Rapid prototyping and its role in supporting architectural design process

Model making is a crucial part of the design development for evaluating the form, fit and functionality of a design before a notable investment is performed. The emergence of novel technologies and their increasing uptake are helping to redefine the architecture and the architects’ master builder role, by altering the way architects think and make things. Different methods and strategies are available to utilize for production of artefacts that are considered not only to be new communication and representation tools but also being utilized for testing and evaluation during design processes. Rapid prototyping processes are forming a language between different phases of the design and considered as a feedback mechanism informing each other. This paper presents experimental research products of two rapid prototyping technologies, focusing on how each technology can effectively be used in the delivery of design intent. Prototyping machines were used in testing the accuracy of the geometry of the design, in terms of protecting the design intent within the production process of each model. In order to verify the results of the experiment, researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with the experts in the built environment and a preliminary decision-making matrix was generated, aiming to provide guidance to the architectural designers on how to effectively use current rapid prototyping technologies within design processes. Keywords: Rapid Prototyping, Model Making, Complex Surface