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Altair > Case Studies > Revolutionizing Architectural Design with IoT: A Case Study on LabDORA
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Revolutionizing Architectural Design with IoT: A Case Study on LabDORA

Technology Category
  • Robots - Cartesian Robots
  • Sensors - Temperature Sensors
Applicable Industries
  • Buildings
  • Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
  • Quality Assurance
Use Cases
  • Experimentation Automation
  • Structural Health Monitoring
Services
  • Testing & Certification
The Challenge
The challenge faced by Peter Macapia, the acclaimed architect behind LabDORA, was to change perceptions and convictions about how buildings could look and how they impact their environment. He sought to explore new frontiers in architectural design that simultaneously employed principles of architecture and engineering to produce entirely new insights and types of structures. Macapia's early work was based on research started in the 1960s and ‘70s in Japan, which had produced genetic-type algorithms for structural morphology. However, these early computational methods were primitive in their applicability by today’s standards. Macapia's perception of what was possible in his field changed significantly in 2010 when he was introduced to solidThinking Inspire while preparing a course for the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles.
About The Customer
Peter Macapia is an acclaimed architect who is exploring new frontiers in architectural design. He is known for his unique approach to the design of buildings that simultaneously employs principles of architecture and engineering to produce totally new insights and types of structures. Macapia's creativity and innovative use of technology have brought these new frontiers within reach. He initially worked independently to carry through research started in the 1960s and ‘70s in Japan, efforts that had produced genetic-type algorithms for structural morphology. Macapia's perception of what was possible in his field changed significantly when he was introduced to solidThinking Inspire, a software that allowed him to take on imaginative engineering and architecture projects.
The Solution
The solution came in the form of solidThinking Inspire, a software that allowed Macapia to embark on imaginative engineering and architecture projects, with an emphasis on the engineering side. The software transformed forces into a design that offered alternatives for shapes, sizes, and materials all at once. Traditionally in architecture, analysis has been completely separated from design, but solidThinking Inspire showed Macapia how designers could integrate an analytical capacity into the design space. This meant that the structure could be designed and tested in the same space, a significant departure from the traditional process. Using solidThinking Inspire, Macapia was able to introduce a new function into a cultural and linguistic environment that was already familiar. This led to the invention of a new language of structures that were designed by deforming surfaces and going beyond the rigid limits of Cartesian grids.
Operational Impact
  • The use of solidThinking Inspire led to the creation of a new language of structures that are designed by deforming surfaces and going beyond the rigid limits of Cartesian grids. The software presented the design choices and showed the options, with tremendous flexibility in altering the forces. This unique interactivity brought structural computation into the design activity, supporting research and making it easier to work with students. It also forced the architect to think more deeply about materials. The software's ability to integrate design and testing in the same space revolutionized the traditional process in architecture, where analysis has been completely separated from design.

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