Tangible modeling interface: Toward a new paradigm in computer-aided architectural design

Computer-aided design (CAD) systems have been widely adopted in the architectural practice to improve and speed up the late phases of design. However, CAD has not been successfully implemented in the early phases due to the overly structured nature of interactions with its interface that obstruct intended ambiguity and spontaneous creative thought. The thesis hypothesizes that architects employ tangible interactions to assist design-thinking tasks in early design phases. In doing so, architects can lessen visual overload and exploit underutilized motor skills and hand-eye coordination lacking in most CAD systems. With tangible input, CAD systems not only retain functionality and accuracy, they also benefit from ambiguous freehand input directly from users. A proposal for a new CAD paradigm is presented as a suite of new hybrid CAD interfaces that can be both a virtual user interface and a physical design medium. It derives from a conceptual framework that includes: (1) ambiguity in manipulation, (2) transparent interaction, (3) interaction semantics, (4) synchronized consistency, and (5) collaborative engagement. In order to illustrate this framework, scenarios are depicted to better describe its design applications and a tangible modeling interface is built as a proof-of-principle prototype.