Visual exploration for assessing design variants

The conceptual architectural design phases are characterised by a constant interplay for the creation of variants, their assessment and consistent detailing. In order to assess variants, the designer today almost exclusively uses his know-how. Objectifiable criteria like simulation and analytical procedures are currently only included in part or independent of the creative activity. The reason for this are the sequential working method, the insufficient process integration of supporting software solutions and the required model quality (levels of detail) in early design phases. The sub-project focuses on the development of methods for visual representation and exploration of simulation and analysis results for process-integrated presentation and comparison of different design variants. In order to gain insights from the datasets and support the decision making process of the designer, methods from the areas of visual analytics and visual representation are investigated, and concepts are developed based on a requirement analysis in order to interactively filter, link and visualise tendencies and multiple multi-dimensional data situation- and role-specifically from the simulations and analyses. Furthermore, methods for objectification of decisions, e.g. the weighting of simulation results and procedures are developed. The levels of detail of the created variants as well as the regenerated interaction process with associated analysis and simulation procedures are also considered for the design. Based on these investigations, the derivation of a concept for an interaction process with analysis and simulation procedure constitutes the second main element within the sub-project. The design uses methods developed in other sub-projects of the research association for example for detailing and consistency checks. Concepts for formal mapping of the interaction processes are developed for the documentation of the assessment and the selection for the further draft design of variants, in order to support the transparency of the decision making for the selection of variants, and to include these in the visual representation and exploration. This comprises the selection of simulation procedures as well as any necessary consolidation of the information content according to the requirements of the simulations. Any additions required on the part of the simulation procedures are visually prepared globally or space-and component-oriented respectively, in order to perform detailing of a building model in a targeted way. Prototypical realisations and a partial evaluation with the other sub-projects demonstrates the sustainability of the concept.