Rapid Prototyping and Its Role in Supporting Architectural Design Process

Abstract

Model making is a crucial part of the design development for evaluating the form, fit, and functionality of a design before a notable investment is made. The emergence of novel technologies and their increasing uptake are helping to redefine the architecture and the architects’ master builder role by altering the way architects think and make things. Different methods and strategies are available to utilize for the production of artifacts that are considered not only to be new communication and representation tools but also are being utilized for testing and evaluation during design processes. Rapid-prototyping processes are forming a language for use between different phases of the design and are considered as a feedback mechanism informing each other. This article presents the experimental research products of two rapid-prototyping technologies, focusing on how each technology can effectively be used in the delivery of design intent. Prototyping machines were used in testing the accuracy of the geometry of the design, in terms of protecting the design intent within the production process of each model. To verify the results of the experiment, researchers conducted semistructured interviews with the experts in the built environment, and a preliminary decision-making matrix was generated, aiming to provide guidance to the architectural designers on how to effectively use the current rapid-prototyping technologies within design processes.