A working prototype of distributed collaborative architectural design system

Han, S-H (2004) A working prototype of distributed collaborative architectural design system. PhD thesis, University of Michigan, USA.

Abstract

This dissertation outlines a working prototype which suggests a distributed Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) system to promote a new model of collaborative design. Until recently, the use of computers in the profession of architecture has grown with the power of easy data management, increased sophistication of stand-alone applications, inexpensive hardware, improved speed of processing, use of standard library and tools for communication and collaboration. The computing resources of an organization or project team were often spread across many different platforms and in different locations. Recently, there has been a growing interest in distributed CAAD integration due to the needs of direct collaboration among project participants. The potential for the integration of information is expected to have a tremendous impact on architecture and the construction industry. The aim of this research is to provide a new paradigm for a CAAD system by combining research on integrated CAAD applications with recent collaboration technologies. Interactive three-dimensional (3D) design tools and applications running on the Web have been developed for an Internet-based distributed CAAD application system, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the architectural design process. To accomplish this research objective, information models of urban and architectural components have been structured to meet the requirement of system integration. The proposed system has been designed and a prototype implemented to produce enough guidelines to foster interest in the development of future CAAD systems on the Internet. To this end, two different scopes of implementation are evaluated: first, global architecture and the functionality of a distributed CAAD system; and, second, the association of an architectural application to the system. By using the features of a distributed computing framework, an efficiently integrated CAAD application system was built on the Internet, and it was possible to evaluate practical levels of system implementation and functionality to draw potential uses and collaborative tasks in the architectural industry.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Thesis advisor: Turner, J A and Kim, J-J
Uncontrolled Keywords: project team; architectural design; collaboration; collaborative design; communication; computing; data management; integration
Index terms: computing, collaboration, system integration, integration, architectural design, collaborative design, functionality, prototype, hardware, profession, paradigm, project team, dissertation, internet, implementation, construction industry, platform, data management
Subjects: modelling and simulation, design features, project delivery, contractual arrangements, research dissemination and communication, design methods, institututions, computer hardware, computing systems, organizational analysis, data management, industry analysis, management, education and knowledge transfer, design practice, digital design, organizational theory
Topics: Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Procurement, Project Management, Engineering Principles
Descriptive scope: 3 PCT

N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here