Carbon Canopy
London, Ontario
Genetic designs are particularly beneficial for pre-fabrication companies that have constant requirements to satisfy variation and are interested in producing their own building designs to reduce the inefficiencies of poor coordination. The goal is to seek the benefits of total automation with the convenience of tailoring to site. These conditions closely resemble biological processes where a species with consistent DNA can pursue considerable variety. Therefore to imitate this process, we use parametric tools to link together and automate fabrication, design, and the marketing content. The combined results can then be simultaneously explored quickly for project suitability, client satisfaction and for production efficiency.  

We can implement design changes with ease using only a few simple controls relevant to the client. With implicitization the rest of the design is automated right away. We can fully coordinate with building structure, building science, and mechanical-electrical specifications in BIM format for accurate up-front design descriptions. We can fully automate fabrication outputs with 3D geometry, orthographic views, text, dimensions, and grids. The algorithm design is based on the best factory details that can become the focus of advanced manufacturing. We can include integrated design limits to comply with codes, factory preferences, transportation sizes, and embodied carbon figures, etc. This provides accurate material take-offs for cost estimates and client pricing while reducing the rate of errors in customization through predictable repetitive behaviour. Ultimately this leads to a reduction in customer sales cycle time due to accuracy of up-front information.

In this case, the investment of embodied carbon made to construct existing buildings can be preserved by threading a new structure through the existing frame. If the newly introduced system is a post and beam structure, the two structures can co-exist with independent construction and renovation timelines. The predictable new construction costs can support new revenue streams, priming the more expensive restoration of the historical building below. Traces of the addition above can also be experienced below even during the raw unrenovated state further reinforcing the independence of the two construction timelines. Repetition of this scheme over varied historical buildings below will create an undulating rhythm of new construction above.

PERIOD          2019
STRUCTURE       Glulam, CLT
SCALE           Variable

ALGORITHM       Glulam Beams
                Glulam Columns
                CLT Floor Structure
                CLT Roof Structure
                Concrete Foundations
                Footings
                Elevator Core
                Existing Building
Danielson Architecture Office

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