A Preliminary Investigation of Evolution as a Form Design Strategy

We describe the preliminary version of our investigative software, GGE -- Generative Genetic Explorer, in which genetic operations interact with AutoCAD to generate novel 3D forms for the architect. GGE allows us to asess how evolutionary algorithms should be tailored to suit Architecture CAD tasks. 1 Introduction An evolutionary process exemplifies the "explore, evaluate and refine" subprocesses of architectural design and its overall non-linear nature. We report on Generative Genetic Explorer (GGE), an evolution-based software system that we have developed and interfaced with AutoCAD (Autocad 1995). Presently, GGE is an investigative platform for assessing Alife CAD tool issues. Ultimately GGE is intended to be used during the initial stages of the design process when form is being explored through the use of visual models. Its goal is the active generation and suggestion of new designs by means of a computational evolutionary process that sensitively interacts with the creative pro..