Abstraction versus cased-based: a comparative study of two approaches to support parametric design

This paper describes an experimental study testing two approaches to support the learning and use of parametric modeling tools in architecture. The implementation of programming languages, both textual and visual, is often frustrating and causes difficulties for both novice and advanced users. This study explores two methods to reduce the barriers of using programming and potentially improve modeling performance through utilizing existing parametric design solutions. The approaches have been proposed as a means of accessing and reusing existing parametric design knowledge. The first is the reuse of abstract algorithmic ‘patterns’. The second approach is the reuse of parametric solutions from specific design cases (Case-Based Design). This paper outlines the principles and methods of ‘abstract’ versus ‘case-based’ approaches to reuse parametric solutions, and focuses on the results of their practical implementation. Results of this study illustrate how the reuse of abstract or specific programming solutions can aid designers and architects in learning and using parametric modeling tools more effectively.