Kim Baumann Larsen of PLACEBO EFFECTS presented "Towards Digital Prototyping in the Architectural Design Process" at VIRTUALITY in Turin, Italy November 4th 2005.

Towards Digital Prototyping in the Architectural Design Process
A prototype is a model suitable for use in the evaluation of form, design, performance, and material processing, and prototypes have long played an important role in the making of industrial design products. Architects traditionally resort to building physical scale models throughout the entire design process as a medium that effectively illustrates designs with their array of vital architectural components such as spaces and elevations. Such models are often being produced in several numbers in order to compare and research different concepts. Physical one-to-one mock-ups of parts of a building, such as a room, or a section of a façade are often prohibitive to build in terms of cost and are thus seldom produced in numbers.

With the advent of 3d visualisation models the creation of digital prototypes of whole or parts of buildings and interiors have for some time allowed architects to explore several design options at an earlier stage in the design process and in less time. Digital prototypes of architecture can incorporate the multiple versions, options, or variances that physical prototypes often cannot.

Through project examples, Baumann Larsen illustrated how PLACEBO EFFECTS produce digital prototypes of exterior and interior designs as part of the architectural design process at DARK, Norway’s largest architecture firm. Techniques presented ranged from still images to 3d animation and interactive real-time applications. Projects included innovative multi-use collaborative workspaces and AV meeting rooms for the Fortune 500 energy and aluminum company Hydro and façade studies of several corporate headquarters in Oslo, Norway.

More information on the Hydro Virtual Prototyping project

Ill. Virtual Prototype of Hydro V Multifunctional Cooperative Workspace

About VIRTUALITY
VIRTUALITY 2005 is the 6th International Conference on Digital Cinema, Virtual Reality, Computer Graphics, (3D) Animation & Visual Effects which took place in Turin on November 3rd to November 6th 2005 at the Conference Center Torino Incontra.

More information on the VIRTUALITY conference