Winner

The distinctive roofscape of the Worcester Library and History Centre in Great Britain reflects the undulations of the nearby Malvern Hills. With funnel-like shapes reminiscent of the Royal Worcester kilns, the roof provides ventilation using building-integrated natural ventilation controls and natural light suffused through glazing and shading.

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios designed the roofing system using parametric modeling in GenerativeComponents, which empowered the team to alter multiple variables within the constraints of the sustainable design brief and troubleshoot issues as they arose. The complex, non-organic form of the funnel and ventilation baffles created issues, but design changes were made by simply swapping in new components. When the structural center points of the roof were rearranged, the model then readjusted itself to the new layout.

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Located in a natural forest at the edge of Kiev, Ukraine, this $120 million, 250-bed children’s hospital includes a five-story treatment/diagnostic building and five three-story ward blocks. The wards are separated from the main building by elegantly curving two-story bridges. An organic atrium wraps around the main hospital building, complementing the surroundings and providing a spectacular focal point.

BDP created a 3D model of the atrium’s surface geometry to visualize and adapt various design options. Using GenerativeComponents enabled the design team to test complicated surface geometries and cladding patterns in minutes—a process that would have taken days using traditional design software. The software also allowed the team to optimize the surface geometries and individual member layouts to strike a balance between visual aesthetics and structural performance.

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The Maharashtra Cricket Association in West India commissioned Hopkins Architects to design a new 55,000-seat stadium in Pune, India. Extensive analysis was done to optimize C values for viewing, maximize shading from direct sun, and minimize shadows cast onto the field. To achieve these goals, the design team went through multiple iterations to develop the optimal scale and position of the roofing.

GenerativeComponents scripts were used to maintain a highly flexible model without compromising the level of detail needed to judge design quality. The site line analysis tool developed with GenerativeComponents, for example, automated a process that would have taken a CAD technician weeks to complete, but which was now achieved in one day. The Luxology render engine allowed even inexperienced assistants to create high-quality images for the client and team to understand and interpret the design.

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