Unlocking the Mysteries of Generative Construction
Generative construction is quietly transforming the development of infrastructure - and its potential impact to today’s builders is immense. The use of generative building and scheduling tools can help GC’s realize the benefits, by enabling construction optioneering - the ability to compare and contrast multiple construction scenarios in real-time - and boosting their competitive edge. However, both the process of generative building and the tools and technologies that support it are still not widely understood.
To unlock the true benefits of generative construction and the tools and software which support it, it’s helpful to first understand the concepts of generative design for construction, engineering, and architecture, and what goes into the generative design process.
What is generative design?
Generative design is an iterative process which allows designers, architects, and engineers to harness the power of computers to explore new design possibilities. Generative design software allows these professionals to create a project, entering their goals and constraints (as well as detailed parameters such as spatial requirements, preferred materials or manufacturing methods, and budget). The software then analyzes all possible solutions, automatically generating a range of potential designs and their alternatives.
Credit: Autodesk Redshift
Use of generative design software allows design professionals to quickly conceptualize, test, and evaluate solutions - which makes it a powerful tool for creation. From the design of household products to the development of engineering and architectural plans, generative design tools save time, labor, and resources - empowering informed decision-making throughout the design phase.
Adoption of the iterative design process for use in development of housing and infrastructure is growing quickly. Until recently, it has largely been used to inform the design phase of construction. Architects and engineers leverage generative design tools to create 3D visualizations for a given project, and quickly evaluate and improve upon generated solutions, to develop the best design for their specific needs. Here’s a fascinating example of generative design applied to housing development, in action.
Credit: Autodesk / Daiwa House Industry Uses Generative Design to Retool Urban Housing
How does this apply to construction?
Thanks to recent advances in technology, the iterative process can now be leveraged beyond the project design phase, to inform the construction process itself. This is what we call generative construction.
Generative construction differs from generative design, by taking the process a few steps further. It applies the concepts of generative design to the physical process of construction - providing integrated, 4D visualizations which demonstrate the efficiency of various approaches to construction.
To explain it simply, generative design identifies what design is best suited to a specific location - and generative construction identifies the best way to build it, making the most efficient use of project resources (labor, equipment, and materials).
