Material feedback in digital design tools

Abstract

How do design tools feedback material behaviour to the designer? Digital design tools in use by designers today provide a rich environment for design of form but offer little feedback of the material that ultimately realise that form. This lack of materialism limits the value of the design tool and the exploration of the design space where material behaviour can provide important feedback. This work examines the modes and value of material feedback in design using systems engineering principles, illustrates the challenge with current tools and explores a prototype simulative interface. It approaches the problem from a new perspective of simulating physical manipulation and experiment rather than existing CAD paradigms. ©2010, Association for Research in Computer-Aided Architectural Research in Asia (CAADRIA).