The Need to Reconsider Digital Design Entities. A semantic framework to enhance computable representation of user/space interaction

Reconsidering digital architectural design approaches involves an accurate observation of the relation between human behaviours and spaces. Exploring the reciprocal relationships between people and context, helps better understanding societies’ needs and “genius loci” specific identity factors; in other words, the bases of good design. Inclusion of users’ behaviours in the design – apart from traditional questionnaires of participatory design – has been enhanced in the last years by the development of behaviour acquisition strategies, influenced by the evolution of sophisticated tools: the last can easily collect/use a considerable amount of data, tracking the actors’ use process in different spatial contexts (regional, urban, architectural, interior scale). The present paper, based on our previous research, wants to contribute in sketching a theoretical framework within which it is possible to address a more smart and effective computation of the interaction between users and spaces, and vice versa. The quest is to reflect on a strategy to formalise explicit design knowledge by engineering the required semantic information on top of available simulation systems. An analysis of computable architectural design process implies the investigation of project models anatomy along the CAAD history. By discussing the evolution of those models, knowledge structures and their “design entity” formal representations, this work aims at providing an ‘Ariadne’s thread’ for designers, software developers and academicians in order to enhance consciousness about limits and potentials of the tools they are familiar with.