Computer aided architectural evaluation and design: a cost modelling experiment

This dissertation addresses the problem of Computer Aided Architectural Evaluation and Design, with particular reference to building cost evaluation and cost modelling. It identifies the lack of building evaluation tools in the CAAD environment, and suggests an integrated approach to building modelling and cost modelling. The interaction of elemental and spatial descriptions of a design solution is considered as an original contribution to the field of computer aided building modelling and evaluation. It demonstrates the potential of CAAD and Bills of Quantities intergration to give an extra dimension to cost modelling at early design stages. Essentially, this research project advocates a larger overlap in the use of computers for the generation and evaluation of design. It asserts that any computer aided solution evaluation system must be able to converse with the designer during the highly integrated iteration of briefing, analysis, synthesis and evaluation stages of design. A working example is produced after software specification and implementation, to demonstrate to possibilities and/or limitations of such an approach.