WORKSHOPS

Workshops will take place on the 24th of May 2022. Sign-up for participation in the workshops by visiting the UDC WEBSITE and choosing “workshops attendants” on the “type of record” dropdown menu.


TOPOLOGIC

Tutor:

Wassim Jabi (Cardiff University)

Duration:

Full day, 7 to 8 hours long session with lunch break

Objectives:

  1. Learn how to build topological models that can be used to analyze the spatial characteristics of a design in the early stages of design and be converted to IFC-conformant BIM models.
  2. Learn how to build topological models that can be used to conduct energy performance simulation in the early stages of design.
  3. Learn how topological models can integrate with blockchain technology and smart contracts to enable a circular economy.

Programme:

You will be introduced to Topologic, an open-source software. After a series of tutorials, you will propose to solve a problem using the software. We will spend the afternoon building your solution. We will use the latest version of Topologic for Blender. All software is free to download and use.

Expected Outcomes:

You will produce visual workflows that solve design problems You will produce 3D models that represent your solution.


PUBLIC OPEN SPACE SPATIAL ANALYSIS: EXTENDING AND INTEGRATING UCL DEPTHMAP ON A PYTHON-BASED WORKFLOW

Tutor:

João Ventura Lopes (ISTAR-IUL, ISCTE-IUL)

Duration:

Full day, 7 to 8 hours long session with lunch break

Objectives:

Depthmap (Turner, Varoudis, UCL) is still the standard tool in space syntax analysis. Originally developed for syntactic visibility graph analysis, it also allows the analysis of convex, axial/segment maps, and, generally, of any graph that can have a 2D geometric expression. This workshop pretends to demonstrate how to explore Depthmap advanced features, how it can be tailored, extended and integrated in a spatial analysis workflow that ties together spatial analysis, data science, geographic information and algorithmic design.

We pretended to show how to:

  1. Use SalaScript (Depthmap scripting language) to access the graph embedded in each Depthmap file and produce various types of nonstandard space syntax map representations and analysis (e.g. visual graph point, line or area isovists, sliding window and raster like analysis, minimal paths or catchment areas (voronoi diagrams) over visual/axial/segment maps);
  2. Use the Depthmap Command line interface (cli) in order to automate syntactic analysis;
  3. Explore new features added to recent versions of Depthmap (e.g. exporting connectivity);
  4. Combine Depthmap into different digital workflows using Anaconda/python, Rhino/Grasshopper or QGIS/esstoolkit (e.g. importing connectivity into Depthmap or silently run Depthmap).

The workshop will concentrate on public open spaces, using as case studies a set of Portuguese squares’ urban settings. Nonetheless, the introduced concepts and techniques can be easily generalised to architectonic space, and participants may bring their own case studies if they wish.

No previous experience on spatial or syntactic analysis and the mentioned tools are necessary, but the workshop will run smoothly if participants are familiar to some space syntax, Depthmap software, basic python, Grasshopper or GIS from the user’s perspective (not mandatory).

Programme:

We propose a full day workshop (3,5 + 4,0 hours) where participants will explorer the presented concepts, tools and digital workflows mainly in a hands-on approach. The accent will be in the learning by doing, the collaboration between participants, the interactivity with the presenter and the blurring of lines between theoretical exposition and practical exercise.

Proposed Program (3,0 + 4,0 hours, full day workshop):

  • Presentation: Welcome and workshop introduction (20 min);
  • Presentation: DepthmapX overview and new features (20 min);
  • Presentation: SalaScript overview (20 min);
  • Hands-on exercises (120 min); LUNCH (60 min)
  • Presentation: DepthmapXcli (15 min);
  • Presentation: Anaconda python and Jupyter Notebooks (15 min);
  • Presentation: A python-based workflow (DepthmapXcli – Anaconda/python – Rhino/Grasshopper – QGIS/esstoolkit) (30 min);
  • Hands-on exercises (120 min);
  • Participants’ presentations and/or discussion of results and possible applicability to their own work/investigations (60 min).

Expected Outcomes:

  • Participants will get a wide-ranging overview on spatial analysis theories, methods and tools, both from the perspectives of space syntax, geographic systems, urban design and data science;
  • Participants will be introduced, or deepen their knowledge, in space syntax Depthmap software and Depthmap scripting language (SalaScript). In the end they should be able to read and interpreter the provided scripts and produce their own;
  • Participants will assemble and play with a workflow that gathers tools from different fields: space syntax (Depthmap/SalaScript/DepthmapXcli), data science (Anaconda/python), GIS (QGIS/esstoolkit), and algorithm design (Rhino/Grasshopper). In the end they should comprehend the logic of these python-based workflows and the potential and shortcomings of such computational data-driven approaches to spatial analysis;
  • Participants will have the opportunity to discuss, not only the workshop results and expectations, but also their personal work/investigation and the way they foresee the usefulness of these tools and workflows, gathering advices from all participants.

BIO.CODES

This workshop will be held online.

Tutor:

Paulo Carvalho (SELVAGEN)

Duration:

Full day, 7 to 8 hours long session with lunch break

Objectives:

The main goal of the BIO.CODES workshop is for the participants to be able to apply biolearning along with parametric tools on their projects, while also following a thorough methodology in its development. The “Input” phase is focused on the analysis and morphological interpretation of the natural context. Then on the “Code” phase, they’ll be programming their digital concept for the final “Output”, which will be the presentation of their results.

Programme:

BIO.CODES are the digital strategies that are able to translate the life that surrounds us into form. First, an introduction will be made to Parametric Design’s context, contemporary applications and methodologies. Afterwards, through the gamification of cards to choose from, each group’s assignment will be defined based on a challenge question to answer, with their type of artifact, a biological source of inspiration, an algorithm and a digital fabrication method.


3D SPACE SYNTAX ANALYSIS

Tutor:

Franklim Morais (LIA-ESAP)

Catarina Ruivo (Dinâmia’cet, ISCTE-IUL)

Duration:

Full day, 7 to 8 hours long session with lunch break

Objectives:

Space Syntax are a set of methods in use in Architecture for over 30 years. As it requires a large amount of calculations, it needed to be treated by ICT tools. So far, only 2D analysis was currently available. The workshop will give proficiency in the use of DepthSpace3D, a 3D Space Syntax analysis software, free for academic use. This digital tool increases the range of possibilities concerning 3D Space Syntax analysis. 3D analysis seems to bring better results in rough topography of the urban spaces; dynamic volumetric geometry: size, configuration, elevation and interpenetration; joint analysis of the interior of each building and its urban environment, in particular when there are high-rise buildings. 3D Space Syntax analysis may also be a powerful tool in formalizing the classical theoretical and aesthetical concepts of space in landscape architecture.

Programme:

A. In case of difficulty, software installation may be done in the beginning of the workshop.

B. Brief introduction to the main differences between 2D and 3D analysis.

C. DepthSpace3D With the help of small case studies, each participant will carry out:

  • Creation and edition of the 3D geometries of the spaces considered for analysis:
    • Viewing Space (with multiple Paths, with different visibility weights);
    • Viewed Space (two-sided Surfaces and Global Volume), also with different visibility weights, and with the possibility to introduce properties or attributes to different regions of the space o Obstacle Space, with different transparencies and opacities;
  • Calculus of Space Syntax Quantities;
  • Display of the results, both in graphical and numerical forms o 3D of the Viewed Surfaces:
    • 3D of any slice of the Viewed Global Space;
    • 2D of all the slices of the Viewed Global Space;
    • 3D of the View Points;
  • Interpretation of the results.

Some examples in middle-level operations:

  • changing the user interface;
  • creating new items in the geometry generator library.

Finally, brief introduction to advanced themes:

  • editing a generative grammar for the ‘Space Syntaxes’. With this tool, the study is not limited to the standard concepts (depth, isovist, connectivity, etc.) as the generation of new concepts can be formalized;
  • accessing the open Data Base with all the data (inputs and results) of the analysed cases.

D. Glimpses of future SCAVATools software