Architectural Forms in the Computer Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Architectural Forms in the Computer Age - Essay Example More evidently it has resulted in the translation of complex geometrical forms into architectural designs. This can be perceived by observing the innovative and complex forms that the later buildings predominantly adopt. As seen by Bart Lootsma (Zellner 1999), "instead of trying to validate conventional architectural thinking in a different realm, our strategy today should be to infiltrate architecture with other media and disciplines to produce a new crossbreed." Computational design processes is characterized by flexibility, speed, precision and the fact that it allows one to clearly visualize the forms and spaces with the help of animation and rendering. Hence the use of computer technology in architecture is highly rewarding and leads to solutions for a number of issues. The common most positive outcome is that it has become increasingly easier to conceptualize complex geometrical forms and perform various calculations upon it to generate a design that can be practically executed. The technology also allows performing complex structural and environmental calculations with the output data giving precise information regarding the building's performance in various aspects. Further, the modification s and improvements in design have become extremely rapid and it has become highly convenient to transfer or share data and information between the team members of a project, at times sitting across the globe. This technology also offers great precision as compared to manual work. The word 'Digital architecture' refers to the architecture that is generated with this kind of high end computer technology. Such architecture does not only deal with the designing of forms but also with the construction and fabrication of the building on site with the use of computers. This essay explains and describes the computational architectural technology in the digital age through design process, design analysis and building construction process of some recent projects. The role of CAD-CAM It is only since the last few years that the Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) have began influencing the field of architecture. Realizing of complex and geometrical shapes became possible with the inception of this technology. This has helped in realizing possibility to design and construct buildings which seemed to be difficult and expensive when designed in the traditional manner. Note the below placed images of the Empire State building and the millennium tower in Tokyo, the former resembles the architecture of non-digital age as in 1930s. These forms predominantly rely upon repetitive geometry to achieve structural stability. The latter is a product of digitally generated form with the geometry that changes with its height. This is precisely controlled with computed calculations. The design of the digitally evolved form is more complex geometry and depends primarily upon its form for its structural stability rather than it's mass. The present essay discusses the use of computer technology in some of the advanced buildings designed by Foster and Associates. The digital architecture

Recommendations to Chief Librarian of the Medical Library Essay

Recommendations to Chief Librarian of the Medical Library - Essay Example However, though its base is of DDC it is much more powerful than it. In UDC, auxiliary points are put to practice so as to indicate various special aspects of a subject and also to point out relationships between objects. We can therefore state that it contains faceted or analytico-synthetic element that has been used in specialty libraries like medical libraries. Thus, the acceptance virtues of UDC can be considered to be many and thus its acceptance can be said to be numerous. We would now like to throw some light on the development aspects of UDC. It is essential to note that need is the father of invention. Thus, the development of UDC has been taking place since years based on the requirements as considered essential by the libraries. For example, several crucial aspects have been added to UDC because of the necessity to meet the requirements in the medical library. However, it is essential to note that UDC is not restricted alone to libraries of medical science; several other libraries of various disciplines adopt the practice of UDC so as to be confirmed with a more systematic arrangement in the library system. The advantage of UDC is that the documents, which are taken by classification, can hold the presence of their existence in absolutely any form. The classification can be set on films, sound recordings, video, maps, illustrations, books, journals, ebooks, etc. Thus, the positive aspect of UDC as seen is worth the attention it has taken in the scientific scenario of libraries. The classification of UDC is based on Hindu-Arabic numeral and has its base on the decimal system. In the classification system, every number is being considered as a decimal fraction in which the initial decimal point is omitted, and is used to determine the order of filling. Thus, a very logical and scientific approach is being practiced in the classification as used in the UDC system. In order to add ease in reading, the UDC gains punctuation after every third digit, For example, if after 11 "Medical Sciences" comes the subdivisions 111 to 119; under 111 "Physiology" come its subdivisions 111.1 to 111.9; under 111.1 shall come all of its subdivisions before 111.2 occurs, and so on; after 119 comes 12. The greatest advantage of this system of classification of knowledge is that its infinite extensibility. This virtue of UDC prevents the disturbance of the library books even after new books touch the library desk. Another advantage of UDC is that the books can be arranged in several main categories. In addition, a document can be classified under a combination of different categories through the practice of additional symbols. The UDC system of classification also presents itself with the advantage of being designed in a manner that it can readable by the machine. The machine