Simulating Intuition

Explorations of the Applied Fluid Vernacular

Stephen Caddy

Adam Rysanek    Dorit Aviv    Jason Heinrich

As we further our understandings on the impact that architectural design decisions can impose on the natural environment, the desire for architectural projects to show increased awareness of integrated technical thinking is becoming invaluable. However, traditional architectural pedagogy offers limited solutions. 

Simulating Intuition : Explorations of an Applied Fluid Vernacular is a thesis targeted at furthering the relationship between engineering and design. Through the knowability of computational fluid dynamics, I hypothesize that passive strategies like mixed mode ventilation could become more accessible if they approached the reliability of mechanical systems. But to what extent is simulating environments a necessity. Through process experimentation, this work provides insight on the simulated versus the intuitive. Could a fluidly aware architecture be achievable through intuition alone? Can adjustments to architectural teaching provide similarly effective fluid design as cutting-edge simulation techniques? The development of this fluid vernacular saw the creation of an office space that utilizes waste heat flows generated from an adjoining data center. Working closely with fluid efficiencies provides not only improved occupant comfort but leads to new avenues of tangible architectural experience.