Behavioral Form Finding: A Multi Agent Systems Framework for Environmental Aware Form Finding of Shell Structures

This work focuses on the application of Multi Agent Systems Framework for form finding shell structures by incorporating environmental parameters. Within the developed MAS approach the steering of form beyond purely form found shapes is explored by introducing behaviours which relate to the orientation of the site and the corresponding solar path. The aim is to extend traditional form finding by introducing MAS approach which enables the development of agent based models that integrate physical forces such as gravity and tension with virtual ones that relate to different design objectives. Though the use of heuristic functions the behaviour is coupled with the energy and daylight analysis in order to obtain more control over its impact. The framework is evaluated in an experimental design which uses an existing thin concrete shell design by H. Isler as a benchmark. Using the same boundary conditions as the existing shell, the proposed methodology is applied in order to generate design alternatives with improved environmental performance.