a + Prototypes: Concept for Individual Support in Tools for Building Design

Abstract

The formulation of design knowledge as concepts, goals, and rules cannot be captured in fixed and valid statements. The dynamic modeling of concepts and goals is, on the contrary, part of the design process itself. Tools that effectively support architects in their design should therefore never use predefined mechanisms, but must be definable interactively according to design specifications. We propose the concept of prototypes as a cognitive model to represent and structure design‐support. a + Prototypes incorporate an individual view of design as an organizational model for a defined area of interest. They actively control and guide design processes in supporting the organizational concepts for solutions. The a + Tool implements these concepts on the basis of a modeling language. It provides a dynamic toolkit and user‐interface to support design as well as individual tool configuration.