IAR 212 Computing In Architectural Design

The article, Computing in Architectural Design, is about how computers and computer programs have advanced and are being used to help humans and designers in their work and everyday lives. Even in the ancient times people were finding ways to compute things. The most common tools used then were the compass and the straightedge. Computations were based off of the proportions of the human figure and it’s ability to fit inside such shapes as the circle and the square. The first computer-aided design was used by engineers to determine the physics behind materials and forces that make up buildings. Computer systems began to appear for architecture purposes in the 1970’s. The programs allowed for the creation of rooms that had optimal space arrangements and square rooms that could be used to create a floor plan. These early computers were large and expensive and required expensive display hardware as well. The first CAD-like software was written for the rising Apple II, then the Macintosh. It had drafting systems including MacDraft, MacDraw, Dreams, MiniCAD, and PowerDraw. However, the quality was not advanced enough for professional architectural drafting. Soon, other companies began trying to develop professional quality CAD programs. At first, the systems were too slow and were prone to crashing a lot, but with faster processors, they improved. With improving technology, architects could use programs not only for drafting, but for designing and showing clients realistic renderings of space. The new programs were less specific and more general than the previous ones and lacked details like doors, windows, and columns. The third-generation CAD systems referenced the first-generations more because they were centered around the architectural objects that were part of the design and not just the structure. Computers are tools used by people to be able to visualize what would otherwise be impossible to see without having already constructed the project. This can reveal things to them that they can fix and alter that they would not have originally been able to see. The article talks about computers being infused with intelligence in order to become something more than a telephone or a fax machine. In fact, they are seen as better than their human creator because of their unlimited patience, memory, speed, and things which humans are not able to continue to do for eternity. They are put to use in a way that makes it seem like they are responding to our physical presence (i.e. automatic doors). But the computer itself is an inhabitable physical environment. They are becoming more and more of an everyday part of our lives in the form of cell phones, cars, air conditioners… etc. The fact that the space is nonphysical raises questions about the activities that occur within them. Computers will most likely become even more prevalent and advanced in the future. Perhaps making our lives even easier.