Considering Physicality in Digital Models

This paper discusses the integration of physical and digital models in the context of building technology teaching. It showcases projects that explore the design possibilities of a chosen structural system with the use of parametric and behaviour-based computational modelling. It uses detailed mock-ups as vehicles to study, optimize, and evaluate the design as well as to provide feedback for student learning and the direction in which future designers may engage computational design. Finally, it investigates digital-to-physical design translations, the importance of which becomes more and more critical in the context of the current, computer-intensive architectural education and professional practice