Plan schematization : a computational approach to morphological structure of architectural space

Abstract

In this thesis an architectural design theory is premised so that plan making can start from a 'space scheme' which is a description of 'hierarchic balloon representation'. The space organization of a plan is described in hierarchic balloon representation in terms of a part/whole hierarchy of adumbrated space units. The information processing from bitmap representation of a plan image to hierarchic balloon representation of a space scheme is proposed to have two intermediate representations: FEB representation and primitive balloon representation. The purpose of constructing an FEB representation is to provide a principled ground for space identification. The idea of the FEB representation originates from the simulation of the directional inclination resulting from imaginary space perception in a plan. The primitive balloon representation is constructed to explicate the process of identifying and describing space primitives in a plan. The primitive balloon representation is so named because space primitives are described by extending the basin core outward which resembles the process of inflating a balloon. Hierarchic balloon representation differs from both FEB representation and primitive balloon representation in that it is dependent on primitive balloon representation by using the transform algorithm of deriving FEB representation but it also allows optional modifications.