New Directions in Shape Grammars

Sunday 7 July 2024, 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Workshop Chairs

Thanos Economou, Iestyn Jowers

Workshop Committee

George Stiny, Terry Knight, Djordje Krstic, Chris Earl

Goals

Recent research into shape grammars is exploring approaches for working with form and material, using a visual computational formalism. The aim of this workshop is to present and discuss the state-of-the-art in the field, with a focus on four core topics: computational making; formal developments; performance of rules and shapes; and the scope of shape grammar applications, in the Shape Machine. The workshop will be an opportunity to share and discuss these areas of research, to explore outstanding challenges, and to establish opportunities for future research.

Workshop Format

The workshop will focus on four core topics in shape grammar research. Discussion of each topic will be led by invited speakers who will introduce their current research in the field, with the aim to inspire discussion about achievements, challenges, and future trajectories. These topics are:

1. Computational making (led by Terry Knight)

• exploring the potential for shape computation to express making processes and their socio-cultural dynamics

• consideration of how making grammars, as processes carried out over time, offer a unique means for answering questions about the creative and generative possibilities of making processes

2. Formal developments (led by Djordje Krstic)

• introduction of new shape rule algebras which allow for calculations with shape rules, as with shapes

• exploring possibilities offered by this new formalism, including constructing new rules, defining new shape grammars, and defining rule decompositions

3. Performance of rules and shapes (led by Chris Earl/Iestyn Jowers)

• considerations arising from applying shape rules to generate grids, and the performance of grids as generative schemas and physical structures

• reflecting on the explorative role of shape rules, as well as the potential to predict outcomes 

4. Shape Machine applications (led by Thanos Economou)

• introduce recent developments to the Shape Machine, a shape grammar interpreter developed by the Shape Computation Lab at Georgia Tech

• showcase a range of Shape Machine applications from architecture, CAD/CAM, archaeology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science

Following short presentations, attendees will be invited to join detailed discussion about these topics, contributing from their own experience and expertise. Through the workshop we will identify:

• current and future trajectories for shape grammar research

• core challenges that remain to be addressed 

• opportunities for collaboration on future research

Method of Submission

Participants do not need to submit anything to attend the workshop, and are welcome to join the discussion.