Form, Style and Function: A Constraint-Based Generative System for Apartment Façade Design

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a constraint-based generative system (FSF system) to support the design of middle and high-rise apartment façades from architectural plans. Floor plan and façade designs are heavily interrelated, and, sometimes, the plan constrains the façade design during the design process. This relationship lends itself to apply constraint-based systems and we have designed the system to connect intelligently between apartment plan and façade. In our system, we define constraints into three categories: structural form, architectural style and function. We use genetic algorithm to generate plausible alternatives quickly and augmented by a constraint-based system, façades can be generated and modified much more easily in terms of real-time visual feedback for checking violence of the constraints and of dealing with updates smoothly through intelligent connecting plans to façades.