are created.
In the next stage constructional elements are
edited by changing their size and location in the
plan view. Additional elements like vertical and
horizontal communications are located in the
constructional frame and volume. They organize
the relationship between rooms. Besides the
determination of the interior and constructional
solutions the exterior is formed as well. An
attempt to ignore the right sequence of these
design stages will result in failure – the unity of
basic elements in plan, section and elevation will
fall apart.
Complex development of the facades comes
next. Based on the constructive structure the
architect finds several design solutions. New
mock-up helps to better understand the
interaction of volume and massing in the
development of composition.
Corrections in the planning structure may be
required in the final stage of the concept design
between elevation and plan views. Only now
interior and finer detail design solutions are
being considered. High level visualization
materials will greatly benefit the quality of
project presentation. And finally the last stage
will be the drawing and documentation
preparation.
3. EFFECTIVE USE OF CAAD
AutoCAD dominates in the CAD software [7]
business, oriented for civil engineers. Structural
engineers have been the earliest users of design
computing tools among the design professionals
in the construction industry. Engineers
outnumber all architects and interior designers
combined by more than 20 to 1. One of the
reasons for this is the AutoCAD file
compatibility – today practically any CAD
software can create DWG or DXF files.
New technologies facilitate the introduction of
completely new design concepts. The 90’s of
the past century outlined the switch from
sequential to concurrent design approach in
Computer Aided Engineering. Development of
interoperability standards is a complex task [10].
International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI)
is leading the charge and has established
software standards. To enable more data
sharing, IAI developed specifications called IFC
(Industry Foundation Classes). Those define
building based on objects such as walls, doors
and windows. Using a common object-based
model instead of a drawing based project
software products can more readily share the
3
same data for different tasks.
Much higher design productivity is achieved
using progressive 3D CAD systems in full scale.
However, the initial stage of the introduction of
every CAD is usually followed by a slight
decrease in the productivity because of the
training required (Fig. 1).
Design Productivity
12-24 month
CAD v. 3
CAD v. 2
Concurrent
Introduction Engineering
CAD v. 1
Sequential
Engineering
Time
Figure1: Design Productivity Using Sequential
Engineering and Concurrent Engineering.
Only successful CAD technology innovation
allows meeting the contemporary design
productivity. When a new version of CAD
comes out, a slight decrease is noticed because
of the retraining required to study new concepts
and features provided by higher performance of
both the hardware and software. After 12-24
months the process is repeated again, and so on.
New designers and students are facing the latest
versions of CAD, and skipping all the previous
ones, becoming overloaded with a huge amount
of totally new information and concepts.
The preparation of the design documentation
for a building project is just one of the main
tasks in architectural practice. Contemporary
CAAD potentials can be successfully used for
preparation of highly realistic images with
material textures, sun and light studies,
animation and Virtual Reality (VR)
presentations including computer game-based
‘walk through’ studies of the new design
project. Some of the later tasks were not
available using the conventional design method
previously used. Project data during design can
be shared between various software products
for solving different tasks varying from
architectural design, structural analysis, energy
analysis, quantity estimation, code checking,
and building management through all its
lifecycle after the construction has been
completed.
3.1 Introduction to CAAD
The greatest difficulty for the students while
studying these issues is to acquire the
three-dimensional visual skills. Nowadays
students have enormous complications if these
problems are considered in the old fashioned
way with pencil in ‘black and white’ on paper
when everybody has powerful computer nearby.
However, the ability to successfully manipulate
the fashioned design tools and media highly
depends on the basic engineering graphics
communication skills. Several attempts have
been made to improve the teaching methods,
which master the spatial perception abilities [4,
13] and develop 3D design skills using the latest
achievements in information communication
technologies.
The absence of professionally oriented
education methodologies has lead to the
situation where the students use the computer
as a powerful 2D drafting tool which serves as a
replacement for rapidograph. Typically many
students in our university work part-time in
architectural firms or companies who have
adopted the first CAD tools years or even
decades ago. Basically the students complete
the mission a draftsman in a ‘little computerized
way’, but basically the technology has stayed at
the same conventional ‘drafting design’ level
with limited possibilities of process automation.
The development of spatial or 3D thinking in
architectural practice is extremely important and
requires quite a bit of effort and time to master
these skills, especially now using the new design
media which are based on wide application of
IT. Methods and management of introductory
design education is becoming a key question in
many curricula throughout the world [4, 9, 11,
12]. Fast rate of hardware and software
upgrades force the universities to spend much
effort and resources on finding solutions not
4
associated with the primary focus – education.
Overcoming this obstacle is based on the
development in curricula subjects the design
solution approaches which do not highly depend
on the level of technical equipment.
3.2 Competitive CAAD software
Nowadays, the building industry requires a
more productive work schedule [11]. Architects
must change their design habits to adopt the
new challenges. The working media has to be
changed now – from plane to space, from
drawing to solid model. Nevertheless, the
thinking still is the same – three-dimensional. In
architectural design process, we can define
three phases: an investigation of the form, a
technical documentation, and a presentation.
Current architectural CAD systems are week in
the ability to produce first sketches – they could
not be a substitute for pencil at the conceptual
phase of a project.
The third generation architectural CAD [7]
software successfully combines 3D modeling
and 2D drafting features. One of the leaders in
this class – ArchiCAD is oriented to the design
of all basic architectural elements in 3D, quickly
producing floor plans, elevations, and sections,
providing photo-realistic images, animations
and VR scenes from the same shared object
model. ArchiCAD includes large project file
handling capability via hotlinks, programmable
database language extensions for advanced cost
estimations. The new construction simulation
capability could be linked to Microsoft Project
documentation.
Many of the contemporary CAD systems are
basically oriented on 3D model design. In
architecture and building industry a concept of
VR has been used for quite a while [1, 2] and
this offers several benefits. Advanced IT
solutions provide the opportunity to implement
sophisticated distributed systems for
collaborative design. Before the actual building
has been constructed it is possible to test
different design, construction, usability and even
demolishment aspects. Graphisoft, for example,
uses the concept of Virtual Building (VB) complete a questionnaire about the time when
model in his most famous product ArchiCAD they acquired 2D computer drafting skills
since middle 80ies. In Autodesk products this (Table 1) and about their individual software
concept is known under the name of Building literacy (Table 2). These data allow evaluating
Information Modeling (BIM). the audience skills and better planning the
Persons with different interests and course outline [6].
competencies in the building process such as Table 1: Time when RTU architectural
architects, installation engineers, structural students (5th semester) learned
engineers, electricity engineers, clients, builders, their 2D CAD skills.
and design managers can all be brought together
Percentage of
in a distributed design space where the VB is
students, %
drafted, designed, built, and functionally Study semester
Academic year
evaluated. A design space created in an
2004/2005 2005/2006
object-oriented and parametric VR environment
Before university 21 36
enables to simulate realistically and efficiently st
several variants of the form, function, 1 14 8
construction, and use of the building yet under 2nd 24 24
consideration. Therefore, nowadays even the 3rd 17 12
th
architectural students have to start to implement 4 17 12
the IT knowledge into their specific needs from 5th 7 8
the very first study year otherwise they might When the 3rd year students enrolled the
become ‘the slave of the tools and not the boss’ university 2 years ago, 21-36 % of them already
[3]. A serious misconception is when the were familiar with computer aided drafting.
teaching of engineering graphics is limited just During the first semester studies only 8-14 %
to the training of how to use particular CAD students find spare time to learn 2D computer
software. Even worse is the case when the CAD drafting by themselves, practically with
teaching is restricted to studying only 2D. AutoCAD. In the following semesters 68-78 %
of the students have already acquired some
3.3 Target audience analysis AutoCAD drafting skills and work part-time in
The duration of bachelor studies in architecture architectural companies.
in Riga Technical University is 7 educational Table 2: Software literacy of the RTU
periods each consisting of 16 weeks of study architectural students (5th semester) in academic
semester and additional 4 weeks of exam years 2004/2005 and 2005/2006.
session. Compulsory subject ‘Computer Students, familiar with
Applications in Architectural Design’ is limited Software Used in
software, %
to 2 credit points and is taken in the fifth Architectural
Academic year
semester. In this course the students for first Practice
2004/2005 2005/2006
time are allowed to use computer aided drafting
AutoCAD 78 68
and/or design methods in their architectural
ArchiCAD 51 60
design projects. The architectural students’
Another CAD 11 8
background knowledge level is extremely
CorelDraw 49 60
diverse – from very pure knowledge till quite
excellent proficiency. At the same time the Adobe Photoshop 70 72
overall computer literacy is increasing every Another raster 11 16
year. The second most often used software by
At the beginning of the 5th semester the students architects in Latvia is ArchiCAD. PhotoShop is
a leader for raster graphics processing and is
5
widely used for the preparation of visualization
materials. The number of other “nontraditional”
software both for drafting/modeling and raster
graphics usage slightly exceeds 10 %.
4. DIGITAL MEDIA TRAINING
Computer aided design, as the initial step in
engineering and architectural education,
nowadays is of crucial importance. In this
course students are supposed to acquire values,
knowledge and skills which create a basis for
further levels of professional education. The
success in the training to model real 3D object
is in the development of the talent to build it up
from simple geometric primitives maintaining
the required spatial relationships. It is envisaged
that this approach will encourage the students
to work through problems in the innovative and
thoughtful ways, developing the skills they will
need to cope with a rapidly changing IT world.
In [4] it has been recognized that Engineering
Graphics subjects should put more emphasis in
spatial reasoning, since it is considered it to be a
core competence for future engineers, which
must gain relevance in future engineers’ and
architects’ curricula.
The main teaching concept in the subject
‘Computer Applications in Architectural
Design’ is to inform the students about existing
complex CAAD solutions available on the
market today, giving them some compulsory
practical training or warm-up exercises,
followed by individual design projects to
develop their abilities and skills to have a good
command over computer applications for
architectural design tasks. The aim is to provide
the students with an insight into the context and
complexities of architectural design, and their
future responsibilities.
4.1 AutoCAD or 2D drafting skills
Since only 7-8 % of the students by the time
taking this subject are not familiar with 2D
CAD drafting, it is not taught in this course. To
check the students’ 2D drafting skills design
exercise is given as homework to be solved
6
using any 2D CAD software. Those who are
not familiar with 2D computer drawing are
given time to get acquainted with the basic
commands.
First exercise is the one they solved in the first
semester in the course of Descriptive Geometry
(Figure 2). The 2D solution (plan view and
elevation view) has to be submitted in printed
form on A4 size in proper scale. The used
version of CAD software should be indicated
and the time required to complete the exercise
should be recorded. Total number of students
questioned was 46 and 28 in the academic year
2004/2005 and 2005/2006, respectively.
Figure 2: Design Assignment ‘Intersection of
Objects’ to be Solved using 4 Different CAD
Techniques. Notes are Comments in the Lecture
about GDL Scripting in ArchiCAD.
Students had to self evaluate their expertise
level in 2D computer drafting technique with
any CAD software and in 3D modeling software
ArchiCAD from 1 to 5. Competence level 1 or
the basic level corresponds to the students
meeting with the ArchiCAD in the class for the
first time.
In each competence group an average time
required to complete the exercise was
calculated. The time spent for solving the 2D
computer drawing exercise was found to be in
close correlation with preliminary competence
level in ArchiCAD (Figure 3), except for the
last academic year students. Higher level of
competence allows solving exercise 2.7 times
faster. Average time required to solve 2D
computer drawing for both groups and all difficult to separate the learning time from the
competence levels was 62 minutes. pure time for particular design solution. Only
2D Computer Drawing Exercise 04/05 few students were familiar with this software
160 05/06
before classes at the university. Surprisingly, but
Linear (04/05)
the fact is that many architectural companies
Time to complete exercise, min

Linear (05/06)

120
find out about power of SketchUp from the
R2 = 0,30
practicing students.
04/05
SketchUp Model Exercise
80 05/06
160
Linear (04/05)

Time to complete exercise, min

Linear (05/06)
40
R2 = 0,72 120

0
80
1 2 3 4 5
ArchiCAD Competence Lev el
R2 = 0,23
R2 = 0,01
Figure 3: Correlation Between Time Spent on 40

2D CAD Drawing and Student’s Reported

ArchiCAD Competence Level. 0
1 2 3 4 5
ArchiCAD Competence Lev el
4.2 Computerized sketching
Architects widely rely on sketching during their Figure 4: Correlation Between Time Spent on
early phase of design, because sketching SketchUp Model and Student’s Reported
appears to be the most adapted mean to express ArchiCAD Competence Level.
and to manipulate creative ideas. Quite a long
time architectural concept design sketching 4.3 Spatial modeling with ArchiCAD
software resources were extremely limited. New Third exercise was the development of 3D
software has recently appeared to fill the modeling skills using newly introduced to many
existing gap. SketchUp from Google Inc. of the students ArchiCAD software. After
(before @Last Software) is deceptively simple overview lecture about basic principles of
and powerful tool for creating, viewing, and design and instruments used, students were
modifying 3D ideas quickly and easily. It was required to practice individually. Only three
developed to combine the elegance and basic 3D tools – slabs, walls and roofs – were
spontaneity of pencil sketching with the speed required to master the basic spatial modeling
and flexibility of today's digital media. Thus, 3D skills and to complete the same exercise
sketch design approach was implemented in the discussed before. The average time to solve the
subject through training exercise. Students find exercise was 69 minutes. About 28 % of the
to learn and use sketching in digital versus students reported their expertise level higher
traditional media very easy. than introductory.
The second computer aided exercise was to The students reporting the 5th level of
develop the model using SketchUp software. competence solved this exercise within 7
An average time to complete this 3D sketching minutes, while for the beginners and users with
exercise does not correlate with students’ the 2nd competence level it took approximately
ArchiCAD skills (Figure 4). On the average 113 and 110 minutes, correspondingly. Strong
students spent 42 minutes to complete an linear correlation was found between the time to
individual exercise, including the learning time complete this exercise and competence level for
from multimedia tutorials. However, it was very last two academic years (Figure 5). This graph
7
clearly demonstrates the importance of CAD complete the exercise was 112 minutes. Only
training in effective use of software. the students reporting the highest level of
3D ArchiCAD Model Exercise 04/05 competence in ArchiCAD solved the exercise
160 05/06
on average in 40 minutes which is 2.8 times
Linear (04/05)
R2 = 0,94 faster than the rest of them.
Time to complete exercise, min

Linear (05/06)

120 GDL Script Exercise

160
R2 = 0,41

Time to complete exercise, min

80
120

40 R2 = 0,28
80
R2 = 0,86
0 04/05
1 2 3 4 5 40 05/06
ArchiCAD Competence Lev el
Linear (04/05)
Linear (05/06)
Figure 5: Correlation Between Time Spent on 0
1 2 3 4 5
3D ArchiCAD Model and Student’s Reported ArchiCAD Competence Lev el

ArchiCAD Competence Level.

Figure 6: Correlation Between Time Spent on
4.4 Programming skills in GDL language GDL Script and Student’s Reported ArchiCAD
The fourth exercise was devoted to the Competence Level
Geometric Description Language or GDL
which is a programming language inside 4.5 CAD project
ArchiCAD. It is very easy to learn BASIC type Introductory design project was aimed to
programming language having very close develop the proficiency in representing the
relations with descriptive geometry problem surrounding world through the lens of
solutions. Some algebraic knowledge is required specialized computer aided solutions. The
as well. In order to bridge the individual ability to abstract the reality through the
concepts and processes of multiple design associative patterns is being developed through
disciplines, intensive cross-disciplinary the design project ‘Unlimited possibilities with
communication and information exchange limited resources’. The main goal is to produce
starting from the very early stages of design is a free choice composition following several
necessary. This quest for integration has rules. Design rules are limited with the use of
become one of the key issues in building design only some selected features from 3D software.
practice today. The limitations have been implied intentionally
About six academic hours were spent on GDL to force the students think non-traditional way.
lectures with numerous demonstrations of The computer in this case serves only as a
practical examples. To prove the students’ simple but powerful instrument. Additional
understanding of the subject the same unlimited resources allowed to include in the
assignment exercise has to be completed using project are color, texture, light, visualization
GDL language. The skills mastered to write the and animation. The students have to develop
script (program) includes operation with basic professional thinking during this compositional
geometric primitives – prisms and pyramids – design training using ArchiCAD. The task is to
and coordinate system manipulations or facilitate a personally innovative way of
transformations. This was the most difficult task employing the computer as an analytical or
for the students. The average time required to communicative tool in the design. The project
8
has to be presented as two scene renderings on
one A4 size page, submitted in digital form and
supplemented by animation movie.
4.6 Advanced studies
Digital imaging, digital painting, alternative 3D
modeling, 3D animation movies or
walk-through, VR, 3D printing are issues
covered in the subject only theoretically,
primary because of the limited technical
resources. The subject content is being
constantly revised each year to allow for the
ever changing situation in CAAD tendencies in
the world and taking into account the existing
possibilities. Final project in the course has to
be prepared on A1 or greater size digital poster
demonstrating computer aided technology skills
used in architectural practice. The project has to
be submitted in platform independent format,
e.g. pdf format. This format is widely used in
design communication in contemporary
information technology applications. For the
observation one can use free software Adobe
Reader, the latest versions of which supports
inclusion in the documents interactive 3D model
information and movies.
In an exam besides the theoretical question and
practical task the students have to explain their
feelings about the different computer aided
solutions they get familiar with and the
technologies used in the companies they have
get practice.
5. CONCLUSIONS
CAAD innovations are more effective when
taught from the very beginning in architectural
syllabus parallel with the conventional design
methods. Gradual teaching as students design
education advances seems to be better, because
it is difficult to maintain the students' motivation
in class by just practicing the tools and working
with separate design examples.
A timekeeping test proved that proficient use of
CAD software can provide to the trained users
considerable time saving which for the solving
of particular exercise among the students was
9
up to 16-18 times. The same degree of diversity
in the CAD skills between the students brings
up to the educators additional workload to keep
the class attention.
The CAAD subject content should be reviewed
and revised each year in order to up-date,
improvise and keep the students up with new
emerging trends in the fast changing IT word
which applies to architectural design.
The is a need to shift the thinking paradigm
from one that is limited to understanding and
acquiring practical today’s knowledge towards
the one that is more comprehensive in nature
and supports hands-on-application as being
practice in high tech countries outside the
academic environment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was partly supported by the
Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of
Latvia, grant No. IZM RTU F6958.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
1. Modris Dobelis, Dr.sc.ing., (Ph.D.), is a
Professor at the Division of Descriptive
Geometry and Engineering Computer Graphics,
Faculty of Building and Civil Engineering, Riga
Technical University, Riga, Latvia. His scientific
and educational activities include computer
aided design in architecture, civil and
mechanical engineering, development of new
training materials for mastering CAD skills, and
biomechanics of biomaterials and hard
biological tissue. He can be reached by e-mail:
dobelis@acad.latnet.lv, by phone:
+371-708-9225 or through postal address: Riga
Technical University / Azenes iela 16/20-443 /
LV-1048 / Riga, Latvia. Website:
http://www.bf.rtu.lv/~grafika
2. Janis Brinkis, Dr.arch., is a Professor at the
Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning,
Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia. His
research interests include planning and
development of architecture in Latvia. He can
be reached by e-mail: brinkis@bf.rtu.lv, by
phone: +371-708-9114 or through postal
address: Riga Technical University / Azenes iela
16/20-401 / LV-1048 / Riga, Latvia. Website:
http://www.apf.rtu.lv