UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

A generic housing grammar for the generation of different housing languages: a generic housing shape grammar for Palladian villas, Prairie and Malagueira houses

Benros, D; (2018) A generic housing grammar for the generation of different housing languages: a generic housing shape grammar for Palladian villas, Prairie and Malagueira houses. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London). Green open access

[thumbnail of Do Rosario Benros_10051005_thesis.pdf]
Preview
Text
Do Rosario Benros_10051005_thesis.pdf

Download (24MB) | Preview

Abstract

Shape grammars have traditionally described a design language and replicated it using a procedure. In the majority of existing studies, one language corresponded to one grammar and vice versa; the generative procedure was univocal and language specific. Generic grammars, which are capable of describing multiple design languages, potentially allow greater flexibility and help describe not only languages but relationships between languages. This study proposes a generic housing process based on a parametric shape grammar, and uses this to investigate relationships between several grammars or families of designs. A study case of three single housing grammars was selected using the Palladian villas, Prairie and Malagueira houses. Specific parameterisation confers the sense of style required to define a language. From the generated corpora two methods were exercised to explore two research questions: 1. A qualitative method tested how the parametric space of a shape grammar corresponded with our intuition of similarities and differences amongst designs. This was performed using a set of questionnaires posed to both laymen and expert observers. 2. A quantitative method was used to test how well the parametric space of a shape grammar coincided with the design space expressed by the different corpora. Principal Components Analysis was used to inform if the set of parameters used to design the solutions would group into clusters. Results indicate that the expected relationships between individual designs are captured by the generic grammar. The design solutions generated by the generic grammar were also naturally perceived by observers and clustering was identified amongst language related design solutions. A tool such as a generic shape grammar captures the principles of design as described by the generative shape rules and its parameterisation, which can be used in academia, practice or analysis to explore design.

Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Qualification: Ph.D
Title: A generic housing grammar for the generation of different housing languages: a generic housing shape grammar for Palladian villas, Prairie and Malagueira houses
Event: UCL (University College London)
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
UCL classification: UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10051005
Downloads since deposit
457Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item