Design Decision 1: Column Grid Layout

• Design Variables
• X Spacing between columns
• Y Spacing between columns
• Column cross-sectional size
• Evaluators
• Material volume of columns
• Maximum beam span (based on spacing)
• Usable floor area
• Structural efficiency (usable area ÷ material volume)
• Cost estimate
• Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
• Larger spacing reduces the number of columns but increases beam spans
• Smaller spacing increases structural redundancy but raises material costs
• Bigger column sizes improve capacity but reduce usable space
• Optimizing spacing and size affects cost-efficiency and architectural flexibility

Design Decision 2: Window-to-Wall Ratio in Facade Design

• Design Variables
• Window height
• Window width
• Wall height
• Evaluators
• Natural daylight area
• Energy consumption (cooling/heating)
• Visual comfort (glare index)
• Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
• Increasing glazing improves daylight but raises energy costs
• Too much daylight may lead to visual discomfort
• Balance between thermal performance and daylighting goals

Design Decision 3: Roof Shape for Rainwater Collection

• Design Variables
• Roof slope angle
• Gutter placement
• Roof surface material
• Evaluators
• Rainwater collected
• Material cost of the roof
• Structural complexity
• Most Important Tradeoffs to Consider
• Steeper slopes improve collection but raise material use
• Optimizing for collection can complicate structural design
• Placement of gutters affects efficiency and cost

I chose Design Decision 1: Column Grid Layout for my Generative Design Study. The goal was to optimize the spacing and size of columns in a structural grid to balance cost, material usage, and usable area.

• Design Variables (Inputs)
• xSpacing: Distance between columns in X direction
• ySpacing: Distance between columns in Y direction
• Column Size: Square cross-section width of each column
• Evaluators (Outputs)
• Material Volume: Total volume of concrete used in columns
• maxBeamSpan: Maximum beam span (based on spacing)
• Usable Floor Area: Floor area not occupied by columns
• CostEstimate: Approximate construction cost based on volume
• Efficiency: Usable area divided by material volume
• Key Tradeoffs
• Increasing spacing reduces column count but increases beam span (which might affect structural design)
• Larger columns reduce usable space and increase material cost
• The goal was to maximize usable area while minimizing cost and material usage, striking a balance between structural performance and economic feasibility

🔍 Scatterplot / Parallel Coordinates Graph

(Cost vs. Efficiency or Beam Span vs. Material Volume vs. Floor Area)

The graph illustrates how different combinations of column spacing and sizes affect both the efficiency of the layout and the cost.

• Designs with wider spacing had fewer columns and lower material volume, but higher beam spans.
• Smaller columns improved usable space but could compromise strength.
• The best-performing designs were those with a moderate column size and slightly wider spacing—maximizing usable floor area while keeping material volume and cost reasonable.

This helped me narrow down designs that are both structurally efficient and cost-effective, especially for layouts where large open spaces are desirable (like office buildings or open-plan labs).

📌 Dynamo Graph

The graph includes:

• Sliders for inputs (xSpacing, ySpacing, Column Size)

• Geometry generation logic (grid of columns)

• Calculations for volume, usable area, max span and other parameters

• Outputs organized for Generative Design