Adjudicating by Algorithm
Employing open data in a computational ecosystem
to inform preliminary design stages

Madeleine Johanson
Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Built Environment in fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Computational Design (Honours).
University of New South Wales
2017

An interdisciplinary approach to urban solutions can inform the preliminary design stages. As a case study, an open platform to visualise 3D planning regulations will be presented. Building legislation uses the written word to describe the building envelope, yet this raises the challenge of interpretation and therefore delaying site analysis.

When the building legislation controls are converted to computerised logic, the building envelope produced aids the built environment designer through a decision-support system. Thus, creating a feedback system between the designer and the law.

The designer is equipped with the toolset to produce a building form within legal parameters. This can then be dispatched to architectural programs for further refinement.

The workflow presented in this thesis by Madeleine Johanson introduces data interoperability and interdisciplinary practices to produce informed preliminary design, and therefore better urban outcomes.