Semester Projects: Parametric Urban Planning + Urban Simulation
Digital models have long since become more than just design tools. Today, modern manufacturing technologies make it possible to translate digital information directly into physical products. Robots, parametric tools, and automated manufacturing processes are opening up new possibilities for architecture, design, and construction.
The projects in this area focus on parametric urban planning and urban simulation models. The goal is to systematically generate, evaluate, and compare design alternatives.
Using the Schumacher Quarter in Berlin as an example, various urban planning concepts were developed and analyzed based on defined performance metrics. Parametric models automatically generate building volumes, street spaces, green spaces, and land-use concepts. These variants are then evaluated based on ecological, social, and energy-related criteria.
The projects illustrate that urban planning is increasingly becoming a data-driven decision-making process. Density, shading, energy demand, photovoltaic potential, green space quality, and infrastructure accessibility are analyzed quantitatively and can thus be incorporated more objectively into the planning process.
The parametric approach is particularly effective at revealing conflicting objectives. Often, a design decision improves one aspect but worsens another. Digital tools help to clearly illustrate these interactions and develop balanced solutions.